Last long long run, Fall was made for runners and it is NEVER too early (according to Knox;)

Last long long training run of the cycle done and done.

Rewind to a year ago and I did my last long long run before St. George Marathon (I didn’t make it to the starting line…but I sure thought I was going to be able to) in the exact same place.  Last year was faster and I was a tad bit smarter and brought arm warmers and gloves.  This year I did not remember such a thing and Josse and I had some pretty frozen hands.

It might be a little chilly in the mountains right now but Fall running is truly the best.  I think the Fall was actually created for runners;)

PS I have made the promise about 100 times since I moved back to Utah a few years ago that I would never leave these mountains again.  They are home and good thing Andrew feels the exact same way.

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Josse and I started things off with a gorgeous sunrise.

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And enjoyed some falling leaves along the way.  It sure felt nice to not be in the 20s for this run.  It was still tough but I think that has more to do with the fact that one of the kiddos (I won’t name any names;) was up from 3-5 a.m.  I’m just going to say that it was good prep for race day because 3 a.m. is around when I’ll be getting up for the race too!  I’ll just be going to bed a lot earlier that day.  I think the hard workout (3×3 miles) on Tuesday made today a little bit harder on the legs too.

Another long run done and done and I can’t believe how fast this training cycle has gone by… I’m guessing it has something to do with making all of the changes we possibly could over the last few months ha.

16 miles average 8:10 pace.  Lots of up and lots of down to make for good training for this particular marathon.

PS I am excited because the elevation of St. George is 2,860′ and the elevation of where I run (and even higher when we go up into the canyons to run) is 4,774’  =  October 1st is going to feel nice.

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Just some book order talk on the stairs.  Remember how cool these were as a kid?  I researched the entire pamphlet each time we got one.  I always wanted to choose the books that came with toys though.

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Spaghetti/lasagna is my top favorite meal and it was all I could think about for lunch.  I added a turkey burger along with tomatoes, peppers and zucchini sautéed in olive oil.  It was perfect and I think it is what I want for dinner too:)  So far I’ve eaten every lunch at home this week… I don’t know who I am anymore;)

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Knox was determined to put up Halloween decorations today.

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So we did.  Just a little early but I think September 15th is just as good as any day to decorate for Halloween.

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PS it has been a major adjustment for me attempting to keep track of two blankets instead of just one.  These two LOVE their blankies and I wash them while they are at preschool just to play it safe.

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Also, I’ve been cutting back a lot on candy leading up to the race but Andrew brought these home for me.  Moderation right?

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PS I stretched at the gym for a few minutes today too and had Meg as my stretching partner.  Aren’t her shoes just glorious?

IMG 7015 Parents—>  do your kids have blankets that they are obsessed with? What’s the elevation of where you live?  Ever gone to run a race with a much different elevation than where you live? What is your Thursday night going to consist of? What would you say is your all-time favorite meal?

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39 comments

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My Thursday night is going to consist of dinner and lounging on the couch with my husband after a VERY long week! I am so glad tomorrow is Friday because we both definietly need to catch up on some rest.

It is always such a great feeling when that last long run is done! Great JOB! You are going to ROCK St. George!

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Oh that makes me so happy Sara!! Enjoy your night tonight with your husband and getting in some good rest and time together! Thanks girl!

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Thursday night will consist of curriculum night for my son….and packing (we are moving in 1 week!).

All time favorite meal….hmmm….not sure. I do not really have an all time favorite…

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MOVING…. oh one of my least favorite things ever. Good luck and I hope you are excited for your new place! Good luck with curriculum with your son Aimee!

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Thursday night plans? A relaxing dinner, Benaiah’s first (!!) bath, and putting together our running stroller . Can’t wait!

Those mountains though, so gorgeous.

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That sounds like the perfect night:) Have so much fun Bethany… such an amazing time of life. Oh yay for your running stroller too!

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When my youngest was a toddler he was obsessed with his “ducks” duck blanket. I wouldn’t go anywhere or sleep without it. Nearly 16 years later (holy cow that is crazy!!) the blanket has made several moves with us and is sitting in the top of his closet.

Currently I live/run at 5700+ feet of elevation, so pretty much anything is lower than that. The biggest elevation difference was NYC last year – I think the highest point is 30-something. That was a nice change!

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My oldest is still obsessive of her blanket. She sucks on the corners. It’s gross.

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I visited Utah a few years ago and the mountains were seriously beautiful. You’re so lucky that you get to enjoy that all the time!

