Go Long!

Ran the north end of the Bluff Trail in two loops, stopping in the middle at my car (at the 3 way stop) to rehydrate. My Garmin wasn't charged, so I had a "free run." I ran fast when I wanted to, slower at times and even walked and stopped to chase some birds a couple of times. I also didn't take my iPod because I wanted to concentrated on my footfalls. Lately, I seem to have been "stumping" just a little, so I wanted to make sure I wasn't braking on every step. I started slowly, but got the whole 10 miles in in less than 1:40, so I averaged less than 10 minute miles even with stops. I ran some intervals at a pretty good clip. 

Jeff came home this weekend. With church service, family business and having to replace Jeff's headlights and connectors, I missed my run altogether on Saturday. It was worth it to have him home. Unfortunately, he had a nasty cold and I can feel it coming on now. I hope I get over it quickly because the grandkids are supposed to be coming this weekend. It may have affected my run, because it took me forever to warm up (probably 3 miles) but I felt pretty good at 10 even though I was running hard. I could probably have run several more miles today but it was getting late.  

Ran the south end of the Bluff Trail from the 3 way stop and added a leg into the Nature Conservancy and up through the subdivisions, past RC Willey and then back to the car. I planned to run just 10 because I was in my Five Fingers, but it was a beautiful day and I got carried away. I also got lost in the subdivisions and was unable to get back to the streets I wanted, so I ended up going long. 13.5 was too far. I got some ugly blisters and may have made myself susceptible to all the germs Jeff brought home with him this weekend by overdoing it a little. I don't want to get sick because the grandkids are coming, so I'm taking massive doses of Vitamin C, getting plenty of rest, staying warm, thinking good thoughts and eating highly nutritious foods. I'm also looking for advice. Anybody?

I didn't want to run today. It was really windy. I was afraid I was getting sick. I was tired. I didn't want to get cold. (Have I mentioned that I hate being cold?)

Finally I just decided to run a little bit. In fact, in light of something I read on the blog last week about running the day after your long run, I decided to treat yesterday's adventure as a long run and run short today, so I ran the north end of the Bluff Trail with a jaunt through the Glen Eagle Golf Course. Winds were at least 30 mph, but I just had fun with it... and, can you believe it? I ran into two guys trying to golf in that wind. The grass isn't even green yet and these guys are out there whacking away on bumpy grass in a dominating head wind. I'd admire their dedication, but something just seems a little off here. These guys were driving a golf cart, so how intrepid are they really? My friends who golf talk about how good it is to get out in the open air and exercise, but they've all got big guts and they wheeze like crazy or just don't show up when we have moving assignments. I was on my fifth mile when I passed these guys in their golf cart. They were all bundled up and still looked like they were freezing to death.

I'm frustrated that I'm not very fast (yet) but I'm pretty sure I could beat these guys in speed golf (like they play it in Japan) any day of the week.

I don't know what any of this means. 7.5 miles in just over an hour and ten minutes. Blisters are healing. 

What a day! When I started my run I was facing a 30 mph headwind and I thought, "So this is what it's like to run that fast!" The first three miles were cold and nasty, but then the front must have passed through. The wind died and the weather was mostly nice for the rest of the run. I ran the north end of the Bluff Trail going south, took a detour through the golf course, passed the new fire station and finished my first half by kicking it for about a mile to the round-about. I ran hard to the halfway point because I spotted a runner way up there and wanted to pass her before I turned around. I sustained a 7 minute mile for about five minutes before I finally caught her. She looked like she was just a young mom out to lose some weight, so I may have scared her a little. I hope not. I didn't yell, "Gotcha!" or anything when I sped past her with 100 yards to spare. It would be fun to knock road kill off the trail when you pass them, like they do in Roller Derby, but I'm pretty sure that would come back to haunt me really soon. I haven't been passed lately, but that's just because the fast guys don't know where I run.

In other news, I went to pick up a new pair of jeans today. I thought I'd probably better get a size smaller than I've been wearing, but when I tried them on I discovered I needed a pair two sizes smaller and even they fit a little loose. I'm not running to lose weight, necessarily, but in theory, carrying less weight should make it easier for me to Go Long! We'll see. 

Spent the day getting ready for family,  running errands and finishing up on needed business. Did not get time for a run. Hopefully tomorrow, when the kids are asleep.

Nope. Slept with Allie (my two year old granddaughter, who couldn't sleep because she had a cold). She coughed in my face all night. I didn't get much sleep, but she slept well and acted much more happy in the morning. Did things with family all day including getting ready for Jeff's and Austin's birthday party. No run. Starting to feel sick.

Sick. I hope I got it from Allie. If not, I've probably made everybody else sick. I have a very annoying cough and feel weak. Wanted to run. Didn't feel it would be wise. Will have to see how I feel tomorrow. 

