Working on the blog, working on the bod

Hey, it's Kristin.

Browsing around and reading other people's blogs has become my favorite hobby lately. And not just runners' blogs (though I do enjoy those quite often). I like blogs full of eye candy and ideas, blogs about moms' lives (even though I don't have kids yet), and blogs about my friends and family. Blogs are so cool! You can read about people's lives, and ideas, and creations, and advice- all for free! It's crazy. And I love the novelty of them. I like thinking about things to blog about, and reading people's comments. Ok, I'll stop being blogsessed now.

Today D and I went for a run. It's been a bizarre running week for us. One day the ground was slick with new snow and slush and we couldn't run cuz we were sliding all over the place. Out of kindness, D didn't wear her Yaktrax (so we could be equals) and we forged the trail together. Instead of running we walked up and down a hill we call "glute hill" for it's tendency to work our bums. We must've walked up and down that thing for over an hour. Then yesterday the mad howling wind scared me back to bed (Danna will run in anything though. She was probably disappointed). I could just imagine coming home all face-chafed and frazzled after trying to run in that insane wind. And my bed's comfy-ness didn't help. I probably should've stayed up and done a work-out video, but...I didn't occur to me since I was part zombie still. PS: Runners- do you run in crazy wind? Advice?


Today we finally got in a good run. It was an afternoon/evening run. (Suzy's kind of out of commission for a bit right now and that's why we haven't run with her lately.) I love night runs. Totally different that AM runs. That ethereal fog and moonlight are so cool in the mornings! But at night the city is alive, and the air is warmer. So refreshing. Anyway, we just did 5 miles, but it was fun and a nice way to end our crazy work weeks. Our bodies really needed that run too! After skipping too many days we can really feel the lost conditioning!

Side note: I called the cops on a guy on the trail whom I saw sitting in the bushes. I actually call the local police quite often. I think they must roll their eyes when they look at the caller ID: "It's her again!" I call them when there are suspicious lurkers in the bushes (tonight), or obnoxious drunk people on the train, or people trying to start fights, or teens with illegal substances, or even people without a leash whose dogs are running (and pooping) rampant all over the parkway! Yes, I'm that lady. And proud of it, darn it!

Oh!! This week I'm going on a business trip to Coralville Iowa. We're checking out the nearby hospital and tring to implement some of their technology. I'm definitely going to have to find a cool place to run. Anyone know the area?! Running trails? Cool spots?

XOXO
~K

To race or not to race.

Happy Birthday to Danna! Here we are with a few friends at Dear Lizzie!

It's Kristin here.

This last week's medium run we did 7 miles. (Suz wasn't with us- refusing to subject her lungs to the nasty inverted air quality of last week. I don't blame her.) It was a fantastic run for me! I felt great the whole run- just relishing that runner's high, and the feeling of catharsis that comes with a good long run. This was the first run in months that wasn't a struggle. To be honest, I've been in a bit of a funk. Lately running has been so...grueling for me. I've tried to keep up with D and S, but my body's clearly not in as good of shape as theirs lately. This whole foot injury resting thing has taken me backward big time. Sometimes I hate to admit this, knowing people may hear it and think, "You struggled for months until you got back into the groove? No thanks- running's not for me." But it's worth it! The company was worth it, and the feeling after the run, the caloric burning, the sense of discipline and accomplishment, the fellowship with other runners. Anyway, Iw as so happy to finally be feeling great again! Hang in there new runners, it's so worth it.

On our long run we ran a different trail- one we haven't run in a while. We talked about work, family, cute husbands, running itself (as always), blogging, future races. Danna's really interested in running the Wasatch Back this year- a killer 2-day relay race through the mountain passes that is a blast. Anyone done it? I'm so tempted, bu THE HILLS! I'm so not a hill person. We are also considering the San Francisco Nike women's marathon in the fall (also very hilly of course- San Francisco) where you get a Tiffany Necklace at the end as your medal, served on a silver platter by the local firemen dressed in tuxes. How can a girl resist. Oh hills, why must you torment me? But for the little robin's egg blue box, I think I just might. Suzy, wanna come?


