4 Weeks to Boston: Elizabeth

Monday: 5 hilly miles on the tread.
1/2 mile at an easy pace. Then I bumped up the pace to 8:00 and ran a 1.5 mile hill: quarter mile at 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 incline. 1/2 mile at no incline, same pace. Next, a 1 mile hill: quarter mile at 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5. First 3/4 at 8:00, last quarter mile at an 8:13 pace. 1/2 mile at 8:00 and no incline. Last hill was a 1/2 mile: 4.0, 4.5. First 1/4 at 8:00 second at 8:20. 1/2 mile cool down.

This was a great workout that seriously kicked my butt. I kept the whole workout at faster than marathon pace. I was sucking wind hard by the end, but it felt great and hopefully it will help me through the Newton hills.

Tuesday: Hour of spin at the gym.

Wednesday: Laziness. I was supposed to run at the track, but only one other person showed up, then I got a side ache and I was never into it mentally, so I went home and watched Idol.

Thursday: I had to do my speed on the tread because it was super windy outside. 1 mile warm up followed by 4 X 1-mile with 400m recovery. (6:55, 6:53, 6:53, 6:50) It was a good workout, hard to do on the tread but easier because I was forced to keep my legs moving at the same pace. I am curious if I could keep the paces on the track.

Friday: Rest. I should have gone to the gym since I rested on Wednesday, but I was lazy.

Saturday: 20 miles!!! 8:42 pace.
I ran through Angel Heights, up the Sand Hollow hill, down it and back up it and home on 200 west.
I was very happy with this run. I wanted to do it at least under 9:20 (PMP plus 1 minute), but I was hoping for under 9:00. I had a few slow miles, but a number under marathon pace including the final mile (8:21), even though I was exhausted. Allergies kicked in bad after the run, though. I took too much medicine and couldn't function the rest of the day. Luckily, I have the greatest husband in the world and even though he was exhausted from his 20, he let me sleep and took care of the kids.

On to the taper weeks. Although, Tom mentioned an article about how a two-week taper is all you need for a marathon. I better check it out. As of now, I plan to keep the speed up and intensity up, just cut out some distance in my long runs.

Four Weeks to Boston: Thomas

Tuesday: Treadmill - 1 mile easy, 4x1600M (6:40 @ 4% incline), 0.5 mile easy.

Wednesday: 7.0 miles at 7:17 pace. Last two uphill miles at 6:57 pace.

Thursday: Speed on treadmill - 1 mile easy, 3x1600M (6:00 pace), 0.5 mile easy.

Saturday: 20.0 miles @ 7:19 pace. Last good long run before Boston.

This was a pretty good week. I have been icing my foot each night and the injury from a week ago has not returned. With 22 days to Boston it is time to start a gradual taper.

Thoughts at 1 month to Boston: Elizabeth

Boston is 4 weeks away, today. Here is what I am feeling:

• Nervous because of curse. Timing couldn't be worse.
• If worse comes to worst and I have a bad race, I should be able to make up for it 12 days later at the Hurricane half. I feel I am in better half shape anyway.
• I feel faster than I did this time before St. George.
• My endurance is, however, not as good.
• But my 17-miler last week was way faster than any long run I did before St. George.
• And I felt great at the end and even picked up the pace the last couple of miles.
• My 20-miler before St. George found me sucking wind the last couple of miles.
• I weigh 5-10 pounds more than I did St. George.
• Hopefully, it is all muscle in my legs.
• Body feels pretty good: hamstring hasn't been bothering me much. I still wear the wrap on long runs, but more as a security blanket that anything.
  
• Knees are pretty good.
  
• Bunion still hurts, which it did for St. George and doesn't really bug me while I am running.
• IT-band gets tight, I need to remember to stretch it after all my runs.
• Basically, I am just mad about the curse timing and wish there was something I could do to alter it.
  

Overall, I am feeling fairly confident in my training, but very nervous and unsure of what to expect. I would love to do well, but am just excited for the experience. This is not the end all race of the season. Actually, I care more about my time at the Bryce Canyon Half in July where I have challenged my sister and would love to break 1:40 or even 1:37.

I am excited for my taper to officially start after Saturday. If I can just get through 20 miles at a decent pace, I will feel ready. I also need to radically change my eating habits over the next month. Much less junk will do my weight and glycogen stores some good.

5 Weeks to Boston: Elizabeth

Monday: 5 miles on tread. 1 mile easy (9:06) and 4 miles at tempo (7:30, 7:30, 7:19, 7:09). Great run, maybe my tread is off or something, but I felt very comfortable. I was working, but not getting super uncomfortable.

Tuesday: 1 hour spin at the gym.

Wednesday:

• Track workout. 4 x 800 (3:09, 3:10, 3:11, 3:11). I had to cut it short for spin.
• Taught i hour spin at the gym. Lots of hills and standing.

Thursday: Rest

Friday: Turbo at the gym. Ty did not lack any energy with two weeks to go. Ashley helped keep the tempo up. My back was starting to hurt by the last 15 minutes. (PMS, I'm sure). I was sore on Saturday.

Saturday: 4.7 miles, 8:00 pace.