Sick. No run.

No run again today. I don't care if I have to crawl, tomorrow I'll get in some miles. This is ridiculous. 

Nope. Sick in bed.

I'm still not feeling much better, but I had to get out and make some presentations today (yes, they went very well) and decided I just had to do something. So I ran four miles on the south end of the Bluff Trail. It was a beautiful afternoon and the miles didn't feel too bad, considering an entire week without running. I coughed up a lung to start, but after a while got into a groove and finished strong. I wore my five fingers. It was a beautiful afternoon. A little windy, in the fifties.

Okay, so this wasn't all that fun. Having run only four miles (yesterday) in over a week, I decided to go ahead and run with Dr. Shaw this morning on the JRT in Murray. Fortunately she brought Mark along who rode a bike and carried Gatorade and Gu. After we got started, she insisted we run all the way to the end of the trail, which brought us in at just under 14 miles. It actually didn't feel all that bad, but four hours later, I feel like I a used pinata. I'm sure I'll recover just fine and that mostly I'm just not over being sick, yet.

Apparently this is a nasty bug. Several kids in the neighborhood have spent time in the hospital, a couple with RSV, and adults are complaining that it's the worst cold they've had. So I'm not going to say my case was the result of training. It does surprise me, though, since I'm usually disease resistant when I train. Hmmm. 

I'm not feeling that much better, but can tell my cold has progressed and I'm assuming I'm not going to die from it now. Last week I wasn't sure, even though I've heard no one has ever died from the common cold. They could be wrong. I'm pretty sure you could die from the common cold and from running 10 miles. I'm feeling like that could happen today.

I don't know what the deal was on Saturday. Honestly, it was a pain to run, but not unbearable. Today was much harder. Maybe I still haven't recovered from Saturday. It was beautiful, although a bit windy, and I even took my gloves off and one of my shirts on the return (when I had the wind at my back). I forgot how nice it was to run when it is warm. I'd like to remember what it's like to run when it's warm and I don't have a cold. (What a whiner!) Tomorrow will be better. 

I don't know how to say this without whining: total drudgery. I must still be sick. I actually ran one mile, returned to my car at the three way stop and drove home. After a few minutes I regrouped and ran west into Hooper from the house. I just felt tired. I didn't take my watch so I don't know what my pace was but I might have finished faster if I'd have run backwards. A nice, warm day though. I'll survive.

So I'm not feeling all that good anyway, but trying to make the sacrifice. At about mile 8 I run into a guy coming in the opposite direction taking his dog for a walk. What's so strange about that you ask? He was riding a 4 wheeler! He had the dog on a leash and was riding a 4 wheeler! Can you get any more lazy/stupid than that? Obviously he knew the dog needed exercise. He needs exercise! Yeah, I know, maybe he's disabled or something. Maybe. He didn't look disabled. He looked lazy and I just wasn't in the mood for a fat guy dragging his dog on a walk with his 4 wheeler. Come on America! Get off the freaking couch!

I'll probably regret I wrote this tomorrow. 

I get to watch Austin (my four year old grandson) while his parents interview for a job at the U of NM. It's Austin's fault I didn't run.

Austin's fault.

Austin's fault again.

By the way, Austin can run. He'll take off and run a quarter of a mile until I catch up with him. Then he turns on his heels and says, "Carry me!" It's really quite endearing. And it's kind of funny, too. He's so energetic one minute and so needing to be carried the next.

He loves to ride on my shoulders, but he doesn't want me to walk, "trot," or "gallop." He wants me to sprint, full-out. I would think he'd hate all that movement, but the kid seems to like speed. It gives me a good workout.

There are maybe two or three things that are more important that running. Austin (my four year old grandson) is one. Scott and Lisa dropped him off on Wednesday because Scott (heaven forbid this really happens!) had a job interview at the University of New Mexico. They spent the rest of the week down there. Allie (two year old grand daughter) went to the in laws, Dalene had work, Jeff was camping so I was Austin's 24 hr consierge. It was great, but I lost three days of running.

I ran 10 miles this morning with Dr. Shaw on the JRT. It was slow going. The weather was great. My conditioning is poor, but at least I was able to breathe finally. Hopefully next week will be better. Planning on 10 mile days with a longer run on Thursday or Friday. I'll do 10 miles with Dr. Shaw on trails by the Legacy Highway. Haven't run there before, so we'll do some exploring. 

I'm writing this on Wednesday. I can't remember why I didn't run on Monday. That's too long for my feeble brain to remember. I'm losing my super powers. Got... to... run.

Okay, I'm a total slacker. Yesterday I just wasn't feeling well (still) so I didn't run. I decided to take it easy today just to make sure I didn't over do having been sick and all... and surprisingly I felt pretty good. Will run a few more miles tomorrow.

