Daily Mile

Morning run on vacation, take two.  I was highly unmotivated today.  I just felt tired and hot.  It's really muggy out there.  But, I got a few miles in anyway and enjoyed the local flora.

Wow, that is some elevation! 

My friend the turkey vulture was still roaming the neighborhood.

 

Cool plants!

 

 

This is only a mile or so from my Dad's house.  It's like the rain forest around here!

 

 

4.33 miles

48:47

11:15 pace

Daily Mile, Savannah Edition

After traveling to Savannah, Georgia on Saturday, my dad, my girls and I drove to Pensacola, Florida for my cousin's wedding where I played the roll of photographer.  It was a wonderful time and after a couple of days of pool, family and driving I was itching to run.  I actually had a dream that I was running on a treadmill, and enjoying it!

I got up early today to beat the heat and headed out into my Dad's neighborhood.  It was a beautiful morning and it felt good to move again after a few days off. 

I love the moss on the trees here.

 

 Good morning Savannah!

 

 

 I spotted this turkey vulture in someone's yard.

 

 I also saw quite a few herons and lots of squirrels.

 

I love vacation.

 

6.2 miles

1:09

11:07 

Weekly Mileage

Monday 5
Tuesday Rest
Wednesday 3
Thursday 6.4
Friday Rest
Saturday 10.82
Sunday Sit in car all day- UGH!
Total 25.22

Daily Mile

Saturday I flew to Georgia with my two girls. However, it seemed like a good idea to get my long run in before we left. Since time was tight, I opted for a road run. It was a lovely morning. I ran through the back roads towards Katherine's, met up with her and she ran me home. After a day of flying and another day of driving, I'm quite glad I got my run in! After I get home it's time to get my training on! But for now, I'm going to enjoy a bit of vacation.

There are lots of reasons I love running early in the morning. The view of the sun coming over the mountains is one.

Now there is something you don't see in Sandy, Utah every day.

Remind me to never go running without my visor again! Luckily, Katherine had an extra one laying around for me!

10.82 miles
2:04
11:30 pace

Daily Mile

Ozzy got to run with his girlfriend this morning!  Oh boy! 

6.4 miles

1:14

11:33 pace

We All Start Somewhere

I have had so many people talk to me about running as if I'm some great runner and how they'd like to start, but couldn't do the distance I'm doing, etc.  But I like to remind people that we all start at the bottom and work up.  So, maybe not everyone's goal is to run an ultramarathon.  That's okay (and probably the sane choice) but maybe you want to run a 5K or a 10K.  I just found this scribbled notepad with mileage logged back in March of 2011, when I started running again regularly for the first time in about sixteen years.  Take a look for yourself.  I started off running only one to one and a half miles at a time.  In the notes on the side I've written run 1/walk 1, meaning I ran for one minute, then walked for one minute for that entire one and a half miles.  It's not as if I just decided one day I'd run a marathon and started pumping out five milers. I started with half walking half running very short distances and worked my way up.  It hurt a lot more at first than it does now, and new distances were more rewarding than at any other time.  

Anyone can run.  Anyone.  You just have to start at the beginning.

Daily Mile

Katherine came over this morning and we took turns watching each other's kid and running then busted out some Abs of Steel with Tamilee Webb!  A good time was had by all!

One more please...

Do I have abs of steel yet?

3 miles

35:02

10:41 pace

Corner Canyon Ultra Trail Run Results

Official Corner Canyon 25K Race results on Ultra Signup.  I'm a little bummed that I didn't make it closer to the top three in my age division, but am still thrilled with my pace and placement.  In 2012 3:07 was third in my age position.  I guess everyone was feeling speedy on Saturday!

3:07:43
37 out of 62 overall
12 out of 27 females
7 out of 10 in my age division

Daily Mile

Today started with a homeless woman sitting in the middle of the road in front of my house with all her worldly possessions strewn across the road.  She was mumbling loudly and when I came outside at 5am to meet Katherine I couldn't figure out why Katherine was mumbling to herself.  Doh!  Our run was uneventful and I caused us to be a little slow.  Still recovering from Saturday, I suppose.   But, every run can't be extraordinary, or they'd all be ordinary!

