relentless forward progress

Met at Matt's for a great new year kickoff run. Cold and slick thoughout, but still lots of fun. IT was foggy/hazy until the sun got high enough to shine through and then it was very good. Matt planned a great route and like these seem to do, it went by very fast. The group was Jake, Matt, Chad, Dan, Mike, Toni, and me. Dan and Chad checked out early but it was still good to see them. Matt and his awesome wife had a tasty breakfast ready when we got back. Thanks again Matt!! It was just about a perfect kickoff to the year :). A solid 2 1/2 hours. 7:15

Very easy 10 just to move some blood around. My legs were cranky today and are feeling much better now. 7:40

Woke up with a sore hip flexor so i hit the stairmaster hard after work. That thing is no joke on max level, legs were on fire by the end. I bought a "the stick" today and rolled the sore area to death afterward. Yowch.

Well... not sure what happened, but I can't run. My right hip flexor is really sore. Feels fine when I walk. I can do the 100 ups without pain (run in place). But when I land and start to push off when running it just says no. I got pretty frustrated this morning. Stretched, rolled, walked, tried to run, stretched some more, got on the elliptical for a mile, tried to run again, got mad lol. 

Then I snapped out of it and put a smile back on my face and got back to work. I did an awesome 45 minute circuit training session and worked most everything really good. Then I got on the stairmaster and hit it pretty hard again before doing a couple mile cooldown on the elliptical. If I have to adjust and take a couple days to get it all better then fine. I will find ways to stay fit and get stronger in the process. 

Easy 3 mile warm up on the elliptical then tried to run. I felt better the longer i went and finally just cranked out a couple of mp miles at the end (5:42). The whole thing felt easy although the start was a little awkward from not running for 4 days. I know I'm not the smartest person ever but sometimes you just have to run :).

I was able to get in to my masseuse and think it's a sore adductor/groin. I'm pretty sure it happened on the new years day run as the footing was not the best in my flats and i had quite a few slips. I will have to play it by ear and exercise care when necessary but I'm sure I'll be ok for the half next weekend. 10.2 miles in 1:05:40. 6:30ish

Subbed in a hilly hour on the elliptical instead of an easy run after yesterdays brainfart when I ran too hard :).

1 hour of hills on the elliptical. Kept the level at 12 which kept my HR around 142. A couple more days of this and I'll be good to go. Stretch, strength, and rolling at home.

am - 1 hour+ weight/circuit training. 3 sets each of: hip felxors/inner, hip felxors/outer, lat pull down, back extension, glutes, leg raises, hammer curls, push ups, planks, side planks (each side), crunches, resistance band curls, dips.

pm - 1 easy hour on the elliptical. Kept the HR in recovery area between 120-130. 

Only had time for 5 on the stairmaster so I made them at a harder effort. Stretch, rolling, and strength training at home after. My wife and oldest are gone until tomorrow night so I am partying hard with the little kids :).

Easy 2 mile warmup on the elliptical. I stretched good after and then started a very easy 5 mile run. A dime sized spot on my adductor/groin hurts just like it did on Monday when i last ran. It doesn't hurt like something serious but it's more discomfort than a niggle. Several emotions. At this point the half next weekend is not looking like the race i wanted it to be. 7:40

I'm going to get in to muscle works in alpine next week and see if they have any ideas. 

Had a great workout tonight on the elliptical. 1 mile warmup then 1 hour at marathon pace effort. Measured by HR and effort, it felt right there. Easy cooldown.

It's easy to get frustrated but i just need to be thankful for what i can do pain free and continue to work at it. My business is with Boston and by then business will be booming :). Thanks for the calls and support :)!

70 minutes at early group run effort :). I feel like this thing is finally healing. 

Went to Muscleworks after work and saw a new therapist. She loosened me right up. We made a plan for this weekend and she told me to test it a bit tonight. Warmed up 3 then did a 2 mile tempo 5:38, 5:34. Felt really good. Going back tomorrow for a small tuneup. Hope i can rock and roll this weekend. This did wonders for my confidence.

Another session at muscle works. Went well. She thinks i will be ok to race this weekend so I'll give it a cautious go. Stretch and strength at home after.

2 easy barefoot miles around the hotel (so fun) after some rolling and stretching. I feel pretty good about tomorrow.

I have been nursing a sore hip flexor for the past couple weeks. After some great therapy and cross training I thought I would be ready to go. The conditions were perfect in St. George. Sunny and clean air was a welcome change from the frozen inversion we have been living in.

Warmed up 2 easy with the North Utah County crew. So good to see the guys today. We sang, laughed, and peed under a bridge. It was fantastic :).

It was a great race and a learning experience. As far as the race I'm just looking at the positives. I felt really solid through the first 9. It was fun to run with Caleb and take turns pulling each other. Aerobically I felt great and my legs were fresh. Just after the mile 9 marker my glute and hip flexor really tightened up. I decided to make the smart choice and shut it down. It was very hard to watch people pass and not just tough it out, but i wished them all the best, slapped them all five and jogged it in. Finished 24th in 1:22:22. (I was 52:56 at 9 miles)

I have to remember that Boston is the goal race right now. I feel good about where my fitness is at I just need to get healthy. There were many great performances today from fellow Sojourners and friends. It's cool to see everyone running well to start the season.

I'm going to take some time and get healthy. More low impact cross training and therapy are in order for the next couple weeks. I have a large base to draw from. If I can do enough to maintain my fitness there is still time to get some solid work in and run strong at Boston in April.

Am - 10.5 miles on the elliptical. Kept the hr around 150.

Pm - 6 miles on the AlterG. I found a place in Provo with access to a Huber machine as well as an AlterG (they have 3).

Dr Knudsen is a spine and pain doctor that also does muscle activation therapy and treats muscle imbalances. I have several in my glutes contributing to my compensation which has helped cause some of the pain i am experiencing. I have also been going to Muscleworks to try and get everything working again and feeling better. 

I feel like i have a good plan for active recovery that hopefully won't set me too far back. The important thing is to get healthy. Goals for Boston may need some adjustment but i am determined to line up healthy and do the best that i can. Lots of low impact x training, strength, and muscle therapy. My hope is to be much better off moving forward when i am healed than before. Some of this stuff i have been dealing with for too long.

Thanks for all of the support. It means a great deal to me.  

Pm1- had a great session at muscle works today. My psoas and my glute were both firing today :). The psoas is still sore around the attachment point but there is definitely progress.

Pm2- 7.5 on the stairmaster at golds. I had a good workout and realized that i missed people watching some of the weirdos. Weights at home after.

Bams blog got me thinking today on the topic of cross training so I tried to come up with something "fun". 

The logic was that if the incline was high enough to minimize the impact that I could get a good tempo effort in on the treadmill at lower speed. I think it was a success.

