Each Day Is a Gift

36F cloudy slight breeze.  Ran a mile warm up to MCT then 6X800 with 400 jog.  East to first tunnel (.25mile) then turned west to 0.25mile past 1600W restroom and turned back up.  Ran in restroom for a quick drink during the recovery after the 4th interval.  Note to self to bring a water bottle next time.  The new High School on my block actually has a nice track around the football field (brand new!).  But the HS is still under construction (schedule to open this Fall), so I'm afraid if I go there to run, I'd be trespassing construction zone?!  AP: 10:16 (12:07, 9:41, 9:34, 10:26, 9:47, 10:03, 10:04)

37F at 8:15am.  Ran with Wendy wearing my new Altra.  Calves are tight and PF hurts so it was super slow.  AP: 11:42

Had lab this morning then went to the temple (the monthly first Thu temple date with my friends of 30 years).  After I got home, fixed lunch for hubby and I didn't go out until 2:40pm and the temp was 64F partly sunny.  Wore shorts (first time this year) and 3/4 zip l/s Ogden shirt.  Ran east down to bridge at Dry Creek (mile 2), stopped to stretch then turned back and ran west to end of MCT by freeway stopped at 1600W to drink.  There were lots of walkers, cyclists on the trail.  I thought I was running fast but the watch doesn't lie.  AP: 10:56 (12:15, 11:07, 11:33, 10:21, 10:14, 10:06, 11:40, 10:28, 10:41)

Left the house later than planned at 7:13am after eating one Greek yogurt, drank some gatorade, carried a 10z bottle of OJ and a banana which I ate while walking up from Dry Creek (after mile 2).  48F cloudy calm, wore Boston 2011 capri (green strips) and Pocatello green l/s top, UA bra, running cap with RUN headband just in case it gets windy or rains, Flip belt with phone, 2 pkgs of Cliff shot bloks, tissues. 

Plan was to leave at 7:00am and meet Wendy at the restroom/parking lot by Canyon Rd in PG (mile 8) at 8:30am and ran 5 out and back with her.  I wasn't as fast as I thought and with a 13min late start I got there at 8:40.  I dropped off my flip belt with the phone and running cap with head band in Wendy's car.  Went inside the bathroom to fill up the OJ bottle with water and off we went.  I forgot to eat until almost mile 10 and feeling sluggish.  Ate 2 Cliff bloks.  Turned around at mile 15 and stopped at the restroom (mile 15+) ate 2 bloks and used the bathroom.  It was supposed to be a short stop but ended up much longer (note to self, do not eat Mexican food the day before long run).  Now the legs got all stiffened up and the PF is killing.  Took the rest of the 2 bloks at mile 17.5.  Saw EmilyH and her hubby on the bike.  They stopped to chat with us.  Each time I stopped, the legs would stiffen up.  With less than a mile to go, a kid on a long board took a spill right by us so we stopped to make sure he's okay.  His board went flying down the dirt hill. 

So grateful for Wendy to come run 10 miles with me.  I don't think I could've finished without her!  18 miles done!!!!  20 miler in two weeks.  AP: 10:52 (11:33, 10:46, 12:12, 10:24, 10:31, 10:29, 10:17, 9:58, 10:27, 10:26, 11:08, 11:08, 10:49, 11:09, 11:11, 12:01, 10:31, 10:42)

AP: 10:50
Booked our flights to Boston.

AP:  10:21

Rough rough busy busy day!  Took hubby back to the ER tonight, 4th time this year, with chills fever and frequent urination (ever 30min).  So one week after he finished the last course of antibiotic (Levoquin), the UTI has returned.  Rocefin IV given.  Finally got discharged to go home at 1:30am (Sat.)

Didn't hit the sack until 4am.  Awoke at 6am.  Hubby's fever still hovering in the 99-100 range.  After taking Tylenol and first dosage of Augmentin, he felt better.  I was emotionally and physically drained when I texted my friends.  Wendy suggested we go for a short run in which I vented and cried, walked alot.  AP: 12:36

During the run, a thought popped into Wendy's mind.  Earlier that morning she was getting on-line tickets to see "Lamb of God".  The performances in Timpview High School were sold out so she looked into the other location in North Salt Lake and found available tickets.  She wanted to take her daughter, Katie, who will be visiting from Idaho.  When she printed out the tickets, she looked at the date...it's for March 12 at 2pm, that's TODAY, THIS afternoon!  Her thought was Oh NO, that's not going to work, Katie is not here yet, her husband is out of town and Stephanie already has other plans.  Anyhow, the thought came to her that it must be for Smooth!  So she asked if I could go.  It was 11:30 when we finished our run and we had to leave in an hour!  I checked with hubby who assured me that he'll be okay and I should go!

