My commitment to making Saturdays run the worst!

Before I get started on my whine fest.  Check out how awesome my phone is. 

Tells me how long it would take for me to get home.  How cool is that?  Yeah, I've had my iPhone for almost 3 years now.  I may be technologically challenged but I get there sooner or later.

I ran Saturday.  It was more then awful.  It's almost like the week leading to the run was planned out to sabotage it.  Of course when your a runner and there is a run on the calendar then you run.  I started out with good enough intentions but in the end my commitment to make it horrid was too much for even my running spirit to overcome.

WIND - I understand I don't control the weather.  I do know that my 8 miler earlier in the week on the same running path was pretty darn windy.  Somehow it forgot to click in my head how windy the Jordan Parkway can be this time of year.  Saturday the wind managed to be head on BOTH ways.  Magic wind I tell you!

LATE - I set my alarm for 8 and planned to be running by 9:30.  Not too bad for a Saturday.  It's getting cooler and I don't have to get up at O dark 30.  Night shift on Thursday night messed me up a little and I woke up at 3am ready to party.  Finally fell back to sleep at 5am and did not wake up until 1045.  YES.  I slept through a double alarm.  That, my friends, is talent.  Take note.  I started my run at 1:30pm.

PRE-WORKOUT - huh.  who knew?  I just perused the book 80/20 and decided to try the longer slower miles.  In order to make sure I'm going slow enough then it's good to monitor heart rate.  I bought a new pre-workout for when I start running really long miles and for some reason thought SATURDAY was the day to try it.  It works!  I couldn't even understand my thoughts my body was racing so fast.  My heart rate?  Don't ask.  For a little while I would have had to lie down in the grass to get it within my training range.  

PREPARATION - Usually I have all my clothes and gear out the night before a relatively early run.  I didn't do that.  It didn't slow me down too much but usually if it's out I don't procrastinate as much.  I also didn't tape my knee the night before which I usually do.

BREAKFAST - I wanted a good breakfast and had planned to make banana pancakes.  I did make them.  I made them for me and my son and added some bacon.  Really took my time.  But not very fast because I was on my feet within an hour of such a delicious meal that wasn't quite ready to run on.  

CORE WORK - I did some core work at PT on Friday but I didn't do all of it.  That is the secret to pain free running right now.  Really strengthen those glutes and hammies.  SO I did about 20 minutes of it just before I left for my run.  

Speaking of physical therapy.  These are the torture tools that are keeping me running.  "Hurts so good", Tera Schatz.

AND THE GRAND FINALE!!!
   I was on day 14 of the 21 day Primal challenge with my daily carbohydrate intake under 100 g.  (My big push to try and loose that 10 lbs before Ragnar Vegas)  I had ZERO energy.  I know the carb flu well and it was almost peaked on this day. I don't know if I could have changed this by eating a few more carbs or carbs the night before and that morning.  I just didn't feel well.  

Felt just like that only I was thinking....have I hit 14 min miles yet?

I had planned to run 8 miles.  The first 2 miles were not bad.  Pretty slow but I still felt like I could move forward.  The next 2 were awful and no good.  I tried having a GU (salted caramel) and I could barely choke down half of it.  Then I tried running 3 minutes and walking 2.  Finally at 4 miles I decided to turn back to my car that was 2 miles away.  I ran a little here and there but at 4.5 miles I walked and didn't run any more.  I don't remember having this bad of a run in a very long time.  My average pace was over 12 min/miles so I was barely scooting long.  I'm going to scratch that up to lesson learned and somedays runs are just bad.  I did take some pics to take up some time.

Lots of bikers

No selfie.  I was cranky.  Just a taped knee and the most awesome shoes EVER!!

Go Hokas!

Utah.  It's really beautiful.  Those mountains will soon be covered in snow!

Bug. 

Great running path!

No matter what I do know this!

TeeHee

Tell me about your worst run.  I mean, how bad can it be??

Blog on........

What's happening here???

Mostly an Update.  

Primal three weeks.

