Enough Said.....

The Long & Winding Road

This morning I hooked up with the Nibley Runners, and we car pooled up Blacksmith Fork Canyon.  Joe, Eric, Sandra, Natalie, Greg, Tami, Brie, Pam, Annai, Kendra, and me. That's 11 in the car!!!  Good thing the driver had an older Suburban! Anyway, runners were dropped off at varying points in the canyon. I chose to be dropped off at the Hydro Plant. (This is the start of the Freedom Run and TOU Half.)  From that point to my house, following the TOU route, would be 10.7 miles.  If I followed the Freedom Run route and then went to my house I was looking at around 12 miles.  I chose the TOU route.

It was a nice quiet morning run.  I wore my yellow jacket and gloves, but after 1 mile did not need them, so had to stop and rearrange my running gear.  Last week I ate some Cliff Blocks and had GI issues. This morning I stuck with GU and GU Chomps and was fine.  I took my belt and had 1 water and 1 gatorade.  Others dropped off their water/gatorade bottles at different points on the route.

On Hollow Road, I was looking at this Pumpkin Patch. (I know, kind of lame) It was very well taken care of, and while I took a picture of it apparently I got those fox tail burr pokey things in my shoes!  I started running and immediately felt something sticking the top of my left foot!  Funny how it is always the left foot that has issues! Anyway, I pulled off the ones that I could see, and continued on for like 20 steps. Then I hobbled to the nearest driveway and took the shoe COMPLETELY off, and found not One, but TWO of those POKEY things sticking through my shoe!   So this added time. But it was not like I was going for a PR or anything.

I forgot just how hot Hollow Road gets.  Not alot of shade along the way. Nice to see a milk weed!  We used to have a bunch of these down our street, when it was just alot of fields. Now lots of houses and no milk weeds.....no monarch butterflies.

  These roosters were very noisy this morning.


It took me 2 hours and 4 minutes to go 10.5 miles!  Not my best by any means. But I did get those miles under my feet.

As I was walking home, my dear daughter was coming home from swim practice and gave me a ride to the driveway.  I was one house away, so we laughed at that.

Ash and I went to Kneaders for breakfast. She had the French Toast, and I had a ham, egg, cheese breakfast sandwich on a crossiant.  We sat outside in the sun.  Had a wonderful time with her!! Great way to end a so-so run.

Pre Freedom Run

Northern Exposure
Karrie, JoAnna, Julie, Tawyna, Tansy, Lori, Mindy, Roz, Rose

This morning, I talked 8 of my friends into running the Freedom Run route with me.  On July 4th, the official Freedom Run will take place. Many of my friends will be running this.  I ran it last year, but for some strange reason, I am just not "feeling it" for this year.  I will not be racing on that day.  I was glad that I had some company today to run this route.   We met in Hyrum, and drove up to the Hydro Plant in Blacksmith Fork Canyon.  We started running around 6:30 am-ish.  I really would have liked to sleep in this morning, but so glad that we started early, as once we got out of the canyon, it got pretty warm.

Today was Julie's first 9 mile run! Way to go Julie!!  We all KNEW that she could do it. What an achievement! She has crossed the 9 mile mental barrier. Now Julie is ready to rock the PINK Half Marathon with us in October!

I had a protein bar this morning. I took a couple of GU's with me, but forgot to eat them!  I ran with Mindy most of the way. Rose and her daughters were with us also. My time for 9.4 miles was 1.45.28. I walked the first 6 minutes. I did walk when I got a drink a couple of times.  Oh, today was the first time I was able to make it ALL the WAY UP the HILL WITHOUT STOPPING to walk!!!  I did have to stop to make a phone call, and also to take my shoe off and get a little pebble out, (and yes, it was in my LEFT shoe!!), so with those extra stops, I think I did pretty good.  Averaged 10.5 - 11 minute mile today. 

I really love running down this canyon.  Love the shade and sun combo. Love the smell.....today I could smell Russian Olive trees.  Very peaceful route.  Not too much traffic.  Wind was at my back today.

There were a group of cyclists riding the canyon also today. We cheered them on!  Lots of people running up and down the canyon too.  And of course, I knew that Don would totally smoke me!

9 women, 9 miles, all before 9 am.

Great way to start my weekend.  Thanks ladies and Rose's beautiful trio!



Rose and her daughters!

