A clydesdale no more!

I'm running regularly again and actually feel like a runner so I may as well start blogging.  In January I matched my all time high in weight (220 pounds).  I saw a picture of myself at the St. George half marathon and was completely ashamed of what I looked like.  Decided right then to start working my way back to a decent weight.  Since then, I have lost 30 pounds and am back to the same weight I was last year at this time.  I would like to lose 5 more pounds.  My ideal racing weight is 15 pounds lighter than that but have been told that I don't look good that skinny.  I am up to 45 miles per week and average 7:45/mile during my runs.  Still a ways off from where I was but at least it is somewhat acceptable.

To jump start my comeback, I had to change up my routine.  I started using the cold as an excuse so started running on the treadmill at work during lunch.  Now that it is warmer, I have been running outside during lunch.  I have really come to enjoy splitting up the work day with a run.  I am going to miss it when it warms up and I can no longer run during the day. 

After a busy morning at work, I headed out for a lunchtime run.  It is exactly 1 mile from my office to the Jordan River Parkway Trail (5300 South).  Ran there then headed south on the trail for 3 miles then headed back.  I wanted the pace to be a bit of a push but not kill me.  Still not ready for the real hard stuff.  Averaged 7:14/mlie during the run and it felt very good.  It is kind of fun just enjoying running and not being a slave to a training plan.  I don't know if that will change and I will start to crave racing again.  For now, this is working for me.

Nice and comfortable lunch time run.  Ran from the office to the JRP then south to the FLSmidth building.  Didn't wear a watch but the pace was probably around 8:00/mile.  Felt a little clunky. 

Another lunchtime run from work to the JRP.  My intent was to keep it at a comfortable pace but I started a little quick.  Settled into 7:50/mile one I hit the JRP and kept it there for the rest of the run.  Form felt a little forced.  It was a little on the warm side.  When I was running into the wind, the temperature felt perfect. 

I have been letting the first mile dictate my pace for each run.  If I feel good, I go with it.  One of the benefits of running with no real goal.  Started out at 7:25 and decided to go with it.  Maintained a steady pace the entire run.  Felt very good. Even though my fitness is still behind, I am running faster now than when I was training.  Ever since I started doing my lunchtime runs outside, I have noticed that it is windy every day.  I don't know if it is because of the time of day that I am running of if it is always windy on the JRP.  It also seems that I have a headwind regardless of the direction I am running.

Pacing the Striders 30K tomorrow.  Hoping that I can handle the distance.  I'm not worried about the pace (8:46/mile) but I haven't gone longer than 15 miles in a very long time.  If all goes well, I will add an extra 1.4 miles after my pacing duties to get to 20 miles for the day and 50 miles for the week.

Paced the Striders 30K.  Was assigned the equivalent of a 1:55 half marathon (8:46/mile).  My only concern was the distance.  I haven't run more than 15 miles in a very long time.  Got to the start and it was colder than expected.  Knew that it would eventually warm up and should be good racing weather. If your not shivering at the start of the race, it is too warm.  Don decided to drop back and pace with me.  Turned out to be a blessing as my Garmin was dead.  Not a huge deal as I wear 2 watches when I pace but having the current pace certainly helps.  We stuck to paces on our pace bands pretty well.  Our cumulative time was matching the pace band to the second for the last 5 miles.  We had a good group stick with us much of the way which makes it a lot more fun. 

I felt great the entire run.  My legs felt better than they have in  a long time.  After finishing, I went back out to get an extra 1.4 to get me to 20 miles for the day.  Glad that my body still remembers how to run long distances. 

Incredibly busy morning at work.  Didn't take a breath until 1:00 so considered skipping the run.  It was too hot, my legs are still tired from Saturday, I leave at 3:00 so would basically finish up before leaving for the day.  Always easy to find excuses not to run.  Convinced myself that I would feel a lot better about myself if I went out for a run.  It was too hot and my legs were still tired from Saturday but I'm glad I went. Felt very heavy while running.  Most likely due to fatigued legs not having enough power.  I don't wear watches on recovery days but the pace was probably around 8:20-8:30. 

AM - 7.7 miles

Starting to shift to the morning runs now that it is warming up.  Problem is that it isn't warming up.  It was still quite cold and there were a few snow flurries while running.  1.5 miles into the run, mine and Becky's paths crossed.  She was putting in a few miles after her cross fit class so I ran a little over a mile with her.  Wasn't quite sure how many miles I wanted to run this morning so I just headed up to Orchard Drive and did my standard loop.  Legs still a little tired and I had some tibial soreness.

PM - 2 miles

There is a strength and toning class taught at my work every Wednesday that I have come to enjoy.  Not an overly hard workout but just enough to work some different muscles.  After the class I hit the treadmill just for fun.  Started at 7.5 mph and progressed to 11 mph to see how the pace felt.  9 mph was fast but felt good, 10 mph was a push but sustainable.  Biomechanically, I'm not sure my body could handle 11 mph for very long right now. 

Yesterday's bonus miles ended up being a mistake.  I didn't need the extra miles, the treadmill always causes problems for me and the pace was outside of where I should be running.  From my hip down to my ankle on my right side were bother me today.  I could tell while I was on the treamill yesterday that my right leg wasn't moving as well as the left.  Probably a muscle imbalance.

Took it slow today.  Just enjoyed being outside in perfect weather while I should have been working. 

Had a great time pacing the 2 hour group at the Dino Half with Becky.  This is the first time that we have paced together and it went very well.  We work well together because she is a great cheerleader and I excel at being a task master. 

It's a small race (200 racers) so pacing the 2 hour group gave us the best crowd.  For the first half of the race we had about 10 runners around us including a 10 year old girl that was running her 4th half marathon.  We also ran with Tara who we found out was friends with Don and Adrian who I have paced a few races with.  The running world is such a small world.  We started out a little ahead of our targeted pace because the first 2 miles are steeper downhill than we expected.  We settled into a good pace and maintained a 30 second cushion for the first half of the race.  To spice things up, they added a Sprintasaurus award for the fastest half mile from 6.2 to 6.7.  As we approached it, we let our runners know that we were going to run it a little faster to help them push.  We started out at a decent pace.  I pushed a little harder to catch the runners ahead.  Half way into it, I caught up to Tara and ran along side of her to help her push to the end.  She ended up winning the Sprintasaurus Queen award.  After that, we took a little walking break to get back on pace.  The herd thinned out a little bit for the rest of the race.  We had a guy that was recovering from injury and hadn't run in a month and another who was targeting us after starting 3 minutes after us because he was waiting in the POP line at the start.  They both stuck with us until the last mile when we told them to push ahead.  We were 20 seconds ahead of pace at the 12 mile mark so we backed off the pace and encouraged the last couple of runners that were around us.  Crossed the finish line in 1:59:57. 

Last week was an unintentional recovery week.  I didn't plan on running fewer, slower paced miles but it just worked out that way.  It was a good thing as I think I needed a cut back week.  With an easy week behind me, I thought today would be a good time to introduce some "speed" work.  Of course, I started the day with a poor nutrition choice (Mt. Dew for breakfast).  I could feel it during my warm up mile to the JRP.  Once I hit the trail, I decided to go at a comfortably hard pace and see what the watch would say at the end of 1 mile.  I pushed a little more than I probably should have and finished in 6:30.  It was hard but sustainable.  Ran 1/2 mile at 8:30/mile pace then started the second mile.  The effort wasn't as hard but it was a lot less comfortable (if that makes sense).  Gave an extra little push at the end and finished in 6:26.  Wasn't sure that I wanted to do another.  After another 1/2 mile at 8:30 pace, figured I would take a shot at a 3rd mile at the same pace.  A little more difficult.  I was pretty worn out after 1/2 mile but I was able to push though know I only had 1/2 mile to go (along with some grunting and groaning).  Another little push with 0.1 to go brought me in at 6:25.  The pace is still somewhat slow but I am glad I was able to mentally sustain the effort.  I'm not quite ready for a sub-20 5k attempt as this took most of what I had, even with the 1/2 mile recoveries.  I am getting close.  Finished with 2 cool down miles.  Kept the pace close to 8:00/mile because I wanted to finish the run with an average pace below 7:30/mile. 

Chilly morning run on the LPT.  My legs feel dead from the "speed" work on Monday.  I need to keep in mind that my fitness is still not very high and it is going to take more to recover from harder runs.  Absolutely perfect weather outside. Temperature was cool and it rained last night so the air felt clean. 

Strength and toning class at work this afternoon.

Was too busy with work to run this morning so I packed my clothes hoping for a lunchtime run.  Was too busy at work too.  Finally got to a point where I could step away for a few minutes.  Ran the usual out and back on the JRP.  Kept it at a comfortable pace (7:55/mile).  Legs still a little fatigued.  I can't imagine they are still sore from Monday.  Temperature felt perfect when I was running into the wind but was too warm when the wind was at my back.

Last week was another throw away week.  Just too busy with work, home projects and kid's activities.  Becky signs up for a lot of virtual races.  I used to think it was silly but I now realize that is a way for her to get in speed work.  Today was her Mother's Day 7k.  We went to the LPT and I ran it with her.  Held a 7:30/mile pace for most of the run. 

Going to really make the effort to be consistent this week.  Absolute perfect running weather this morning.  Hoping I can lock into the routine of getting out every morning.  My right ankle is causing fits.  Couldn't get into a decent groove because it was bothering me. 

Another morning of perfect running weather.  Stumbled upon Becky at the 2.5 mile mark while she was putting in a few miles after her gym session.  Ran 1.5 with her then tacked on a few more.  Just kept it at a comfortable crusing pace. 

I'm going to start an 8 week boot camp at Becky's gym on Monday and am not sure how much running I will be able to get in.  Mentally, it is going to be hard letting the miles drop again but I will be gaining in overall fitness which is more important. 

