Create.

3.25 super easy miles

20.1 miles (18.1 miles, AP 8:18, then 2 cool down miles with the twins)

Miles 1-7 by my lonesome. Started out early and it was dark, windy, rainy but BEAUTIFUL (except for the wind)! Sadly, I got so caught up in my thoughts that I missed my turn. I was intending to run a 6 miles loop and pick up Ry to join me for some miles. I was totally lost. Couldn't even see Webb Hill (which is my usual marker if I ever get turned around). Luckily I was able to flag down a cyclist who let me borrow his phone to call Ry so he wouldn't freak out! I was able to give Ry my coordinates and he met me 1.5 mile from where I was lost which happened to be Costco. I discovered a new trail that I like though, Milcreek Trail. :-)

Miles 8 -13 with Ry just making our way back home (his car is still at Costco, I suppose we'll have to pick it up later). :-) Luckily he had fluids because I had planned on picking some up when I met him at home at 6 miles! Ha!

Miles 14 - 20.1 with Smo, which forced me to keep my pace (actually pick it up a bit) for the next four miles even though I wanted to slow way down! Luckily I had the chance to slow down with the twins who joined us for the last two mile hoorah! :-)

Temp 81˚ upon completion. Fortunately, it didn't feel that hot.

Happy Saturday, All. Be careful out there! :-)

7 miles, AP 7:48, Maverick Loop

6.5 easy miles. Headache and tired. BOO!

8 miles, AP 7:56

Surprisingly, considering this headache I have been fighting, this was a great run for me. I woke up and felt fine (no headache). I started running having no idea what route or how long long I was going to run. I had a little over an hour that I could spend running but wasn't expecting to last more than 40 minutes. Needless to say, almost immediately I knew that I was going to enjoy running this morning. I can't help but wonder if the reason I felt so good was that I was expecting to feel so badly ... does that make sense? So when I didn't feel badly it felt twice as good because it was such a relief. I felt lighter and stronger than usual. So bizarre. Within two miles I decided to try and make it up Banded Hills Drive, which happens to be the road to the new airport. I've looked at it from a distance for quite some time and have even run up to where it begins once. It stands tall and looks daunting but beautiful. As I began running up it I immediately wished that Fly could have been there to tell me what the beautiful rock was that I was admiring. I assume the reason it is called Banded Hills is because there are these incredible white bands stratified into the rock. How does that happen? It almost looks like ribbon! The sun was coming up and it was AWESOME! In truth, it almost completely numbed the fatigue that was building up in my legs as I ran up up and up (I think the steepest portion is roughly .75 miles with about 400 feet of incline). When I reached the top more beauty awaited. The view was INCREDIBLE! I could see the whole valley, and just when I thought it couldn't get better I heard an airplane began to make it's way down the runway behind me ... faster, faster ... I look over my shoulder and see it take off in a westward direction. The whole moment felt beyond earthly. This makes the second time since I moved to St. George that I have felt this overwhelming feeling of being completely alive during an early morning run. I appreciated it today immensely.

Sadly, the headache returned this afternoon. Boo!

6 really easy miles, headache is lighting up some but still there.

7 miles, AP 8:14, Maverick Loop

NOTHING!

Stayed up until 2:00 a.m. because Nic and Annie spent the weekend with us!!! We went and saw The Guardians of the Galaxy, had a great dinner and then stayed up just enjoying each others' company! Laughed our heads off! SO SO SO glad to have this weekend with them. :-)

15.3 marathon paced miles on the SGM course, AP 7:43.

Ran miles 7 thru 22.3 (or thereabouts) of the course. I really want to be able to run this pace for the whole 26.2 miles. I have some work to do. :-)

5 recovery miles

Smo talked me into buying some of the Sketchers running shoes. She switched to Sketchers a couple of months ago and has LOVED them. Tried them today. Hmmm ... I kinda love them as well! :-)

9 miles, AP 8:26

4 miles with Smo, 3 miles with Rachel and then another 2 miles on my own. Didn't have any patients until 9:00 a.m. and was able to really enjoy the miles. :-)

Can hardly believe the kids are back in school. So far the kids are loving their new schools. My only real concern is that there is very little diversity. Luckily the kiddos have more diversity on their running and basketball teams.

6.5 miles which a handful of 400s sprinkled in there, AP 7:54.

7 miles, AP 7:52, Maverick Loop.

