A Recovering Runner...

I’m standing among a circled chaired group with sweaty palms and fear that my deodorant may have given out. “Hi my name is Jeanne and I’m a recovering runner.”  They reply with saying Hi Jeanne.

I continue on, “It’s been 6 days since my last run.” There are audible gasps among the members of the group. "I’m just not motivated to run. 6 days ago, I did a half marathon and I feel kind of burned out from running. I felt tired after the half marathon, of course."  I smile.  "I felt slightly stiff for a couple of days, but otherwise I felt pretty good.  But I'm concerned about this lack of motivation.  I’ve been walking as usual in a course of a regular day. I’ve biked a couple of times.  Infact, I tend to wonder if the Big Guy upstairs is trying to tell me something… The two times that I’ve gone biking I had flat tires...BOTH times! I think that He is telling me to get back on the path and running.” Meanwhile, I’m getting some “Amen, Sista!” from some of members of the group.

(** NOTE:  The above situation is a work of my imagination.)

So, I’m hoping to get myself motivated to run again by signing up for another half marathon. Is this a crazy way to get motivated, or what?  I am however signed up for a 10K run at the beginning of October that will also help get me going; I'm sure.  But I will admit that I’ve been missing my bike in amidst all of this running, and I still want to do a century ride this year.


Last night I did another bike ride, and I did notice that I’m going slower on the hills than what I usually do.  ( Amazingly, no flat tire occurred!)  But this leaves me with concerns about doing a century on my bike.  The longest ride that I’ve done this year was Little Red Riding Hood and that was only 75 miles. The last 6 miles of that ride I rode in a state of cramping heat stroke. On top of the whole matter I’m even more concerned because in the last two weeks I’ve only ridden 50 miles and those 50 miles has been in the last three days.  I NEED to get my behind in gear and find some kind of motivation.  HELP!?!

Park City Half Marathon a Success!

I finished it!  I surprised myself and managed to finish the Park City Half Marathon in 3 hours and 17 minutes.  I figured with my being sick this last week I would be lucky to have finished in under 3 hours and 30 minutes.  In fact, that was really my goal to kind of just take it easy and just try to finish.  I didn't want to set myself up to beat my SLC Half Marathon time(2hrs 50min) and be disappointed.  With that in mind I took it easy during the first half of it and stuck with my friend Diane. (Above photo: Myself and Diane at the start.)

(Above photo: Diane taking a quick stop as I snap-- look at the beautiful scenery!)

It was fun we chatted and "wogged" together for about the first 7 miles.  The time and seemed to pass very quickly.  The hi-lights during our first 7 miles?  Well, there was the girls at the beginning that were saying that they brought their credit cards in case there was any shopping along the way.  The route did go through the New Park area of Park City and we were running through where shopping could have been done.  Diane laughed," Women after my own heart!"  As Diane and I were 3.5 miles out the first half marathon runner was already on his way back.  Not an ounce of fat on this guy and he was a pup!  Boy, did I feel old and slow!At mile 4 there was a guy off to the side of the route that had his guitar and was playing it as runners went by.  I stopped, took a picture, and thanked him.  Then, there was a handsome well formed tanned Greek God running by on his way back about mile 5.  Oh my!  I was about drooling over this specimen!  The REAL sad part is that he wasn't even breaking a sweat!(Below photo: Guy playing guitar along the route.)

It was at mile 6 that we saw something on a moped going by.  Diane asked," What was that?"  I quickly answered," I think it was cousin It on a moped."  We both laughed but it look like a guy totally covered with  long strands of yarn.  Strange!

(Above photo: The Barn in Park City was on the route.  It's like a local landmark in the area.)

By mile 7, Diane and I had kind of ran out of chit chat stuff and we were both in need of some music to motivate us.  So, we both put our head phones and started off doing our own thing.  Well, I got catch into my music and my pace started to pick up.  Diane ended up behind me a little ways.  We saw Paul ( Diane's hubby) coming on his way back.  We were about 1/2 mile from the turn around.  We both said hi and then proceeded on.  By the turn around, I was maybe 1/4 mile ahead of Diane and waved as I went by.  I was off in my world of music and singing along as I went.  I would smile at other runners as I went along.  But I was basically off in my own little world. 

