Back With a Capital Vengence!

First run-ish in about a week after skiing, birthday, family visiting, moving week. I need to figure out a way to keep running when I have so much going on... but then do I really need to? Do I actually lose fitness taking off a week and even if I do is that more important than spending an extra hour with my parents that I never get to see? I think breaks like this are actually good for my body, but then my hips get so tight hmmphhh. 

Up Wire and then down along the Red Butte Ridge. I always wanted to follow that ridge so today was the day since I wanted to avoid the mudfest in George's. There was more of a trail than I had thought and just a little butt skooting. Really neat-o views!

Road running. Blarghhhh! Stopped at Emigration Market for sushi :) Eighth trip to the market in like 2 days - I looooove my new neighborhood (and salad bar)!

Roo's loop. First western sunflower sightings!

A photo posted by Roo (@kangaroothedog) on Apr 5, 2016 at 7:18pm PDT

AM: Wire #? I've lost track... Ran into a Fritz a third of the way up the mountain and then Roo abandoned me to run with the faster guy :(

PM: Ran home from work. 3.4 miles.

Climbing gym.

Stansbury ridge run of sorts. The flowers and views were off the charts! I'm planning on doing the entire Stansbury Island traverse in a few weeks so I wanted to go scope it out a bit. One of my favorite places in the entire world!!! 2003'

Home to Wire and then bushwhacked post-holed on the ridge until finding way down to the bottom of Emigration Canyon on what is probably the steepest trail in the Wasatch . Ran down Emigration Canyon and the smell of Ruth's pancakes about killed me. Tired. 2986'

Emigration on BIKES from the house with Josh and Fritz. Homegrown cappuccinos after!!!

Mt. Aire from Burch Hollow trailhead. Planned on an easy Pipeline, but then decided to trudge up to Aire in the mud and play in the snow! I always forget that Aire is like doing Wire at a higher elevation on a super crappy trail. #leastfavoritepeakinwasatch

Work to home commute. HCI up and over Red Butte to the Zoo and then to Emigration Market!

Morris Meadow to Roo's Hill and then followed the Pipeline to City Creek and then back up. Mostly walking and taking photos of fowers.

Ran up a bunch of mountains in the foothills for a long time. Forgot to eat for the first 2 hours because I was frozen solid and then felt the worst I have ever felt running and almost gave up to sit on a knoll and call for a rescue. My legs didn't work and my hands were so swollen I couldn't see my knuckles and they were really painful - I obviously had done something wrong.

I somehow made it back from the dead and rallied back down to City Creek and up to Morris Meadow where I ate a bunch of potato chips and drank some coke and picked up Fritz and Roo who happily paced me to the finish.

I've done pieces of the course before, but never the whole thing so I'm just happy I survived. It was actually a good experience to feel that horrible and be able to make it back. I was a mental basketcase and was afraid I was actually going to pass out and then I would feel stupid because somebody would have had to help me...

Dumbest thing I did was leave my jacket and gloves at the first aid station because as soon as I turned up Dry Creek the wind hit and it couldn't have been more than 30 degrees with windchill and I was in a tank top and shorts! My hands were so cold they were totally numb and I hiked up uncle effer shivering with my hands on my bum for reals. 

I then ran the downhill too hard just to warm up. Climbing up from City Creek I noticed how swollen and painful my hands were and then I freaked out when I realized I had only had one GU and 2 sips of water in the 2 hours and 45 minutes I had been out there. So began a serious mental battle where I honestly thought I was going to die so I slowed to a crawl and ate and drank until I felt better. And amazing as it is, it worked!

The last 5 miles, with Fritz and Roo, were the most fun! I felt good and actually ran my fastest Dry Creek time ever. This was the first time ever I didn't get angry with Fritz for running ahead of me :) It was nice having someone push me and it made me happy to see Fritz and Roo bounding around on the trails together!

I finished and stuffed my face full of chips. I obviously needed salt! I took this race a little too casually (over 12,000 feets of ups and downs should not be taken lightly!) and if I'm really going to run a hundo I need to take this fueling and electrolyte thing seriously! And layer, I'm still cold!

Climbing gym and arms and core workout! Not at all sore from yesterday. Stoke!

Sunset hike with Roo.

~4 miles, 1000'

Walks, yoga, and arms and core. Left leg is super tight!

Back 8 of BoSho course up and over Meridian Peak. Feel mostly good except for tight left piriformis and IT band. 2000'

Lost of stretchies, arms, and core.

Major yoga sesh and then bikes to downtown.
 

Van Cott w/ dogs. Hot!

Goal is to take 48 seconds off today for a Van Cott PR next week. Can probably do that if I don't have to stop and scoop poops. 

Exploring new trails (deer trails?) on the City Creek north ridge. Took about 8000 photos of the wildflowers. Cloudy skies were perfect for photos. Very little actualy running. 1836'

I set myself a silly VanCott climbing goal and I went for it today with Fritz and 2 dogs as pacers. I would have bet money I sent the crap out it, but I didn't and I was super frustrated. Can't wait until I can try it again!

Urban trailz in a downpour.
 

This run would be classified as a walk.