BC

Okay, so I've been asked enough...I will give it a try.  I am not sure if I will be able to update it as regular as I would like, but I will try and I can use the extra motivation the next few weeks getting ready for the SLC Marathon.

Today, I ran a long run it gave me plenty of time to reflect on the races thus far in the Striders Winter Series and my running in general.  It's been a long six weeks of being sick and I've tried to keep my mileage up and it has taken a toll.  I think I am feeling like I'm on the downward side of this illness and plan to go for it the next four weeks.

I hit 90 last week and finished this week today with 100 miles ( 6 day work week).  I plan to jump to 110 this week in 7 days.  I hate them but I know the ice baths are coming.

Todays run I felt tired, probably from yesterdays race, I ran up on Wasatch Blvd to north side of the U. and back to Sugar house park.  Bre needed to add on 8 miles to give her her weekly goal of 60 miles and she has now hit it 3 weeks in a row and has been doing much better with a base.  She will be able to drop her mileage when we start some good speed work on the track.  Anyway, she met me up on foothill dr. and ran the last 8.  I finished in 2:40, averaged under 8's and enjoyed the weather. 

Had two runs today,  First at 6:00 Bre, Dakota, and me hit the trail up dry creek by the U. hospital. They went up 3 miles and turned around, I went out 4 miles before turning back.  The trail is drying out nice only three spots of about 15 feet of mud in the back cuts where the sun doesn't hit it much.  It was beautiful and I felt great. The kids loved it too.  I'm glad Bre talked us into driving over there.  Me and Dakota wanted to start by the Zoo.

Part two, Drove home so Kim could go out for her run.  She was going 6 miles down to Iceberg Drive In, one of our favorite family destination runs, We usually run there and Kim picks us up and we all have Malts, Chocolate Banana Malt is my prefered flavor.  But tonight she was doing the run and I was getting the kids dinner and then we loaded into the car and headed down to order the malts.  Bre watched the kids and ordered while I went on my second run.  I added an easy 6 miles, 46 minutes.  When I was done Kim was there and so was my malt.  A good way to end a day.

Today was a run that had to many interuptions.  For all the rest I had, I sure felt tired by the end.  It started at East on the track at 2:30.  It was the track teams annual fund raiser a three hour relay.  The kids get people to sponsor them an amount for each lap their team runs in three hours.  We had four teams each with about 18 members.  Each member would run a 400 meter lap and then stand around until everyone on the team had completed a lap. Then they would start over.  Most of the teams averaged about 140 laps giving each runner about 8 laps, not much of a workout for distance kids.  Run a 400 / recover for 25 minutes / repeat 8 sets.  They did have fun...  After I helped the the teams get started I decided to get some of my workout in.  I ran 36 laps in the outer lanes, 1:02 a little over nine miles.Then we jumped in the car to meet the Wasatch Athletics team at Sugar house park qat 6:00.  I only had about an hour so I added 8 miles doing laps around the perimeter while Dakota did his run.  Dakota needed to be at Olympus High for wrestling at 7:00,  we all jumped back into the car and headed there.  I added another three miles on the Olympus track while I waited.  23 minutes, not fast but at this point my tank was on empty.  20 miles for the day.  I still want to hit 110 this week.

AM run easy 5 miles at Liberty Park

Later I ran 2 miles cool down with the East high kids.  They had a good interval work out today, 10 400 meters/ with 400 meter recovery plus minute.  They hung in and finished all of them.

Evening run 11 miles from Highland High, on the SLCTC course and through the cemetary and back.  Did another ice bath tonight and a couple bottles of Boost while I shivered. 

Ran from East High school up to Dry creek trail head and added another three miles from there up the trail before turning back.  Total of ten miles with the distance kids from East.  They have their first track meet friday and the trail was a good softer surface option.  I think trail running helps strengthen the core and the wide range of terrain will also help with overall strength.  They may be a little tired going into this meet with speed work Wednesday, and this ten miler today, but increasing their fittness now will pay off in the meets to come at the end of the season when it counts most.

Evening run, 8 miles on the treadmill at the gym.  I wanted to catch the last half of the BYU game so this was a good option.  Mixed feelings on the game... Utah fan .... so would have liked to seen them win but wasn't heart broken either.  And I can tell my Y friends they haven't won a real game in over 15 years now.

East high school had their first track meet today against Woods cross, they did good for a first meet.  If there is only one thing that sticks, I hope they learn to run more even and their own race.  Like on the road it is easy to get stucked into a fast start and dieing by the end.

I only got one run in today,  Bre wanted more miles after the meet so we made plans to run from home to Trolley Square -- Spagetti Factory.  We called Braden, he wanted a few more miles, when we left the house and met him about half way. It was nice relaxed run and we talked a lot about the meet.  11 miles and a big  hardy plate of pot pourri  spagetti.  Both my toe and Bre's foot were sore so we asked for two bags of ice and discretly iced under the table.

