track fan

AM: (1:11:50, 8 miles). Ran from my office to Wasatch Drive to just about 2100 S and back. Felt really good for most of the run (some of the hills felt tough, but mainly because I have not run them for a while).

I am pre-blogging my PM run because I am waaaaaay busy today (most of the week actually).

PM: (4.5 miles, 40:06). 3 laps on the inside grass loop, couldn't see the last lap -- it was DARK!  I was lucky I did not trip over a tree trunk.

1:14:56, actually 8+ miles (more than 8, but who knows how much ...).  Weird run, I did not feel bad, and cardiovascularly I felt pretty good, and my legs did not feel "dead" -- but they were tired.  I ran a little harder last night than I had wanted to -- but I did not get started on my run until 8PM and it was dark by the time I finished ... I just sped up because I wanted to be done.

Happy Wednesday bloggers 

AM: (8.5 hilly with a 4 mile steady state run, 1:10:52).  Whew.  Learned a lot this morning.  First of all, I don't remember what steady state effort feels like, and second, if I run a steady state run at Sugarhouse Park I better be ready to respect the hills or hurt the last mile.  I think I actually ran harder than I was supposed to, not intentionally, but it is how it worked out.  My goal was to run 6 x 1.4 mile laps on the road at Sugarhouse (+ the bit in the parking lot which I think is pretty close to a tenth of a mile).  The first 3 were supposed to be super easy and then I expected to run the last 3 at somewhere between 7:45 and 8:00 pace (usual steady state pace for me is 7:35 - 7:50, but this was hilly so I adjusted for it and altitude).

Actual splits:  12:22 (8:50 pace, good), 11:46 (8:24 pace, a little faster than I wanted), 11:47 (8:25 pace, ok maybe it is ok), 10:56 (7:48 pace, hmmm I can ease up a little), 10:43 (7:39 pace, holy cow what is going on), 10:30 (7:30 pace, ouch ... I had no idea).

Pretty interesting.  Technically, I goofed up this run by running too hard (especially because I am running tonight again).  I knew it when I saw my first lap split - this pace is supposed to be what I can "fairly easily" run for an hour -- there is no way I could have held on to this pace for another 25 mins - at least not on this course.  But, it was pretty cool.  We'll see how cool I think it is when I am dragging myself around this evening and tomorrow ;-).

Preblogging for the usual time constraints:

PM: (4 miles). Liberty Park on the grass, really slow.

1:07:52.  Slow recovery run up Virginia to City Creek and back ... uphills were hard, downhills were great ;-).  Not as bad as I worried it would be ...

Happy Friday bloggers!  Good luck at the races this weekend!

AM: (42:18, 4.5 miles).  Easy to Liberty Park + one lap on the grass and home.  I am working today, so I will run on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail tonight for my PM run.

Pre-blogging:

PM:(3.5 miles)

I hope everyone did great in their races today!!  Happy weekend!

1:47:16 (53:47/53:28).  Jeremy Ranch Road - much harder effort than the negative split shows because I crawled up the big hills after I turned around (probably 9:15 pace) - in part because I was tired and in part because there was a stiff headwind.  But, as soon as it "flattened" (all relative, since there is not really a flat stretch on this course) out I picked it up enough to make up for the slow miles!

AM: (1:13:13, 8+ mile fast finish). Ran up Wasatch, turned around at 36:30 and then came back a different way. I was supposed to run the last 5` fast (90-95% effort) and wanted to run it on flat to uphill instead of downhill. I had forgotten that the last minute or so would be steep uphill, so part of me wishes I had rethought this ;-). I would expect that coming back the way I did added about 3/10th of a mile or so ... so not enough to bring me up to 8.5 miles for the run.

preblogging PM run

PM: (42:10, 4.5 very slow miles on the grass at Liberty Park). Sprinkling a bit ... I wish it would have rained!

7+, 1:04:10.  Ran to Liberty Park and ran 2.5 laps on the grass on the perimeter of the park.

