Running Sluggish

This week it was just Todd and I. Yesterday Todd wanted to run the hills and I thought, sure why not? Well I soon discovered why not. I was sooo not into it. Maybe it was because I was still suffering from our failed 23 or maybe I just didn't like hills anymore or maybe I just wasn't in the mood. It was a number of things.

He started out at my parents' house and I started from Cami's house. I met him somewhere in the middle and we took off. It was supposed to be 10 miles of a route I have covered many times before. My problem started when my body just wouldn't warm up. I felt stiff, sore and like I was hauling bricks. Todd on the other hand was out to prove something. Probably because he knew it was his fault we didn't do 23 last week. hehe ;)

By the time we reached the Dee Events Center Todd was far ahead and I just didn't want to continue. I called him on his phone and told him I was heading home. But as he continued to go I thought to myself I can't just quit. So I took a short cut and hopped back on the route where I knew Todd would end up. When he caught up to me we continued with our route around McKay Dee hospital and up Glassman Way. Todd was always ahead of me but at least I pushed on. By the time we ended up at my mom and dad's house Todd had done 10 strong miles and I had done 7. I will take it considering how crappy I felt.

Todd made the comment about how funny it is that we all have different weeks where we are on and having a great run and other weeks where we just can't get going.

No pictures or stats of this run.

Attempted 23 & Completed 20

So I had this all planned out. Really well planned. It was going to be great. The weather was going to be perfect. We had a great group of runners. I was mentally ready to attack this beast. But it wasn't meant to be..for some of us.

The plan was that Tom, Todd, Betty & I would meet at the top of 193. We would run along 89 to Mutton Hollow in Kaysville. At the bottom of Mutton Hollow Tom and Betty were to turn off and head on their own route because they were attempting 18 miles. Todd and I were to go in another direction because we were attempting 23.

We started out perfect. We ran along 89 and made it to Mutton Hollow. This is such a great stretch of downhill. A few miles down Mutton Hollow Tom & Betty turned off and headed on their way. Todd and I kept going to Main Street where we followed Main Street all the way to Farmington.  We made a stop at Fresh Market where Todd stripped his pants. We were doing so good on Main Street. I was really loving this new route and was excited to see it all the way. We turned off Main Street onto a frontage road that weaved us to Shepard Lane. We made our way up and over the freeway and kept heading west. This is where Todd started showing signs of slowing. WE WERE ONLY 10 MILES IN TO OUR 23 MILE RUN. NOT EVEN HALF WAY! I tried to stay positive and slowed us down a bit. I kept telling him to just run slower and STOP STOPPING. The next few miles consisted of him running for 45 seconds to a minute and then stopping again. He said he just couldn't get going again. By mile 12 I was really struggling keeping him going. I was trying to talk positive and told him what he should be thinking about but he was just done. I think he was mentally bored. At one point he started running and it was strong. I thought, here we go, he's back. But within 30 seconds he stopped again and yelled UGH! I asked what was the matter and he said his phone just told him what mile we were at and he realized how much further we still had. I laughed and told him he can't think of the distance ahead. He really needed to chunk up the distance. Around mile 13.5 he was saying he couldn't make it and just wanted to stop at my house, which would be about mile 16. I tried telling him that wasn't an option. I even tried calling Merrill to come and pace us hoping that would get Todd going again but Mike wasn't home. The next mile consisted of more stopping and starting with hands flying in the air and frustrated grunts. Around 14.5 I was starting to crack myself. It was starting to get warm and all the starting and stopping was making my body tighten up. Todd was wearing me down mentally. :)
I decided there was no way we could keep going on to 23 so I called our mommy to come and get us. :)  She found Jeremy, who was coming our way for work, and sent him to rescue us. Todd and I walked the remainder of the way to my house (that's being built). We crashed on the floor and had a good laugh about our experience.

We had Jeremy take us down to Jensen's Park where Todd's car was and where Betty & Tom would be ending up. The look on my dad and Betty's face was priceless when they saw us DRIVING into the parking lot. Once we explained that Jeremy was our rescuer they realized what happened. They had originally thought we were so fast that we were already done and Jeremy just happened to be there. Not the case.

Tom & Betty on the other hand did awesome. They shot for 18 and ended up doing 20! My dad felt so good after 18 that he couldn't help but keep going. They had no problems on their run. It sounds like they just chit chatted the entire time. I am so glad he got that great run in because I was worried he was behind because of his nose bleed problems. It looks like he is definitely back in the game!

**STATS**

Temperature: ? Chilly at the start but it got warmer

Time of Day: 7:30 a.m.

TODD & ME

Distance: 16.29 miles

Time: 3:01:33

Pace: 11:09 min/mile

TOM & BETTY

Distance: 20 miles

Time:  3:36
Pace: 10:48 min/mile

At the start

Jeremy was mine and Todd's rescuer.

 I'm the one who was GOING to finish strong!

Striders Half Marathon

This morning was the Striders Half Marathon. Let me just start out by saying how COLD it was. Probably the coldest I have ever run in. 15 degrees at the start. I know this because the announcer kept telling us!

I remembered from last year how the temperature is completely different from where we live compared to what it is up in Huntsville. So when I walked outside at 5:45 a.m. I knew I was under dressed. I drove over to my mom and dad's house, where everyone was meeting, and quickly changed into my mom's thicker running clothes. Once everyone was at my dad's house (me, todd, neil, shay, brandi) we drove up the canyon to where the race was.

