Wow...I am still alive...I think.

Hey world. Yeah...it's been a while since my last post. I popped out my third kid so my running slowed down for a while. But I'm back into it and lovin it! As this year comes to a close, I've decided to make some new running goals for 2012:

1- Have fun. Enjoy each run. Look up every once and a while at the beautiful mountains and trees.
2- Run a marathon...qualify for Boston (oh snap...I'm really going to do it!)
3- Eat better. Eat more!

Let the fun begin...

Slacker!

I have been the biggest slacker when it comes to this running blog. I'm sorry. I have been running and I've been loving it! I am not worried about racing, training hard, my pace or mileage...and I've never enjoyed it more!

Over the past few weeks, I've been running early in the morning where I am lucky enough to be out on the road with my fellow "crazies". It inspires me to see other people up that early who want to be healthy and who want to be outside. I especially love all the old people who are walking their dogs or walking with their friends. It makes me happy.

I ran for an hour and a half last weekend and felt fantastic. I was totally in a groove and didn't want to stop.

I've been able to run with my brother and some friends as well and that makes running a lot more fun. I'm totally a group runner...I miss the good old days in college where I never ran alone. I like talking. I like sharing that experience with someone else (besides my iPod which seems to be the only running partner I have these days!)

So here's to you running...I heart thee!

Ode to the track...

Dear track:

Thanks for kicking my butt today. I hated and loved every minute of it.

1 mile warm up; 6x800 meters (3:00-3:04 pace with two minutes rest), 2x400 meters (1:26 pace with one minute rest in between), 1 mile cool down

My legs were still tired from the Wasatch Back race but I know they'll feel better after today...kickin some lactic acid baby!

Wasatch Back 2010

I was lucky enough to run the Wasatch Back relay race this past weekend. It is a 190 mile race from Logan, UT to Park City, UT. You run as a team of 12 people (6 people in two vans). You run non-stop...so there is always someone running (even at 3:00 in the morning). It was the funnest race I've ever done. I LOVED IT! I was runner #9 in Van 2...(if that means anything to anyone!) My leg distances and times were: 3.5 miles (22 minutes), 9.6 miles (68 minutes), and 3.6 miles STRAIGHT UP HILL...you gain 1,463 feet (38 minutes).

I made a blog for our team, so here is the link if you want to check out our pictures.

www.chomamas.blogspot.com

Here we go...

This week is the week...it's time for the Wasatch Back! I'm super excited to be running with some awesome peps! I am runner #9 which means I have one of the hardest legs of the race! Not to mention a 9.6 mile leg that will be run in the early hours of the morning. But I can totally do it. I'm stoked! I also get a nice 24 hour vacation from the kids...ha ha! Thanks to my sweet husband for making this race possible.

Ok Ragnar...BRING IT!

This one is for Gussy...

I am a slacker when it comes to this running blog. Sorry folks...here is some inspiration for those of you who do read (Gus! :)

This week was a good week of running! I hit 31 miles and was able to work on hills, speed and a 2 a day. Here's what I did:

Monday: 10.2 miles up by Cottonwood Canyon, Average 7:35 pace

Tuesday: 4 miles with Brusch! Average 8:00 pace

Wednesday: REST

Thursday: Morning, 4.5 miles fartlik, Average 7:00 pace

Afternoon, 4 miles, Average 8:00 pace (with stroller!)

Friday: REST

Saturday: 8.3 miles with hills, Average 7:20 pace

On another note, I've been reading Born to Run and I love it! It is really opening my eyes to how running should be. I am going to start doing some barefoot running at the park...

Why am I so tired!!!!

Ok, I'm frustrated. I have been super tired lately...especially this week. I guess I still haven't fully recovered from my 8 miler last week. I think I pushed it too hard. Then, I did a super fast track workout this week and a hard hilly 6.5 miles today. I guess I need to freakin slow down or rest!

I'm just way too competitive with myself...LOL! On a happy note, I get to run with "China" tomorrow! Yippee!!!

Wednesday: 1 mile warm up, 6X800 meters (between 3:00 and 3:04 pace) 2 minute rest, 1 mile cool down

Friday: 6.5 miles UPHILL for 3.1 miles then steep downhill for 3.4 (Average 7:20 mile pace)

Anger makes me run faster!