45 minutes tempo at 25 incline (the treadmill goes to 30). 5 minute "warmup" at 3mph then 40 minutes at 4.5mph. This was hard and I got some funny looks but oh well. The HR got up to 168 towards the end of the "tempo". Cooled down for 5 minutes at 12.5 incline. The treadmill said I climbed 4430 feet :). The miles logged are coverted based on time and effort. The treadmill said 3.69 miles.

The good part is that with the incline that high and keeping the cadence up didn't irritate my hip flexor. It kept the effort on my quads and calves mainly. Good stuff. I will actually enjoy the soreness tomorrow. Weights at home afterward.

Progression run on the AlterG at 80% body weight. Lots of progress has been made since last week, though still a ways to go. Felt really good today. Easy warmup and cooldown. 7:03

Strength training on the Huber Motion Lab. Focused on adductors and abductors. Also did some muscle contraction and breathing drills... nope... not pregnant :).

Went to run on the alterG, walked into the gym, and Dan Varga was there running :)! I was so excited to see a friend. We got to run together for about 45 minutes, it was great. It's lonely on injury island lol. So fun to run with Dan.

Anyway it was a great run. 10.5 miles in 72 minutes at 82%. got some fast turnover in in the middle. 6:50

Strength training on the Huber. Exhausting but good. Adductors and abductors.

My TFL was tight but we did some training to activate some of the Glute muscles that weren't firing and everything felt much better after.

Another week or 2 and I'm hoping to be ready to go. Slowly building up to prep. Progress is fun. 

Easy warmup at 12.5 incline. 90 minutes at 16-20 incline at 155-162 HR. Easy 5 minute cool down. Treadmill said 8.25 miles and 7584 feet of vert. Logged miles are based on time, hr, and Watts.

Very happy with this weeks training. I feel like I'm in a good place and doing the right things. Thanks again for the support :). 

7 on the stairmaster after work. Legs were still a little tired from the climbfest on Saturday but felt much better after. Saw Rachelle piling on some evening miles with the usual smile on her face. Always good to see friends. Strength at home.

Alter G Tuesday. 5 minute  warmup, 12 mile progression run at 85% and 3 incline, 5 minute cool down. Was a little stiff the first 10 minutes and then felt really good. I felt like i was playing it safe at 85% so that's a good sign. 12 miles in 1:17:50. Last mile was 5:40. It's coming back around. Also had my hip area and my groin scraped (fun!) while I was there. Strength at home after. 

40 minutes of core circuit training followed by 6 easy miles on the elliptical.

8.5 on the alterG. I was going to go 10 but my Glute and my adductor are still fighting over who will compensate more for the other. Why they won't just get along is driving me crazy. So close. Dr. K did some great work on them. I did get to run with Dan there so that was a big plus. He is one of my favorite humans.

Pm- great session at muscleworks. When i left i had zero pain and was running barefoot like a champ :). 

I picked a fight with the stairmaster today. Initially, i thought i had prevailed but i now realize it was a draw and we will meet again. At any rate, it was a good battle.

Now Bam, I'm going to go look at new compression gear to prep for all of my downhill races this year :) 

1 hour and 50 minutes on the freemotion treadmill at various inclines and paces. 12 miles, 6545 vert.

On a positive note, when i am finally healthy my hill running should be much improved. 

Core strength on the Huber. Massage, treatment, and a nice gluteal scraping lol. So bruised up. Then a good run on the alter G. Put 2 miles at 5 minute pace on a 3 incline at 80%  to keep it interesting.

Being injured is lame. Its mentally exhausting, especially with a marathon less than 8 weeks away. I'm beginning to think Boston has something against me. Some days i feel like throwing all of my gear in the trash. Today and yesterday were a couple of those days. I always feel better after some running though, just wish it was real running...

Chiro and strength training.

45 minutes of good hard circuit training, core and upper body. Followed it up with an easy 6 on the elliptical.

Scored a pair of free shoes for my picture in the St George finishers guide, mizuno wave evo cursoris. Some zero drop goodies for when I'm healthy. That and a good talk with the terminator last night and i am inn a much better mood. 

I took a day off and tried to not feel guilty about it. It almost worked.. :)

Happy V day!

Fun run on the alterG. Easy warmup, 50 minutes at 15 incline, easy cooldown, all at 75%. Focused on form. Felt good today after treatment and a gluteus Maximus attachment scrape. The treatment today was on one of my vertebrae that was stuck and my sacrum that was out of position. Both are now in much better places. This is the best I have felt in a couple weeks, now I need to not screw it up lol. The new mizunos are sweet. The toe box is wide and the foam is nice and springy, also very light.

am1 - a half hour of yoga focused on the hips, adductors, core, and lower back. I learned that this will be very useful and that I am weak lol.

am2 - 2 mile warmup on the elliptical. 1 hour on the treadmill at 20 -24 incline, MP to HMP effort. 5411 vert. 3 mile cool down on the elliptical. 

My glute feels fantastic today despite the huge bruise from scraping it yesterday. I hope I am moving forward again, it feels like it.

Hilly 70 minutes on the elliptical at medium effort. Kept the HR at or below 150. No impact for a couple days to start the week. I'm feeling good and trying to be smart.

45 minutes of hard circuit training followed by 65 minutes on the elliptical at recovery effort. HR at or below 130. Sore, tired and happy.

30 minutes Huber training: Glute med, adductors, psoas. 5 miles on the alter G. I have felt great since last Thursday. Didn't feel so good when i got going on the alter G. Adductor brevis is the source i believe. I shut it down after 5 very easy miles at 70%. I felt fine afterward and no pain now. Tomorrow is a new day :).

am- 7 miles on the stairmaster

Pm- 60 minutes hard resistance hills on the elliptical. 5 minutes cool down then core work. 

30 minute core session. 7 easy miles on the elliptical to prep for tomorrow.

45 minutes hard effort on the stairmaster.

25 minutes hills on the elliptical aerobic effort.

65 minutes vertical running on the treadmill. 5.25 miles. 6004 vert.

10 minute cool down on the elliptical. 

Fit wise i will be ready to finish Boston. just need to get better. Made good progress this week. 

#Frankenstein #getsome #doinwork 

It was going to be a solid workout but i had some gi issues and low energy so i called it a day and went home. Maybe taking care of a very sick family the past week caught up with me a little. Got 4 in before i went home. Rest is good :).

+ strength

30 minutes of core work at Dr. K's and 30 minutes of treatment. Getting so very close :).

60 minutes on the stairmaster. 10.25 miles, 492 flights.

am - 40 minutes of circuit training. shaking like a leaf at the end :).

pm- treatment with Dr K. Then 60 minutes on the alter g. 9.3 miles. Pain free. 6-12 mph progression run. I have been pain free for a week so i threw a little test at it today. Hoping it passes. Tomorrow morning wake up will be the answer. 

