Jamie

Seriously sad that I didn't get to do the trail run that was planned.  Became one with the "dread-mill" this morning.  The alternative blizzard was worse; I will admit it.  Poor Tom and Michelle raced the Nutcracker 5k in it this morning!

Here's how my workout went:

Warmed up 3 miles

3/4 mile transition - faster pace

3 mile tempo at 6:27 pace

1 mile easy recovery

1mile repeat at 6:27 pace

1/4 mile easy recovery

1 mile repeat at 6:27 pace

1/4 mile easy recovery

1 mile repeat at 6:11 pace

3/4 mile cool down

Time  1:30

Ran (what felt like) an easy 10 miles this morning.  Michelle, at one point, told me had run just over a 7 minute mile.  Effort-wise, it didn't feel that fast.  I attribute it to the tail-wind.  Spanish Fork winter wind was in full effect, and it made me want to cry.  We had it at our back much of the time, but I knew that we'd have to face it on the way back, at some point.  The last 1-2 miles was awful!  I soaked in a hot bath for 15 minutes after getting home...that's pretty much the only way to warm up my hands quickly.  They tend to be the only thing that bothers me on a cold run.  And once cold, they stay cold.  If Michelle hadn't been with me, I wouldn't have run out in it this morning.  Sometimes I wonder why we put ourselves through it.  And in some sick-twisted way, I'm always glad we do.  Thanks Michelle.  It helps when misery has company.  Four weeks pregnant.

Time 1:15

Met up with Amber, Michelle, and Ali this morning for an easy 8 mile run.  Had a hard time finding Amber's home, but eventually found the group.  Thank you for waiting for me ladies!

Did 8 strides (20 seconds each) and felt pretty good.  Trying to shake the sore throat I've had since last Friday.  It doesn't seem to be effecting me too much.  Michelle and I must have paid our dues yesterday to the S.F. wind-man because this morning wasn't too bad at all.

Time 1:05

Met at Mt. Loafer Elementary for an easy 8 miler with M&M (Michelle & McKenzie).  Still fighting a sore throat; it probably doesn't help that I went to bed at 11pm last night and woke up in the 4 o'clock hour in order to run this morning at 5am.  Oh well, I'm glad that I got my miles in and perhaps I can plan on taking a nap later when my kids go down. 

Time 1:07

Total distance for today's run is approximate.  Two mile tempo run at the track; Michelle was nice enough to pace me.

(I got my measuring wheel in the mail last week but haven't been able to mark off a 3 mile flat course in quarters yet.  Hopefully before next week's tempo; I do prefer a tempo workout on the road to one done on the track.)

The goal (Sasha's recommendation) was to do 2 miles, or as many laps as I could, at an even 1:37 per lap.  Things went fairly well and next time I'll up my tempo to 3 miles.  My body's still fighting a cold, but doing a pretty good job at holding off some of the yuckier symptoms.

Warmed up for 25 minutes.

Quarter mile (splits/laps):

#1  1:39  (not quite fast enough...pick it up a bit)

#2  1:36

#3  1:37  (exactly where I'm wanting to be)

#4  1:37 

Mile 6:29

#1  1:37

#2  1:38

#3  1:38

#4  1:37 

Mile 6:30

Cool down with Amber for 30 minutes (Michelle finished her tempo and joined us the last few laps).

Time  1:08

Ran with Amber and Ali today (not likely to have been a full 8 miles, but I'm counting it for effort).  Didn't get much sleep and I developed a full-blown cold over night...just glad to have gotten in my minimum for the day.  I feel awful.

Time 1:04

Ran with the S.F. group this morning.  Still feeling yucky, but at least I got out.  Ali hung back with me even though I was hardly moving.  I'm hoping a day off, resting tomorrow, will do big things...

Posted the most current picture of me with my little clan.  I'm a picture fanatic, so we have a portrait taken every Christmas.  It's really fun to look back and to see how my little kidlets are growing.  My husband is a good sport for obliging.

I know that we're not quite there...but MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

Ran with Michelle; it wasn't as cold as last Monday.  THANK THE HEAVENS ABOVE!!  (Each year from December on, I pout and look forward to springtime!)

Still getting over my cold, not too bad this morning though.  Five weeks pregnant.

Time 1:23

Aerosmith and Brad Paisley accompanied me on my run today...we were really getting into it!  I would imagine we were sort of funny to watch at times (we know how to get down!).  I was a bit sad that I had to get back to my house asap so that Phillip could take off for work; I was really enjoying myself.  Ran 8(+) miles.

Time 1:11

Met up with Michelle in S.F. this morning for tempo.

Warmed up for 25 minutes.

Two miles at tempo effort even though it was at a slower (6:45) pace.