So I went to the track today and there was a group of high school students (girls) who were doing the wronchest (spelling? Is that even a word?) dancing! They were listening to some music being played over the stadium's PA. I started thinking about how that must look to the boys...then I started to think about my sweet little girl. I PRAY that she never feels like she needs to be slutty to be awesome...she is awesome just being sweet.

Needless to say I had some emotions building inside of me. So I channeled that emotion into my running and had a great workout! Thanks slutty girls! LOL!

1 mile warm up, 1x1600 (6:10), 1x1000 (4:30), 1x800 (3:00), 2x400 (1:24) 1.25 mile cool down

SO many good memories...

If you know Murray...you know Murray Park. If you know Murray Park...you know that this is a picture looking at the big soccer field. If you know where this is...and you ran for Murray High School Cross Country... you know that the paved trail around the field is a little over 1/2 mile (.61 to be exact...thanks to my Garmin watch). This is where I was for my workout yesterday in 25 mph winds!!! It was crazy but I loved it!

3x(.61) mile repeats, 3:41 (about 6:00 mile pace), then I did 2x400 meters, 1:30 each (6:00 mile pace)

Back to the...

TRACK...

10x400 meters, 1:25 pace, 1:00 minute rest.

A great day for a run

I love Saturday's. I do my long runs on Saturday's. I like long runs.

8.3 miles, Average 7:20 pace, 1:01 minutes

The "Oops Mile"

The "Oops Mile"... or at least that's what I call it. It happens when you are running a long run and one of your miles is way too fast. For example: On Saturday I was running a 10K and my goal was to stay around 7:20-7:30 pace. Well, right around mile 2, I came across another runner who was running a pretty good pace. Well, I couldn't let him pass me so of course I picked up my pace to get ahead of him and stay ahead of him. So of course that mile was too fast...like 6:30 too fast! Hence, the "Oops Mile" that made the other 4 miles HELL...

The "Oops Mile" happens all the time to me. I need to remember that I don't need to kill myself one mile and suffer the rest. Slow and steady wins the race right?!

Finally, I feel good

Maybe it's the cold weather...maybe it's the bad air...maybe it's been all in my head...but running lately has been hard. But today, the sun was shinning and I finally felt really good! I was able to run 7.5 miles and average 7:10 pace. No ice, no snow and new shoes might have done the trick.

Is it Spring yet? Seriously...I'm itching for a good sports bra run!

Boo-yah Grandma!

I posted a couple posts ago that I ran a 5K on Thanksgiving and I took second but I thought I took first....Well, I DID!!! Boo-yah Grandma! What happened was there was a timing chip mistake and a husband and wife who ran together had their times mixed up (so the wife's name came up on the results under her husband's time which was 45 seconds faster than me). Mystery solved my friends! Here is a picture of the cool trophy I got for the overall female.

Also, I got a brand new double jogging stroller from Kelty this weekend! My old stroller broke in a couple places and they paid to ship the stroller back to them and then they sent out a brand new 2010 one! I LOVE IT! So I got a $500 dollar stroller for.....FREE! Boo-yah Grandma!

My brag wall

I recently cleaned and organized the family office. I found all my old medals from races going back to my high school days! So I decided to make a brag wall for myself. Looking at it everyday makes me even more motivated to run and run well. My most favorite medals are hung in the middle: My 2005 Salt Lake Marathon medal and my 2 ALS 5K winner medals. Those mean the most to me.

I'm already excited for next summer

I can't wait for the summer! I am planning on running the Wasatch Back Relay with my best friend and some other cool peeps...

The Deseret News 10k and a 1/2 marathon.

I can't wait to shave my legs, wear spandex and a sports bra.

Too bad it's only the end of November...I've got a long time to wait.