25 minute elliptical hills warm up.

60 minutes stairmaster. 492 flights, 10.25 miles

50 minutes vert run on the mill 10-20 incline. 3450 vert. 5.25 miles.

10 minute elliptical cool down.

2871 calories 

I slept in this morning and didn't get out until after the results from Arizona started to come in. There were some extra logs thrown on the fire today from so many awesome performances. Can't wait to hear about them! Congratulations to those who ran today! 

#legendarycrosstraining 

Stairmaster after work. 512 flights. +strength

1 hour elliptical after work. Kilimanjaro routine. + strength.

Treatment at Dr K's. Then a cheeky little 4 miler to loosen up the legs. Feeling good.

:)

Back outside for a test drive with the incredible crew. Met Scott,  Dan, Mike, and Reed for a run up the canyon. Warmed up with a slow grass loop. I felt awkward and a bit gun shy at the start so i finally threw a half mile pickup in around the 2 mile mark. I instantly felt better for the rest of the run. Cooled down with some more easy grass loops. I was so happy to see the guys and run with them today. Very thankful for them. Also tried out the Virrata, a zero drop Saucony trainer. It's light and awesome and could be the Boston shoe.

I'm going to be ok. The body is ready. Fun! 7:20 

Am- 45 minute 10 station circuit training.

Pm- Playing with the spine and various muscles with Dr. K. 11 mile progression run on the alter G. 9:00 down to 5:27 @ 75%.

The trick moving forward is to seamlessly merge the turnover and intensity from "fake" :) running and x training into my legs as they return and remember"real"running on the pavement and trails. If i do it right i believe i can get back to regular fun more quickly. Safe but still intense, if that makes any sense at all. 

60 minutes stairmaster, 530 flights

1 mile easy cool down on the mill.

My wife is gone for a week to Washington DC so I am home with the kids. A week of fun, forts, race tracks, dolls, drawing, cookies, and craziness is in store. Training will be difficult but it's going to be a blast. 

512 flights + strength after work.

507 flights with intervals + strength after work.

Met the crew at Mike's this morning for some easy miles. It was perfect, 40 and no wind. We had a good group with Scott, Mike, Dan, Toni, Reed, and Rob. So good to see everyone and get some miles in. I put a few surges in and felt excellent the whole time. Still pain free :), but I'm going to continue to try and be smart. 7:10

I feel very strong given all the strength training, weight training, and cross training over the last 8 weeks. I have plenty of lungs, just need to get the legs all the way back and I should be able to have some fun in the upcoming weeks. I think this has been a bit of a blessing in disguise. Very thankful.

Pm- 5 very easy miles on the alter G after a good scraping at Dr. K's. 8:00

Am- 45 minutes of circuit training. 10 stations of pain :). 6 miles on the elliptical to loosen everything up. Nice to talk to Lily and Rachelle for a few.

Pm- ran the Pi(e) run with my son Lincoln. It was a great little event put on by Runners Corner. 3.14 miles and a tasty pie contest. Curtis and I ran with Lincoln and he ran 29:09 which is a 7 minute pr, he was excited :). So fun! Ate too much pie afterward :). 

3.5 easy with 2x 1 mile no hands high resistance high turnover. Canyonlands tomorrow. Either an easy fun run or a progression run with a couple test miles at the end depending on how i am feeling. Excited!

Pardon the length of this non-race race report but I had a great time and wanted to get it all down.

I have been feeling good so I decided to give this race a whirl to test out the hip/glute/back and see what I could muster without doing any harm. I drove down with Scott and Fritz. It was a really fun trip for me as both guys are all class.

We stayed in Green River at one of the finest $27 hotels around :). Microwaves, a fridge, and cable TV were the highlights in a pink room with 70's bedspreads. Next to my bed was a little 2 foot high pink door. I wondered if one of us would be missing in the morning but fortunately we were all safe. We were all off to bed early and got a good nights sleep. It really was a good place and it was nice to save some cash.

We were off to the race at 6:00am. Drove down to Moab and picked up our stuff. We had time to rest a little more in the car before the buses loaded at 7:30 to take us up for a nice long wait before the 10am start. We met up with Kevin before loading the buses.

The conditions were very good. I have heard horror stories about the wind and sun at this race in the past. I think it was a treat to get a relatively cool morning with overcast skies and a small headwind. It was very cool to have Justin Park find us as we were waiting for the race to begin. Having a good group of people together made the time pass quickly.

We warmed up with a jog to the bag drop and then Kevin and I ran back to the port o potties to take care of last minute business. At the start line I ran into my old high school friend Elton who was convinced that I am an elite runner. I quickly corrected him and told him that I only chauffeur elite runners :). Saw many familiar faces including Trent Jensen who is a friendly nemesis of mine. We go back and forth at races and it was hard for me to tell my ego to shut up so I could run no pressure.

My race plan was pretty simple: do not race, run a few miles easy, speed up a bit if it feels good, and possibly run it progressive. A couple minutes before the gun I wished the guys well and then moved back into the crowd and got my Ipod ready (that's right, I ran with music to further keep in non serious mode).

The gun went off and I started out easy. I wanted to be right around 7 minutes for the first mile but about a 1/4 mile in Trent ran up beside me haha. We ended up running the first 5 miles together and formally met and talked. It was really cool to get to talk to him, a good guy for sure. 1-5 were 6:28, 6:26, 6:17, 6:09, 6:08. A little faster than I wanted but I felt good so I went with it.

At this point I told Trent that he should cut my dead weight and go :). So he opened up a good gap over the next mile and I figured I would just do my thing. I felt really good going over the rollers on the course which I think is partly from the stairmaster and weights the last 8 weeks. I tried to run the tangents instead of tucking in behind people and should have just stayed with Trent because we were both picking off the same little groups of people as we went along. His gap had actually gotten smaller as the race went on. The hill at mile 10 was a good one and my legs began to get tired. Strange feeling having plenty of lungs but tired legs. Definitely not enough running miles the last while but I was having fun and still passing people. 6-10 were 6:12, 6:13, 6:18, 6:17, 6:27.

The last 3 I wanted to pick it up but instead I just kept with it and kept thinking "do no harm". I slowed up on the last mile and then picked it up a little again during the last little push through the chute. I saw Justin cooling down as I was coming in and wondered how everyone did. The last 3 were 6:16, 6:21, and 6:39, with a 6:11 avg in through the chute.

I am happy with the result given the 8 week "layoff" and even happier that I held up in one piece. I banked some confidence that Boston won't be a death slog and that I should be able to run a relatively respectable marathon there.

I'm super excited that Scott, Fritz, and Kevin ran so well and were that close to each other. We did a little cool down together and then I did the social thing while they got the rest of 20 miles in together.

