Daily Mile

Wednesday Jeff and I headed out early for another jaunt up Viscounti.  He is really kicking ass for someone who just started running!  He doesn't love it, but to me it's even more awesome because he's out there doing it to be with me and train so he can pace me at Bryce 50 next month!  What a guy!

Selfie time!  Hawt!

Now that's more like it!

Our running buddy!

5.02

58:24

11:38 average pace

Daily Mile

Wednesday morning Jeff and I got up before five o'clock to head out for a five miler before he had to go to work. We ran down to crestwood park and back. He is really kicking ass with his running! Plus he kills the uphills with his powerful legs and glutes! After I dropped him back at the house I headed back out for a few more miles. I had forgotten how much I don't love road running.  still better than nothing, though!

8 miles

1:34

11:45 average pace

Daily Mile

This morning Jeff and I rolled out of bed just after 5am for a little running fun.  Katherine met us at 5:30am and we all headed out around the hood.  If was cold, but beautiful out.  Jeff did the first three miles with us ladies and then Katherine and I did another mile and a half before she had to call it.  I decided to go for a clean five and call it good.  No better start to the day!

5 miles

56:58

11:23 average pace

Just so you know...

I am not a sissy.  Just so you know.  I realized this on my second run of the day on Tuesday, the day after heavy leg day at the gym.

Tuesday morning I got up early and did a small road run with Jeff.  Then, I came home, got kids off to school and hit the trails.  At first, it was a brutal slog.  After all, I murdered my legs only the day before.  Despite feeling like I would call it early, I ended up pushing through and had an absolutely amazing run and even ended up being fast!  I went out Ann's to the Bonneville Shoreline and did one big loop.  It was outstanding!

Oh, how I love you Corner Canyon!

Spring!!!

#trailandultra

My first trail jump selfie, inspired than none other than Fast Cory!

Hello Mr. Bunny!

2.34 road miles

28:57

12:21 average pace

8.25 trail miles

1:34

11:28 average pace

(p.s. the last 3.6 miles were at a 10:40 average pace!  Word.)

10.59 total miles

Daily Mile & Lift

Monday I kicked ass on an early morning five mile run up Viscounti. Then I hit the gym and did legs.  Jeff tagged along to the gym as my personal motivator and pushed me to do an awesome leg workout that I am still feeling two days later!  

Leg extensions

Hamstring curls

Squats

Leg press

Standing calf raise

Donkey calf raise

That five o'clock alarm sure comes quick!  But, I do love that early morning peacefulness.  

Run complete. My furry bud and I. (FARF?)

5 miles

49:15

9:51 average pace!!!

Lap 1

2.5 miles

28:17

11:19 average pace

Lap 2

2.5 miles

20:57

8:23 average pace!!!  Did someone call me Mo?

Proof!  BOOM!

Daily Mile & Lift (times five)

This week has been filled with a lot of wonderful runs.  Not only did I get to run with a new friend, I had the pleasure of being accompanied by my other half on three runs this week!  Jeff decided that he wanted to try a taste of my world and joined me for a few short jaunts this week!  What a stud!  Plus, we did the usual heavy lifting together.  

Monday was chest day, although I took it really easy since I was still sore from Bosho on Saturday.  Tuesday Jeff and I did the one and a half mile loop in our neighborhood together.  My legs felt really good after this and I knew I was ready to run again.  Wednesday was twelve plus miles of fun with my NARF (New Adventure Running Friend.) Thursday Jeff and I ran 2.54 miles at Crestwood Park and then hit the weights for a killer back workout.  Then, this morning he joined me yet again for 3 miles at Crestwood.  He'd better look out, I may turn him into a trail runner!

Some of my favorite things.  I know you may not recognize me since I'm not wearing anything fluorescent, but I promise, it's me!

Tuesday

1.5 miles

17:18

11:33 average pace

Thursday

2.54 miles

28:51

11:21 average pace

Saturday

3.01 miles

36:46

12:14 average pace

Rest Day

Naw.  Just kidding.  Sunday I had the chance to run with Meghan and Rob, so I couldn't pass it up!  We did a bit of the trail system near their house in Sandy and a bit of the neighborhood.  It was super fun to run with this crew again!  It had been too long!

Thanks for taking all these photos, Rob!

I told you I was always serious when I run.  No fun.  Just work, work, work!

Thanks to this girl, I am the runner I am today.  One day, long ago, she said to me, "Hey, do you want to run a marathon with me?"  The rest is history!

Something about running long distances with someone makes your friendship special.

8.65 miles

1:42

11:48 average pace

Daily Mile

Ultramarathon training can be hard.  Getting in miles and weight lifting can be hard.  But, I was reminded today of something that I'd forgotten.  Running the day after squatting heavy is hard. Really hard.  So, I took it slow and easy.  I enjoyed the day with my pup and didn't push distance or speed.  Tonight, my legs are really mad at me.  In fact, I'm going to go foam roll and go to bed.  But, running on tired and sore legs is excellent training for ultras, so I'll take it as a win!

Ozzy and I enjoy the view of the Wasatch from our neighborhood park.

3.1 miles

38:01

12:15 average pace

Daily Mile

This picture perfectly describes my run today.  Beautiful, sunny, and most pleasant.  

3.75 miles

43:13 

11:31 average pace

Daily Mile

My son used to run with me quite a bit.  Then he quit.  Cold turkey.  I ask him to go with me often, and the answer is always the same, "No!"  But he's been talking about the upcoming soccer season and wanting to run, so I was thrilled when he said he wanted to go with me on Wednesday!  We did two miles together, then I left him at the house and did a bit more on my own and then did one last half mile with both my girls on their bikes.  I love when my kids want to be involved with my running!  I hope they each find the thing they love as much as I love to run!

