9 weeks to Boston: Elizabeth

Monday: crappiest run of my life. I intended to do 12, but felt horrible from the get go. My pace was slow and I would have called Tom to get me had I had my cell phone. First 7 miles, pace was right around 9. I had to go to the bathroom and was out in the farms with no bathrooms. I walked 2 miles and finally found a port-o-potty. I then was able to run home, but was miserable.

Total distance: 11.75
Pace: 10 something.

Tuesday: I tried to go to spin, but the power was out and class was cancelled, so I sat on my butt all day.

Wednesday: 4 miles on the treadmill. Average pace: 7:51.

Thursday:

• piyo in the am.
  
• track workout in the pm.

3 - 1 mile repeats (6:55, 6:52, 6:53) and 1- 800 (3:17)
I was very happy with the workout.

Friday: Turbo at the gym. Great workout. Thanks Ty.

Saturday:

• 1 hour of basketball. I actually played the whole time and had fun. Definitely worked up a sweat.And I even made one basket and fouled many times.
  
• Taught spin at the gym. Good workout with lots of hills.
• 10 miles. Hilly to Toquerville. 8:57 pace. Legs were fatigued, but I felt good.

9 Weeks to Boston: Thomas

Monday: 17.3 miles @ 7:35 pace.
Tuesday: Rest.
Wednesday: 7.0 miles - 1 mile easy, 4 tempo miles (6:49 average pace), 2 miles of hills at moderate pace.
Thursday: Speed - 3x1600M (5:55, 5:48, 5:46), 1x800M (2:47).
Friday: Rest.
Saturday: 12.16 miles (trail run up the twist along the old road to the La Verkin Overlook) @ 7:28 pace.

Dam to Dam Race Report: Elizabeth

Dam 2 Dam 5-Miler, February 14, 2009, Sand Hollow State Park
38:28, 9th overall, 4th in age group (30-34)

Tom and I ran the Dam to Dam 5-miler at Sand Hollow State Park. This is the fourth annual race, and the third time I have run it. Unfortunately, it gets more competitive every year. The first year I ran it (41:53) I took third overall. Last year, (41:57) was still good enough for 2nd in age group. I forget my overall placement. This year, I ran it 3 minutes faster but didn't place even in my age group.

The morning was chilly but better than expected. The forecasts were saying rain and I hate rain. We had beautiful sunny skies, still but chilly air. The race follows the reservoir from one dam to the other. It is a very scenic run and is about half pavement, half dirt road.

Racers are shuttled to the start where we waited for about 45 minutes for the start of the race. Nerves were good. Lots are good friends were there to wait with. I bought the hamstring wrap and put it on 10 minutes before the start. My hamstring was feeling fine, but just in case I wore it.

I started the race at the front because it is just hand-timed and I couldn't lose any seconds getting to the start. I felt good. There were a handful of women ahead of me.

Mile 1: 7:31. I intended to go out at about a 7:50, but I felt okay. I ran with a 12-year-old in my ward. She has potential. My hamstring wrap slipped down and I gave it to a guy taking pictures and hoped I would find the $20 item at the finish line. I caught my friend's husband Jim. Local rival (and 12-year-old's mom) Kasie Watts still ahead of me.

Mile 2: 7:47. I definitely slowed down, but still feeling good. Kasie in my sights, but not really any other women.

Mile 3: 7:45. I caught Kasie at the end of this mile. It felt good. Also caught race director Terry Tucker. One other woman maybe within reach.

Mile 4: 7:41. I'm just running steady. Still ahead of Kasie. Terry re-catches me. Other woman getting further out of reach.

Mile 5: 7:40. I gave all I had. Kasie passed me in the last 150 yards to beat me by 7 seconds. At least one man also passed me. I really had nothing left.

Overall, I am very happy. My first goal was to break 40 minutes. Check. More optimistic goal run between 7:30 and 7:45 pace. Check. I ran 7:41. Third goal. Beat Jim. Check. Fourth goal. Beat Kasie. No go, but I was close and I'll keep working on that one. I have yet to beat her in a race.

It was fun to run with so many friends.

Next race: Lake to Lake Relay, March 7, 2009. Relay group: Glen and Kasie Watts, Ben Ashcraft, Derral Humphries, and me. The 8th ward team.

Dam 2 Dam Race Report: Thomas

Saturday, February 14, 2009
Dam 2 Dam Five Mile Race at Sand Hollow State Park

Temperature: 37 degrees Fahrenheit.
Weather: Mostly sunny (despite forecasts calling for rain/snow mix).

Pre-race: Elizabeth and I car-pooled to the Sand Hollow parking lot with Richard and Kay (thanks for the ride, Richard!). Once at Sand Hollow we had to take a "shuttle" to the actual start line (the race makes a big loop around the reservoir, ending at the main parking lot). We met a nice family from Vegas in our shuttle. Their 14 year old son, Julian, ran the race last year in 31:00. It was fun to talk to them. Got to the start line and did some warm ups. Local speedster Jose was there, along with a guy from the St. George Running Center club.

Mile 1: Started out a little fast with the lead group. Jose went about 20 seconds off the front of the pack. 6:18.

Mile 2: Jose still out in front. The St. George Running Center guy and one other runner went off the front to try to catch him. I was in a group of about seven or eight (including Julian from Vegas, and my local rivals Glen Watts and Glen Leavitt) behind the front three. A really fast woman set the pace for our group. 6:23.

Mile 3: Three runners still out front. Our group was down to four (me, Julian, the really fast woman, and one other guy). 6:23.

Mile 4: I tried to pull ahead of our group of four. At one point I had a bit of gap on the other three, but the really fast woman caught and passed me right before we got to the dam. 6:27.

