Believe to Achieve

Got up at 3am and thought "I wonder why Kim or Melanie didn't call me about what they were running?"  Then I saw on my verizon cell (it was in silent mode from my three day weekend) that Kim had called at 9:30pm.  I learned they were meeting at 5:20 to do some speed by the track.  Well, I so wanted to just be with them thru the warmup at least and get my 14 miler over with so I just laid in bed with no further sleep waiting  for  the clock to read 4:52  am.  I got out the door at 5:05 am and ran 1.9 miles before getting to Kim's nice and easy (8:54).  The others were running late (Jane and Mel) so Kim took me in her car to drop off  drinks.  Well that was not good for me.  I should have just kept running.  It was freezing, to me when I started running.  The ground was covered with frozen dew.  My fingers and toes were numb.  But to get in Kim's car and "thaw out" then get out in my sweaty clothes again after 15 minutes was a bit much on my already problem leg.  It sure hurt from the get go.  I know, times like these one should not run but I just couldn't NOT run.  I have come to realize this about me.  The pain was quite intense throughout the run but I tried not to whine at all.  I don't think I did.  We ran 2 x 2.2 miles (supposed to be 2.5 miles but the loop was shorter than we thought) with a .4 mile run in between.  Basically my first 2.2 loop was a 6:40 avg (6:42, 6:38, 6:35 for .2)) and my second loop was a 6:37 avg (6:40, 6:37, 6:27 for .2).  It felt doable, I could have done another loop, but we ran out of time and my left leg from my foot to my hip was extremely tight.  The streets were also poorly lit up.  The first loop was QUITE DARK and I had to try to avoid potholes and "phantom" potholes as my night vision is pathetic.  The second loop it was more light out but I had two near run overs with drivers not seeing me as they are turning right and I am trying to cross their path but have to dodge behind their car or be trampled.  I don't know how the speedstars feel so at ease in the dark and at a much swifter pace.  THEY ARE AMAZING!!!  I am so happy for them.  They are running so well.  Its hard being 5 weeks behind them in training but even then I would not be at all near them in their speedwork.  Just going for my 3:07 at Utah Valley Marathon.  Fingers crossed, stars please ALIGN!!!  : DDDD   Coold down back to Kim's then I added on 2.7 miles  back to my house at 7:24 AP to get to 14.  Total miles =  14 @ 7:29.   Plank 2 minutes, sides x 1 minute.  Bicycle abs x 50 each leg.  Crunches 25 center, left, right.  Push ups -- girl type 10 x 2.    

5 easy before work at 4:50am.  AP 8:30.  Worked a long crazy busy shift.  Began to feel sick.  Got sicker watching the saddest BYU basketball game ever at the Marriott center.  Currently have body aches and a very stuffy nose.  Hope it doesn't worsen.  At one point near the end of my shift it felt like my whole right side of my head was under water.  That was weird.  There are a lot of illnesses out there right now and I have taken care of many patients with fevers, flu, and pneumonia.  I don't know how I lasted even this long.  So not sure if I will run my planned 11 miler or not.  It depends on if this illness at the getting worse stage or if  I can fend it off well.  

Read the "bolded"  bottom for a good laugh.  TM hillwork with sinus congestion on the right side.   Lovely.  Ate two honey robitussin cough drops to try and open up the nasal passages during the run. 

3 mile WU at 2 %:  8:57, 8:41, 8:27-8:13.  Then did hill work in a ladder fashion, starting at 3 percent increasing 0.5 percent every 1/2 mile to  6 percent, staying there x 2 then coming back down. Basically this:

3 %  8:06 x 1/2 mile

3.5 % 8:00 x 1/2 mile   Brief reset the TM  and potty break so the TM doesn't stop in the middle of my workout at 60 minutes.  Total time to mile four =  33:45.  Felt so very nice. Now time to get serious.  

4 % 8:00 x 1/2 mile etc....

4.5 % 7:53

5 % 7:53

5.5 % 7:53

6 % 7:53

6% 7:53

5.5% 7:53

5% 7:53

4.5 % 7:47

4 % 7:47

3.5 % 7:47

3 % 7:47

2.5 % 7:53 x 1/4 mile, 7:47 x 1/4

2 % 7:41 x 1/4, 7:35 to 7:19  x 1/4. Total time for miles 5- 11 (7 miles)  = 54:35.  AP 7:48. This felt tiring towards the end but I felt strong and never felt like I needed to quit.  I was a puddle of sweat afterwards.  My sinus didn't drain much.  I am pretty much stuffed on the right side of the head.  At least I don't feel like I am under water anymore.  Something funny,  Troy told me the other day after he got off the TM an old guy who was taking a water break and had been running around the track said to him " did you see that girl next to you on the treadmill? She's been going like that for over an hour (referring to Monday's workout).  She's insane." Troy then said, "oh yah that's my wife.  And yes she is insane. "      Later in the day:  Plank 1 minute, side plank 30 sec each.  Repeat x 1.   More core before bed.

