Age is just a number.

AM-12 miles easy.

PM-4 miles easy.

AM-10 miles with a 4mile tempo run in 21:47.

PM-5 miles easy. 

AM-8 miles easy.-52:36. Draper bench area.

PM-4 miles-25:17

AM-Accidentally put Monday's mileage on Sunday. I was in such a rush that morning... Ran 8 miles this morning easy, no time, just enjoyed the run.

PM-4 miles easy this evening around the neighborhood. I can't afford to taper much this week as this has been bad for me in the past on the third week before the marathon.

Ran 8 easy miles with 2 miles of very slow jogging afterward to help flush the muscles a little.

Half marathon today, I am still trying to comprehend what I just ran though. Either way for the layout of the course it was most definitely a PR. Sasha says a possible 2:21:46 equivalent  at the St George marathon. If thats true, this would put me within striking distance of an Olympic qualifying time there. I try not to think about it though. For now I'm focusing on the Salt Lake Marathon and hopefully a PR there, If it's the Lords will it will happen. Thanks to those for their encouragement and compliments today!

It is good sign that in the late stage of the race I started to smooth out and run very strong still. However I must remember that the marathon can still humble you, and even the very best have been dropped to their knees by this distance. So I make no predictions or high hopes for it, I will just give it all I have and hope for the best.

AM-13 easy miles 7-7:30/mi. Just meditated and ran easy. No time.

PM-7 miles with some fartlek. Legs feeling a lot better so I let my body dictate this evening. Felt surprisingly good... 42:17 total time.

AM-9 miles with 6 miles at 5:38-5:46/mi. Draper and Sandy foothills and back. 57:13 total time.

PM-6 miles easy at 6:40-7:00/mile. Treadmill at 1-2% incline. Did not feel like getting blown all over the place this afternoon. I weigh only 139 lbs you know! 41:36 total time.

MAP test today, - Very pleased with my fitness level. 6 miles 41:02 total. 6min/mi for 4 miles at 2% incline. HR-142-146 avg. 70 degrees farenheit. On the treadmill. 6:30/ pace felt very easy.

PM-5 miles easy with 3 miles at MP pace. No time, just had fun doing speed and pace changes.

AM- Cold this morning, Warmed up and did 5x4min at 2 mile race pace effort down to 1 mile pace. Progressed into the workout after a good warmup. Ran towards a half mile mark by my house and clocked 2:19 for the last half mile. Felt a little heavy during the workout but felt like the paces were more sustainable than in January. Overall I feel pretty good at this stage. I just need to cut the the mileage more and run easier to freshen up. 

PM-4 miles easy. 7-7:30/mi.-29:17 total time.

AM-Steady state progression run down to the JT trail and back. 1:15:48 total time. I can't believe I feel this good after yesterday. 13 miles total.

PM-No run tonight. Went for a walk to think about some things. I am glad that I did my last long workout today. Back to back on these particular types of workouts are supposed to lead to increased blood volume over time. I believe that doing this at times is one of several things that has led to an increase in fitness. Now I need to really back off and trust in my fitness. As one of the chapter headings say in the book titled Running with the Buffaloes, "We believe in our fitness." Which ultimately says, we believe in ourselves. I know I do now...

AM-5 easy miles.

PM-7 miles with 4 mile AT run at  5:20/mile pace.  Felt good.

AM- 10 miles today on the JT trail for 58:13 total time. Ran very early in the morning to start getting used to it, is 5 am early enough?

PM-2 miles 8/min mi. Felt weird, had to hold back, yikes!

AM-4 miles easy with 3 at MP. Starting to feel lighter and snappier in the legs. Light stretching.

PM-2 miles easy jog 7:30/mi.

AM-4 miles very easy at 7:30-8:00/mi. 96-112 bpm.

PM-4 miles very easy with 1 mile at 5:32 pace. 152-154 bpm. Wow! felt like it was high aerobic.

5 easy miles today at 7-8min/mi pace. My legs feel really good, but puffy in some places. Weight went up a pound or so, nothing to worry about. Got 7 hrs of uninterupted sleep last night which was good. Even at this stage on my previous marathons I had trouble sleeping. I pray that I can pull this off and finish well this time. Hearing that Hobie Call was going to be there from Bill along with other elites helped me to relax more. I'm back to concentrating on the thing that motivated me in the first place to run this.

PM-4 miles easy jogging with pickups.

Just two easy miles today. Did not time the run.

Well, it's done and quite frankly it was the strangest race I have ever run. I just could not get into a groove during the first 20 miles. I don't know if it was something biological or something mental. I suspect it was probably a little of both. I started to feel better after mile 20 with the last three miles faster than the first three! I said a prayer to God and drank some Gatorade. As I progressed the pace slowly got faster, soon I was doing sub-6min miles by 23. Sasha came running up next to me and told me he was expecting an easier pace. I have to say that it was not easy for me either but things felt very different at this point. Soon a very sleek looking Kenyan runner looms into view... I start to have visions of 100 dollar bills with race numbers and singlets on! And oh my, then David Dantley. I thought this can not be happening... I start to run up on my toes and push ever harder and soon a soft din of the crowd starts to sing in my ears. I go into my little Prefontaine long kick mode and my lungs are just burning at this point. Soon the chute clock rushes up to me and then the switch just goes off, BAM! And just like that I drop over like a millstone at the bottom of the ocean. Thank you Lord for helping me at the end when I needed it most.

Thanks Salt Lake City for the cheers and thanks to my sponsor, MAXX properties who helped in so many ways. Sasha and Ted, thanks to you most of all for your expertise and friendship.

PM-Felt ok so I went for a nice 5 mile recovery run this afternoon and then spent the rest of the evening with my family.

AM-7 mile with long fartlek surges at AT pace. Surprised at how well I seem to be bouncing back.

PM-6 miles easy-medium at 6-6:40/mi. Nice run even with the wind blowing everywhere.

Went for 8 easy miles today on the Jordan river trail. Had the in-laws over and we all piled in the car for some grub at the local Chuck o Rama. Needless to say I was not in the best shape for a run. I could barely push myself away from the table! So no afternoon run.  Total time-54:25. 7min pace first 4 miles with a 6:15-6:30 progression for the last 4 miles.

AM-5 easy miles this morning.

PM-9 easy miles on the JT trail. Felt really good to just run and enjoy the feeling of motion.

AM-Easy 5 miles this morning. Sandy 7th east loop. No time just ran.

PM-Easy 5 easy miles on the Sandy Parkway trail. I'm having second thoughts on the Ogden race. I think if I don't run the 30k all out and treat it as another long run, I may have a shot at running another MARATHON! Yeah, I know it's a little nuts.. But I love it! I don't care what anybody thinks.

Just an easy 5 miler today.  Plan on running 30K tomorrow. 7-7:30/mi.

Wow! what a race today! Good competition, chewin the fat in the early miles like a group of college buddies on a training run. Got miserable in the end and just could not match Paul and his kick. Felt a small breeze as he went by! Thanks for an awesome race and good job overall Paul, Bob, Sasha. Good improvement Sasha. You are getting there little by little. Ted, you too. I was really glad to see you cross the finish when you did and thanks for the ride.

AM-13 miles with 4 at MP pace. Jordan River trail.

PM-7 miles easy. Draper-Sandy loop.