My week of consistency didn't go so well.  Felt great during the run this morning.  Body seemed to be moving well.  My dilemna for tomorrow is that I have to weigh in at the crossfit gym before the 8 week boot camp starts on Monday.  I want to run 15 miles but don't want to have an artifically low weight during my weigh in.  Probably won't have time afterward because of soccer games.  Maybe it will have to be a late night run.  I never seem to be motivated enough to run long unless I do it first thing in the morning.

Ended up going to a father and son's camp with Becky's son on Friday night.  It was a torrential downpour so I got no sleep at all.  Saturday was a busy day so by the time I got a chance to run I was too tired.  Put in a good run today.  Ran from home to Bountiful Blvd. then to Eaglewood and finished the loop home.  Lots of hill work.  Kept the pace/effort nice and easy and enjoyed being out on a perfect day.

Had my weigh in at the gym yesterday.  I'm down 30 pounds and 4% body fat since January.  This will help give me that extra little push for the last 10 pounds.  Hoping the body fat drops another 10%.  When the guy saw my abonormally high body fat %, he had a puzzled look on his face.  He gave my side a little pinch and said, "Oh, that makes sense".  Yes, I am a skinny fat guy.

Day 1 at the crossfit gym.  It was HARD.  I've been going to the strength and toning class at work for the past few months.  That is nothing compared to this.  It is an hour long class going through different cycles.  Pushups, pullups, burpees, lifting tires, TRX, dumbbells, barbells, and a bunch of other things.  I struggled but made it through the workouts.  They require us to go 3 days per week so my plan for now is to go Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Will run decent mileage on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with recovery runs on the other days if I can fit them in. 

Good solid run on the Rec Center loop.  Arms, chest and quads are a bit sore from yesterday.  Not deabilitating sore but just enough to know I did something new.  I've been in such a bad place the last few months.  It feels good to be taking steps toward feeling better.

Day 2 at Firehouse Fitness.  I felt less out of place but still struggled through the exercises.  8 cycles of the usual variety spending 6 minutes in each cycle.  I was encouraged that some of the things that I struggled with on Monday were not as hard today (the dumbell jumping jacks and dumbell punches).  Had a real hard time with burpees and the crab crawl.  One of the cycles was a 6 minute run that I was excited for.  Finally, something that I knew how to do. Unfortunately, it was the second to last cycle and I was exhausted and could only maintain 7:30/mile pace.  If nothing else, I am getting used to the feeling of pusuhing myself outside of the comfort range.  After running for a long time, I have gotten used to the feeling and never really pushed myself out of the comfort range.

Woke up with a very sore right calf either from the sumo squats or mountain climbers.  With my reduced mileage, I am trying to be better about quality runs.  Opted for a 4 mile tempo run on the Legacy Trail (thanks for the idea Kam).  Warmed up for 2 miles from home to the trail and transitioned right into tempo pace.  Not really sure what that is right now so I targeted 7:00/mile.  Becky needed my Gramin for her long run this morning so I had to use my old school running watch.  Actually prefer to do it this way so I am not constantly looking at my pace.  It is better to pick the pace by feel than by what your watch says.  Unfortunately, my internal speedometer is not quite calibrated so the pace was all over the place (6:48, 6:55, 6:31, 6:48).  Mile 2 seemed to be the most difficult.  There is a very slight elevation gain on the trail (mile markers 3 to 2) but that wouldn't account for the slower, more difficult pace.  Maybe it was mental.  Over compensated during the 3rd mile and I also crossed paths with Becky so I probably felt the need to show off.  Felt good about the run.  Once I got into a groove, it was a good feeling to be moving at a decent clip.

Shorter session of crossfit that ended with a 15 minute run.  I extended it and ran the 5k loop.  Kept the pace around 7:30/mile and it felt really good. 

Very windy run.  Headed south on the LPT as I wanted to put in the work into the wind the first half of the run and half the wind at my back during the second half.  The wind was blowing much harder than I expected and it was tough.  Kept the pace around 8:15/mile and it took a lot of work.  Connected to the JRP and continued on to Rose Park golf course.  Turned around and couldn't believe how much easier it was.  Pace dropped to 7:40 and it felt very comfortable.  Overall, I felt great during the run.  I am slowly but surely making my way down the comeback trail.

We decided late Friday night to run the Memorial Day Classic half marathon in Syracuse put on by Striders Running Store.  It has been a long time since I have been in race mode so the plan was to dip my toe in the racing waters.  Quite frankly, I have been afraid to race because I didn't want the discouragement of the results.  Didn't want to kill myself but wanted to give a good, solid effort.  My plan was to run 7:15/mile and see how it felt.  The course is pancake flat so would give me honest feedback on my fitness level.  The race started and nobody was interested in running fast.  I ended up leading for the first 3/4 mile which forced me to run a little faster than planned.  Modified my goal and locked in 7:00/mile pace and tried to maintain that the rest of the way.  At times, it felt a bit forced.  When it did, I would modify my stride to get in a more comfortable rythmn.  Focused on shorter quicker strides instead of my typical long, loping strides.  Every mile was between 6:56 and 7:01 until mile 12.  At that point, there were 2 runners that were slowly coming back to me that I wanted to catch.  Switched gears and started to lengthen my stride to pick up the pace.  Got by them, moved into fourth place and just tried to hold on to the end.  Last 2 miles were 6:40 and 6:45 and I finished in 1:31:11, missing 3rd place by 9 seconds.  I only had one low moment during the 11th mile.  I certainly had plenty in the tank at the end but the effort was solid the entire race and a good indication that I am moving in the right direction.  It's a strange feeling being happy with a 1:31 half but I'm accepting my place in my third running life.   

Crossfit session included a 7 minute run.  I went a few seconds longer to get in a full mile.  Feel completely exhausted today.  Why aren't holiday weekends more relaxing?

Crossfit:  Today was brutally hard.  A lot of repetitions of each exercise and I'm not experienced enough to accomplish all of them in the allotted time.  Fortunately, the workout included two 6 minute runs.  That is still the only thing that I can do well there.  Even though this is killing me, I am starting to feel better about myself which is what is important.

Run up to Bountiful Blvd and back home.  Wanted to do a more difficult run today since I have only run a couple of times this week.  Decent effort going up and just kind of cruised coming back down.  Legs felt a little worn out and I couldn't get a good turnover on the downhill. 

Crossfit. A different type of workout today.  It was more focused on specific muscle groups.  Tweaked my neck on one of them and it is still killing me.  Included three 6 minute runs.  I got progressively slower on each one (1 mile, 0.9 miles, 0.8 miles).

My girls haven't done a race for a while so when I saw the South Davis Community Hospital Superhero 5k on the schedule I thought they would have fun with that.  Ordered them costumes (bat girl and black widow) and I just wore a superman shirt and red shorts.  Couldn't find a red cape.  They wanted to run this one on their own which forced me to actually race a 5k.  I told myself I wouldn't race one until I was ready to run it under 20 minutes.  Guess I had to give it a shot. The horn went off and a few high school kids jumped into the lead.  Another guy passed me but I could tell he wasn't going to last the entire race at that pace.  I wasn't wearing my Garmin so I wasn't sure how fast I was running but the pace felt hard.  Hit the first mile marker in 6:20 which is exactly what I needed on this course for a sub 20.  As we made the turn on to Porter Ln with a very gradual incline, I started moving up on 2 runners.  Continued to run controlled and past them close to the halfway point.  Tried to keep the pace to discourage them from staying with me.  It worked on the older guy but not on the high school kid.  He would catch up then drop back.  Continued this for a half mile then I started to gap him.  I knew that my only chance of beating him was to have a good enough lead before we made the final turn on to 400 north.  There was no way I was going to out kick his young legs.  Thought I had a good enough lead but heard him coming up fast with 0.2 to go.  He flew by, I offered words of encouragement and cruised to the finish.  Finished in 19:33 but I suspect the course may have been slightly short.  Still sub 20 even if I added the extra distance.  Ran back to find my girls.  Gracie was doing great (finished in 27 minutes - a 2 minute pr) but Emma was struggling.  Once I got to her, I just told her to run easy to the end.  No more stopping.  She was disappointed but still felt good about completing the race. 

Got home and felt good enough to put in a few more miles.  It was cool enough outside that it wasn't too punishing.  Ran down to the LPT and put in 12 additional miles.  Averaged 8:15/mile and felt great. 

Absolutely no energy today.  Cut the run a little short because I just wasn't feeling it.  Felt the same way at the gym yesterday.  My weight dropped a few pounds over the weekend so I'm guessing that I am very dehydrated which is what is causing the lack of energy. 

Crossfit:  All arms today mixed in with 3 six minute runs (cycle 1: dumb bell hammer curls, dumb bell shoulder presses, bar presses; cycle 3: TRX curls, TRX T's, TRX tricep presses; cycle 5: band curls, band rows, band presses).  While it was a workout, it was not nearly as hard as some of the other days.  I feel kind of dumb struggling through all of the regular exercises then blasting through the runs. 

Started out with a couple of sluggish miles then picked it up.  Last 5 felt very good. I realized that running 2 races in one week after not racing in a year took more of a toll on me than I anticipated. 

Got a little later start than I planned and knew the heat could potentially be an issue.  My plan was to enjoy a Garminless 17 miler.  Didn't care what the pace was.  Just wanted to get in some miles.  First 2 miles to the LPT were a bit clunky but then was able run a little smoother once I hit the trail.  As I hit the turn around point and the wind was no longer blowing into my face, I realized how warm it was.  Got to mile 11 and realized how thirsty I was and took my last swig of Gatorade.  Got to 15 and felt fine so decided if I could make it 1.5 miles more to the park with the water fountain, I could get to 19 for the day.  Actually felt good for much of the run.  Not sure what kind of person puts in a 19 mile run with no race on the horizon.

