A breath of fresh air

Will enjoyed the whole run today.  We ran the first 3.6 with Jade.  I felt a little slow at first, but it was a good run.  I had a moment when I thought, "I can run five miles. . . and it's easy.  Wow, I am amazing!"

Will enjoyed the entire run again today.  We ran on the marked trail again for the fast miles.  The first mile was mostly down hill with the wind--8:07.  The second mile was mostly up hill against the wind--8:28.  16:35.

Will and I ran with Jade this morning.  It took a mile for my legs to feel normal.  They were tight and sluggish at first.  Jade and I talked about making Christmas goodie plates for our neighbors. 

I love Christmas.  I like thinking up Christmas traditions.  One year I would like to start the tradition of making my own Christmas wreath.  Making candies (like chocolate dipped carmels with nuts and english toffee) is another activity I would like to make into a tradition.  I've made toffee once and this December will be my first time to make carmels.  --I have to laugh because a lot of you have been talking about eating food that will be good "fuel" and the candies I plan on making aren't great "fuel."  Also, I'm laughing because I am thinking about what Tom said on Lybi's blog about changes can happen over time.  I hope over time that I will be really good at making these candies. 

One tradition I have started is making stockings for my family.  I am working on the fourth one now, although it might be a couple years before we use it.  Another tradition we've done the past three years is Chirstmas Wishes--where we talk into a tape recorder and say what we would like to do or see happen in the next year.  Lately we've been telling our Christmas Wishes after Christmas, which makes it more of New Year Resolutions.  However, it's still fun to actually record the "wishes" through talking and I like listening to them a year later.

Do you guys have any traditions you like?

On our run today, Will and I saw a rabbit, a chipmunk, lots of squirrels, and a dead mouse.  The stretch of trail with the dead mouse, we ran twice.  The second time through, I remembered the mouse about a quarter of a mile after we passed it.  I hope Will and I didn't run over it.  Guess there's not much to worry about.  Fur, little bones, and blood are all natural, right?  EW!!

Today, I've been picturing myself running on the track.  I am wearing my junior high, aqua shorts, my navy BYU basketball (that Lars caught at the Marriott Center) t-shirt, and my under-armor, running socks.  As a run, my shoes feel amazingly comfortable--with every step I think cushion.  My pace feels fast, but still easy.  I finish my first lap; my watch says 1:43.  Thinking about what time I want to see on the watch on the next split, I start my next lap.  I decided to aim for another 1:43, so I want the watch to say. . . it takes me a half a lap to calculate what I want the time to be. 

"The ones make two minutes and then put the forties together will give another minute.  How much is left over? Well, definitely the two threes are six seconds and it took twenty seconds to make another minute."  

I want the timer to read 3:26 seconds.  I start to focus on this time. 

"3:26. 3:26.  Pick it up, you've got to get 3:26.  Hey your shoulders are tense!  Relax.  Relax your body.  3:26.  Come on 3:26!  Wow!  3:23!  You beat 1:43!  You did it.  You can beat 7 minutes!"

As I start the third lap, I have to start fighting the fatigue.  You can rest after two more laps.  Again I begin to calculate my time.  I decide I'll go for another 1:43.

"So 3:23 plus 1:43.  Four minutes and then the 20 and 40 will give another minute.  5:06 is what you want.  5:06.  5:06.  Come on 5:06!  You can rest later."

--I'm going to go fix dinner.  I am visualizing patience with myself, if the new meal I am trying doesn't work out.  And I will continue to visualize fast quarters as I brown pork chops!

Will and I ran with Jade this morning.  We talked more about Christmas.  Jade's family keeps the decorations very simple.  I admired that.  I told her about my Christmas Eve's growing up.  It involved a play--which was created and preformed by us kids, mexican dinner with red and greeen enchiladas, the talent show, reading Luke 2, reading Polar Express, and opening one present.  I also talked about caroling and making and decorating sugar cookies.

I was nervous about my trail mile run.  I new it would be tough and it was.  I tried to focus on my legs and tell them they could go faster.  By the middle of the first quarter, I was rememinding myself that I only had to do four laps.  Only four.

1:41

1:44

1:48

1:43

6:56!  I broke seven minutes!  My fastest time I remember in college was 7:12.  And before that 6:18 in seventh grade.  But, still under seven.  I am pleased.  I really don't like running in that much pain.

And I met Katie.  She was doing speed workouts.  She's run a couple halfs and a marathon (3:40ish!).  I hope we will be able to run on Saturdays.  We'll see.  Next Saturday is my ten mile race.  So maybe the week after that.