To keep in balance you must keep moving

 Ran 8 with the group, 8 on my own.  2:17 min. 8:36 pace.  Had a granola bar before the run and a gu and some water at mile 10.  Felt good today.  No problems.

 After almost two years of not using the blog I am back.   I did the Ironman in 2010 then got pregnant, had baby #4,  got back in shape, ran a trail marathon last Sept. and had an awful time!   I should have just enjoyed the year. been lazy, slept in, started off slowly but that's not really not my style.  I started biking at 6 weeks and running by 8 and ran the Mid Mountain Marathon at 6 months post baby.  Probably not the best idea.  I got a stomach ulcer in the weeks before the race (I had no idea) and just about died during the run.  I had look forward to this race for a year and did not want to quit so I just suffered the whole time!  Hardest run of my life!  I just couldn't figure out why I felt so bad and kept thinking it would get better.  I sat down at every aid station and cried!   Anyway... 6 months later I figured out what it was, stopped eating dairy and now am feeling great again.  

 I have a big year planned and am trying to train myself and need somewhere to record my progress.  I have tried just writing things down on paper but I feel more apt to train harder whenI know it's for the world to see.  No one will probably ever see it but I feel like I will push myself more when I have to blog about something???  

So I have to Moab Red Hot 50k in 2 weeks (not ready at all, may just do the 2o miler), the Antelope 50k in March, The Grand Canyon R2R2R in May and the Pocatello 50 in June.  I signed up for the Wasatch 100 (peer pressure) but am thinking I will bail before the lottery and get my money back.   It is keeping me up at night, with fear and anxiety!! 

 I have been dreaming of that race since I was like 12 yrs. old but don't think I am ready yet.  I think I could finish but it would be a suffer fest!!  I think I should wait till my kids are older and I can have more time to train.   

Anyway I hit 41 miles this week, yea!!!  the most I've done in a LONG time!  I need another big week next week then taper for the race.   I've been doing a lot more strength training these days, a couple times a week.  Mostly the p90x videos for legs on my off days.  I feel a lot stronger now when I run.  Also some biking and xc skiing which I love.   So here we go, time to train, two weeks before the race.  I need to change my procrastinating ways!! 

Weights 1 hr.

I actually made it the early group miles, must be close to a race!  I'm trying to get in at least 40 miles this week then taper next week.   We did an easy 3 then a hard 6.5, avg. pave was 8:20, we did some hill sprints and some speed work.  I had a granola bar before the run today and I can really tell a difference.  I need some extra fuel in the a.m.'s.  Felt great today.

p90x plyo workout, 1 hr.  Legs felt tired, ahhh!

8 mile Temple hill routes in the snow!  avg. pace was 8:20 which i was happy with because it snowed 2 inches and the roads were terrible.  Left knee was hurting a little.  I think going from 20 mile weeks to 40 is probably not the smartest thing to do.    I had a 20 miler on antelope planned for Sat. but now I may have to do corner canyon instead because of time.  

Had to warm up before some yoga so i did 2.5 to make an even 40 for the week.

I did a training run with a big group on antelope island today.  It was fabulous!!  I love running on the island.  It was sunny and warm and so beautiful.  The run we did was really flat which is not what I wanted but it was fast so that made up for it.  Avg. pace was 8:20 which for a trail is great (I think?)  I took a caffeine Gu at one hr. and some shot blocks at 2 hrs. and was ready for something more at 3 hrs. but we were done.   Felt great.  Calves and low back were sore by the end?  

p90x-Core (ouch!)

7.5 with the group, avg. pace 8:20. Just went a hard steady pace for the whole run, 1 mile cool down at the end, a nice slow 8:30-9 pace. Felt fast this morning, I didn't feel great.  Had a cheese ques. for dinner and my stomach paid for it this morning!

Rode 2 hr...30 miles.  Herriman Hills to Top of Rose route.  Not a great route to start with after more then 3 months off the bike,, ouch!

Slept in and only got in 5.5 instead of the 8 I wanted but I tried to run fast (does that make up for it?) 8:20 avg.  

10 on my own, half trail half street.  avg. pace 8:40.  Then I skied all day with the kids.  I am trying to taper but my legs are feeling tired tonight!   One week till Moab!

cycle on trainer inside, 30 min. then 30 min. of weights.  Taper week...