Started the morning with a session at the gym.  Tough workout made much worse by the assessment by the trainer that I have absolutely no ab muscles.  He saw me struggling with one of the exercises and wanted to feel my abs.  After much poking and prodding, I don't think he could find them.  You would think that after running thousands and thousands of miles that I would have accidentally developed some ab muscles.  Got home and decided to run a few miles to clear my head and lift my spirits.  My legs were still tired from the workout and took a mile to get into a good rythmn. 

Hot and windy and I am very tired so the run kind of suffered.  Happy to get some miles. 

A little bit of everything at the gym today including a 7 minute run (1 mile).  After the gym, I went out for a few more super easy miles.  Not sure if it is really worth putting in these miles but I'm trying to make an effort maintain decent weekly mileage.  Checked my body fat % just for fun and it is down 3% in the last month and 7% since January.  Still have quite a ways to go. 

Did not feel well at all this morning.  Skipped the gym because I am pacing the 1:35 group at the American Fork half tomorrow.  I was afraid that if it was a heavy day, I would be too wiped out to run well tomorrow.  Was hoping for a few spunky miles to get used to the 7:15/mile pace but never could get going.  The race is a downhill course so I will be fine but wished I felt better going into it.

Stumbled out of bed at 3:45 this morning - literally.  No idea what my problem was but I was light headed and couldn't stand up straight.  I imagine this is what being drunk feels like.  I had serious concerns about running this race.  Got ready, got to the busses and didn't feel any better.  Figured that I would give it what I had and hope for the best.  Pacing 1:35 is a little different.  The runners are a little more serious and it is too fast of a pace to hold a conversation.  My main focus is to maintain a good, even effort and just be a target for the other runners.  Becky had an aggressive goal of 1:35 as well so her plan was to stick with me as long as she could.  As the race started, I had a real hard time locking in the pace.  Becky had commented that it felt like we were going a little slow and sure enough we were 10 seconds/mile slower than we wanted.  I was finally able to find the right effort during the second mile and settled into a nice rythmn.  We built a 30 second cushion and maintained that. I walked the second aid station to give back a little time and Becky continued on.  That was the last I saw of her.  Actually, I was able to watch her the rest of the race from a minute behind her.  The rest of the race was pretty uneventful.  Was close to right on pace at every mile marker.  The hill during the 11th mile took a decent amount of effort but once you crest it, it is smooth sailing the rest of the way.  I was 10 seconds ahead of schedule at mile 12 and kept the pace even during the last mile.  Somehow ended up 30 seconds early. Finished a little too soon but it was close enough.  Becky ended up running 1:33:42 which was incredible.  She was worried about 1:35 and she absolutely destroyed her goal. 

After looking at the splits, it looks like it was mile 10 that did me in.  I don't think I gave the big drop at the end of the 10th mile enough credit when I developed the pace weights.  I am not going to adjust it because I don't want to take the seconds away from any of the other miles.   

Mile	Actual	Target	Seconds Diff
1	7:10	7:15	-5
2	7:05	7:17	-12
3	7:19	7:19	0
4	7:14	7:06	+8
5	6:56	6:53	+3
6	6:52	6:53	-1
7	7:07	7:10	-3
8	7:08	7:19	-11
9	7:25	7:21	+4
10	7:11	7:28	-17
11	7:29	7:28	+1
12	7:21	7:21	0
13	7:26	7:28	-2
13.1	0:49	0:48	+1

Killer workout at Firehouse which included a couple of runs.  I didn't finish the other workouts in time to get to the last run so I had to stay after class to get it in. 

Very low energy during the run this morning.  I'm running Ragnar (ultra) on Friday and may be in trouble. Breaking in a new pair of shoes and they gave me blisters.  I love the cushioning of new shoes but it always takes a few runs for the insoles to feel right.

Workout at Firehouse was geared towards legs which concerns me with Ragnar coming up.  My legs were already sore from a basketball tournament at work and this probably won't help.  I find it interesting how my legs get sore when I ask them to do something a little different than they are used to.  It goes to show how running targets specific muscles and neglects the others.  I struggle with the exercises that require balancing on one leg (cranes, lunges, etc.) because for the last 10 years I have trained my legs to focus solely on propelling my body forward in a straight line.  The workout this morning included a 0.5 mile run and a 1.5 mile run.  Couldn't finish all cycles in the allotted 40 minutes so I stayed after to finish them up.  After 4 weeks at the gym, I am feeling less like a misfit.  I can finally get through most of the exercises without asking what we are supposed to be doing.

Skipped the gym this morning because I was worried it would trash my legs.  My calves are killing me from yesterday which will make running from Pineview to Snowbasin tomorrow a whole lot more interesting.  Went for a nice and easy run to flush out whatever garbage is hanging around in my legs.  Weather was nice and cool.  Hope it stays this way tomorrow. 

I'm not a real big fan of Ragnar but can't seem to say no when asked to join a team.  This year, I had an opportunity to run it ultra style again.  If you are going to do it, may as well make it as painful as possible.  I was the last runner covering legs 11, 12, 23, 24, 35 and 36. 

My first run started at 7:00 p.m. and was the lovely climb from Pineview to Snow Basin finishing up with 2 mile loop on the trails around the ski resort.  I actually really like the run up to Snow Basin.  I did it a few years ago when runner 11 only went up half way.  Started out a few seconds behind a runner and he steadily pulled away for the first mile.  Figured there was no need to be pushing too hard this early.  He gradually started coming back so I kept the effort higher than it should have been.  After passing him, I kept pushing because I didn't want him to pass me.  Ened up giving more of an effort than I should have but it felt really good.  Leg 12 started with an intense climb during the first 1/2 mile.  It about killed me.  Once it leveled out, it was kind of fun hitting the trails.  I'm glad it was still light out as running this in the dark would have been treacherous.  Weaved my way through the trails and finished up back at the resort. 

After a full night of mixed up exchanges (sorry Kam!), concern about a possible missing runner and about 45 minutes of sleep, my 2nd set of legs started at 6:50 in the morning.  I did not have any night time runs this time which was strange for a relay.  During my run up to Snow Basin, I noticed my feet were slopping around in my shoes so I opted to wear a pair that only had one run in them.  There was a lot of slipping during that one run so making this decision was incredibly stupid (more on that later).  The run was 11.9 miles and was a gradual climb by Rockport and into Oakley.  Of course, I started out too fast again as I was drawn into the long string of runners I could start picking off.  Passed the guy in orange shorts that I battled with during my first leg.  He was wisely taking it easy (more on that later).  I felt great during leg 23.  Both legs were supposed to be unsupported so when my van passed, I told them to go on ahead to the last exchange.  Crusied through the chute at exchange 23 and was moving well.  A girl went flying by me shortly after the exchange and I think it took the wind out of my sails.  Felt like I lost all of my energy.  In reality, I was entering the section of the run that included a long slow climb.  Not steep by any means but enough to sap you of all of your energy.  I just beared down and plugged along to the end.  My pace slipped into the 8's for a couple of miles but I recovered and was able to finish the last 2 in the 7's.  After finishing, I grabbed breakfast at the Oakley fair grounds (always my favorite part of Wasatch Back) and we were on the road again.  I think I shut down at this point because I remember very little from here on out.

Did the typical relay thing for the next set of runners.  Holly ran 16 more miles (bringing her total to 42+), Jake ran, Jorge ran, Josh ran, Kam ran, we messed up another one of Kam's exchanges (sorry - I really tried to get him there), then Jorge charged up Guardsman Pass.  Now it was my turn for a 1 mile climb then 8 screaming downhill miles followed by a nice little jog around Park City.  Well, that was the plan.  Took off and loved the first uphill mile of my run.  Charged to the top of Guardsman and was ready for the fun.  Once I got to the downhill, it didn't take long for me to realize that my shoes were not tied tight enough.  My feet were slipping around .  The first mile was about the speed I wanted but my feet were getting major blisters and they were killing me.  A girl went flying by me and I just let her go.  Then I heard another runner approaching.  Looked back and it was the guy in orange shorts.  He blew by me and I had no chance of keeping up.  Tried to take some satisfaction in the fact that I beat him 2 out of 3 legs but he was crushing me on this one.  Tried to settle into a comfortable pace but could never find one.  Felt like my legs were run through a meat grinder and somebody took a cheese grater to my feet.  How was I going to finish this 11+ mile run?  Dropped into Park City and the elevation drop was more tolerable.  I was frustrated because I couldn't take advantage of it.  The section on the backside of Main Street was rough because I could smell all of the food that was being cooked.  All I had eaten in the last 2 days was a couple of protein drinks and a turkey sandwich.  I was hungry!  Closed in on the high school, went down a flight of stairs (seriously?) and cruised through the chute at exchange 35.  Thought all that was left was a comfortable 3 mile loop.  Ragnar had a different plan.  Had to climb up the side of a mountain that was too steep to run.  Thought I was being a baby but took some comfort in that everybody else was walking and they hadn't just run 8 miles.  My excitement of reaching the top was quickly squashed as I realized that I had to go back down something that only slightly resembled a trail.  Wasn't even wide enough to call it single track.  Roots and rocks were everywhere.  With the blisters on my feet, I had no ability to properly manuever down the hill.  I knew it was going to be a grind but I had to get through it.  Nothing like a couple of 13 minute miles to destroy your ego.  Got to the aid station at the end of the dirt road and sucked down as much water as I could.  All 6 of my legs were unsupported and I foolishly did not take water with me on the last run.  Once on the paved road, I had no energy left.  All I could do was focus on putting one foot in front of the other.  It was a little demoralizing thinking that I am a decent runner and I was struggling to keep up with the people around me.  With a half mile to go, I came across another runner struggling and walking.  Told her that it was only 1/2 mile to the end and she had to run the rest of the way with me.  She picked up the pace and finished well.  I bumbled and stumbled the last little bit and finally got across the finish line. 

