Hurt so good.

Easy 50 min run on the TM.

Avg pace 7:13 min/miles

TAPER WEEK!!

No running today. Did a hard workout in the pool followed up by a pre race deep tissue massage.

Legs haven't felt this good in a long time.

Interval session with Riley Cook.

A little over 2 mile warm with strides

6x400 around 69 pace

1x1 mile at goal marathon pace.

1.50 mile cool.

5.65 miles with Clyde from his house. Good to catch up with Clyde on a nice chilled morning run. The weather is going to be perfect for this years Marathon. Way excited for how deep the field is going to be this year. Honestly I don't see one runner standing out over another. Should be anyone's race! We'll see I guess......

This year I am feeling more prepared then ever, I honestly feel like if it's my day I will go well under my last year time of 2:28. But the Marathon is a beast and anything can happen.

2 loops around the condos in STG. Threw in half a mile @ goal marathon pace. Ready to roll tomorrow. Good luck to everyone that is running!

Another marathon down. I was way excited for this race just because of how my workouts and past races have went. I felt that I was more prepared then ever and put more miles in this year to gear up for STG. But unfortunately the race didn't go as planned.

Just like last year I knew I needed to ease into the pace and just take the first couple miles as they come. Run the first have conservative and knock out the scond half with a negative split. So anyway I got up to the start and ran into James, Clyde, Steve, Dave. Chit chatted for a little bit, hit the secret bathroom and felt ready to go. Before the race talked with Scott, Justin and Riley briefly about race plan. My goal for me was to be about a minute back from them at the half due to the fact of the uphill portion of the race. I felt personally that if I could hit 1:14 for the first half I could go 1:11 in the second half and get my next goal in the marathon of 2:25.

Gun went off and immediately the leaders took off. Since it was dark I just went with comfort and didn't even check my pace. At this point I was running with Dave, Clyde and Walter. First 2 miles were 5:52 and 5:54 a little slower then last year but wasn't panicky at all. I ended up going a little ahead of the group and started clipping off some miles 3-5 were 5:33; 5:26; 5:53. Mile 5 unfortunately was my first bathroom break and was hoping it to be my last. I think this is where my race was over just because I felt like I had to fight to get back into a rhythm again. Now I was running solo for about a mile. I ended up catching Clyde, Walter, and Dave and joined them for a couple of miles til Veyo Hill splits 6-8 were 5:28; 5:27; and Veyo was 6:19. By now it was Dave and I working again together just like last year. We ended catching a couple of runners which was good then Dave said he was going to hold back a little bit on the hills so I moved up about 100 yards ahead of him and started working with some kid. Didnt get his name, but talked with him for a little bit whiched helped with the miles to go fast. Miles 9-13 were 5:57; 5:46; 5:55; 5:41 and 5:30. Came though the half at 1:15.09 which was slower then I wanted but about 21 seconds faster then last year so I didn't panic to much from there. Saw Logan and he said to stay patient and the race will come to you again.

From here out I wanted to hit under 5:35 pace for the rest of the race and get a solid neg split and hope to break the top 10 this year. Miles 14-18 were 5:29; 5:23; 5:28; 5:31 and 5:35. Still felt great, then I started going up the Ledges and hit the top and the again both Hamstring started tightening up hit 6:00 min flat for 19. Then between mile 19 and 20 my stomach went south again, bathroom break #2 was officially in the books. Mile 20 was 5:45 and mile 21 with bathroom break was 6:44. Lost a whole flippen minute! Now I knew my sub 2:25 was gone and was just fighting for sub 2:30. Dave passed me when I was in the bathroom now my goal was to try to latch on to him but my legs were gone. I honestly have never felt so much pain in my hamstrings before and it took me everything to finish this race and just to try to hit under 6:00 min/pace for the last 4 miles. 22-26 was 5:53; 5:53; 5:58; 6:22 and 6:38. At mile 24 it took me everything I had mentally and physically to finish this race. My mind was telling me to stop and so was my hamstrings I feel lucky now I as I type this that I even finished.

I ended up a 2:32:58 for my marathon and nontheless even though it wasn't a bad time I am way dissapointed needless to say. I have high hopes of a 2:25 and just upset that I didn't achieve that today. For now I feel like I need to get my hamstring issue figured out for this is 2 marathons that this has effected me in before I race another marathon.

Also I just want to personally congratulate Fritz for another amazing performance in his race. He simply amazes me for how consistent he is with his marathons. Awesome win! Also Scott Keate for having the performance of the day with an amazing 2:22 finish. Justin with another PR. Riley for getting that sub 2:30, for him definitely more of those to come. Dave for breaking 2:30 again and Clyde for nailing a 2:35 on a broken foot!

50 minutes of swimming. Felt way tired and fatigued today, but was nice to get my heart rate going.

Ran to the store and back to get hair product. Felt like I have never ran before and it was my first run ever.

Average pace 7:15 min/ miles

Easy 12 miles in the Utah Marathon Course. Officially made an attempt to complete the marathon. But probably the best decision that I made was to drop. I think I officially screwed myself in the USATF Circuit though by not finishing.

But hey I live to see another day and it was a good 12 miles before things started to go south.

6:40 min/miles

Easy run on the TM. Having a little pain in the medial part of my left knee. Way uncomfortable.