Trying to get over my cold...it's actually a bit worse today than yesterday.  Stayed with Michelle for the two miles.  She ended up doing a 6 mile tempo.  Looped around and ran with her perhaps a third of her fifth mile.  She finished really strong.  It's good to have her to run with.

Time  1:25

Ran toward Ali's home and met her half way.  The wind was pretty awful.  (I brace myself for it each morning, just in case.)  Did the IFA loop and didn't have to deal with the wind the remainder of the run.  I'm guessing from my time (and knowing the approximate distance) that it was around 9.5 miles total.

Time 1:24

Ran to Ali's home and then we did a 7 miler in the river bottoms.  Weather wasn't as bad as I had expected.  It was even on the warm(er) side...compared to some of the cold temps I've run in lately.  I have slept so well the past two nights; I think I'm over my cold (fingers-crossed)!

Time 1:16

Best guess on mileage today; could have been more.  Ran on a trail in snow for 70% of the run.  Ended up meeting up with the Sojourners' after all.  We met at the mouth of Provo canyon and decided to run AWAY from the wind and that meant away from the scheduled run up the canyon.  No tears on my part, brrrr!  Cheryl was full of interesting stories and time passed quickly.

I need to be getting in more miles by warming up before the group meets, if I'm wanting to do more than 10-12 miles on Saturdays.  About half of the group did 8 miles; most Sojourners' take it way easy during the winter.  So easy that there were only about 7 of us this morning.  (During the summer it's typically around 30 runners.)  I am trying to break myself of this exact habit.  I'm glad I ended up meeting up with them and look forward to it every week.

Time 1:28

The Spanish Fork Wind-Man was demanding some respect this morning.  It wasn't too terribly cold.  Perhaps I'm adjusting to the conditions the more I run in them.  Met up with Michelle and Ali...oh, and Terra (sp?) joined us for the first few miles.  My ankles are a bit sore from Saturday's run.  It always surprises me that snow can give them such a good workout!  I'm also a bit sleepy from getting to bed at 11pm last night.  Michelle's in the same boat (or a worse one, I should say) with getting to bed at 12:30am because of her sick son.  Not fun to be sleep deprived, but then again, I suppose it's not enough to keep us in bed.  The story of my life.  Six weeks pregnant.

Time  1:20

Ran with Ali in Salem this morning.  I'm guessing on the distance...don't know many routes out there.  Hit a fair amount of hills but nothing crazy.  There was no wind, which is what we were hoping for.  Here in Spanish Fork, it was pretty awful.  I'm beginning to prepare myself for January, when weather and temps are the worst.  With Springville and Salem close, I should survive.

Time  1:15

Quite the morning, let me tell you!  Drove to Ali's and waited outside for a couple minutes before lightly knocking on her front door.  No answer.  Went back to my car to check my cell phone to see if she had called and canceled because of the snow.  No phone, forgot it at home.  Figured if I hurried, I could still make it to Loafer Elementary to run with Michelle, Amber, and McKenzie.

Knew I was going to be a bit late, but hoped that the other ladies would be too (considering the conditions).  Arrived about five minutes late.  Michelle's van was parked off to the side of the road and McKenzie's suv was in the parking lot.  They were no where to be found.  Drove around a few minutes, saw no one.  Must have missed them.  Decided to drive back to Spanish Fork to get in my run because it wasn't snowing as hard there.  And no wind!

Talked myself into picking up a couple of groceries before my run (instead of after) because I was already in the car, driving.  In and out in less than 15 minutes and then drove back home.  Then came the revelation...it was quarter to the hour.  THE hour being the seven o'clock hour (in other words, a quarter to seven.)  Good heavens...I must have set my alarm for 5:20am instead of 4:20am. 

I was late!  Jumped out of the car...I'd grab the groceries later.  Began a solo run.  Saw Tom at one point and said hi.  He was heading out for a few miles on his own before getting in a few more with Kim.  I also saw my Bishop and he commended me for my dedication.  His non-verbal communication..."you've got a few screws loose."  No question about that this morning!

There were a few times when I found myself tappin'.  (Translation...uncontrolled flailing and sliding of the feet on snow or ice.  Or an attempt to slip and fall.)  I came really close to falling the second time, going around a corner.  In my mind I pictured a speed skater virtually horizontal to the ice, going around a turn.  By keeping my little feet movin', I managed to avoid a fall.  Have you ever seen someone biff it or come close to biffing it?  I laughed at myself wishing I could have seen how I must have looked.  Always funny to see!

Yesterday, I mentioned to Ali that my body was feeling out of it.  Perhaps because Phillip came down with the flu last night...and I'm next.  Or for other reasons...

Didn't get in a full 8 miles because I had to get back.  I'm glad that I got in the miles I did.  One thing is certain, I'm a mess!

