The sun is up, the air is fresh, the stone is old

Having problems updating my blog from my phone.  I'll have to ask Sasha about that.

Trail run around City Creek on the dirt road East, no idea what it's called but it's just a sweet run.  Took it pretty easy at around an 8 minute pace.  Just before you flatten out at the top I was passed by a GIRL!  She was awesome, just cruising right up the mountain.

Once again got my butt kicked by this race, but it sure is fun!  I think it's a tough one to set a strategy on, do you hold off on the first 4 miles and use that energy or put some time in the bank with them and suffer through the last miles?  I ran the first few miles with Ben and we felt a good plan would be 5 min miles and hold the pace.  The first mile was about a 4:53 and we must have been passed by a hundred high schoolers during that one mile.  Into the second mile the grade steepened and I felt I was braking on it so I picked up the pace.  I think that was a 4:44.  Just after the 5k point Ben passed me and commented about just PRing his 5k.  I asked what our split was and he said 15:30.  My legs still felt great but that rapidly changed as I came through mile 4.  Pretty sure that I was well under my V02 max through the 5k.  I held on but didn't race at all the last 1.5 miles. Albert and Nathan, I think, passed me in the last 1/4 mile.

Already thinking about how to train for this race next year.

Up early in New York for a long run from La Guardia through the old World's Fair park to Central Park and back.  Nice day and a sweet run.  Pretty sore from the downhill sections of the Des News 10k yesterday.

I've been thinking a lot lately about running, mostly in the sense of why it brings so much into my life and what drives all of us to do it.  I'm seriously competetive, to a fault at times, but love the trail running and distance time just as much as running a good race.  Most days it seems like I enjoy the people aspect of it all more than anything else.  It's on my mind a bit more the past week for several reasons.  First, it really helps when a sponsor pays your races and starts paying for the time you sacrifice to run some of these things.  Inevitably it changes the reasons that you run for, and when you are good, but not great (like I am), it feels too much like self promoting after a while and starts winding down the basic fun of it all.  There is a lot out there for good runners over 40 who can compete at that age, but there are also a lot of seriously fast guys over 40 who wouldn't touch an endorsement or sponsor.  There is a huge part of me that admires that.  Probably because I understand why they run.  Same reasons why I won't drop a trail run off the day before a marathon.  It's part of my life.

Anyways, this come up for me twice this weekend.  I ran the 10k course backwards Monday after the race with Dane Raushenberg of "See Dane Run", 52 marathons in 52 weeks guy.  I have got to know him through a few marathons and on FB.  Link here for anyone who doesn't know him:   danerunsalot.blogspot.com   I really like him and have a good time spending time with anybody who puts their life into this sport.  Good stories.  I also however, have some endurance friends that detest this guy.  They believe he is all about self promotion, cheats on times, and is just full of himself.  Check this link from a guy that I know:  daneraushengergcheats.blogspot.com.  It's interesting that we love a sport so much but work so hard at drawing the line at what's acceptable for "recognition".  It's OK for a guy to devote his entire life to a single Olympic marathon time, for years of preparation, but absolutely not for a guy to try and make a living out of running when he is at best just above average in speed.  Not taking any sides here, just something on my mind today.  The arguement at the awards desk at Draper days over money regarding the college runners was kind of related.  Who would think that putting one foot in front of the other could be something folks could make complicated?

Off day with the kids at the lake cabin

Off day with kids at the lake

11.5 miles super early around bear lake before everyone else got up.

On the lake all day

15 mile hill repeat workout.  Two hill , two mile loop X 9. 3 mile cooldown, easy run.  Hard as heck workout.

10 miles on the track this morning at Ralph Maugn stadium.  3 miles easy and then 10X400, 5X200, cool down.

9 easy miles after getting the kids to bed.  Really feeling the workouts from the last few days.