Losin' the Love

Running has not been so good to me lately. I'm trying really hard to feel the love. Here's the rundown:

I went to Girls Camp a few weeks ago so I was able to get some mountain runs in. I was excited about the cool weather - but running on "trails" is hard for me. You see, I'm a shuffler. I don't mean to be, but I guess I don't lift up my feet much, I'm always kicking rocks and turning my ankles on tiny cracks in the pavement, so running on uneven gravel is not easy for me. The first run was really hard, I turned my ankle about a dozen times on the first half of the run, then around 4 miles when Lindy had gotten pretty far ahead of me I finally took a spill. My ankle turned and I went down! As I was falling I instinctively yelled, but even as I yelled I was worried that I would scare Lindy. I scraped up my knee and banged my elbow pretty good, but tried to hop back up and brave the rest of the run. The next day we ran on the gravel road with rolling hills, the terrain was much better for my weak ankles but I could feel the elevation difference, I was sucking wind at a slower than normal pace and my knee hurt from yesterdays fall. Luckily later that day I was in a canoe that tipped over in the pond and was wearing my running shoes, so since my shoes were wet I skipped the "hill repeats" that Lindy ran the next morning, thank goodness I had an excuse!

On a side note, another problem with trail running besides my weak ankles is that I want to look around and enjoy the scenery, but I am so clumsy I have to have my eye on the trail the whole time. I may have to go back to hiking the trails and enjoying the view and just pounding the pavement!

So back in town I ran last Saturday - it's getting warm here and the heat kills me. I felt like my legs were concrete. I came home and had some major back pain and just felt generally lousy all weekend. I went to the doctor on Monday (I already had the appointment to talk to the doc about some other stuff) and mentioned my back pain, etc and she looked me over and determined I have shingles!!! I hadn't thought anything of the small rash on my back, I figured I had gotten some bug bites at camp. Can you believe it? Isn't that a disease for the elderly and weak? I had run 11 miles two days earlier! So I'm on some anti-virals and tylenol for the pain and guess what...todays run was better, not great but better.

I'm looking forward to some vacation runs. I leave for Mexico tomorrow so I'll have some good beach runs and then a few weeks later we'll be in San Diego. I hope I feel the love again!

Where in the world have you ran?

This morning on my run I was thinking how fun it's been seeing where everyone is running as you vacation or travel. I thought it would be fun to make a list on the side of the blog of states/cities/countries where we've ran. So start racking your brain of all the places you've traveled and pounded the pavement. Maybe within our small running group, we can cover all 50 states and perhaps some exotic places, too. One of my husband's friends and his wife just went on a cruise to Italy. Wouldn't that be amazing to go on a run in Italy? Sadly, he did not invite us to tag along but if I ever go to Italy, I'm definitely packing my running shoes. My husband and I honeymooned in Hawaii. Unfortunately, I did not have running on my mind and failed to pack my running shoes, dang it! I think we've got UT and AZ covered unless you've ran in some little known city you want to list.

I Prefer the Dark

Most weekdays, I go running WAY early. It is usually nice and dark when I head out. It is also nice and quiet -- no other runners around. I've decided I make a much better solitary runner because I'm so stinking competitive. Whenever I see another runner, I ALWAYS compare my speed to hers/his. I also ALWAYS think I need to be faster than she/he. I believe I've mentioned before that I am not a fast runner, but I certainly tend to think I'm Marian Jones when it comes to another runner in my path. Sometimes it takes all of my conscious effort to stop my brain from thinking that I need to outrun the unsuspecting foe. The worst is when I get passed, especially when the person who passes me seems to be running at a turtle's pace, because of course that means that I am running at much slower than a turtle's pace. On Saturday, I was injured and was super, extra, way slow. Everyone passed me - the old guy, the one chubbier than I, the one with a dog, the soccer player, and the super sprinter. I had to concentrate on my book, think of taking it easy on my leg, and cheer those runners on. Good for them for getting out of bed! Good for them for running faster than I was running! Good for them for not turning around to stick out their tongues and mock me!

Young Women's Camp, etc...

This past week I had the opportunity to run with new scenery. And hills, beautiful hills. Girls camp was located at Triple T Ranch, 8 miles east of Heber. It was fun to have dirty, rocky, mountain roads to challenge our ankles. It was fun that another member of the "Islands Running Club" is in our Church Young Women's Program with me- so I even had Cynthia there to run with.

