Each Day Is a Gift

Didn't make it out today. Reggie came early to install the dining room light, all the bathroom accessories, TV wall mount.  While cleaning the windows on Sat. I noticed a scratch on one pane and a hair-line crack on another.  The Jeld-Wen window rep. came and was very nice.  They will replace both panes.  

Spent the day cleaning the shutters and the north window, clearing all the construction left-overs out of the exercise room.  

Registered up for the Ogden Marathon.  Heard it will fill up by end of the day.  Not sure about the Grand Slam and Utah Valley; need to wait on that.

Ran 8 easy with Carolyn on the canal trail.  Saw Bro. Miner who is over the canal trail project.  He said they can't pave the trail now as the weather is getting colder.  They have already put in the pedestrian tunnels and paved those sections.  He is ahead of schedule of the guys doing the piping of the canal. 

We ran on the entire trail from the back of Smith Market Place west to frontage of I-15 interchange/Timp Hwy.  then south on rail trail and east on 3200N.  It was so nice to run on graded soft trail.  Beautiful blue sky, calm and cool day.  

Cory and Reggie here to build the small deck and stairs to the French door.  Spent the day cleaning the new closet organizers and moved the rest of my clothes in.  Washed the outside of the north window. 

I'm loving this weather.  Temp 29.  Slight ESE breeze.  Sunny blue sky.  Wore l/s top, light Boston jacket, tights, head band, gloves.  Ran 8 easy solo on the same route as yesterday.  I really like running on the graded dirt trail, very spongy. 

At the Pheasant Pointe Condo, a dog came out of nowhere and started running with me.  When I said hi to her, she started to jump on me; thankfully she was obedient when I said: "Down! down!"   But she wouldn't obey when I said:  "Go Home."  When I ran past Fox Hollow Elementary, I decided to go in to use the bathroom.  When I came out, she was gone! 

City inspector came to do final inspection.  We are given the okay to move in...even though we already did 2 weeks ago!  Hehe!  Cory and Reggie still working on deck and steps.  It is looking very nice.  Plumber will come back to fix/reverse the shower valves.  JeldWen will come to replace the window panes in two weeks.  Vanity mirror is the only thing left to be installed.  YAY!!!

6.5 with Carolyn down on 3rd west to rail trail and back up thru 3200N.  We really miss running with Wendy and Karen.  But it was a beautiful morning, the wind didn't pick up until heading east on the uphill...icky headwind...stink!  Literally stink as we ran past the mink farm...couldn't even walk because the stench made us gag! :)

Almost chickened out...almost!  Woke up to an inch of snow on the lawn, the wind was a howling at 25 mph, ice on the patio!  After staying in bed for two hours (hubby already left for the temple at 5:15am), finally called RAD and talked her into delaying the run for 90 min.  Hubby got home from the temple and said I'd be crazy to go out; some flying object would surely hit us on our heads!  What flying objects?  I noticed the birds couldn't even stay in flight.  

Got down to the JRP and the wind has subsided to 15mph and the snow/rain has stopped, the sun was even peeking out thru the fast moving clouds.   But brrrr was it cold!!! with the windchill it was in the 20s.   I think I overdressed though.  RAD was perfectly dressed and ready to charge up the trail, hills, headwind and all...nothing stops that girl!  

Aside from some comical mud stomping, crawling under fence rails, my wardrobe malfunctioning, biting headwind...it was a perfect perfect beautiful happy run!  To top it off, we went to Zupas for some yummy warm soup, delicious salad and sandwitch afterward!  What more can a girl ask for?  THANKS RAD for a perfect mid-morning, early afternoon fun fun fun time!!!! You're the BEST!!!

Lowell called before and during his Just Cuz half marathon!  So funny!  Wendy texted me after her Snow Canyon half where she PR'd!  YAY!!!  They made me proud and happy!  Hubby did a great job with his talk at the adult session of Stake Conference!  A WONDERFUL DAY indeed! :) :) :)

Wanted 8 but only did 4.  Karen has taken couple weeks off from running due to post-SGM knee pain and was hoping to get back.  No such luck!  Her knee was fine the first mile just like the previous times she attempted.  We ran a mile on pavement to access the canal dirt trail which was better.  But,  by mile 3 she called it quit.  Dang knee pain!  So we cut the run short and just visited in front of her house.  Then I had to hurry home for the duct cleaning guy.  