I say run while you can! What if next year you're pregnant? Or have a (non-running-induced) injury? Or what if the air quality makes running impossible? Or... You just never know.

I was totally inspired by this video I found this morning. This guy video taped his Disneyworld Marathon. The nostalgia actually brought tears to my eyes- especially watching the starting line (warning: hand-held camera=shaky running footage), seeing the other runners, the crowd, the whole marathon atmosphere. Can't wait to do it again.



Ksenia left a question on our last post:
Great resolutions! Sorry I couldn't make it for the run with you guys this week. I did about 6 miles today! I feel great. There is nothing better than that feeling of achievement when I finish my run. I agree with you that I really start enjoying it fully only after mile 3!

If I run in the morning, at around 8-9, do I need to eat breakfast? My stomach seems to deal with the run better if I don't. What is the official runner's doctrine on that?

Thanks! You guys are my inspiration!

My thoughts are as follows: We 3 think eating before the race is a good idea, as it settles your stomach. Gels and Gatorade are hard on the stomach. However if you are going to do this you need to practice on the long training runs. We liked a half or full piece of (dry) toast, (D likes a hard-boiled egg), and 1/2 a banana. We also practiced with bananas and pretzels mid-run since that's what the aid stations hand out. Avoid fatty foods, dairy, too much protein, too much fiber/roughage. Also, drink liquids (6-8 oz) as soon as you get up, then 6-8 oz/hour (Galloway's Book on Running p. 90) before you run. I have never been able to eat before a run until I started practicing. I had to put the toast in the toaster the second I got up so I wasn't eating too close to the run.

XOXO

~K

Training for your spring half marathons

Danna cracking up about a hilarious joke I must've told.

Kristin, relishing the joy of her new baby lap-top from Matt!

Ha ha! Yes, we like to lounge in bed all day on Saturday's. Usually in our own respective beds, but when there's serious blogging to do- we don't mind sharing the space. That's just the kind of bff's we are! :P

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Hey all! It's actually Danna AND Kristin! We are sitting side-by-side with our little computers hammering out the details for all our trainees for the upcoming race season.

We are all signed up for both the SLC and the Ogden Half Marathons! This is the great news Kristin eluded to in her last post. We didn't think we could get into the Ogden, but thanks to Danna's skills of persuasion and our running blog- we're in!! If you wanna run it too, you can still sign up for the Salt Lake! We have "She Runs Like a Girl" team and we welcome anyone who wants to to join us for our Saturday runs.

Every week we will give you the week's training schedule for whichever half-marathon you are running! Both races are known to be well run and scenic. Super! We are SO excited! Our 'she runs like a girl' team rocks! Ogden Marathon has even asked our team for feedback to use for promotion for next year's race- you'll be famous!!

Here are the schedules in their entirety for convenience. Each week we will post what you should run, what you need to concentrate on, tips for that specific week, and what equipment/nutrition you need to have. You are going to be a super-star and we are going to help you! Check back often to stay up-to-date. Please feel free to ask questions or comment on how you are feeling.

Here we are with our little Saturday running group! My [Danna's] mom and my Russian sister, Ksenia. We had a great run today.


Plan on running Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays (whether you run with us or not) with a walk on Thursdays. The remaining days are rest days, which means REST.

Salt Lake Half Marathon Training Schedule:

Race Day Saturday April 17th,
Every Monday and Wednesday, Run 30 min
Every Thursday go for an easy walk.