My favorite ever meal would honestly have to be spaghetti. I enjoy making my own sauce now that I’m older but the taste of Prego reminds me of my mom and when I was little!

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My 6 year old had a pterodactyl that he was attached to for a couple years and one time we left it at my brothers house (he lives a couple of hours away) … needless to say it was not a fun night when my son realized it was gone … I was very tempted to drive 4 hrs round trip to pick it upset! My SIL overnighted it and we made sure NEVER to let it out of our sight again. My 2.5 year old is attached to different random things every day. Fireman boots, helicopter, transformer, a random book etc … nothing he “can’t live without”.
I live basically at sea level (Seattle) and haven’t ran anywhere with high elevation. I mean, an average run I’ll get in about 400 -900 ft of elevation … so I know nothing about running in elevation!
We’ve gone out every night since sometime last week so we need an in night; we’ll probably play hide and seek/play in their tunnels and tents and maybe make cookies?
Favorite meal – I’m obsessed with Café Rio’s sweet barbacoa pork salad right now. And pizza. And burgers

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My eldest (Brooke’s ages) also LOVES her blanket. We’ve had a few close calls with it being left behind at shops/friends/etc, etc!

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4700 ft elevation is crazy!! I just moved up to around 2500 ft elevation and it feels so difficult because I’m used to running at sea level.

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No blankets however we have a cat named fluffy that is anything but fluffy. She looks like a long dead cat and is drug all around the house and sometimes outside of the house. Her owner just started Kindergarten and now Fluffy is by her side at all times when she returns home. Fluffy is her buddy and there is a small picture of her in her owner’s book bag “just in case”. I will sob the day Fluffy is forgotten, then curl up with her.

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Thursday nights are the worst nights for me- for some reason I feel so drained by the time I get home from work. I guess it’s the whole one more day til the weekend but it’s not quite there yet… kind of feeling. I’m already dreading it! (It’s till 2pm right now here)
I love lasagna too! It just takes a couple of hours to make the tomato sauce (I love making everything from scratch) but everything is so worth it.
No blankets but my oldest daughter has the Ugly Doll named Puglee that she still holds onto dearly…. she’s had it since she was 16 months old. It’s so old and just full of “stitches” from emergency surgeries performed by mommy doc but she loves that thing! my youngest daughter on the other hand didn’t have anything- there were so many nights/days that I wished she had something to comfort her other than me! (especially when I had to go somewhere….) good old memories.

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Thursday night plans = baking carrot muffins for a friend I’m visiting tomorrow (get to meet her 5-month old for the first time tomorrow) + studying.

Omg, the book fairs when we were kids were the best! I used to circle all of the items from the pamphlets that I wanted.. It was almost as fun as circling items / making lists in the Sears Wish Book before Christmas time :) :) Oh happy days!

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I’m currently at sea level so any elevation makes me nervous. I’l going to try to get out to the mountains for some better trail running this Winter though.

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I selfishly love when you 2 a day.
Favorite meal is a great salad with like a half a loaf of bread.

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Those are gorgeous shoes!!! My son doesn’t have a blank but he loves his teddy bear his older cousin gave him a few months ago! Everyone is sick over here so I am rethinking running today! :( I still have to finish work hours and try to eat something before the long night of baby waking starts up again. We are on day 3 over here of whatever is going around and it is slowly killing me not getting sleep! I hope you sleep well tonight Janae!!!! Sorry you were up through the night!

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Janae, I have a really sad blankie story. :( My daughter Katie had a blankie. It was white. One day when she was in about grade one, she started throwing her toys all over the room, like in some sort of rage haze. She was doing damage to the walls. I tried EVERYTHING with her as a way to either soothe her, discipline her, calm her, I honestly tried everything. The one thing that made her stop was the threat to cut her blankie. I sat there with her blankie in one hand and scissors in the other, threatening to cut it, and it was the only thing that gave her enough leverage to pick up the mess she had made (it had felt like this had gone on for HOURS). Eventually one day I did end up making a cut into her blankie. :( And it’s been the worst case of mommy guilt I have ever felt EVER. I want to cry now.