We all hopped on a bus for the long drive to the starting line. I swear those bus rides seem so much longer than the actual run. That's probably a good thing. Once we stepped off the bus we were all FREEZING. Seriously! I can't stress how cold it was. Finally the race started and we were on our way. The first few miles me and my dad kept saying how cold we were. My face was frozen in place and my toes felt numb. Luckily we started to thaw a few miles in.

I don't know what it is with me lately but I can't stop my bathroom breaks. I constantly have to pee. I am just going to have to blame it on my 3 kids but it is seriously annoying. My dad and I stopped at the first porta potties. I was hoping I would be good for the rest of the race but I swear once I got out I instantly had to pee again. I ran to the next porta potties at mile 6. Unfortunately there was a line but I didn't want to wait until mile 9. My dad continued on. Once out I was determined to catch my dad. I could see him in the distance but it took me until mile 10 to catch him. When I did catch him I was in a zone and just kept going. We all finished strong. Todd said he had a major (if you know what I mean) bathroom stop at mile 11 but still had an awesome run. I would have beat last year's time by a few minutes if it wasn't for that dumb long line at mile 6. Instead I came in just 5 seconds faster. Tom held strong and didn't take that many walk breaks. He said he felt really good. We didn't really do the 5/1. We usually save that for anything further than half's.

The best part of this race? Coming in for a hot breakfast courtesy of Union Grill. Yummy quiche, yogurt, muffins, juice. mmmm

I can't believe there is only one more race in the circuit and it's over. Part of me is relieved if I am being honest. I have been so busy this year to really enjoy it. I wish I could have put more time in training. But luckily I haven't suffered any injuries like last year and I am still finishing strong. That's what's really important.

**STATS**

Distance: Half Marathon
Temperature: 15 DEGREES!

Time of Day: 8:00 a.m.

ME
Time: 2:10:01
Pace: 9:55 min/mile

TOM

Time:  2:15:01
Pace: 10:18 min/mile

TODD

Time: 1:57:03
Pace: 8:56 min/mile

Shay & Brandi

Neil & Todd

Tom & Betty

20 Miles

My poor dad is having such problems this year. He was supposed to hit the road with us this morning but he has had one bloody nose after another. A few days ago he couldn't get his nose to stop bleeding and had to go to the doctor again. Needless to say he wasn't allowed, or in the shape, to run today. So me and Todd went out by ourselves.

The run was pretty fun. I changed up the course a bit. We started at the usual spot but instead of going west we went north on 89 until we hit Mutton Hollow. Oh how fun Mutton Hollow was. About 2 1/2 miles of fun downhill. Then we ended up in west Kaysville and west Layton. We found our way to Syracuse where we ended up at Stacey's.

Todd started struggling around mile 16. Luckily I was feeling great so I gave him a mile long pep talk. He perked up a bit and I knew he would make it. We separated a bit but both finished by dropping on the grass once we hit 20.

We were so tired we again forgot to get pictures. BUT...Todd later sent a picture of the toenail he will probably lose in a few days. :)

**STATS**

ME

Distance: 20 miles
Time: 3:25:25 (Todd came in at 3:26)
Pace: 10:16 min/mile
Temperature: 59 at the start - warmer at the end

Time of Day: 9:00 a.m.

Goldenwest 5k & an EXTRA 7

This morning we got to participate in the Goldenwest CU 5k. This run benefits local schools and we were there to support my mom's school, TH Bell. It was a pretty good course with some fun hills.

I had my mom sign up Jeremy since he is "training" for the half marathon. I say training very lightly since he only runs maybe one time a week. I like to give him a hard time but I know it is hard to find the time to run because he is so busy with work and building a house. It is fun to do things like this with him so I was excited.

Todd and Tom took off at the starting line, me and Jeremy stuck together pushing the double jogger, and my mom and Ava hung with the back of the pack. My mom is still having knee problems so they walked most of the course.

It was a fun run. Jeremy and I took turns pushing the jogger until about the last half mile when I turned him loose. After finishing we cheered Ava and grandma on as they came in. Ady thought that was fun.

**STATS**

Distance: 5k

Temperature: ? Warm

Time of Day: 8:30 a.m.

ME, ADY & IYLAH
Time: 31:30.9
Pace: 10:08 min/mile

TODD
he wore my mom's running bib but he wore it under his shirt so it didn't pick up his time

TOM
Time: 28:34.2
Pace: 9:11 min/mile

JEREMY
Time: 30:28.3
Pace: 9:48 min/mile

CYD & AVA
Not sure of their time



Cheering for Ava & Grandma
Ava had a hard time at the end but my mom said she did so good.

After we finished the 5k we gathered our gear and headed off again for more miles. We headed towards Weber State via Old Post Road. It got windy so the last few miles were tiring. Coming up Harrison was hard. Tom kept going up Harrison while Todd and I ran around McKay Dee. By the time we were in the last stretch I was mentally done. Todd caught up with Tom and we all headed home. Todd was bouncing off the street like a deer and commented on how it's funny how each week we see a different strong runner. Last week me and Tom ran really well and Todd was soooo done. This week Todd was running like it was nothing and I just couldn't force my feet forward. Hopefully we can ALL have a good run come marathon day.

**STATS OF 2nd RUN**

Tom took a small short cut home & Todd finished about 4 minutes before I did.

ME
Distance: 7.35 miles
Time: 1:19:06
Pace: 10:46 min/mile

At the end of our 2nd run!