Ran with Wendy nice and easy with the middle miles on the canal dirt trail which is gentler on our legs.  So proud of Wendy's 5 min. PR at Snow Canyon.   Other than the unhappy quads when going downhill or downstairs, she's recovering beautifully! :)  

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Spent the entire evening yesterday trying to book a room at Mesquite for the marathon.  Can't believe there is NO availability in Mesquite! :(   Finally gave up and got a room in St. George thru Priceline.  So will pick up race packet in Mesquite and stay in St. George Fri. night.  Will have hubby drop me off at the start race morning.  Should be interesting. 

Nice easy run with Wendy on the canal trail and bench loop.  Saw a big hawk overhead.  Gerber construction back-filling the dirt around the pedestrian tunnel.  More landscaping, hydro-seeding done around the trail and frontage road.  

****

Got an email from the Mesquite Marathon RD.  She said the host hotel just opened up the rooms!  WHAT?!!!  Stink!!!  I already paid for the room in St. George!  O well, hubby doesn't mind driving.  Then the RD asked me what runners like to eat and how often we stop to drink.  I guess she has experience putting on cycling events and this is their first running event, along with the Valley of Fire the next day.  She is a bit nervous! 

The Mesquite Tri-State has changed hands over the years.  I wonder why Mammoth only ran it for two years.  I don't expect it to be a great event.  The course is changed this year.  The RD moved the start line further up in Utah to eliminate the *junk* miles in Mesquite.  Glad it is USATF certified.  Should be interesting!

A very special day!!!  Got to plan some fun stuff with the kids in the morning.  Went to the Draper Temple with 8 friends.  We've been friends for over 30 years and going to the temple/luncheon monthly for 20 years.  Had our annual Christmas luncheon at KathieS's house after the temple.  We stayed and visited and visited.  Precious times!

Got home to quickly throw some exercise clothes in a duffle and drove to Teena's for her birthday celebration triathlon.  She sure knows how to host a party/race! :) :) :)  She gave us *race packet* with all sorts wonderful goodies race stuff.  The race participants were:  the birthday girl (Teena), her daughter (Rylee), her sister-in-law (Annie), Fonz and me.  I was shooting for 4th overall and 3rd woman and I succeeded easily! :)

Teena set the rule on the way to Gold's Gym...no cheating! :)  She kicked my trash on the first event which was stationary biking for 40K!!!  I've never seen anyone peddling SO SO SO SO FAST on the stationary bike..and she was smiling the whole time like it was nothing!!!!  Every time I tried to peddle faster, my feet would fall off!  Why don't they make bikes that strap your shoes/feet in?!!!  I would've fallen off a road bike within 100 yards! :)  My sitting bones was KILLING me within 10 min.!!!  After peddling pathetically at the easiest level for 14.8 miles, I switched to the recumbent bike for the remaining 10 miles.  The recumbent was even slower...it was so boring that I started to flip channels on the TV monitor and watched Harry Potter.  I bumped my already banged up knee on the console!  OUCH!!! 

The second event was run 10K on the treadmill!  (Finally! no need to adjust the seats which must've cost me at least 2 minutes, not to mention time spent wiping down the machines afterward).  BUT, I had to find a treadmill that doesn't sound like a train was coming thru.   After running 4 miles, I asked Rylee (who was DONE with the Sprint distance) where Teena and Annie were.  She told me they went inside a room that I kept seeing people go in and out of.  So I went in there.  Wow! it's a theater and it was DARK!!!  The first TM I tried was completely broken!  The 2nd one said *clock calibration*.  Finally got on one, fumbled with buttons in the dark, I resumed my run at 7.4mph for 2.5 more miles while Teena was about ready to leave for her swim!  Dang!!  It took stepping on 5 TMs to run a measly 10K!  YICK!!!!

