C Mantz Run

Rachel and I ran together which was really helpful.  It's hard to run alone. The roads were really icy, so we went really slow.  We ran up Smithfield Canyon which was way fun, then went up on Sunnyside.  We did slide around a lot from the ice, so our pace was around an 8:55 mile.  It felt good.
 

In the morning Rachel and I went runnimg again.  There was more snow packed down than yesterday, but it was much easier to run.  We did golf course and extended up Birch, but it was too snowy, so we turned around.  It was way fun.  We ended up getting in 5.75 miles at around an 8:54 pace which was okay. It was really hard running in the deep snow.

In the afternoon, I decided to get more miles in and noticed that I should do some tempo.  I warmed up a mile. It was around 3:00, and began to lightly snow. I didn't want to start, but did.  My first two mile times were 1) 6:19 and 2) 6:35.  In the middle of the third mile I had to stop and spit (which I'm not very good at) which took about 5 seconds. The third mile time ended up being a 6:34.  The total time was 19:29 which is perfect.  I really respect those who run in the morning, then do a workout in the afternoon.  I could feel it during my workout. I then did 1.25 for a cool down, to round out the mileage. It was fun, but cold.

In the morning I went about 4.5 with Rachel.  It was super snowy.  We did golf course backwards.  Our pace was slow because of the snow, 8:59 average pace.

I went xc skiing, but only 1.5 miles (I'm not including that in the mileage ). It was so much fun, though. After, I went to run on the treadmill, but it burned up, so I only got half a mile in.

I stayed the night at my grandma's in good ol' Preston Idaho.  I knew I wouldn't get a chance to run in the afternoon, so at 7:15am I ran. It was really cold, so I was bundled up.  I went from her house to the mortuary which was 1.75 out. I then turned around, but took a right onto a dirt road.  It was super steep and icy, so my pace slowed down.  I knew there was a loop, but I didn't know how long.  Yesterday, I was trying to play the song "Past the Point of no Return" from Phantom of the opera on the piano, and I had that song repeating in my head.  It was fun, though. When I looped back to my grandma's I had exactly 3.5 miles from 9, so I went out to the mortuary and back.  It was perfect.  Although it was cold, it was a wonderful Christmas Eve run.  It did warm up the last mile, which was nice.

I began running around 3:00 and it felt pretty warm, so I left my jacket at home.  I was hoping to do Russian Intervals, but I wasn't positive if the track would be cleared, so if it was covered in snow, I would do tempo.  After running the two miles there, it was covered in snow.  I then ran over to the start of church run which is a quarter mile away.  Going north, though, was FREEZING.  There was a really strong headwind.  I knew I should do some tempo, so I started.  It was so cold, but my times out weren't that bad.  1) 6:48 1.5) 3:37.  I knew that knowing my half mile would make a difference, due to the headwind, and it did.  When I turned around I felt wonderful, and not cold!  The second half of the second miles was a 3:01. My last mile I felt so motivated.  It was a 6:01.  I checked my watch the last half mile and realized I could still hit a sub-19:30, and I did! 19:28 was my time and I was so pumped!  I did run with my iPod, which helped.  I then ran home which was about 2.25.  I felt good because of my tempo run, but it was still cold.  I had to run a mile uphill, then over a mile with a freezing headwind.  Although I was wearing gloves, my fingers were freezing.  When I got home, I was so cold it hurt to get warm again, but it was a fun, memorable Christmas run.

I woke up around 5:45 to get my run in, but I didn't want to leave the warmth for 5 degree weather.  I decided to just go on the treadmill.  It was early and I was tired, so my mind wasn't thinking a ton as I ran.  I turned on the movie Christmas Vacation and ran all my miles.  I averaged an 8:00/mile pace which was perfect.  I did take a few breaks, but there was always atleast 2 miles in between.  Treadmill running is hard, but it is sometimes worth staying warm.