cheryl

Some of us from the group met today at Cheris' and had a fun 10 mile run.  Those there (besides Cheris and me or course):  Julie, Jody, Eric, Aaron and his SIL Kim.  We ran (literally) into Nancy M. along the course.  I ran the entire time with Cheris, Julie and Jody.  It was fun, the weather cooperated and we got in the miles at about a 9 minute pace.  Eric was amusing us after with different things he was saying.  I've missed seeing him more at the group, hopefully he'll be showing up more often now.  Hopefully Aaron will come more also, although we barely spoke with him because he stayed with his SIL.  Ten miles doesn't seem as difficult as it used to, which is good.  More fun tomorrow on the hills.

We did hills today with the BBK group at Parkway Palisades.  There were about 18 of us, so it was fun to have a large group.  We varied it a little today.  I did run the main hill three times, I had my best time in a while at 8:26 for the last hill.  Will I ever get under 8 minutes again??  That is the question.  Anyway, I thought it was pretty fun today and thanks everyone for coming out and making running those hills bearable.

Seems like a lot of the BBK group enjoyed sleeping in today, as did I.  However, Peggy's idea of sleeping in is 5:15, mine is 7:30.  So I got a slow start on things.  I did get on the treadmill and run for about 5 miles, give or take a few tenths, but what the heck I think it's close enough.  I put it up on a pretty steep incline for part of it just to get a little hill work in.  That's always fun.

Just to let everyone know, I was up at 4:30 also but I didn't meet you die hards at 5:00 to run an extra 5k, I just did a warm-up on my treadmill.  I figure I ran at least .7 miles--how convenient, that added to the 3 5k's we did equals 10 miles.  Everyone says our 5K route is  a little short, but don't blame us, blame the people in SJ who put on the 5K a few years ago, they're the ones who set the start and finish lines.  I'm just going on the belief that they're really 3.1 exactly.

Anyway, we started out and I ran with Cheris and Michelle on the first one and enjoyed talking about the Republican Convention and Sarah what's her name's talk (can't think of her last name right now, I know it has a Pal in there.)  That was fun and pretty comfortable.  It better have been comfortable because it took 26:34 to run it.  We then rested for 2:20 and then headed out on the next one.

This one all the speedies took off and I was running by myself, but I could always hear someone or someones behind me.  Finally Scott and Kelli come running by me at about the half-way point looking fresh and strong.  Where had they been?  How did they look so strong?  Why am I asking all these questions, just run.  Anyway, I stayed behind them until about the end when I saw that I could be under 24 minutes for the first time since last Februrary, and then I picked it up.  Kelli and I basically ran in together, thank you Kelli for pushing me to my best time in many months.  Official time according to my watch was 23:57.

We rested (or at least that's how long I rested)  for 3:39, then we hit number 3.  The speedies took off again.  I thought I was going to die on this one because I had really pushed the last part of the second one.  After a little lull especially going up Rustic Roads, I was able to pick up the pace and finish in 23:48.  My new best time since last February!  So I should be happy with this workout because I hit my best times in a long time.  And I am happy, no complaints.  Now if I could just get back in the 22 minute range...(we're never satisfied, are we?)

 Good job everyone, can you imagine trying to do those on your own?  I'm glad all of you come to support us in our misery, oops I mean fun!!

I went on a little bike ride later for about 30 minutes, I put in some hill climbs at the hill at 102nd So., so I'm giving myself 2 miles for that.  

We'll see you all at our own little SJ half marathon on Saturday.   

Today was an interesting day exercise-wise.  I first went to a class at the SJ Rec Center that works on lower body strength.  After that, I met Peggy, Debbie and Kris and ran probably two miles with them--they were finishing up a 6 mile run.  I couldn't run just 2 miles today, so I got on the treadmill and ran 4.25 more miles, then I rode my bike to pick up my car.  Needless to say, I didn't get a lot done around the house but I did have a good workout day.  Hopefully not too good, I hope to be fresh for our run tomorrow.

Today was our SJ half marathon, one we set up ourselves, nothing official.  We had a large group at 6:00am at Bingham High, which was nice.  When I finished about 1:54 later, just about everyone had left.  Where were the after race festivites?  We'll have to work on that next time.

