Training Week 14

What!?  What did that say?  Training week 14.  Really!?  Get out!  Shut up!  Oh my GAWD!   Okay, you get the point.  Only four more training weeks left until I RUN AN ULTRAMARATHON!

Monday: 5
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 10
Thursday: Rest
Friday: What happened to this run?  I was tired.  That's what happened.  *sigh*
Saturday: 16.69
Sunday: Rest 
Total: 31.69

Previous Grand Total: 310.17
Training Grand Total: 341.86

Daily Mile

Today was fantastic! I met up with Meghan for part of the run, which really makes the run go by fast.  Meghan is training for a half marathon coming up this Spring, so she's back to training again. Today was sunny and crisp and I was full of energy thanks to my new long run bff, 5 hour energy.

I was feeling good and a bit goofy when I got home.

10 miles

1 hr 55 min

11:30 pace

Don't Stop the Party Run*

Tuesday Katherine and I headed out into another snow storm.  This one wasn't as brutal, or as long, so we managed slowly but surely.  We headed through the neighborhood and did a bit of running in the Dimple Dell gully as well.  It was rough footing in the gully, but very beautiful.

5.2 miles

1:09

13:16 pace

*After Katherine pointed out to me that we are all about the party run, I had to change the title of this post!

Long run cut short

Saturday I ran about five miles, then picked up Katherine and we continued on.  It was very windy and a storm was threatening to take over the valley.  We decided to go on an adventure through historic Sandy and see some new sights.  

This stop light talked to us, "Wait to cross 9400 south."  

The cold wind picked up and we put on our head socks.

Let the snow commence!

It was pretty warm, so the snow was really wet and was sticking to our whole bodies.  My arms and thighs were covered with a blanket of cold, wet snow.  In a matter of minutes it went from partly cloudy and windy to a white out snow storm with inches of snow on the ground.  We were soaked and freezing and decided to call it quits.  This is the first time I've ever cut a run short due to weather.  

My entire body looked like this!  Brrr!

It was a very good run, despite the brutal conditions and I really wished we could have continued.  It just wasn't the smart thing to do.  

16.69

3 hr 34 min

12:50 pace

Daily Mile

This was a great run.  I met with Meghan, who ran 4.5 miles with me, and then continued on my way.  A beautiful day and I was feeling pretty darn great!

10 miles

1 hr 56 min

11:36

Daily Mile

Because today was nice, but I have nothing left to say.  Here is the scoop.


5 miles
1h 04m
12:53 pace

Training Week 13

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4.71
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 6
Friday: 2.64
Saturday: 14.1
Sunday: Rest
Total: 27.45

Previous Grand Total: 282.72
Training Grand Total: 310.17

I'm feeling more and more confidant about the Buffalo Run.  However, if the course is still covered in snow it may take me a lot longer than anticipated.  I do think I can finish, even if there is snow.  My leg seems to be holding together just enough to allow me to train.  I am definitely slower because of it, but I'm still having fun, and that's what it's all about.  I'm still doing my best to stretch and roll as much as possible.  Less than five weeks left until race day!

Never give up

These guys are way faster than I will ever be, but the trials, and the goals are the same.
Watch "Marathon Road" on YouTube

Fabulous 14

Saturday morning was great. I love running long.  Especially in the sunshine! Katherine and I met up with the Wasatch Running Club at Draper Park at 7:15 am. It was a very nice group of people and we had a great run. Katherine was upping her mileage again was planning to do 14, her longest ever. About the time that she was feeling very tired, I was feeling really good, so it was fun to try to help motive her to the finish. She did great and we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful sunny day!  We ran the Porter Rockwell Trail to the Draper Canal Trail.  I'd never been on the Canal Trail before. It's just the same as Porter Rockwell, but with some new scenery, which is always nice.

BLUE SKY!!!

Roar!  Katherine was a beast!

Mr. Ed was watching all the runners.

Katherine, up ahead full of energy and making me work to keep up.

Ozzy is a great runner and has a blast on our long runs.

14 miles, baby!

Katherine was beat, but she did it!  Way to go Katherine!