I stayed up too late and ate way too much junk food this week. My sister and her kids came into town on Friday for a softball tournament. I planned to get 12 miles in. Oh well. But i really need to get in one last ultra long run on Saturday.
Curse started, which sucks because it means the curse will be going strong for Boston. I definitely felt sluggish all week and really didn't even want to get up and run at all today. I'm going to do some research and see if I can alter the curse in 1 month.

Five Weeks to Boston: Thomas

Monday: 5.5 miles on treadmill (1 mile easy, four miles fast - 6:27, 6:22, 6:17, 6:15), half mile easy.

Wednesday: Track workout - 1200 m warm up, 4x800 m (2:50, 2:51, 2:55, 2:55), 1 x 1600 m (6:46 pushing James in the double stroller).

Friday: 6.63 miles @ 7:36 pace. It is starting to get really hot. I did this run in the afternoon and suffered in the heat.

Saturday: 18.0 miles @ 7:42 pace. I planned on doing about 22 miles (the Sand Hollow loop). I felt really good the first 13 miles (averaging 7:10 to 7:15). I stopped for water at the top of the Sand Hollow hill and my right Achilles tightened up. I tried to run/walk through the pain for the next five miles, but the pain was getting severe and I didn't want to risk major injury. I called Elizabeth from the animal shelter to pick me up. I will try again next week for my last long run before Boston.

Six Weeks to Boston: Thomas

Another lackluster training week.

Tuesday: 4.5 miles on the treadmill at a moderate pace (recovering from Lake to Lake relay).

Friday: 5.25 miles on the treadmill - 7:40 average pace with lots of hills (started at 2.0% incline, gradually increased to 6.0%, then decreased back down to 2.0%).

Saturday: Wasatch Powderkeg backcountry ski race. Three climbs, three descents. 5.5 miles, 4,000 vertical feet of climbing. 2:39:23 total time.

6 Weeks to Boston: Elizabeth

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Taught spin at the gym. My standard 3-15 minute segments. Good energy and a big class.

Wednesday: Track workout. 6 x 800s. (3:08, 3:10, 3:13, 3:15, 3:13, 3:10). I went out a little fast thanks to Darrel pushing the pace. Felt pretty tired, but happy with the times.

Thursday: Piyo at the gym. Nice and easy because Ty is down to three weeks until her due date. She definitely didn't push us.

Friday: 4 miles on tread, 8:17 pace average, with hills. Definitely got my heart rate up.

• mile 1: 8:34, flat
• mile 2: 7:41, flat
• mile 3, 8:20, increased incline1.0 every quarter mile from 2 to 5.
  
• mile 4: flat 8:34 first half to catch my breath, 8 min quarter, 8 min quarter on 3.0 incline.

Saturday: 17 miles to top Sand Hollow hill, 8:45 pace.

I was dreading this my long run, but it turned out fine. Tom was out of town so I had to go at 9 when I had a sitter. I hoped for under 9:00. I started off pretty easy. I stopped at the stake center about two to three miles in for a potty break and to get rid of my jacket. I ate some Pria bar and went on my way.

The temp started at about 40 degrees and finished near 60. Hence, lsoing the jacket a few miles in. Wore short sleeves and arm warmers, which I also took off, and tights.

I energized through out with Jelly Bellys (I'm a big fan) and Clif Bar chews. Hydrated with water and gatorade. Wore my hamstring wrap and it felt fine. My right hip started getting a shooting pain the last few miles, but I just pounded it with my fist and carried on.

My pace started at an over 9:00 minute pace. I got faster after about five miles and felt really good, even up the Sand Hollow hill. Last two miles were 8:36 including the last mile uphill home. I was very happy and am feeling much more confident and prepared for Boston.

Lake to Lake Race Report

Can I tell you how fun this race was. It was fun to run with great friends. It was fun to take second place as out of 22 mixed teams. It was fun to take that second place from the third place team by a mere minute. It was fun to ride around in the van and cheer on my fellow team members and Tom's team for the first half. (He was so much faster than us that by half way, he would be gone from the exchanges before we got there.) It was fun to run the final leg with my team supporting me. It was just a great experience and I can't wait for the next one.

The Lake to Lake relay is a 50-mile relay from Gunlock Reservoir to Sand Hollow Reservoir. The race is divided into 10 legs of more or less 5 miles. Each team of 5 or less runners takes turns running at least two legs until the finish. Some legs are downhill, some up, some legs are dirt trail, some are paved bike paths, some legs are on city streets, all are spectacular.

The race began at 8 am. We dropped of Kasie and drove down the road to the exchange where we dropped of Darrel and then off the the next exchange. There we picked up Kasie from the bus, waited for Darrel and sent Ben packing.

I ran the 4th leg. It was 5.18 miles on mostly bike path. 7:08 pace.

The profile shows it as a mostly downhill run, but it didn't feel like it. There were plenty of little climbs. I was passed by one guy right at the exchange and one more at mile 3. I couldn't re-catch either but just tried to keep them in my sights. When the second guy caught me he told me he had been trying to do so since the beginning of the leg. He gave me a compliment and then was on his way.