6.5 with the group, some hill sprints felt great.  Tried not to push it but it's hard when everyone is running so fast! 

3 easy treadmill miles, some 30 sec. to one min. sprints thrown in.  Felt great, I'm getting excited for Sat.!!  Wore my new Pearl Izumi's, think I'll race in them Sat.   I did switch from the 50k to the 33k and decided to go fast and see how well I can do.  It'll be fun and way less stressful!

I really need to get a little more technical, write things down so I can remember what gels I like and don't like, what worked during a race and not. That's why I am recording all this. so... I was not ready for this race. I had actually tried in vain 4 or5 times to switch from the 55k to the 30k but the race director would not let me unless I did it in person on fri. between 5-7 in Moab which we could not do! I was mad, then I just decided fine I'll go for it and see what happens. I had only done one 20miler and was not ready for the distance but it would be a good test of my theory to do lots of speed work , hills and strength training instead of long slow runs. I had new shoes (I know very dumb), a new Nathan vest (another dumb idea) and no drop bags, not sure what I would put in one any way. I started at the front of the pack (not sure what I was thinking) and I paid a little for it. they took of fast and sprinted the first mile long hill. I got passed by 6 women and was now in 8th place. I felt good though and didn't push too hard. We hit the flats and were doing constant 8:20's and I felt great. Perfect weather, blue skis and 50 degrees. I was so happy to be out and feeling good, no gut problems, no heart problems! I had good music going and just tried to have fun. the miles flew by, at one point I looked at my watch and thought we;d gone 6 but we had gone 15 miles!  I took 2 gu's (hate the clif gu 9too thick) loved the power bar gu, went down fast!), a couple triangles of  PB and J, some banans, oranges, potatoe chips, lots of water, some coke, some sprite, some heed.  I just tried to just keep eating and drinking, something every 30 min.  just a little of whatever sounded good.  I had to go potty 3 times.  At mile 20 my right thigh was killing, I knew it was just some cramping or soreness not an injury so I took 3 ibu. some lady offered me and drank tone of water.  It worked and a while later I felt great and was able to really push the last 10 miles and pass 4-5 ladies getting me into 5th place.  I ran hard, hard as I could the last 5 miles.  I felt great, sore but great.  I like trying to find ladies up ahead then pass them and find the next one.  I'm a little too competitive, I know it's dumb to work my butt off and punish myself so bad to only end up in 5th but I was having fun and felt good.   The first three ladies came in around 4:50,  then one only 2 min. ahead of me, ahh! 

So over all it went great.  I had a great time, I'm happy I finished the 34 miles with only short training days and felt pretty good.  I feel good about my next 50k and the R2R2R.  It was a great day to be out enjoying the desert.   I could barely walk Sun. but hiked a bit Mon. and today I feel really good.  Two toes nails are black but other then that no injuries, yea!

Yes I took a whole week off, more then a week.  I didn't really mean to but it just happened that way.  I wanted to rest a couple days after the Red Hot but then I went on a ski vacation and decided that was all the punishment my legs could handle for now.  We skiied two great powder days though!!   

 I felt terrible today, my right ankle hurts, right shin and right quad were not feeling good.  4  miles also felt like 24.  I really hope I will feel better with a couple days of running.

6 with the running group.  Avg. pace was 8:20 which felt hard today.  I should not have taken a whole week off running after my last race.  My legs feel like lead.  weights in the afternoon, whole body.  R Quad feels better now, yea!

Just did 5 on the treadmill, snowy morning!  I hate the treadmill!  trid to do some speed work but I felt pretty slow today.

Did another antelope morning.  I love that place!!  The trails were dry and clear and the temps were perfect.  I felt pretty crappy though.  I had a big dinner (gyro and fries) which may have been a bad idea!  I am not sure if I'm recovered from the Moab race or slow from a week off but I felt heavy and slow today.  The loop took us 3:30 and was harder then I remembered it being, lots of hills.  I was going to do the 50k but now may change my mind.  I think the 50 miler looks easier.  I plan on getting back into some speed work and some weights again this week and hopefully will start feeling motivated and fast again. I hope!!

Bike 40 min. on the trainer, lots of 30 sec. sprints.  a little tired from Sat. needed to just spin.

6.5 maybe 7 with the group.  Didn't wear my Garmin today.  Did some short sprint hill repeats, felt good today!  Weights at the rec. center-upper and lower body. I did lots of lunges and some really hard squats. 