5 super easy miles

17 miles, AP 7:25 on the last 17 miles of the SGM course! Holy crap, was not planning on running that fast! Rachel has been inviting me to group long runs for quite some time but I always have opted out because they start so stinkin' early! Today I went. :-)

Met at the St. George Rec. center at 4:30 a.m. Cockadoodledoo!!! A bunch of us jumped in a back of a pickup and headed up the route 17 miles. I started running with Rachel and Misty but ended up running most of my miles with Nicole and Casey (Nicole is crazy fast and was running a bit slower today .. she will run a sub 3 at SGM). It was definitely a push for me to keep that pace (even with two water breaks and no Veyo hill). Faster than I plan on running the marathon for sure. And the crazy thing is that after we finished Nicole went out for an additional five miles at a 6:00 minute pace! CRAZY!!!!!

Anyway, I think I will start running with this group more. There was probably around 14 of us and they were all FANTASTIC! :-)

Happy Saturday, All.

Definitely not running tomorrow! :-)

7 miles, AP 8:09

Up through the fields divider and back. I really enjoyed this run. :-)

5 easy peasy miles on the boring TM. I think this was only the third time I have been on the TM since we moved here over three months ago. Wanted to run outside but there was serious raining, lightning and thunder. Turns out we had flash floods which results in some serious damage just 1500 meters south of us. Fortunately I don't know of any homes that were damaged though.

9 miles, AP 7:56

5 on my own and then 4 with Rachel. Always fun to run with Rachel. :-)

6 miles, AP 7:28 to the Brigham Exit and back. I have been trying for three months to run this route sub 7:30. YES!!!!!

5 very easy miles, Happy Friday, All! :-)

Did I mention that I accepted a full time position at the Hurricane Valley Clinic? Still with Intermountain. I have been working roughly 30-35 hours a week as PRN for Intermountain (in other words, feeling in for other therapists throughout the hospital and all the clinics in the greater St. George area). I had a couple of opportunities come up and decided to take advantage of the one in Hurricane. Yes, it's about a 25 minute commute but well worth it! The clinic has such a variety of patients with various impairments. Not only do I get to work with ortho patients of all ages (my patients right now range from the ages of 8 to 92) but neuro patients as well. It's a dream job for me! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!! :-)

20 miles, AP 8:24.

Not too much zippy in my skippy this morning. Legs felt a bit heavy and tired. Since Rachel could not run until late this morning I decided that I'd run the majority of this one solo. The time seemed to drag on and on and on. No fun! With that said, I returned home at 15 miles so that Sophia could run the last 5 with me. That dang girl made my last five miles my faster by far! I wanted to throw up as she forced me to run a sub 7:00 mile at the end (and then watch her sprint far ahead the last 800 meters ... RUDE!). Where did this girl come from??? :-)

Have a great weekend, All! :-)

90 minutes mountain biking at Bear Claw Poppy Trail with Ry and Payton! SO FUN!!!!

7 miles, AP 8:23: Ryan the last 4 miles with me (Crimson Ridge Loop) :-)

8 miles including 8 x 800s, all between 3:18 and 3:22

7 miles, mostly with Rachel and a couple with Candice.

ALWAYS so nice to have people to run with!!! :-)

14 miles, AP 7:57

Had to do a longish run today to avoid doing one this weekend. Ry and I are heading to Las Vegas after I get off work tomorrow to celebrate our 18th anniversary (9 days late). :-) His favorite reggae artist is playing at the Hard Rock hotel. He's super excited, me too! :-)

I hate running longish runs on my own. They seem to drag on and on and on. Ran up to Brigham exit and then hopped on the trail system then ran up to Green Valley and back.

Happy Thursday, All. :-)

6.5 easy miles

Ry and I went out on the Red Rock trails for a nice mountain bike ride! The plan was to ride for about 75 minutes and then to do a short run. As has happened on so many other occasions, Ry and I got lost! Not smart in the heat! After 3 1/2 hours I had to get off the bike and sit down feeling completely dehydrated. My mouth was so dry and I was feeling crazy light headed and weak. Ry and I had both taken one bottle of fluids with us. I had a zero calorie sports drink and Ry had a regular Gatorade. Normally I probably would have been fine but I started out low on fluids secondary to not having much to drink since my longer run on Thursday (crazy busy days at work, and then driving to Vegas, etc.). I will not make that mistake again. We found our way back making the total bike ride roughly 4 hours.

Nothing, just enjoying the time with Ry. :-)