Remarkable achievements require remarkable efforts

Today we ran 1 mile and then we stretched it out. Tomorrow we're going to soak in the hot tub!

2nd Place overall

Today we ran 3 miles. I did it in 24 minutes and stayed on for and extra .1 and ended at 24:32.

Today we were supposed to run 10-200 meters. I opted for 5-400's instead. :) I ran 3-400's, then an 800 and then a full mile on 9.2 (6:30 mile pace). So with a mile warm up and the slow down in between sprints the total miles ran for me today was 4.25! Tammy I need to compare my mileage w/ you and have you help me w/ the formulas. :)

Ok it doesn't suck, but I do! If I can't figure out how to swim

(correctly that is) after 1 month of training I am QUITTING!!! :) Love

Merri

Today was a 40 minute tempo run. I ran 4 miles in 30:10. Then ran the last mile in 10 minutes.

Today I ran 6 miles and I ran the first 3 on 7.0 and the last 3 on 7.5 mph.

I ran 10 miles today during my 85 minute run.

Today merri and I did 3.1 miles. I did it in 24:54. I was really trying hard at the end to be under 25 minutes! I did make it too. Merri was 23 something. We also did the Runner's World runner's workout for some weight lifting. Man are we weak! Time to work on our lifting.

ALSO just as a side note to all those interested. Merri and I were in the lottery for the St. George Marathon and we DID NOT get in! SAD!!! So we are going to be changing our running schedules and our race schedule to be able to get faster on the short stuff. Good thing because I don't know if my knees would make it through the marathon training schedule.

So I think Tammy is on the injured list. I let her fill you in on the

details there. All I know was that she was cursing and swearing and

punching the treadmill. :) Today we were supposed to do 6-400's. I did

2 400's, an 800 and then a mile. And I ran my last mile in 5:40. Pretty

darn impressive if you ask me. :)

Today we hit the Orem pool again to swim. We did 16 lengths on a 25 m pool. Go us! Merri was smoking through that water. The water did not know what hit it. Triathlon here we come. I'll let Merri fill you in on how she really felt. After we did 2 miles on the bike in 7:30. We were sweating out our Cucumber Melon lotion, dang we smell good! Lovin it.

Merri's Note: Ok I'll be the first to admit it...I am COMPETITIVE! So when I am not good at something right off the bat I don't like it. But I am going to work on this. I had goggles today and that made things SO much better. I now need to focus on my breathing.

Today was a 45 minute tempo run. Tammy is having issues w/ her IT band so she biked. And I ran 4.5 miles in 35 minutes and then slowed down and hit 5 miles at 39 minutes and called it quits. I have a running class tonight in Orem, so I thought I'd save some energy. ;)

Today again was SUPPOSED to be 6 miles fast, but since when I have I

followed the schedule? I warmed up for about .4 miles. Then I ran 4

miles in 38:55. Changed my shoes went to the bathroom and ran a 6:15

mile. Then i ran a slow .6 mile. Total miles 6, just not all of it was

FAST!!!

So the Wasatch Back relay team emailed us saying we were having a group

run on Saturday in Provo canyon, and only one other person besides

Tammy and I were there. But it was fun to run outside and not on a

treadmill. The wind was cold and Tammy's knee was hurting so those were

the 2 problems. I think we ran 1 hr and 15 minutes, but we didn't

actually ran that whole time. We stopped for water and for a break so I

am not even sure on our mileage. I would guess maybe 7 or so miles?

What do you think Tammy????

So last night I saw that the Sojourners running club runs at 5:30 on Monday mornings in Orem. I decided to join them, got there and no Sojourners, but another running club. They are called CrackODawn and they were nice enough to let me run with them. We ran on some trails behind the Orem cemetery. I think we did 6 miles. It was FUN!!!

So today we got up nice and early to make it to the spin class at 5:45am. We were hoping Karen would come, but we didn't discuss time well enough. So Merri and I worked our butts off cycling away in a dark and loud room with about 20 other people. Man we were sweating and that gets hard. My legs are definitely tired today. Good workout. Afterwards Merri ran a mile while I stretched and lifted. Merri then joined the stretching and lifting routine. It was a good workout!

Merri also ran last night with Wes and the kids. Not sure how far or how long, but Merri will have to add that. We are so excited for Wes to join our running club. Go SPANISH FIELDS!

Merrill's Note: MY LEGS ARE SORE!!! And I am excited for Wes to run w/ us too! I think we probably ran 2 miles or so last night.

So today we made the ever-so-early trek to the gym, leaving at 5:15am! I know, we're crazy. But we went to the pump class and Wooh! It was tiring. My arms and legs are beat. After Merri ran 1.5 miles and I ran 1.0. My legs were beat! Tomorrow we will probably have to take it easy because of being sore, but it will be worth it. We are going to try to make a point of lifting to reduce injury and strengthen our run. I am so excited for Monday! I just turned in my forms yesterday.