10 early miles w. Becky and alone.  Felt  good this morning!

5 east miles on the golf course then mnt. bikes 20 in St. George, yea!!!

4 outside, avg. pace 8:20, 5 on treadmill with some hill sprints and some speedy sprints.  Felt pretty good.

some with the group, some with becky.  Felt good.  My taper is not really tapering..

Ran in my trail race shoes, felt some tweaks in my right ankle and right hammy.  I hope that goes away soon!  Did mostly flat canal roads tan 8:20-30 pace.  2 miles with my 8 yr. old at the end, he's awesome.  I need to take it easy next week before the Buffalo!

Did an easy 7 with the group today.  Trying hard to take it easy this week.  "Less is more" nothing the week before a race can help, right?  Drinking and eating a lot, now i just need more sleep!

Easy taper run, felt so lame only doing 3 miles.  Went for a pretty hard hilly 22 mile ride yesterday with a big group, I hope it didn't affect me to much.

Well things didn't go exactly as planned but I guess they never do.   I did o.k. but felt terrible!  I don't think a month is enough time between 50k's for me to recover and be ready to run strong again.  I felt strong at Moab and was able to really push hard to the finish and pass people the whole way.  this race was a different story.  

I tried to do a good taper but ended up doing a long hard bike ride on the wed. before the race.  Dumb I know, but it was a memorial ride for a friend who just died and I needed to be there.   I slept great and ate great all week and before the race.  I drank plenty on the run and ate 4 gu's, yuck!!  One every hr.  I had a bite of a pb and j and a couple orange slices and potato chips and that was all.   They lost  my little drop bag so i had no chews and no peanut m and m's which was hard, I hate Gu!   I carried one hand held which worked fine for this race.  Kind of annoying though, I think I like wearing my water vest the best.   My ipod kept shorting out which was also killing me!  It came on the last 3 miles which saved my life!   I need good strong tunes at the end to keep my mind of the pain! 

Onto the run..  I started of with the top 3 women (dumb in retrospect!)  They were all from Montana and they were fast.  I know Niki Kimball (won the last 4 buffalo run's) was one of them.  I did feel awesome running with her but come to find out she was way sick and dropped half way through.  We ran the first loop in 2:20, 40 min. faster then the last time I raced the 25k.  It was not smart!  My quads felt heavy and tired from the first mile on.  The girls all left me in the dust on the first long downhill, not sure why that keeps happening?  How can I be slow running downhill?  Need to fix that.   I caught them on the flats and hills but by the end of lap one they were pretty well gone.  I was in fifth now and held that till the end.  I barely stopped at the aid stations, ran by two of them.  3 quick potty stops-you have to be quick on the island there is no where to hide!!

The top women were really spread out.  1st place was an hr. ahead of me (ouch!) and a 1/2 ahead of second place.  There was no real incentive to push hard at the end, no one to catch or pass in sight, not that I could have. It was also really hot and that hurt me too, not used to that problem yet. I kept wondering the whole time "why am Io doing this" "is this even fun", "I should have gone climbing today, I had a babysitter for 8 hrs., why did I chose to do this" and many other things... I just felt crappy, tired legs, no real pain anywhere, stomach was o.k. just tired.  So what went wrong?  I should have rested up more between Moab and Antelope.  I should not have done the bike ride, well yes I should have.   I should have done the first lap slower, more comfortable then sped it up on the last lap.   My problem is though, would I have had enough juice if I would have waited to catch anyone?  Not sure.  I ended up in fifth overall and 3rd in age group.  Happy because it was a strong field, all of the top 5 ladies  before me have ton of races behind them and most have done 50's and 100's.   I felt good about where I came i but I want to have more fun next time, feel better.  I need to train harder so I can win with better form or just stop trying to "keep up" and place and just race with the goal in mind to finish and have fun.  I was really sore Sun-Tues.  One toenail is gone.  No real injury pains have popped up, just tired and sore.  Went on some walks, did some yoga and a bike ride today and am feeling pretty good.  Grand Canyon double in 5 weeks.  the maybe a little break.  i am suppose to do Pocatello 50 four weeks after the r2r2r but am thinking that may not be a good idea!  