Here are the mileages for the Saturdays:

Jan 9-Run/Walk 5 miles
Jan 16- Run/Walk 2.5 miles
Jan 23-Run/Walk 6.5 miles
Jan 30-Run/Walk 3 miles
Feb 6- Run/Walk 8 miles
Feb 13- Run/Walk 3 miles
Feb 20-Run/Walk 9.5 miles
Feb 27- Run/Walk 4 miles
Mar 6- Run/Walk 11 miles
Mar 13- Run/Walk 4 miles
Mar 20-Run/Walk 12.5 miles
Mar 27-Run/Walk 4 miles
April 3- Run/Walk 14 miles
April 10-Run/Walk 5 miles
April 17- Race Day!

Ogden Half Marathon Training Schedule:

Race Day, Sat, May 15th
Every Monday and Wednesday run 30 minutes
Every Thursday go for an easy walk.

Here are the Saturday long runs:

Jan 23-Run/Walk 3 miles
Jan 30-Run/Walk 4 miles
Feb 6-Run/Walk 5 miles
Feb 13-Run/Walk 2.5 miles
Feb 20-Run/Walk 6.5 miles
Feb 27-Run/Walk 3 miles
Mar 6- Run/Walk 8 miles
Mar 13-Run/Walk 3 miles
Mar 20-Run/Walk 9.5 miles
Mar 27-Run/Walk 4 miles
Apr 3-Run/Walk 11 miles
Apr 10-Run/Walk 4 miles
Apr 17-Run/Walk 12.5 miles
Apr 24-Run/Walk 4 miles
May 1- Run/Walk 14 miles
May 8-Run/Walk 5 miles
May 15- Race Day

Any questions??

These are Jeff Galloway's running schedules. You should check his web-site for more detailed information and running precautions. "If you are already doing more than is on this schedule, you can continue to maintain that schedule, as long as your legs are recovering quickly between runs. You may begin on the week which has a long run as long as you're currently running." You can link to his site here. We assume no responsibility for injuries acquired during training. Consult a doctor before beginning any new work-out. :)

XOXO,
K & D

Weekend of fabulousness. -or- Back in the running game!

This is Kristin.

Okay, okay, so I have missed a couple of my regularly scheduled blog entries. Whoopsie! (PS: Kristina Barss, what happened to your regular comment-making ways??)

Well, we have some super exciting news. To get the second bit of news, you'll have to check some of our up-coming blog entries, cuz I can't bear to say all the fun things in one shot!

See this sexy man I'm with? Well he and I have signed up for the SLC half marathon! Anyone else running it? It's going to be so much fun, and I'm psyched to run it with Matt. It's fun (and motivating) to have a big race to look forward to. Guess who else is running it. Danna! And her mom, and like a bunch of her other friends and family. My sister Karin and her hubby might run it too. What a blast!! Wanna join us? It's not too late to sign up.

Another bit of exciting news? My foot..........IS HEALED!!! Yes, it really is. I have been symptom free for several runs, and last week I ran 3 days, over 18 miles total- PAIN FREE! You have no idea how great this is, and what a relief it is too. (PS: My theory on what caused my plantar fasciitis? Not the marathon, but rather the soft flat shows I wore daily for weeks while trying to nurse my other injury.)

I had the BEST and most fabulous week last week. Having New Year's off, I lounged around in bed both Friday and Saturday until the afternoon really. Went running with D both days, and had a blast hanging out with that sexy guy in the photo up there. He spent all his Christmas gifts cards on fun things for us to do together. What a sweetheart.

That same week, some of my favorite people in the world came over.
It was so good to catch up with old college roommates and friends! I love em. I want them to move in with us. Will you guys?


They just happened to marry some of our college guy-friends. Why is Matt replaced in this picture with my friend Ryan? Ryan showed up, and Matt got the flu and went upstairs. I think he was sick of parading around the party in an N-95 mask. :) PS. I may even do a triathlon with some of these guys. Not sure I can swim though.

Another major highlight of the weekend?

