Oops, here is a long overdue race report from the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile:

It was HOT! I was pleased that I went out at a sustainable pace rather than the insane pace I usually start out with and then end up scaling back, way back just a few miles in. I have run in the Garden plenty of times, but never this race. It was gorgeous, but man those hills kicked my butt. I didn’t quite make my goal time (sub 1:30; finished in 1:34), but I feel satisfied with my effort! I do have two confessions to make though, firstly, I walked...a lot...on the stupid hills, and secondly, I fantasized about laying in the grass under the PikesPeakSports.us tent for the last 5 miles! 

Even though it was hot and hilly, I had such a blast at the race solely because of my Mighty Marmot teammates, present and past! I usually just show up to races, keep my head down and wander into the middle of the crowd for the start. Not this time! We met up before the race for a picture and to talk about our nervous pees and race strategies (i.e. I want to not die, why is Vanessa making us start all the way at the front, I have to pee again). All of us Marmot ladies started together, and even though we only stayed together for 27 seconds, I loved knowing they were out there running with me! After I settled into the race, I nearly forgot I was wearing purple and gold...but every mile or so someone who I didn’t know would let out a Mighty Marmot battle cry and remind me I was out there reppin' the best of 'em! Those cheers took me by compete surprise and helped me keep a positive attitude amongst all those silly hills! I could get use to this! 

Anyways, on to current events....my training has been lackluster (surprise, surprise) since the GOG. I was sore going INTO that race, so I was obviously sore coming out of it. I took most of last week off from running, and man does it feel great to finally not be sore! Did a easy 10 miles through Bear Creek on Saturday with some of my favorite running buddies! This week is jam packed with all sorts of things, including the Slacker Half in Idaho Springs, so I am not sure how many other training runs Ill be able to get in. I really don’t have any expectations for the Slacker Half, of course I want to PR, but I feel like I'm going into cool and calm. I am not sure why, but I felt a lot of pressure to perform well at the GOG 10 Mile. I'll dish out a more punctual race report after this weekend's race. 

Moving right along...do you own a foam roller? If you don’t, then you SHOULD. I think I should become a foam roller door-to-door salesman. I could go on about them for, for as long as someone will sit still to listen to me! I swear by mine! Seriously though, it hurts so good! This year my number one goal is to stay injury free! Consistently stretching and foam rolling is going to make it so! I know, I know, aint nobody got time for that! Shoot, you'll have nothing BUT time if you don’t take care of your body. You'll be laid up on the couch scowling at your iPad as you scroll through all your friends’ race photos and stories on Facebook. Trust me, I know. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. Two years ago while trying to train for my first Ascent I got so tight and wound up that I essentially pulled my hip and back out of place enough to give myself some serious grief and a hairline fracture in my hip. I had all the time in the world to think about what I coulda, shoulda, woulda done. Fast forward to present day and I'm not coulda, woulda, shoulda-ing, I am DOING! I'm foam rolling my face off (not literally people...although you probably cooould foam roll your face)! If you haven’t already, get on down to Colorado Running Company, snag a foam roller, watch some YouTubes and get rollin'! Your body will thank you!!