Well I am back at it.  I actually missed running.  I just did three today felt like 10.  I went really slow and it was so nice!  I listened to the birds and watched the sunrise, I really need to slow down more often!  My left ankle and right knee are feeling some pain and quads and hams were still tight and sore.  I may do 6 on sat.  I have done some walks, a yoga class and rode my bike for 35 min. yesterday. 

4 at home on treadmill. It was cold out, wimpy I know!  Left ankle and right knee are still hurting.  I decided to do a long road bike ride Sat. instead of run.  I did run 1 mile then decided my ankle hurt and riding sounded more fun.  I am going to ease back into things this week, lots of biking, some running, back to 10 miles by Sat.

6 around the neighbor hood with the dog.   Felt some pain in r knee...

22 mile bike ride with hubby.  YES, I almost have him talked into getting a road bike! 

6.5 w. a friend, close to home.  We ran fast today and I felt great terrible, ahhh!  What is going on?  the week after a taper or recovery week I feel like I have never ran before! 

I did a great 12 miles trail run in St. George.  Just took it easy, ran as fast as felt good and low and behold I felt good!  I was even able to push the hills and maintain a 7 mile pace the last 2 miles!  Yea!  I went home, got my 8 yr. old and did another mile and half together, he is getting fast!  So fun when he wants to run with me.

mnt. bike ride in St. George

6 around the hood with Becky.  We kept a 8:20 pace the whole run.  Felt good today, wanted to keep going but ran out of time.  Going to hit Olympus tomorrow and start my "hill" training for the R2R2R.

9.6 miles with 6600 vertical gain=ouch!  2 laps on Grandeur with my r2r2r friends.  First lap was fast 1:05 with some post holing on top.  Second lap, after some gu and water was 1:15, felt so much better.  Nice slow pace, lots of chatting with some amazing ladies! Legs felt better and better today, feel great now. 

6 speedy miles with the group.  Intervals of speed work, 1 on 1 off up to 5 on 5 off then down again.  It felt hard.  My quads are way sore from yesterday!

6-8 miles in Moab.  Not sure, Garmin could not get a good signal.  My quads are still really painful so I just did a nice hr. run on the metal masher trail.  May be the most beautiful morning run of my life.  I love the desert, especially all alone in the early a.m..  Ran along a river, had to cross it 3 times each way.  Birds were chirping, slight breeze in the trees, amazing!!  My legs killed on the downhills, felt great otherwise.  I have to recover fast.  Night laps on Olympus tues night and shoreline trail marathon on Sat.!  

Biked inside this morning, only 40 min. Legs are still in pain, what the heck!!  I hate Grandeur-it kills me every time!  I need to do it more often.  

I guess when it takes 3 hrs. to do 6.3 miles you know it is steep.  We did Mt. Olympus at night, not too fast, a comfortable pace.  We left at 8:15 p.m. reached the stream in 35 min. the top in 1 hr. 45 min. and back down by 11.  It was a beautiful night!  It was clear and cold and felt so alpine!  We chatted all the way, hence our slow time, but had a great time.

My knee felt great and feels great again today.  This time I am not sore, yea!  Shoreline marathon Sat. is sounding good!

Well this turned out longer then I wanted to go today but oh well.  I ran with Becky around home.  We went about a 8:20 pace which felt fast for me today, I was glad when we were done.   I am resting tomorrow for my run on sat.!

I don't know if I should post this as a race or not?  It is hush hush.  I have wanted to run this "race" for years but it never worked out so I was so excited to give it a try this year.  I grew up in these mnts. and haven't run here in yrs. so I was so excited to go back home!   This is the best time of year to run the foothills too, it was so green and beautiful!  It is a special place up there and brings backs tons of childhood memories of exploring the hills with my brothers and sisters.  

 The race started at 7 just above the place where the SLC marathon started at the same time which made for a logistical problem.   I made it though with 5 min. to spare.  It did make me really happy to drive by the crowds of people walking to the start of the marathon knowing I would be far up in the hills with no crowds and no pavement!   There were probably 100 people in the race, not sure yet?  I ran into a good friend at the start who I ran with most of the race.   I wanted to take it really easy and just finish the run and not be sore, but it never really happens that way.  I was running and talking with Taylor who is faster then me and we pushed too hard the first very hilly 4 mile loop.   The the course flattens for a bit before the monster climb up dry creek to the ridge near black mnt. uggh!!!  The hill was huge and steep and seemed to go on forever!  From the ridge we ran down hill past my old house near the "bobsled" and down into city creek.  I was feeling really good but it was getting hot!   