We spent the next few hours hanging out with Kevin and Aimee at a good little eatery and then at the camp site where Scott and I snuck in a nap in the car. The ride home went by way too fast with some excellent stories by everyone. Super thankful to travel and run with such great friends and people. I'm excited to try and keep this little momentum going over the next four weeks and soak in the Boston experience.

 Hit the alter G at Dr. K's for an easy run. Legs felt really good. 90-100% body weight with surges. Counts as a recovery run right :)? Training wheels are off. 7:03

 Warmed up 2 miles on the stairmaster then switched to the treadmill. Laddered up to a fast mile (5:40) and as soon as I finished the fast one the treadmill made a weird noise and broke :). So i moved to the next one and cooled down. Fun! Probably pushed it a bit today, easy tomorrow. 6:42

Totally worth a piece of cake... too bad Bam doesn't live closer. 

  A big zero for the day. extra long day at work and an awesome first grade program for Mason made for not much time. I got dressed for the gym and drove up but when i walked inside i just turned back around and went home. Ended up eating klondike bars with the fam. Probably needed a rest day.

Easy with Toni and Scott up and down Provo canyon. I threw in a2.5 mile fartlek on the way back. We got blasted by the wind at the end. Fun! 7:30

am - Met the early crew of Spencer, Reed, Dan, Toni, and Scott at Scott's place for some cold miles. We started out slow but it was a good morning and you could feel the energy build so we threw some fartleks and strides in and then cruised a few miles at a good clip. This felt great after Saturdays long run which is a good sign. 6:45

Pm- 512 flights on the stairmaster. Happy with the day.

This is a bit wordy so if you're not in the mood for a long one you can skip it ;), otherwise thanks for reading. I did a ramping hard effort on the stairmaster after work tonight. The adductor/groin thingamajig was a little sore so no run today. It was a really good workout and I was a gross mess afterward. 567 flights.

I read a great article today in the times about Kilian Jornet. It's an excellent read if you have the time. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/magazine/creating-the-all-terrain-human.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

There is a quote in there that I really like. Kilian says, "The important thing is not to catch something. What matters in life is the pursuit and everything we learn along the way. The important thing is to keep moving."

I really needed to hear this. I don't know why it struck me like it did but I felt much better afterward. This whole injury and cross training and stressing and trying to stay in shape has worn on me some, even though I have learned from the experience. But after I read this quote I decided to go back and review some old stuff. I looked at my training from my first marathon at TOU and the lead in into it. At the time I really didn't have the best idea what I was doing but it turned out great, I had fun along the way and it was a special experience. I did the same review with the St. George training. It went better as I had learned some things on the journey, applied some techniques that my body responded well to, met and ran with awesome training partners and people, ran my tail off, and it was also a very fun and special day.

I think I had become a bit caught up in the pending "result" of Boston and stressing on it instead of taking a step back and knowing that everything will be ok. I did that today. The training has been far from perfect, but I have tried to make the best of it. Even though it's been difficult if I look at the whole of the cycle I believe that I am better trained than I was on the first marathon. I may not be in St. George 2012 shape, but it's ok. It's going to be a life experience. After all, it's the Boston marathon :).

I am now very excited about it. No more worries. I'll do what I can the next couple weeks. I agree with Fritz in his belief that late training is not death bed repentance. Especially in regards to a persons mental "edge". If those last couple workouts are what that person needs to get them in the zone, then the workouts are more than beneficial, they are essential. I can't wait to soak up the Boston experience, finish strong, and with a smile. Thanks so very much to those who have been a support, an inspiration, and a safety net.

 Just turning the legs over in prep for tomorrows run. Ramping speed and resistance turned this elliptical session into a nice progression.

am - Met Scott and Toni for some early canyon miles in Provo. It was great. The moon was bright enough you almost didn't need the headlamp, didn't turn it on until up in the canyon. 44 degrees :)! Easy up to the park then threw a fartlek in on the return. 6min on 5 off, 5 on 4 off, 3 on 2 off, then 1 on 1 off x4 and an easy cooldown. "On" paces descending from 5:47 - 5:15. The hill at the end of the 4 minute on was "fun", but other than that it went really good. Scott looked light and smooth on his ladder workout today. Very fun morning! 6:55

Pm- 10 miles medium effort on the elliptical. I found my tired legs and I'm pretty happy about it :). 

 Slept in today and then headed to the gym. Did a 9 station circuit training session and then went to my first spin class. It was fun and a great workout. Lots of good energy. Legs feel really good now and ready to go long tomorrow. Today is my birthday so I'm going to eat cake guilt free. I'm going to have an extra piece for Bam.

I covered 18 but just counted it as an easy hour of running miles. 

 Met a good size group at the soccer park this morning. Melody! Scott, Reed, Dan, Toni, Randy, Dave, & Chris. Double out and back route that we did in December. The first 10 were relaxed. It was awesome to have Melody with us today. She gave us all some great advice for Boston. So fun to run some miles with her.

After the first 10 we made a pit stop at the park and then started up the canyon for the second out and back 10.  Picked up the pace pretty good. There was a nasty headwind on the way up and  it was cold. I stopped at the water fountain for a drink and everyone kept going so it became my mission to try and reel them in before the turn around. This resulted in a great push up the canyon for me, the wind made for some character building sections. The run back down was much easier but still fast. Reed and i ran the last couple together. 

Then we all ran some grass loops easy to cool down. I put some strides at mp in as well and ended up with a great run. Huge confidence boost for me. Very thankful. So fun to run with so many great people. 7:00 avg

8 very easy progression miles. 5k at MP, easy cool down. 7:12

 Easy recovery day on the elliptical. Kept adjusting the resistance to keep the hr 133-138. Weights and roller afterward.

 Hit the stairmaster pretty hard after work. 510 flights. Excited to run with the fellas in the morning. 

I feel fantastic. So excited for Boston but now that i feel like this I'd sure like six weeks to tune up :).

am - Easy 12+ with Scott, Mike, Reed, Toni, Jacob, and Chris on what was an absolutely beautiful morning. The silent float for some of the way back in the dawn was perfect. Grass loops and fun conversation after was great too. 7:09

pm - easy regeneration grass loops out at the sports park in the vibrams. beautiful afternoon :). 8:00

1 hour spin class, hard but lots of fun. I'll call it an easy hour of running. Ran a easy 5k shakeout after. Weights this afternoon.

Slept in tis morning and started the run at 8:00, which is 10 Boston time. I ran te Spanish Fork half marathon course with a small detour to extend the route to 15ish. I stashed bottles last night and took 2 gels on the way. The workout was a 4 mile warmup, 10 miles at MP, and just over a mile cool down. It went really well. I have tried to dial in to a MP pace that is sustainable given my recovery from my injury and think I've done a good job. 