(Photo: Art along the route, this is just one example of many.)

At about mile 8 the first full marathon runner went by and by mile 9 there were more and more full marathon runners passing me like I was standing still.  The real neat thing was that quite a few of them would give me encouragement over their shoulders as they went past.

(Photo: A band that was playing along route at mile #12. )

It was at mile 12 that Diane caught up with me.  She croaked out "Jeanne" from behind me.  I looked over my shoulder to see a purple faced sweating Diane.  I slowed and we started chatting again.  She was complaining the EVERYTHING hurt!  It was just my feet that really hurt at this point and my energy could have used a boost but otherwise I didn't feel too bad.  We went by where I had throw a long sleeve tshirt earlier in the run and I picked it up; amazed that it was still there.  I decided to tie it around my neck like a cape.  I, then, got the strangest idea that I felt like a Super Dog.  Don't ask me why?!  It's strange how the mile works after running 12 miles!

I then proceeded to tell Diane that we were going to dog paddle into the finish line.  "Okay!  Let's dog paddle! Diane!"  My hands out in front of me going up and down like I was dog paddling in a pool.  Diane would play along and laugh at me.  She was wondering where this strange idea and my last surge of energy was coming from; I'm sure.  I would keep this up from time to time as I noticed that Diane would start to lag just a bit and we arrived at the last turn.  The finish line was in sight.  There was a group of people with signs I guess this was the 100th Marathon for some guy named Kevin.  100 full marathons?!!  Wow!  I couldn't imagine.

I did promise myself that I wouldn't get emotionally like I did at the SLC Marathon finish line; that one I was crying like a baby.  I tried to smile as they took a picture as Diane and I crossed the finish line.  It felt wonderful to cross that line with a friend.

Wish Me Luck...

Tomorrow at this time, I'm hoping that I'll be done with my half of the Park City Marathon that I'm running.  Or should I say... I might be "wogging" ( a cross between a walk and a jog)?   Why will I probably be "wogging" instead of running?

Well, this last week I've been down with the "Gamboo".  It was a combination of the summer cold/ stomach flu.  I was basically sick from when I woke up this last Saturday morning till Wednesday morning when I finally started to feel semi-human again.  So, I'm really not sure what to expect for my performance for the half marathon tomorrow.  About two weeks ago, I ran 14.25 miles up & down a local canyon.  So I felt I was pretty well prepared but given this last week.  I'm not sure what to expect.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Electronics & A Phoenix Vacation...

My alarm clock did not go off this morning as it should have; either that or I REALLY slept through it. So I missed my early morning run this morning which is probably a good thing since I’m still a little saddle sore from my Tuesday night Emigration Canyon ride.

My other electronic device that I’ve been having problems with is my phone. It’s been sometimes freezing up when I try to text. Could I have worn out the numbers on the phone? The phone is three years old and I’m overdue for getting a new one but I kind of like not being on a contract. Oh, there are my commitment issues coming up! Oh no! My other concern is that I may get hooked on a new fangled type of phone and end up paying more than what I should have. Though, I will admit that I would like to get one where I could check my email. (Other wise I just mainly have access to internet at the office during weekdays.) But I’ll probably give in and get a new phone the next time I’m at the Mall. (The last time was 4 months ago… The big shopper that I am!)

But on the good side, my NOOK has been working wonderfully!  I have now read 6 books on it and have downloaded another 35 on to it.  I will admit that it has been rather addicting.  I find quite often I will turn it on in any of my spare moments and be reading right along.  It was wonderful to have it on my recent short vacation, and I had no problems taking it through the airport security.

This last week I splurged and went on a short vacation to Phoenix. Yep! Phoenix during August--- a REAL HOT spot! Not the most ideal for a vacation.  But I met my friend Sal down there. He was attending a Plastic Models Convention. It was fun. We caught a couple of Diamondback games and just kind of hung out. I tell you I thought that cyclists were geeks but these people that do smaller scale models~ WOW! They are TOTAL geeks! Here are a few pictures from my Phoenix trip.

