Okay, how much has happened since my last post? Enough.

After the 5K on the 4th, my long runs didn’t go well. My legs felt very tired, and there was just no pickup. I didn’t feel great going into the Bryce Canyon Half-Marathon. However, that morning, I felt awesome! So awesome in fact, that I went out way too fast (I seriously clocked an 8-minute mile for mile 3, and didn’t slow down much until mile 6). I died by mile 7 – my back hurt, the back of my knees hurt…the early and fast downhill had just been too much for me. I finished in 2 hours, 18 minutes. Not SO far from my goal, but far enough.

Since then, I’ve been taking it pretty easy. I’ve still be running, but more like 10 – 15 miles a week and not a really long run (no longer than 6 miles) on the weekends. We took a 10 day vacation in early August, and I ran a few times, but just enough to it wouldn’t be hard to get back on schedule when vacation was over.

The truth is, I’ve felt great – much better than before the half, when my legs were tired and I just couldn’t make them go.

Yesterday was Labor Day to most of you. To me, it was Miner Day, Park City’s town celebration day. It, of course, starts off with a 5K! In the past couple of years, the course has been short. I let them know last year via email that they might want to work on that… And…they did! It was a full 5K this year! Yesterday morning was cold. It was supposed to be really cold, but the weather smiled on us – I felt comfortable enough to wear shorts, a short-sleeved shirt, and gloves. It was the perfect outfit for the weather.

I felt like I was going really fast. Was I having a breakthrough run? I knew there weren’t too many people in front of me, and I was passing just as many as were passing me…I finished, stopped my Nike+, and realized I was seriously not having a breakthrough run. I was running…not fast! But, hey, I was running faster than everyone else apparently. On a side note, always remember to kick at the end – I totally counted this girl I passed as gone, and she ALMOST caught up to me. Timing chips put her at 0.1 seconds behind me.

Anyway, as soon as the race finished, I said hi to another Olaf Alum who often runs the same races I do, and left the race to hit breakfast. I hadn’t even registered for the raffle, and it would just be ridiculous to think I placed in the top 3 in my age group (not that there have ever been age group awards before this year!). But then a friend met up with us after breakfast – and said he heard my name called. I checked with the organizers today – I was third in the female 20 – 35 age group. Huge age group, right? Oh, and I was 4.5 minutes slower than the girl who was 2nd. Like I said, I didn’t go fast, just faster than everybody else. But, I have to say, I am super-excited to have placed in my age group for once. Next time I hope it’s because I actually went fast

Okay, there are many reasons I love running, and there will likely be many posts with this title through the years.

But here’s the reason (as of last Thursday before I went on vacation) this time:

I love that your mind and body both simultaneous tell you that you can’t do it and that you can do it. Then when you do it (since you could all along), the feeling of power and accomplishment is always there for you.

When I started my run Thursday, I thought there was no way I could finish it. I had planned a 5-mile tempo run, which in my slightly out-of-shape-state right now, means a one mile warm-up, 3 to 3.5 miles at (or around) race pace, and a .5 mile to one mile cool down. Ha! I was exhausted. I had spent the whole day trying to finish everything so I could leave town, didn’t get through as much as I wanted, had to pack and work for the rest of the evening, but knew I had to get my run in…

I started running around the track with a ‘not gonna happen, so we’ll just see how far we get’ mentality. About half a lap around my 12th of a mile track, I got a sharp pain through my left ankle. OW! But, that was it. It was done. About another lap around and my right calf tightened up for a few laps. Annoying calf. But it got better. I got on the treadmill and cranked up the speed to something I knew I could handle for three miles and it went so fast! I turned up the speed a couple of times when I knew I was going to make it. By the end, I was in a great mood, knowing I did a workout as planned even though when I started, everything was telling me I couldn’t.

Now I have to get that ‘tempo’ speed up to where I want it to be – which is certainly not where it was for that workout. I made a good start earlier this week…but that’s another post.

As is my god-given right when tax season ends, I went skiing on April 16. And I fell. Hard. It was one of those slow motion falls during which I heard my helmet hit the ground and thought ‘man, I’m glad I’m wearing a helmet’, then felt my arm get pulled behind me and thought ‘gee, that hurts a lot’, and then finally stopped falling…man did my shoulder hurt when I stopped falling! (Of course I didn’t notice that – I was busy wondering where my other ski was).

