Blake Bennions running

Ran after a walk with Becca and Whitney, ran from the top of pleasant view down to my house for part of it. Averaged 6:18 for the last 7 miles of the run including 2 miles at 5:44 average.

Warmed up a little over a mile and a half with Jake and then did 6x800m at goal 5k pace, 2:30 rest between. Averaged 2:31 and hit that pretty consistently (2:31, 2:31, 2:31, 2:30, 2:33, 2:31).

Felt harder than I'd been hoping, but yesterdays run was at a fast pace and downhill which definitely took a bit out of the legs. I also haven't run anything at this pace besides strides in months. Even training at 5:20 pace does not replace faster efforts. I need to be doing 1 marathon pace workout and 1 mile-10k paced workout every week, I think if you don't do faster end stuff then everything starts to slip.

Tried out salomon aero glide 4, very nice shoe.

Got moved up yet again, now I'll be pacing the 2:50 group at the Utah valley marathon. 6:29 pace down a mountain isn't too bad, but it is starting to make me a little nervous- partially because it's tomorrow. Mostly just excited, this is a perfect training run.

First marathon and wound up the pacer for the 2:50 group. Had a really good time overall but it was super hard to get fueling down while carrying a big sign, and also because my pace band fell off in mile 3 and I had to hold that the last 23 miles too. They had specific paces I was supposed to hit every mile and I hit them pretty accurately until mile 24, I had to stop in the porta potty and generally had 0 energy from being under fueled. Grinded out the last 2-3 miles after that feeling like poop.

But hey, I ran a marathon and qualified for Boston! Even got a Boston qualifier shirt. And all for free, so I'm a huge fan of all this (outside of having to hold all that crap for 26 miles). I'm confident I could go sub 2:40 with good fueling at Des News, I think sub 2:30 isn't there yet.i think if I get a few months of good quality workouts and 65-75 now I could be there- which makes me wonder if I should do the 10k at Des news instead and focus on training for a while. I feel like races and a couple of injuries have really interrupted my training schedule since March.

Besides a couple blisters my legs and feet held up great today. Aero glide 4s are awesome.

Mowed the lawn and did 10 minute shake out and 20 minute sauna.

Recovering pretty well, I'll do 3-4 miles tomorrow.

Easy run to Harrisville park and back. Legs feel flat and sore on the outer thighs, but overall pretty good.

Mostly with Jake, toe is still hurting from the marathon but besides that I'm pretty much feeling fine. My left big toe is bruised and hurts after running, hoping that just clears up during the next week of easy running.

Toe is improving but still quite sensitive. I need to get a running belt for my next marathon to hold a bunch of energy gels. Tuscon has 17 aid stations and I think between bumping mileage to 65-70 for 3 months this fall and 12 gels- 31 miles at 5:45 is doable.

Easy with Jake and Sammy.

Easy

2 stroller miles and 4 on my own, twas hot

30-35 minute swim of 1100 yards.

Yard work and a mile jog in the evening... no time for sauna but might do one after Whitney goes to bed.

Starting to get back to normal. Still a little heavy and off but I was able to get into a good rhythm at a decent pace. Going to the track in the morning, not going to put too much pressure on the workout and just try to get the legs used to faster stuff again.

2 mile warm up with Henry

Mile in 5:43

Couple minutes rest while changed shoes

5x1000m (3:19, 3:20, 3:21, 3:18, 3:19), was supposed to be 100 seconds recovery between but I had to adjust shoes between 1 and took an extra minute or two. Today was more about easing back into workouts than executing a perfect one though.

Mile cool down.

All things considered not a bad day. I think I could do this workout in more like 3:10 average when I'm at 100%, but for 11 days after a 27 mile day in which I bonked it's not too bad. Between Ogden half ruining like 3 weeks of training and last week being recovery due to the marathon, I won't be going into Des News with quite the fitness I was hoping but I think I can still get to the most fit I've ever been before the race. I wouldn't be surprised if a marathon race with proper fueling is similarly or less taxing than pacing the Utah valley marathon with crap fueling.

Pm- 4 more miles

Some running at old faithful, maybe half a mile to a mile

Some running in West Yellowstone, 1.2 miles

5 miles later on around the house in island park

More running around island park, mostly on atv roads. Achilles is bothering me but overall felt good.

Legs were weirdly sore today, not sure why. Maybe because I did a bunch of squat jumps and such with Whitney and my nieces to help get their energy out yesterday while it was raining.

Felt like death, man was not made to run above 75°.

20 minute sauna afterwards.

Not sure if I should move down to the half for Des news, stay in the full, or defer to 2027 altogether so I can finally get back into a good training rhythm. If I do the full I think my time will be high 2:30s on that course, if I got in a few months of good training I might be able to run sub 2:30 at St George. I also think I'll need to be able to run faster in founders day 5k this year than last year if I'm going to have a shot at sub 70 if I do the half.

Easy, kinda bad air quality. I probably won't take a day totally off this week so just did a shorter day today.

Easy with Henry in terrible air quality. I wore a mask and ended up doing 1 quarter mile race pace push. Might be forced to taper for the 5k this weekend. Just hoping to hit 50 miles this week at this point, might do a treadmill run tomorrow.

Pm- 1.5 to get the mail in equally terrible air quality. Two more quarter miles at race pace. Gonna be an interesting 5k if this doesn't clear up.

Easy run

Pre-race with a couple strides on the canal road

Rainy conditions today. I got to the race late and only warmed up a bit over half a mile. I started off a couple rows back which didn't matter a ton because like 15 high school kids started out with a sub 5 pace quarter mile and I just kinda hung on the back of that.

I worked my way up to first and the exchanged leads with Aidan until we got off canal road and then down onto Weber high drive. They put it a brand new road recently and it was very slick in the rain. I ran the canal road mile faster than last year and felt better but just couldn't get going on the roads, which was frustrating. Aidan pulled away and my legs just couldn't overcome the slipping and sliding to go much faster than 5:15 pace. Super happy for Aidan to end his high school days with the hometown 5k win. He also had a great track season, making state in the mile and running a 4:20. Not the best conditions to produce fast times but very fun race. 7 guys under 16:30 this year which is wild.

Ran with Jake after the race and over to the parade where Whitney got to hang out with his kids- kept raining on and off but was a great time. Fun to watch Whitney dancing whenever floats playing music came by.

2 mile warm up

4 miles mp (5:51, 5:54, 5:51, 5:39)

Half mile recovery

5k mp (5:56, 5:53, 5:51)

Mile cool down

Pretty good fighting strong winds and on tired legs after yesterday's 5k.

20 minute sauna