PALS (pediatric advanced life support) from 8:30 to 3:30 am.  Then kids from school. Then kids went to Stake Center to play soccer.  So....I decided to run my planned 5 Easy on trails with my NEW trail shoes.  Not sure I like the stiffness, not sure I will be secure in them by the time Antelope 32 miler rolls around.  But hey I used to road run in ascics cumulus and even PRed in the marathon with them (3:11) so I guess bigger MIGHT be better.  AP today 8:26.  I felt comatose the first few miles and was wondering if I should have just added these 5 miles on to tomorrow's run. There were many a wheel track to traverse and lots of  mud.  I tried my best to avoid those areas. Seriously wondering how I am going to pull off another long trail run with only, so far, one trail run.  Survived Squaw Peak with only one trail run of 5 miles and Antelope is A LOT easier than that.  Blah..... At least I can now use these trail shoes for hiking in Bryce Canyon after the half in July instead of my darn flip flops.  Those caused some major aches and pains in recovery.  Progressive splits: 9:21, 8:37, 8:33, 8:01, 7:41.  Rolling flat on the canal route, out and back.  Parked at the canal.  Don't dare run on the road with these shoes. 

Ran a training run with Jen.  Her first 16 miler.  She is training for the Ogden Marathon.  Her goal is just to finish.  She ran well today.  After not stopping the first three miles we stopped at each mile and walked about .7-.1 miles before running again.  Her AP with all the stops ended up being 10:19 (we did stop our watches for our 5 minute water break and 5 minutes potty break, so that is not included in our AP).  We left at 6:01am and got back at 8:54am.  So total time gone  2 hrs 53 minutes.  We ran up to Alpine from PG and back.  I have to say running slower than usual seemed almost harder on my joints than faster.  My cadence was off.  But I sure enjoyed the company!!  The miles did seem to pass quickly and the weather was quite agreeable.  I ran 1.15 miles to her house (she is only .5 miles from my house but I wanted 18 today so I ran longer), then I ran the same route back with a little cutoff to make it 18.15 miles.  My AP for 17 miles was 10:01.  The last mile helped the AP quite a bit.   Later I went skiing for $20 each at Sundance thanks to BYUs basketball game over a week ago.  We went from 1230 to 8:30 pm.  Night skiing was so awesome.  The lights in the dark on the snow was quite the sight.  I was so very tired at 6:30 that I had go inside and rest for an hour.  I was so wiped out.  I have been getting up at 3 am every night not being able to fall asleep so I think I need a good night of uninteruppted sleep.  My cold lasted 2 1/2 days.  I nipped it in the butt very quickly.  So glad.  

Oh my. I am so out of shape compared to Mel and Kim.  I just don't know how they do it.  I ran a ladder SW (max vo2 for sure).  Warmed up x two miles, 8:49, 8:34 at 2 %.  Then at one percent I ran 1 minute on/off  @ 6:18/8:27;  2 minutes on/off; 3 minutes on/off; 4 minutes on/off, 5 minutes on/off, 6 minutes on off (last few minutes of the 5 and 6 ons I put the incline to 0 percent.  My left foot was ailing and I didn't want any more torquing, put it back to 1 percent during the off times).  Then when I got here I was so not ready to do another 6 minute to ladder down.  I was in too much pain to stay at that pace, so I just did 3 minutes on/off, then 2 minutes on/off, then 1 minute on/off  x 6 for a total of 32 minutes at 6:18 pace.  I was NOT liking this workout.  I think eating just beforehand was part of the problem.  All the blood was in my gut and not my lungs and brain.  Plus I emphasize again the ridicuoulousness of the TMs at PG rec after 8.6 mph.  And I was at 9.5 mph.  blah.  I feel so out of shape compared to my friends.  So instead of comparing I will just be happy for them and hope I can just get stronger with lactate threshold runs and MP runs, cause'   VO2 workouts suck!!!  Crossing fingers I don't get a migraine from this workout.  I tend to from the shaking, like I am on some amuzement ride and the room is spinning. Completed my run with 3 miles in 22:15 (7:25 AP).  AP for 14 miles = 7:27.

Just couldn't bring myself to run on the frozen earth before work.  Glad I didn't-- I even slid on the ice with my SUV on my one mile trek to work.    Hope this weather passes soon.