5 miles
1hr 1 min
12:12 pace

Weekly Mileage

Monday 5.21 + Yoga
Tuesday
Wednesday 1 + whole body weight lifting
Thursday 5
Friday Yoga
Saturday 15.5
Sunday 2.37
Total  29.08

Corner Canyon 25K

Today was awesome!  I arrived at the start of the Corner Canyon 25k and 50k at just after 6am.  It was pretty dang chilly out in my tank top, but I knew it wouldn't be long before it was hot.  First thing, I saw Lindsay, my running buddy who was supposed to run this race with me, but due to a hurt ankle was just volunteering instead.  She was a doll and got me a blanket from her car as I was quite cold.  The RD got all      the formalities out of the way,  and the race began.  

I have never been so great at sticking to my own pace at the beginning of a race!  I started at the back of the pack and followed a long line of folks on some single track up to the Aquaduct trail.  I was feeling annoyed that I was at the back of this line with no control to go any faster, but honestly, it was a good thing and made me keep my pace slow to start.  I just decided to relax and go slow the first miles.  Once on the Aquaduct trail it was very wide and rolling, so I took advantage of being able to bomb some of the downhills.  We ended up at the Orson Smith trailhead which took us straight up the mountain all the way to the Bonneville Shoreline trail and "Mountain Lion bridge."  This climb was difficult, but I had trained for it and wasn't having any difficulties.  

Past the bridge is one of my favorite spots on the Shoreline trail.  It's winding single track with rolling hills, mostly downhill.  Here is where I opened it up.  I started passing people and feeling like the queen of the world!  From BST we headed up the Gas Line trail, which I had never been on.  Very nice, uphill, but mostly runnable.  Then on to Ghost Falls all the way to the top.  I passed a couple more people and settled in behind a woman running the perfect pace uphill for me to follow.  Once to the Canyon Hollow and Brock's Point trail, I passed her too and really let myself fly. There was plenty of downhill and very familiar, as I've run that section many times.  I was loving life when I pulled into the second aide station at about mile 9.  

I only stayed there long enough to gulp a cup of water and headed screaming down Clark's to Ann's.  From the top to mile 11.5 it was awesome downhill and I was oh so very happy thinking my climbing was finished. I was wrong.  There was a detour straight uphill at mile 11.5 that led to what I can only describe as an ankle breaker steep downhill on the other side.  There were lots of loose rocks from pea to grapefruit size.  I took it pretty slow, and thought of Lindsay and her ability to crush steep sections of downhill.  Finally, after ankle breaker hill and a bit of a bush wack, including jumping a ravine (very small) I was to the final aide station at Potato Hill.  

By now it was getting hot and so I not only drank a cup of water, but poured one down my shirt as well.  Now I was in the final push and I knew (most of) the rest of the trail like the back of my hand.  I passed another woman who had passed me early on.  I pushed harder.  I was going to finish in under my goal time!  it wasn't until the final two miles that I was really starting to feel hot and tired, but I was so close I could taste it!  

I finished in (according to my Garmin, no official race results yet) 3:07!  That is a 12:02 pace!  I am completely floored!  My estimated finish time was 3:15-3:30.  It was nice to see Lindsay again at the finish line.  She was just as surprised as me that I came in so soon.  We sat and talked for a bit and I told her about the course and she fed me watermelon.  I think I am going to definitely have to get my running girls out to do this with me next year!  It was hard, I pushed extremely hard, and I killed it!  

Then I came home and sat in a cold bath and took a hot shower and proceeded to do yard work, then take the kids to the pool.  Life doesn't slow down because I had a race.  But I wouldn't change it for the world!

 

Ready to go!!!

Here I come!  Thanks for snapping this, Lindsay!

Super cool race medal!

Overall, it was absolutely wonderful!  The course, the race directors, the volunteers, the swag, the medal.  All fantastic! Plus, I actually feel really great this evening, aside from one sore and purple toenail.  We all know that one is falling off, but toenails are for sissies, right?

#29

You know it's a small race when you are number 29. I'm very excited about the Corner Canyon 25K tomorrow.  It will be my first ever 25K race and my third ever trail race.  I went to pick up my packet this afternoon and to my delight the shirt is HOT PINK!  This picture doesn't quite do it justice.  That thing is near fluorescent!  

Let the fun and games begin!