The third event was swim 1500m.  Since I don't know how to swim, Teena said the equivalent of that is 4 miles on the elliptical.  Took me at least 5 min. to take off my shoes/socks to check on the hot spots (a blister has ripped), get a drink, find an elliptical that didn't make me feel like I was straddling over a gulley,  and again fumble with buttons in the dark.  It was a good thing I was elliptickling in the dark in the very back of the theater because it was so hot that I had to take off my shirt.  Everyone in there was watching the movie and hardly working out?!!  My quads were burning!  I was hot, thirsty and exhausted!!!  The distance readout was on a scrolling system.  So I had to wait for a gazillion numbers to scroll thru to find out how far I had gone.  Nothing worse than watching the stupid scrolling numbers (which I had no clue what they represented) while your quads were screaming!!!!  ARRRGH!!!!  FINALLY 42min. later, the number 4.01 showed up,  HALLELUJAH!  I jumped off that stupid machine, ran out of the dark theater to look at the clock to see the time...10:40pm.  Teena said we started the *triathlon* at 7:30pm.!!!  To be honest, 3 hrs 10 min. on those stupid machines is just plain GROSS, TORTURE, INSANE!!!

Found Teena, Annie and Fonz relaxing in the hot-tub.  Geesh! how long have they been finished?!!!  We then went to Teena's house for some yummy pizza that Ry bought and delicious red velvet cake that Annie made.  FUN time visiting and lots of laughing!!!  My legs were so so so so sore and I was so so so so so tired driving home.  BUT, I had fun watching my SSF celebrate her birthday...she was beaming from ear to ear!!!

THANKS SSF for having a birthday triathlon and letting me be a part of it even though I was so pathetic on those machines!!!!  :)

I didn't get home until almost 1am this morning.  Woke up with sore tired legs.  Wasn't sure if I could run at all.  Texted Wendy and Carolyn to see if they're up for run.  Wendy, my best friend, was the patient and willing one.  We left the house around 9:15 (had to wait for the contractor) with no plan of where or even how far.  I did want to run at least 11K on this special 11.11.11 day.

We headed east as usual and got on the canal trail.   My quads were pretty tight from last night crazy Olympic distance bike-run-elliptical-thon!  Surprisingly at the west end of the trail (about mile 4.5) legs felt warm up and ready to run some more.  We decided to run back on the trail then around the bench to make it 11.11 miles.

We stopped a few times so Wendy could put up her feet where the neuroma were bothering her.  Each time we stopped, my knees would lock up.  We explored the tunnel just over the 1200E gulley where the trail would eventually go east...however not much trail was graded at the moment.  On the way back we didn't even think to find out what time it was.  With a mile to go, we saw some construction worker and asked one guy if he had the time.  He said:  11:16...oh, darn,,,we missed it!!! 

When the Garmin beeped at mile 11, I got all excited.  I picked up the pace and luckily Wendy looked down at her Garmin and said, it's 11.11 and I looked at mine and it also said 11.11!  Whew!  We stopped our Garmins instantly and the clock read 11:22am.  We laughed, hugged and walked the short little way home feeling pretty cool that we ran 11.11 miles and just 11 min shy of finishing it at 11:11 on 11.11.11

Later in the afternoon, hubby and I went looking at spas, ellipticals and treadmills.  We went on a hot date with dinner and movie and relaxed under a full-moon lit sky in our new suite 11:11pm!  HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY!!!!

Ran 8 easy on the TM in our new addition watching Monk while sweet hubby slaved in the yard.  Went to R.S. Super Sat.  It's freezing cold!

Wonder how RAD was doing in Richmond! :)

Got Dexascanned and phlebotomized!  Didn't run 'till mid-morning.  Beautiful calm, sunny cool day!  Quads still tight.  Got a dime size owie (raw skin) near my tail bone, probably from the stationary bike at last Thursday's *tri*.  :(

NO running today.  Busy busy busy day going to the doctor, getting stuff ready for my son's Jr. Recital.  He did awesome.  His professor was so very kind and complimentary. There were about 100 people in attendance (so happy David drove home from AZ in time to come to the concert and help me set up the refreshements.)  He got a standing ovation!  He's been really blessed. His gifts and talents were magnified.  He loves his music.  He loves the Lord.  He is a good boy, a great son and wonderful friend.  

Here's the program (for my reference):

Suite No. 5 for Soloo Violoncello in C Minor, BWV 1011.  Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).  Transcribed for Viola by Simon Rowland-Jones.  