Went to watch Kim and Dakota race Leprecon Lope up by the capital.  They both ran well.  It was nice to see the start and the finish.  I like seeing the race within the race, but as a spectator this course is hard to view.  The outcome was good for Wasatch Athletics runners, 3 of the top 5 were WA.  Zak and Dakota got first and second in the 14 and under group.

After the race I headed out for my run.  I started by the capital and ran up city creek to get on the Bonneville shoreline trail.  It was nice, although a little hot and crowded.  Bikers like to use this trail too.  I feel bad sometimes when a biker is working up a hill and your passing them.  Or if they are coming the opposite direction up a steep hill and you are coming down and they have to pull off and restart after you have passed.  I try to stay over as much as I can but I'm sure they swear under their breath when they see runners slowing them down.

I came out at Dry Creek and stayed on the pipeline trail above the U. and came out at Sunnyside by the Zoo.  I continued on Wasatch Dr., crossed the Parleys bridges, got back on Wasatch Dr. for about 6 more miles before dropping into my neighborhood.  It sure seemed like a long run.  It really needed fuilds earlier because of the heat.  Kim left me some Gatorade just before the bridges. I stopped to drink for about a minute and almost downed the whole 32 oz bottle.  Thought it might of been a mistake when I got back going, but it was the right thing to do.  I found it interesting that about twenty minutes after drinking is how long it took for me to feel the sugar lift and it sure helped.  I watched to see when it felt like my glucose level or energy level dropped again.  It took about forty minutes.  Good thing I only had about ten minutes left.

Finished came right in and poured an ice bath, drank 2 Boosts, and soaked for 20 minutes.   

Perfect morning run.  8 miles very easy up Millcreek canyon.  Ran with Bre before church.  We started at Burch hollow and ran down a little past Rattle snake Gulch.  It was awesome.  I might of went to slow my avg HR was only 136.  The good thing is tonight it doesn't feel like I even ran today and I completed my 110 mile week.  Tomorrow I will start working on a 120 mile week.

Okay, maybe I'm starting to feel better.  It's amazing how being sick can slow down your fitness.  Today I felt like I had some legs.  Hopefully, my lungs will be next and then my mind... I ran 2 miles cool down with the East High team.  They needed a speed workout today because they're going to St. George this Friday for the Pineview Invite.  It was a good workout for some and those that are not as fit with a good base struggled the most.  I even had athletes come to me halfway through the warm up with excuses for cutting the warm up short.  I try to explain warming up is an important part of the workout as well as the cool down.  Our warm up is 4 laps slow followed by 4 laps of speed changes ( fast on the straights and jog slow on the curves)  the first straight is about 65% and each one you pick it up a little until your last one which should be about 90%. Follow this with a slow recovery lap the opposite direction on the track.  Then they get some water change their shoes if they have spikes, and some light stretching.  This can take about ten minutes but I try to hurry it along. 

The speed workout was 4 X 1200 with 1 lap jog and about 90 seconds recovery.  The JV runners did 4 X 800 with the same recovery.  Times were based on the race times from Fridays Mile or Two mile race at the dual meet. 2 mile cool down slow, usual loop up to Sunnyside park, over to the U. down to 1300 E and back to the track.

Now back to my run, I ran a backwards loop of Salt lake City Marathon.  Started at home and went North on Holladay Blvd and up to 23rd East and 3900 S.  West on 39th to VanWinkle(700 E).  followed the course back around and up 6200 S. to Holladay Blvd and home.  When I got about a half mile from home I looked at my Garmin it read Lost satelite.  It was froze @ 12.65 miles  I ran the rest of the way and it kept cutting out I don't know why.  I don't think I had a low battery.  When I downloaded it it showed a straight line from Holladay Blvd. to my house where I turned it off.  My avg HR 153 Max 170.  Felt relaxed enough to push at times.

Oh yeah,  tonight when I was crossing VanWinkle and 1300E.  The light started to change as I approached the intersection it was red before I even got barely got into the intersection when a car going North came flying through the red light it was dark and I only saw it in the last second had to make a quick move to avoid being hit.  Just reminder for me and everyone we need to be careful out there.  You never know what a driver is doing. 

Some might have seen it on the News, Friday night late a car accident at 2100 S and 1300 E. a driver on his cell phone ran a red light and hit a car with three girls.  Killing the girl driving,  she was a East High School student.  17 years old, chose to graduate early, a track runner and a good friend to many.  It is a great loss.  She will be missed.  One of her favorite meets was The Pineview invite this weekend.  East has decided to dedicate this meet in her memory.  Take time to smile at someone today, give someone an extra hug, make an unexpected call to an old friend.  Run and feel the wind we have a lot to be thankful for...

good day.  I almost ran a marathon, okay I broke it into 3 runs, but I started at 2:45 and was done before 9:00pm.  First I ran 8 with the East High Team.  We ran from the track up to the trail head by the zoo.  From there we ran bonneville shoreline trail to Dry Creek and back to the track through campus.  A good workout for all.