My sweet "little" boy!

Still loving these Altras!

4 miles 

42:42

10:40 average pace

Daily Mile & Lift

Yesterday I didn't think I was going to get a workout in, but then at the end of the day after all the kids were asleep I decided to head to the gym.  I don't think I've ever been to the gym that late before, but it was pretty great.  There was almost no one there!  I was feeling surprisingly perky for 9 o'clock at night and really powered through a back, shoulder & biceps workout including a new dead lift PR!  I did two sets of 155lbs! 

15 mins elliptical

Military press

Wide grip upright rows

Barbell biceps curls

Wide grip lat pull downs

Dead lifts

Cable biceps curls- drop set

BOOM!  There it is!  One hundred fifty five pounds!  Eighteen pounds over body weight!

Arms and lats are growing!  I love it when the locker room is empty!  I can take tons of selfies! 

Then, this morning I wore my running gear to the girl's school to volunteer in Lila's class so I could squeeze in a run before picking up my youngest.  I almost didn't go.  I was tired and sore from Monday's leg day and last night's hard push.  I seriously contemplated taking a nap instead.  But I sucked it up and went anyway. I took a generous amount of walk breaks and enjoyed the beautiful blue sky and view of the mountains.  I thought a lot about my goals for the year and ended up very pleased with myself for running, even though I didn't want to.  I know it was only three miles, but often those are the hardest runs for me.

3 miles

35:33

11:51 average pace

Then I came home to this awesome present from my husband.  For his birthday, he bought me a lifting belt!  What a guy!  And it's pink, too!  

Daily Mile & Lift

After volunteering (in my running gear) in my daughter's kindergarten class today I quickly went home and had a snack and headed out the door for my run.  Three miles in thirty minutes is super speedy for me!  I was very happy with my pace.  Then, I popped across the street to the gym (after a quick shirt change) for a super quick leg workout before I had to pick up Clarissa from school.  See, I remembered!  No legs in the second half of the week!  My leg workout was fairly wimpy compared to usual, but after Thursday's brutality and then my long slog on Saturday I suppose an easy leg day can slide this once.

Leg extensions

V-squat

Glute extension machine

Hip adductors

Hip abductors

BOOM!  

3 miles

30:46

10:15 average pace

Daily Mile & Lift

This morning it was fairly warm out, so I walked the kids to school in my running gear and then went for a quick jaunt around the neighborhood before heading to the gym for back, shoulders and biceps day.  I haven't run for four days in a row in a while, so I was feeling a little beat up.  I decided to do my other three miler and save my five mile run for Thursday when I can (hopefully) go hit up a trail on fresh legs!

Deadlifts + shrugs

Close grip cable rows

Lat pull downs

Military press

Close grip upright rows

Barbell biceps curls

Lat raise machine

Hanging leg raise

SHORTS!  

3.54 miles

41:14

11:38 pace

Daily Mile

When I can't make it to the mountains to run, I don't have to go far for a little trail with a beautiful view.  I enjoyed another solo run today.  I can feel spring in the air!  I'm getting really excited plotting out my training plan and looking at all the fun races I get to run this year!  It's going to the best year of running yet!

That little brown mountain in the distance is Antelope Island.

6 miles

1:02 

10:20 average pace

Stormy Saturday

The wind was insane this morning.  Steady 15mph winds with 46mph gusts.  There was also a 50% chance of rain.  Sounds like the perfect conditions for a nice long pre-sunrise run!  Katherine was supposed to go with me, but ended up texting me at 5am to say she wasn't going to make it.  I left the house (pepper spray in hand) before 6am, so I stuck to the main streets since they're more well lit and more populated.  I didn't have a definite route in mind, so I just ran along as I pleased.  Then it struck me, I'd pop over to Katherine's house for a photo bomb in her yard!  

It was fairly warm, but the wind gusts made it cooler.  Normally I really dislike running in the wind, but I was really eager for a long run so it didn't really bother me.  Kurtis put some new songs on my mp3 player for me that I really enjoyed and I was keeping a nice pace despite the wind.  I got sprinkled on a bit, but nothing too bad.  Plus, it was my first run in my new Altra Instinct 1.5s so I was excited to test them out.  They are a total dream!  As Katherine said, "They're like running on marshmallows!"  After about five miles I decided to text Meghan to see if she wanted to come along for part of my run.  Turned out she and Rob were heading out at 7:30a to run, so I met up with them then, and they ran me home.  It was fun to run with those two!  It had been a long time. 

Good morning Sandy!

Blogger really brightens up these photos.  It was much darker out, but the clouds were amazing.

Red light district?

Katherine's house!  Geez, why'd you ditch me!?  (It was actually quite nice to have a solo run, so don't feel bad, K!)

What up!?

Sweet dreams 

Look who I found!  Thanks for taking me home, guys!  

Altras!!!

I also tried out this new UltrAspire Quantum belt I just got.  It was really awesome!  I couldn't even tell I was wearing it!  The only downside is there is no place for hydration, so I had to carry a handheld.  But, it was super comfy and perfect for my phone, keys and food!  

A fabulous run with great friends and some awesome new gear.  Doesn't get much better than that!

12.11 miles

2:08

10:34 average pace

But wait!  It does get better!  I took Kurtis to get new shin guards for soccer and I saw this little rain jacket/windbreaker!  It's super light weight and the sleeves are long enough!  I'm skinny and have, as my Dad puts it, "arms like an orangutan" so finding sleeves that are long enough on a small can be hard!  Not sure exactly what water resistant means, but at that price, I couldn't resist!  So, now I need a rain run to try it out.  *Ahem* Mother Nature, you got that?