Logan Race Report

My friends and I went to Logan on Friday, we arrived at the hotel and looked at the map for the park where are packets were. We decided we weren't very far and decided to walk, after the 3.5 hour car ride we were ready to stretch our legs. After a couple of miles we decided we were going the wrong way. We went back to the hotel and drove around looking for the park, after calling onstar(didn't know where to go), and stopping at 2 gas stations for directions we finally found the park. They had the packet pickup set up nicely and we all were ready within 5 minutes, so we were off to dinner. I had some yummy pasta and a pomegranate breeze, made with tequila, pomegranate green tea, and cranberrry, Yum! My friend said she needed a margarita, it was her good luck drink the night before a race so I decided it wouldn't hurt. After we received our bill we thought we could do without it, hers was 10.50 and mine was 9.50, for very small glasses. Then it was off to watch some tv and sleep.

The next morning started early at 4:45, we were shuttled to the park, then up the canyon. The first 6 miles are running down the canyon and it was beautiful. When looking at the map we thought it would be mainly downhill and while there were downhill stretches it would also flatten out or go uphill throughout the 6 miles. There was over 2000 runners and the start was a little crowded, it took about 2 miles before I wasn't passing too many people. The miles were going great and at mile 8 I had my shot bloks, that's when my stomach started turning a little. The course at that time was flat, we were out of the canyon running by houses and on the highway. Around mile 10 I started to fade and we started going up in mile 11. There wasn't a steep uphill, just gradual for over a half mile. At about mile 11.4 I wasn't sure if I would make it, my stomach was turning so I walked for about 15 seconds and caught my breath, when I started running again I tried to go slow. Then we finally started going down again and we turned a corner and could see the finish, with a little over a mile to go. The finish seemed FAR away, just had to put my head down and go. During the last .4 as we were headed into the finish and people were lined up I had to go to the bathroom, all I could do is keep going and hope I could make it. I managed to kick it up and pass a couple people. I finished and ran to the bathroom.

My finishing time was 1:47:48, 29th in my ag. I am very excited, I did not think I would break 1:50 and if I wouldn't have slowed down for that mile I would have avg 8 minute miles. My friends also beat their goal times and we have decided we will have to run this course again if we want a pr! Overall it was great and I would like to run it again.

Hot!

I just checked the weather for Saturday and the low is 54 and high is 90! Thankfully the race starts at 7 am, we have had such a cool summer that I am not ready to run in anything over 75 degrees. Today I did my last tempo run, suppose to be 3@ 8:32 pace but I went faster. I ended up running 7:42, 7:47, and 7:46, the last mile was hard. That was not my plan and I kept telling myself I should slow down but I just had a hard time doing it. Tomorrow I have an easy 4 mile run and I am going to take it easy! Afterwards I am taking the kids to my sister's house for the weekend. We will drive to Utah on Friday and be back Saturday night. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

What's Next?

One week left until the half marathon and I'm excited to run it. This past week I have been really thinking about what is next. I have had the thought of a full marathon all summer but then August rolled around and decided that wouldn't happen this year. JR is going to be traveling a lot and with working on the house and spending more quality time with Brooklyn I thought that I would wait. Now that the race is almost here I am feeling the need to train for something and last night I talked to a friend who is also running the half with me. She is thinking about training for a full this fall and wants me to do it with her, so of course I am thinking of doing it. I would love to train with someone, especially to have someone to run with on long runs, it has been a lot of fun this summer. She wants to bq and I have no doubt she can do it, I just want to finish a marathon but it would be nice to run with her. We are going to wait and see how the half goes and then I'll have to see how much it will cost, the budget is a little tight right now. I am also debating on running the local half or the 10k in September. The course is much harder then the one in Utah and it's only 4 weeks after this one so I am thinking I will probably do the 10k. I am holding off on deciding until after this race.

This week will be an easy running week with a few 4 milers and one 5 mile tempo. I will be doing a lot of cross training though, I have put up hay the last 2 days and this week we are tearing apart the house . Mix in soccer games for Gavin and enjoying his last week of summer and this week should fly by.