( A little siteseeing in downtown Phoenix-- notice no one else is out in the heat!)

(We- Myself & Sal, took a morning tour of Chase Field.   NOTE: Usually that roof is closed during games and it's air conditioned during the game. Below, I'm in the Dug Out!)

( Other Photos from the Tour of Chase Field- The front case where trophies are & yes, a tire in the wall- So those players can take out their frustration with their bat!)

(Above: For $3900 You TOO can watch the game from inside this pool!  Below: After the game on Friday night, there were fire works!  It only took 4 minutes to open the roof.)

(Above: Sal looking over some model tanks that are entered into a contest. Below: Some of the models that were also entered into the contest.)

Still Recovering & A Rest Stop...

It's almost been four days since I've run 14.25 miles, and I'm still trying to recover.  This last Saturday I speed walked to the top of City Creek Canyon and then ran back down.  I had originally planned to do just 12 miles BUT I was feeling SO good that when the turn around for 12 miles came... Silly me, I kept on going.  The Energizer Bunny had nothing on me at this point or so I felt like.  I was going to go on for ever and ever and ever. 

(Photo: Liesa and Mary Margaret on Pre-ULCER bike ride- you could hear the ice sizzling on their helmets! Yes, that is huge ice clumps on top of their helmets and YES it was THAT HOT out there!)

I pretty much kept going until the last mile back to my car.  By then my toes nails felt as though someone was trying to pull them out through my shoes and I could have been passed by a little old lady with a walker.  This was no longer in the ball park of a run or jog.  It was putting one foot in front of the other. A slow walk and a grimace on my face with each step I took.  I can never remember being ever so happy to see my car.  It was virtually an oasis in the desert!

The amazing part was that after all that and a long hot shower I was alert enough to go out to lunch with a friend!  Then, I managed to run some errands and do some grocery shopping.  Oh boy!  Got to love those endorphins.  I was high on them but when 5PM came around I was out for the count!

(Photo: Curt getting some goodies out of the back of my car.)

Sunday came and I did my fourth annual rest stop on the west side of Utah Lake for the BCC Pre-ULCER ride.  The ULCER ride has been put on by my bike club for over 25 years.  The ULCER stands for Utah Lake Century Epic Ride.  It traditionally is the first Saturday in August, and is a very hot hot ride.  The Pre-ULCER is the ride for BCC members to check out the ride prior to the ride or to get a chance to ride it because they'll be volunteering to help with the ride.

I started doing this rest stop the year after I ended up having an accident on the ride.  That year I hit a pot hole while reaching for my water bottle.  I ended up going over my handle bars and face planting it on the road.  All I remember is putting my hands out as the pavement came towards me.  I guess I was out for a couple of minutes and woke up with quite a few fellow cyclists standing over me.  I still remember feeling my lips swelling and the taste of blood in my throat. A short time later I took my first ever ambulance ride to a hospital.  I ended up with forty stitches inside my mouth and four stitches under my nose.  No broken bones but they ended up keeping me over for observation at the hospital because I passed out in the hall as I was trying to leave with a friend that had come to pick me up.

So, I no longer bike any of the ULCER ride.  I don't want to jinx myself or worry about replacing my bike.  Oh yeah, I totalled my Trek bike during the accident.  So instead each year I camp out along the long desolate sunny hot stretch of the west side of the Utah Lake where there's nothing but scrub brush with my snacks, coolers of ice, water, and cold beverages for my fellow club members.  I feel like it's the least I can do and they really could use the help over there in that area.

(Photo: L-R front- Carter and Doug enjoying some shade. Liesa and Jane[my fellow rest stop tendor] in the background.)

It was a good thing this year because I ended up driving two cyclists to the finish.  My friend Doug who couldn't keep down even water in his stomach and another rider, Bob, who ended up experiencing cramping in his legs.  I will say it was a tight fit for my station wagon.  Two guys, myself, two bikes, two lawn chairs, and three coolers.  But we managed, and everyone made it safely through the ride to make their ways home.