Christmas Eve

Joined my brother-in-law Chad's Saturday running group this morning out in Lehi.  Beautiful day and a beautiful run--and it was farther than I've run in months!  We ran 5 miles out and then I stopped 1.5 miles in on the way back and ran over to Chad's house so I could visit with his wife while he finished the run.  At the time I thought seriously about finishing out the 10 with Chad, but given that my weird knee is really starting to hurt now a few hours later, I guess it's good that I didn't, plus it was SO nice to talk to Bridgette for so long, since we haven't been here in years.

It was neat meeting the other runners--I so wish that I had a group like that at home!

6.5 miles; 9:05 for the first three miles, ? later but 8:32/pace for the last mile (is that right, Chad?  I've got to get a Garmin!)

Utah!!

So today did not look particularly auspicious for running--we just drove 24 hours to get here (nonstop, awesomeness with the kids!!!) and I was so exhausted last night that I went to bed before the kids were all the way asleep.  And when I woke up today, the wind was whipping the trees outside and the snow against the windows, and it was FREEZING cold, but hey...what are you going to do?  I mapped out a route, bundled up, and went out.

I'll spare you the details (EXCEPT I RAN SOME HUGE HUGE HILLS!  If you know American Fork, I ran that hill on 1120 N. that goes from 100 E. to 200 E, which is probably the steepest hill I've ever run, and then the hill on 700 N. up to the temple, which is probably the longest steep hill I've ever run).  I was so incredibly ridiculously proud of myself for running without stopping to walk, which isn't saying much considering how slow I was probably going, but I kept going despite altitude/hills/cold/fatigue/etc.  I was actually pretty surprised at how great I felt--it was nice to actually run just to run without having any expectations as to time or performance, since I forgot to look at a clock before I left.

I ran over to the temple where Neil and I were married and got a little misty-eyed reminiscing (9 years ago on Monday!), then ran back to my in-laws' house.

5.2 miles, ? pace

12/19

5 miles against the wind.

My family left a day early because everyone got sick.  Too bummed to write any more.

bliss

Running outside is just so much better.

4 miles on my favorite loop--lots of hills, trails, woods, and beautiful sunset--fell into a steady, even pace early on and didn't vary it one jot until I hit a huge muddy field about a quarter-mile from home...I finally slowed down to dodge squishiness after the third splash of icy mud into my shoes.

Stopped at home to put my bread dough into pans and then ran another mile.  Such a great run--this was just wonderful today.  It's nice to just enjoy running for the sake of running rather than pushing myself to go faster and harder (although I am definitely a lot slower outside than on the treadmill...).

5 miles, pace probably just under 9:00/mile with the walking in the field

running in the rain

Yoga yesterday--Neil is still working on the treadmill relay board.  He fixed the capacitor and the blown fuse and then started testing it again and apparently there's a transistor that's gone bad as well.  So...still waiting.

Didn't run this morning because I was worried about everyone getting off to school (and Luke was SUPER fussy and I didn't get him calmed down until it was too late to leave and get back in time to see Abigail & Juliet off).  So Neil came home a little early this evening and I ran out the door as soon as he got home and ran 5 miles in the rain through my neighborhood.

It took me a few miles to really get into it, but by the end I had settled into a slow and steady pace, dodging puddles, looking at Christmas lights.  So good to be out.  It's been a really stressful couple of weeks in a lot of ways, and I have missed the running so much as a way to metabolize all the stress hormones.  And I guess it's good that I am practicing running outside again now so that it's not as much of a shock when we're in Utah and I am (hopefully!  otherwise I will be a cranky mess) running there...the altitude is going to be enough of an adjustment!

5 miles; about 8:48/mile as near as I can guess (it may have been faster than that but definitely not slower)

where the streets have no name

Finally ran again today--outside before breakfast.  I ran slower and less far than I usually run, but I think it was a better workout--lots of hills.  I'm actually trembling enough post-run that I'm having a hard time typing this, although some of that is probably the fact that I've been up for several hours, nursed Luke, and had nothing to eat.

Anyway--ran my spring loop that I literally have not run since May.  Lots of hills--beautiful watching the sun come up over the lake.

4 miles, not sure about pace, but pretty slow.  I was planning to run another mile when I got home and checked in with Neil to make sure everything was okay here, but I got home to find that Abigail had missed the bus for the first time ever, Luke had woken up unexpectedly, and Jules was in the car "ready" for preschool with unbrushed hair, no snack, and no coat.  So it was an awesome run but I think I need to be back earlier.  :-)  Poor Neil--the kids all kind of ganged up on him this morning!

Stupid treadmill

So I started running today and I ran about two minutes and seemed like the treadmill was going kind of slow--I felt like I could literally push it along if I pressed down really hard.  And then it suddenly shot up to an INSANE speed that I am 100% confident it was never supposed to reach--I just barely made it off--I smashed my hip against the safety bars as it was, and my heart was racing!  It was honestly terrifying.  I pushed the stop button and it made no difference--I finally had to yank the emergency key.  Then I tried turning it on again and it went insane--I tried one more time and it turned on crazy fast, then just died and the belt never moved again although the display was still ticking.

So frustrating.  I felt off-balance and weird all day from not running--I did yoga this afternoon and I'm trying to figure out what to do tomorrow, since Neil had to leave and he won't be able to look at it tonight.  (And as icing on the cake, this is the first day since my pregnancy with Luke that I actually don't really feel like running, if you know what I mean.  Argh.)

The day my treadmill caught on fire

So Luke woke up 5 minutes in, and I stopped to give him his pacifier.  Then again at 15 to give him his pacifier.  Then at 4.7 miles I noticed a really awful burning smell.  I wondered if I'd turned the oven off.  It smelled HORRIBLE.  So I ran to check the oven, which was off.  I came back in to finish my last .3 miles and realized the smell was just in my room.  Was it the furnace? 

I ran another .1 mile and just had this feeling that I needed to stop running NOW.  So I did.  And then I ran back out to check on Juliet who was asking me something and I came back in and smoke was billowing out from the front of the treadmill.

True story. 

So...I figured I was done running for awhile. 

Neil came home and did things to the treadmill and decided that the motor is going out.  So tomorrow I will call and hopefully a new one will be here soon. 

And because we all know I am a control freak, I finished the .2 miles after the kids were in bed.  I ran barefoot and it was really interesting--all on my toes.  I've heard a lot about barefoot running--have any of you gotten into it at all?

4.8 miles; 8:04 mile +.2 miles later for a total of 5

12/2

Luke started crying just as I started running today--gave him a pacifer at 1.3 and then brought him in to sit on my bed at 2.7; stopped again at 4 to give him his toys.  Ran pretty slowly today--I was still tired from the previous couple of days (and I have a blister from yesterday's run, since I wore socks I don't usually wear, so I was trying to not aggravate that).

5 miles; 8:23/mile

12/1

Wow!  December already. 

Ran 30 seconds and then saw my neighbor was home, so I ran over to give her a frozen dinner I made at Enrichment.  Ran another 3 miles, then stopped to give Luke his pacifier, ran 1.2 miles and then stopped to get Jules a snack, then finished the 5.

So with all 3 stops (which is a good 40 seconds of the treadmill getting back up to speed) I still finished in 39:13 for 7:50/mile.  Not too shabby, but I wish I didn't feel like I was dying at that pace!

5 miles; 7:50/mile