I did eat about every hr.  Some snickers bites, some gu, some ginger chews, a banana and chips and the one aid station, and a coke at mile 20.  I drank tons, I am thinking about 30 oz. the first 9 miles then 70 oz. the next 11 miles (the big city creek loop had no water and I drank all mine, all 70 oz.!)  I drank about another 20 the last 6 miles.  Hence..I had to stop and pee 4 times!  

The city creek loop was long and very hilly and hot!  It felt good to hike the huge hills though, my legs felt pretty strong.   I did have some leg pain though, all in my right leg, right knee, right ankle, right hammy.  It came and went and moved around??  Nothing serious.  I ran down city creek trail again feeling good, I caught back up to and passed Taylor at mile 20.  He had bonked and I was feeling great, which kinda made me happy.  My long races and training are really paying off, finally!  I hit the last and only aid station at mile 20 refilled my pack, had some heed, and coke, grabbed a cold wet towel and headed off for the final 6.  It was again really hilly but I felt pretty good, didnt push to hard, ran the flats and downs fast as felt good.  

 I finished in 5:18, was hoping for 5 but had NO idea it would be so hilly, Taylor guesses it had 7500 vertical, ouch!  Overall a great run, great people, great course, beautiful mountains, I felt great, and it was FREE!  

I had an ice bath after and stretched and am hardly sore, yea!   I am sick of feeling beat up every Mon. a.m.!  I am going to take the next 2 weeks easy and get ready for the "canyon"!

Rode 50 min. in the early a.m. felt so good!  Hardly sore from Sat. very happy.

It felt so hot and I had 0 energy!  We only did 5 at a 8:20 pace and I was done.

fast run with Becky then off to mnt. bike in Moab for 3 days, yea!

slept in and had to run with the trailer and 2 kids on bikes, uggh!

Just did 5 easy, then taking 2 days off before the r2r2r on Fri. night, yea!

R2R2R Summary-

I wrote it all down in another place in more detail but to summarize and get the miles down...It was AWESOME!!  Longer and harder then I ever thought though!  We did about 48 miles, down bright angel trail, up to the north rim, down to South Kiabab and back up then 2 miles to get back to camp.  Ran the 6 miles down to river under the full moon, ate little drank a little (not enough food!) We had a great quick pace going.   Canyon is MASSIVE, and amazing, a whole new world down there in the deep, dark hole!  We hit Phantom Ranch in 2 hrs.  Quickly refilled water and headed 14 miles of UPHILL to the North Rim.   10 miles of slightly uphill, great trail, beautiful night, 60 degrees, frogs, deer, fox, great friends to chat with, great music.  The last 4 miles is steep uphill and seemed to go on forever!!!  I started to get really sick.  My tummy was full of water with no food!  I pushed a gu 2 miles from the top and almost threw it back up.  The last mile might have been the longest in my life (until the hike out!)  I sat for a min. at the rim, watched the sun come up and ate a half a pb and j.  I was NOT happy, I hated running, I vowed to NEVER run again once I got out of this $#%^ canyon!!!  My ipod music was stuck on the same 10 songs which added to my bad mood.  I tried hard to enjoy the amazing canyon now lit up and more beautiful then I ever imagined!  We ran all the way back down, the 14 miles to Phantom.  14 miles of downhill hurts BAD!  I was just pissed and ran the last 9 of the flatter part as fast as possible just to get it done!

We had a quick stop at Phantom, refilled water and headed to the much dreaded South Kiabab trail.  It was only 8 a.m. by now and getting hot fast!  I really doubted my ability to get myself out.  If Nancy wasn't there to push me I would have swam in the river and layed in the sand for a few hrs. then walked out in the dark!   She kept me moving with I though was mean then but realize now was a very good thing.   We hiked out together..8 miles 4,800 vert.  It was all I could do to keep going, I just put my head down, turned my music up and kept going!  There are a bout 7 false summits which did not help my mood!  I was planning on chucking my shoes over the edge near the top and being DONE with running!!  I found it much easier to eat now and got in some gu, 1/2 a snickers, some almonds, pretzels and lots of water.  I felt pretty good and wanted to get it over with so I took off the last 3 miles and got out of there!  

I reached to Rim, tears in my eyes to no applause, no fans, no family, no t-shirt, no medal, nothing, just some fat tourists who looked at me like I was NUTS!  I sat down in the shade and tried not to cry to much and waited for Nancy so I could at least cheer for her!