     Prelude     Allemande     Courante     Sarabande     Gavotee I & II     Gigue

Suite for Viola and Piano (1919).  Composed by Ernest Bloch (1880-1959).  Assisted by Sarah Mano on the piano.

     Lento-Allegro     Allegro Ironico     Lento     Molto Vivo

Passacaglia in G Minor on a Theme by George Frideric Handel (1897) for violin and viola.  Composed by Johan Halvorsen 1864-1935.  Assited by Rachel Ostler on the violin.

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Went to the doc. for my annual physical (took over 2 hrs.)  All my blood work came back perfect; even my dexa scan improved enough that the doc. said I can be off Fosamax for a year.  Hooray!!!! :) :) :)

Ran with Wendy and Carolyn with the middle miles on the canal trail.  Very nice morning, calm, blue sky, temp in the high 30s.

Here's a shout out for my sweet hubby's 60th birthday today!  :) :) :)  

4 easy miles with Wendy that did not feel easy.  My quads have been tight ever since the modified Tri last week.  I've been running on mostly dirt trail and hoping it'd help the legs recover.  Been so busy that I have not taken the time to stretch and roll out the tight muscles. 

Spent the rest of the morning with Wendy to pick up the wrecked car.  Then met RAD for a quick lunch.  It was so so so nice of her to give me a present that will help me on the crazy marathon on Sat.

The afternoon was at the bank for hubby's open house.  Many many of his colleagues, friends from business and community came as well as his mother, sister, and our two sons.  What a special event with such wonderful people to come and extend their well wishes.

Barely made it down to the Y for the Philharmonic Orchestra concert that Bryan performed in.  It was a very nice performance; but I was so tired I almost dosed off.

So so so tired from yesterday's full activities that both hubby and I slept in.  Checked the weather forecast for St. George and Mesquite and threw a bunch of running clothes in the bag.  I felt so unprepared for this marathon.  The RD's latest email gave the impression that those registered after Oct 20 may not get the T-shirt or medal at the race. 

Left the house at 11:30pm for the drive down to St. George.  During the drive, hubby kept asking me why I'm running this marathon!  "You are not running this with anybody you know?"  "You may not get a shirt or medal?"  "You are not riding the bus?"  "They're not gonna have GU or Gatorade for the runners?"  "This is not a very popular race?"  "The race director not sure what she's doing?"  "The race registration fee was $80+?"  "We are staying in a hotel not at the start or finish of the marathon?"  "It may be stormy?"  "Why are you running this?"  "You don't seem to be in race mode or mood!" 

I'm running this marathon just cuz it's there and it's the only marathon close enough to drive to...is that good enough reason???? :)

My SSF text me and she gave me the best answer: "You are running this because you can and it makes you feel alive when you're running!!!! :) "  GOOD ENOUGH answer so Mesquite here I come! :)

Checked in the hotel around 4.  Hubby drove us to packet pick up at the Casa Blanca in Mesquite via the marathon route.  We had to guesstimate where the start line is.  Hubby was good at figuring out the time and mileage.  We saw a truck delivering port-a-potties and the mile markers starting with mile 25 and counting backward towards to the finish.

Got to Casa Blanca and had dinner at the buffet before going to packet pick up.  Hubby loved the seafood.  I ate too much.  Spoke to Deb, the RD, about the start line.  She said there'll be 4 port-a-potties at the start, with 200 runners, that's one per 50 runners, plenty enough!  Seriously, she said port-a-potties are EXPENSIVE.  They are $60 a piece!  OMH!!!  She asked if my hubby could volunteer.  NO THANKS!

Despite going to bed early, only got 4 hours sleep.  Got up at 5:30, showered, dressed, packed up, went to breakfast.  Ate an English muffin w/ peanut butter, cornflakes w/ skim milk, 2 cups of OJ.  Left the hotel at 6:45, got to the start (in the middle of Old Hwy 91 in southwest corner of Utah) at 7:30 (Utah time, half hour before the 7am Neveda start time).  There were exactly 4 p-o-p, one U-haul, one table with small cups water, some mini muffins and a LONG p-o-p line.  A few runners headed for the bushes.  Walked towards the back of the pop line when a cute petite familiar-looking girl said a cheerful *Hi* to me.  Did not expect to see anyone I know except for hubby's co-worker, Jerri, who's in my AG.  The cute girl asked if I was Smooth!  To my joy and delight, she's MarcieJ, AmberG's friend!!! :) :) :)  I immediately knew she'd win this marathon!!! :)  SO NICE of her to say hello.  I was so bummed about the lack of pop and my own non-readiness that I wasn't myself and not being very friendly!  Shame on me!  :(

