Trail Running Granny

This was my 14th St. George Marathon.  It is always fun, but I don't have much to brag about this time. I was under trained and over weight. I saw the pictures Harold took and about puked.  I really need to  get serious about my fitness level  and my weight. 

I drove down with Maurine and Marcia and had a great time visiting.  Since we left in the morning I got to spend about 3 hours at the expo!  It was fun running into Smooth and Kelli and few others. 

Went to the Pasta Dinner with Maurine and Marsha, it has improved since I last went 10 years ago.

Spent the evening with Harold and some of the grandkids.

I got up at 3:30am and rode up the bus alone but found Maurine and Vic right away. We got to visit with Rachel, Smooth and Teena for afew minute. It was really warm, which is odd, I usually freeze. 

Maurine and I ran together for the first 10 or 11 miles, I felt fine, we were in front of the5:30 pace group.  At mile 11 the heat started to really bother me and I started to slow down, I didn't see Maurine again. 

At mile 15 I ran into Vic and we played leap frog the rest of the way in.  After about mile 19 Harold called he said it is 88 degrees, it felt like 108.  I could not believe so many people were walking. I saw one guy laying in a tiny piece of shade and someone asked him if he was okay and he said help was coming, acouple minutes later an ambulance came by to get him. 

Running the last few miles thru the streets were tough, but I kept moving in fear of going over the 6 hour limit.  Thank goodness I made it. 

Next year I willl be more prepared and have some of this weight off.

After the marathon we went and played with the grandkids at  the pool and then went to the 10 year Banquet.  Fun times.

still recovering, water rention, sore legs and must have strained my left ankle, but starting to feel better with each day.

Does anyone know of a good half or full marathon in Dec or Jan?  I would like to try and do one race a month.

Nice run up to Wasatch Blvd and over to Creek Road.  I feel like my body is about back to  normal.Yay!

Ran along Murray Holladay road this morning, nice to have  a flat course.

Ran the Wasatch Crest with Tracey  and two of his girlfriends.  We met at the park n ride at 6am and was up the canyon and running by 6:30ish, we wore headlamps  and got to the top of Puke hill in time to see the sunrise. Some of trail was covered with an inch or so of snow, the colors were so pretty.  I am sure that will be our last Crest run for the season.

My left ankle has bothered me since St. George, maybe I rolled it, not sure,  guess I better ice it.

It is so nice to be able to run with my son!!!!!

Ardath and I did the hike that was in the Sunday Trib.  It is above Jeremy Ranch and called 24-7, fairly flat, it reminded me of the Bonneville Shoreline trail, only looking down on Park City. Very nice.  It is always fun to find a new trail.  

just a quick run around the park with Odee and up to Wasatch Blvd.

2 miles in the park with Odee before the sun came up and then a 5 mile hike up around Twin Lakes and Lake Mary. We had to change trails due to two moose blocking our way. We are such sissys.

No MOJO!  I am so bummed I am not on the Pony Express trail running with my friends.  I will be thinking about them all day and watching their progress online.  Good luck to all of you and next year I will be there!!!!

Ardie and I hiked the Desolation trail to the SLC Overlook.  Awesome morning, now lunch with Julie and then chilling  the rest of the  week and tapering for Goblin Valley.

Mom, if you are reading this, tell dad to take it easy this week so he will be fresh for Goblin!!!  Love you!!

early morning run with Odee around the park and thru the neighborhood

decided to make bread and carbo load instead of run!  LOL!  Off to GV tomorrow!!!  

Heading down to Goblin Valley to do a 50K with my dear husband who has been on way to many running trips, and still is so very supportive!  I am so excited to be running with my friends, Laurie, Smooth and Kelli!  Harold will be mountain biking with Laurie's husband Chris so he will be having some desert fun too!  My training hasn't been very good but this is my 7th ultra, I know I can "git er done"!  

My PR for a 50K is 7:11, I doubt I can beat it, but we shall see, maybe if the stars are aligned....