What a tender mercy!  I was so depressed and mad at God earlier this morning.  Watching and listening to the beautiful songs/music/narration of "Lamb of God" was exactly what I needed to calm and soothe my troubled heart.  I bawled, tears flowed freely when the solo voice of "Mary" singing "Make Me Whole" and the solo piece of "Thomas's "Sometime We'll Understand".  It was like an answer to my many many pleadings with God.  It filled my heart with hope and comforted my soul with peace.  God sent an angel in the form of my dear friend, Wendy, to minister to me!  Tender Mercy!

Lab day!  Jogged 9 on the treadmill watching Netflix on my iPad cause the weather was less than ideal.

7x800 with 400 jog.  Warm up 1.75 to MCT via 800 E to Dry Creek Tunnel f.  Then west to 1600W bathroom at the end of 4th intervals, went in for a quick drink and resumed east to 600E and home. 

AP: 10:04 (12:05, 10:32, 9:17, 9:47,9:16, 9:18, 10:08, 9:56)

Lab morning, got home at 8am, changed into running clothes.  Karen and Leslie who had already done 3.5 miles, met me at 8:15am.  These ladies are too fast for me now.  I was a huffin' n puffin' trying to keep up with them.  AP: 10:08 (10:17, 10:03, 9:42, 10:17, 10:18)

Dead legs today.  Went out mid-morning for a recovery run which turned into lotsa walking.  Legs/feet felt the last two days' faster runs for sure.  Ran to 1600 West bathroom via 800E and back on Center.  13:20, 12:06, 11:51, 11:52, 13:00, 12:30

T28 felt colder especially down at the Lehi JRP, calm, clear.  Leslie and Karen picked me up at 6:50 and we drove to JRP and parked the car at 1500N Parkside Dr. because the road was turn up. We ran north first.  Leslie was ready to take off fast because it was cold.  My watch finally caught satelite about 0.2 mile.  They dropped off their water bottle on a bench around 2.2 miles.  We turned around at 4.5.  When we reached the bench, we ate and drank.  My hands were so cold when I removed the gloves that I could hardly peel the wrapers off the clif blok.  It was 8am so we had to hurry back to the car where Wendy was to meet us at 8:30.  Anyway, I chased after them while trying to chew the frozen bloks and fingers couldn't work well enough to get the water flask out of my jacket pocket. Forgot to restart the watch until 0.25 mile in so my watch was 0.5 mile short of Leslie's. 

Got to the car at mile 9 and bid Leslie and Karen good-bye.  Ate two more bloks and drank some gatorade, used the road construction PoP on 1500N conveniently located a few steps from the car.  Then Wendy and I ran south, carrying a handheld with gatorade.  That little stop made the legs all stiffened up.  By mile 12 my lower legs were toasted, the feet also had this pins and needles feeling, may be they're thawing out?  Took walk breaks to eat and drink.  We stopped at the remote control airplane park to use the PoP.  When we reached the lake at the end of the paved trail, Wendy's watch said 5.5 so it was perfect spot to turn around to make 11 for her and total of 20 for me.  Couldn't have done it without the friends' company.

AP: 11:27 (10:54, 10:35, 11:14, 11:49, 10:44, 10:07, 10:13, 10:22, 11:24, 11:33, 12:05, 11:07, 12:01, 11:39, 13:00, 10:49. 11:04, 14:07, 12:26, 11:35)

Left lower medial calf and heel were so very very sore!

Lab day.  45F partly sunny calm.  Slow solo run on MCT from 800E to 1600W home via Center.  Saw some Lehi firefighters doing their annual fitness test runs.  They had to wear a 45 lbs weighted vest running an out-n-back 3 miler.  I cheered them on as I passed and crossed paths with them.  AP: 11:24.  (13:17, 10:57, 10:40, 10:26, 11:28, 11:51) 

Wind, rain, snow all day so I got on the treadmill and jogged 6 miles watching Larry Crowne on Netflix.  Gotta love Tom Hanks.

Got a massage this afternoon.  It was a birthday gift from all the kids and grandkids.  The certificate expires on April 16 so I had to use it.  Not too impressed with the massage, didn't feel more relaxed, in fact the PF and lower calf pain/tightness got worse.

Went to caucus with John and Wendy.  It barely stopped snowing but was very very cold.  There was a LONG line waiting to get in the Lehi JrHS.  There was a huge turn out of 287 in our precint.  It was much more organized and efficient compared to 4 years ago.

Lab morning. 38F partly sunny slight breeze. Wendy waited for me to come home at 8:20. Ran to tunnel at Dry Creek 1.75 mile. Did 7xhill repeats on the west side of Dry Creek hill.

Happy Good Friday!