On our way to Tucson today to look for a place to live, back this weekend! 
 

AM: (1:08 something. 8.5 miles).  4 mile steady state run.  Was supposed to do 6 miles, but I felt awful by 4 and cut it short.  We went to Reid Park and were supposed to do the workout on the 800m dirt track, but it was closed ... it took way longer than I had estimated to find it (just to be disappointed) so I was already a little "off" when we started, and I just couldn't get comfortable.  I have no idea of exactly the pace, but Dean was estimating about 7:40-7:50 pace.

PM: (3.5 miles, 32:00 mins).  easy run, still did not feel good, but not as bad as earlier ...

We are extremely busy with looking for a place to live and then we had dinner with some friends (and new colleagues). 

1:11:something.  Easy run on the path around Reid Park ... still not feeling great today ... I don't know why.  I was starving today - I think the whole eating two meals a day (because of the tight schedule) is bad for me -- by dinner I am starving!

Dean's son, Sam, drove in from Las Cruces (on his way to Berkeley) -- and after looking at houses all day we went to a very nice welcome party for me and another new faculty member in my department ... it was very nice.
 

1:07 - ran on the ~5K cross-country course in Reid Park, this was a very very cool run.  little hills, on the grass.  I ran with Dean and Sam for about 2 laps and then ran the first part of the course by myself to hit near 70` (I ran faster today).  I felt MUCH better today.  I wish I would have had time to meet up with LaurenO  (or participate in their race) - but we just couldn't find the time ... I think we might have found a place to live, but it was down to the wire (2 hours before our plane left Tucson!).

We are back home now ... tired ... it was a beautiful night here. 

1:45:31(52:32/52:58).  Jeremy Ranch Road.  Ran much faster (over a minute at mile 5) than last week.  Was suprised actually, since I felt horrible the whole time.  When I feel badly I actually run faster, in part to get the run over with, and in part because I feel so bad that I don't feel any better when I slow down ;-).  I had a really awful headache all day ... it felt a little better while I was running (dilation of blood vessels?).  Anyway, because I was running faster this week, the run was likely longer than 12 miles.  I did not negative split - but I did not really try.  It was a better overall effort than last week - but the hills on the way back took their toll.

AM: (1:09:33, 8 miles). Ran up Dry Creek Canyon Trail and back. I started out on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and then debated the whole way whether I was going to run up the canyon or run to 11th and run on the road. I decided on the canyon, despite the fact that it has been many many months since I have run the trails (and almost a year since I broke my wrist - proving that I am not any good at running on these trails). It was hard, but it was fun and I made the right decision!

Preblogging, in case it is late (and dark) before I get my afternoon run in

PM: (41:54, 4.5+ miles). Liberty Park.  I ran a little longer than 4.5 (ran to the bathroom before I started the run).  Felt a little better than I had expected (starting out was tough but once I warmed up it felt better).

1:13:43  Ran with Anna up Wasatch Drive.  Very slow - my legs are tired today.  So far, it is not the best of luck days -- I dropped my *white* sweater coming in from the car to the office - it got all this yucky dirt that will not brush out!!  I tried to wash it in the sink, now I have a wet, dirty, yucky sweater to wear!!   oh well, I could wear a running top!

Have a great Wednesday bloggers.

AM:(1:28:55, 10.5+ miles, 6 miles @ steady state pace (~7:47-7:54 pace)). 7 laps on the grass in Liberty Park, 1.5 laps (~2.25 miles, 20:02 (8:50 pace) then 11:52 (7:54), 11:52 (7:54), 11:41 (7:47), 11:48 (7:52), 1.5 laps (21:37, ~9:00 -- this was longer than 2.25 because there was an annoying guy running on the wood chip path that would speed up to catch me, then drop back, then speed up ... I was trying to run really easy to cool down and I had to get away from him (and I did not want to sprint) - so I ran to the outside of the park for about 1/4 of a lap and let him get ahead of me. Anyway - I was pretty happy with this run. Although it is pretty flat it was on the grass/mud that tends to slow me down, and I think it is a tiny bit (maybe 100 meters) longer than 1.5 miles/lap. Good effort, finished pretty strong and got a good workout. When I first started the run I would have been happy with 8 min pace, since my legs did not feel 'tired', but they felt like they were not very responsive (and I have been averaging a stressful 4 hours of sleep a night lately -- just nerves and tight work schedule).