Anyway, we all started out in the dark and ran up 9800 So. to Glenmoor, back down to 40th West, to 118th So., to 2700 W., 114th So., to 2200 W. back to Bingham.  I ran behind Cheris and Jody most of the way until they decided to pick up the pace and leave me in the dust.  I was on my own  from about 118th to the finish.  Michelle N.'s super nice husband handed out water to us at three different places, that was really great, thanks Jared and Michelle.  I would say aerobically I felt ok, but my legs just didn't want to move as fast as I wanted them to move.  I need to work more on flexibility and strength.  I looked at my shadow and my legs looked stiff, no real bounce or energy to them.  Oh well, there's always something that needs work.  It was fun to do that run and thanks to all who came out to support it. 

It seemed like everyone else was running extra and putting in extra miles, so after I went to my boy's football game and did a few domestic activities, I ran about 4 more miles.  BYU won so all is well at my house.

Yesterday I had a low grade stomach ache all day.  I actually missed church, which was the first time in forever that I've missed church because of illness.  I blame my 9 year old, he came in my bed the other night and coughed all over me all night.  We took him to the doctor yesterday because he was complaining of an earache and the doctor said he won the prize for having the reddest ear he had seen that day.  So I must have picked up something from him.  Then when I woke up this morning  the ache was still there, so I wasn't sure I would get in a run at all today, but as the day progressed I felt better, so I got on my treadmill and actually had a pretty good run.  I ran for an hour doing one minute fast, one minute slow.  As long as I kept the slow minute really slow, I was able to hit the fast minute pretty fast, so I felt good about that.  Sorry to miss Steve and the group this morning, maybe next time.

My distance today is a guess based on what others who ran about the same as me have put down.  I really have no idea how far we ran, I was just trying to keep up with Michelle, Cheris, Dean, Jody, Aaron, and Amy.  We ran on the new Bingham field for the first time--it is opening officially on Friday, that will be the first Bingham game on the new field.  So we got to check it out before hand.  Then some stayed to run on the track, and some others went with me on the road.  Dean, who just completed LOTOJA, kind of took charge and told us what to do.  We first just ran around our favorite neighborhoods--Temple View, Bonanza, Bridle Oak, and Prospector.  Then Dean had us run fast around the Temple View loop, recover, then fast thru Bonanza, then back to the track.  It was fun.  I should do a workout on the track, it looks so cool.  Maybe when all my hamstring and other issues clear up--that might be in many years, but whatever.  Good job everyone in the group today.  I just can't wait for SGM to see all the great times that will be posted.

I ran on the treadmill today.  I tried to do fast and slow 1-minutes for half, and then just kept it steady for the other.  Enjoyed the running.

Our group ran the Glenmoor 8-mile route today.  I like it because I think it simulates St. George somewhat--uphill at first, and then downhill.  I ran on my own because everyone just took off on their own pace.  I ran it in 1:08 and change (I also have watch problems, I usually just erase my time before I should) which is my fastest time running it this year.  I tried to keep the pace "marathon effort," though of course you always go somewhat faster when you know you only have 8 miles as opposed to 26.  It's hard to fool the brain totally.  Later in the day I put in 4 more miles.

I felt like yesterday I "overreached" so to speak, so today I thought I should take it easy.  I went out for 60 minutes and ran 30 seconds practicing good form and then did 30 seconds of walking.  During the 30 second form sessions I worked on high knees, butt kicks (sorry, that's what they're called) and some bounding and skipping.  I did all this on the canal road where I could take my dog also and give him some exercise.  It's nice because usually there's no one else around so he can run free.  I then walked on my treadmill for 30 minutes, using a high incline to get some hill work in.  I have no idea how many miles I actually ran, but I think I did at least 4 so that's what I'm giving me for today.

I was thinking about meeting Cheris, Michelle, and Jody for a 22 miler at 5am, but my kids came home too late last night and 4:30 came too early, so no 22 miler for me.  I did go out and run easy, easy, easy for 1hr45m (did I mention it was easy?) on the canal road and then to the new Bingham stadium where I ran on the field and added a few sprints.   Who knows how many miles I ran?  I'll give myself 10 because I'm sure that, although it was easy, easy, easy, it was probably at least 10:30 minute miles.

Then later, after talking with Cheris and hearing about their strong 22 mile run, I thought I should get in a few more miles.  I got on the treadmill during the second half of BYU's game and ran for 8 miles.  I must have been inspired by BYU's 59-0 blowout of UCLA because I went further and faster than I thought I would.  It was a great run!  Thank you BYU!!