While it was a good experience, doing 2 ultra Ragnars was enough for a lifetime. Nobody ask me to do it again because I do not have the ability to say no.  Two days later, my calves are completely trashed and I can barely walk. 

Debated whether or not to go to the gym today as I can barely walk.  Everything feels great except both of my calves are extremely sore.  Went to Firehouse and luckily the workouts were not heavy on the legs.  I actually felt better while I was there than I have all weekend.  Ran 1 very slow mile while I was there.  Still struggling to walk but know the pain will eventually subside.

Still unable to walk/run correctly so I went to Firehouse so I could get some exercise in.  Hoped/prayed it would be easy on the legs and little to no running.  Was relieved when I saw the board and it was mostly geared towards upper body.  The sprints and jump rope concerned me but I actually had zero pain/discomfort while working out.  Walking around the rest of the day, on the other hand, has been quite interesting.

Nice run to elephant rock with Kam, Allie and Tara.  My calves are still problematic so I probably should not have run, let alone run hills.  Going up was fine until we got close to the rock.  I felt stabbing pains in both calves.  After a short break at the rock, we continued up the trail to extend the full run to 8 miles.  For future reference, the poop on the trail is the 4 mile mark.  Coming back down was fine until the last mile which was quite painful.  The other 3 decided to play in the river but I didn't want to go through the hassle of taking off my shoes and socks so I headed home.  Walking is quite painful so I may have to take tomorrow off. 

Changed my mind about going to Firehouse 3 times this morning but eventually made my way to the gym.  Should have stayed home.  Pulled my left calf muscle during one of the exercises.  It was a tough overall workout so glad that I went, other than the strained calf.

When a spot opened up for this pacing gig, Becky volunteered me to join her.  Wasn't overly excited about it but felt better about it by calling it a date night.  Going into this, I had two big concerns. First, I was sitting in the blistering sun all day watching soccer games so was very concerned about being dehydrated - especially considering my propensity to wilt in the heat due to my size.  My biggest concern, however, was that my calves are still damaged from Ragnar.  Not sure if I'm ready to call it an injury yet but they are very painful.  Sometimes I think I just create potential issues just so I have things to worry about.  Pacing the 1:50 group should be just a comfortable long run but with the flat course and the race time temperature in the 90's, this is about 9 minutes slower than most races so I was not 100% confident I could hit the goal. 

Got to the starting line and geared up with all the different types of lights.  It was a super small race (120 runners - 20 of which were pacers) so we knew that we would most likely be running alone.  We had a few people start out with us to take advantage of my head lamp but were completely alone from miles 3 to 12.  Pretty uneventful run.  We were within 10 seconds of our goal time the entire race.  Realized at mile 5 that the Garmin was going to measure 0.1 short so we tried giving a few seconds back every mile towards the end to account for Garmin/course error.  At mile 12, we came upon a girl that was struggling.  Told her to stay with us and she was able to pick it up and finish ahead of us.  I guess helping one runner at the end makes it worth the effort we put in.  Ended up crossing the finish line 30 seconds early but the RD confirmed the course was short so I will consider it a success.  It definitely took more effort than a typical race but it was a fun experience because I got to spend an hour and fifty minutes with my favorite runner.

During the run, I had major pains in both calves.  They were especially painful on the little up and down sections going into and out of the underpasses.  It makes running a little less enjoyable but they will eventually heal.

I am terrible about hydrating properly on the weekends.  When I am working, I always have a cup of water that I drink throughout the day.  On the weekends, I rarely drink and usually drink more soda than I should.  I definitely paid the price for it today.  Blacked out a few times while at Firehouse today.  The workout wasn't overly difficult but being dehydrated took it's toll on me.  I have cut back on running more than I should have so I need to find a way to ramp the miles back up again.  I may have to get creative to find a way to squeeze a couple of extra runs in each week. 

Ran 5 miles with Becky then 5 miles on my own.  Temperature is 78 but it felt a lot warmer for some reason.  The effort felt a lot harder than it should have.  Calvers are driving me crazy.  It's not really a hurty pain but they pull every time I take a step.  They really started to wear down towards the end of the run. 

No real running today.  Just a 7 minute run that was part of the workout at Firehouse.  Debating whether or not I should try something resembling a tempo run tomorrow.  Not sure if the calves are up to it and if there is really any benefit at this point.

Felt pretty lousy at the start of the run.  Had absolutely no energy.  Didn't bother wearing a watch because I knew there was no way I could muster the energy for any speedwork.  Felt better as the run progressed.  Felt teh best during the last mile.  On the bright side, my calves only ached a little.  They are definitely towards the end of the healing process.

Just a couple of short runs at Firehouse.  Nothing exciting.

Headed out the door for a long run of unknown length.  I haven't put in a real long run in quite awhile so I wanted to get a decent amount of distance.  Figured 18ish would be a good distance to target.  No Garmin so the Legacy trail was my only option if I wanted to know for sure how far I ran.  Also, couldn't find my fuel belt so I only had 16 oz of Gatorade.  This was going to be a good test for me.  Locked in a comfortable pace and just puttered along the trail.  At each potential turnaround point (17, 18, 19) I felt good enough to continue to the next.  Got to 10 miles, turned around and headed home.  Got to 15 miles before I started to feel the affects of glycogen depletion.  Was a little light headed but the rest of the body actually felt good.  Despite being incredibly thirsty, I felt very good.  Actually felt very strong during the last mile.  One thing that I noticed is that with the improved core strength, my running economy has improved and I do not get as fatigued on the long runs.  No idea what my average pace was.  Probably somewhere between 8:15 and 8:30.

Maybe I am not supposed to work out on Mondays.  Lots of new exercises at Firehouse which is hard for me.  I spend half my time trying to figure out what I am supposed to do and usually do them wrong anyway.  After my struggles at the gym, I thought about putting in a few easy miles.  Got a few steps into it and started to black out and decided it was better to just throw in the towel. 

Started with 5 miles with Becky.  It was supposed to be a recovery run for her but she still isn't convinced of how slow recovery runs are supposed to be (I think we averaged 8:30/mile)..  I think it takes a couple of marathon cycles to really appreciate slow recovery runs.   

After she was done, I went out to the golf course and back for another 5 miles.  Wanted to dial in the pace for my pacing duties at Bryce this weekend.  Averaged 7:30/mile (target was 7:38) and it felt very comfortable.  Didn't have my Garmin but I've run that route so many times I know where every quarter mile marker is so it was easy to stay on pace. 

Cross training at Firehouse included 2 runs (0.8 miles and 0.5 miles).  Actually felt decent at the gym today.  First time ever. 

Eight miserable miles on the LPT.  Had no energy today.  Not sure if it is lack of sleep or if I have a little bug. 

Went out 23 minutes meandering through Logan and River Heights then turned around and headed back towards the hotel.  I took one wrong turn and ended up extending the run a little.  Ended up averaging 7:28/mile.  I really like the way that pace feels.

Quick trip to Bryce Canyon to pace the 1:40 group at the half marathon.  We stayed at Ruby's Inn which is just up the street from the starting line.  The thought was that staying by the start line in a hotel would give us a better night's sleep then staying at the campgrounds in Tropic.  Didn't quite turn out that way because of a sick child in the room.  After a mostly sleepless night, we made our way down to the starting line 30 minutes prior to the start of the race.  I slept incredibly well the night before so was not concerned about the lack of sleep. 

Had a pacing partner today (Ben Ford) which makes things a little easier.  Seems to take some of the pressure off.  We worked well together in that he was very talkative and knew a lot of the people that were running with us and I was able to keep our pace honest.  We settled into a comfortable effort and just plugged away until the end.  I'm too tired to dig out my Garmin but we hit every mile within a couple of seconds of the target time.  The pace felt very natural and I never felt overly fatigued the entire race.  Made the last turn about 15 seconds too early so slowed up and crossed the finish line at 1:39:55.

After the race, Becky and Shantell thought it would be fun to add 6 more miles.  I tagged along as the third wheel as we worked our way backwards on the course for 3 miles then returned to the finish line.  The first 3 were uphill and were a little slower and more difficult than I would have liked.  I was starving so choked down a GU hoping it would satisfy my hunger (it didn't).  The last 3 felt great.  Never got the glycogen depletion feeling which was a nice surprise. 

Started the morning with a 2.5 mile warm up to the LPT to meet Shantell, Tara and Kam for a tempo run.  We decided to started at a more comfortable pace and make it a progression run.  First 2 miles were into the wind and were 7:09 and 7:00.  Took more effort than it should have.  I could especially feel it towards the end of the second mile when the wind picked up.  With the wind at our backs, we picked the pace up a bit.  Ran mile 3 in 6:39 and Shantell and Tara started to pull away.  Sped up a bit to catch up and finished the 4th mile in 6:30.  Tara was showing off and finished 10 seconds ahead.  Good, solid effort.  It definitely helps to have company on these runs.  Finished with a comfortable 2.5 mile run home.

Terrible day at Firehouse.  Just the basic exercises but for some reason I really struggled.  It was a very humbling experience.

Five recovery miles with Becky in Garden City.  After I finished the run with her, I went out for a few quicker paced miles.  Ran 3 more at 7:00/mile.  The faster miles felt very good.

Wasn't really in the mood to run but knew I would feel better if I did.  Ran 1.5 miles to Logan canyon then 1.5 up the canyon.  The only significant hill was less than a mile.  Kept the effort relatively easy.

Focused on arms at Firehouse.  There were 3 half mile runs interspersed throughout the workout.  Amazing how hard it was to run with rubber arms. 