PM:(3.5 miles, 31:24). 11th avenue, in the dark!  I did not get out before it was dark.  The scariest part was when the cyclist with no lights on his bike came zooming down the hill as I was going up - I screamed!  I did not see him until he was right in front of me.  I have a lot respect for people who do the ultras in the dark, and even on trails!  Granted, had I worn my headlamp I might have been able to see the ground better, but even so I am sure it a little disconcerting to run in the dark all night long!

1:06:29.  "Easy run" up Virginia to 11th, down Memory Grove Park and up 2nd.  I have always thought this to be a pretty tough run.  Today I was thinking that what makes it tough is that the hard parts are pretty hard (long, steep uphills), but the easy parts are super easy (downhill/very flat) and overall it is only 1/3 hard and 2/3 easy -- so, this is actually an "overall" easy run ;-).

Happy Friday bloggers ... I am very glad the week is over, I hope I can finish a few things today so I don't have to work this weekend! 

AM:(59:05, 6.5 miles). Ran with Dean down to Liberty Park. Then he took off and I ran 2 laps on the outside of the park on the grass and then home, I added on a bit on the end (near our house) it is likely that this was longer than 6.5 ... but not by too much.

PM:(31:33, 3.5 miles) ... very slow run on the grass at Liberty Park.

Happy weekend bloggers.

~ 1:46.  I lost about 3 or 4 mins when I did not start my watch after a quick, but necessary, pit stop.  I meant to run 12, and so, estimating 9 min mile pace I turned around at 53:23 or so - then I found the 5 mile marker later and realized I ran about 2-3 mins longer than I should have ... not a biggie though.  I was averaging about 8:45-8:50 on the way out, and probably faster than 8:30's on the way back - I can't help it with this run, I just seem to speed up on the way back.  Two more weekends (and one of those will be in Taiwan) and then I start increasing the time for my long runs.  My guess is that I will be hitting 70 mpw sometime in November or so (two months before PF Chang's 1/2).  

Happy Sunday bloggers. 

AM: (1:12:29, 8+ miles).  Ran to Liberty Park and did 3 laps on the outside on the grass.  Picked up the last 10` (probably about 7:50-8:00 pace).  Legs felt really good after a day off.

PM: (4.5 miles).  Probably Liberty Park again (if I can get out before dark).  

Lots of work this week, papers due, lots of grants I am helping on, and I need to get my talk ready for Taiwan! 

1:12:37.  Easy run to Liberty Park -- pretty tired today, but I had a lot on my mind so the run went by pretty quick (even though I wasn't going very quick).  I have to say the weather has been PERFECT the past few days ... I am going to miss Salt Lake City so much.

AM: (1:17:34, 10.5+ miles, 6+ @ Steady State pace). I was all ready to whine and complain about my sinus infection (which is very painful) -- but my workout went so well I guess I really can't complain. I generally go by the "above the neck" rule - meaning as long as the illness is above the neck I generally don't take time off from running for it. But, for the past two days (maybe longer -- it might be the basis for many of the headaches I have had lately that I have attributed to stress) I have been in a lot of pain and although my nose is not "stuffy" I am smelling funny ... and then today I woke up with a fever ... so ... just in time for a trip overseas! I am getting some antibiotics this afternoon ... so hopefully by tomorrow or at least this weekend I will feel better. Back to running -- I had decided to do the same workout as last week, but had given myself the option to bag the workout part, or do an abreviated version (2 laps or 4.5 miles SS) - but it went so well that I added a third lap, and then said, what the heck might as well finish the workout. It is not like it is a tempo run -- it is a pretty easy pace, it just takes a little more concentration than easy pace. So, each lap is at least 1.5 miles long. I ran 1.25 laps warmup (about 2.25 miles) and then 4 laps SS (6 miles) and another 1.25 laps cd.

