The scriptures tell us there must be opposition in all things, for without it we could not discern the sweet from the bitter. Would the marathon runner feel the triumph of finishing the race had she not felt the pain of the hours of pushing against her limits?
President Uchtdorf

Friday, September 2, 2011

Prepping with a plethora of Steeples

What exactly goes into a 20+ mile run at 5:45 AM? A LOT! 
1. I have mapped out and studied my route. No shortfalls this time! 
2. 4 waters dropped throughout Herriman and South Jordan. Where's the best place to stash a water bottle for 12 hours? Find a steeple! They are so evenly space apart from each other. I know I can always find a LDS church house right around the time I need water. I just throw a bottle under a tree and I'm good to go. I do put a "T" on mine, so I know it's actually mine. At the first church, I saw that someone else had stashed a bottle. I found some paper and pen and wrote, "Good luck. Rock on, run on!" I hope that if someone stops for their water, it will give them a little motivation to keep going strong. At first glance, the water looked frosty like it was just placed. When I went to put the note under it, I realized it's probably been there a while. It's the thought that counts.
3. Next stop is Harmon's for 3 bags of ice for the ice bath after my run. Luckily I don't have gallons of ice cream in there because it's about all my freezer can hold.
4. Lay out all the clothes and paraphernalia that I will need.
~asthma meds...check ~reflective gear...check ~iPod...check ~GU...check

5. Get my breakfast ready.
My oatmeal is the first thing I will do in the AM. I will add a little low fat yogurt to it too. It seems to work well for my stomach. I usually wake up, make breakfast, then go sit back in bed, and try to eat it. It's hard to eat when you've only been awake 5 minutes but my body needs time to digest it before I run.
6. Rest and relaxation. Now I must try to wind down so that I can get a decent amount of sleep tonight. I am actually really looking forward to this run. I know it will be a challenge. There might be unforeseen problems, that why it's called training. But I also know it's my last long run before the marathon. I will give it 110% After this I can relax a little. It's my last chance to show me that I can push through this. My body feels good. I've been eating good. I am so blessed. Let's see what tomorrow brings.

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