I pretty much did it.  I had a couple days off, one before my last half marathon.  (Recap to follow)  I feel much better, that's for sure.  I have better habits and I'm cooking more.  That's the most important.  Plan on keeping the plan up with occasional but very few "cheat" meals.  

Running.

Mostly not.  The pain in my leg is pretty aggravating.  I finally made an appointment for the Sports Medicine Doctor for this Thursday.  I really think it's my sciatica nerve starting at my hip.  The pain moves around and sometimes it's hard to walk without a limp.  That needs to stop and I mean now.  I wear my compression sock on my left leg almost all the time.  That seems to help.  Still icing, resting and doing my core exercises.  Hoping to get back on track by the end of the week.  

Still lost a toenail and my big toenail is going to bail soon.  Probably from the last few half marathons.

It was fun running a half marathon with a tender toe without nail.

Kinda.

Challenge

I changed the battery in the shaggin wagon.  Just to see if I could.  It was an interesting experience and only minimal injuries.  I'd do it again.  

Tight spaces!

'

Cleaned up the battery holder.  Battery acid caused some rusting on the wheel well.

Battery IN. Challenge Accepted and won!!

Mt. Nebo Half Marathon Recap!

Awesome race and great friends!  I didn't run between the Run Elevated half marathon and this one.  I was happy with the time and my leg pain was less then the last half marathon.  

Outfit planned.  New Lululemon shorts (on sale for 34 dollars!) and running in my new Hokas!

(I did a short 3 miler 2 days before the half to make sure they'd be ok)

Tera, Jason and I went to dinner Friday night and then stayed overnight in Payson.  We drove the course the night before and saw this little angry friend.  

 Running with the steers?

This is how you park when you are pulling wave runners in Payson.

I'll just park HERE. 

Huge fires to keep us warm before race time. It smelled wonderful!  I miss camping.

Before the race

13.16 miles in 2:05:00 (2:04:58 official)

Average pace 9:30

Average HR 148 bpm

Wore calf compression and knee brace.

Mile 1 – 9:28

Mile 2 – 8:46

Mile 3 – 8:59

Mile 4 – 8:32

Mile 5 – 8:39

Mile 6 – 9:24

Mile 7 – 9:47

Mile 8 – 9:09

Mile 9 – 9:30

Mile 10 – 10:25

Mile 11 – 10:58

Mile 12 – 10:06

Mile 13 – 10:04

Mile .15 – 7:45

Mile 6ish I started getting nauseated for some reason.  But after a mile or so I felt much better.  That prevented me from having my second GU at 90 minutes so I just had a cup of power aid at the aid station.

It was a really fast race and both Jason and Tera PR'd.  I was 10 minutes faster then the Run Elevated run and I felt awesome. It was so amazing to hear Tera yelling my name as I came into the track.  Best friends are the BESTEST!  Thanks Jason and Tera for letting me be part of your party. 

Oh...vibrates!

 This is definitely a race I'd like to run again.  Hopefully I can get back on track soon because I really miss the training.  

Dog rescue on the way back to the hotel.  Returned safety to her owners

Flying

Did some.

It's always amazing.

Comedy Festival!

Our local outdoor music venue put on a Comedy Festival.   I bought the tickets a few weeks ago on Groupon.  I asked my kids to go with me but they were busy. I should have taken offers up from my girlfriends.  I took a man I've been dating off and on for the last few months.  I was pretty much over his shenanigans.  Then we went to this concert and ended up sitting with his friends.  It was a pretty lame date.  The Comedy was AMAZING though!  Until it started to rain and we left during Louis CK.  My favorite comedian!  We were so far away and the rain was just soaking us and it just wasn't worth it.  

Other artists we saw were Aziz Azaria, Sarah Silverman and a few others.  It was pretty awesome.  

Yeah.  Difficult to see.

I've never really liked this venue.

Dating is pretty annoying anyway.  I'm holding out for a guy that I really enjoy spending time with.  Sounds simple huh?  But I'm not getting into that.  Yet.  