I knew that Tempo Tuesday was going to be put on hold this week because Shantell ran 20 yesterday and Tara is racing Des News tomorrow.  Still wanted to attempt some slightly quicker miles this morning so I stuck to the planned routine.  Drove to the LPT and warmed up 2 miles.  Wasn't positive if Kam was going to be there so I waited for a couple of minutes then started my tempo miles.  Decided that I wanted to run 4 miles at lactate threshold.  My plan was to hold 6:50/mile the entire run.  Not a punishing pace but definitely a good, solid effort.  Probably my true lactate threshold pace right now.  Hit every mile at 6:50.  Had to make some corrections during the second half of miles 3 and 4 as I started both of those a little too fast.  Cooled down with 2 easy miles.

Becky wanted to run the Handcart Days 1/2 marathon as a supported long run.  She wanted to run 8:20/mile so I went along for the ride.  I didn't sign up so I guess I technically bandited the race.  I didn't take any of the fluids along the course so I consider it just coincidentally running the same course at the same time as the race.  At least that is what I am telling myself so that I can maintain some integrity.  We maintained a steady effort the entire run and finished in 1:48:56 (8:19/mile).  The last few miles took a little more effort but it was a good run.  Since it is a small race and it seems everybody ran the Des News half, the winning men's time was 1:31.  I could have won this race again had I actually raced it.  Running with Becky was much more satisfying. 

A few less miles than I had hoped because I was too busy with work this morning.  Just ran at a nice and easy pace.

Level 1 testing at Firehouse.  Testing at this level is kind of a waste of time.  Included a one minute squat, one minute plank, demonstrated knowledge of the 3 arm combo on TRX, 20 medicine ball hop and reach, and a 0.6 mile run around the block.  Pushed it on the run and was very disappointed with my time (3:47 = 6:18/mile pace).  No way I was going that slow.  Mapped out the course on gmap-pedometer and it is actually 0.68 miles which would be a 5:34/mile pace.  Still not blazing speeds but at least it is reasonable for the effort I was putting in.  Not that it matters but at least I can feel a little better about myself. 

Paced the 1:40 group at Timpanogos along with Colin.  They made a last minute course change which made the course about 45 seconds slower.  The course is still 3 minutes faster than a flat course so 7:38/mile was a comfortable pace.  It was very warm at the bus loading area but nice and cool at the starting line.  I knew that the last few miles would be more work because of the heat.  It’s times like this that make me glad to be pacing and not racing.  The race started and it was incredibly congested.  Fought through the crowd for the first mile then settled in with a good group.  The pace felt good but I had a hard time locking into the right effort.  My body wanted to run slower so it took more concentration to hit the right pace.  We kept no more than a 20 second lead on our target pace for the first 9 miles.  From here to the end, we were right on target.  We had one runner from Houston that stayed with us the entire race.  She is preparing for the Pocatello marathon and wanted a good practice run on a course with similar elevation change and altitude.  Just before mile 10 we passed a guy who told us we were way ahead of 1:40 pace.  I told him that we were right on target and he disagreed again.  I tried to explain that we were 60 seconds ahead of even pace but that was intentional and were going to give that back on the flat section of the course.  Shouldn’t have bothered me because I understand his state of mind but I make it a point to stay very close to target pace from start to finish and knew we were pacing perfect.  It was warm and 8:00/mile pace started to be a lot of work.  We missed the tunnel at Country Road at mile 12 and ended up crossing a very busy street with no traffic control.    Looked at my watch and we were 2 seconds behind schedule.  Ended up having to push a little more during the last mile than I would have liked.  Ran stride for stride with the lady from Houston for the last 3 miles (I even asked her to carry the pacing sign since she was doing all the work) and crossed the finish line 2 seconds late (crap).   After the race, there were a lot of complaints about the course change.  While it was slower, I think the bigger issue was the heat and humidity we experienced once outside of the canyon. 

After the race, Becky wanted to get in a few more miles so she would be over 50 for the week.  We ran a nice and easy 3 miles.

Mile	Split	Target
1	7:31	7:42
2	7:35	7:40
3	7:36	7:40
4	7:17	7:33
5	7:06	7:15
6	7:38	7:10
7	7:12	7:29
8	7:32	7:19
9	7:46	7:47
10	7:44	7:42
11	7:57	7:56
12	8:04	7:56
13	8:00	8:01
13.1	1:02	0:50

Got a pair of Skechers over the weekend and I was anxious to try them out so I went for a quick run before heading to the gym.  While walking around in them, they are incredibly comfortable.  During the run, I could tell that I will need to make some adjustments to my running form.  It is interesting how the shoes encourages the mid-foot strike.  They definitely have potential.  It's the first pair of minimalist shoes that have felt good. 

For the first time, Becky and I went to Firehouse together.  I have avoided this as I think it is a bad idea for her to see me in such a poor light.  I don't mind it when strangers see me make a fool of myself but it is a little embarassing when somebody who I would like to be impressed with me watches as I stumble through the exercises. 

Ended up running a few more miles than expected.  Started with 2.5 miles to the LPT to meet the tempo crew (Shantell, Tara, Jasmine and Kam).  We started with a little less than a mile at an easier pace for everybody to get warmed up then transitioned into tempo pace.  First mile inclued the tunnel which wreaks havoc with my Garmin.  My distance, pace and time were all askew so I didn't trust any of the readings for the rest of the run.  Pretty sure we ran 6:50ish pace.  I was content with the effort.  If I were really training for something, I would need to push a little more but this pace accomplishes what I want for right now.  Ran another mile to the trail head with the group then 2.5 more home. 

Run from home to the Bountiful Temple and back.  Got a late start so it was a bit warm.  Had a nice little head wind while going up the hill which made it a lot more fun.  I regretted my decision about 10 feet after I made the turn from Orchard on to 1800 S. when the real hills started.  I felt very sleepy for some reason.  I pushed through the negative thoughts and just focused on one step at a time and maintained a good effort going up.  Form was not as smooth as I wanted coming back down.  I have a real hard time getting my legs to turnover as quickly as they need to on big downhills.  My natural turnover is slower than average (165/minute) which is not conducive to downhill running. 

After a few hectic days at the end of a few super busy months, I finally crashed last night.  Fell asleep at 7 and woke up at 6.  Can't remember the last time I got that much sleep.  No time for a long run yesterday so I went out early this morning to get some miles in.  I was hoping for 20.  Started out and felt really good (11 hours of sleep will do that to you).  Headed to the LPT then ran south.  Got off the trail at Center Street and ran towards the airport.  Kind of cool watching the airplanes land.  The exhaust was not so cool.  Held 8:00/mile for the first 10 miles and felt very good.  As soon as I turned for home, my energy level dropped.  The pace was harder and I was starting to sweat a lot.  Slowed down a bit and just hoped to make it the rest of the way.  My goal was to make it to Legacy Park where I could get a drink of water and hopefully have enough energy to get home.  A mile away from the park, I knew I was done so I sent the distress signal to Becky for her to pick me up at the park.  My pace was holding steady at 8:15/mile but I didn't want to continue.  Could have, just didn't want to.  Not the best confidence building run.  I realized that I only drank 40 oz of Mt. Dew yesterday which is not the best hydration practice.  I also remembered half way into the run that the first long run in August has always been cursed for me.  This is the 3rd time that I have had to call to be picked up on the first long run in August.

Warmed up with 2 easy miles on the LPT then met Tara for some fast stuff.  We decided to mix it up and ran 3 minutes on and 3 minutes off times 6.  We averaged 6:00/mile for the "on" minutes.  It was a good, solid effort for me.  The last 2 were tough towards the end of each one and I started to get a little nauseous at the end of the last one.  A good indication that it was the right effort.  It felt good to get some 5k pace work in.  Cooled down with a couple of easy miles.

Reminded of why I do not run at night.  Super busy with work this morning so I didn't get a chance to run or go to the gym.  Went out for a few miles tonight on the Orchard loop.  Didn't feel right from the beginning.  At least I was able to get some miles in.

AM

8 Miles: I'm still waiting for verification but I'm pretty sure I broke the world record for sugar consumption yesterday.  I have no idea what the deal was but I just couldn't get enough.  Felt like I needed a run more than a trip to the gym today to help flush it out of my system.  Saw the gym folk on an extended run.  I'm curious what kind of adventure they were on.  Effort felt very good and the body was moving well.  Second run with the GoRun 2's and I really like them.  Six miles is probably my limit until my achilles tendons become more acclimated to the lower heels. 

PM

4.5 Miles: Becky signed us up for a cupcake challenge 5k in Eagle Mountain where your time is reduced by 2 minutes for every cupcake you eat halfway through the race.  When we got there we realized that we didn't register correctly so we were just running the 5k.  Since it was a super small fund raiser it really wasn't much of a race.  She walked with her kids and I decided I would just run it at 1/2 marathon pace.  Started the race at a very comfortable pace and was easily in the lead.  The only problem with this was that I had no idea where I was going.  I missed one of the first turns and didn't realize it for a couple of minutes.  Most of the people that I led the wrong way turned back on the right course.  Some guy told me that if we continued on it would hook back up with the course.  I looked back, saw the droves of people that I would have to pass again and decided to take his advice.  After 1/4 mile we were back on the correct course and way ahead of everybody.  At that point I decided that I would just continue on and have them take me out of the results because I probably cut the course.  Continued on at 1/2 marathon pace and felt very good.  Just cruised along enjoying the run.  Crossed the finish line (20:45) and told them what happened and to not count my time.  I probably only cut 0.05 out of the race and won by a few minutes but I didn't feel right claiming the "win".  In hindsight, I should have back tracked and run the correct course.  I have a hard time making the right decision during races.