 5:30 am at the rec center.  3 mile warmup-  8:57, 8:41, 8:27 at 2 %.  Then kept it at 2 % for 8 progressive miles:  7:41, 7:35, 7:30, 7:24, 7:19, 7:13, 7:08, 6:58.  AP for 8 miles = 7:20.  Ran 1 mile cooldown at 8:06 pace.  That's not the end.  Late morning (9:20am with Troy):  4 miles easy wearing my trail shoes (AP 8:32, 1 % incline).  At the end I put the incline at 15 % like D.Crockett just walking at 4 mph and then for just a moment I pushed the speed up to 6mph and I was like, what in the?  Seriously, how in the world did he run 3 x 7:30 X 15 % the other day?  I was about tipped off at that percent.  Back to my shoes.  I am still  not sure about wearing them at Antelope but I wore worse during Squaw Peak.  Much worse.  I wore "zeroes" that I already hated for the first third of that race and then my ascics, old ones and then my new ones.  So one pair of trail shoes can't make me bonk too badly.    Still one trail run under my belt prior to the race.  I don't want to run on the road with these shoes and I don't have time this weekend to drive to the trails before work.  Tomorrow Melanie and I are running Suncrest at 4:30am, if I don't accidentally sleep through my alarm.   So glad it should be nice weather according to the reports.   

Suncrest with Melanie EARLY, very early.  In fact now I need a nap and its only just before 8am.  We ran it nice and easy.  My hamstrings are acting up like they did last year when my performance started to crash.  I think for sure it  is  the trail shoes.  They don't give much in the midfoot and I am getting shooting pains down my lower back into my hamstrings.  Bringing back sad memories so I think I will talk to the running store.  I have only run 9 miles on them.  AP today 8:28 (56:55 to the top, overall time 1:41:43).  Windy on the top but nice the bottom 4 miles.  At least it wasn't a bone chillin' wind, just enough to make us put our second layer back on at the top.  

5 easy as planned around my neighborhood in the windy cool (not cold : D) air before work.  Felt really nice. AP 8:25.  Hope I am motivated to get out of bed early before work tomorrow and run the planned 8 miles with 100 m pickups x 10.  Blah.  So little time....so much to do.  But I like my sleep.  Bonus, I wore my new trail shoes (I traded in the last pair I bought last week) and bought  Brooks Cascadia 4s.  They are SWEET.  They were on sale since the new ones are out.  So much better than the ones I was trying to wear.   I couldn't even run on the pavement with those.  They caused the horrible back and hamstring pains.  Now cured.  The RIGHT SHOES MAKE a whole lot of difference.  I now feel like I can show up at the starting line of Antelope Island somewhat prepared.

8  easy miles including 10 x  .07 mile strides before work at 4:40am.  AP for 8 = 7:42.   Time for each- 26.08 secs (6:14),  25.27 (6:03),  24.78 (5:56), 25.45 (6:05), 26.94 (6:27), 25.93 (6:12), 24.91 (5:57), 24.76 (5:55), 25.13 (6:01), 25.0 (5:59).   Interesting that the time difference between them all is never more than a second, except for the fifth one up hill, yet the garmin read such a varying pace.  Not sure "how" strides should be run, they felt very easy!!  Ran .1 miles in between  7:23 - 8:02 pace.   LONG day at work, busy busy busy.  Sick kids lots of new babies.   Oh I almost forgot, I ran this in my new TRAIL shoes  : D  on the road.

3.5 mile warmup at the rec center at 5:30am (really 4:30 am 1 1/2 days ago!!).  8:41, 8:27, 8:20 and 8:06 at 2 %.  Then planned 4 x 15K to 1/2 marathon pace (6:40, hopefully someday : D).  So ran 6:40, 6:40, 6:40, 6:30-6:35 for the last one (started picking it up the last two laps to 6:18 at the end).  Cooldown x 1.5 miles.  Cleared the TM time after 3 miles of warmup then started this workout with the 1/2 mile warmup.  Stopped the TM when it got to 6.2 miles.  Total time = 43:23 so AP 6:59 for 6.2 miles (4 miles plus the 1.5 miles easy pace miles).  I picked it up to below 7 pace for the last .2 to 6:18 pace just for a fast finish : D.  I ran this STRAIGHT through without stopping and NO water.  Forgot my little water bottle.  Going skiing at Brighton today so had to get up early AGAIN.  Past five day history--  Thurs morn up at 410am to run with Mel up Suncrest, Friday up at 4:50am to run before work, Saturday-- up at 4:30 am to run before work, Sunday (daylight savings loss of an HOUR) up at 5:40 to get to work by 6am but really it is 4:40, Monday up this morning at 5:15am (4:15 that I am used to it being).....EQUALS INTENSE fatigue exhaustion RIDICUOULOUSNESS but nothing I can't handle.  THINGS have been worse, working nights.  Three shifts in a row with CRAZY workload is TOUGH. WE HAVE HAD A BABY BOOM in the VALLEY.  MANY BOYS, few girls born.   SERIOUSLY.