37F partly sunny breezy NE wind. Easy solo run via 460 E to 1600 W and back via 600 E.

Central vac repairman was here to replace the 19 yo motor. After he left hubby and I went for a walk around the two small blocks in figure 8 direction.

Watched the Live stream of The Handel's Messiah performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Swuare in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. It began at 7:30 pm and concluded at 10:00 pm with two brief intermissions. I have never heard the Messiah performed in its entirety. This inspired oratorio was written in 23 days and 260 pages performed nearly 275 years ago! Awe inspiring! Great way to celebrate Easter weekend!

28F 10mph NNW wind. Leslie, Karen ran to meet me and Wendy at 7am to accompany me on the MCT for 9.75 miles. It was cold and windy the first 3 miles then the sun came up and was a pleasant run thru Highland to PG. We saw MelanieB and her running group on the Alpine Hwy. This is our last run with Leslie for awhile because she is moving to Alabama next week. When we reached the bathroom at 1100 N 800 E PG, Karen called her husband to pick them up and to drop Wendy off at the AF Rec Center where her daughter is participating in the Icebreaker Triathlon. I bid them goodbye and continued south to Lindon, Orem. Saw John Bozung and his wife at about the same location a month ago.

I ate two Clif bloks every 5-6 miles. Used the last restroom at mile 14 to fill up my water flask. I reached the Orem Cemetery at mile 15, at end of MCT 800 N 1400 E at mile 16. Running east towards Provo Canyon I called Steven to see if he could meet me at Will's Canyonstop, but he didn't answer so I called hubby and told him I am at the mouth of the canyon and have 6 more miles to go (3 miles up and 3 miles down the canyon) and if he could meet me there in an hour.

This is perfect training for Boston as the Newton hills come at mile 16. As I slowly made my way up the canyon, I saw Sasha and his son with a group of runners coming down. When I reached 19.6 miles I turned around, walked and ate 2 bloks and drank the 5oz water from my flask. As I slowly ran down the canyon, I again saw Sasha and his son running up! When I reached the ever flowing fountain, they passed me running down, the Pachev men are so speedy. I took a drink from the fountain and made it to Will's Canyonstop where hubby was waiting in the car at mile 22.75 in 4:26:15. I am slower than tar these days. It is what it is.

Had a nice hot-pot early dinner with the fam then we watched the General Women's Conference live on BYU-TV. Tomorrow Elder Quentin L Cook will be presiding and speaking in our Sacrament Meeting. What a blessing and privilege to heat an Apostle speak to us on Easter Sunday.

Hubby's kidney transplant surgical wound that was reopened a month ago is healing nicely and just has a tiny sliver open which will surely be completely closed tomorrow...our Easter "resurrection" miracle.

Rainy blustery day.  8x800 on the dreadmill watching Paper Plane, cute Aussie movie!

TT: 1:24:35 AP: 10:34

36F partly cloudy slight breeze.  Ran the entire length of the Lehi MCT (Access on 800 E >East to Dry Creek Hill 1.75 turned West to Triumph Blvd then East to 800E >home).  Got progressively faster when I realized I needed to take hubby to Dr. Cline's appointment.

TT: 1:32:32  AP: 10:16 (11:37, 11:02, 10:28, 10:05, 9:35, 10:56, 9:48, 9:34, 9:28)

Today marks exactly 3 months (13 weeks) since hubby's kidney trasplant on Wed. Dec. 30, 2015.  Over these months, he's had a few set-backs, first with post-op bleeding, inability to void, 4 bouts of UTIs, 4 ER trips with 2x hospitalization, back to surgery to drain the abcessed hematoma and under the incision.  He is feeling so much better now.  Three of the medications (Bactrim, Valcite, Fluconazoe) are discontinued, Phospha and Calcitral are decreased to half of the dose.  He is also off Gabapentin and weaning off Trazadone.  His appetite has improved and he is gaining some weight.  He is driving to the doctor's appointment and able to do some light grocery shopping.  We are excited to host our mission reunion of Friday.  Tomorrow we will meet with the Howes to finalize the shopping.  He will finish last dose of antibiotics (Augmentin) on April 9, do a urine culture along with regular lab tests on April 12, then see Dr. Cline on April 13.  If all goes well and it should, we fly out to Boston on a Sat. red-eye flight. 

Lab morning! Rainy, windy.  Dreadmill again.  AP: 10:34 

Pres. and Sis. Howes came.  Took them to Olive Garden for lunch.  We then went shopping at Costco for the perishable goods we need for our combined missions reunion tomorrow night.  It was so good to visit with them and talked about our mission days!  We love them so much and miss our friends in Sydney and our missionaries from all over the world terribly.  So excited to see many of our missionaires tomorrow! :)