16 miles turned to 20

On Friday Steph and I were planning our Saturday long run and we decided that since the weather wasn't looking too crazy and the air was clear we needed to run outside.  We've been doing all of our runs on the treadmill and while I'm grateful for the treadmill when its freezing, snowing and dark  it doesn't quite compare to running outside with running friends!  Josh said they (the Jo's) were running 20 miles in Provo Canyon in the morning so we decided to join them.  When I picked Steph up at 5:45 on Saturday morning we decided that we would run 16 since we'd done 20 last week and wanted to be smart and have a cut back week.  When we met up with Josh and Heather we told them of our plan and set off on our run.  The weather was perfect...40 degrees and just a slight wind.  We had to stop and take a layer off then we headed up the canyon.  We started hitting some icy spots and were reconsidering our route when 2 familiar fellas came around the corner, it happened to be Mike and Paul, a couple other running friends.  They said it was really icy so we decided to head to the Murdock Canal trail with them, and boy did we make the right choice!  Mike runs on that trail all the time and it is the perfect place to run!  

This is after we climbed a fence and got to run in the snow for a few minutes.

Our photo op when Lil Mama couldn't contain her giggles. Mike, Steph, Me, and Josh

Me running through this cool pipe.

We finally got Steph settled down and took this fine selfie of our group.  After this, Josh said we'll need to turn around in 3/4 a mile and at that point Steph and I realized we were in for the long haul and our 16 miles had just turned into 20, its a good thing we packed plenty of water and Skittles!  We ended up having an amazing run and I was so grateful for great friends to run with, having a lot of laughs and good chats, and that Steph was feeling her music and sang some good jams for me :)  At the end of our run Steph and I realized how sore and tired our legs were and we promised we'd each do a ten minute ice bath when we got home.  I'd have to say this was the coldest, most painful ice bath I've ever forced myself to do, but I think it really helped!  

I left my PRO Compression low socks on from my run to try to keep my feet from freezing and falling off.  If you need some amazing compression socks or sleeves go to their website and use the code FEB14 at checkout for 40% off and free shipping #keepittight 

New Years Fun Run and PRO Compression Valentines Socks!

This post is a little late but as I looked through my pictures I saw these and had to document this fun New Years Day run!  Steph and I decided that to properly celebrate the end of 2013 and the beginning of a new year we needed to run 13 miles for 2013 and 14 miles for 2014.  On New Years Eve eve we did the 13 miles at the gym on the treadmill, then on New Years Day we dragged our tired self's out of bed too early and joined the Jo's-Jorge+Heather for a lovely 14 miles run around the city.  It ended up being a poor choice because the air quality was horrendous but with the gym not opening until 8 we didn't have much of a choice.  We started up Hobble Creek Canyon and it was quite nice and about 30 degrees.  

This is where we came out of the canyon and the Jo's ended with 8 miles so we took some selfies and carried on.  When we hit this point the temperature dropped to 20 degrees and the air was so yucky we could taste it.  We were determined to get our 14 miles, which we did, but by the time we finished our bodies were not feeling good.  Our throats were burning and we just didn't feel right.  I guess that's what happens when you are basically smoking and running because the inversion is so bad!  I fought off a cold after this run but Steph ended up getting pretty sick so we've learned not to run and smoke ever again!!!!  I so love running outside with my little RBFF Steph and I've missed our fun runs this winter.  We've spent a good deal of the winter running on the tready at the gym trying to be smart and not get the black lung!  I am so looking forward to Spring, lighter mornings and clean air so we can run about the city and have fun once again!     

And just for your FYI these are the cutest stockings I've ever seen!  I NEED these new Valentines ProCompression Marathon socks in my life!

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