REally, 14 miles today?  NOOOOOO!!!  I still haven't recovered from the lack of sleep and three shifts in a row and SKIING yesterday for 7 hours in SNOWFALL.  The skiing was spectacular but the snowfall was sometimes a bit much.  Hey it's March!!  But we had a wicked fun day, the kids and hubby and I.  I overdid of course flying through the wooded made-up trails with my kids.  They love it.  I love it.   But as the day wore on so did my thighs.  They were tired and beat.  I was done.  Skiing take A LOT out of you.  Today, I ran in my trail shoes.  Third run in them.  This time I actually ran on a trail with them.  Only the canal though.  No major toughie but I was tired of the clay soil and hills.  The first 5-7 miles were great and then I could tell I had been working my legs TOO MUCH and was like "be done already", but I was running an out and back course so no such luck and I just pushed through the fatigue.  The last mile I was so fed up with myself and the tempo of my songs (they were all TOO slow).  I flipped thru the songs sighing with every song that was next finding no umph to get me home any quicker.  Then with one final flip I got to my favorite UPBEAT song and was like totally adrenalinized.  I turned the volume way up and I ran a 6:18 pace back home for the last .3 miles.  Now I am dead to the world and need a break.  But no reprieve.  I work the next two days.  Going easy those two days.  Recovery runs x 2 in a row for 5 miles each.  Oh yah, AP today for 14 (8.6 miles on trail)=  8:12.

Oh my aching,   tired body--- FATIGUE O'RAMA!!  Dang the daylight savings--- seeing sunshine until 7pm makes me stay up later and then I have to get up early which is still earlier if it were last week....I just haven't caught up and I keep waking after only 2.5 hours of sleep thinking it should be morning and I stare at the ceiling or my pillow waiting.....I  got up at 4:50am and out the door by 5am to run my measly 5 mile recovery run, jog pace--8:48 for 5 miles.  First mile 9:52.  Last mile 8:13.  SOOO glad at mile 4 I literally ran into a group of friends from my ward (7 of them) and I got to have company for my last mile in the darkness.  So refreshing.  Whether was so nice, light breeze.  I clocked into work at 6:01 after getting back to my house at 5:46am.  Worked my BUTT off all day, non stop for 12.75 hours--- pretty much a 50 miler.  So much for ANY TRUE RECOVERY days.  When you work full time as a nurse there is no such thing as recovery.  I so wish I could truly rest....in my dreams, then again I don't even have much dream time since I am not sleeping well.  It looks like tomorrow I will run my next 5 mile recovery run in the rain.  I am trying to look forward to it : D.  Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my head  :  D.    BTW today I was teaching a student nurse and she accidentally walked abruptly into me while I was walking out the nursery door while my arm was out to the side getting the hand sanitizer on.  I whacked my inner lower arm by my elbow so hard that the entire shift I had such intense pain to my finger tips and up to my shoulder.  I have a very large contusion/bruise/hematoma on my arm and it swollen, burns and is also numb in areas.  I didn't have time to take anything for it and just thought of it as getting through the end of a marathon, and toughed it out.  But it was quite excruciating at times.  I finally just iced it for 30 minutes and took some ibuprofen.  Holy Moly, it is just a bruise for crying out loud.  

5 sluggish miles in the early hours of the morning before work-- 4:55am.  Colder since the storm came through, a wintry chill but not drastic.  AP 8:38.  I have had a slight sore throat but it tends to get better after my run.  Productive brief cough.  I am SOOOOO wiped out.  I blame daylight savings for my lack of sleep.  I am not getting any good amount. 

can't sleep....anxious sleep.   I just can't seem to konk out fully.  But every morning I am up like clock work so I walked my self out the door at 5:15am and drove the rec center to do a 12 miler.  I ran 4 warmup.  Was going to do hills for 7 miles but just couldn't do it.  I have this productive throat thing happening and I am just too worked over that it just wasn't worth it.  4 mile warmup at 2%-- 8:49, 8:41, 8:27, 8:06 sorta kind of-- I just kept upping the pace every 1/2 mile.  Took a potty break and did hill ladders, with pace at 7:53-- 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6 each at 1/2 mile increments.  DONE.  I was having a hard time not getting dizzy.  I almost passed out.  So I got off and drank more water and then got on and finished with 4 miles at AP of 7:45.  I so had to work that one out of the hat.  I worked the last two days and although I ran "recovery" runs before work I was NOT recovering at work.  It was like two 50 milers in a row.  Go go go, non stop for 12.5 hours.  I don't drink near enough at work.  I like my job but sometimes nurses are expected to be too perfect and meet so many needs and you feel if you  could just eliminate the charting aspect of nursing you could be the best ever.  Blah.  Enough whining.  12 miles total. 