What do you notice about the sky in this picture? That's right! It's not dark or sunrise-y. Yes, Danna and I ran in the afternoon! We both like to sleep in and laze in bed. I think we called each other around 2 pm asking, "Are you up?" And those runs were the funnest! (Even though I was a total wimp and needed pep talks all along the run. So out of shape. Curse you plantar fasciitis! **fist shake**) We had that really great kind of girl talk where you go home feeling awesome home refreshed. You know the ones. The runs where you laugh, yell, cry, reassure, thank, listen. I also finished The Book Thief, which D finished a few days earlier. That was one of the things that provoked tears on the run. Sad! Holocaust book! D loved it. I have mixed emotions.

Here's what I'm reading (and loving!) now:


XOXO -K

Running under the blue moon

Posted by: Kristin

Bundled up before the run. After a few minutes that scarf and my coat were gone!

My first experience wearing a grocery store bag on my feet for a snowy trail. Highly recommended! Didn't cause hot feet or discomfort at all! I think adding that foot powder we like would've been even better.

Note to self- trim toenails more often. My pinky nail jabbed me all through the run!

I just found out that last night (December 31st) was a blue moon! A blue moon is the rare situation in which there is a full moon twice in one month. This only occurs one every 2-3 years. Hence the famous phrase "once in a blue moon." No, it's not a person mooning you when they're cold.

Well, most people have to wait until it gets dark to enjoy the blue moon, but we 3 got to see it nice and early Wednesday morning. We didn't realize it was a blue moon at the time, but we did get look at it and comment on how full and beautiful it looked. Seriously, winter morning runs are so gorgeous!

What a beautiful run! But a seriously tough one for me. I think I'm majorly out of shape compared to D and S. I was huffing and puffing and begging for walks. They were gliding along like nimble gazelles, and I was a clumsy rhino in the few inches of soft/sandy snow. They were Olympic speed skaters and I was just putting on my first skates; they were Thumper on the ice and I was Bambi. You get the idea- I was working hard! D and S had their Yaktrax. I'm considering getting something like that, cuz my bod was so so sore from stabilizing the whole run! Sheesh!
Here's D's sidewalk to give you an idea of the snow depth- our path was NOT plowed, thankyouverymuch.

Me, coyly showing my frosty hat.
I really wanted to get a shot of D's hair- white with frost, but I kid you not, 5-10 seconds after we entered her house the frost was melted!

This pic doesn't do justice to the bright red stripes on my ribs and belly. Even after the hot shower these spots stayed super red from being cold! This always happens where I have excess body fat (yes I have a bit over my ribs there). Weird! A fun reminder of where you need to lose a little! Not.

Wish you could see this pic up close! Suzy's hairs were each individually wrapped in frost- just like pine needles get in the morning. It looked so cool. It was cooler that usual since we ran through some seriously wet foggy spots. It felt like running through a humidifier's stream!

Hey!! No one has said anything about my last post where we invited y'all to run with us! No takers? What if it's at 11:00 am? C'mon, don't be afraid, ladies!

Happy New Year! XOXO

"Caa-n't ggett wwwarm"

(Danna)

Today I ran 8 miles. Thought it would be a great run- quality time with me and my I-pod. I ran 11 with my mom on Saturday. I thought today would be a walk in the proverbial park- only the park was 19 degrees. I felt so heavy and so slow and so tired the whole run. I was excited to try out my new gear I got for Christmas- including Yaktrax, but I was so sweaty from the beginning of the run- not a good thing when it's in the teens. I walked a bit at the mid-point to talk on the phone, between that, being a sweaty moose, and changing my running direction- it was all over. By the time I got home I was SHHHIIIIVVVERRRRIIIINNNGGGG! We have noticed that when you let yourself get that cold, It's hard to warm up. Even after a long, hot-water-tank-emptying-shower, I am still cold. This is how Adam found me when he got home.

Yes- two hats, three sweatshirts, in a heated home, one foot from the fireplace. I won't tell you how many hours it was later. Moral of the story- Don't cool down mid-run when it's 19 degrees. And in answer to your next question- yes, duh.