With 15 min to go, I decided to head back towards the car and find a bush.  There were barbed wire fences along the road and cows on the north side.  Luckily I found two giant dirt/rock mounts right close to my car! :)  With one minute before start, I took off my jackets, put on the fuel belt RAD gave me and walked towards the start.  Hubby followed me with camera in hands.  Got up to the front to give Marcie a good luck hug and then walked back to the middle of the pack! :) 

Walking to the start line

Waiting for the count down.

The announcer did a 10 sec. count down and we were off!  (It's such a small race with less than 200 runners that it's by gun time).  The first 6 miles are all downhill in the beautiful Utah's high desert hills.  Everyone went out fast.  Could not believe how choppy and clunky my strides were.  Legs were heavy.  Feet were numb.  My sitting bones still had the *bike butt* soreness.  I feared that all these aches and pains would give me trouble later on in the race.  Just before the first bend, I ran up to a gal in my AG, said hello and talked to her a bit.  We ran together for about 1/2 mile then I dropped her for good (she was very quiet).  Saw some interesting cave openings.  So strange to be running without Lowell, RAD or any of my friends.  Tried to concentrate on good downhill form but my quads were already complaining!!!  O man, hope I can finish this thing in one piece! :(

Do those runners look as worried?

Mile 1-6 Splits:  8:35, 8:30, 8:17, 8:29, 8:37, 8:34.

Temp was in the high 40s, very pleasant, calm, cloudy.  The sun peeked out around mile 3, I handed my gloves and headband to hubby who drove along and waited at the first aid station where only water in tiny 4 oz cups were offered.  Around mile 4ish I ran into couple of girls, Kim and Linda, who were talking about their previous marathons.  I ran with them chatting 'till the first major hill right after the half.  We had to run facing traffic and sometimes single-file.  There were only a few spots where drivers could pull over so I never knew when I'd see hubby.  The next 7 miles were gentle downgrade, flat, straight desert road in the middle of nowhere in Arizona with huge power poles interrupting the beautiful mountain vista to the north. 

l to r : 66 yo Mark, Kim, Linda, me.  I kept seeing that same lady in black hoodie and leggings at every aid station handing water to me.  Turned out she's the mother of two young runners and was there to cheer them but would stop to volunteer ad lib.

Mile 7-13 Splits:  8:13, 8:24, 8:37, 8:57, 9:29, 9:21, 9:00.

The half was at the little town of Littlefield.  We encountered the first major uphill leaving town.  I had taken one of the GU I carried and drank water and heed which was only offered every other aid station in tiny 4 oz cups.  Fearing that I would cramp up after all that quads punishing downhill, I asked hubby to give me some electrolyte caps as he drove past.  He has never had to *crew* me on the fly.  He handed me the electrolyte package and the Gatorade Prime [courtesy of Teena's *birthday tri race packet*].  NO, I can't swallow the salt cap w/o water.  NO, I can't drink the cough-syrup-like-Prime.  I kept running, holding the salt cap for another mile.  We had to cross some cattle guards that scared me to death...one misplaced step...my foot/leg would be caught between those big iron grids!!!  Finally saw some parked cars ahead, I gestured over and over that I needed a drink.  Hubby said I looked so funny doing that when he was actually driving a little ways behind me watching my gesturing to no one in particular up ahead! :)

Mile 14-20 Splits:  10:03, 10:59 (took inhaler), 9:44, 9:33, 9:07 10:22, 11:36 (Asked hubby for some BioFreeze [courtesy of Teena's birthday race packet] to spray on my legs and then returned the bottle to hubby while he was driving past.  Don't think it worked...it just made my legs very cold...not helping as it was already cold with wind chill, silly me! :)