First, ran two miles on my own nice and easy  in the wind (AP 9:04). Then ran with my trainee Jenn.  This time I let my garmin run through ALL of the walking at every mile starting at mile three.  Pace slower than two weeks ago but after mile 12 (we started at 530am) we had a very nice headwind.  The wind had died down after two miles together.  The moon was FULL and spectacular to look at.  Jenn was down about the wind but she persevered and made it to my home where we parted.  She only had .4 miles to go and we stopped to use my bathroom.  I had to get going to see Melanie finish her race (a whole  'nother sad but funny story), the Shamrock Half in Saratoga Winds, I mean Springs.  Our pace with no stopping of the garmin except for three times for longer stops (total of 8.5 minutes) was 10:37.  Total time 3:12 minutes!!!  Just a minute slower than my SGM PR!!  The only thing about running slower is that my joints were more achy.  Probably because I don't think I get my adrenaline and or endorphins going.  We did do some bursts which were fun to watch Jenn do.  She could really pick it up and, while my legs were stiff and struggling to catch her, she looked ENERGIZED. Seriously, she doesn't give herself credit.  She can run fast.  We got to 6:30 pace briefly.  Anyway,  back to Melanie.  She missed the turn and followed the lead pack of guys (uphill mind you) for .7 miles, then turning around after the sheriff told them they were going the wrong way.  So she and 4 other guys ran 1.4+ miles longer on the course.  She WAS in first until then and then ended up in third.  She was right next to the second place girl  at the finish and  I tried to get her to sprint with me, but she was mentally/physicall spent.  She did say she got to 13 miles in 1:30.  And that course and wind  IS a bugger!!!  The first guy came in at 1:27:40.  I don't know if he took a wrong turn so I bet the other guys really beat him.  The "first girl" followed wrongly as well but only for an additional 1/4 mile.  She came in at 1:34 something including the extra time.  Basically, KNOW YOUR COURSE.  There was noone at that turn, but a small cone with an arrow and if you blinked or if you were cruising you could easily miss it.  BUMMER.  The winner got a pair of running shoes.  The race director apologized and Melanie said "it's all good", mistakes happen.  She got in a good work out. 

To the rec center with Troy.  Sadly Troy fell on his knee last Monday Skiing down a black diamond with my highly active 8 year old daughter.  Now 7 days later, no running :((     He rode the bike after trying to run beside me on the mill to no avail.  He says "I'm fine".  But not really.  So today was supposed to be 10 miles with 5 at 1/2 marathon/15k pace.  Well I have to work the next three days (12.5 hours each) so I wanted to shorten those runs before work so I ran 13.1 instead.  Ran 5 mile warm up in 8:20 or less AP.  Started at 8:49 and ended at 8 AP with 2 % incline.  Then had to wait for a little ol' guy to finish up in the bathroom so I stretched a bit and filled my water.  Ran 1/2 mile more of a warmup at 7:53 then got right into seriousness....however with laryngitis/bronchitis this work out got hard.  Even harder when perfume lady was walking on the TM next to me.  So I ran 3 @ 6:40 (1%), 1 mile at 8:00 then 1 @ 6:40, then 1/2 mile at 8:00 then last  mile I ran this for each 1/4 mile laps (6:44, 6:40, 6:40, 6:00- 6:35)  with a long sprint at the finish--- Probably 6:25 or so for this mile.   Could barely talk after this run.  Cough productive but hard to get out.  At least it is this week and NOT this Saturday.  Although I am not liking the weather forecast for this Saturday.  But they have been wrong many a time.  Crossing fingers.  Ran 1.1 mile cooldown at AP 7:53.  

7 easy miles at 440am before work.  Got to work, discharged two of my three patients came home by 2 pm on call in a MASSIVE FATIGUE.  It is indescribably.  Took a short nap but still I feel so completely exhausted.  Hope my anemia isn't coming back.  Pace 8:25.

Got up at 4:25am to run earlier than yesterday because I thought  I was scheduled at UVRMC (12 miles away).  Ran 6 easy, last mile picked it up to 7:07 I think.  AP 8:05.  Turns out staffing made an error and I had to turn around and drive back to AF hospital, one mile from my house.  Bummer, I could have slept longer.  Today at work I was extremely tired once again.  But my patients didn't notice : D.  I try to do my best every day at work, never stopping until my patients are well taken care of.  Love the cute babies. Still a lot of boys and few girl babies.  I think I will knock myself out tonight around 9pm.  The sun is too bright right now.  Kids are all playing soccer and I am cooking dinner after just getting back from work at 6:35pm.