I hurried home after that workout, dropped off Bre and picked up Dakota to take to Baseball practice.  It was at Tanner Park at 5:30.  I left the car there and ran to Sugar house park, added 3 laps around the perimeter, ran down to the Highland track to say Hi to the Wasatch Athletics group(didn't stop) began 2 miles of speed changes. Said bye and headed back to Tanner Park. Last 2.5 miles all up hill, but it didn't bother me much.  Maybe that winter series hill dash in Ogden has helped some.  This was 13 miles 1:32  My avg HR 155 Max 167.

Drove home Bre was just out of an ice bath and wanted a massage.  Did that while Dakota got his running stuff and we went out for 4 miles.  Ran from the house, Holladay Blvd to 6200 south, down to Vanwinkle and turned around.  I like this stretch it is a part of the Salt lake Marathon that can make or break your race.  It has a lot of crowd support but is miss leading on how much hilly stuff it has in this part.  Focus on not slowing down here or Van winkle and 5th east last forever.  Dakota wanted to wear the Garmin.  Interesting avg Hr 186 Max 203.  That max came on the steep climb back up our street.  4 miles 34 mins.

Anybody who's looking to go long this weekend in or near St. George I will be down for the track meet at Pineview High School.  I would like to run some Friday night after the first day of the meet and again Saturday morning early I have runners with their first event at 9:00 so I need to be back by 8ish.

Three runs today, 5 miles am.  I had the East distance kids meet a 6 am for a speed work.  Afternoon run with the team up past the zoo to the dog park.  I doubled back and run some of it twice with one of the runners who was late.  He has a lot of talent his brother now runs for USU, he just needs motivation or ?  count this run as 7.  Last run was with Dakota, well sort of.  He was dragging a little today so when I was a head a good distance I would double back and did it a few times.  After I ran him back home I ran our Golf course loop at Old Mill.  It has great up and downs, I run it a lot in the winter and it felt good.  It is three miles went just over 20 minutes. total for the last run was 8.

I am still on track for 120 miles this week and hope that going down to St. George doesn't goof me up.  I am feeling better each day.  I can tell my mileage is up though when it is hard for me to sleep.  I don't feel like I am breaking down much yet maybe after the next two weeks.  The first sign is a little cough I get after I run.  I am betting we get rain this year at Salt Lake Marathon, just a hunch. 

6 @ 6am with the East High distance kids.  A fun easy run.  We ran 15th East to sugar house park.  We first warmed up with a mile then we formed a line and ran the fireman drill for about three miles and then changed and ran postal.  The kids were having a good time, as each runner took the lead everyone in the group would yell "hey".  On postal, as the runner dropped back and the group surged forward everyone yelled "slacker".  We got some funny looks from walkers.  I guess they thought we were referring to them.  When we got back to the track everyone did 10 X100 striders, 2 sets of crunchs and a cool down.

Afternoon run, 7miles,  Felt good even pushed a few miles.  I have to get the brakes done before we go to St. George, so I dropped off the car and ran to Kim's work to get her car, via Jordan river trail.

High school afternoon work out.  Ran with the kids that are not going to St. George, slower group this afternoon, but I had them do the same firemen line run from the track to Sugar House park and back.  They added on their 10X100 striders, Gave me a slow 4 miles.

Ran down to the gym, 2 miles, and watched some hoops while running on the tread mill.  5 miles.  good day.

In St.George, went to the meet.  Got to our room at 11:00 pm and went for 8 miles.  Didn't look at my Garmin until it felt like I was out about four miles.  It was at 3.86 pretty good guess added .14 and turned around and ran back.  I was tired from the long day and almost talked myself into skipping the day , but was glad I didn't when I was done.  It did feel easier running there and the wind from earlier in the day had stopped.  I was pushing myself to run 7 min miles, but what I found interesting was my avg HR was only 138.  In SLC it would have been closer to 153 or so.

Needed to run 6 miles, and got home from St.George at 9 pm, went to pick up Bre from the school and then went home.  Made dinner plans to meet at Olive Garden in Sugar House and I left to run.  6 miles 41:50.  It was good and so was dinner, but I felt so tired from the long day and I was going to do my long run with a friend in the morning.