Maybe some time this summer, my toenails will be whole again.  All I can say is, at least they're only colorful, not painful!

14.1 miles

2 h 49 m

12:02 pace

Daily mile

Friday Meghan and I loaded the kids (minus Lila) in the jogger strollers and headed out into the beautiful, sunny morning. Sad thing was I had no motivation, Raquel wouldn't quit crying and a tire on my stroller went flat. We called it after only 2.8 miles. Not exactly five miles, but better than nothing I suppose.

2.8 miles
35 minutes
12:30 pace

Daily Mile

Today should have been an amazing run.  The sun was out and it was so nice that I ran in a t-shirt.  However, my good ol' right leg was playing games and I was kind of limping.  I wasn't in pain, just not functioning properly and that makes for a difficult run.  I did quite a bit of walking and in the end I walked the last two miles.  I tried to just enjoy the sunshine.  Better than sitting in the house, I suppose.  If we're being honest, I'm sick of winter.  Running and training in this cold, snowy, icy, smoggy winter is more than lame.  It downright sucks.  Fall racing is where it's at.  Have I mentioned that before?

6 miles
1 hr 24 min
14 min pace

Daily Mile

On Tuesday Katherine and I swapped baby sitting each others kids so we could run.  Genius idea, really.  It was a fun play date for the kids, we got our runs in and got to hang out some as well.  Win win.  I brought Ozzy along and we cruised around Katherine's neighborhood.  I was very tired and not motivated to run. However, knowing that my race is coming up soon I made an effort to get in as many miles as possible.  Is it Spring yet?

4.71 miles
55:30
11:47 pace

A Word to the Wise

I always need to hear that resting is okay.  Injuries come and go, but running will always be there after a rest.  Lucky for me, my leg is managing to stay together at the moment.  I know after my race I will need a full on rest, and I'm okay with that.  Check out this blog post by Anton Krupicka on Injuries.

Training Week 12

Holy cow!  I'm getting close!  Next week I'll go down in mileage, then up for two weeks before I taper.  WOW!  I can't believe that race day is so close!

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 2
Wednesday: 8.25
Thursday: Bodywork
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 21
Sunday: Cross Train- Snowboarding
Total: 31.25

Previous Grand Total: 251.47
Training Grand Total: 282.72

End Panic Mode

Today was my second longest run ever! In both distance and time today was second only to my marathon!  First, I lucked out because the forecast had called for snow all day Friday and Saturday and it hadn't even started snowing yet. I started out feeling a but tight in my right calf and left hip, but felt better the longer I ran. I met up with Katherine and we ran 13 miles together, her longest run ever! She was fabulous!  After leaving Katherine, I headed back up toward my house.  I had an hour and a half left to go and the trek from Katherine's house up to 9400 South is pretty rough going.  At the stop light I met another runner and as we waited for the incredibly long light we chatted about races.  She told me she'd be running her second marathon, the Salt Lake City Marathon in April and I told her about my race.  We wished each other luck when the light turned and we parted ways.  That was an incredible energy boost!  The rest of my run only got better.  I was feeling really fantastic and any tightness in my legs was long forgotten.  Katherine and I took a page out of Meghan's book and stopped a couple times to stretch.  I think that was a good call!  I really needed this run.  It was an incredible mental boost.  I'm feeling a thousand times more confidant about the Buffalo Run after this run!

I didn't mention that I was getting an awful blister under my toenail?  Well, I was. About mile nine we stopped at Harmon's and the pharmacist was so helpful and gave me a lance, some cotton and rubbing alcohol.  What a relief!  I felt much better after that and my foot didn't bother me any more.

21 miles

4 hr 25 min

12:37 pace

Daily Miles

Yesterday was supposed to be five miles.  My leg was really giving me grief though, so my five mile run turned into a two mile dog walk.  I was stressing out pretty badly yesterday, but I think I've gotten a grip after today's run was pretty good.

