Age is just a number.

Got up early today with my son and took took out the telescopes. Both my 10 inch reflector and the apo chromat we went out with just before dawn at 4 AM.   No pictures this morning, just some casual observations of Jupiter and it's moons.   That was nice as we have not done this in a long time.  Got a good view of it's cloud bands and moons but not much else just too much light and turbulence to get good enough resolution and most especially in the reflector.  

Grabbed some breakfast and then took off for a very hilly 20 miler.  After warming up for an easy 5 miles it was then 5 miles at marathon pace through Dimple Dell and Old Danish road area.  Another easy 5 miles at 6:45-7:30/min pace and then I started a progressive downhill charge onto 9400 south down through Quarry bend  for 2.5 miles at 13:02, and then the last stretch home flattening out with the last 2 miles in 11:12.  Cooldown and an ice bath while sipping my favorite recovery slurpee.   Felt rather nipply this morning compared to what I'm used to.

AM2-Easy 6 miles jogging.  I know the "experts" say you should just rest after a long run.  And they are mostly right.  However I have other ideas on how that pattern should work and it comes with listening to my body over the years.    Off to church.  I love this afternoon schedule..

AM-3 miles of easy jogging to loosen up the legs before work.   55-60% mhr.  Early.. Not even the neighbor's crazy peacock was up and screaming yet.

PM- Medium pace effort at 6/min pace for 5 miles with 2 miles at 7:15-7:30/mile pace.  Noticed some slight form changes today with the footstrike feeling softer and bouncier.  Strange, but thats ok though because the effort felt slightly easier this afternoon even with the heat.   

  7 miles total in 44:45 100 degrees F/7th east and Quarry bend loop.   

AM-Out to Draper K-mart and back with last 6 miles at MP effort with a time of  34:32 with mostly flat terrain and some rolling hills at miles 5-8. Total time for the 14 mile run was 1:29:03. 85- 90 plus degrees farenheit.  A little out of gas from the mileage and busy workday yesterday.  Gotta eat more to compensate for this now.

PM-Easy-medium effort for 6 miles this afternoon. A little warm for a true recovery run so the indoor track tomorow I'm thinking may be the answer. Dripping everywhere so Kim is force marching me to the shower right as I get in the door! 

Easy 6 miles at 8min pace out coming back at 7/min with a brisk 1:20.4 quarter for some leg turnover at the end.  Some cooldown and then stretching.  Temperature was a 103 degrees the bank thermometer read today, so I'm guessing at least a 100 degrees anyway.  Felt easy even though heart rate was up there a bit, but at least it was short so I guess that gives it recovery status.

Nothing eventful other than a near Jon Allen type encounter. Woke up somebody's Bingo this afternoon and thought for sure this dog was going to clear the fence and take a chunk out of me! Luckily the owner had installed a higher fence than average.   I thought for sure the dog was suffering from the heat or something so I stopped to see if he/she was ok.  Bad move..

He was just taking a snooze in the noonday sun so to to speak and woke up to a big lurch staring over him.   Guess I would have been a bit cranky too.    

   6 miles total/8min out and 7:30-7:10/mile back home.   7th and 8800s 1300 east out and back. 

AM-Up to the east bench of  Draper and back with 2x4 miles at 10k-10mile pace effort.  First 4 miles were untimed because I missed my marks so I made an educated guess which is actually pretty close in most cases.  A recovery interval of marathon pace plus 10% slower effort for two miles.

 Coming back home I took Quarry bend route and ran the last 4 miles while setting a new PR again for the route.  Taking two easy lower mileage days before another quality session really did the trick.   Splits for the last two miles on the last section coming home were coming down at 1.5-2% decline; 1:17, 1:20,  Now it goes completely flat with some wind;  1:21, 1:20, 1:18, 1:18, now down 2% roughly; 1:16, 1:13 final quarter.   That one felt pretty good even with the slight cross wind.  Things felt a lot better with the lower temp today also.   Starting to feel like I can run a good marathon again..

 PM-4 miles easy recovery jogging after lunch. 8/min pace. 

Resting pulse-38 bpm, weight-142 lbs. 

AM-Medium-easy 15 miles listening to some Mozart.  Very relaxing.  7:00-30/out-6:40-6:30/back.  Weather is smokin awesome.. Took a nap afterwards and stretched some more.

Short recovery run tomorrow. 

PM- Feeling more recovered after a good nap and some lunch. Went out with the monitor and opened up at 6-6:25/mile for 5 miles on the hills keeping HR  at a sane but high aerobic level while constantly playing with running form and watching heart rate after.  I think a high forefoot landing is more efficient for my long legs as long as I keep my hips straight.  This is only a problem on the uphill towards the end of a longer and faster run.  I had very similar trouble on Veyo in 2007 but fortunately was able to make it up on the milder decline after Snow Canyon at St George.  I am trying very hard to correct this now. One thing is lifting at work for the last year has done wonders for my core section so hopefully I can translate that to a better time. Anyway,  I'm so glad to be done with this overload week  now so that I can step down the intensity and recover this week before another push.  

7 miles total/ with 5 miles in 31:16.  Altaview out and back.