I was so happy it was over, so proud we did it and so exhausted.  Not getting any sleep for 2 days, while running 48 miles and climbing 10,600 vert. in 12 hrs. kind of messes with your emotions!   

Looking back now it was a great trip, an amazing run and I am so happy we did it.  My calves are really sore from the 700 hurdles we jumped on the trail!  But other then that my legs feel really pretty good!  Hips are a bit sore but no injuries have emerged! I learned to eat smaller amounts more often, every 20 min. if I feel like it or not.  I drank plenty and peed plenty!  Just needed more fuel!  I have not quit running, am am even planning to do the poky 50 in 4 weeks.  I might quit after that!!

I have not written on this blog in a long time but I want to write down some race details so I can remember them later (in case my husband ever lets me do another 50).  I print this out and keep it in a race log.

 The race was AMAZING!!  I had a great day, loved the whole day (almost), and  almost everything went perfectly.  the course was brutally hard 13,00 feet of climbing, ouch!!  but it was also one of the prettiest and most exciting courses out there.  The trails were dry and mostly single track and always BEAUTIFUL!  The course is divided into3 legs which really helped mentally!  Fist I made the mistake of eating too big of a dinner (but it was sooo good) and too late at night (7:30) I never fully digested it, if you know what I mean.  I tried in the a.m. but nothing was happening.  I had a good night sleep and woke up at 5 to get ready.  I had a my usual breakfast and drink but made the mistake of NOT wearing my usual race socks and also using body glide all over my feet which was suggested to me the night before but I have never done before, BAD idea!  

I started off with my friend Mindy about mid pack.  We took the first few miles slow and easy but I knew from the begining my stomach was NOT happy.   By mile 4 I was in PAIN, every step hurt my whole inside.  I was bloated and in so much pain I wanted to cry.  I slowed down and let my friends leave me, I decided to walk a bit and see if I could get things under control.   The first leg is 17 miles long with one aid station at mile 8.  I made it to aid #1 still i pain and NOT happy.  I saw my good friend Ryan who told me to drink some coke and walk the next very steep 4 miles which I did.  The coke got things moving in my stomach and soon I felt so much better!! i followed my plan of eating something every 20 min. the whole way and it really helped!  I ate gu chomps, pb m and m's,  gu brownie things, and a gu every hr.  I drank a lot all day, peed about 20+ times.   I ate watermelon and chips at the aid stations and drank coke and heed.  Sounds healthy huh?!   By aid #2 I was feeling great!!  I met some friends there who refilled my bottles and filled my pack with food and sent me on my way.    The next leg is 16 miles with a ton of elevation.   I met a cool lady about 4 miles into it and we ran the rest of the way together.  We really pushed and pulled each other and chatted the whole way, the miles flew by.   We reached aid #3 in no time and passed people all the way.   She left me there and I struggled the long 4 mile downhill to aid #4 alone.  My  stomach was now great but my legs were in pain!!   At #4 I met my friends again who  fixed me all up, they refilled my bottles with ice water, gave me a cool bandana for my neck, even bandaged my now 8 growing blisters, I NEVER get blisters, ever, dang socks and stupid body glide, never again!!  I thought for a long while I had a rock in my shoe but was too afraid to look in case it wasn't a rock, it wasn't! 

 Leg 3 is the longest, 20 miles and steepest, a 8 mile climb up scout mountain.   I was feeling good and pushed hard the whole climb passing 3 more ladies.   There were about 5 false summits and I was getting a little pissed by the end!  The sky was partly cloudy,  the ridge was windy and cool and perfect.   I had great music and just kept eating and drinking.  I even found some snow and stopped to massage my legs with it for a few min.  The decent off scout is very steep and very painful!  I was getting less and less happy but knew I was getting close now, 8 more miles.    I hit the last aid station at mile 48 and ran into a good new friend from Montana who cheered my up and cooled me off and gave me some new food since i was DONE with all the stuff I brought.  She told me I was in 5th and the next lady was really close!  I had no idea!  I thought I was probably in 20th??   So I took off and somehow felt AWESOME!  I don't know how a body can keep going when it had been going 10+hrs. and is in so much pain but I think at this point your heart and soul take over and your body listens.   I felt like I was just starting out on a new race.   One mile down the road, yeah, felt great!  A nasty, steep one mile climb, ahh!  Then 2 miles down hill to the finish, I think I was doing 7-8 min. miles.  I passed the 5th lady and it was my friend I had run with for so long.  I felt bad passing her but I was ready to be done!  I came in at 11:47 (was hoping for 11:30) but it was good enough for 4th (again!!!, I am SO sick of fourth!!) but my good friend Mindy got 3rd with a great time of 11:17 so we were so happy!