AP 8:41 for 5.5 @ 4:50am.   First mile 9:54   : D.    Last night after work and writing my last entry, I crawled into bed at 7:30pm and couldn't move or even see my kids.  I didn't sleep the whole time, it was broken sleep.  I just lied there in intense tiredness, burning from my shoulders deep into my spine and arms.  My eyes were burning and still are from fatigue.  Worked my last of three shifts in a row today.  Was excited to watch the BYU vs Florida game but that just zapped me from the remainder, if any, adrenaline I had.  Sadly we gave up in overtime.  Major bummer.  Tomorrow a short jaunt once again with some 100 meter pickups.  I am just hoping to not be fatigued like this on Saturday.  I feel like I need toothpicks to hold my eyelids open.  My head is pounding, low sugar in the brain feeling and I have been eating.  Blah.  I must be in that "body pretending its dying before a marathon breakdown".  But there is nothing currently I can do about  it then get my butt back into bed.  Going there soon. 

After a long night of tossing and turning I got up feeling more energized than the last three days---a relief.  I got geared up to run my planned 5.5 miles but accidentally went over. AP for the whole run was 8:15 for 6.6 miles.   Plan was also to do 10 x .08 (more than 100 meters, and .01 more than I ran last time , a big step I know  ; D, but I find it hard to get in a groove in only 25 seconds and even this felt too short, I guess that is the meaning of strides)  Anyway ran 4.45 mile easy  in 8:52 pace run then ran my strides with 0.1 miles in between with the lovely garmin beat reminders.  I accidentally started with my interval so my first one I was not quite ready yet it felt the best and then I ended up running an extra one because I missed counted. I kept waiting for my garmin to beep but it was in the cooldown mode.  Oh well.  They always do.  All the others actually felt very easy.  With the traffic  I slowed on a couple out of anxiety but I ran longer and quicker than my last strides, that's a plus.  I focused on "robot" arms and stretching out my legs.  I still don't know what strides are all about and how fast I should be doing them.  I like that they are over and done with before you know it.  Here are the splits for those and the 0.1 in between, so I can compare them later. ( BTW this was not all out but relaxed).   5:57, 8:03, 6:08, 7:49, 6:08, 7:42, 5:43, 7:23, 5:53, 7:29, 5:49, 7:36, 5:44, 7:42, 5:43, 8:08, 5:55, 8:17, 5:49, 7:58, finally the extra "11th" one where I actually slowed wondering why my watch wasn't beeping, so 0.11 miles @ 6:23, uphill but still felt easy.  Finished with 0.41 miles back to my house.  Driving up solo to Antelope Island in the morning at about 6:15am.  No reason to arrive there super early.  The race starts at 8am.  I am looking forward to a nice LONG run.  Goal would be to beat my time two years ago of 5:23.  Mel and I ran it then without any expectations but to just run it.  I have no idea of my ability now, two years later with more miles but less iron on board.  I also have hard memories of Squaw Peak but luckily that wasn't until mile 41.  This is so much easier than that course but it is has its hard points for sure.  One thing it March and the salt air is not so welcoming. It is numbing and usually bitter.  But hey, that's been the weather all winter.  Nothing new.  I hope to feel good at the end.  Time will tell.  Less than 24 hours and I am out there.  Good luck to everyone that is racing tomorrow!!  : D.