In preparation for the Big Cottonwood marathon, Becky and Shantell wanted to run the last 9 miles of the course after a few of the downhill miles.  We ended up a little higher up the canyon than we planned which turned the run into a 17 miler.  I didn't mind because I wanted more miles today.  I was shocked how good the downhill miles felt.  Our pace coming down the canyou was a little faster than it should have been.  I hope it wasn't my fault.  The first couple of miles out of the canyon weren't too bad.  Once we turned onto Holladay Blvd. it started to get a little tougher.  There is one good climb right before mile 20 of the marathon course and another nasty one around mile 23 before turning down 4500 South.  The toughest part is going to be on Highland Drive.  It is a long stretch that is slightly uphill and is going to be a killer.  It is also visually unappealing which makes the suffering that much worse.  I think we all got a little dehydrated which made the run tougher.  Good practice for race day. 

Drove to the LPT and got in a couple of warm up miles before Kam and Tara arrived.  I don't think any of us where in the mood for anything too hard.  We started out with a few easy miles while we decided what we wanted to do.  After 4.5 miles at 8:30/mile we started to pick up the pace.  Ran 7:30, 7:00 and 6:30 for the next 3 miles.  The faster paces felt good.  I wasn't feeling great when I started the run and didn't think I could muster anything faster than 8:00.

The mornings are cooling which makes running so much more enjoyable.  Felt better this morning than I have in a very long time.  Started with an easy mile then comfortably ran 7:15's the rest of the way.  Effort felt great and the body was moving very well. 

I didn't want to venture too far from home in case I was needed so I made sure I was always within 30 minutes of the house.  I was able to run a route that kept me close to home but didn't feel like I was running the same loop for 2 1/2 hours.  Run felt great.  Averaged 8:05/mile and it felt incredibly comfortable.  The body was moving well.

I only got in 3 runs this week but they were all quality runs.  I'm not sure if I should be disappointed about the low miles or be happy with how good they all felt.  I wonder if I should stick to the 3 days running and 3 days at the gym schedule.

Ran an easy mile on the LPT before the group run.  We ran an easy 4 to start then did a 4 mile progressive tempo run.  Splits were 7:11, 6:45, 6:35, 6:25.  Kam and Tara took off the last 0.1 and I was content with my effort so just lolly gagged to the end.  I guess I have no killer instinct.  The effort felt good although I started to get uncomfortable during the last mile. 

Run from home to the mouth of Mueller Park canyon and back home again.  Mind is in a bad place which means that the body is not performing well.  I like to run this when I'm not in the mood to run because going up the hill forces me to work.  Got caught in a rain storm for 1 mile which was just enough to make my shirt wet, heavy, and annoying. 

We did a lot of dead lifts at the gym yesterday focusing on strengthening the back.  I don't think that I have ever taxed my back muscles before so they were completely trashed.  Wasn't even sure I would be able to run today.  My hope was that my back would loosen up once I started running. 

Race started and it was incredibly congested.  We had a hard time hitting our target for the first mile because of the congestion.  Still only a few seconds slow.  We maintained a good pace all the way down the canyon and along Hollow Road.  We were within a few seconds of our goal time up until mle 9 or 10.  Once we dumped out to the highway, we didn't back off as much as we should have.  That is one of the hardest things about pacing.  The slow down on the last 5k of this course is a little more than other races because of the gradual uphill.  When you are pacing, you are still relatively fresh and are able to maintian a good effort, putting you ahead of your goal time.  Ended up getting ahead by 45 seconds going into mile 12 where I thought we would be able to give back some time because of the hill.  Hit that mile in exactly what the paceband said so still had too much of a cushion going into the last mile.  Slowed it down to 9:00/mile and gave back 15 seconds and came in 30 seconds early.  Not too bad but further off than what I would have liked.  My justification for coming in early is that with this big of a race, it is better to come in a little early in case other runners chip times are not in sync with ours. 

After finishing, I put in another 7 to get to 20 for the day.  The back held up really well while running.  Now that I'm done, it is killing me and I can barely walk. 

Got in a mile at the LPT before the group run.  Started with a 4.5 mile tour of the local POP's.  Finished with a progressive tempo run: 7:23, 6:57, 6:32.

Nice and easy run on the LPT.  Lots of bugs and unpleasant smells.

Hesitated going to the gym today because I am pacing the Layton Marathon tomorrow.  If there was anything like last week's back workout I would be in trouble.  Fortunately nothing too crazy on the board.  The workout included two 0.7 mile runs.  After all of the other exercises, these short runs are really tough.  I am trying to figure out why they are so difficult when I have a relatively high level of endurance.  I believe that the cardio exercises at the gym are really geared toward taxing your VO2max.  If this is the case, I should see improvement in my 5k times.  Maybe I should run one to see if this is true. 

Decided at the last minute to pace the Layton marathon.  My preference would have been a 3:45 to 4:00 time but 4:15 was all that was left.  9:44/mile is a little bit on the slow side but I figured that pacing the slower time would allow me to recover quick enough to pace 3:35 at Big Cottonwood in 2 weeks.

Once the race started, it was very hard to lock into the right pace.  The 4 hour pacer went out very slow and I was right on his heels for the first 2 miles which made me worry that I was going too fast.  My Garmin was telling me that I was fine so I just stuck with the pace letting the runners around me know not to worry, that we were right on pace.  Held a good, consistent pace and had a good group of guys around me for the first 16 miles.  The crowd started to thin out once we got off the causeway and I was all alone the rest of the way.  I had a real hard time keeping the pace slow enough for the last 10 miles.  My body just wanted to be done and would naturally speed up. I got a few seconds ahead each mile but gave that time back at the aid stations.  Since it was getting hot, I walked each aid station at took in extra fluids. Was about 20 seconds ahead at mile 25 so backed the pace off to 10:00/mile and crossed the finish line in 4:14:56.

With the slow pace and flat course, I really am not sore at all.  It was a good way to remind me how far a marathon is before the more aggressive pacing job at Big Cottonwood.  Was happy to see Tom Slick get his BQ minus 5 minutes.  Impressive considering the honest course and the heat.

Exercises at the gym included a 0.7 mile run.  Boy, did I struggle this morning.  I don't think the exercises were particularly difficult but they really kicked my butt.  Collapses in a sweaty heap a couple of times.

Today's edition of tempo Tuesday was a good, hard run.  Tara wanted to some faster stuff and my goal was to attempt to keep up as long as I could.  Wamred up with 4 easy miles then ran 6X800 at 6:00/mile with a 2 minute active recovery.  Splits were: 3:00, 2:55, 2:57, 2:57, 2:57, 3:00.  Tara finished a few seconds ahed of me on the last one.  The 5th and 6th were tough.  I gave up on the last one and just wanted to keep it at 6:00/mile.  Even though I lagged behind on the last one, it felt good to get in a hard, fast run.

Talked myself out of running several times this morning.  Evenutally got out the door and got in a few miles.  Almost turned back for home after getting to the top of the street.  Just one of those mornings.  Ran the Orchard Dr. loop at an easy pace.  Keeping the mileage low this week so that I am ready for Big Cottonwood next week.

I may have been bumped up to the 3:25 pacer for Big Cottonwood.  Makes me a little nervous.  Today's run made me absolutely terrified.  I waited for the storm to move through before I went running which ended up being a mistake.  It was a little warmer than I thought and the run was a struggle.  First 6 miles felt fine.  Averaged 7:40/mile and the effort felt good.  When I turned for home, I immediatley lost all of my energy.  No explanation for it.  Just felt super light headed and my body did not want to move.  Ended up taking a short cut home and even walked 1/2 mile because I just wasn't feeling it.

I think that I will skip the gym this week so I don't do any unwanted damage before the marathon.  Ran an easy 5 in perfect running weather.  Still felt a little of whatever was going on with me yesterday.  Pretty sure it is dehydration as my weight has dropped a few pounds in the last couple of days.

Kam and Tara were nice enough to make today's run an easy one.  Nice, relaxing run on the LPT.  Still don't feel great but am a little better than the last couple of days. 

Bought a new pair of shoes figuring that 3 short runs should be enough to break them in.  Stepped out the door and it was a torrential down pour so put the shoes back in the box.  I can't remember the last time it rained this hard.  Considered not running at all but had to return a redbox dvd that was alreayd late and if I didn't do it while I was thinking about it, I would wait another week or two to return it.  Run felt good.  Legs are starting to come back.  Now the debate is whether or not I should wear the new shoes for the marathon on Saturday with only 2 runs in them.

Nice and easy taper run.  The new shoes felt good.  They fit a lot better than the last pair of Adrenalines.  My heels started to feel a little warm towards the end of the run so my feet are moving around in them a little too much right now.  One more run should mold the insoles to my foot a little better and get the laces where I want them to be so there will be less friction.  There was the slightest hint of snap in my legs during the run.  That helps ease my nerves a little bit.  Still not 100% confident with the 3:25 pacing duty.

Just a short, quick 2 miler to shake out the legs.  Spent the day at the Big Cottonwood marathon expo selling pacebands.  We got a booth to see if there was any interest.  People really seemed to like the idea of the bands and really liked the elevation maps and course analysis we provided.  Still trying to decide if it is really worth the time and stress it takes.

Originally volunteered as the 3:35 pacer because that was Becky's goal time for her first marathon.  Her training went so incredibly well that she changed her goal time to 3:25.  When I saw the 3:25 spot available I asked to move up to that time (actually talked into moving up).  This made me very nervous.  Hitting that time on this fast of a course was not a big concern physically but I haven't run a fast marathon in almost 3 years so I had a bit of a mental barrier I needed to get past.  My other concern was that I haven't been through a proper marathon training cycle.  The last few months have mostly been 3 days of boot camp and 3-4 days of running.  I have had plenty of long runs (four 20+ mile runs) but my weekly mileage has been lacking.  Logically, I knew I could easilty do it but there is always that irrational fear the you have to overcome.