Luckily for us the next leg was run by Glen and he rocked it. He passed 5 people, putting us into 7th place overall and 3rd in the mixed division. Kasie ran the next leg and held off all the teams Glen passed, plus passed one more. Darell ran the next and lost only one spot. Ben ran the 8th leg and gained one overall spot. Now it was Glen's turn again. I told him he needed to get me a pretty big buffer if we wanted to keep a hold of second place. At each of the exchanges there were 5 teams, including us, very close to eachother. 4 of the teams were mixed teams and one was an all men's team.

Leg 10. 4.4 miles. 7:32 pace.

I started the final leg in second. I had no idea how close the other teams were, but I did know that many of them had their strongest runners running this leg. I just ran the generally uphill route as fast as I could. I got a few hollers as friends passed in their vehicles and Tom stopped at a few spots to encourage me since he was long finished. It really helped. He warned me there was a guy gaining fast on me. The last half mile of the route is a substantial incline. I have run it before in other races, but always suck at it. I just motored up it where my team met me for the victory run across the parking lot. We held off the other team, but only by one minute. The guy was running 5 minute miles. Had the race been a half mile longer he would have caught me. The 4th team was less than a minute back. Full results can be found here.



It was a blast and I felt great with my times. I think we got second because we strategized. We had our two fastest run the two hardest legs and gain enough ground to allow me to bring it home on the less difficult leg. The other teams put their best runners last, but they couldn't make up for the slower runners on the very hilly and sandy legs.

Go team Saturday's Warriors!

7 Weeks to Boston: Elizabeth

I spent the week with my sisters, eating too much and running too little. Hopefully, it doesn't set me back too much because I don't have too much time left. I did use the excuse of tapering for Lake to Lake and was happy with the result. But now I have no time left for slacking. I need to be serious until the big race.

Monday: 4.88 miles, 40:44, 8:21 pace
I ran pushing James in the dark and I was stopped to be warned about rattle snakes. I started with my sisters but when on ahead after the first mile.
Mile 2 was more uphill and I was getting used to the stroller.
I picked up the pace for miles 3 and 4. (7:39, 7:41).
Ran the last mile with my sisters.

Tuesday: 10.68 miles, 1:39:56, 9:21 pace.
This was supposed to be my long run (16 miles remember?). I intended to run anywhere between 11 and 15 miles depending on how I felt. We drove to Saguaro National Park East. I ran a trail for the first 1.4 miles and then ran an 8-mile, very hilly paved loop around the park and finished on the trail. If I felt good I was going to run the 4 miles back to my sister's house. I didn't. It was 85 degrees. I was hot and tired. When I got back to the trailhead I should have finished out the 11th mile but I was so tired and my sisters were there from their 8-mile run and we went home instead. Oh well.

I slacked the rest of the week until Saturday's Lake to Lake relay.

Saturday: Our team took second in the mixed division out of 22 teams!! I ran legs 4 and 10. A full race report will follow.
-Leg 4: 5.18 miles, 36:52, 7:08 pace. It was a slightly downhill run, but I was ecstatic.
-Leg 10: 4.44 miles, 33:28, 7:32 pace. This one was a slightly uphill course, finishing on a substantial incline.

8 Weeks to Boston: Elizabeth

Tuesday: Spin at the gym.

Wednesday: Track workout. 6x800 (3:14, 3:14, 3:15, 3:12, 3:10, 3:09)
This was the my best track workout to date. I felt great and kept getting faster. It helped that we had a big group.

Thursday: 3 mile walk with my sister and niece. A nice brisk walk after a big dinner.

Friday: 4.62 miles, 48:06, 10:24 pace.
I ran with my sister Suzanne. We pushed two kids in a stroller and it was wicked windy.
We followed the run with an ab workout from Runners' World.

Saturday: 6.07 miles, 57:34, 9:28 pace.
I was supposed to run 16, but I promised myself I would run it on Monday in Tucson because I was just too tired. Again, I ran with my sister, no kids and no wind. This was a good, fast speed for her.

Next week, I go to Tucson with my sister. How will my training go?

7 Weeks to Boston: Thomas

This was a bad training week. Many factors contributed to a poor week of running: 10 hours of driving to Salt Lake on Tuesday, a moderately severe head cold, tapering for Lake to Lake relay. Here's what I managed to do.

Wednesday: 4.25 miles on the treadmill @ 7:15 pace with lots of hills.

Saturday: Lake to Lake Relay. My team finished third overall. I ran legs 3 and 7.

- Leg 3: 5.62 miles in 35:23 (6:18 pace).
- Leg 7: 4.35 miles in 28:00 (6:26 pace).

8 Weeks to Boston: Thomas

Monday: 5.05 miles @ 6:50 pace.

Tuesday: Rest.

Wednesday: Speed. 6x800M (2:47, 2:48, 2:50, 2:49, 2:47, 2:46)

Thursday: 8.35 miles @ 7:02 pace.

Friday: Coached Porter's soccer practice.

Saturday: 21.25 miles @ 7:21 pace. It felt good to get in a nice long run at marathon pace + 20-30 seconds. I included lots of hills to practice for Boston's infamous Newton Hills.