After a week of working, bronchitis/laryngits then other unforseen incidences of massive fatigue etc..., no taper and no sleep....I decided to follow through with my plans to run the 50k with only two (4 miles and 7 miles) trail runs on the canal here in PG.  The first loop I felt so strong and I ended up running 13 minutes faster  then two years ago coming in at 2:21 and leaving the 16.1 mile station at 2:23 something....and then the DREADED second LOOP DISEASE....like were did my stamina go?  Had something to do with lack of quality nourishment at the aide stations....watered down "EXCEED", I think that's what they called it.  It wasn't salty at all so  I grabbed two small handfuls of krinkle cut potato chips and two handfuls of m & ms and a total from all stations of  a 1/2 banana.  I counted my calories after the run to be 700 (including 4 gus).  I brought three and they were out at each of stations but one and it was mocha 2x.  Caffeine and I are not friends.  My heartrate soars for a bit and its hard to breath for a moment if I don't take enough fluid.  Back to the DREADED SECOND LOOP....I was cramped up like the end of an untrained marathon ( I guess you could say  I was an untrained trail runner here).  A nice fellow gave me words of encouragement and eventually after much MENTAL DEBATE about continuing I pulled my head out and pushed my body passed all the intense nerve and muscle pain just past mile 23.  My biggest complaints about the race: NO PORTA POTTIES, sometimes a woman NEEDS a POTTY.  Second, MY SHOES WERE A HUGE JOKE.  They are too big for me or at least today they were, my skinny ankles were moving all around in them and there was absolutely NO support for my ankles that I had to BREAK on EVERY downhill.  Sad but true.  Hence some mighty spasms in my quads at the end of the race.  On the second time up the switchbacks, well just before at mile 23, I realized I had tortured myself long enough with NO music.    I got it out of my fanny pack carefully watching my footing over rocks and put it on.  A HUGE BOOST to my ability.  I was like THANK YOU THANK YOU  I can finish this, just two more hills to walk up and then I am home free for those last 3.5 miles that seem to stretch on and on.  But I sped up and gained on some of the ground I had lost out on.  My second lap was depressingly 24 minutes slower than my first.    I had quit for about 8 miles of the run so I am not too disappointed with my time.  Plus with everything I mentioned above I feel quite happy.  I think  I could definitely go under 5 hours.  But I just have too keen a memory right now so I will probably try hard not to sign up again for this.   I drove up at 6:15 am and got there with 25 minutes to start.  I then drove back at 2:25 pm took some ibuprofen in the car and got home at 4pm showered and drove up to the Conference Center in Salt Lake with my daughter Courtney to watch the Young Women Conference.  It was lovely.  About ibuprofen: My soreness/achiness/cramps were gone with just two tiny little pills.  I could do leg lifts and kicks without a hint of having run 32 miles.  I sat through conference without much pain.  I SHOULD HAVE DOSED up on the run.  All this worry about nsaids during running and they would have saved me from a lot of grief out there in the wild salty air.  Oh well.  Live and learn.  FYI:  THIS course has a net of 3900 FT VERTICAL GAIN!!!  in case you were wondering :  D       A few more notes so  I can remember:  first loop uphill felt AWESOME and EASY.  The shoes were not good as I pointed out.  I was completely unstable on the downhills and in rocky spots.  Mile 6.5 to 7 I was at one point at a 6:38 pace but knew if I kept going like that I would trip on the many rocks and grooves that I had to slow down.  That mile was a 7:05 the first loop.  The second loop I was at 8:15 or so and is where I was about to quit but got out my ipod.  More about the shoes, they were aggravating even though my breathing and tempo felt really good.  I knew the extra work to adapt might proove fatal the second loop.    I finally pulled over and tied the darn shoes real tight so as to stay on my feet so they couldn't wiggle around and that helped but did cause two blisters, one on each ankle.  The second loop I tripped a few times but never fell.  My left ankle got twisted but  I just pushed through it.    Besides the muscle cramps, mostly on my left leg--hamstring and calf I felt like my core was doing quite well.  My shoulders were burning by the end.  The massage at the end helped tons.  The massage lady induced a major muscle cramp but she called for the head lady and she got rid of it pretty quick and got me water to drink and asked how well I nourished myself.  Not enough she told me.  I knew that.  I am pretty stupid about feeding myself in these runs.  700 calories probably is not enough.  I don't know about salt pills.  Have never tried them, even in the Squaw Peak 50 miler.   After the first 10 miles I never felt like I had to pee again.  I never peed the entire race.  Probably a bad sign of hydration status.  I did drink a cup of what  I now know to be heed at every aid station.  I filled my water bottle three times.  I wore a fanny pack that carried my water and three gus.  Next time I am taking some NSAIDS. 

The good thing about this race is that I am walking around normally.  I walked barefoot to the conference center from my car because heels are just not good for calves, however, after running that long.  But after the YW conference last night I stood up without a single cramp, just minor whiplash injuries.  This morning not much soreness.  So it must be the electrolyte problem during the second loop in the salty, windy, cold air.  I should check into good replacements during a run like this.  All I had was water in my fanny pack, no salt pills and some watered down drink at the aid stations.   If the stars were aligned some of the things I had to deal with during the race would have gotten me through at least 15 minutes quicker.  Oh well.  I am pleased because I think I will be able to run the miles I need to this week.