I've done about as much as I can to prep. Time for a short 8 day taper and then to enjoy the Boston experience. Thanks for the support! 

avg pace for the run 6:33

 Just some weights and rolling after a epic breakfast and a good nap. 

Out and back easy on the murdock after work. Stayed in the soft gravel and dirt to the side and enjoyed the light rain. I hit a great window before it started coming down :). 7:03

391 flights. 

Ez. 7:15

wu, 3.1 miles at ~mp, cool down with 3 x :30 strides @ 5:10 pace. Ready to roll... :). I fly out tomorrow. So very thankful and excited. 6:30

Spin class and an easy mile shakeout after.

Easy shakeout in Boston with the gang. Sea level air is crazy :)

Easy with strides with Scott and Curtis.

 How do you even approach writing down a day like this? I'm still not sure but here's one humble account and perspective of what was for me an unforgettable day.

I first have to acknowledge Chris Pusey and Scott Keate for finding and setting us up in "southie". The house and neighborhood we stayed in were so wonderful. It enriched the experience exponentially. What a cool family to just offer up their home to renters for a weekend. It really felt like an extension of home. I imagine that a hotel would still be great, but to have the extra space to breathe, and talk, and cook, and be alone when needed... well I'm just incredibly thankful.

The "family" while we were there was myself, Scott Keate, Reed Seamons, Dan Varga, Rob Rohde, Ryan Johnson, Paul Fulton, and Curtis Eppley. I can't say enough good things about these guys. So I will just say thank you to all of them. Matt Poulsen and Fritz were there in spirit :). They were on all of our minds while we were there and were missed, but the thoughts of what great people and competitors they are strengthened me.

I have so many great stories from our time there, too many for a blog entry. I'd love to share some miles and some of those experiences with friends :).

The dinner we had together the night before was a real highlight for me. I loved being able to sit down and have a good meal with everyone in a home setting... so cool. I didn't sleep much that night. I wasn't nervous or anxious, I just couldn't drift off. We were up at 4:30 eating laughing and talking. The whole vibe of the city the days leading to the race are incredible. Race morning that level was turned up another notch. Emotions were high.

We missed the first bus to the loading area but were soon there with a sea of people waiting to load the buses. The conditions turned perfect that morning, blue clear skies with a touch of clouds. It was going to stay cooler too so that was a bonus. I rode the bus with Scott and got into my little zen place with some epic classical and tried to envision my race in the most positive light that I could. I thought about some possible struggle points but decided that whatever happened I would not quit, and that I would not stop smiling and being thankful. It was my goal to make a positive impact on some people and draw from the Boston energy well when needed, to dig in to the experience. As we got closer it finally sunk in what I was doing and where I was. It's strange to me that a bus ride could end up as a pretty powerful experience but it is what it is. Scott is a fireball of positive energy too so perhaps I was gleaning some of that from him.

We got to the school, found Kevin, and all set up away from the crowds out front in the grass. So many people... I've never seen that many people in one place. There was this older asian guy in a swan costume that stood out. He did not speak any english but was as happy as I was about me asking for a photo. Little highlights like this all day long....

Finally it was time to line up and I still didn't have a real "goal". My training has been a patchwork quilt of rest, recovery, do what I can cross training, and finally some running the last few weeks so I had no idea where to start. I thought my realistic window was 2:45 - 2:59:59 but it wasn't until the walk/jog down to the start that I decided. Somehow this silly idea came into my head to run 20:00 5k's and speed it up a little at the end. The thought of those 20's seemed really easy (of course they did but they're not lol) so I got suddenly super confident that a 2:46 was in the bag. <-- oh silly man...

Closing in on that 1st corral I started crying happy tears again because I am a bit of a baby but got it back in check and settled in close to the front. I wished Scott well and lined up with Kevin and three online friends that I got to finally meet and hang out with over the weekend. Chris from Houston, Caleb from North Carolina, and Tim from Paris. (I took advantage of the opportunity to meet so many great great people that I have corresponded with online the past few years and finally met face to face.)

The national anthem was another highlight (more tears and a charge of awesome energy) and soon after the gun went off. Goal for that first mile was 6:40 and I hit it perfect in 6:41. A group of Curtis, Reed, Ryan, and I were together and all decided that 2:45ish was a good place to be for the day and decided to stay together. It was at this point for me that the experience of Boston pretty much took over. The crowds have to be experienced to be understood. I have never seen anything like it. I was high fiving little kids, thanking military personell, thanking volunteers, smiling and making eye contact with people.... it's all just overwhelming pure positive energy. At times I forgot I was running and just tried to soak as much of it up as I could.

I took a gel at mile 5. My plan was to gel every 5 miles, the first two no caffeine, the next two with, (i was packing 5 in my extra pocketed shorts) and use the last one with a double shot of caffeine if I needed it toward the end. The next miles slowly and progressively got faster and were right on pace for the goal. 6:24, 6:23, 6:12, 6:20, 6:14, 6:16, 6:19 were miles 2 - 8. Just after 8 miles Reed said "go Hoyts!!" and I looked to my right and I was right next to Dick and Rick Hoyt. I immediately started welling up with tears again and told them thank you. So much cheering... so much energy. Servicemen running in fatigues and full backpacks in step. An awesome double amputee running on prosthetic legs. People running for causes. The easter bunny running in costume throwing candy to the crowd. Unbelievable. Reed, Ryan, Curtis and I just kept smiling at each other and remarking how incredible it was to be there..

6:19, 6:22, 6:24, 6:13 were 9-12. Gel at 10. Wellesley college is around this point and the sound is deafening haha. So many girls. So many wanting kisses. There was this kid with black hair between the small gap of Reed and I and he has the biggest smile on his face... just going from girl to girl... loll. I slapped as many fives as I could through here but no kissing.. promise. My favorite signs through here that I can recall are "Kiss me I don't speak english" (written in english lol), and "Kiss me I'm really drunk".

We came through the half with the group intact and feeling good in 1:23:45. Perfect. Just have to hold it together comfortably and have the legs to attack the last 5 miles and we're there. 6:31, 6:24, 6:32, 6:20.. miles 13-16. Gel at 15. This is where we finally split up a bit and my training reality started to set in. I'm pretty good at listening to my body. Throughout this whole race not once was my breathing the least bit out of control, which was a weird sensation. My legs felt ok at the end of mile 16 but normally they feel much better than this. For some reason I did not at all begin to worry or despair. I just smiled and silently thought to myself.. "here we go".