Testing the (frozen) waters...

(By: Kristin)

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas. I know I did. I got a few new running items from Matt's family, so that'll be fun to put to use on the trail. Nothing helps get you on the winter trial like new gear to test out.

Speaking of getting out there, I am wondering how many of you would be interested in a winter run with us on some Saturday? If you are, leave a comment and say what Saturday works for you, what time you would prefer, and how many miles you are capable of running. Don't be shy! We'll take it all into consideration, but I was thinking some time in January or February would be fun! Maybe some time around 7 am? I have a lot of friends who have been telling me they want to get out there and run in the cold, but they have no one to go with, and haven't figured out what to wear. Wouldn't it be a blast to get a bunch of chicks out there on the Jordan River Parkway and gab while we knock out a few miles? We'll help advise you novices about what to bring/wear before the big day.

On another note, I am so bummed! The Ogden Half Marathon (which all 3 of us have procrastinated signing up for) is now full! What a bummer. Maybe we'll think about the SLC half in April? I never thought I'd be capable of running a spring half or marathon because I didn't think I could bear winter training. Ladies, I'm here to say, it's possible! And honestly not as painful as I had once believed. If I can do winter running, anyone can. Seriously- I'm ALWAYS freezing cold. But our runs have been downright comfy and cozy, I tell you!

Anyway, don't forget to mention your interest in our SheRunsLikeAGirl group run if you're thinking about it!

Check out the amazing winner of the NY Marathon! (Warning: must endure a bit of David Letterman.)



XOXO
-KM

13 degrees F and 28 degrees F

This is Suzy. I've never stopped to think of the difference of a mere 15 degrees in cold weather temperature. Today, I did a lot of thinking about it. I asked my husband to check the low for today so that I could put on the right amount of layers for our run. It was supposed to be 13 degrees F. The actual temperature on our run was 28 degrees F. I never thought I would say this but I was too warm, no, hot, for a run out in the snow. Danna and I hadn't even run a mile before we had to stop and strip off an entire layer of clothing. That was certainly a sight that we were glad no one but ourselves witnessed. I even left my clothes to the side of the trail because it was too hot to tie them around my waist.

Today, it was snowing as we ran. The excellent hat Danna and Kristin gave me kept the snow off my face. Yeah! My excellent yaktrax kept me from sliding in the snow and ice. Poor Danna. I think she wanted to punch me for all the times I told her how much I liked not slipping on the ground. She will, though, have much finer calves than me because she had to work so much harder to keep her balance than I did. Maybe she will get some spikes so she doesn't slide as much either.

It is a beautiful experience to run in freshly fallen snow, undisturbed, glistening, white. It was also a beautiful experience to cross paths with Larry while we were running very hard. We think he must be very impressed with us and our dedication to the sport.

The Winter Running Blahs

By: Kristin

It's snowing like mad outside and I am not happy about it. Part of that is due to the fact that my Snow Shoveler has a sore post-dislocation shoulder. I'm also not looking forward to running in it tomorrow.

I know Danna and Suzy have braved much worse, but I am a wimp. I find it so so hard to motivate my lazy bum out of bed at Vicky:thirty in the cold. Even more-so in the snow. I long for lovely summer morning runs where I don't even need a jacket.

I just got peppy text messages from both Danna and Suzy stating that we'll run at 6. I replied, "see u then" and they replied "OK!" Really? The exclamation point?

So how do I get out of bed?
1. Sheer peer pressure. (Say that little tongue twister10x fast!)
2. Fear of weight gain/desire for weight loss. Yes, even greater desire for weight loss/non-gain than for comfort, warmth, and sleep.
3. Fabulous conversation with ma girls.
4. Addiction to the "runner's high."
5. Seriously, once you do it a couple times you realize it really is not that bad. It's quite comfortable even (after the warm-up phase) and truly refreshing.
6. To avoid losing the stamina we've gained. Who wants to start huffing and puffing at 3 miles all over again?