We got home before the long Saturday Run. We started at 5:30 am, and it wasnt too bad. Im happy that we are still mostly comfortable doing out door runs. Last year I moved my running to all in-doors after June 12th. But yesterday was June 20th, and we are still going strong. Only the last half hour of the run started to feel too warm. We are starting to drink more gatorade...needing more eloctrolytes.

This coming week it'll probably be all treadmill.......Im going to keep doing at least Saturdays outside, for as long as I can stand it.

Is Utah perfect running weather now? Im excited that I will get to do some Utah running in July. Im hoping to meet up for a run with Marcie.

Pioneer Trek

Bridgitte asked about Pioneer Trek. I havent had an opportunity to write about it, and now it's been awhile. (You asked specifically about the Women's Pull).

This was all a re-enactment of actual events. An experience to help us appreciate what our ancestors have done.

At one point the Army came and took our men away. The Women were asked if we would continue on. We decided to proceed without our men. We had some really big rough hills to get up. The road was very rocky. The carts we pushed had one big iron wheel on each side. With a yoke in front. Two people would be in the yoke, pushing against a bar. The others would be behind. There were 5 girls in our family. The Mom (me) was not supposed to help push, but after the Men left, I decided it was time for me to jump on and help my girls.

The first group of girls (Ive heard) were bawling by the time they got up the big hill. But girls from the early carts started to run back and help later carts. The girls started to pray as they pushed. To pray for strength. They all started to work together with a prayer on their lips and in their hearts. Sometimes we had to put rocks under the back of the wheels and take a small rest. But we got it up the hill.

We women are lucky and blessed to have gentle-manly men around to open our doors and carry our suitcases. But sometimes I appreciate the opportunity to band together as Sisters and make a difference. Sometimes a sister is sick. One Woman shows up with dinner, another with desert, another to take her children away for the day while she rests. Sometimes it is a sister going through divorce, or a death in the family, or an injured child. Sometimes it is a sister pushing a handcart up the hill, and she looks around to see all her other sisters sweating and pushing with her.

God is on our side. He helps us accomplish our goals. And he blesses us with other sisters who are always ready to push our cart with us, or even for us.

The picture I included is of our handcart, at camp after we arrived. Sorry I dont have a great camera- its my phone razer. But this should give you some idea of the handcart.

A Hill and a Beach

Arizona Runners value a hill. If we come across such a treasure, we take note and remember it. We cherish the feeling of ascending. Of breathing harder and challenging our muscles in a new way. It doesn’t happen often.

I was very excited about the hill I had to run over to get to the beach. The beach was about a mile from our hotel.

In case anyone wants to repeat this vacation- we stayed at the Hyatt. Ive included a picture of the hill I got to run over.

And a picture of the beach I ran along. Although I chose not to run on the sand. I ran on a sidewalk that was parallel to the beach.

I was doing intervals, and so was the guy in front of me. I was hoping to pass him at least once. I didn’t even care if I was passing him on my speedy interval, and it was his slow interval. But it never happened. Oh well. Some satisfactions are never realized. Every time I was about to pass him, he started into a fast sprint. I didn’t see a garmin on his arm. I wondered if he was using me to know when to start a sprint. Maybe every time he heard me gaining?

Part of the morning scenery included 5 or so drop-dead female models in skimpy bikini’s and high heels. They seriously looked more like life-size barbies than real people. A reporter was interviewing them in front of the waves. All part of the San Diego experience!

I intended to run a total of 8 miles. When I was approaching 8 miles, and thought I was almost home, I wondered where my hill was. Then I saw my hotel- across an inlet. Without Cynthia there to navigate, I had somehow taken a wrong turn and ended up in the way wrong place.

After nearly calling Noah several times for a rescue- I ran around until I found the hill home. And ended with only a half mile more than what Id intended. Not a bad “lost”.

Isn’t a new running route one of the absolute best things about vacation???

The Scenic Route

Although I haven't posted in ages, I have been running. Good thing since St. George will be here before we know it! I thought I'd just post a few photos of my running routes from the past month. Since I load books on my phone to listen to while I run, I can also use the phone for photos. It makes for great memories and blog entries, but it's not so hot when trying to keep pace! I have been stopping way too often to snap a few pics. :) Not bad for a camera phone, eh? How can everyone not love running when the scenery is like this??

10 mile run near my parents' home in Wallsburg, Utah.

Six mile run in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Six mile run in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Four mile run on the beach in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Supposed to be a four mile run in Baker City, Oregon.

My father-in-law recommended a route that turned out to be 7.5 miles!

I suppose I should invest in that Garmin. :)