From mile 16 to the finish, we encountered some strong headwind in the hilly winding part of Arizona.  Kim and Linda started to pull further away.  I was leap frogging with a 66 yo gentleman that I pretend was Lowell.  He was a strong runner.  He would soon pass me for good.  At around mile 16 I passed Kurt who was wearing the same green Boston shirt as me.  He had passed me earlier and I tried to talk to him but he had ear buds on and did not respond.  This time when I passed him, he started to talk to me.  We ran together the remainder of the race except for the last 5K.  He seemed to be struggling.  He had pulled a calf muscle the week after SGM where he ran 3:29.  It was really neat to talk and encourage him along.  He is a member of the Marathon Maniac. He would apologize for taking a walk break and I actually welcomed it.  All that 4/1 pacing I did with Lowell must've got'n in my system because I'd start running after a min of walking without thinking and Kurt would follow.  We stayed together 'till the last 5K when he bid me a good run and wanted to just walk. 

Kurt and me. 

Mile 21 ~ 11:48  Lots of walk breaks with Kurt and a gnarly uphill with nasty headwind. 

22 ~ 10:25  The legs had nothing left to take advantage of the backside of the hill.  Saw a guy laying on the weed/dirt, he's done?

23 ~ 11:35  One last hill.  Kurt walked.  I tried with all my might to run.  The lungs were willing but the legs were hurting BIG time!) 

24 ~ 10:18  Figured I could finish under 4:15 if I kept the pace under 11mm.  Quads would scream with each touch down and calves had nothing left to push off! :( 

25 ~ 10:44  Bonking big time! Took a drink at what I thought was the last aid station.  The senior volunteers were offering little cups (Sacrament cups) of Gu.  They were arguing about whether Heed had carb or just electrolytes.  I thanked them anyway!  I really was running the entire time even though the splits did not show it.  Passed one guy and soon was passed by two other guys. :(  Legs were screaming for me to stop.   Looked at my Garmin and realized if I kept a 10mm I could BQ (4:10 for 2013, but I don't need it...so not motivated!)... just couldn't go any faster!  STINK!!! :(

26 ~ 10:37  This mile was icky!  Not knowing where the turns were and watching for traffic.  Although it was very nice to have volunteers stopping traffic at the crossings!  My Garmin read 4:00:00 when I reached mile 26.  O man! why couldn't a marathon be 26 miles!  Oh, they had an aid station and a p-o-p with 1/2 mile to go, WHY??!!  I took a drink anyway just to thank the poor volunteers who had no takers!

0.32 ~ 10:18  Had to hop over two curbs and turn to run inside the convention center to the finish with my Garmin registering 26.32 and the clock at 4:13:23, good enough for a win among 12 in my AG.

Crossing the finish inside a giant tent/convention center.  Other than family members and volunteers there were no spectators or anyone cheering along the course or finish.

I was so cold that the heated convention center felt nice.  Turned to watch Kurt run in.  Walked around looking for recovery drinks and food.  They had an offering of beer, coffee, water, donuts, bagels and muffins.  I took a bottle of warm water and one muffin and went to congratulate Linda, Kim and Mike and waited for Jerri to come in.  Waited for the award ceremony, took my cowbell and hurried back to the hotel in SG so I could shower and head home. 

Jerri and me. 

The legs hurt pretty bad on the drive home.  Will need to do some serious recovery which I have ignored all year.  Am feeling very grateful to finish the year with 9 marathons, a 50 miler, a half-marathon PR without any serious injury.  Wondering what 2012 has in store for me! :)

All this for a cowbell?!!! :)

Lead legs.  Super sore quads! 

Legs still sore!  Took forever and barely made it home before bladder explodes! :)

Quads were tight.  Wendy was so kind to run with me while her hubby and their dog, ran ahead.  NICE weather! :)

Legs in no shape to race any Turkey Trot.  Promised Olga we'd meet her and run with her.  Olga is a young mother from Mexico.  She just started running.  This is the longest distance she's gone.  I think our chatting was more beneficial than the running.  :)

So so so so so much to be thankful for!  Yesterday was hubby's last day of work.  We are starting a new chapter of our life.  How did I ever get so lucky to be married to such a wonderful wonderful terrific great kind considerate selfless man!!! ♥♥♥

This year's the first time we had Thanksgiving feast and celebration in a church.  The young folks like it because they can play in the cultural hall and I didn't have to worry about cleaning up the house before or after.  But I do miss the coziness. 