Ok, so I'm going to do this. I think after a while you stop questioning and just go through the motions. Anyone have any motivation helps??

Guess I'll go shovel snow now.
XOXO

Adventurous Washington weekend

This is Kristin, posting to you live from Washington (state). Matt and I came to see our friends Matt and Alicia Curtis for Matt C's 30th Bday.

First of all, it's a 13 hour drive from SLC so we drove all night long. This was a rough night for many reasons. The weather was rainy and verrrry foggy, the roads were icy, and I had a hard time sleeping soundly (despite the fact that Matt is an excellent night/snow driver/stay-up -all-nighter. Alicia offered to get us a hotel room, but much to my disappointment, Matt said he'd prefer she just put the money toward our gas fill-ups to help with the over-all cost of the trip. I was bummed. :)

At about 2:30 Matt and I had a super scary experience in a snowy mountain. The battery light kept coming on, the head and dash lights kept getting dimmer, and the wipers kept getting slower. So did the car. Seriously, just writing about it gives me anxiety- it was so freaky! We couldn't find an exit and didn't think we'd make it to the next one (we later learned it was 20 more minutes away anyway). The car slowly came to a puttering stop and we barely made it off the road. We sat shivering and said a prayer. To make a long story short we had a long tow to the nearest town (which was behind us) and cost over $300! Then the alternator needed repair which cost ~$300. We had to sit and wait for the repair shop to open, wait for parts, wait for repairs... Oh and while we waited Matt slipped on the ice and dislocated his shoulder (again!!!) and we bummed a ride to the emergency room. Rough trip, eh?

Well, it was amazing to see our prayers answered in so many ways. On that mountain there was no phone reception, but somehow I just happened to have a bar left when we needed to call the police and tow truck (and Dad). We found the only spot where there was adequate shoulder to pull over. The repair shop said it would be 2 days but we found a nice local teen who fixed it for us that day (and ran to other towns looking for parts). The hospital had no drugs for Matt, but he was able to stand the "re-location" drug-free! What a stud! He's so awesome and tough. The towns people we amazing- offering rides, buying us breakfast, finding a mechanic. It was this hilariously classic small town where EVERYONE knew each other, and knew who we were within a couple hours. The town is called Cle Elum, Washington, and I think the following pictures sum it up.


I found them under Google images for Cle Elum. They are very Cle Elum-ish. Matt agrees.

FINALLY after a 24-hour+ journey, we were back on the road. We got to our friends' house, and went straight to the movie theater for Avatar in IMAX 3-D! It was so awesome, people. Then we went to Red Robin- Matt and Matt's favorite restaurant. Then we came home and crashed (poor Matt hadn't slept since we got up on Thursday)!

The trip was fun and therapeutic for all of us I think (once we got there!). We all love talking, and playing games. They are such good friends to us! We're leaving tomorrow morning. Needless to say I am dreading the drive home, but we decided to do it during the day this time.

During the trip I did get to go on a run! My foot is feeling better and better, and I had no pain at all! I ran around some of the neighborhoods and business areas (I may have done about 4 miles?) and had a great time. Seattle's weather is usually cloudy and misty or rainy. The air was completely saturated with mist and it was really refreshing to run through. It felt like running inside a humidifier! I loved seeing all the trees covered with moss. It was nice to have no snow. My new hat was perfect for the mist and the cool (see Suzy's post a week or so ago).

I love going running when I'm out of town! You get to check out new trails, new weather, and see the area from a runner's perspective. I also love passing fellow runners and sharing that, "We are awesome for being out here in this wet/cold weather" look.

Anyone ever run in a cool city while on vacation? We wanna hear about it.

