26.2

I conquered my fears and ran with an elite athlete and had the best time of my life doing it.

Meet my hero.......Alex and Billy are really close:) and I am okay with it.

I told you some of Alex's times in the last post for the marathon and mile but come to find out today he SPECIALIAZES in ultra's (50-miler and the 100-miler).  Basically, he wins them and he will be running professionally/full time within the next few years.  That would be the life..... Okay, I guess I will go to work a.k.a. running in the most gorgeous races around the world, train all day everyday, get paid to do it and have tons of free gear sent to me.  I think I could get used to that.

Billy dropped us off exactly 15 miles from home.  Thanks Billy for waking up at the crack of dawn to help me reach my dreams:)

I thought I loved the treadmill......I forgot how much I LOVE running outside.  For the first 5 miles we ran off of the light the moon reflected on the snow, no cars and no lights.  When you come hang out with me in Utah and after we go get ice cream I will take you up this canyon, it is a little piece of heaven.

One of the waterfalls along the canyon (picture during the summer).

We then encountered some ice, I fell.  When do I not fall? I always sacrifice my arms when I fall because you can still run with a broken arm.  No leg pains but my right arm is hurting a little bit....it was worth it!

We finished 15 miles with a 7:08 pace (sorry Alex, I know you wanted to do a 5:08 pace so thanks for slowing down for me:).  We talked the entire time and it felt like it was a comfortable pace which made me super happy because my goal pace for Boston is 6:52 and I know when race time comes I WILL be able to push myself to that pace.

I came home and jumped on the treadmill to finish up. I did the last 11.2 miles of the Boston course.  I really wanted to do this because I wanted to try the hills portion of the course on tired legs.  I watched the Biggest Looser, ate skittles and slowed down my pace.  In talking with Alex I learned about the importance of long runs being to be on your legs for a while and build up an aerobic base so it was fun to slow it down a little.

26.2 miles in 3:18.

I immediately filled up the bathtub with snow for an ice bath (15 minutes), drank 14 cups of chocolate milk with glutamine and foam rolled like you couldn't believe.  I do not like being sore and will do anything to prevent it.

The rest of the day will be spent on the couch contemplating shaving my legs, plucking my eyebrows and putting on make-up followed by going to the best salad bar in the world with Megan.  I will be double fisting the breadsticks and I might just have to say it is my birthday (6 days ago) to get a free dessert.

P.S. I LOVED my new Under Armour gear.  When we started it was 20 degrees and I never got cold.  This is coming from the girl that drinks 8 glasses (literally) of hot chocolate a day to keep warm, wuss face is my middle name.

P.P.S. Something I learned from Alex was the importance of keeping a running journal and to record every single detail.  This helps mentally when you can look back at your training and realize how much you've done and how ready you are!  When you are neck and neck with someone else and they start sprinting you KNOW that you can too because you have it recorded in your book that you have done everything in your power to train and push yourself.  I know AMANDA keeps an amazing running journal.

WISH MY DADIO, aka the most amazing man in the world a happy birthday (yesterday):)  LOVE YOU DAD!!!! Thank you for dealing with my weirdness, working so hard EVERYDAY and being such a good example to me!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you get cold easily?

-Um, yes.  I think it is part hereditary because all the girls in my family are constantly cold.  But maybe we are just using that as an excuse to buy pretty coats, take long hot baths and have an IV of hot chocolate connected to us at all times.

Do you keep a life/running/exercise journal?

-Starting today baby, I am going to Target to pick out a cute one!

What are your Friday night plans?

-3 words for you: Skittles, Billy and TV.

Have you ever broken any bones?

-I was racing my brother (he had a car and I had roller blades).  My stupid competitive side came out and I got going way too fast, snapped my arm into two.