Artichoke's Running Blog (Ken Spence)

5 miles easy on the flat on the west side of town.  6:00 p.m. run.  44:55, 8:59 pace.  Legs feel hammered from my race on Thursday and 10 miler on Saturday.  May rest tomorrow.

Didn't run.  Transitioning back from nights to mornings.

5 miler in 47:24.  Garmin didn't work this morning for some reason.  Chronograph did, but I guess it couldn't find the satellite or something for the mileage and pace.  42 degrees, sweat top and shorts.  Felt okay, put didn't push it at all.

Standard 5 miler at 5:00 a.m. Slow pace at 48:21. Getting colder, about 37 degrees. Full sweats. Colder tomorrow.

3:00 p.m. run.  Nice to have some sunshine, but still chilly at about 46 degrees.  Ran to top of Little Mountain and back down via Oakridge and Bevan Way.  5.22 miles total.  Last mile in 8:07.  Felt okay, but nearly sprained by ankle on the rocky road to the top.  10 or 12 tomorrow with Tina scheduled for 9 a.m.

10 miler today in 1:26:32 or about 8:38 pace overall with Tina.  Not all that fast, but any long training run under 9:00 minute pace is fast for me.  About  4 minutes slower than last time we ran this same route.  I felt it was pretty good since it was colder and I was in full sweats as well as I hyperextended the top of my foot yesterday stepping on that rock on the road to the top of little mountain.  It is really sore, especially going up the stairs.  We avoided the uphills today on the run so that helped.  It loosened up pretty well throughout the run, so I don't think it's anything to worry about.  The ironic thing is I was just telling Tina last week how I've never had any ankle problems in the 26 years I've been running and then a week later this happens.  Always knock on wood when you say anything like that.  30 miles this week, a fairly easy go of it.

5 Miles on the treadmill at the gym.  Not my most favorite thing to do, but I better get used to it since Sharon bought me a treadmill for Christmas to use on ugly weather days like today.  I didn't run this morning as I had to be into work earlier and didn't want to get up and run at 4:00 a.m.  So, putting it off until this evening, came home to icy roads and not wanting to slip and fall like my major crash last February, opted for the gym.  Ran progressively faster for 41:21, or about 8:16 pace overall.  Varied incline from 1% to 4% in places.  Ran progressively faster each mile from about 8:30 pace to finishing the last quarter mile or so at about a 6:30 pace.  Felt pretty good, but I still hate the treadmill.  A 5 mile workout seems more like 10 miles to me.

5 miles in 45:53 tonight or about 9:10 pace.  Very easy on the roads.  Some ice in spots.  Need to run early tomorrow morning as well.  It will be colder.  Feeling fair.

Extremely slow and easy 5 miler or a bit less.  9:50 pace and sluggish.  Partially from running just the night before and fairly hard to moderate on the treadmill the night before that.  Cold with some icy roadways.

A very slow and sluggish run.  Almost 10 minute miles for 5 miles.

5 miles in 43:54.  8:41 pace.  Quite a contrast from yesterday's sluggish run, almost 6 minutes faster over the same route.  Ran with Tina at 5:10 a.m.  I appreciate her being there, especially that early on her day off.  I always seem to run better with her.  She's like my coach and is able to pick up the pace when we start lagging.  Storm coming in tomorrow, but I hope to get in 10 or maybe even 12.  But, we'll see.  I hate running in the wind or snow or both!

I logged this at "fast miles" even though we only ran at about 8:51 pace for 10 miles in 1:28:19.  All of it was on ice and/or snow.  We didn't go out until 9:00 a.m. and it was already starting to stick to the roads.  I met Tina at about 1/2 mile and we felt like the snow was blowing from the north, so we decided to keep our run east to west and back.  That worked great going eastward up the Smelter Road hill to the 5 mile point, but when we turned back to head west it was in our faces the entire time from up on the foothill until we turned south on the golf course road and zig-zagged back through town the last couple of miles.  It was a total white out for a while and the snow had accumulated alot on the roadways during the run.  We were soaked when we got done, but it was one of those memorable runs!

Wimped out this morning in the cold and wind.  It was about 18 degrees, but a lot colder with the breeze, so I went tonight instead at about 6:30 p.m.  It was around 30 degrees.........toasty!  Anyways, did a real easy 5 miler in 47:00, or about 9:11 pace.  Modified standard route.  Felt okay.  Supposed to be crappy weather all week and then clearing but cold on Saturday.  It's supposed to be like 22 degrees for the high.  Sounds like a great way to start my 2 weeks off during the holidays.