I met at 5:30am at Cheris' house to run 10 miles.  The others there were Michelle, Kelli, Scott, and Nancy M.  Cheris had a route picked out that took us all around the area.  It was fun, I felt like I was pushing the pace for most of it, and then Cheris said our average pace was about 8:56.  I was hoping it was closer to 8:30.  Whatever, I felt pretty good for most of it, I guess that's what counts.  Thanks, Cheris, for planning the run and for everyone else who made it fun to run 10 miles.

I wanted to run with the group today, but woke up in the night feeling sick, and then when time to get up came around, I went to my living room, laid on the couch trying to determine if I felt well enough to go, decided not, so went back to bed.  I did wake up periodically thinking of everyone running and all the fun they were having.  I wanted to do that cemetery workout because it's always fun, but I just didn't have it today.  I'm hoping I'll feel better later and be able to get in a run.  I missed all of you this morning, it sounds like it was a fun workout!

I started feeling better this PM and got in 4.5 miles on my treadmill.  It was actually a pretty fun run.

I was feeling a little better today.  I challenged myself to stay on the treadmill for 8.5 miles.  I wanted to quit several times.  Physically I knew I could do it but my mind was rebelling, sending me all sorts of negative messages.  I just had to plug thru it, telling myself it was my last long treadmill run before the marathon.  And I made it, so I was happy that I was able to override the rebellious side of my mind.  The taper can't come soon enough!

We did our last big speed workout before SGM, which was the 4x5K.  I've always credited this workout with helping me hit PR's the last two times I've run SGM.  Will it happen again?  Nothing I've done this year indicates I'll be as fast as last year, so we'll just see what the day brings.

Anyway, I wanted to be in the 23's today, which is where I was last year as this time.  Alas, I did not hit my goal which was somewhat disappointing, but what can you do?  My times were:  26:15 (4:31 recovery); 24:54 (4:28 recovery); 25:49 (2:27) and 24:28.  I always feel like my breathing is fine, it's my legs that feel stiff and heavy.  I keep thinking if I could get some "bounce" in my legs, things would be a lot better.  The question is how to get that bounce?   I'll keep trying different things.

So one more big workout on Saturday before the TAPER!  I am looking forward to that, have I mentioned that before?

I rode my stationary bike while watching Regis and Kelly.  The marathon man, Dean K? (don't know how to spell his last name, you know, the one who ran 50 marathons in 50 days), was on attempting to set a Guinness World Record for running the most miles on a treadmill in a 48 hour period.  He started on Tuesday and he had a web cam on him the entire time.  I would check in periodically to see how he was doing, and most of the time he looked like he was struggling.  He did not set the record, missing it by about 29 miles.  I think one hour on the treadmill is difficult, I can't even imagine trying to stay on for 48 hours.  He said he wants to try it again, though.   He seems like a nice guy who represents the sport of running well. 

I was debating whether to even run today because I was tired and sore and tight from yesterday.  I mowed my front lawn, and that must have loosened things up, because then I felt like running.  I got on my treadmill and walk/ran on an incline, then did some hill sprints.  I turned out feeling pretty good when it was all done.  It's just a matter of warming up really well and then the running feels ok.

I met at Bingham at 5:00am to run our half marathon route.  The others there were Cheris, Michelle, Jody, Peggy and Mike.  We started off and I ran pretty much with the group until about mile 1, when I wanted to take walking breaks to practice that.  My right leg started hurting early which was a little concerning because it seemed like it was too early to be hurting and I didn't know why it should be hurting, it hadn't hurt before like that in a run.  I was thinking of just cutting the run short because of that, but I guess by about mile 4 it started feeling better, so I decided to stick it out.  I had lost the group totally by that point, and just figured I was on my own.  Then I saw Cheris and Michelle at the Maverick on 104th So. and 40th West, they had stopped for a bathroom break I guess it was.  I just plowed ahead because I knew they would pass me at some point, which they did a mile or two down the road.  I heard all this laughing behind me like they were having a fun time.  I on the other hand at that point wouldn't have been up to talking too much.  I plowed ahead and was just happy to finish the run in one piece and to have all the big running behind me (until the marathon, of course.)  Now for the TAPER!!

Not much running today.  I've decided I'm going to experiment with tapering this go around, since I've never really had any system for tapering before.  I'm going to try an aggressive taper where I really cut down on mileage.  We'll see if that makes any difference in the race.  So today I went to the Rec Center at 5:30am and did a circuit training class there.  Then later I took my dog to the canal road and ran for probably two miles at the most.  I intermixed running with walking.  Kind of enjoyed having an easier day.

