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Recovery post Buffalo 100 took a while. Yes I should have expected it to take longer than my other 100's, because I ran so much more of Buffalo than Bryce or Run Rabbit. Thankfully I didn't deal with any injuries post race, but I did have to work with those sore feet of mine. Wondered if it was plantar fasciitis but I don't think it was. I really think it was taking 5 weeks off of long runs (longest run between Black Canyon and Buffalo was 13 I think?) left my feet weaker and then asking them to run for almost 20 hours was a lot. Lesson learned. I won't go crazy on the miles or anything, I'm still a more minimal trainer, quality over quantity for the most part, but long runs must be incorporated occasionally to keep the feet happy. 

The taking 2 weeks off post race thing I've been doing the past 2 races I probably won't do again either.  I definitely believe in taking it easy and letting the body heal which takes a long time, but not running at all for 2 weeks has really just kept me stiff and heavy I think.  Very short shakeout runs are the trick I think.

 About 4-5 weeks after Buffalo I was still feeling heavy and slow while running.  More than I thought I should. I did a mild speed workout and it just felt way harder than it should have. At the end of that week I ran a local 5k and to my surprise, felt great!  Felt fast and light, won on a somewhat tight turn course with a 20:09, and then ran 15 more miles total before and after awards each having a tempo, each feeling great!

Friends Jen and Ari each ran super strong races in the half marathon and took 3rd and 2nd. Friend Kendall is the RD and did a great job, it's a great race!

The following week I headed up to Park City to run with friends Pete and Jen and new friend Dom, and man did I bonk. Or something. My lungs felt tired the entire time and my heart rate went up so quickly all the time. A very rough 18 miles. Maybe heat, possibly altitude, who knows. 

I was signed up to run a local trail 10k a few days later and was pretty nervous surprisingly. Yes it doesn't involve nutrition and gear packing and night running and such, but racing a 10k on hilly trail was going to hurt. Sure I could take it easy (not sure I know how to race easy actually) but this was a great chance to get another tempo run in. The race was tough but I'm happy with how I felt and did. Was fun to run trails so fast again. Pulled off another win which was good for the confidence. 

While trying to do some shorter, faster running to give myself some time off from the long ultra stuff before Wasatch training commences, my husband got me into trouble. He's been skiing this year and living in Utah you probably think it's funny I don't. I Nordic/skate ski somewhat, but I've never wanted to downhill alpine ski or snowboard. I borrowed a set of skis and skins from a friend though, and off the husband and I went on a ski touring date. I love it!  Such a great combination of hiking/snowshoeing to see what you want on the way up, going up on your own power, followed by downhill that didn't freak me out too bad and left me with both ACL's. The slushier spring snow was good to learn on.  It was great to discover another activity that we're evenly matched in since we don't run together. I definitely see more of this in my future!

Even snuck a second day in in the rajn. 

So my next stop is the Ogden Marathon on Saturday. I last ran it 6 years ago and ran a 3:34 or so and bonked hard hard hard the last 6 miles. I've had several successful speed work sessions in the last few weeks including a set of Yasso 10x 800's at the same pace I did in 2013 before my PR marathon. The workout felt harder than it did then, but doable. My PR from TriStates Marathon Dec 2013 is 3:10. I was in great shape, ran hard and gutsy and am very happy with it. I do think that Ogden is a faster course so I'm curious to see what I can do. I don't feel like I'm in as fast a shape as the last marathon, but I'm strong. Feeling good and looking forward to it. I'd like to be under 3:19 for sure and am going to try hard for a 3:0something.