On a brighter note, I ran a 5K on Thanksgiving and beat a girl who currently runs for UVU! I came in 2nd but I think I really came in first and that the race directors made a mistake. Oh well...I ran a 20:10 (6:29 pace). The 5K was straight uphill the first mile and then flat and hilly afterwards and my legs were freezing! I wanted to go under 20:00 but it's all good. I wasn't really training for it so I'm happy with 6:29 pace! :)

Summer 2009

I kicked my butt this summer...and it felt awesome! Here are my stats:

Races: I ran (4) 5K's and was able to shave over a minute off my first races' time to the last.

(1) 10K and just about went under 40:00.

Long runs: (1) 12 miler

(1) 11 miler

(3) 10 milers

(2) 9 milers

*I'm not sure how many 7 & 8 milers I did but I'm guessing about (5).

I ran at least (2) 10K's a week

Speed: I was at the track at least once a week doing 400's, 800's, 1200's and 1600's. My average speed for my 400's was about 1:25.

Now that it is Fall, I've decided to cut back on my training. Start doing some slower longer runs. My average pace over the summer has been right at 7:00 minute miles and I think I'm gonna slow it down to 7:20-7:30 pace. I'm not really training for anything so I'm just going to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather. This summer has been great though. I feel like I'm in really good shape! I even got my six pack back!

BUT...to say goodbye to summer and summer training, I kicked my butt at the track today and did 12x4oo meters at 1:25 pace (with a minute rest). It was great.

"I eat hamburgers all the time!!"

I will explain the picture in just a minute.... This past weekend I ran the Swiss Days 10K with my awesome mother and father-in-law. It was such a great race with cool weather and a beautiful course up in Midway. I had never run a 10K race before so I wasn't really sure how I'd do. My goal was come in under 40:00 and my official time was 40:00.3! So I missed my goal by .3 of a second! Dang! LOL! But I did take first overall for the women's which was cool. Bruce took 5th in his age group and Ronda did a great job and finished in style (she's one hot lady!!!)

So to explain the picture and title of this blog entry....after I finished my race, I ran back to meet up with Bruce and help him finish. Well, as we were running the last 1/2 mile together, some girl who we had just passed yells at me, "Hey skinny, why don't you try eating a hamburger and steak sometime huh?" I had my headphones in my ears so I'm sure she thought I wouldn't hear her but I didn't have my music playing at the time so I heard her loud and clear! So I whipped my head around and said, " I eat hamburgers all the time!" She looked horrified and I just smiled and finished the race with Bruce. Some nerve huh? Usually people are so cool and nice during a race because we are all there to push ourselves and finish strong. Well, after the race was over, she came up to me and apologized. She felt really bad and she said she was jealous that I was so thin. I told her that I hear comments like that all the time and that I eat a ton! I told her I have been training hard this summer trying to get back in shape after having my second baby. She did feel bad and I'm glad she apologized but come on....have some class people.

I wanted to tell her that I also pumped 8 oz. of breast milk before the race and was wondering if she had any cool super powers like me!? I'm sure she didn't....

You spell tough...D-O-U-B-L-E J-O-G-G-E-R!

So all is well in the double jogger department...LOVE IT! It's so nice to have them both in the stroller and not worry about one running away or having to carry the other. It also means that on those days where Bryant is too busy that I can run with the kids! Today was our first outing and it was great! They loved it! I took them to the JR parkway trail. I only did a 5K but man, it was tough! I figured that I was pushing around 75 lbs! It was a great workout to say the least.

Monday: 6 mile bike ride up Temple Quarry Trail

Tuesday: 6.1 miles, 43:00, Average 7:05 pace

Wednesday: 3.1 miles, 23:30, Average 7:20 pace

Awesome Deal

I was on KSL yesterday and saw an ad from a lady in Orem. She has a Kelty double jogging stroller that she wants to trade for a nice single jogging stroller so I called and she is going to trade it with me!!! How awesome is that? I don't have to spend a dime on a new stroller! Kelty is a great brand and I've done some research on this specific one and it retails for over $420!!! I'm super excited!

Monday: 5.1 miles, 35:35, Average 7:05 miles

Tuesday: 4 miles at the track; 1 mile warm up, 2x800 (2:55) 1:30 rest, 4x400 (1:25) 1:00 rest, 1 mile cool down

Thursday: 6.1 miles 46:00 (I ran with the jogger!) Average 7:35 miles