RAGNAR

After the slowest, crappiest, poopiest, shittiest, most awful, good-for-nothing  3 miler run at Bear Lake, I registered for RAGNAR!!!  If you were in my mind, you would totally know that this makes Perfect Sense!  ............   NOT!

Call me CRAZY! Registering and paying for a running event 1 year in advance???   Is that commitment? or do I need to be committed?

A Group of RACEY LADIES

Roz, Joy, Stephanie, JoAnna, Karrie, Jill, Rose,  & Lori

Tuesday night, our Northern Exposure Running Group met in Smithfield at Mack's Park.  We decided to run down the canyon.  We all piled in Stephanie's van and she shuttled us up to the top. I love running downhill.  This is just what I needed.  Yesterday's 3 miles were really sucky. I walked ALOT, so I was hoping for a good run. I wanted my legs to feel strong, and my mind to push doubts away.  Yep, this route was PERFECT. 

We all walked for about 5 minutes, then each of us took off at our own pace. Jill and I ran together for a little bit. Then Karrie caught up with us. We ran as a trio, then I heard a weird noise behind me. I stopped to see what was going on, it was Roz. She was coughing (asthma). I ran with Roz the rest of the way.  It was a perfect pace. Our total tonight was 4 miles.

About half way down the canyon there were some teenagers hiding in the bushes wearing Halloween masks. A car coming up the canyon told us about them. Apparently they scared the crap out of the car by jumping out and screaming at them.  I was glad that we had the heads up! 

Stephanie was so thoughtful. She even brought ice cold water for all of us to enjoy at the end of our run.  Thank You Stephanie!

Tonight's run was my new shoe's maiden voyage.  I love these!  They are Lunar Eclipse +3 by NIKE.   Feet felt good.  I think I will loosen the laces up a little bit though.

I love running with these ladies.  It never matters what your pace is. Everyone is so supportive!  I am so glad that I met these incredible, inspiring, and awesome women!! 

Wonderful friends!

Little Red Riding Hood

Friday night, June 1st,  JoAnna, her daughter Ella and I went out to Lewiston to the Little Red Riding Hood Expo, and to enjoy dinner catered by Cafe Rio.

Saturday morning we arrived in Lewiston, it was dark, cloudy, cold, and sprinkling rain. Dark clouds lingered towards Clarkston, and I was hoping that we would not get caught in a downpour, or a lightening storm.  Jacque and I had taken our jackets, but Ella and JoAnna did not. JoAnna went to the expo and found a couple of jackets for her and her daughter to keep them warm. We started our 18 mile journey about 10:20ish.








JoAnna was riding as one of the Huntsman Town Heros, but decided to ride with her daughter instead.  I was worried about Ella and Jacque....wondered how they would do riding 18 miles.

Before our start time, LRRH had set up the Tie Dye Cafe.   Coffee, hot chocolate, OJ, and a morning breakfast which consisted of muffins, bagels, fruit, and oreos dipped in peanut butter.

At the start.

This was on the road that takes you to Conference Road.  The sky was not looking very friendly. Gust's of wind would push me every so often. It started sprinkling too, and I was hoping that I would not see lightning!

Hanging with the hippy chic!

Jacque & Ella

Mandy & Roz

Lori & JoAnna

Tami, Roz, Mandy, Joy

Check out those arms!!  Light must have been hitting them just right,
cause I actually see a "tricept!"

The sun finally started shining through those clouds. Jacque and I had jackets on, so I tied them both around my waist.

We are just about to Trenton....... that means we are half way there!

The aid station in Trenton was fantastic. A CLEAN HoneyBucket!  Let me just tell you, during running events with men, those HoneyBuckets get pretty NANSTY!  Nothing like sitting on the toilet with a stinking urinal right in your face!  

Anyway, the aid station was very well stocked: GU Chomps, GU, water, granola bars, licorice, just to name a few.   

The  LUNA crew were very supportive, ringing their bells and cheering us on.  

Jacque

Crossing the finish line!

Next year, definitely!  And I will ride a longer distance for sure!  What a great day, and I am so glad that I was able to share it with my daughter and wonderful friends.  I am truly grateful for my health, and that I am able to do these athletic events.

Lori

I have been told that Alice Telford is the founder of the Little Red Riding Hood Cycling event.  Alice started riding when she was in her 60's!  When she started Little Red  there were just 25 women for that first ride. With the support of the Bonneville Cycling Club, it has grown steadily since then. What a neat lady!!

May Mileage!

My mileage for May was 81.3. And my year to date mileage is 270!