"If we don't suffer enough we won't remember it."

Nothing today.  It was cold and raining outside and I just didn't feel like doing it.  What is wrong with me?  I normally would run in the rain.  It's official, I'm in a running slump, or hit a bump, or whatever you want to call it.

Met Marie, Amanda, Josse and Desiree at 5:45 a.m. to run 7 miles.  It was 28 degrees outside and I thought, "Why oh why didn't I just run yesterday when it was 40!"  Avg 7:35 pace.

I waited until 10:15 a.m. when it was 40 degrees outside to do my run.  10 miles up/down Provo Canyon.  Avg 7:03 pace, but I feel like it's cheeting if I don't admit that I stopped 6 times.  Twice to drink (good excuse), once to check a text  message (good excuse), once to talk to Marie whe she passed on the bike (another good excuse) and twice because I was just tired and wanted to catch my breath (not a good excuse).  7:03 pace used to be a moderate run and now it feels more like intervals.

3 easy miles with Marie, Rebecca and Dessiree

I ran 4 miles with Marie down to the Make a Wish 5K.  We stood around for about 25 minutes before the race.  My 5K time was slower than my marathon pace last month, a sad reminder of how much conditioning and motivation to push myself I've lost.  We stood around for another 30 minutes visiting with people before going home.  We decided to catch a ride 1/2 way home with Melody and ran 2 more miles home from her house.  This was a very broken up run, but fun to be with friends.  

I decided I need to do some speed work.  I don't care much about having a fast 5K, but I also don't want to be embarrassingly slow either.  I'm going to do speed work with Melody on Tuesdays.  I feel like I've lost conditioning every week since the St. George Marathon and that trend has got to change.  My goal for next week is to end the week in better shape than I started.  I also decided my running clothes are out of style.  I need a new hat, the one I'm wearing is 13 years old and it looks it too.

4 miles avg 7:06 pace

10 miles today.  I ran 2 miles to the Orem High track with Desiree to meet Melody for intervals.  We did 9 x 400 meter intervals with 100 to 400 meter recovery.  THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE INTERVALS ON THE TRACK TO MAKE YOU FEEL ALIVE! My splits were 1:28, 1:31, 1:31, 1:29, 1:27, 1:28, 1:27, 1:26, 1:26.  Of course Melody was way out ahead of me, but I felt good about the workout.  I didn't go hard enough to make myself sore or tight, but it was definately faster than I'm used to.  Then I ran another 4 miles or so on my way home to get my 10 miles. 

10 miles.  I ran 4 miles on my way to meet Marie at the mouth of the canyon.  We ran 6 miles with Desiree, Amanda and Sarah (Marie's niece).  Avg 7:07 pace. 

4 miles avg 7:11 pace

12 miles avg 7:03 pace.  I met Melanie, Kim, Jane, Julie C, Marie, Desiree and Rebecca at the mouth of Provo Canyon.  We ran up the canyon 6 miles at an average 7:12 pace.  This felt fast to me.  We got all spread out along the way and Marie, Desiree and Rebecca turned around after 5.  I'm not sure why we were running so fast, but it felt good to push myself.  The way down felt a little easier in the 6:50's pace.  We stayed together more coming back and had a conversation.  It was fun to run with Melanie, Kim, Jane and Julie again.  I hadn't seen them since the marathon.

I felt like I accomplished my goal for the week which was to end the week in better shape than I started.  For the first time in almost 2 months I feel like I didn't lose conditioning.  With the exception of the chocolate cake and cookies I ate at a party on Friday night, I ate better too.

4 miles avg 7:15 pace.

10 miles avg 7:14 pace.  I ran to the track because I thought Melody would be there, but we hadn't communicated about it since the week before, so I was on my own.  I ran 8 x 400 meter with 200 meter running recovery.  My times weren't fast, all between 1:31 and 1:33, but I kept running the whole time and it felt good to pick up the pace. 

Met Marie, Rebecca and Josse.  We were going to tempo 2 x 2 miles, but we were deep in a conversation and only picked it up for about 2 miles coming down the canyon.  10 miles avg 7:26 pace

4 miles avg 7:13 pace

13 miles with Melanie B up/down Provo Canyon.  We started with a bigger group, but went ahead and they turned around before us.  I was tired the last two miles.  Avg 7:16 pace.

6 miles with Marie, Rebecca, Amanda and Desiree.  Avg 7:25 pace.

8 miles, avg 7:14 pace.  Six miles were with Melody and Rebecca.  We had a lively discussion polygamy and homosexuality.

4 miles avg 8:04 pace with Melody, Amanda, Desiree, Josse, and Marie.  They were all geering up for the Turkey Race.

No turkey race for me this year.  I'm sick of it.  My husband and sons went to a church flag football game and I hung out with my daughter, painting fingernails, etc.  I initially thought I would run 10 miles but by the time I left the house at 10:30 a.m. I didn't really care.  My husband came with my on the bike but he was pulling our daughter in the bike trailer and that slowed him down.  He should have eaten something before we left.  It was an easy 6 miles.  About 1/2 way through the run I messed up on my watch and stopped it when we ran and started it when we stoped etc.  Don't know the pace.

8.5 miles avg 7:18 pace.  I started this run with Marie, Rebecca, Amanda, Desiree, and some other girl I don't know.  They planned to run up Provo Canyon to Bridal Veil Falls and back on the Boneville Shoreline trail.  I don't like to run on trails, but thought I would run up the 3.5 miles with them and then turn around.  The wind was blowing hard out of the canyon so they decided to run it the other way.  I ran the .75 miles to the other end of the trail and then took off saying, "I don't do trails."  They know I don't like trails.  I ran up the canyon to the other end of the trail and stopped to stretch for a while thinking I would run down the canyon with them if they came soon.  They didn't come soon enough so I just headed back. 

14 miles avg 7:15 pace.  I met Melanie B at her house and we ran an out and back course from there.  We decided we've lost conditioning.  At least I know I have.  We're only running a little slower than we used to, but we feel a whole lot worse doing it.  About three miles into the run my legs were so tired I couldn't imagine doing 14.  We were going uphill and I was talking a lot.  I had to stop to stretch and breath for a minute.  We finished going up the hill and a 1/2 mile later I felt a lot better.  The last two miles my legs felt tired again, but not as much as the start.  I was glad I had someone to run with because I wouldn't have run 14 on my own today.  Thanks Melanie.

I couldn't get out of bed this morning.  I kept laying there until I heard my kids alarm going off upstairs.  I ran 4 miles after getting them off for school.  Avg 7:08

8 miles avg 6:58 pace.  Since I was only going 8 instead of 10 I decided to push the pace a little.  I was tired the last mile.  I only had time for 8 miles because I was helping out at the school with the 5th grade Christmas store.  The store opened today before school and it was like black Friday at Foothill Elementary, the kids, the lines, the noise.  It was crazy.  I ran and showered before  heading back at 11:00 to help out with the lunch hours, which were much less crazy as the kid's lunch times are spread out.