Met at Jordan river parkway for my long run.  Ran together for the first 15 and finished the last 7 alone.  The plan was to stay relaxed and just have it be a long run, time didn't matter.  When I was alone though I started to push.  A biker passed me and I couldn't hold back the competitive juices.  He was not going that fast so I decided to try to catch him.  It took about a mile to catch him and I passed him about a half mile from my turnaround at Gardner village. The 3.5 miles back to 5300 S. were good because I had a good tail wind.  Last 7 miles were 48:12 and total run 2:42:12.  Went home and did an ice bath and drank a boost. This gave me my 120 MPW I was shooting for.  I now have hit 90, 100,110, 120, and next week I will hit 130 before I start a taper.  Fitness level is getting better, but don't think I'm as ready as I was last year for Boston.  I had 3 weeks of 120's 3 weeks out.  My other concern is that some of my days have more than 2 workouts in them making the overall runs shorter.  To make up for this I'm trying to run them a little faster.

Not Snow!!! It's time for rain...but what a nice day to run.

I ran 8 miles this afternoon at Sugar House Park, slow first couple of miles but sped up to about 6:30 pace.  No shirt sun tan run.  It's to bad us distance runners are so buff.

Night run 7 pm Millcreek Canyon, from burch hollow to the mouth where the trail turns back uphill, by the pipeline wye fitting.  I didn''t have my garmin on but it's  at least 4.5 miles to that point. 37:18 to turn around.  Ran back negative split 36:20, and  it has more uphill that direction.  Hit the road and was only going to go down a mile but Kim misunderstood and went to the Rattle Snake parking 2.8 miles.  So I asked to keep going to the 3 mile mark.  Last three miles down hill on road 19:32.  Good down hill practice when you are tired.  I'll bet the three on the road will have beat me up more than the 9 on the trail.

Bison Steak tonight for dinner...Yummy.  With a big bowl of spinach.

 Thought I better get out early with the storm coming.  AM run at Liberty Park, 9 miles, windy and my legs felt a little heavy at first, but warmed up and finished strong 1:05.

Afternoon run with the East High kids.  The run was a little farther than I thought it would be.  We ran from the track to Legacy Bridge, SLC start, and ran the course to sugar house park and did the road loop just like the course.  From the 6 mile mark of SLC we ran up 2100 S. to 1900 E. North to Sunnyside and back down to the track. This was 10.5 miles and I headed 2 more miles on the track while I waited for the others to finish.  I wanted the run to be about 8-9 for the kids but it ended up about a mile and a half long.  The dedicated runners toughed it out and the weather was rough.  On Foothill dr. the wind was strong and hard rain in your face felt like pins sticking in.  It cleared up some and stopped raining when we got to the park.  1:18.32 to the track and I never timed the 8 laps but kept it at 7:30 effort.

AM run 6 miles at Sugar House Park,  snowing felt OK.  But the fitter I get the longer it takes until I really feel like I'm in the flow.  Six miles is not enough to go into autonomic mode but it was a good run.

Afternoon run with the East High Team. 5.75 miles.  Want them to start some tempo runs forcing them to run a little out of their comfort zone.  So, today we ran from the school down to Liberty park.  At the park, each runner was to run 1 minute slower than race pace for the mile on the outer side walk.  JV runners did one lap and Varsity runners did two laps.  It's almost 3 miles for two laps.  I ran 18:26 not pushing too much . It was comfortable. We then ran back to the school.  It was raining light.

Evening Run 8.25 Didn't want to get wet again so I drove to the gym and ran on the tread mill.  The nice thing about a tread mill is when your tired it can help keep you going.  I started at 7:30 pace at 2.0% incline 8mph and increased speed after each mile my last mile was at 9mph.  Total time 58:28.  Good overall day.  Need to stay motivated the next four days and it should be easy to hit my goal for the week of 130. 

USATF board meeting tomorrow night.  If anyone has ideas or questions that you might want discussed.  Send me a comment...

Had an early optional workout at 6am for the East High team.  We had 6 show up.  We ran from the track up Sunnyside to the zoo, up to the golf course and down to 1900 east and back on Sunnyside.  It is just over 5 miles and I added on the track.  I was impressed with one of our freshman boys, he came, and he kept up with the other boys.  It is rewarding when you see little improvements.  While I'm on this the most discouraging part is hearing about the little pains or excuses of why they can't do something.  Anyway you can only coach those who want to be coached.

Afternoon run 2:30 pm,  East High run 7 miles for the varsity and 5 miles for the JV.  We ran up Sunnyside to 1900 E. and over to 2100 S. down to Sugar House park, Varsity 1 Lap around perimeter, back on 1500 E.

USATF board meeting tonight, ran there.  5 miles 36:10

AM run Liberty Park start, 9 miles.  Started with a lap around the park and then went south on 500 E. to 33rd So. Back to Park and 1 more lap.

PM run from home,12.25 miles.  Ran from home to liberty Park on the SLC marathon course after leaving the park I stayed on 600 E. to Trolley Square 1 Lap around Trolley and then I got a big plate of spagetti.  1:27 Avg HR 152  Felt good about this run Because I was tired after a long day.