What a fun weekend!  Harold and I took off around 1:00 to head down to Green River, when we arrived at our cabin at Shady Acres we were greeted by Smooth and Kelli  and then Larry and Scott and 4 of Kelli's little ones. It was so much fun visiting, we all drove over to the Senior Citizen's Center for dinner and talked with some of the other runners and  enjoyed a potato bar dinner.  There were a lot of runners from Colorado.  
After we got into bed, Laurie and Chris came knocking on our door, so we visited them for awhile and made plans for our morning ride over to Goblin Valley, about a 45 min. drive.
At 6:30 am Kelli, Smooth, Laurie and I drove over to Goblin with Harold, the rest of the gang were going to sleep in and join us later in the day.   
We saw JD at the start and chatted and got some pictures and then we were off.  I stayed with Laurie for most of the first half of the race, we met a gal from Nebraska and a gal from Logan that we ran with for a while.  The aid stations were great, I was fueled by Tagalongs ( Girl Scout Cookies) at every station.  The weather was beautiful, nice and cool with cloud cover for the first half of the race.  Nice scenery and more hills than I remember. I swear running is like childbirth, you forget the hills and remember all the fun and friends, and the pain is quickly forgotten.

I am not very good at checking the pace but when we reached the half way point we had averaged about a 13. something pace.
Laurie was feeling great and took off, I would see her once and awhile from a far blazing ahead in her bright pink shirt.
After the turnaround I was pretty pooped, by mile 18 I was trying to talk myself into dropping out, Chris showed up on his bike at about that point and gave me a smile and a little coaxing and then Harold showed up on his bike at mile 20. I told him I was thinking of dropping and he talked me out of it, he rode by my side until we were almost at the parking lot of the campground. At this point I was really dragging then this beautiful girl came running towards me looking so strong and it was my Kelli!!!  I could have bawled,  I found out that she finished in 3:59 and then went back on the course to run Smooth in and then back again to run me in. I was able to pick up the pace with her encouragement. Kelli is a running angel!!!!!!!
The last mile running thru the Goblins was tough, it was like a maze running back and forth following the path of pumpkins that were set up to mark the trail, some of Kellis's kids and Laurie's kids were playing and following us around.  I kept telling Kelli I would love to beat 7:11, she was pushing me as hard as I could go, at the very end Laurie and her friend came and grabbed my arms and pulled me up the final hill and I crossed the finish line at exactly 7:11 (point something)
I guess the word is out the course was short because of the rainstorm, but whatever I ran the Goblin Valley 50K in 7:11 and I'm sticking to it!!!!
Thank you Kelli, Smooth and Laurie for such a fun weekend, and of course your cute families!!!!  Harold was awesome. Thanks sweetie, if you are reading this! I love you! 

Odee walked Ardath and I around the Old Mill Pond a few times.  My body feels really quite good!  

I am  looking forward to my half marathon in Mesquite in 4 weeks, after doing a marathon and a 50K with in the last 3 weeks this will be a treat!  I am going to call and schedule my massage at the Casablanca today!

I got a free entry to the SG half marathon in the mail....wierd huh?  I think they were picking random names from the marathon.  I wasn't planning on doing it since I will be down that way in Nov. and then again in April, but we will see.  Did any of you get a free pass?

I did gentle yoga with the senior citizens today at the rec center, it was nice to ease back into life, but it was really too gentle for me.  Then I did 10 min. on the eliptical.  Baby steps. 

Woke up to 4 inches of snow, went to the gym and did 25 min. on the eliptical machine and then for a short run with Odee. I feel like my recovery is going well.

I wish I could jump in the car and go to St. George and do the Snow Half this weekend with Smooth, it would be so much fun, but dang it all the crap I can't! I will just have to be patient and wait for the Mesquite Half in Nov.

I finally got myself over to muscle-up,  not fun, but done!  

got up at 5:30 to run with Odee.  I am thinking of signing up for Painters since I got a free coupon.  Who else is going?