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

Easy trail run from Logan River up to Spring Hollow and along the Crimson Trail.  Took it real easy today and just enjoyed being out doing what I love.  No aches or pains at all today running aside from a stiff knee which is a first in a long time.

Came up to Bear Lake last night for a day of boating with the Browns and to get a night of camping in.  I was teasing Walter about bandit running the Bear Lake Monster Half Marathon in the morning since I had noticed signs the week before in Garden City.  He jumped right on it though and since we both knew the race director pretty well he stopped by the packet pick up before we got up to the lake and picked us up some numbers.

Walter's wife wasn't totally happy about becoming the babysitter for a few hours during vacation but she totally covered for us and after breakfast we headed over to Harbor Village for the start.  There were a surprising amount of Half Marathon runners and some guys that looked pretty in shape so I didn't figure this would be an easy run.  Josh was at the start and I knew he was in good shape.  It had rained through the night on and off which helped keep the dust down on the trails.  This was a trail half, my first and I had no idea how to run one.  I knew that it was published to start climbing 1,200 feet immediately up the mountains above Garden City.  I loved it.  It was so nice to be running on trails and dirt, running an actual course instead of some balls to the wall downhill Utah race.  The first mile was too fast.  A younger guy obviously a fairly serious runner was in the lead and Walter took off after him.  I saw the first mile was 5:50 and slowed back since I knew we were climbing up the hills.  We had a couple of checkpoint that we had to hit along the course and grab wrist bracelets from and a lot of turns and trail turnoffs so I knew that I had to pay attention.  I think about mile 4 Josh passed me climbing the hills.  He looked great and I knew he could run a good race the way he was climbing and told him so.  The hills just kicked my butt.  This was up and down and the only saving grace for me was that I was recovering very fast after each climb.  I could have power walked a few of the hills on the steepest parts and gone just as fast.  I'd pass Josh on the downs and he would pass me back on the steep hills as we climbed up.

Walter just left me on the hills up.  He was so far ahead and going so well down the hills I knew I wouldn't catch him but overall I felt a world better than at the TOU last week.  I caught the 2nd place guy just before mile 9 and ran the next two miles down at low 4:50s which was just windmilling arms and all over the place.  Then I took a wrong turn at a trail junction and heard him yelling at me from back up the hill so I had to turn around and go back up.  It took me another 1/4 mile to pass him again.  Like most downhill trails this descent wasn't about fitness it was about how stupid you were.

Very fun race and a good change from the norm.  The race director handed us prize bags as we crossed the line, along with cash.  Long course at just under 14.  Elevation gain along the course was 2,400 feet with a 1,200 net gain. 

Lift routine for 30 min and a mile swim.

Barely enough time for an hour run at the Denver Airport gym.

Ran along the Columbia River trail in Portland today. Busy week at work.

Early morning run in Kansas City. The article in Runners World by Malcolm Gladwell, a favorite author of mine, is one of the best articles ever about stats in running. Very smart guy.

Last year of twenty for this race and my third.  I skipped it in 2012 because every time I run this race I feel like I'm balanced right on the edge of breaking something.  This year has been slow enough for me I just didn't care and felt pretty strong anyway the last few weeks.  This is just a fun race, a different kind of run, one that is all about just letting it go for a few minutes and killing yourself.

The start seemed a little slower than usual.  Maybe that was because Teren wasn't taking off at 4 minute pace.  The first mile came by at 4:33 and it helped me relax since I didn't think I could get that turnover this year and it felt all right.  I caught up to Walter which was my main goal today.  I told him before the race that I would finally give him a master's challenge in a race even if it killed me.  So when I passed him I knew I had to keep close to another 4:30 mile.  I think mile 2 was 4:35 and it was all about windmillling arms and controlling the descent.  By mile three the blisters set in and the legs started losing it so I had to slow 10 or 15 seconds a mile, but oh how much fun it was flying down the canyon this fast!  I couldn't hear anyone behind me and I could see the guy ahead gapping me so I just hung on.

Well over 35 seconds slower than the last time I ran this but a great run for me this year.  Post race barbeque with everyone was awesome.  Spent a good hour in the hot tub.  One of the few races that my whole family loves since there is so much to do after.  Lots of fun staying up at the deserted lodge and getting out for a hike in the morning.

It's fun to look at this course and consider the downhill and pace.  The Master's world record for the 8k was set in 1993 by John Tuttle in 23:35.  Every time I run this I think about the fitness it would take to run this fast on a flat course.  Crazy.