track fan

44:10

Beautiful morning for a run.  Legs were a little tired today -- felt pretty good for the first 3 miles, but the long uphill home was struggle -- tried to focus on recovery ...

1:30:12 -- long 9.5, but not quite 10.

very hilly run on BST to 11th to City Creek - up the canyon road to the bathroom ;-) - and back. 

I swear it felt like we were running 8:30's up Bonneville Drive from the canyon!!!  But, the darn garmin-mile-thingybob said we were closer to 8:50's!! 

1:25:11 probably a little bit longer than 9 miles

Today I change age groups (45-49), I am not sure how I feel about it - both glad to be the youngest in the bracket and completely shocked that I am in this age group! I think I have a bug of some kind. Tuesday I struggled much more than I should have (if Anna's garmin-thingy was right) and today I had a rough start, I just felt like I was working harder than I should have been for the pace I felt I was running -- maybe it was just because it was a steep uphill up Virginia, but I am going to stock-up on the vitamin C just in case.

I had a hard time finding a hill with the right grade I was supposed to run 8 x 60-90 secs up a 6-10% grade. I ran up to Poppington Park and tried the Virginia Street behind the park, but that felt way too steep (there was no way I could run for more than 40-50 secs up that hill) -- so, I tried a little farther down, and still it felt a little too much (even though I was able to run for 63 secs pretty fast). Finally, I decided to run over on 11th towards the U (where I ran them last time -- but this time I started farther down the hill). Mapmyrun still has this at a 20% grade, but I doubt that is right ... but I am pretty sure it is 10% or more. Anyway - I ran 6 more @ 62-63 secs ... I feel ok about the workout, though not sure, if I am not sick, how I am feeling right now about my chances for a good race. I guess I will see how the track workout goes next week.

44:28 - one loop at Liberty Park.

Felt better than yesterday -- I am thinking I have been successful at fighting the "blog bug".

1:15:36  -- longer than 7.5 (because I had to make little detour to the restroom).

 Pretty chilly today (about 39F and raining like crazy, I got a late start).  I was thinking about all you bloggers running in St. George today - I hope it wasn't too windy there, it was pretty windy here, but by the time I started my run all of you were finished with the marathon ... I hope  you all did well!

2:06:21 fast finish long run (last 2 miles @ 1/2 marathon pace -- actually 1/2 marathon pace effort since this was a hilly run on the grass)

Ran 7 laps in Sugarhouse Park (outside on the grass) + approx 1 1/4 mile inside to make it a little more than 14.  Ran much faster than when I ran this as a long run in August.  Splits were (16:34, 16:26, 11:22 (inside loop to bathroom),16:28, 16:24, 16:11, 16:31, 15:02 + :31).

 Legs are shot ... the grass and hills really takes a toll, my reasoning is that this is a really good workout, works on strength and mental fortitude ... I hope I am right otherwise it just is a lot of pain ;-).

Some great races this weekend, congratulations to all the bloggers!

49:09 -- maybe a little longer than 5.5, but not quite 6.

 ran in Liberty Park  - felt pretty good today, a little tired but better than I had anticipated!
 

1:15:55 -- long 8.5

So, today I could have either done a 75` easy run or a fartlek workout (10 x 1` w/1` recovery). I was set on the easy run, so I decided to run to City Creek Park and then up 11th and around the cemetery. Well, after I had run about 20 mins I realized that I felt pretty good and was going to do the fartek instead!

Ran a few 1` sprints up Bonneville Drive and then a few on 11th. Ended up stopping at 8, instead of 10, because I was going uphill (not steep but pretty steady) and after Sunday I really wanted to guard my legs a bit. I have a workout on Thursday that I am dreading  (3 x 3000m) -- and I did not want jeopardize that workout at all ... and, I was happy with any neuromuscular conditioning that I can do ... these short fartlek's aren't supposed to take much out of your legs, and can really help with finishing speed ... so, some are probably better than none!!

1:44:20 tempo interval workout

YEA!!!  Thanks to my friend Anna I had one of the most encouraging workouts I have had in a long time, if not ever.  It felt pretty easy -- the last 800 was a struggle to concentrate, but not difficult.  I could have (uncomfortably) run one more. 

3 x 3000 w/3:30 recovery (14:16, 14:07, 13:59 -- pace: 7:36, 7:32, 7:28) + 3 x 200 w/200 recovery (48, 51, 50) 

2.5 mile wu and 2.5 uphill cd

43:12  - very easy run to Liberty park and home.  Suprised at how well I felt, but got pretty tired on the uphill run home (I think I ran too fast to the park -- the downhill, the cold, and the suprise at my legs all pushed me a little to much!!).

Feel suprisingly good today - I guess I should have run faster yesterday in my workout ;-).

1:08:44 -- easy 2 outer loops and 1 inner loop at Liberty park -- whoops, I ran a little faster than I meant to ... despite the fact that my legs actually were a bit more sore today than yesterday.  I need to really take it easy tomorrow because I only have 3 more key workouts left in this phase of training (then I am in "sharpening") -yipee.  I am still fighting this darn "cold-thing" - I am ahead but it is ever lurking.

Hope everyone is good in bloggerland. 

