8.6 mile rest run

I was going to just rest today, but Sarah had a different idea. I was holding her when I walked out on the front porch to get something and then turned back around and came inside. She threw a baby fit!! She just wanted to be OUT! So, I decided to take a jog.

More intervals tomorrow....

Magic Treadmill, make me FASTER!

Treadmill today: Warm up about 1/2 hour (Cut me some slack, I'm menstral!), intervals at 7.5 mph on 3% grade for 20 minutes, intervals 8 mph on 3% for 20 minutes. I think the intervals on the first set are only like 1 1/2 minutes long, and the intervals on the second set are about 2 or 2 1/2 minutes. By the end of that set I was totally maxed out. I'm trying to work up to doing faster intervals than what I will be running in the marathon so that when I'm running in the marathon my speed will seem slow compared to what I'm used to. I hope by the end of next week I can do these intervals at 9 mph.

P.S. I weighed myself today and even though I have dropped a pant size this past couple of months, I haven't lost ANY weight!

Hilton Treadmill, Vegas

We spent Friday and Saturday in Vegas and stayed at the Hilton. I was lucky enough to be one of the first to get to the workout room because every machine became occupied very quickly. The first treadmill I tried, I couldn't get to work so naturally jumped on the one right next to it. But that meant that every time some other poor soul came in thinking they nabbed the last treadmill, I had to tell them it was broken and not to waste the next five minutes of their lives trying to get it to turn on. I think I had to take out my head phones 20 times and tell somebody. I didn't do it once just to see if anyone else around me would take the job, but no one else seemed to think it was necessary and just let them figure it out. Lame!
If I want to finish the marathon in 3:30, I have to run an average of 7.5 MPH. I set the treadmill at that on a 3% grade. (If the treadmill is at 0% grade it's not like running on a road. It's like running on a slight downhill, right? Well, that's what the books say. Actually it varies from 1% to 3% grade being more equal to running on a road.) It was difficult, but I could do it. Just barely. I only have one month till the marathon and the books say that at this point I should be focusing on speed work instead of milage. WAAAHHH! I'm going to try and do just that. But, that means nothing to blog about. I might be quiet till the end of July. Keep your fingers crossed for a 3:30, or somewhere near that!! If I fail miserably there's always St. George in October.

First 20 miler

OK, it was really only 19.6 miles. I rounded up. Here's the checklist for a long run with Beautiful Girl. (Are all you regular readers noticing how I coordinate the song of the day with what the post might be about? There is no end to my creativity or the effort I will put into every post to ensure it's entertaining to read. Those of you that only check in once a week are missing the full effect of the right song playing with each post. I recommend a reevaluation of your blogging priorities.)


Cell phone, check. Garmin, check. Shuffle, check. GU, check. Water, check. Diaper/wipes, check. Crackers for Beautiful Girl, check. Binkie with string, check. Sunscreen, check. Camera, check check check....


...And of course, Beautiful!


I wanted to show you the cute little bunnies that are hopping all over the trail in the mornings. It makes me feel like Snow White while I'm running. Except they don't follow me or bring things I need like ribbons and hair accessories. Maybe if I were to start singing...


What do follow me though are horse flies! Maybe because I wear my hair in a pony tail? Those bites hurt so dang bad. No one else I talk to that uses this trail has a problem with horse flies. For some reason bugs like me alot. Now this is where you say, "You just have to run faster so they can't catch you." Yes, thank you.

PS, On the road home I passed a really intense looking runner and he clapped for me. I didn't feel bugged by it this time. I thought it was very sweet. (See post "7.5 miles at Rebel Stadium.")

Hills Anyone?

It was so beautiful right as the sun was coming up!

My plan was a long run starting at the church at Snow Canyon Parkway, along the jogging path on the highway to The Ledges, down Snow Canyon, and back up Snow Canyon Parkway.  I wasn't sure how long this was going to be and I declined Ron's suggestion to ask Natalie, who probably knows, because I'm too proud, because she's a better runner than me, even though it was ME that got HER into running 10 years and five kids ago.  I've got my Garmin.  It will be an adventure to just get out there and see how far it is myself.  I knew this was going to be hilly...  but OMG...
I can run up that pushing the BOB.... I can run up this pushing the BOB...  Yea, there's no way I can run up this pushing the BOB...
4.6 miles out the path turned to gravel.  I didn't want to put Sallie through the jarring bumps. (even though she's got suspention on her sweet ride, it's not pleasant to go over gravel.) So at that point I canned my original plan and turned back.

And back down the hills...
My running partner....  windblown, weatherbeaten, but happy and beautiful as ever!!

Those 9 miles of hills took me an hour and a half!  I came home and got on the treadmill for another two or three (miles, not hours) just because I am a proud masochist.  At that point, Noah smacked his head on the hearth and started gushing blood.  So glad we've got a bunch of doctors in the neighborhood.  Thanks, John.  (No stitches necessary for now, although it's still bleeding under the steri-strip.  That's what you get when you call the radiologist for help with a bleeding head.)

I hate you, Apple!!

My computer broke last Thursday for the third time. Last time I lost all my photos. This time it won't even turn on, so I'm betting I lost even more than that. I am so dependent on my gadgets now that I have a panic attack when they aren't working. My Garmin and my ipods all charge on my computer, I pay bills by my computer, of course I keep in touch with all of you through my computer. Last night before Ron handed over his laptop I said, "So now this won't work, this won't work, this won't work and so my life is pretty much over." To which he said, "Um, could we please not be so fatalistic?" Oh, ok. Proper perspective back. But I got a laptop out of it until mine is fixed.

I spent the last few days in SLC with Chi2. Did I get out and enjoy running in the green lush SLC spring? No, I rode the stationary bike one day and the treadmill the next! The bike was so hard because I haven't done anything but run since Sarah was born and we stopped the gym membership. How about "Buildings and Mountains" by Republic Tigers in honor of SLC. SLC is such a great mix of the city and nature.

Today I got started too late and it was already in the 90s when I was starting to run, so I stayed on the treadmill. It was scheduled to be a long run.  I'm just sure I went went farther that it said I did!!!

13 mile tempo

I'm not going to tell you what tempo it was.  I'm slow.  But I was going at a pace that I could stand for that distance and just barely.  I'm so proud of myself!  And hamstring was fine, didn't need GU.  I've been stretching alot when I'm just home.  I'm sure that's helping me lengthen my stride and pick up the pace.  

Something about running with Sallie Allie in front of me helps me push myself more.  It makes me feel like I'm not only doing this run for me.  She looks back at me occasionally and we have these conversations with our eyes.  I feel like she's telling me I can go faster for her.  She says that before she nods off to sleepy land.

No signs of the groper that's been reported to be hanging out on my stretch of jogging path.

(Groper)

Why do some girls have all the luck?  Maybe I intimidate him with all the crap a run with.  I've got wires and straps and beeping things all over me, along with the stroller and all the bottles and baby stuff that comes with it.  I told Ron that he has to grope me if I come home having not run into the groper.  But I get home and he's not here either!!  Ppffth!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Groper)