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Suzy – I can relate to your story, but from the child’s perspective. I had a blanket as a kid, named “Mick” (for some reason when my parents would tell me to go get my Micky Mouse doll, I would get the blanket and call it “Mick”, so the name stuck) that I would always have with me while sucking my thumb. My parents were at their wits end trying to get me to stop the thumb-sucking. My dad pressured my mom into getting rid of Mick one day while I was at kindergarten. She burned it in our trash barrel outside. :( I was so upset when I came home and it was gone. My mom has since told me that is one of her biggest regrets as a parent – it did no permanent damage to me, but you know how the mom guilt goes. She was sick over getting rid of it. Mick was actually half of a much larger blanket, and we still have the other half, so at least there’s that. But it’s not the same, obviously. Abbey, my oldest, is now in 4th grade and she is still attached to her blanket she calls “Mi Mi.” Makes me happy she has that because it reminds me of being a kid. I’ve never threatened to do anything to Mi Mi, probably because I remember how it was to have my blanket taken from me. Ah, parenting. *Hugs* to you over cutting Katie’s blankie. Mommy guilt is so hard to let go of! :)

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Awe, thanks for taking the time to type that story out, Amanda! And thanks for the hugs. :)

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I live just north of Detroit. I think the elevation is around 600′. So nothing. Just ran the Jackson Hole marathon at 6500′ appox and it was a struggle. Still managed to be first place female master but I was struggling and couldn’t wait to see that finish line!

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Hi Jen I’m a Detroit suburb runner myself.

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All time favorite meal has to be pizza. It’s a classic for a reason.
So far my little man is ecstatic about any fuzzy blanket (he’s almost five months old).
Our Thursday night consists of Mexican Supreme pizza, Supergirl, and an evening run.

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Way to get the long run done. Sooo jealous of your Fall weather! That’s the one thing I truly miss living in Florida. We don’t really have that season.
Awww, love how the kids are into Halloween decorating right now, so cute!

I have two or three more longish runs before my first half of the season at the end of October. But, once I hit that race, it’s on for race season!

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where oh where did she get those shoes?!?!? so cute!

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I spy two little blonde heads in SG. That was a really great day! You’ll do amazing again this year!!

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I love those scholastic readers! getting the books was the best! I especially loved when my son came home with those when he was younger. such memories

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Ummmmm I’m 28 1/2 and I still sleep with my blanket I had as a baby. It’s my security, and since homegirl is single, I have to hold it when I sleep haha. Also, I bought a decorative pumpkin at Home Goods and put it out in August. #GettingMyMoneysWorth

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My all time favorite meal is Fettucini Alfredo! I only make it on Valentines Day or the night before a big race! Its so rich and cheesy that I have to limit it to only a few times a year!

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My 3 year old has a blankie (small square with silky lining), a blanket (with a monkey head on it) and a bunny that ALL have to be with her at all times. The only time I can sneak in washing them is at dinnertime. She needs them at school, at home, and most definitely at sleep times! Currently we have about 8 blankies, only one monkey blanket (they stopped making them!!!) and two bunnies (thank goodness my husband found one on ebay!).

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The last marathon I ran was the Lake Tahoe Marathon. VERY different altitude than what I was used to running since I live/train in Chicago :) I had heard that swimming helps with altitude training since your body learns to work better with less oxygen so I spent at least two days per week swimming laps as part of my training. Worked like a charm and I ended up finishing second in my age division!

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I have always lived in places at (Washington DC) or slightly below (New Orleans) sea level. Totally unfair, because I am a mountain girl at heart! My sister lived in Provo for almost a decade, and I can’t believe I never visited her there (she always came to DC because it’s easier than me lugging the kids on an airplane).

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Your lunch looks delicious! I think I will have to try that sometime! I love the extra veggies! :)
Running a half marathon with my sister on Sunday! I am excited to run it with her and help her enjoy running like I do!!!

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My son named his little blankie “Bobby.” When his baby brother came along, he named baby brother’s blankie “Awarie.” It cracks us up!

I live at 4,000 feet elevation, and my favorite marathon is CIM at sea level. I definitely notice a difference!

I think St. George marathon looks amazing though! Definitely on the list :)

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I live at sea level in Philadelphia so anything is elevation for me. Done Boston and NYC Marathons–where the bridges & hills provided minor elevation. But nothing like out West. I’d love to run St. Georges one day!

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I love your mountain pics! What part of Utah do you live in? Makes me want to do a vacation there!

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Korean food is my LIFE! I make my hubby our favorite meal regularly — white rice, Bulgogi, kimchi soup, and of course a zillion side dishes.

If you’ve never had Korean BBQ — I recommend finding somewhere in your area… it’s life changing!!

I grew up on the stuff (my mom would make giant feasts for special occasions and invite everyone over), but since meeting me my hubby has become “adopted korean” — since his tastes now match my own!!

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Where did you get those strappy sandals that Brooke is wearing?? Super cute!!

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