Had a very adventurous bus ride to the start.  Three miles from the start line, a bus took a hair pin turn to tight and got stuck and was completely blocking the road.  Panic started to set in as we thought it would take at least an hour to clear the road.  After 20 minutes of waiting around, they said to walk up the hill 1/2 mile and the 3 buses that had already made it to the start would shuttle us the rest of the way. Made it to the start line and being there alleviated a lot of the stress.  Still had no idea when the race was going to start but at least we were where we needed to be.  The race only started 30 minutes lates which was incredible considering what they had to deal with.  As we were preparing to start the race, I stripped off my outer layer of clothes and threw the drop bag in the bus.  About a minute later, I realized I left my GU belt in my bag.  Had no idea what I was going to do.  Wasn't about to rummage through 1,000 identical orange bags and there was no way I was getting through the race without GU.  Becky had extra so I could take some from her but I really didn't want to take hers.  Just hoping they would have some along the way.

Thought I was pacing alone so was happy to see Matt with the 3:25 sign.  Pacing a marathon solo is stressful because so many things can go wrong along the way.  Becky's plan was to stick with us for the first few miles so she wouldn't be tempted to go out too fast.  We maintained a good, steady pace coming down the canyon.  I could feel the downhill in my quads early in the race which caused a little concern.  Even thought it is a severe downhill race, there were a few sections that flattened out that gave the downhill running muscles a break.  After 9 miles, I could tell Becky was itching to go so I told her that she had done the smart thing by starting conservatively and if the effort felt easy that should could start easing forward but to not go more than 10-15 seconds per mile faster.  She started to edge forward.  I was excited for her.  There was a good group that stuck with us for the first 16 miles of the race.  A lot of them were trying to get their last minute Boston qualifying time.  After exiting the canyon at mile 17 and a couple more miles of gradual downhill we turned onto Holladay Boulevard for the real work.  Kept the same effort and let the pace slow.  Our group of runners started to thin out.  We had one girl from Texas that was with us stride for stride since the start and a couple of other guys still hanging on.  As we got to the end of Holladay Blvd., at mile 22, I heard somebody say "I'm struggling".  Looked up and it was Becky.  Took me by surprise because I really didn't expect to see her.  Started the internal battle of whether I should stay with her or stick with the 3:25 group.  I really wanted this to be her thing and thought if I stayed with her it would take away from her accomplishment so I continued on.  I'm sure it was the wrong decision and I regret it a little.  We lost contact with the guys that were hanging on and just had the Texas girl with us.  Matt and I continued on pace for the next few miles down 4500 S. and onto Highland drive.  We were 45 seconds ahead of goal time which is ideal.  At mile 24.5 I could tell we were holding the Texas girl back so I told Matt to run her in and I would stick to our pace.  Shortly after this, I came across a former neighbor who was having issues with her piriformis.  Talked to her for a second and she decided to stick with me the rest of the way.  It was nice to be running with somebody I knew for the last stretch.  Picked up another guy along the way and we stuck together the rest of the way.  Hit the mlie 26 marker 40 seconds ahead of pace and was happy I was coming in so close to my goal time.  The only problem was that the distance from the marker to the finish line was 0.4 miles.  I ended up coming in 40 seconds late.  Really glad I didn't have any Boston hopefuls with me.  My best guess is that the total distance was correct but the mile markers were off.  Either way, it really made hitting my goal time difficult.

Immediately after crossing the finish line I ditched my pacer sign and started running back to find Becky.  Was so surprised to see her less than 1/2 mile from the finish line. Ran the last little bit with her and Tara.  Hit the last turn and let her go so should could enjoy the last stretch on her own.  Although she missed her "B" goal by a couple of minutes, she BQ'd by more than 7 minutes which is quite an accomplishment for her first marathon.

Was able to walk down the stairs so decided it would be good to go to the gym.  The workout was perfect for my recovery.  I haven't been for 2 weeks and I could start to feel and see it.  The workout inclued an 0.8 mile run.  IMy calves are the only thing that are sore.

Nice and easy run to help the legs recover.  Other than some tightness in my calves, everything feels good.  Just the usual post marathon dead legs.

Workout at Firehouse included a 0.5 mile run.  The workout was a little tougher this morning.  There were a lot of the exercises that I hate (v-hops, straight hops, mountain lunges).  I guess it is important to focus on the things that we are not good at doing so that we can improve.  Other than a little pain in the left calf, I feel completely recovered.

My calves are hammered from too many calf raises at the gym on Thursday.  Running up to the temple probably wasn't the greatest idea.  It was hot and windy and the hills were a killer.  Still enjoyed the run.  My right ankle is killing me now.  Running down the hill may have caused a little more damage than I would have liked.

Tempo Tuesday on the LPT. Just Tara and me as Kam is prepping for Huntsville.  Started with 4 easy miles to warm up.  The plan was to run a 10K at sub 6:45 pace.  Started out right on target then we got a little faster.  Felt fine for the first 4 miles but then I started to struggle.  I let Tara go after 5 miles and ran 7:30 pace for a 1/2 mile to recover a little.  Finished the last 1/2 mile at 6:30 pace.  Splits were: 6:39, 6:29, 6:34, 6:36, 6:35, 7:00.  A little disappointed that I couldn't finish but knew it was a more aggressive pace than what I am ready for right now.

Workout at Firehouse included 2 short runs.  Four minutes each which I am guessing was close to 1/2 mile each (probably a little more).  Getting back into the routine of 3 days gym and 3 days running feels good.  Felt like I was starting to soften a little when I backed off the gym days.

Brrrr it was cold this morning and I absolutely loved it.  Ran my usual 8 mile loop and felt better than I have in a long time.  Had a hard time deciding between the gym and running this morning.  Definitely made the right decision to run. 

Followed up yesterday's great run with a horrible run. That's the way it always seems to go. Headed out to the LPT sans watch. Probably good that I didn't have any pace feedback as I certainly would have been disappointed. Have to remember to eat of I go on later runs. Right ankle is super sore. 

The workout at Firehouse included 3 runs.  It was our choice for how long each run was but each cycle was 7:45 and we had an additional ab exercises after each run.  I ran 0.8 mile, 0.8 miles and 0.7 miles and had a few minutes for the ab exercises.  If I were responsible, I would run less and spend extra time on the abs since I get enough running throughout the week.  My shoulder tenonitis is flaring up which makes some of the weight exercises tough.

Nice and easy run on the LPT with Becky and Tara.

My poor eating over the last couple of months is finally catching up to me.  I feel so ridiculously out of shape right now.  Knew that if I went running today it would be slow and lazy miles so I decided to go to the gym so that I would put in an honest effort.  Didn't feel great but at least it was something.  One of the cycles included a run that I extended to get a full mile in.

Should have put more miles in but was content with 10.  I've been thinking about following the FIRST marathon training program for Salt Lake.  Basically 3 hard runs and 3 days of hard cross training.  My thought is that my body has gotten used to the miles over the years and a little change of pace would be nice.  As I read a lot of fall marathon race reports, I noticed that most of the people that had break through races attributed it to increased training volume.  I'm now questioning what the best approach is.  Running high mileage with 3 good days at the gym would be ideal but I simply can't justify dedicating that much time to fitness.

Ran to the LPT to get in a few quickish miles.  Poor planning on my part meant I ran 3 of the 4 tempo paced miles into the wind.  I was really struggling to hold 6:45/mile pace.  I stopped at each mile marker for a short break because I was struggling so much.  Spent the entire run trying to figure out why it was taking so much effort.  Running the last mile with the wind made me realize how much the headwind had affected my pace.  With less of an effort, I was able to run the last mile in 6:30.  That was more in line with what I was expecting.

The pain in my right ankle is getting worse.  This may be something more than just joint soreness. 

Workout at Firehouse included two runs (1 mile and 0.7 miles).  Really didn't have much to offer today.  Energy level is super low.  Felt like I was just going through the motions but still enough effort that I felt like passing out.

A very cool, crisp morning.  Perfect running conditions. I was moving pretty well until mile 6 when my entire right side decided to rebel against me.  Ankle, hip and groin started to hurt and altered my gait.  Hoping it is the cold weather moving in that is causing the aches and pains.

Level testing at FireHouse.  I'm only on level 2 so the test was: 3 minute squat, 0.8 mile run, 15 burpees, 15 pushups and 10 tire lunges on each leg.  My only concern was the squat.  For some reason, I am unable to sustain a squat for more than a couple of minutes.  Got to 2 minutes without much of a problem then was able to gut out the last minute.  My legs were shaking uncontrollably but I made it.  I set a goal for 4:30 (5:37/mile) for the 0.8 mile run and failed miserably.  Hit the halfway point at 2:15 then was unable to embrace the pain and limped in at 4:45 (5:56/mile).  I felt fine but was just unable to push through the discomfort.  Very disappointed but my mental toughness has always been a weakness.  The last month has been a really unhealth month for me which probably contributed to the slow time.  I completed the other tests so now it is off to level 3 - whatever that means.

Seems like the only way I can get myself out the door on Saturday morning is to tell myself that I can run as slow as I want.  Got out the door at 8 am and the body was moving much better than I thought it would.  Was averaging 7:40/mile and felt very comfortable.  Kind of surprised how easy the pace felt so I just went with it.  Made a loop through town then made my way to the LPT in Centerville.  Ran into Becky with about 4.5 miles to go so I finished the run with her (avg 8:15/mile with her).  My right ankle is still problematic but I think I can deal with it.

Went to Firehouse with Becky (we rarely go together).  She really put me in my place.  It was a truly humbling experience.  She blew through the workout while I lolly gagged through each exercise.  While I'm proud of her for doing as well as she is doing, there is that little bit of machismo in me that struggles with it.