Avg pace 7:09 min/miles

Met Jon at Lees for our usually morning run. Pain in my knee is still there but manageable.

Avg pace 7:22 min/miles

60 minutes of swimming @WeberState

Morning was cold, wore gloves for the first time this fall.

Did my normal loop into pleasant view from my house. Dropped a couple 6 min/ miles. But couldn't go any faster. Definitely fatigued still from the marathon.

Avg pace today was 6:40 min/miles

Day off. Why not?

Easy run on the TM. Threw in a couple miles at marathon pace.

Acg pace 6:49 min/miles

Hot Pursuit 5K. 

Well last race technically for the year for myself. I didn't really feel like running today, because I felt like my hamstrings were only back to 70%. Still tightness when the pace is pushed and especially on the uphills I feel it the worst.

Goal today was to try to place at least 5th in the USATF circuit. Its funny this year has been the most humbling year of running I have had PRs in every distance but the marathon and I didn't even win ONE race!! Hopefully that will change next year. So for me to take 5th in the Circuit or even 4th I needed to beat Hornock and Albert Wint. I beat Albert I take 5th beat Hornock I take 4th.

Well 4th didnt happen, Hornock is in amazing shape right now and even after his marathon last week he looked great.

So in the race. My first mile was 4:38, mile was short, at this point Nate and Ken were right on my tail. 2nd mile had a steep climb and pace dropped dramatically, felt the tightness come on and there was nothing I could do. Ken dropped me and so did Nate. Immediately the climb went to a flat then down hill, I ended up catching Ken and stayed with him for the rest of the race. Mile 2 was 5:15. During the 3rd mile I could here Riley coming up because he was spitting up his flem!! For myself I haven't beaten Riley at all this year and this was my shot. So I kicked as hard as I could! Managed to drop Ken and Beat Riley Cook!! Ya I beat Riley Cook! Haha! But he only has ran 2 marathons in the last 2 weeks for me to take him down. I suggest that he should do that more often.

Didnt get my third mile split but oh well, glad to be done racing with no injuries. Today team UtahRunning.com took 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th! Not to bad. We were supposed to win Jazz tickets but the director gave them to some group of ladies. I went and asked her about why we didnt get them, all she said was "ya sorry, you guys didnt win" I said hmm so 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th doesnt win. Interesting. She said, "ya sorry". oh well.

 4.15 miles easy on the TM in the evening.

3 mile warm

6 mile @ 6 min pace to 5:40 pace

Splits- 6:00; 5:57; 5:54; 5:49; 5:44; 5:41

.75 ccool

Avg pace for run 6:25 min/miles

Freezing cold run in the Snow!! Wasn't prepared for this morning, no gloves, no beanie, started snowing with wind, felt like a mini blizzard. So decided to cut my run short.

headed to WeberState to hit the pool for 60 minutes.

Track workout

1 mile warm

4x1 mile

Splits- 5:28;5:24;5:21;5:19

2x800 @ 75 pace

Half mile jog for rest

Starting back slowly. Hamstrings held up well today, the key is how are they going to feel tomorrow morning.

Definitely need to get the speed back into my legs though. 800s hurt and it was only at 75 pace.

Total miles today was 9.66

Avg pace 6:20 min/miles

Nice easy 70 min run on the TM. Cannot believe this snow so early in the year. STG might become more of a reality sooner than later.

Legs are feeling good. Energy levels are still a little low. I figure this time of the year I am going to take one extra day off to get my body excited again for racing in the spring. Because right now it's just a blah!

Easy run from my house with Ken and Riley. Pretty chilled this morning, roughly 32degrees which isn't to bad. Felt good the whole run.

My legs were a bit fatigued towards the end and my left foot still feels bruised from STG.p

Avg pace was 6:48 min/ miles

Ran in some new Adidas. Not sure what's think about them yet. I think it might be time to get some Pegasus shipped from STG running company.

Had the chance to sneak in a double today. I ended up doing a night 5K in North Ogden.

Pretty fun race. Mostly on the canal rd system which I run everyday usually.

Pretty good showing for a 1st yr race. Roughly 90 people. Race gave out head lamps, glow in the dark bracelets, tech shirts. Plus hot chocolate at the end.

Race began my plan was to run the first mile hard, last 2 miles easy. Gun went off and for me there is some type of euphoria of running hard at night. Seriously makes me feel like the miles go by so fast! first mile was roughly 5:00 flat. By now the damage was done. I had a good lead, so it was nice just relax and hit some marathon pace miles for the last 2.

5:33 and 5:50. Didn't get split for the last .10 but ended up winning the overall by 2 minutes.

Legs felt surprisingly good even with the long run in the morning, also hamstrings held up well. No tightness or pain.

I think my average pace was roughly 5:30 min/miles.

1 mile cool

Ran in Adidas racing flats

Met up with Riley, Ken, Bret Hales, Bret Ferrier and Jon at the 31st parkway. Run was 2 mile warm then 8 miles @ 6:00 min pace or faster.

Good threshold run, still need to figure stomach issues out. Had 2 bathroom breaks, but overall legs felt pretty good.

I think the only thing I really need to work on this Winter is HILL running. I am terrible!

avg pace 6:15 min/miles

Easy run on the canal rd. 

avg pace 7:00 min/miles