Mile 5: Crossing the dam. I could see the four runners in front of me (the three who had been out since mile 2, and the really fast woman). I tried to close the gap, but didn't have the kick. 6:24.

Overall a really good race. I beat last year's time by over a minute. My goal was sub 32:00, so I beat my goal as well. Though I wished I could have picked up my last mile a little bit. I also got $10 at Classic Sports for the third place age division award. Thanks, Jared.

10 Weeks to Boston: Thomas

Monday: 6.5 miles @ 7:12 pace.
Tuesday: Skiing at Brianhead. Ten to twelve inches of fresh, light, untouched snow. If you have to ski Brianhead, this is the way to do it.
Wednesday: 4 miles on the treadmill. 7:50 pace with 3 to 4% inclines.
Thursday: Bad weather prevented a track workout. 3.5 miles on the treadmill with three 800 M intervals at 6:00 pace (the fastest the treadmill will go).
Friday: Rest. Carbo-load for race.
Staturday: Dam 2 Dam five-mile race at Sand Hollow reservoir. 31:55 for the 5.0 miles (6:23 pace). Fourth place Men's Overall, third in Men 30 - 34.

10 Weeks to Boston: Elizabeth

Monday: Lazy

Tuesday: Powder skiing all day at Brianhead. Woohoo!! It was awesome. I haven't really ever skiied powder. It was a good workout and tons of fun.

Wednesday: Taught spin at the gym in the pm. Good endurance workout.

Thursday:

• Piyo at the gym.
• 4 miles on treadmill, average 8:02 pace. Started at 8:34 pace and incrementally increased my pace without ever going back down. Ended at 7:35 pace. Legs a little fatigued from piyo and spin.
  

Friday: Rest. Had to rest for Dam to Dam.

Saturday: Dam to Dam 5-miler. 38:28. 9th woman, 4th in 30-34.

11 Weeks to Boston: Thomas

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: 6.4 miles (1 mile easy, 4 miles @ 6:34 pace, 1.4 miles easy).
Wednesday: Speed, 6x800M (2:53, 2:51, 2:52, 2:51, 2:52, 2:46)
Thursday: Rest.
Friday: 5.47 miles @ 7:34 pace.
Saturday: 13.1 miles @7:30 pace.

11 Weeks to Boston: Elizabeth

Monday: Kickboxing at the gym. Good solid workout with ab work.

Tuesday: Rest. Not the usual day, but scheduling conflicts made it happen.

Wednesday:

• Strength training at gym in the AM.

• Speed work on track in PM.

6 - 800s (3:18, 3:22, 3:18, 3:22, 3:25, 3:24). I definitely felt the fatigue of strength in the morning. It was extra bad because I haven't done strength in a long time. Hamstring bothering me by the end.

Thursday: Piyo at the gym. Hamstring very tight.

Friday: 3 easy miles on treadmill (8:34 pace). Hamstring on verge of excruciating.

Saturday:

• A little bit of ward basketball. Hamstring very sore so I only played when someone needed a rest, but it was fun.

• 21.5 miles, 4 hours running, 11:20 pace. My friend Carol was running 45 miles on her 45th birthday. I intended to run the middle 15 with her. I was worried about my hamstring though, so I wasn't even sure if I would make that. But between basketball and the run, a friend brought over a hamstring wrap and hallelujah! Praise the Lord! it worked like a miracle. I couldn't feel much pain at all. And I was having so much fun I ended up running the rest of the way with her and it ended up being 21.5 miles.It was a very slow pace because after all, she was running 45 miles. After the run I soaked in natural hot springs for 30-45 minutes. Today, I am barely sore.

This week I discovered a new energy source, 5-hour Energy. I say it works like a charm. I need to research it though, to make sure it's not too bad for my body. I can buy it at Costco by the case for 1.50 a jar. I used half the jar on Saturday's run.

My Garmin was on the fritz so I sent it in for repairs. I hope I get it back soon.

And I need to go buy my own hamstring wrap.

Next week will be an easy one because the Dam to Dam 5-miler is on Saturday, Feb. 14.

12 Weeks to Boston: Thomas

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: 5 miles on treadmill (1 mile easy, 3 miles at 6:30, 1 mile easy).
Wednesday: Rest.
Thursday: Speed - 5 x 800m (2:52, 2:56, 2:53, 2:55, 2:55)
Friday: 6.5 miles at 7:09 min/mile.
Saturday: 15.3 miles at 7:32 min/mile.

12 Weeks to Boston: Elizabeth

Monday: 1 hour Kickboxing. Great workout. Haven't done kickboxing in probably a year.
Tuesday: 1 hour spin. I was sore from kickboxing and the soreness got worse as the day went on.
Wednesday: 5-mile tempo run on treadmill. Easy mile followed by three tempo miles (8:00, 7:47, 7:27). 8:50 cool-down mile.
Thursday: Piyo in the am. I am so inflexible, i can't even touch my toes. I've got to make this workout a weekly habit.
Speed work on track in the pm. 1 mile warm up followed by 5-800s with 400m easy lap in between: 3:17, 3:20, 3:16, 3:19, 3:22. 1 mile cool down.
Felt great and was pleasantly surprised with my times. I am super excited to do these on a weekly basis.
Friday: Rest (and well deserved if I may say so)
Saturday: 11.5 miles, 200 w to 400 s to 700 w to airport road to 3000 s and back on 700 w. I wanted to run at about an 8:50 pace. First half was 8:42 and by the end I got my average down to 8:37. Very happy. I didn't take any energy or water. I desperately needed water and finally found some at mile 10 at the gym. I need a water belt.

Overall, a great week. Now I just need to keep the energy up from this week into next week.