And as a side-note I hit 200 miles! Very exciting!

Friday Tammy & I did a practice run for the 5k tomorrow. And

Saturday Wes & the kids joined me as we walked about 2 miles of the

race. I'm getting excited!

Bailey (tammy's girly) Merri, Broc (tammy's boy), Chad (tammy's husb) & Karen.
Brandon, Chad, Tammy, Merri, Karen G. & Karen M. & Bailey & Broc
Merri's report:  This was a race I had high hopes for and had set some high goals.  I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to finally win a 5k overall.  I thought I was prepared, but alas I was wrong.  I had run the course a time or two previous so I was somewhat familiar with it.  At the starting line I overheard some folks talking to tall blond girl w/ a pink shirt on.  She was currently running for SUU and had her wisdom teeth pulled out a few days prior.  I knew she was going to be one to keep up with.  We started and I tried to stay with her...probably a little too fast of a start for me.  She just kept going faster and faster and then I was starting to realize I was a little too winded.  1st mile is down hill and the 2nd mile is uphill and the 3rd mile is an even amount of uphill and downhill.  1st I was passed my Kristen (teaches at golds...you name it she teaches it).  So I am now in 3rd.  Kept trying to push the pace and about .5 or so of a mile left I got passed by Alli (on the blog, but she doesn't blog anymore).  Now I'm in 4th.  UGH!!  This was supposed to be MY race. :)  Finally getting close to the finish line and I hear breathing and see it's a girl closing in on me.  Couldn't be passed again so I kicked with all I had and finished 4th overall.  5th place was a girl I would later meet named Ashley.  She works at Maceys and her dad is one of the big/main runners on the SF running club.  At least he was always at every run I joined them on.  Overall i was extremely impressed with my time considering what I think is a hard course and that it was a rainy day.  I wasn't impressed with getting passed twice.  I hate that.  But Wes & the kids were there cheering at the finish line so the day wasn't all bad. :)  I told myself after that race that 5ks weren't for me and I wasn't going to run another one for a long long long time. I think after this race was when I really decided to run a marathon.

Tammy's report:  After waking up to a rainy and cold morning, no one was really in the mood to run. But we all came together and went to the Jr. High for the Memorial Day 5k. This was a tough course and after sizing up the competition we felt fairly confident in almost everyone being able to get a medal or place pretty high. Even though everyone didn't get their desired goal time we all did well. Merri came in first for our group at 20:39 (4th girl overall, 2nd in our age group), then Chad at 21:55 (2nd in his age group by passing his guy at the end!). I came in third at 22:26 (officially 22:11, 4th in my age group, probably 7th girl overall). Then came Brandon Carter about 22:40? getting 3rd in his age group. Next was Karen Grant at 29:00 (7th in our age group) and Karyn McDonald at 29:52 (2nd in her age group). It was a great race even though it was drizzling the entire time and the course was very hilly with a big uphill at the end.

After the 5k was over they had a one mile fun run that Broc, Bailey and Kamrie decided to run in. Broc finished his mile in 10:19. Now remember this is the first time EVER that Broc has run one continuous non-stop mile and he is only FOUR years old! Bailey and Kamrie ran about 1/4 mile and then were carried the rest of the way by their mothers. We didn't realize we had asked for a second workout! We are so proud of Broc for pushing so hard! He did GREAT and got a sweet finishers medal!

Today I ran alone :( I just did 3.1 miles in 30 minutes.

We ran for 60 minutes today...7 miles-ish. We ran to the jr high then re-ran the 5k race we did on Monday and ran home.

Today we biked for 20 minutes and swam for 30. I did 10 laps and Tammy did a ton more than me, but I can't remember what she ended at. :)

We ran outside today for 30 minutes. It's so much better running outside than on a treadmill!

I think the title best describes how I felt the entire run today. We

originally had put 120 minute run on the schedule due to preparing for

the Wasatch Back Relay. Then i realized the most we have done since

April Salt lake Race was 7 miles...so I knew that many miles would be

too much. So after finding a 10 mile route, Merri and we decided to do

10 miles, probably in 85-90 minutes. As we headed out though we noticed

the street markings for the Speedy Spaniard and thought, "Why don't we

check the course out since Larry is here and he knows it." So off we

went, not really thinking about how many miles we were charging into.

So after enduring the crazy wind of the canyon, we headed home for a

total of 12 MILES! I am so wasted and my knee hurt the ENTIRE time. I

think it is getting better though, the pain is changing and lessening.

Not as much shooting pain. Let's cross our fingers that I can get it to

go away.