So that is the last few weeks in a nutshell.  

My new addiction is Cashew Butter on a celery stick with Craisens.  Do it.  Try it!  

Costco/Grocery day

Four bottles of Cashew Butter.  

BAM!

What is your favorite craving right now?

Leg pain. Anyone?? Ideas?

Blog on..........

Salt Lake Half Marathon Recap

I'm so excited to be back!!  Running with friends is the best.  One year and one month after my foot surgery (PROPS to Dr. Dan Preece!) and I'm back on the road running with my homies!

 First, Tera and I worked out our matchy outfits

It's easy for us to be matchy because we don't run together.  She flies past me!

Turns out my blue was sort of a different blue but she and her hubby Jason and I brought a lot of Lululemon to the race!

Ashley, Silvia (Jen's mom), Jason, Tera, me and Jen Q.

The three girls that didn't need to pee

I did as much training as I could. By the time race day came around I felt pretty strong.  I didn't work any overtime shifts that week, ate well and stayed hydrated.  I knew I could make the 13.1 miles pretty easy but I was hoping to come in under 2:15. 

Nice downhill, but there was some HILLS!  

 I took the downhill at a decent pace but the uphill's ended up being a walk sort of thing.  At about mile 7.5 - 8 miles my legs just decided they were done.  I am pretty sure it was the Pilates class I took 2 days before the race.  I was really mad that I had been away from Pilates for so long that it actually kicked my butt for the race. So at mile 9 I decided that I was going to finish but that I was going to enjoy it a little.  Just a little!  

I was really hating the run at this point, but determined to finish.

At 13.10 on my Garmin it was 2:14.  My official time was 2:16:55.

Still not bad.

I've signed up for 2 more half marathons.  One in July and one in August. 

6:59?  Could that be true?

Possibly for a nano-second.

 On my way down the home stretch I heard Tera yelling and made my way to her and Jason after I collected my medal, my creamy ice cream, a yogurt drink and water.  We watched the rest run in.  I love these cute pics of Jen and Ashley.  I missed getting a picture of Sylvia.

Did she really bring the gun show??

Yeah BUDDY!

Yeah Ashley!

After everyone was in we posed for pics!

These are all runners from our CVICU unit at the hospital.  I pick up shifts once in a while so I guess I count.

TADA!

Sylvia, me, Jason, Jen, (forgot her name..my bad), Ashley and Tera

It's a pretty cool medal even though I was holding it funny.

My official numbers.

It was just so much fun to be able to go to the race with friends and meet after we were done.  We are all different abilities and styles but it's just a blast.  I'm so glad I'm back to racing.  I still have lots of things to work at with my running but I have plenty of time!

When you run races with friends do you run together?

Do you enjoy running alone at a race?
   I actually do.  I like the mind challenge and the strategies that go through my head.  I also LOVE running with a friend.  I've never ran a race side by side with someone so it's certainly something to try!

Blog on.............

Let it snow..

The perfect race at the perfect time!

Two weeks ago me and 3 of my good friends climbed into a car and traveled down to St. George for a 50 mile - 5 man relay.  When we signed up we thought that going to St. George in December would be fantastic!  Warm weather and sunny skies would be a great change from the cold dreary Salt Lake weather.  

Well, we were wrong.  But just about the weather.  The weather report called for cold in the 30's with a chance of snow.  WHAT?  SNOW?  In St. George?  Crazy.  Let's just say that we learned that St. George only has ONE snow plow and that most/all people do not even have a snow shovel.  That's how much it snows in St. George.  Well mother nature picked the perfect weekend...well, not really. 

My team members included Tera, her husband Jason, Jen Q., me and Laura.  Laura was the wife of an attorney that works for Jason.  We were happy to have a 5th but a little worried we might be..ahh..a tad bit offensive to her.  When we are all together there just isn't any taboo subject which we are well aware isn't every one's cup of tea. 