Ran on the LPT with Becky, Kam and Tara.  Becky was short on time so she had to turn back after 2.5 miles.  I ran back to the car with her because it was too dark for her to run on the trail alone..  After dropping her off, I headed back to the group.  Picked up the pace and made it almost 2 miles before meeting up with them (averaged 6:50/mile for these 2 miles). 

Kam: Here is the elevation comparison of Veyo to 1800 South.  I know you have been waiting all day with bated breath.

Absolute killer workout at Firehouse.  One of those that leaves you laying on the ground in a pool of sweat unable to move.  Until I can take control of the amount of sugar I put into my body, it is probably a complete waste of time for me to do any sort of exercise.

Went out hoping for this to be a good head clearing run.  Came away mostly unsuccessful.

Becky and I paced the 1:55 group at the South Jordan half marathon.  About half way into the race we realized that the course was going to measure very long.  We were hitting the miles about 0.2 before the marathon mile markers, putting the course 0.3 miles long.  We debated whether or not to speed up to hit the time goal or maintain the correct average pace.  Didn't really decide on either and ended up somewhere in between the two.  Our average pace was right on until mile 10 when we sped up to get closer to 1:55.  Kind of a disappointing experience.  I was not as impressed with the race as I hoped I would be.

Workout at Firehouse included a 7 minute run.  I did the mile loop and then a little bit more.  Luckily the run was at the beginning of the workout because I struggled the rest of the morning.  I can't expect to eat junk all weekend then perform well on Monday.  I've been down in the dumps also which certainly doesn't help physically.

Met Tara at the LPT.  We kept it at a good general aerobic pace (7:45/mile I think).

Nice, brisk run on my usual 8 mile loop.  Went watchless but pace felt between 7:30 and 7:45.  Had to convince my body to pick it up a few times because I got lulled into a relaxed pace. 

Another week, another race to pace.  Without the desire to competge, I like to use pacing to still experience race day.  I would like to find a way to get back the competitive spirit.  Becky and I paced this together and dressed up as Frankenstein and the bride of Frankenstein.  Tried to convince her that it would be a good opportunity for us to make things official but she wouldn't go for it.  Bus loading started at 6:15 which was way too early for a 9 a.m. race start.  We had to wait in the freezing cold for way too long.  Once the race started, the temps felt great.  It was absolutely perfect racing weather.  We hit our 1:50 groove very early in the race.  We were within a few seconds of every mile the entire race.  It's not very often that we are able to hit our splits so easily.  The first 7 miles of downhill felt great. The uphill sections through the U were a little more effort but it was a nice change of pace.  Had a girl join up with us for the last 5 miles.  It was kiind of nice having somebody stick with us for so long.  Hit mile twelve with our total elapsed time 7 seconds fast.  Ran the last mile down City Creek a little fast but still came in at a good time.

One more race to pace next weekend then it is time to reevaluate my running.  Not sure if I am ready to start intense training again or just enjoy the way I am running now.

Workout at Firehouse included 2 short (0.4 miles) runs.  It was a good total body workout.  Kind of hit a little bit of everything.  I think I like those better than the workouts that focus on one area. 

A chilly and soggy run on the LPT with Tara.  The first 3 miles were pretty rough.  Lots of rain and a little bit of a hail but it less than comfortable.  The rain stopped after a few miles and the run was much more enjoyable.  The second half of the run turned into a bit of a therapy session for me.  I'm sure Tara misses the good old days when I kept my mouth shut.

Two 0.8 mile runs during the workout at Firehouse.  There didn't seem to be as much cardio as other days.  I guess most people consider the running a good cardio workout but that short of a run just feels like a nice little rest from the other exercises. 

Just a nice and easy run before heading to St. George to pace the Snow Canyon half.

Paced the 1:40 group at Snow Canyon.  This is an ideal time for me because most of my runs are around theis pace and it is very natural.  Freezing while waiting at the start but the temps were perfect while we ran.  I was able to lock in 7:38 effort right from the beginning and the pace never felt forced.  Was within 10 seconds of the total elapsed time at every mile marker which was great but added a little extra stress towards the end.  I usually like to have a 30 second cushion.  We probably pushed  a little more than the runners around us wanted to on the rollers through Entrada but they all stuck with us.  A 14 year old kid ran with us from start to finish which was pretty cool.  Ended up crossing the ffinish line 4 seconds early without any slowing or speeding up the last little bit  Feel like I ran this as close to perfect as I could get. 

Becky and I decided to put in a quick run in the nice St. George weather before heading home to the snow.  We intended to go 5 miles but the trail didn't turn where we thought it did so the run ended up being 7 miles.  The big toe on my right foot is killing me.  It is probably bruised from the severe downhill in yesterday's race.  Both of Becky's ITB's are bothering her so we finished the run limping and wondering why we do this to ourselves.

Drove to the LPT just in case the group showed up.  It was snowing a little so didn't think Kam or Tara would be there but went anyway.  Waited a few minutes then started my run.  It actually wasn't bad once I started going.  The snow had stopped and the trail was only lightly covered in snow.  My motivation was low so I had a hard time getting into the run.  Ran the first 5 miles in the 7:40's then picked it up to 7:30 and 7:15 for the next 2 miles.  Decided to get at least one tempo mile in so ran the last mile in 6:45.  I picked the wrong mile to run quicker because the trail had gotten very slippery and it was hard to maintain my footing.  I am not looking forward to winter training.

All legs at Firehouse today.  The last cycle was a 6 minute run.  After 36 minutes of leg exercises, I was only able to muster 0.75 wobbly miles.  It was quite a sight.

8 miles on the LPT with Tara at 8:00/mile.  This run took 4 minutes longer than the same run on Tuesday but felt like it took half the time.  Running with others certainly makes runs seem like less of a chore.

Workout at Firehouse.  It was a pretty good total body workout.  Didn't focus on one specific area.  There were two 6 minute runs.  Made it 0.9 miles on the first and 0.8 miles on the second. 

After 3 weeks in a row of pacing half marathons it was nice to have just a long run. What little I ate yesterday was junk food so I was expecting a slow run. I felt very good as the run started so I just went with it. Ran down to the LPT and headed south. Averaged 7:30/mile for the first half and 7:20 for the second half. Was surprised at the energy that I had at the end of the run. 

Relatively light day at Firehouse.  Just your basic cross training exercises.  Nothing too crazy. There were two 6 minute runs plus a few short sprints.

Met Tara at the LPT for an 8 miler.  Started out at a comfortable pace.  The pace naturally got faster as we warmed up.  Averaged 7:45 for the run with the last mile under 7:00.  I was feeling pretty wiped out before the run but felt good once we got going. 

Workout at Firehouse.  I'm either coming down with something, need to get some serious sleep or need to stop poisoning my body with all of this sugar.  Didn't feel great but still glad I went.  Include one 6 minute run.

Eight uneventful miles.  Did my usual loop which I haven't done in a long time so maybe I shouldn't call it my usual loop. 

Workout at Firehouse.  Included 2 runs (7 minutes, 10 minutes).  I know the first run was 1 mile and am guessing on the time. The second run was 10 minutes and I am guessing on the distance. 

Becky and I met a group of pacers at Thanksgiving Point to preview the Thankful 13 course.  Kept it at an easy pace throughout the run.  We took a few wrong turns and cut out a loop in the middle because we couldn't figure out where we were supposed to go.  Becky and I were short on time so had to head back.  Turned out to be a fun run in the snow with a good group of people.

Eight miles on the LPT with the full crew (all 3 of us).  Nice and easy pace on a surprisingly warm morning. 

Not a good start to the day.  Went to Firehouse and had the urge to leave several times.  Nothing too tough, just wasn't in the mood to be there.  Have somewhat of a defeatist attitude right now which is not a good place to be.  Ran 1 super slow mile after the exercises.

Eight miles on the LPT with Tara.  Feeling a little off but need to keep at it.  I don't want to fall into the same trap I did last year. 

Ran the 10k race at the South Davis Rec Center with Gracie.  Emma ran the 5K so I ran with her for the first mile then sent her on her way where the 10K split off and waited for Gracie.  I figured it would take us about 70 minutes, assuming there would be some walking.  She ran the ntire way and finished in 62 minutes. 

Regular 7 mile loop.

Thirteen miles on the LPT.  Probably the last long run with decent weather for awhile.  I didn't drink nearly enough yesterday and I could feel it diurng the last mile.  Glad I decided to only do 13.

First run of December.  How did that happen?  I have been going to the gym and walked 6,000 miles in Disneyland so that should count for something.  I've been using every excuse that I used to ignore (too cold, bad air, etc.) so apparently I am getting soft in my old age.  Convinced myself at the last minute to pack clothes so I could run on the treadmill at the gym at work.  Started at 7:30/mile and gradually sped up to low 7's.  Felt pretty good during the run although my legs have felt a little off the rest of the day.  Not sure if it is from shock of actually running or getting used to the treadmill.

I have been so sick the last 2 weeks.  Finally had enough energy to go out for a run.  Felt like an elephant was standing on my chest but was happy that I was able to get out.
 

Just a quick little run with Becky in between Christmas activities.

Five miles on the treadmill at work.  First 2 miles at 8:00/mile, next 2 at 7:30/mile and last mile at 6:40 with 1.5% grade the entire time.  Last mile was tougher than it should have been but understandable considering how little I have run this month. 
 

It took until 1 pm before I could convince myself to head out for a run. Kept the pace super slow and just plugged away. Trying to build back up slowly. 

Treadmill run at work.  Really had to fight the boredom today.  Becky and I are running the beat the new year 5k at Sugarhouse tonight so I convinced myself 4 miles was fine for today.  Anxious to finish the run so I bumped the speed up to 9 mph, then 10 mph and finished at 11 mph.

PM

Finished off my lowest mileage year by running the beat the new year 5k at Sugarhouse park with Becky.  We at too much before the run so we took it super easy.  I felt fine but Becky felt like she had to puke the entire time.