5 miles this morning at 5:00 a.m.  Legs were still a bit tired from the run the night before so I went pretty easy.  I hate this cold weather, but always feel better after I get it done.  Thanks, Deborah, for your kind Christmas greeting.  I hope ya'll have a happy holiday season as well. 

Wimped out tonight and didn't run in the cold.  Treadmill at Sweat Fitness.  5 miles progressively faster from 8:30 to 7:30 pace, finishing last 1/2 mile at about 6:30 pace.  40:42 overall time.  Felt good to push it some. 

5 miles on the standard route in 45:40 or 9:08 pace.   25 degrees with some icy roads.  I really hate running in the cold.  Saturday is supposed to be 18 degrees for a high temperature.  Going to be tough to do 12 miles.

Bagged it due to cold this morning and heavy snow this afternoon.  10 or 12 tomorrow may be tough.  Snow-packed roads, but I could run with spikes or on the treadmill and will cut it short.  Make up day on Sunday possible, but more snow and cold is predicted.  What a wimp!!!!!

Slow, sluggish run today on ice and snow and in about 19 degree temperatures.  Fastest mile was 7:47 downhill, but the last 3 were over 10 minute miles.  Felt like I was struggling to stay with Tina.  Four layers up top didn't help too much and two layers on the legs was way too much.  Cut it short at 8 miles, but I may go again tomorrow.  First of my 16 days off.  I'm sure the time will fly by.  Feliz Navidad.

28 degrees at 2:30 p.m.  Make up run from Friday.  Nice to do my standard route with some daylight.  Fairly easy effort.  One mile in 7:51.  Uphill miles at 9's or slower.  5 miles in 46:21 or about 8:43 overall pace.  Salvaged the week, but need to get a couple of 12 mile Saturday's and an 14 miler in sometime before Painter's 1/2 Marathon in St. George in mid-January.

Nice to have some more daylight to run in.  I'm off until January 5th!  9:00 a.m. run in the snow.  Got bad while I was out there half way.  5 miles at 9:00 pace overall.  Not all that fast, but considering in multiple layers and slick roads, I think it was a good effort. 

6.2 miles or 10 kilometers over a modified standard route, mostly adding hillwork in the subdivisions of Elk Ridge and Deer Hollow.  55:45, or just under 9:00 minute miles.  Fairly easy effort.  Cloudy and 25 degrees, light snow in places and sunshine at the end.  Felt pretty good.

6.6 miles wandering.  Easy 9:24 pace.  Cold, but sunny and clear.  A nice morning for a run.  Felt pretty good.  Taking tomorrow off for Christmas and then hope to hit another 6 on Friday and a long run on Saturday.  Need to get a 12 miler in.  Painter's Half marathon in St. George is coming up fast.  I'm not feeling ready, but it's an early event.

Christmas Day.  Didn't run.  New treadmill is all set and ready to go.  No more excuses on cold, wet mornings.

Slow running on snow and ice with cleats.  6.6 miles with Tina and her sister-in-law, Sonya, from Spokane, WA.  People looked at us as if we were nuts out there running on snowy, icy roads, but it was an enjoyable run.  10:00 minute miles was about the best we could do overall.  10 miles, at least, tomorrow is a must.  I hope the roads are cleared and the weather improving.

10 miler on ice and snow.  Cleats worked okay, but slow run at just under 10 minute miles overall.  4 miles with Sonya and about 8+ with Tina.  Came home at 10 miles and hit 2 more on the treadmill.  Sloppy, ugly, cold, wet weather.  Glad to get in 12.  Painter's Half-marathon in 3 weeks. 

9:30 a.m. run for 5+ miles.  Still on sloppy roads, but warmed up to 33 degrees this morning.  Roads may be better for tomorrow's run.

5.2 miles today out and back on the Skyline route.  Fairly easy in 46:30, or about 8:55 pace.  Sunny and clear.  9:00 a.m. run.  Started out at about 33 degrees, but was 40 degrees at the end.

Nice sunny morning today.  10:00 a.m.  I did 6 miles in 51:49 at about 8:37 pace overall.  Didn't really push it much, but it seems that these old legs do a bit better after I've been up and moving around some.  Fastest mile was onlyl 8:11, so I wasn't going all that fast at any particular part.