I went to the track at 6am to meet our running group.  We did a workout I found in a book by Matt Fitzgerald.  Actually, I modified it because it didn't seem like it had us doing enough.  We ran a 1200, my time was 5:37; then an 800, time 3:45; then a 400, time was 1:41.  Then we ran a two mile tempo run on the road.  My time for that was 16:02.  Then one more 400 on the track, time again was 1:41.  That's the first track workout I've done in a while, it was kind of fun, but I was worried about pulling something the entire time.  Fortunately, I don't think I did any damage.  I wouldn't mind doing more track work after the marathon.

Treadmill day--I ran about 4 miles, throwing in some fast one minutes  along the way.  I really didn't want to do it when I started out, but once I got warmed up it was actually kind of fun.  I just wish it didn't take quite so long to get warmed up.

Met with the group today at Bingham.  We did another workout I found in a book by Matt Fitzgerald--I like him, by the way, and would recommend anything he has written.  We first ran for approximately 1 mile easy, then headed into a 15 minute tempo run up Canterwood, down Rustic Roads, and back up Rustic Roads.  Rustic Roads has a nice hill on it that I like (it's really the only hill of note close to Bingham) so that's why I like to run it so much.  We recovered for about 5 minutes, then it was off for another 15 minute tempo.  I felt really good during the run and hope I can feel exactly that way during the marathon, for all 3 plus hours of it.  What are the chances of that?  Anyway, it was a nice run on a nice morning with nice people.  What more can you ask for?

No real running today, though I did go to the 5:30 class at the Rec Center.  I'm giving myself 2 miles for that just because I don't want to see a zero in my mileage for today, and plus I figure each 30 minutes of any kind of cross-training has to count for at least 1 mile of running.  We rode the bike and worked on lower body strengthening.  I felt remarkably good all day today, my "issues" (you know, the glute and hamstring things) didn't bother me nearly as much, I wonder if all that moving about and stretching, etc. makes everything feel better.

My boy had an early football game, so I had to put off running until a little later in the day.  When I did get going, I had a really good run where I went for 60 minutes, with 1 minute fast intervals thrown in.  It was fun, things felt good (after the first 10 minutes of so) and I wish that's all I had to do until SGM.  Just a few more days before the real taper.

By the way, I was perusing thru other blogs, and I liked all the mentions of "only" having to run 10 or 15 miles and getting to sleep in until 6:30 or 6:45.  We're crazy, but I'm happy to be affiliated with all the craziness!

I had just started running on my treadmill when my husband called, and I knew he really wanted to talk with me, so I got off.  I don't normally stop when I'm in the middle of a workout.  I thought I could get back on and finish, but I lost motivation after that, plus my mind started doing stuff like saying I should rest instead of run, so I just quit and one mile is all I have to show for today.  This last week before the marathon is tricky because I'm not sure exactly how to taper, so I keep going back and forth in my mind that I should run, no I should rest, no, run just a little.  I don't know what to do!

I met with the group at Bingham.  For one brief moment I was tempted to bag the workout and just go to breakfast or something, but the group kept me focused.  We went to Rustic Roads and ran 3x1 mile repeats.  My times were 8:43, 8:14, and 8:17.  We then ran two 2-minute fast runs.  It felt good.  Later on in the day I felt so good that I put in 3 more miles on my treadmill.  I think that may be it for me, no more running until the big marathon.  We'll see if I can stick with that plan, I'll probably give in and run a little on one of the days.  Nothing I do now will probably make a difference, so I think rest would be the way to go.  On the other hand...  I can't decide what to do!  Hopefully I can stick to my rest plan.

So what time do I think I will get in the marathon?  Last year I ran it in 3:35.  Nothing I've done this year indicates that I will match that time.  Every race, every workout, pretty much everything, has been slower this year.  It all started in March when I got a bad case of sciatica, and it has taken me forever to overcome that.  The only thing I have this year that I didn't have last year is a lot stronger base.  Last year the longest I ever ran was the half marathon distance.  This year I've put in a few runs longer than that, plus overall my weekly mileage has been a lot more this year than last.  However, all that mileage has not thus far translated into faster times.  So, for this Saturday, I think it's unrealistic that I'll be below 3:40, unless all the stars and whatever align, so I'll have to be content with somewhere between 3:40 and 3:45.  If I'm slower than 3:45 I'll be somewhat disappointed, but not too much because there's always next year!

As for my fellow BBK members, you guys will be awesome!  Everyone is running so strong, I expect to see some great PR's.  Good luck to everyone.