A sad note: Austin got my cold. I hope he does better with it than I did. I'm worried for him because he's only four and this has been nasty. 

I really have nothing to say. I worked on a couple of projects at home today and kept hoping the weather would get better so I wouldn't have to run in the rain or the wind. What a baby! I had to run some errands and go to the store, where, of all things I bought and consumed an entire box of Peeps. I don't even like Peeps! So what if they were on sale! Sugar coated marshmallows with a bunch of artificial coloring, that's all they are. Wait! They were shaped like rabbits, so maybe I got a bunch of protein. Yeah, that's it. They kind of taste like chicken...

I also ate some malt-ball easter eggs that were in the cupboard and some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. What the heck is going on? I never eat like this!

By the time I used up all the good daylight hours with time-wasting projects, I figured I might just as well bag it, in terms of running, which is what I did. Somebody send me a life raft, I'm drowning!

Okay, I'll be better tomorrow. I promise. I'm traveling to Salt Lake and then Provo, but I'll take my winter (grrr!) running clothes with me and make sure I get in 10 miles, even if I have to bathe in the Jordan River afterwards. Wait! Maybe that's what made me sick in the first place. Forget about the bath, I'll just stink the rest of the day. Wait! I can't stink, I'm meeting family for dinner. Dang, I'm not sure what to do. It's complicated being a world class runner. 

I'm starting to feel better from whatever sickness has had me down for the last two weeks. Not having run many miles this week,  I didn't want to go out and use everything up because I'm scheduled for at least 10 miles with  Dr. Shaw tomorrow. On the other hand, I wanted to see what I had in the tank and hopefully clean out the pipes a little so I decided to do 5-7 miles on the Bluff Trail this afternoon. It stretched a little, I ran 8. For the most part I felt pretty good. I had energy for the first time in about a month and after a couple of miles I actually felt like I was getting into the flow also. I feel like I'm carrying at least 10 extra pounds when I run, so I'll have to be careful about what I eat as I begin to build my miles again. Hopefully I'll be back on schedule in about a week.

It's a great day to be a runner! I wasn't sure how I would react to yesterday's run on the heels of being sick for the last two weeks, but I actually felt good for the whole ten miles today and finished strong. I could have run a few more miles, but had commitments, so I was happy to get in 10. I'm a little sore this afternoon, but not bad. A day of recovery tomorrow and I should be more ready to go on Monday than I have been in nearly a month. 

There were a lot of runners on the JRT as it was a "training run day" for the Salt Lake Marathon. Is was good to see a lot of runners, but I think I've seen more in the past. I'm starting to become sort of a running evangelist, so I'm anxious to see more people on the roads. I had a great discussion with Dr. Shaw about what it takes to get people off the couch in light of this weeks forum discussion on running and aging. Very enlightening. Next week we'll explore some of the new trails along the Legacy Parkway.  I hope we can find a bathroom.

It's amazing how much better you can run when you're not sick! I'm not totally out of the woods yet, but I feel pretty good and running today was actually enjoyable. I remember a moment, heading south on the Bluff Trail, with the wind at my back and the sun warming me through my black tights and skull cap-- all the while feeding an urge for peak efficiency, when I actually exclaimed out loud, "This is great!"

It wasn't all great. I pushed the tempo a little, although it was supposed to be an easy day and the five miles back from the turnaround were harder than I expected because I was running into a brisk wind coming straight from the North Pole. It's nice to work on my own because I was able to pick a good time to run-- between storms. I'll be excited when spring finally gets here and I can actually run in shorts. 

10 miles in just over 1:30. Not bad, but I'm not keeping track of times until I hit 100 miles. That should be the week of the Ogden Marathon, which I plan to run as a long training run. At the finish, I'll have run 100.2 miles for that week. Just have to get ready. 

Another good run. It's cold and overcast, but we're between storms so I was able to run on dry roads with just a few snowflakes swirling. I expected to feel the effects of yesterday's run but woke refreshed, so I decided to do a hill workout, using the only real hill in the area: the overpass which crosses the tracks on 5600 S going up to Main Street in Roy. From my house I ran two miles through the subdivisions towards Kent's Market (2 miles) then straight up 5600, across the overpass ending at Main Street (2 miles). I ran back down to the bottom of the overpass (1 mile) and repeated the run back to Main Street (1 mile) then returned to my house (4 miles) the same way I came. (Total 10 miles.) I'm happy to say I ran the whole thing exactly one minute faster than I ran my flat 10 yesterday. (1:33) I wasn't trying to push the pace, some I'm glad I'm getting a little faster without having to work at it. I'll add speed to my training when I hit 100 miles at the end of May.