After waiting for a sufficient time period that the response wouldn’t be ‘rest, ice, ibuprofen, come back if it doesn’t feel better’ (which I did, and yes, my doctor confirmed for me two weeks was the right time to come in), I went to the doctor today. He did all sorts of motion, strength, pain tests on my shoulder. Took x-rays. I may have a tiny hairline fracture in my shoulder, but he thinks it’s really a torn rotator cuff. He wants me to have an MRI, and so I’m spending the next few days figuring out if I can afford one. Those things are expensive!

I told him the shoulder feels really good when I run, and really good after. He confirmed that with me several times, and didn’t tell me to stop running. So I’m going to keep running. Thank goodness he didn’t tell me to stop running…

Just for the record, I made no resolutions for 2010.

However, late last week I decided I should plan a race schedule for the year. First of all because it gives me something to look forward to during tax season. Second of all because it’s fun to make schedules and lists.

I have a couple of ‘definitely’ races, and a bunch of ‘maybe’ races.

Unfortunately what’s not on here that I would someday love to do is the Salt Lake City Track Club’s winter running series. It’s a 5K at the end of January, a 10K two weeks later, and a 15K two weeks after that – all for $40! Unfortunately I just can’t commit to that 10K and 15K in February with tax season. But maybe someday…

Okay:

January 30 (maybe): Hale Theater 10K in Orem, UT. We’ll see if I have time and how I’m feeling.

April 17 (maybe): SLC Half-Marathon. If I have time to get in some long runs right at the end of tax season, this shouldn’t be too big of a deal.

April 24 (maybe): A friend has invited me to come do the Country Music Half-Marathon in Nashville with her. We’ll see if I can find cheap flights or anything.

June 18 – 19 (definitely): The Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay. This is my third year in a row, and I just got confirmation my team is still willing to let me run with them

July 4 (definitely): Park City 4th of July Mountain 5K…or whatever it’s called. It’s the same race and course it’s been for as long as I can remember. It’s my favorite run.

July 17 (maybe): Bryce Canyon Half-Marathon. I’ve wanted to do this for a couple of years now. It starts super early so you finish before it gets super hot, but it’s a fast and largely downhill course. Plus going down to Southern Utah, Chris and I could probably bag a peak or two – check out chickensox.org/utsummits for more info.

September 6 (more than likely): Miner’s Day Funky 5K. Why the heck not? Doesn’t everybody want to get up early and run UP Park Avenue?

September 11: Mid-Mountain Marathon. I’ve volunteered at the finish line for a couple of years, and the truth is – this course scares the crap out of me. It starts at Deer Valley Resort, follows the mid-mountain trail through Park City Mountain Resort, over into the Canyons Resort, and ends at the bottom of the Canyons. I’ve asked a good friend to run it with me so it won’t be as scary for me mentally.  Plus I’ll have this goal of trying to keep up with him, which should keep me at a good pace.

November 25 (definitely): some sort of Turkey Trot. Wherever I am, wherever it is.

The big run for the weekend is going to be tomorrow. It’s a great break for a Sunday, plus it helps me get Chris to the gym on Saturday.

I had planned some light cardio, then some arm and ab work.

My courage came through today, and I wore some tight running shorts that I’ve been toying with wearing since getting them at a great 50 cent price at a garage sale this summer. I wasn’t sure if they’d be good for long runs or not, and that is still something I have to find out.

For some reason the elliptical machine cut me off at 10 minutes instead of 15. So I got on the treadmill for another 5. Good start to trying out the new tight shorts for running, though I’ll probably try them for a longer (4 to 5 mile) run sometime next week before taking them for a long run.

I did some ab work, then on to my pitiful arms. Actually, my biceps aren’t so bad. It’s the triceps. They’re so sad. I did some work on both. I was slightly miffed when I discovered my right bicep is ridiculously less strong than my left. When I got home, I think I discovered the main culprit. I shred cheese with my left hand. I tried shredding with my right…it didn’t work.  Going to have to find a way to get my right side working hard.