19:31 wu, 11:54 (7:56), 11:35 (7:43), 11:26 (7:37), 11:19 (7:32), 21:57 cd.

Not bad for running on grass/dirt. I am reserving the right not to run my 2nd run -- depending on how I feel by the end of the day. I am pretty tired, and I have SOOOOO much to do!

PM: (3.5 miles, 30:21).  Ran from Poppington Park down 11th to Bonneville ... it gets dark too soon now!!  It wasn't quite as dark as last time - but it was pretty hard to see!

1:05:25.  "Easy" run up Virginia to 11th and then through Memory Grove Park and home.  Felt pretty good today, it is amazing how much better I feel after only one day of antibiotics!

AM: (1:02:14, 7+ miles).  Ran with Dean down to Liberty Park, we ended up running 45-50 secs faster than I normally run down there ... I tried to slow down when we got there, let him get pretty far ahead of me, but still ended up running a little faster than I normally do.  I added on at the end, because I would have finished under 60 mins (I really meant to run closer to 75 or so).  I would guess I ran closer to 7.25, but who knows?

We have to work today -- and then we are having dinner with some friends, so I will have to sneak my PM run in from work.

PM: (3.5 miles/30 mins or so). 

1:52:05 ... I wanted so badly to go to Jeremy Ranch Road to run today -- we only have one more Sunday to run there! But, Dean is starting to get sick and he decided not to do a long run today. I did not really want to take the 3 - 4 hours it takes to drive there, drop water and run just for me ... so, I decided to run from home. I ran to Sugarhouse Park (via 1500E ~ 3.5 miles) then did 3 laps on the outside of the park on the grass (~1.9 miles or so each + a little more to make a bathroom stop and get water) and then home on 1300E (~3 miles, uphill). I estimated about 12.5 miles by the time it took me. I guess it was an ok run - especially with such an auspicious start ... I really really really did not want to run today. My head hurt, I was tired, and I figured "hey I am sick after all ...". So, I stretched, I puttered around, I took my temperature, stretched some more, thought about all the people that I needed to think about (some are having good times, some are having more troubled times), thought about all the work I have to do, thought about the laundry ... and tried to convince myself it was ok to miss my run. In the end, I simply could not justify missing my run and I got out and did it!!

It is good, because starting Wednesday I will be lucky to get 5 miles/day in ... Taipei is not an easy (or safe) place to run ... and our schedule is jam packed. Not to mention Thursday I can't run, because we don't get a Thursday -- we leave SLC at 1PM on Wednesday and arrive in Taipei at 10PM on Thursday (we make up for it on the way back when we leave Taipei at 10PM on Saturday and get back to SLC at 8PM on Saturday -- freaky isn't it????).

Happy Sunday bloggers, I hope you know I thought about just about every one of you today!

47:06.  Normally my day off I decided to run a little today since the next couple weeks running will be sketchy.  Felt pretty good - it was likely longer than 5 miles, but short of 5.5 -- I just wanted to run for 45 mins ...

Happy Monday! 

AM: (1:13:07, 8+ miles).  Ran on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail up Dry Creek Canyon and back.  Nice morning ... feeling a little better (still having a hard time breathing and have headaches).  Very stressed about work stuff, and the trip!  Taiwan has been hit with 3 typhoons in the past few weeks with another on the way!!  But, more stressful than that is the fact that I still have to finish my talk!

No PM run bloggers -- I needed to finish my talk and it is already dark out.  I need to run some errands and get some laundry done so we can pack before tomorrow.  So -- the lower mileage days have begun.

Take care everyone -- HAVE A GREAT TIME SATURDAY.  The only "bad day" of running is a day with no running!!