Time  1:06

Speed workout at the BYU indoor track this morning with Michelle and Josse.  Josse was there for moral support; Michelle was determined to run laps at a 6 mile pace until she puked.

Side note:  That's a funny concept to me.  I can't imagine most people would set out for a goal like that and even fewer people that could actually make themselves do it.  I have experienced dry-heaving (or my body's attempt to puke as a result from a hard run) only once.  It wasn't a race; I don't even know how I got myself to run that hard by myself.  It's certainly not typical of me.

We warmed up outside.  (Great weather in Provo, by the way...loved it!)  We met up with Josse and then went inside to get ready for the tempo.  After a bit of stretching and a few laps to check things out, we began.  I wanted to keep Michelle's pace for as long as I could.  Ended up doing the first 3 (of 5) laps for the first mile.  Cheered her on, recovered.  Picked it up again with her for another 2 laps.  Recovered again then ran a final lap with her.  So 1.2 miles total speed work for me.

Cooled down a few laps on the track and then headed out to get in some miles on the streets of Provo.  I think my total time is accurate, but I started and stopped it at various points during this morning's workout.  It should be close.

Time  1:35

Did an 8 miler with Ali.  The snow wasn't great, but was better than I had expected for this morning's run.

It has been a very long time since I have felt as heavy and slow as I did today.  I guess the last time I was sick, there was one run in particular when I was seriously out of it.  Phillip has been pretty sick the past couple of days, but I've done a good job at avoiding whatever he's had.  More than anything this morning, my legs felt really heavy.  I hope this is just a bad day and it's not down-hill from here.

Time 1:15

Ran along the canal with the Sojourners' today.  Alexis threw up hard during the night and was (understandably) clingy.  Phillip's stomach bug got to her, hope Luke isn't next.  I'm so glad that I've managed to avoid it...knock on wood.  She woke up when I was getting ready to go and started fussing...Phillip didn't want me gone quite as long this morning because she's sick.  Long-story short, I did 8(+) miles with the group and called it quits.  Felt much better (and lighter) today than I did yesterday.

Time 1:12

Seven weeks pregnant.

I can't really count today's time in miles.  I had the flu and just tried to get out a bit for some fresh air and to stretch my legs.

I regret not running Monday & Tuesday.  For one of his "Christmas presents", Phillip asked that I not run those two days.  Luke was sick and I reluctantly obliged.  I then woke up sick on Wednesday and it lasted trough most of Thursday.  I wished I had not taken Monday & Tuesday off.

Time 35 minutes

Still sick with the flu in the morning.  Started feeling a little better in the evening and forced myself into a 10 mile run when Phillip got home from work.  Babs, Cold Play, and Deaf Leopard (in that order) helped in the feat.  I started feeling better the last 3 miles and suppose I could chalk that up to the hype received from listening to Deaf Leopard.  THANK YOU!

Time 1:35 (good heavens)

I considered my options of either running outside in 12'F temps or hitting the tread-mill.  Tread-mill won and I did an easy 10.  Feeling considerably better.

8:34 pace

Ran L.A. Freeway with the Sojourners' today.  Felt a bit tired but performed well, considering I just got over the flu on Thursday.

Perhaps not running most of my normal miles this week helped my legs to feel fresh and up to the challenge.  Ali, Michelle, and Amber all ran part of the course.  It was good to have my friends with me; I've been a bit out of it for most of the week.

Ran the normal course but added on from Rock Canyon by going north 1 more mile on the trail and then 1 mile through the neighborhoods back to the temple.  Brandon led the way (pretty much throughout the whole run) and a guy by the name of Travis joined us.  It was good to have them; our last mile was about an 8 minute pace and I was so DONE when I got to my car.  I think the last time I ran for that long (time-wise) was the St. George marathon.  Anyhow, great run.  Great running friends.  Great times.

Time 1:48

Happy New Year's Eve!!  I'm so glad that Amber was able to meet up with me this morning.  I thought that there was a good chance I'd be running solo.  We did a loop in S.F. and though the roads were pretty bad at times, conversation helped the miles go quickly.  We saw Ali when we were headed toward Amber's.  She was running home from the gym and joined us for a bit, but all of us were close to the end of our workout so she turned back onto Canyon to head for home.  I was pleasantly surprised that the temp this morning wasn't worse.  The next two days are suppose to be pretty cold and the thought of running in it makes me cringe.  One cold winter month down!  A good two more to go  :(

Time 1:20

I am (eight weeks) pregnant!  I'm feeling pretty good for the most part.  Due date is August 14.  Perhaps that will change at my first appointment, at the end of January, when I have my first ultra-sound and they measure everything.  Although I was pretty sure that I was pregnant a couple weeks ago, I didn't take a pregnancy test until Christmas Eve.  Phillip found out Christmas day.  We are pretty excited.