Cold weather calves

Here is my tip of the day. If you want fine calves, and I'm not talking about cows, run 10.35 miles on top of crunchy cold snow. This is what Danna and I ran Thursday. Kristin, unfortunately, will not have calves as fine as ours because she only ran 6 miles. Sorry Kristin. I think every little tendon, ligament, and muscle in my foot was burning (the only part of me that was due to the 7 degree weather) as I struggled to keep my balance in the snow. Danna kept saying positive things like, "This is the best workout," and "We couldn't strengthen these muscles any other way," and "This will help us not to sprain our ankles." My thoughts will not be mentioned because they weren't nearly so cheery. It is nice to run with a team because there is no way I would be getting such fine calves or exercise on my own. Ouch!

We're ba-ack!

Ok, here's what we have decided:

We want to blog more often, and we decided to make our posts shorter and get a little more organized. We will be blogging about our running, work-out, and life adventures everyday. Here's the schedule:

Mondays: Danna
Tuesdays: Kristin
Wednesdays: Suzy
Thursdays: Danna
Fridays: Suzy
Saturdays: whoever feels like it!
Sundays: Kristin

We just have too many fun, inspirational, and deliciously sarcastic things to share about our little hobby-turned-obsession.

On a side note we had a great run today! It was only 7.5 degrees out there! The great thing is that we're really getting this winter running thing down to a science! If Danna emails me tonight I'll post a picture of our frozen eyelashes, frosted hats ponytails and backs, and/or the large square block of solid ice on D's bum as her water bottle leaked drip by drip. Waa haa haa. I poked it and it made a hilarious crunch.

We also need to tell you that we have new appreciation for the beauty of winter having seen it through sleepy, moon-lit fog. The pine trees were perfectly coated with thick jagged frost and the ground sparkled like diamonds. Oh! And our footfalls made that satisfying creaky sound you hear when you're snow-shoeing alone in the mountains. Awesome!

Blizzard Run

Did I say I was going to shut-up about the cold? Oh- well, that was before we did a run in the blizzard. Whats that Danna? You and Suzy ran on Tues DURING the blizzard? Why yes- we did, and I'll admit it- we felt cool. (or maybe just cold. ha ha) This is what it looked like when I opened the front door to let in Suzy this morning....

And maybe even scarier- this is what Suzy looked like!

At 6 whatever in the morning, all I do is grunt, but Suzy shows up chipper- and with a comedy routine. I laughed so hard at her.

Suzy taught me a new farm-girl trick. We wrapped our feet in these plastic grocery bags and tied them around our ankles, and then put our shoes on. That Suzy- shes a smart one. Note for when we publish a running book; when running in snow well above your ankles, try to keep your feet dry. We're going to be millionaires with that book I'm telling you.
It was a cold, WET run. The trail was NOT clear at Vicky:thirty, so we just ran through it. It was such a HARD workout! My muscles were screaming! It took us an extra 12 minutes to do our regular 5 miles, just because it was such hard work. I said I felt like Rocky in that one movie where he fights the Russian. Suzy stood tall and yelled DRACO!!!! (which I guess is the Russians name). Very funny- to us anyway. K was sleepy sleeping away with that foot. I think the foot does not think we are funny or enjoyable to run with. We miss her.

This is what we looked like when we got home. The neighbors are truly convinced I am insane and have turned my friends insane too.

Adam took a picture for us. and just shook his head. We had fun, it was like kids excited to go out and play in the snow again. I secretly loved it.

Here is Adam patching up (fingers crossed here) the last drywall hole in our remodel/gutting of the house tonight! The kitchen color is the top right green. Whaddayathink?