I had a really fun day, seriously.  I loved it, the whole day, the whole race.  some days just feel good, and some do not and this was a good day.  I felt pretty good after and can almost see the possibility of going farther.....

I know I have not blogged forever and I may only do it when I have a race, nothing else seems very blog worthy.  I just feel like a lot came together on this race and I want to remember what I did so I can try to make it happen next time.

 I did not do enough long runs for this race (only a 13 and an 18 in the three weeks before), I did not do enough speed work  to run fast!  I did spend a lot of time running in the mnt.s this summer which I think just gave me enough leg strength to pull this run off.  I had some long runs 2 50k's, a 48 miler and a 50, oh and the Grand Traverse but nothing since Aug 1.

I did help at the school fun run on Fri. a.m. and the worked at the Lamb aid station for the Wasatch 100 in the afternoon Fri. so I was feeling very motivated to run!! 

 I had a pasta dinner but not too much and not too late at night (6).  I drank a lot the days before the race but slowed down Fri. afternoon and night.   I ate oatmeal and fruit for breakfast and had one bottle of Heed Endurance something??  I decided to carry a h20 bottle this race and was very glad I did.  I like to drink when I like to drink.  I also ditched the food and gu and just took a swig of EFS every 20-30 min.  Way easier when trying to go fast then opening gel packets and then stuffing them somewhere.

 What else-I duct taped my blister areas but did not use body glide on my feet-I think I hate that stuff.   I had a new playlist on my ipod with some great new, fast songs.  Which was key for the end of the race!

Anyway...we took off fast, too fast!  I could hardly catch my breath-it is also 8,000 ft. and up hill for the first three miles.  I wanted to stay in the front so I knew who was in front and behind me.  I was in I think 5th when we hit the single track.  I slowly calmed down, got used to the fast pace and spent the next 3 mile trying got pass slower people in front of me.  A few of the girls who were in front in the begining started to fall behind and I passed them.   I knew the pace was fast but I decided not to wear my Garmin and just run (which I ended up loving!) and i felt o.k.  My mile 10 my legs were feeling tired and i was sick of going fast, it is hard!  I kept telling myself to run in the front of the pack you have to pay the price, which is a lot of pain!  Near mile 10 someone at an aid station told me I was in 3rd and right behind 2nd!  I was so excited-I always get 4th or 5th, every race this year and the last few year!  I wanted to be in third and I wanted to stay in 3rd but I was not sure I wanted to keep running like this for 16 more miles!  It was mentally stressful!  I kept looking in front and trying to catch 2nd (who was my friend Emily Sullivan who I did a training run with up here 2 weeks ago and we were the same pace!)  I also kept looking behind me and seeing a girl who was close!  AHHH!  Any way it was a long mental battle to keep pushing when I could have easily slowed down and jogged to end and had fun but not won???   I hit mile 20 and caught up to Emily, we chatted and were both so excited to be where we were.   All of a sudden this girl passes us both and runs up the next hill, ahh!  We took off after her and chased her the next 5 miles as fast as we could go!  It was all down hill, rocky and rutted and dusty and were probably doing 6 mm!  My legs felt like they were going to fall off!  Emily and i agreed to cross together for 3rd so neither would have to get 4th again.  Somehow in the last mile we caught up to the girl (I guess she ate it hard on the downhill and was all dirty and bloody)  Sad for her but happy for us.   We were all together on the last hill, she walked and we ran!  So Emily and I still crossed the line together to tie for 2nd in 3:37:05.  I was hoping for 4 hrs.! Last year when I had the stomach ulcer during this race I finished in 5 hrs. 17 min.  

It was overall a great race!  The race was so hard but the finish was so fun!  It felt great to come back a year after a disasterous race and have a great one.  I needed to replace that memory.   I had the race this year that I was dreaming of last year.  It is a great race but I don't know if I'll do it again.  Too many other great things going on that weekend like WASATCH!