Fueling with Food

Recently I have had more and more people inquire about my diet and carbohydrate intake in regards to running.  For those of you who don't know, I have Celiac Disease and I have recently realized that I have several food intolerances (including cow's milk, almonds, potatoes and possibly others.)  I've been following an auto-immune protocol for a while now (almost exclusively since February) and am feeling better than I have in years, if not ever.  I really hate the term "paleo," but for all intents and purposes, that is how I am eating currently.  What do I eat?  Meat, fruit, and veggies.  I've recently added with success, sunflower seeds (yay!)  I've also added eggs, although I'm still not completely certain that they are okay.  I've also added small amounts of sugar successfully, which is nice.

I will never be able to eat gluten again and who knows about other grains.  My mom and two daughters are allergic to dairy and many other things, so it's not a shock really.  It can be rather frustrating at times.  Sometimes I'd like nothing more than a pb&j on some nice squishy soft bread, or a bowl of ice cream, or even just a glass of milk.  But, like I said, I feel fantastic.  No more headaches, or asthma, or any of the other horrible problems I was having.  It's a trade off.  Food has become fuel. 

When I first changed my diet I refused to give up my Gu gels, but I have since switched to dried and pureed fruit on the run.  I was nervous about not being able to carb load or get enough carbs in my diet, but it hasn't actually been a problem.  As a distance runner, I thought I had to eat lots of grains.  Rice, corn, beans, etc. in order to fill those glycogen stores.  Well, it may just be my body, but I certainly haven't needed those things to run.  In fact, I've been running faster and with more energy than I ever have.  

What carb loading looks like for me...

Obviously, I don't think everyone should go grain free.  Hell, I wouldn't if I didn't have to and if it didn't make me feel so darn fantastic.  And I plan to try to reintroduce grains slowly, and one at a time.  But, I will say that I think eating whole foods are better for you than those blasted Gu gels.  Probably less expensive too.  Plus, I like the faces my friends make when I am eating prunes on the run.  

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Some runs are good, some bad, and some downright ugly.  Some runs are all three.  Today was all three.  I started off at 5am into my neighborhood feeling very sore from weight lifting yesterday.  Plus, there is so much smoke in the air from the fires in Colorado that the air is dry and unpleasant to breath. I just felt like a lump.  I thought about cutting my run short, but decided that would be, as Katherine would say, "lame sauce." So I put in my ear buds and let Will I Am motivate me to the half way mark.  Once I hit half way, not only was it downhill, but my spirits were lifted and I started feeling fantastic.  It always amazes me how some runs can start out so crappy and end so wonderfully.  Another day, another run owned!

5 miles
57:58
11:36 pace

lap 1
2.5 miles
32:51
13:08 pace

lap 2
2.5 miles
25:07
10:03 pace

MUD!

The pictures from Flo-Foto were posted.  Here are the samples.  Not sure if I'll buy any this year, but they're pretty cute.  

Kurtis and I were a little muddy.

 Jeff actually stayed relatively clean.  He stayed out of the two mud pits, though.

Here are Lila's friend Marianna (far left), Lila and Clarissa.  Muddy?

 Marianna and her mom, Lorena.  Marianna doesn't look too thrilled.

I think we did a sufficient job of muddying up.  What do you think?

Daily Mile

Katherine, my trusted running buddy, and I have devised the perfect summer training plan.  We are doing a kid swap.  Today she watched my girls while I went to the gym and Friday I'm watching her boys so she can get a run or workout in.  Playdate + stress free workout = perfect plan!

Today I did  a bit of a whole body workout.  I had Jeff make me a plan that consisted of dead lifts, bench press, side lat raises, lat pull downs, biceps and triceps.  It was strange at first, going in without Jeff, but then I got into my own groove.  Then I ran a whole mile on the treadmill.  Those things are torture devises!  Ugh.  I'd rather get up at 4am and go for a real run than run on the dreadmill!  

1 mile

11 min

Weekly Mileage

Monday -
Tuesday 2
Wednesday 5.55
Thursday Yoga
Friday Yoga
Saturday 5.5
Sunday -
Total 13.05

Talk about a low mileage week.  After my Wednesday stroller pushing extravaganza my left knee was bugging me a little bit, so I took a couple days off.  Luckily, by the weekend it felt just fine.  Now, for another mellow week before the Corner Canyon 25K!  Yay!

