Yay for running!

Have I mentioned I love to run? Well I do. I love to swim and bike too, especially on my new steed, but I love running especially most of the time. I'm not worrying about traffic around me (much), road conditions, wind or even temperature really. Just put the shoes on and get out and run.

Sarah and I survived our ride the day before, and capped it off with Bajio that night. Yum! Woke up about 7:30am, and was on the road by 8am. First section for me was the 6.5 miles on Hwy 18 toward St George. St George has invested a lot of money in their paved trail systems, they're really great, but I wasn't about to spend 20 miles on pavement if I could help it. I proabably got some wierd looks running along side the highway so I could run on the dirt shoulder, but so be it. It was so peaceful and quiet, and downhill...hehehe, a lovely start to the run.

Sarah drove down to Chuckawalla and met me there. We headed up Red Cliff Drive to almost the turn around point, ventured onto what I think is the little loop in Pioneer Park up there on the bluff (hilly, btw, what else is new)

Headed down the "quad busting" 8% hill as I've heard it referred to as, down Red Cliff which I honestly didn't find it that hard to control, but that could be different with really tired legs.

Enjoyed our run down Diagnal to T2, and then the fun started. Nutritionally I was right on. Stayed on top of the fluids and calories and electrolytes, I think by mile 17 it was just my body saying it was tired. I didn't bonk, but tightened up a bit and the pace slowed a little. We climbed back up Diagnol, ran the mean little out and back on 1250 N and headed back for Chuckawalla. I jumped onto some trail there to finish out my last mile, and was pleased with the little added energy boost I had there. Finished the 20 hilly miles under 3:00 which definately made me happy. Great day for a run!

Gotta love recovery drinks!

I really felt well during the run. No gastric issues, no knee pain, a bit of left IT band pain at the end (and a LOT of it the rest of Saturday and Sunday), and the lower half of my calves were real tight after the run, but all in all, the body held up well. Fast forward 2 days to Monday, and my left IT band is still shifting at my hip with almost every step which bothers me, and I have some really good tendonitis in my left foot. I did run on a slant once in a while, but tried to focus on evening it out. Wonder if that had something to do with this excess soreness?

Anyway, recovery drinks downed, we drove over to Sand Hollow. It was kind of funny. We pulled up, payed the $10 day fee (ouch! Doesn't even include use of the showers. A little excessive IMO if you aren't a boater but just plan to play on the beach), and asked the lady about the water. She said it was 51 balmy degrees. Yeah.... :) She also made it sound like there were lots of other swimmers down there. Yeah not so much. There was a group of triathletes getting ready to head out on a ride, but they just kind of laughed at us (and our calf tan lines) when we asked if they'd gotten in the water.

Got the wetsuits pulled on, mine a little more difficult than I've ever experienced, a little worrysome. We were ready to go!

Wait, now we're ready to go :)

The conditions were perfect. Sunny skies, warm, flat still water, and no one in the water. I waded in, knew it was cold, but didn't seem awful. Sarah had to just run in. I was so excited to get to swim open water, something I just love the feeling of, so we dove under and started swimming. After a few hyperventilating breaths we were good. For 10 strokes anyway. Then we both popped up questioning how we were going to do this with painfully freezing hands, feet, and faces. Sarah ingeniously suggested some backstroke, so we proceeded doing about 10 strokes freestyle before turning over for backstroke because the water was so painfully cold on our faces. I really thought I'd get used to it and it'd get better, and darn it, I wanted to just take off and swim! But it never really did, so we proceeded with our freestyle/backstroke swimming out to this buoy and back. Probably only a couple hundred yard, but even that was nice to feel again, and we were sad to get out. Not because the water magically warmed up, but just because we were there, it was beautiful, we wanted to swim. Just a little too cold for much practice. But a great time none the less!

Headed back into St George and went to The Orange Peel. YUM! We were looking for a Jamba Juice type of place and this place was better IMO. Tons of selections like Jamba, but super smooth texture, not icy at all. They even give them to you with this seal on top and these super cool big wide straws. Highly recommend checking them out when you're in town.

After a short nap Sarah dragged me out for one more ride, and I'm glad she did. We got to wear shorts and take the arm warmers off. Ooooh, warm sunshine, little wind, ahhhhh. We rode back into SG, to Snow Canyon, and up it until we were back on top at the highway. A nice little 20 miles, with some decent climbing but absolutely great scenery.

What a great trip! I don't know that I've ever had the chance to go on a training trip without kids, and with a training partner. It was so great! We got all the workouts in I wanted and needed, ate lots of good food, and didn't have any mechanical issues. Yes I hated the winds Friday, but overall we had great weather. I feel good about the bike. I have read so much about how this course in particular absolutely must be paced very conservatively. I know the bike, I know it's mean spots and when it's a little more forgiving. I've ridden in some nasty winds, and not. I will nail my nutrition there come race day.

The run course is tough, you bet. But I feel like I'll be ok. I'm a pretty strong runner, not afraid of this courses hills, had my nutrition nailed there this weekend, and am looking forward to it. Hey, I'll just be happy to be off my bike by then! And really look forward to getting to watch so many other athletes around me. This course is perfect for that with 2 out and backs on the same course.

So now it's onto recovery, gotta get rid of these hip and foot irritaiton issues. Looking forward to the Riverton Half Marathon this weekend. Haven't ran a half mary in over a year since I wasn't ready in time to run Hobblecreek. Hope everyones training is going well. Hang in there! We're almost done!