8:50 Pace  for 6.1 recovery miles.  FELT AWESOME.  Like on a cloud with my mizuno precisions that have 500+ miles on them.  So much nicer than my trail shoes felt on the trails and road running just feels different.   I can't get over how amazing I felt on this run.  I loves the cloud-like feel and even though I have some residual soreness in mostly my left hamstring and a little bit on my quads I felt like I wasn't working at all. So nice.  So happy.  But my throat is sore and now since my daughter doesn't have tonsils her rapid strep came back negative.  My white patch is obvious and it is sending pains to my left ear.  I just try to use homeopathic ways to kill it--like probiotics and herbal remedies/vitamins.  I know it sounds odd that I should feel that good with this condition but I do.  Last week was so intense with the fatigue.  This week I feel like a miracle has been performed  :  D.  PS our ward was just split.  In fact our whole stake had a meeting last night to let us know where all the new boundaries are and we were moved to go to the next ward over.  Five years with people you got to know well and now A HUGE CHANGE FOR OUR street.  We are going to be like the new students at school in an established ward.  Good thing for my daughter Courtney as the new ward will have 34 Beehives now instead of the 8 that are now left in our last ward.  She had only two  friends in the ward now she has many more to make.  

PM:  going to run 4 more miles per schedule  : D   Looking forward to it.  I could have gone on with the run above but I had to take Courtney to the Drs.  At least now I am following the schedule-- 6miles in the am, 4 miles in the pm (all recovery).   Addendum: Ran 5 recovery miles (8:42 AP)  at 4:30pm in the snow flurries and high winds.  I actually don't get too bothered with the wind anymore.  It seems normal now.  Antelope Island breezes were quite brisk people pointed out but I didn't feel too affected or distressed about it.   Suncrest is great training to rid yourself of any feelings towards wind and hills.

Slowly removed myself from my bed at 4:55am and was bummed I couldn't get out earlier to get in my 7 miles before work so I settled on just squeezing in 5 miles at 8:24 pace.  IT WAS FREEZING outside.   I wasn't expecting the TON O' FROST and the drop in temp so I was feeling like the tinman for most of my run.  Worked all day in level 2 nursery.  Battled a massive fatigue attack from like 1 until 5 pm.  Oh my!!!  Eyelids were burning again.  It is pretty intense.  There were a lot of fragrances in the nursery that contributed.  When I got out in the fresh air in the evening to watch my two daughters' soccer games I was reawakened.  Yay!! Courtney's team won 5-0  (last year playing the same teams they lost all but two, and already they have won two strongly), and Brooke's team tied.  The other team scored and "woke us up" and then we quickly scored and then the other team scored then we had another adrenaline surge and scored pretty quick afterwards.   All the girls were quite frozen.  10 year olds don't do as well as preteens in the cold.  

Progressive 16 miler up into Alpine.  I now have a new found appreciation for that Antelope Island 16.1 mile loop that I ran twice.  As I was running this hilly, but what seemed way easy to me, 16 miler today in the wind and sleet at times, I was taken back to last Saturday.  It took me with two stops included 2 hrs and 21 minutes (and I felt I was holding back) to finish that first lap.  It took 2 hrs 8 minutes today to run a road run (and I stopped my watch for a potty break at Alpine Center, next to the Eternal Water Fountain).  That is only 13 minutes faster than that 1950 ft climb and descent run!!!   Antelope Island 50 k is about the second loop.  It was cold and windy and aide stations were 5.5 miles apart.  I was lacking MUCH sugar to the brain Saturday hence the depression/desire to quit for a bit.    Today I didn't bring any water or nourishment.  I really could have used a gu the last 30 minutes to get over the rough spot.  My pelvis started to burn at mile 14 when I tried to pick it up.  So I slowed and made it through that hard moment.  It is still burning a little so I am icing it.  Cardio-wise I feel very strong and not winded whatsoever.  THANK YOU ANTELOPE ISLAND :  D    AP for 16 miles today =  8:01!!!   : D

NADA.  Was going to run with Kim for a brief 4 miles but was pulled to UVRMC 12 miles further away and 20 minute drive.  So, when I awoke with the same IT band pain on the left I opted out of a run today.  Work was long and longer.  I had a major fatigue moment again from 1 to 4 pm.  My cortisol level must be dropping off then.  I was VERY low last September and I was told to take DHEA but that supplement made me feel very dizzy and out of body.  So apparently my body lives on low DHEA since it can't handle any more of it.  ANY way just excercised my hip all day at work and wherever I went.  My new RS presidency came to visit me.  Then Courtney's YW presidency.  Everyone seems so friendly.  Funny how we always lived by one another but didn't know one another because the line that divided the wards was just to the west of us now it is just to the east of us.  I think this will be a good change for all of us.  : D.  PENANCE:  NOT GOOD THAT I ate a cheeseburger, tater tots, ice cream and pumpkin pie for lunch.  How is that going to sit for my SW tomorrow?    Legs very swollen by end of shift from all the salt/saturated fat.  Self control please!!!