Oh Ogden How I Will Miss Thee

12 miles through Ogden.  

Started at Manda's weaved our way until we were at the trailhead, took a nice detour through the trails (which, btw, Erin they have totally ruined! a pipe broke and they had to tear down a bunch of trees...it's sad...)... trails that Amanda BIFFED it on (who says I'm the only clumsy one?)... then headed down through our favorite "pretty houses" stretch.  Ahhhh one day Marilyn Drive we WILL live on you.  We will make it happen.  It's totally on my vision board... so it's gonna happen, right?  

After that we ended up snaking down to the parkway and enjoying a misery free run down the parkway taking time to reminisce about how many times we've run the parkway... which ones we'd like to forget (like ummm the PAIN of being at 24 miles? ow ow ow) and the times we love.The only thing that would have made it better was if you were with us Erin. Oh what a great long run it was.  We felt great, we were happy, and we desperately tried not to focus on the fact that this run--this long run--was the last double digit run we'd be doing together before I moved.  Sniff. Sniff.  37 days, friends, wow.  Soooo wierd.

The weekend couldn't have gotten better... oh but. it. did.  Amanda and I volunteered for the Ogden Marathon (since umm we didn't register before it was sold out..whoops) it was a HOOT.  Oh my goodness.  LOVED it.  Amanda has all the pictures so I'll let her tell you the stories.  But I can't begin to express to you how wonderful it was.  What a great way to say goodbye to the Ogden course.  Woo hooooooo!!!!  Yay for Ogden, yay for awesome running friends, yay for rockin long runs and fantabulous memories. 

Running in the Rain

I'm glad we got another long run in the rain in before I moved. Something about finishing a long run completely drenched makes me fantastically happy.  Loved it.  8 miles never felt so short...okay except maybe when we were running up the crazy long hill... but we ran the entire thing! (Erin you'd be so proud of us little hill runners)  Glad to be back training, glad to feel the burn in my legs and glad to have a free therapist.  :)

You guys totally missed out.

It was our favorite type of running weather this morning. Well at first at least. It was a gorgeous cool morning. The mountains were covered in clouds from time to time and everything was SUPER green. Oh it was sooo beautiful. Then add to that the temperature was perfect for running! I loved it. Even though I was soaking from the rain by the end, it felt soooo good. Well I was solo today (which btw is going to be the norm WAY too soon) and knew I needed to get 6 in. Being a gluten for punishment I decided to run the WRC 10k course. Like Lor mentioned the Ragnar Relay is coming up soon and so hills and I must become friends. Hence choosing a super hilly course. I started out feeling strong. Since getting super sick a couple of weeks ago, I haven't really run much, so this was my first long run in a while and I was excited that I felt so good. Well about 2 miles in the nausea set in. Awesome. Only 4 more miles and 5 million hills left. Fun. For. Me. I totally missed you guys helping push me along. It really is amazing how much having someone to run with helps. I am beginning to realize how imperative it's going to be for me to find someone to run with once Lor leaves. Along that note though I kept telling my body that if this were a race and there were people around I would be able to keep running so I just kept pushing. By the time I finished I really felt sick to my stomach, but I was pleased with myself because I had done it, done it in a decent time, and had run 90% of the hills! Go team! So overall it was a good run, it just made me miss you guys!

...and so it begins....

My tri went well last Saturday, I loved every second. With my tri ending my half marathon training and Ragnar Relay training has officially begun. I'm runner 10 and get to run the last 4 miles of the Ragnar. Yummm.

Which means I need to start doing some serious hill workouts. This morning Manda and I did hill sprint repeats with a mile cool down. 30th street you kill me. Oh hills... I have a forever love/hate realtionship with you. I love the burn, yet I hate the burn. I love the crest where you know you're almost ready to run downhill, but that cresting also seems to last forever and the downhill never comes. I know hills asre 99.9% mental and I'm hoping to whip my brain into shape over the next 7 weeks.

It was a great workout and I even spanked Amanda up the hill twice. Yes that's right, I beat her! Too bad all that did was fuel her to KILL me for the rest of the workout. Awww such fun. So, welcome us back to the land of race training and the land of blogging. Tis going to be fabulous!!!

The end of a run theory

I am always amazed and displeased at the fact no matter how far the distance of a run the last little bet is always a push. If the run is 5 miles the last quarter mile is a struggle. If the run is 15 miles (depending on the day) the last mile is a stretch. See the pattern. Whatever the distance is that I program my mind to do, the finial stretch is always a feat of endurance. For so long all I had told myself is; "I just need to make it to third week in April, and then things will be easy." Well here I am and I find myself looking at the next month the same way I do when running the last mile of whatever the distance might be. I therefore have now titled this pattern: the end of the run theory- Think I can get a noble prize for my discovery in the world of emotional science?

New Work Out

Ladies it's time. We need a new work out that we can all participate in...pregnant, or not pregnant, motivated or not motivate, tired or...who am I kidding? We're always tired. But one way or another we can all do this exercise in our own homes. It's going to take years off girls! A renound plastic surgeon in San Francisco said so...

Half Marathon in TWO WEEKS! Triathlon in FOUR!

Hey friends.  Well it's hit that "now or never" point in my training... errr...thinking.  My training has taken a significant hit the last few months.  For as excited as I am to move across the country I think I'm in denial about how sad I am.  I went on my final long run from my cute house in Ogden on Saturday and it was soooo sad for me.  Amanda and I ran the Bonneville Shoreline, it was a gorgeous day.  I wish Amanda and I felt better, we both were fighting our bodies, but it was still worth making the effort for our 10 miler. It was finally warm enough to wear short sleeves, but cold enough that the wind felt great. I was so bummed as I ran down the foothill to my house for the last time.  I know I'll still run the trails for the next two months, I just won't be able to step out my front door and in 3 minutes be at the base of the trails I've come to love so much.  Nor will I be 6 minutes from my bff and running partner.  Ahhh sometimes changes suck.  So, I am now fully embracing the fact that I'm sad and that it has negatively effected my training.  

It HAS been fun to be in denial, eating everything in sight, and just sleeping. BUT I've only got two weeks to make it up for the half --not much-- but right now I can squeeze in 6 miles without it totally kicking my rear.  I figure I can do the half.  I'm glad we have another half marathon scheduled for May or I'd feel like I was "going out" on a bad note for Utah racing.  As far as my triathlon training, I actually feel quite confident in my swimming ability, it's taken off in the last month. My running doesn't scare me, maybe I'm over confident with that... but it's the biking... the dreaded biking that looms like this scary little monster.  Now that I live up in the valley with miles and miles and miles of farm land and horses (okay.. there ARE cars, but like 80% less than Ogden) I can really hit the road and practice road biking.  The spin classes have been good for me to build a base and I just need to get out and hit the road.  My focus the last two months has been on swimming so for the next month I'm focusing on biking.  Here's to hoping!!!

.....and I'm starting to get that itch.  It always happens every. blasted. year.  the dang I-want-to-run-another-marathon-itch.  There is a marathon in Atlanta in November.  I'm thinking about it.  Marathons take so much time and effort: physically, mentally, and they are very time intensive. for the training.  Could I do it with Van in school?  Would I have the will-power to train by myself?  

what to do.... what to do.....