So so so so so nice to sleep in!  So looking forward to the Dekker Sisters Sale on the Lehi JRP.  Wendy and I got there shortly after 10am.  Kelli had already run 3 miles before our arrival.  :)  SO GREAT to see RAD, QP, allie, Kelli, Steam8, Chad, Annette, Catherine and her husband, Faceless Ghost and their darling baby. 

Temp was in the low 40s (I think), calm, cloudy with intermittent sun...PERFECT running weather!  Not sure how far or fast I'd go since the legs were still pretty tight and sore.  Started out with Chad, QP and Wendy.  Stopped at the pop in Willow Park where RAD, QP and Chad waited for me.  Wendy turned around at her 4.5; so ran after her to give her the car key then turned and chased after the others.  At mile 5.25, Steam8 and allie turned around so I turned around with them.  SO NICE of allie and Steam8 to run easy and slow with me! :)  They are such GREAT runners!!!  The miles just flew by...before we knew it, we're back at the car.  THANKS for the company and GREAT chat!!! 

RAD and QP brought us hot chocolate, donuts, mandarin oranges and orange/mango juice!  YUM!!!  THANKS for organizing this run, Rachel!  I'm gonna miss QP after she flies home!  The Dekker Sisters Sale is the BEST!!!!  :) :) :) :) :)  I hope we get to do this again! :)

Went to the temple with David, hubby, John and Wendy.  So nice to be in the temple with those you love!!! :)  Picked up some grocery after lunch to send David on his way for the long drive back to AZ. 

Seeing that temp has warmed up from the 20s to the 40s in the afternoon,  told hubby that I'm going for a solo run.  Felt bad leaving him home with a swollen sore ankle.  The same injury he sustained skiing last year but this time from playing basketball on Thanksgiving.  Tucked him in front of the TV with all the necessities close by.  Planned on running the canal trail and bench loop with a quick stop to check on him, grab a drink and head back for a second loop in reverse direction.

Ran the first loop 6.5 miles in 59 min. feeling pretty good.  Ran in the house to check on hubby who's watching a movie.  Drank 12 oz gatorade and back out for the second loop 7.5 miles in 79 min. eek!  At around mile 10, the tummy started to growl with hunger.  Dang!  Should've taken a gu.  Bonked bad the last couple miles, like at the end of bad marathon, STINK!  All I could think of was what to eat the second I get in the house! :)  So so so so relieved to reach home.  Immediately devoured a banana, 1 glass of OJ, a peanut butter brownie bar washed down with 2 glasses of chocolate milk followed by a nice LONG hot shower!!!  Ahhh, life is GOOD!!!

AM:  6.25 easy with Wendy and Karen.  So good to see Karen running again.  :) 

3 circuits CSE.

PM:  Sprint Tri with cute glidergirl, Rylee and my sweet SSF.  Recumbent bike (L4) 12.4 miles in 59:10 watching Harry Potter in the theatre w/ hubby next to me! :)  5K run in 24:00.  Doggie paddle (w/noodle) 7 laps in 18 min.  FHE dinner date at Zuppas with hubs afterward.  FUN TIME!!! :) :) :)

6.25 easy with Carolyn, Wendy and Karen (Sky).  Beautiful blue sky, calm...just us and the road and trail and birds!  :)

Trying to decide what races to sign up for before Boston.  Some possibilities are:

Jan 7 ~ Running from an Angel Marathon, NV

Jan 21 ~ St. George Half

Feb 4 ~ Death Valley Marathon, CA  or

Feb 11 ~ Orphan Hope Marathon, TX

Mar 3 ~ Lake to Lake Relay

Mar 17 ~ Spectrum 10K

Mar 24 ~ Buffalo Run

Mar 31 ~ Riverton Half

AM:  Karen invited me and Wendy to join her in water aerobics.  At first I put on an xs floatation belt.  As soon as I got to the deeper part of the pool, I panicked.  Karen had me put on a med. floatation belt which gave me more buoyancy.  I really need to learn how to swim to save my life.  Got a good workout for the arms and abs! :)

PM:  Too much distraction but managed 8 miles in the afternoon.  New shoes! :)