Mile 17 was 6:43. The first of the inclines was not too bad. I'm optomistic even though I know my legs are going. I had been drinking quite a bit throughout the race but still felt thirsty. This made me smile. I knew it was coming. But I kept smiling and focused on things that made me happy. Friends from home. Funny stuff that we had done over the weekend. Silly thoughts of Dan hypothetically diving into the girls at Wellsley. Mile 18 6:48 still keeping it together. I am still high fiving kids, smiling at people, thinking about the kindness shown to each and every runner. Mile 19 6:38. Gel here. Cheers of "go Utah!", "let's go 391!". So helpful. So needed lol. I'm ok but starting to hurt. Mile 20 6:57. I am still thinking I can run 2:48 here lol. I laugh because at this point my glutes and my hamstrings are all done. Never had any problems during a race with hammies. Weird. Done, like cheesegrater done. I will not stop running today is my thought. 

Mile 21 7:11. 2:50? :). Breathing fine, legs will not turn over. Normally this would be a downer but I find it impossible to be down given how awesome it is through here. I tell myself most everyone else is struggling here too. That works for a minute. Then I pass these two girls. One says "Let's go! You got this! You are looking strong!" Right as I pass her friend starts laughing. I think to myself, "what they just said is "dude you look horrible, please don't die". I begin to laugh again and try to pick it up. 

Then I see Reed and I smile. It's someone I know so now I need to catch him. As I get close he starts to walk. I shout some encouragement and he returns the favor. We are going to get it done. I think we are about to go up heartbreak but I'm not sure. I'm trying to climb, thinking about the stairmaster sessions, but my legs just won't turn. I start to chuckle again. Especially when I think of Fritz hammering the stairmaster with no hands. I dig in and find a gear and start moving really well. Just as I'm over the top of the hill my right hamstring cramps. I have never had cramps and it is not cool. My leg is stuck straight and I can't bend my knee. My quad is twitching like crazy. I am now sit/laying on the pavement. There goes Reed. People are yelling for me to get up. Telling me I can do it. I smile and muster an "I'll be ok". But I still can't get up. An officer comes over to me and says that there is a med tent less than a quarter mile away. He tells me he is going to help me up and take me down there. I look up, tell him thanks, and then I told him that I appreciate him and what he's doing but he's not taking me anywhere today. He says ok and gives me a wink a a smile. This is one of my favorite memories from the race.

So this guy and his kid come up and hand me a bottle of water. I had replaced my gels I had taken with powerade caffeinated gels they were handing out earlier. I took all three powerade gels and downed the whole bottle of water and stood up. As soon as I stood people went nuts. I now feel like a rockstar. I have a smile on my face and tears in my eyes as I tell the guy thanks and slap his kid five and start running. There's the marker, mile 22 8:52. About a mile later my left hammie cramps. I'm at the aide station and pound a couple more cups of water and start running again. The crowds and runners at this point I'm sure are going to will anyone struggling to the finish. I can't run fast or I'll cramp again so I find the new line just under cramping and sit on it. I will not run over 3 hours today :).

I hit the stretch at Beacon street and I see the Citgo sign. I remember a Saucony post from earlier that said "I eat Beacon street for breakfast". My legs are fried on Beacon street became my slogan for that stretch, I smiled some more and waved my hands and the crowds go crazy. I laugh and am filled with gratitude. I am humbled by the day. 7:04, 7:18, 6:52 were 23-25. 

That last mile is incredibly special. So many people there and so much good energy. I make the turn onto Boylston and see the line and so.many.people. Wow. No words. 7:04 mile 26. .4 at 6:49 pace to finish. 2:56:00

I agree with Scott in that people are stripped down to their "raw" being at the end of a marathon. For a few moments there are no personal barriers up and everyone is the same. Everyone is exchanging encouragement. The post finish area of a marathon is quite the place, and Boston is the tops in this regard of the races I have finished. The sweetest old woman placed a finisher medal around my neck and told me that I had a great smile. I told her that hers is one I will never forget.

This was the most satisfying marathon I have ran. I am so pleased with how it turned out given my injury in January and the lack of real training. Overjoyed.

-------------

What happened next was quite the experience. We had got on a bus to return to our house and were directed down a street with so much foot traffic. An officer stopped the bus and the result was an argument between the officer and a lady on the bus, with the driver asking for assistance. The officer shut the bus down and called for a transit supervisor. Scott tried to mediate a positive solution with the officer but he wasn't willing to participate. He told us to pull the bus over and as we were pulling the bus to a stop we heard a loud boom. It startled everyone on the bus, the driver thought we had been hit by someone. None of knew what had happened.

A few minutes later people started to flood from the square. A city worker had come and boarded the bus. He told the driver that he thought an electrical transformer had exploded near the finish area. We were going to remain on the bus until we were cleared to move but we decided to leave the bus, and try to catch a different one at the station. We still weren't clear on what had happened. We actually used twitter to get what little details we could.Scott was soon relieved to hear that his parents were safe and we had got word that all others we knew were also safe.

Over 2 hours later, after a long walk, a train ride, and another long walk we were nearing home. At the base of the hill before the last bit to the house the bus we were originally on drove by in the other direction :).

When we got back to the house we were subject to the same media coverage as the rest of the world and couldn't believe to hear what had happened. We spent the next several hours connecting with family and friends while watching the coverage and trying to recover.

So much has been said at this point. I agree with what Scott shared at the end of his report, it's written very well. Scott's report Many of you have already read through it.

I also want to share a post made Tuesday by my friend Bill. He's lived in Boston his whole life and is a multi marathon and multi Boston marathon runner. Yesterday there were several tributes but the whole of the running community in Boston got out to run. Bill's post is the following:

"I wonder if the person that planted the bomb was on the Charles tonight. If so, I'm guessing it must have felt a little like the Grinch on Christmas morning. I mean if the goal was to break a city's spirits, then the sight of runners of every age and ability looking more determined and unified than ever must have really hurt. If you're trying to break a city with as much heart as Boston, my advice is it would be easier to go count grains of sand on a beach somewhere. Having lived here my whole life and knowing that these are the type of people where many would have wrapped that little 8-year old child in their arms to protect them if they had only known, there was no doubt that they were going to be out there today. If there was ever a place where cowardly acts get drowned out by the selfless character of its people, Boston is that place."

This paragraph above is a testament to the spirit of the people in the great city of Boston. Scott and I had an awesome day yesterday there. Such incredible people. Strangers greeted us and I'm sure many others with tears and told us they were happy we were safe and asked us to please come back. So tough. The entire community there is so tight... Amazing stuff.

I would really like to line up in Hopkinton again. Next year will be something very special. I want to say thanks for the outpouring of love and concern for our little group while we were out there. My thoughts and prayers remain with the families of the affected, on both sides of the spectrum.

I don't have much to share going forward except this....

Get out and run. Easy, hard, long, short, alone, with people. Just get out and keep putting one foot in front of the other. It's what we do. It's what we will continue to do. It's what we will always do.

 Went to spin class this morning and had a great workout. Legs feel really good. No trouble spots :). I'll be taking it easy for this weekend and then a slow slow easy easy start sometime next week. Feel free to virtually snack me around if you think i need it. Thanks!