It's cold out there

Well life here certainly came to a screeching halt after the marathon didn't it! I kinda miss the little blog friend and all of you, so I will do better now- I almost promise. Winter running is a whole new ball of wax people. For one thing... wait for the profoundness.... It's cold out there! We did our first run in the teens this week. I know I keep saying this- but it was cold! It takes every ounce of will power in my body to get up at ridiculous:thirty and put on layer after layer of clothing- and then GO OUTSIDE IN THE DARK AND RUN! I have spent obscene amounts of money on winter gear. I needed a nice warm "jersey" to layer over other thinner running shirts. I bought a "last year model" brooks top with silver in it- it is supposed to regulate your body temp better. It was on sale half off from $98. Seriously. It's just a shirt. But I'll tell you running in it is a dream. it is too fabulous. I next invested in a barrier jacket- for wind and water protection. $100. Needed a warm hat to cover my ears and keep the snow off of my face- $25. Am I beginning to sound like a master-card add? I keep thinking the totaling bills will begin to stop, but as it gets colder and colder, I need more and more layers. Suzy, K and I still do one longer run per week usually on Thursdays to keep our conditioning up. K is having major foot problems since the marathon. She really hasn't been able to do too much running. So Thurs we set off, ran 2 miles, turned around dropped off K and then continued. We did about 9.5 miles. By the time I arrive at work after all that, I feel like it should be about 5 o'clock- time to wind down for the day. I did not wear the right, seemingly impossible to figure out each day, amount of layers on Thursday. I was cold the WHOLE run. By the time we got home after about 2 hours of running, I was TOO cold. There is a story there, but believe me, you don't want to hear it, and I don't want to tell it. Hence another stop at Wasatch Running. One of the only girls who works there- Heather- is a sweet angel. I was mortified to tell her the story- but I needed some advice. She was the angel they pay her to be, and told me how to add another layer without bulking up. Suzy, is the opposite of me. I head to the running store for more, she just digs deeper in her I'm-a-farm-girl-and-I'm-sure-I-have-something-in-this-winter-clothes-box-that-will-work kind of girl. I try to be like her but it's hard. Suzy has this huge blue wind breaker that she wears with the hood up as her barrier layer. You have to talk really loud in the beginning of the run so she can hear you over the loud crackling sounds it makes. I'm sure the neighbors LOVE us. We miss K and we keep praying that her foot will heal. Therapy, I mean running is not the same with out her.

My mom is training for a marathon. She won't admit that- and even denies it, but you should see her. We run together on Saturdays and Mondays. A few weeks ago I suggested she try running a couple of minutes, then walk one. Last Saturday we ran- she was running at least 3 minutes and then walking a strictly held one minute. I told we we could eventually work up to running 4, then 5 etc. Eventually we would try to run half a mile, then walk one minute- for at least five miles a day. So today- I went out to run with her- we ran almost 7 miles and she already was walking only every half mile. IN ONE WEEK! She is AMAZING. My mom looks at obstacles, and then climbs right over them.

After our run we went to Cafe Rio- hey we just ran almost 7 miles ok? Right after us in line were 4 soldiers in fatigues, there for lunch. We smiled at them, but we looked seriously scary in sweaty clothes and hair. A man in from of us discreetly leaned over to the first soldier and slipped him $40. I heard him tell him, "Can you do me a favor? Buy all of your lunches with this- and thank you for your service." The soldier showed the others the money- and each insisted and shaking the mans hand. We watched each one thank the man and smile. I felt so proud of my fellow Americans and I felt so proud of the regal soldiers. I felt that special Christmas spirit touch my heart. My mom and I both were teary. It was a sweet moment to witness, and I feel grateful to be a part of a community that notices others. My cousin Sarabeth just had a baby this week- while her husband is in Afghanistan. He is in such a remote area it took awhile to even get word to him that he was a dad to a new baby girl. They haven't still been able to even talk. She is a brave example of sacrifice for others. She is also the wife of an American hero. I have spent a Christmas missing my husband. I have spent days hoping that somewhere in Iraq, someone would make sure he got a good meal. I have felt the fear of watching bombs fall on TV and hoping he wasn't near. To all those who have ever thanked a soldier-- thank you. That is what America truly stands for- each other. I think I'll shut up about the cold and enjoy the warmth that I have.