We were prepared for the cold, we brought everything we had to keep us warm.  The morning of the race we picked up our #5.  Well Laura turned out to be absolutely perfect and HILARIOUS!!  I swear she was Jen Q's spirit sister!  They had the same sense of humor, said the same things and when they laughed they squeaked the same.  The team was awesome, funny and more then anything my laughing muscles were as sore as my running muscles.  Did I mention that the three other girls had asthma (exercise induced)?  There were inhalers all over the place!

Jason and his 4 running gals. 

Our original "outfit" was to be bright yellow shirts.  Yeah, they are there.  

Ready, set..go

Go JEN GO!

Hi FIVE girls!

No slap bracelet here!

Another exchange and the snow is starting to GO.

I love this picture.  Tera is reconsidering the weather and the fact she is going to have to run in the snow.  Plus she is worried about her stinky (Jason).

My first leg (I only had two) and off I go.

Yeah, it was a trail of packed snow.  What this picture doesn't reflect is the blowing snow.  I had a bunch of snow on the side of my head on the left side.  I was a little cold but my vest kept my core warm and I wasn't hot, which is most important.

Yeah, I'm waving!

Woot Woot!

The run actually felt great and I ran it much faster then I thought I would.  9:40 min/miles and in the blowing snow on a trail that was ROLLING. Which means I would climb up and steep hill and run down a very steep hill.  

What I wore.

The temp was 30 degrees. (2 degrees warmer then Salt Lake!) I wore my warm lined Nike long running pants that have taken me through at least 4 winters.  They have a water proof area on the front of the thigh so they never get wet and they are lined so they are toasty!  I had on my usual block and tackle running bra and a short sleeve bright yellow shirt.  Over that I wore a Lululemon long sleeve (Ice Addict LS). The same one I wore on my Thanksgiving snow run. Of course I bought it last year so they don't even have any Ice Addict shirts.  

Running in Idaho.

Over all that I had on this vest.

I bought it at Kohls.

It has been my favorite vest all winter!  I wear it over regular clothes for extra warmth and I've worn it over running clothes on a few cold weather runs and it keeps the core warm and is easy to run in.  Plus I got it on sale PLUS 20% off.  Yeah.  Score. 

I also wore a thin running hat and some running gloves.  I have to say that I really dialed in the cold weather running outfit.  If it was a longer run I may have worried about covering what little of my ankles were exposed and had a neck warmer on that I could pull up over my mouth if I was too cold.  

Back to the race.

Jen takes off!  I ran down Snow Canyon so it was super cold and snowy and it warmed up a touch when we got closer to the city again.  

This is the shit that goes on while I suffer during my second run.

Get a few dorks at the state line and shenanigans will happen!

I was suppose to tap the sign.  Yeah right.  I really don't need my feet soaking wet.  Even though they were a touch moist. 

Before this pic was taken I was running around puddles and ice and basically hell for runner conditions.  After this pic I ran on a road that had a great shoulder and no snow or ice.  I hit the "I'm super tired" stage at about mile 5 but luckily I just had a mile to go.   Much slower, around 10:30 min/miles.  Total miles around 13.  Boom.  

All done!  

I don't have a pic from the finish but we did finish!  Had a blast too!

After we dropped off Laura and went back to the condo and we all had hot showers and went to dinner.

In the elevator.  HAHA!

The snow outside the condo.  Nothing is shoveled because why would they have a snow shovel??  It was definitely an experience getting to the restaurant, but mostly because we were watching other cars all over the place.  There is a technique to driving in the snow and it's not "gunning" it up a hill.  Thankfully we had Jason's 4 wheel drive and he did great!  But I'd lie if we didn't have a few laughs on the way. 

This was a perfect get away weekend.  I was able to be with wonderful people that are great friends and have a good time.  I love getting back to regular life and being a regular single gal in her 40's.  Right.

Thanks again for every one's support!  The whole transgender husband thing is getting less and less an issue every day but only because of all the love!  

What is your trick to running in cold weather?

Next big race?

Blog on.........

PS.  YES, I'm still going to put up the Vegas Ragnar Post.  I was just...ahhh....distracted a bit.