 Easy around the neighborhood. Going to keep it short for a while as I build back up. I've got lots of work to do. I've only ran about 450 miles this year and most of those are on the treadmill. Lots of easy outside miles to come now that I'm healthy. 7:00

 Great sunset tonight. 7:12

P.S. For those who ran Boston the bottle opener in your race bag is a perfect home graston tool. #raspberry #glutemuchbetter 

 Short Carterville loop after work. Threw 2 hard surges in and they felt good. Thankful to feel healthy. 6:44

 Met Matt in AF and ran a great loop down past Thanksgiving Point. Really nice morning and a great run. Its always a pleasure to run with Matt but today was even better because we haven't both been healthy at the same time since December. Ann easy run that went by way too fast.

Ran Big Springs with the Sojourners group this morning. So nice to get out on the trails on a great morning. I got aggressive on the descent mile and it felt good so I put some pickups in down southfork after the loop, both were well under 5:00 pace. Very fun run today!

Spent the rest of the day taking down trees in my yard with my brother. Old school strength workout for sure. I'm going to feel that tomorrow.

So thankful to run outside 5 days this week.

Very easy on the flat grass loops at the sports park. Legs feel much better now after yesterdays soreness. So nice out.. 7:52

 More easiness on the grass and dirt loops on a perfect afternoon. Ran into Rachelle and got to chat a little which was cool :). Finished with strides. Hope to speed tomorrow :). 7:18

Tried a little speed workout today. I have to start somewhere. 2 mile warmup. .5 mile transition 2:50 just to take the edge off of the faster stuff. Then 6 x 400 progressive. 80, 78, 76, 75, 72, 70. Did some 90 second jogs in between at 7:45 pace and then finished with an easy cooldown. I would have done a few more but I was pressed for time today. The good thing is everything felt pretty good. The last one was really pushing for me, I actually think it's a 400 PR lol. Starting point.

I'm just going to keep it short for a while and get used to running every day again, even if it's only 5-7 miles. Throw some intervals in, some hill repeats, and some tempo miles as I get going and try to knock down my shorter distance PR's. By the time July rolls around I should be in a great place to start ramping it up and have a successful late summer/fall season.

6:30

ez on the trail after work. 7:12

 Easy with Scott, Matt, Mike, and Toni. I turned back early with Toni to stick to my planned 8. A little chilly but a great morning. Saw Marie, Josee and girls on the way back. 6:56.

After the banter the other day I became fascinated with a dose of Irish history. I can tell you Bam I think the story is awesome so the blog name is not mocking at all. :)

Easy run with Matt and Scott around Matt's hood. Matt and I did 6 and wished Scott well as he continued on. Threw some strides in at the end. The 5k tomorrow should be fun. It will be good to see where I'm at with almost zero prep and to have a starting point. Maybe Matt can carry me :). 7:06

This is the first 5k I've ran since last July and I was fairly unprepared but I needed to have a baseline to move forward with. This was a fun race. Lined up with team mates Matt and Trevor and soon enough we were off. There was a pack of 5 that went out very quick and then I was in the 4 person chase pack that was about 3 meters back at the half mile point. By the 1 mile marker I was about 10 meters behind the lead group of four and all the guys with me had faded back so I was all alone the rest of the race. I saw one of the guys on the lead pack fall off at the 2 mile mark and made it my goal to try and catch him but it didn't quite happen. I faded a bit on the last mile which is about right considering I haven't done much of anything speed wise and that I was solo. I was hoping to be under 17:30 but it just isn't there yet. Trevor won the race with Matt a close second. Good day for the team. Course was a bit long and I ended up 5th in 18:20.

I'm happy to have a starting point now. I know that I have lost some fitness this year but I am in a good place and it will come back quickly as long as I stay patient. Though I did a bunch of Xtraining through my injury it's still not running miles and short races like these reveal everything, I've only ran just over 400 miles this year. Right now it's all about respecting the process and being consistent. As long as I can do these things and continue to be smart with my workouts then the rest will take care of itself. Structurally I feel very strong which is a good sign. Feeling excited.

I had a great time with Matt today. Matt is all class and it definitely made the day so much better to do this with him. Very cool to see so many friends and people from the blog out running and racing. Awesome to see James running today although I didn't get to talk with him. Always good to see Allie as well. One of the additional highlights for me was when I was picking up some post race food at the finish and this voice said "hey quit eating all the oranges." I looked up annoyed and smiled when I saw that it was my wife who had came up to surprise me.

Also of note: it was so cool today to see Kodi kill the half and talk with her after. I get all excited when people from my hometown rock races. I hope I am in shape to race her at a couple local Sanpete County races this summer.

Easy recovery run on the dirt and grass loop out at the sports park. Very nice day. 7:44

Did the short timp trail loop in the rain after work. Just enough rain to knock the dust off the trail and soften the top layer up, so nice. Climbed 1000 feet and took the loop easy. 7:45

3 ez at the sports park until the freezing wind and rain won then a short drive to the gym and 3+ ez on the tm with 5x:30 strides. 7:00

 Easy 2 mile warmup.  Progressive 12 x 400. 82, 81, 82, 80, 78, 78, 76, 76, 75, 74, 72, 69. 400 recovery jogs between at 7:45 pace. Easy cool down. These felt really good and in control. I recovered quickly on all of them. The goal was just to do all 12, next time out they will all be a little faster. 6:40

 Very easy hour on the Murdock trail with Spencer after work. Very nice to talk and run in such nice weather. 7:25

 Easy 10 on the Murdock from Matts with the usual suspects. Great conversation about watches, frogs,  Valentines, and kiwis. Perfect morning. 7:10

This was a very small but fun and well organized race in my home town. It was to help raise money for playground equipment for the new elementary school. My wife is gone for the weekend with her Mom and sisters and I'm down visiting my Mom for mothers day so we all decided to run.

Ran an easy warmup on the first part of the course with some strides. The course is at 6000 feet and is a hilly out and back with a lollipop hill turnaround. I was happy that the distance was on and that it was going to be challenging.

It turned out much better than last week and I won the race in 17:59. I probably went out a little too conservative but I'm happy with the effort and that it was faster than last weekends race. My son Lincoln ran a PR today and my Mom ran really well so it was a success. It was really cool to be able to win the race with my Dad and my two littlest children at the finish.

Afterward it was so very nice I ran a hilly 8 mile loop from Mount Pleasant out to gravel pit road to Mountainville road and back. Sunshine, fields of green and flowers, and a slight breeze. I just couldn't help but pick it up the last few miles. A little more proof that I didn't run hard enough but I sure had a good outing. Took the kids to the carnival and now getting ready for a tasty barbeque. Happy Mother's day to all of the Mom's out there!