Daily Mile

Today I met Katherine at her place at 5:30am.  We ran the neighborhood and chatted it up.  We have both decided that road running is just an evil necessity and that we much prefer trails.  At least we can pound the pavement together.  

You know you got up early when you put your running pants on inside out.  Nice buns, hon!

5.21 miles

1:02

11:54 pace

The Dirty Dash

Kurtis and I had a blast at the Dirty Dash!  Unfortunately, we didn't have a camera man this time, so the only pictures of the after are from the race photographer and will be posted Wednesday.  So you'll just have to wait!  I was pumped that this year I was able to do the monkey bars!  They were very muddy, so hard to hold on to, but I made it nearly all the way across!  Last year I couldn't do them at all!  We ran the whole course, which loads of people walked.  Kurtis and I had to giggle as we ran up a small hill a guy we passed yelled, "Healthy people!  They don't smoke or eat cake!" Kurtis replied with, "I don't know.  I like cake.  A lot!"  

Jeff brought the girls out in time to meet us for the Piglet Plunge.  Lila's friend, Marianna, from school and her mom were there so we did the Plunge together.  The girls had fun until after the race when they were covered in mud and freezing.  Plus, the ice cold hose shower didn't help matters.  But, soon enough we were all in dry and (relatively) clean clothes and heading home.  Over all, it was a super fun day.  I love that my kids will do this stuff with me.  Also, Kurtis declared he wants to do a Tough Mudder next.  Cool.  I'll do it with him!

Kurtis and I, before.  Squeeky clean!

Post hose-shower.  Hmm, I think I missed a little...

Come back Wednesday or Thursday to see the beautiful muddy pictures!

Yoga for Runners: Injury Prevention

I just did this really great, quick, yoga video.  It was the perfect length to really feel like I worked, but not too long for a busy mom!  Plus, my hips feel super great now!

I say 50, you say K!

Fifty! K!  Fifty!  K!

I've done it.  I signed up for my second 50K race this year!  The Antelope Island 50K on October 19, 2013.  It's held by the same folks as the Buffalo Run, but it's a different course.  I've been told that it's easier than the Buffalo Run, and by looking at the elevation profile I would agree.  I'm really excited to do another 50K!

Now, to get to work on a training plan!

It's National Running Day!

Now that my youngest is done with preschool I can't do those wonderful long runs and two hour gym sessions every Wednesday and Thursday.  I think summer is going to have a lot of really early morning runs and maybe a bit of creativity. Today it's not too hot, 74°, so I ran with Clarissa in the stroller. She had a dentist appointment at 10 am  so I just decided to run there. It was fine, but I don't really love road running any more and pushing 50 pounds up and down hills is hard work! Plus my butt is acting up a bit, probably from such high mileage last week, so I just took it easy with lots of walk breaks.  Run complete.

Happy National Running Day!

5.55 miles
1:09
12:29 pace

Scavenger Hunt Birthday Run

This morning when I got back from taking my daughter, Lila, to school I had quite the surprise on my front door!  A note telling me it was time for a scavenger hunt! I instantly knew Katherine was behind it. She, Meghan, and I had already planned a running play date at the park, but this was a new twist!  I was so excited!  I got Clarissa and I ready and headed to the park.  Before I got there, I received a text telling me where I might find my next clue.  I dropped Clarissa at the playground with Meghan, Katherine and their kids and ran off (literally) to go on my hunt!  Katherine had put clues all around Flat Iron Mesa park.  I ran around to find them all, ending with a gift back at the playground.  What sweet, awesome friends!

This put the biggest smile on my face!

Renee would just keep on running, Dean.

My little runner and I.

All the clues.

John McEnroe!  Katherine, you slay me!

Oops, the first two are out of order...

Playing in the park.  Clarissa sure can rock a visor!  

Run and ride time.  This worked out extremely well and I'm sure I'll be using this tactic to get more runs in this summer.

My wonderful running buddies!

Look at those beautiful smiles!  I seriously have the best friends!

A beautiful day in the park!

Katherine made me this card.  Rarr!

Thanks so much, ladies, for the wonderful scavenger run!  I loved it!

I think I ran only a total of about two miles, but the fun I had made up for the lack of mileage.  It was a great birthday run!