cheryl

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!!