2 miles
29 minutes
14:30 pace

Today I went to the Olympic Oval with a few girlfriends and ran.  I felt a lot better than yesterday and was able to do my whole run without much trouble.  I was pretty slow and Katherine told me I was limping even though I felt okay.  The track at the oval is 442 meters.  I ran 30 times around it, which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  WAY better than the treadmill.  Plus, the speed skaters practice on the ice which is inside the track.  They are fun to watch, and man oh man do they have the best butts and legs you've ever seen!

8.25 miles
1 hour 58 minutes
1 potty break and about 10 water stops (I think I'll bring my Nathan pack next time!)

Now that's Cold!

I guess I shouldn't complain about the weather.  Check out these sites on the Arrowhead Ultra.  Intense!

135 Miles in the Nations Icebox

Arrowhead 135

What Plan?

So, I haven't exactly been following the training plan I made.  But I think that's a good thing because I'm learning to listen to my body and also learning that a "set plan" isn't always doable.  Winter running conditions make it very difficult to run by miles, so running by time has basically taken over.  Perfect example; the race director for the Buffalo Run just posted the following on facebook:

Ok folks, here's an island trail report from yours truly. In a word, unrunnable, every trail. White Rock has been tracked somewhat, but the parking lot isn't plowed, so good luck there. Mountain View had no tracks at all, but I did see 5 horses and some cross country skiers as I was running back north along the road. In the eight years I've been running and volunteering out there I have never seen this much snow. It's 6"-12" deep on the mountain view trail. I did run 17 miles out there today, but it was on the ranch road. It was actually a fairly pleasant run. Very very quiet except for the occasional coyote. Not too much traffic. If we don't get some major melting going on this week, we'll probably end up running the ranch road for the training run next Saturday. Plus there's a 30% chance of snow that day. Feb. is usually the worst month weather-wise for the training runs. This one looks no different. Don't let the road scare you, it's certainly not as bad as running the roads in town. Hope to see a bunch of you out there next Saturday.

Thanks for that Jim.  It's nice to know that this winter really is harsh and I'm not a sissy.  This explains the reason it's taken me ridiculous amounts of time to run distances that weren't up to par.  Also, this totally and completely terrifies me that I will be far under trained for the 50K come March 23rd.  *Deep Breathes* I will continue to train following my plan somewhat and hope that it will be sufficient.

Time for week 12.

Training Week 11

I sure hope this week's rest has paid off.  We'll find out, I guess!

Week 11
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Cross Training
Wednesday: Cross Training plus 2 miles
Thursday: Cross Training
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 17.65
Sunday: Rest
Total: 19.65

Previous Total: 231.82
Training Grand Total: 251.47

Why oh Why?

Today started out fine.  A little stiff and cold, but fine.  I met up with Meghan for a few miles after an hour of running.  It was slow going with lots of black ice and ice puddles on every street corner.  My pace was surprisingly slow even though I felt pretty fast when I was running.  After I left Meghan back at her place I headed home to drop off my dog, I just didn't have it in me to run with him for four hours today.  Just before the three hour mark I started to become very sore.  My hips and legs were really hurting.  The elliptical is just not as good as time on one's feet.  I went back and forth between feeling good and feeling like I'd been hit by a semi truck.  At one point with less then an hour of running left I nearly cried wondering why on earth I would do this to myself.  Then I texted Jeff for some encouragement and received a few ridiculous photos of he and the dog.  This did cheer me up some, but I was hurting.  Finally I made it home with not nearly as much mileage under my belt as I'd hoped for.  So not only was I hurting, but my ego was slightly bruised as well. More than once, while running, I thought about that fact that I have nearly twice this far to go in March and I'd certainly better get my training going now that it's February (PANIC!!!)  After a shower, a bath, some relaxing a quite a bit of foam rolling I'm doing slightly better (read, I can walk up and down the stairs like a normal human.)  I feel like I should end on some sort of positive note, but I'm not sure how to do that.  I just hope this next week of training won't prove so difficult.

4 hours
17.65 miles
13:35 pace
1 giant blister (it's gross, you should see it)
2 sore legs
1 bruised ego

P.S. I am still glad I went out even though the second half of my run pretty much sucked.  Now I own those miles!  They are mine.  So is the blister.