I'm very happy with the progress so far. I quietly ran 60 miles this week and won a (small) race :). I'm just going to keep slowly building it up and see what happens.

 Easy in the grass and dirt in Spanish Fork. 83 degrees... Really?

7:33 

I picked up a nasty cold. Was going to rest but then i read a bunch of stuff about running with one and got out for a new loop in SF x2. Felt fines after the first one do i did another. I am not a fan of the heat but it's sure nice out. 7:03

 Too sick to do much of anything. Rest...... 

 Off sick again. Can't breathe.

 Getting better finally but will take today to rest again. On the bright side my legs sure feel good :).

 Fun run from Matts house with Matt, Mike, Reed, and Spencer. My lungs still aren't 100% but it was so nice to get out. Ran Matts loop with "the mother" hill.  Legs felt like gold today. Then i came home, took the boys to school, and slept for 3 hours :). Naps are part of training too. 7:05

 What started as light rain turned into crazy sauce downpour by my turn around point. At parts on the way back it was the hardest rainstorm I've ever ran in. Matt and Mike soldiered on for 20, i was thankful for their company while I had it. I still have too much lung cheese for 20. Thankful for nipple band aids today. 7:05

 Easy miles after work. I have had bronchitis the last 9 days. Strange because i don't typically get sick and if i do it's over rather fast. Antibiotics and inhaler are helping. Nice to get out after a few days of rest. I actually made it the whole run without coughing, afterward not so much. 7:10

 Early 10 in the canyon with the fellas :). A little better today. Threw a few good surges on the uphill and just cruised the return. 7:03

EZ run with Dave and Jacob from Dave's place in Mapleton. Dave took us on a great route through and around town. We hit some dirt, some good climbs and road all in less than 9 miles. Very fun morning and the extra sleep was good. Some strides at the end finished it well. Dave has some serious wheels. 7:30

I can finally breathe again :). Perfect weather on this run around Manti area. Misjudged the route so i ended up a little longer than i wanted but it was great. Good climb coming back. 6:54

am - I paced my son Lincoln at the Run of Remembrance 5k in AF. It was so much fun. Lincoln ran a PR and was very happy. It was cool to see Matt and his family, Mike and his family, Dan and his daughter, Spencer, and many others. All the sons ran PR's today, so cool to see all the kids happy and pushing. Thanks Spencer for coming back and running us in. 

pm - Got out for an easy loop in Spanish water fountain hopping. Legs feeling better. My calf was sore yesterday but no worries it seems. Thankful it wasn't too hot.

am - slept in and ran a great out and back out in the fields in Spanish Fork. Calf sore. Took it easy but then loosened up and ran some strides at the end. 7:10

pm - easy 5 on the grass loops out at the sports park. 7:45

I got rid of 5 pairs of shoes today that are dead that I figure I really shouldn't be running in anymore. They all have well over 400 miles except the Virratas that were done after 300. 

am - 8 mile progression run, 1 mile cool down. New hilly route in Spanish with a pancake flat return. 7:20-5:45. Not hard, but good to step it down a little every mile. Great morning. 6:45

pm - ez shakeout on the grass and dirt loop route post rain storm. Very nice. 7:45

am - 10 with the crew up Provo Canyon. Another perfect morning. Started off with some great conversation and then just went silent, nothing but footfalls in unison and the birds.. very cool. Matt, Reed, and I took it easy on the way back but Scott was feeling good and ran a really strong 5k on the way back (15:31) and then looped back and ran with us the rest of the way in. Thankful for these runs. 6:55

Pm- 5 very easy in the grass. Got some deep work done at muscle works today so i needed this to flush the junk. Much better. 7:55 

Good size group turn out at Scott's this morning. We ran a great route from his home. Kept it fun and talkative the whole way. We've been spoiled this week with perfect running temps. Another excellent morning. I may take the afternoon off today. 7:07

 Met a great group at the soccer park for a long run out and back up the canyon. Scott, Matt, Mike, Steve, Chris, Reed, and Jody. We cruised up 8 miles and stopped just up south fork. The plan was some tempo on the return but i didn't know how many i had in me at the end of my first bigger week. I let the guys go and just kept it at 5:50-5:55 for about 5 miles. When i saw the guys come into view just after 4 miles i picked it up fast to try and catch up. thankfully they stopped at the fountain and we ran in together. I'm very happy with this week and even happier to feel great and be healthy. 6:40

 Sore ribs. Pulled a muscle playing with the boys. Can't breathe. 7:15

 Better than yesterday. Hot. 7:00

  Met Scott and Chad at the soccer park at 5. This was a near perfect run :). The morning was absolutely beautiful, the time flew by, and the conversation was excellent. Ran an out and back up to Vivian park. Chad left us after 14+ and Scott and i ran a bunch of grass loops at sunrise. So grateful for days like today. 7:00

 Fun miles pacing and running around at UVM. my Mom ran the half and i was able to pace her in the last few. She ran a big pr, so fun! Also ran some cool down miles with Mike and Matt who both rocked the half. So many friends running today, it was awesome to see everyone. Congrats to all the runners today!

Easy with Randy after work. 95 degrees, wow. 7:30

Turnover Tuesday 

The workout today was 16 x 1/4 mile with 1/4 mile recoveries. I did the 1/4's progressive and not too hard to start. The idea was controlled and strong but still get a good stimulus in. Warmed up two miles. The 1/4's were: 78, 78, 78, 77, 77, 76, 76, 76, 75, 73, 72, 72, 70, 69, 68, 68.  Recoveries were all at ~7:45 pace. After the last recovery I ran a mile at tempo effort in 5:45 then ran an easy cool down. Happy with this today. I needed it more for the mental boost than anything :). 6:28 avg for the run.

 Just moving blood. 7:30

Am - Early morning fun with Matt, Reed and Mike. Easy todayfor the most part. I threw a short fartlek in on the way down 8, 6, 4, 2, 2 from 5:30 down to 4:30 pace on the last one. 7:09

Slept in today and woke up feeling good. Even better that it wasn't too hot yet so I got out for a run around my town. I left the watch on time of day and just cruised. I pushed a few sections of road and just enjoyed it. Fun way to start a day off. 6:50

Randy came down and we ran the long Spanish Fork route, beautiful route. It was a perfect morning for it.The time went by very fast. Lots of runners out this morning. Just an easy long cruiser. 7:15

Just an easy afternoon cruise before the grilling session :). Happy Fathers Day!

lunch - Snuck in an easy 5. Trying out some ways to fit in some extra miles on work days without them being junk. It's tough because I really don't have the time to do it. I may be able to sneak this in once a week. Twice would be even better but we'll see. 7:07

Pm - south on the river tail after work. It's shaded  well that direction and helped with the heat. Talked to Mike Vick on the way. Easy miles. 7:20