Great Tempo Run

Since JR is coming home tomorrow, YAY!, I have been trying to watch as many tv shows as I can that he won't watch. This of course has to be done after the kids go to bed so I have been up way too late the last 2 nights and I am feeling it today! Yesterday Carrie and I took turns watching the kids while we did our tempo run. I was nervous since I didn' t have much sleep but I only had to keep a 8:37 pace which is fairly easy. I started the first mile with mostly uphill then settled into a nice rhythm and enjoyed the next 6 miles. This run was great because now I feel confident keeping a similar pace in the half. I ran faster then I needed too and didn't feel strained at all, most of the run I was trying to slow down and stay in the 8:30 range. My splits are:
9:30
8:29
8:09
8:21
8:24
8:19
8:25
9:01

Today will be a busy day cleaning and finishing the siding. Tomorrow is finally suppose to hit 80 degrees so I want to have everything done so I can do my long run and take the kids to the lake. Today will probably be a treadmill day, I am suppose to run 5, unless my mom keeps my kids tonight. I had better get busy, have a great day!

Weekend Recap

Friday morning was long run day and Carrie and I decided to find a route similar to the race. We drove up to the mountains then ran back to town, just like in the race this was downhill with on big hill around mile 10. The weather was perfect with blue skies and starting in the 40s and ending in the 60s. We were worried how our quads would feel but neither of us had any problems, the run just felt great and went fast. We did 13.29 in 2:03 which felt easy, I think we are ready for the race.

Afterwards I loaded the kids and we set off to Brandi's house. We stayed the night then went to the mall to finish school shopping(a total of 5 hours away from my house). When we arrived back at Brandi's house Saturday night I was so sore. Sitting in a car for that long after a long run was not the best idea. We stayed Saturday night and came home yesterday morning.

My uncle was here to help me take the siding off my house, we did half yesterday and will finish the rest today. I did run 5 on the treadmill last night after the kids went to sleep. I did not want to run, I was tired from the weekend but once I started it felt so good, I wish all of my treadmill runs could go like that. I hardly looked at the distance I just got into my zone and ran. Today is suppose to be 8 miles with 6 at tempo but I'm not sure I'll have a babysitter so I might wait until tomorrow. Carrie and I usually swap babysitting to run outside for tempo runs so hopefully tomorrow will work for her.

Only 3 Weeks Left!

That's it, 3 weeks until the half marathon and when Gavin starts kindergarten. Life is becoming very busy and a little emotional, I can't believe Gavin will be in school all day. The time with Brooklyn will be nice but I am going to miss my little man. My plan for the next 3 weeks is to be on overdrive, I want to cram as much summer fun as possible while training, organizing the home remodel, school shopping, visiting family(it seems everyone is coming to visit in August), oh and did I mention JR is out of town for 2 weeks working. He's only been gone since last Tuesday and it feels like months already. JR's aunt and uncle took the kids camping on Saturday night and it was wonderful. I was ready for a break and I was able to clear out some of the house, I have to empty a couple of rooms for the remodel and it is a struggle to find space for it all.

As for running I am still logging all my miles. Last night I did my tempo run on the treadmill when the kids went to bed. I did my mile warmup then 5 miles at 8:26, it was so hard not to look at how much farther I needed to run. The pace was fine but I just couldn't keep my eyes of the distance so it was a very long run. When I finished the sun had set but it was still light outside and so beautiful so I decided to run my cooldown outside. The door is right next to the kids' bedrooms so I opened it in case they woke up, which would have been highly unlikely. Then I set off and made a loop down my driveway and around my house, it only took me 6 times to do a mile which was great since the indoor track in town takes 15 laps for a mile. The kids are up now time to go!

Speed Work and Long Run

The half marathon is only 3 weeks away and I am getting nervous. I really want to beat 2 hours, but I will be happy if I am close to 2 hours. This week I had mile intervals on Monday. I was suppose to run a total of 8, 1mile warm up and 1 cooldown and 4x1600 at 8:55 pace with 800 jog in between. JR was home so I was able to run in the afternoon. There was a storm coming so it was cloudy and not too hot, just a little humid. I started out of with the miles at 7:34, 7:41, and 7:49, however the last mile I was tired. I should have brought water with me because I was thirsty! The mile started out ok but then the wind picked up, I felt like I was moving backwards then I saw lightning ahead of me and just mentally fell apart. I started walking with the intention of running faster but I couldn't do it. I ended up doing .61 at 8:12 and decided just to take it easy the rest of the way but after a quarter mile I decided to sprint a little more and did another .26 @ 7:57 pace. Then I slowly made my way home.

Yesterday I did a 4 mile run, probably faster than I should have at 9:13 pace. Today was my long run, which was suppose to be 12 but I ran out of time before the kid's swim lessons and only did 11. I just had a hard time, I was by myself and my legs and hips were sore. I kept circling around my mom's house trying for a better route and that made it hard, I prefer to run in town but I didn't have time. My pace wasn't bad though at 9:37 with 3 huge hills in there. Now I just have a couple of easy 4-5 milers to finish the week.