2:03:32    

Jeremy Ranch Road.  Still have not negative split this run - today was 2 mins slower back than out -- even with a headwind I was a bit disappointed.  The only good thing was it was a good effort and I finished pretty strong.  The extra 2 miles added 3 more hills so it was a good training run.  Weather was beautiful!

48:21 - easy run at liberty park.  I feel horrible today.  Fatigued like crazy.  Not just running hard and tired, or lack of sleep and tired, but deeply fatigued.  I am hoping that it is just a caloric deficit - we ran late in the day yesterday and since I took Dean out to dinner last night for his birthday we skipped our usual fairly large post-long-run meal.  I am going to try to eat lots of fruit today ... I do not want to get sick right now!!

 Happy Monday everyone!
 

1:32:37 (according to Anna's Garmin whatchamajiggy it was 9.7 miles) ... ran from our office to City Creek Canyon (partly on the Shoreline Trail) and back.  Felt much better than a couple of weeks ago on the same course.  I think I am on the tail end of the "blog virus".  My nose is running a little today, but I don't feel nearly as tired as I have lately. 

1:28:43 tempo run

I am resigned to having "not so good" workouts every once in a while ... today was one of those.  Anna and I ran from the office to Wakara Way to do the tempo run.  Ran fine for 4 miles, right on pace (about 7:34 - 7:40 pace) even up the hills.  Then I started feeling pretty bad - I thought it was just that I was tired, and then Anna told me we were running 7:14 pace, ouch.  Well, I thought that maybe I could finish strong and hold on ... instead, my wheels came off as we ran up the last hill ... and I trudged up the last 1/4 mile -- it was not so much my cardiovascular system that gave out (though I was hurting), my legs just wouldn't carry me up the hill.  So, basically I ran a 4.75 tempo run at or below my target pace, which is not 5 miles -- that 20 secs/mile too fast on the last mile really killed me.  Not to make any excuses, but I did have a massage last night which made my legs a little less responsive than I would have liked. 

I guess I will look forward, and hope I got some benefit from it, despite not being an "ideal" workout.  And, I will learn to listen to my body more -- I knew I should have backed off the hills a little bit -- I could have made up ground on the downhills.

44:45 recovery run    

 
I fought the temptation to push my run today -- as is often the case after a disappointing workout I felt like I need to work harder than usual (punishment or redemption?) ... when in reality, it is a time that one should really take it even easier than usual. 

Apparently the sinus/cold that I have been fighting against, and blaming on the blog (the blog virus) is actually going around work ... a much more logical place to lay blame ;-).

 Have a nice weekend, I am on my way to Deer Valley for a work retreat (what an oxymoron).

 

1:03:12  -- well they were slow miles, but really not that easy ... hilly loop around deer valley - 4 x around + a bit to make it about 7 ...  Snowing, windy and a little chilly.

2:09:52

Tried to run at Jeremy Ranch Road on our way back from Deer Valley retreat but the road was a muddy bog ... so we drove down to the Jordan River Trail -- started at Redwood park and ran to 215 and then back.  Last 2 miles were at 1/2 marathon - marathon pace -- felt bad.  I think I ran too fast on the way out (1:06:11/1:03:41; 8:16/7:57 -- but only the last 2 miles were fast, the other miles after the turnaround were more likely 8:45 pace) so the last 2 miles hurt more than they were supposed to ... was glad when I was finished.
 

48:18 - easy run around liberty park.  Was not nearly as bad of a run as I was worried it was going to be ... took it easy and enjoyed the morning, the mountains were snow-topped, it was cold (which I like) and was actually a very pleasant run.

1:12:45

Nice run up dry creek canyon ... beautiful weather.

1:35:28 (11.3 miles by Anna's forrunner-thingamajig)

4 x 1 mile w/800 recovery (7:17, 7:15, 7:13, 7:15) + 3 x 200 w/200 recovery

Pace at sea level for these is supposed to be 6:53 - 7:08, Greg said to give myself 6-8 secs for altitude so I did ... all and all I felt pretty good, I could have gone faster on the first couple but I wanted to make sure I finished feeling strong, so I guess I feel vindicated from my less-than-stellar workout last Thursday.  One more "key" workout to go and then I am ready to race ... I think.  I have been tired lately, and my calves are absolutely killing me ... so I am hoping I can hold out my fitness for another couple of weeks, I have been worried that I peaked too soon, I felt so strong until last week ... I did finally find an elevation profile for the 1/2 marathon -- it looks like a rolling course with a small overall gain of 118 feet with only one major hill (at about mile 4) -- so it could actually be a fast course if run smart. 

It was beautiful today - I couldn't feel my legs at the start, but once the sun came up (and I got warmed up) it was really nice!

43:02  recovery run up BST ... took it slow, felt pretty good!

64:13  long 7 -- did 2 laps in liberty park (about 3.6 miles?) + added 4 mins on to get it closer to 7.  Felt pretty good, although I was thinking today, running - in general - does not feel as "easy" as I would like it to ... no matter how slowly I run.  

1:46:05 -- Jordan River trail - according to the bicycling salt lake city book it was about 12.8 miles.  Ran from redwood park trailhead to germania park and then back (53:56/52:08; 8:26/8:08) - goal today was to run so slowly that at the end of the run I would feel like I was cheating to stop -- I can't say that is exactly how it felt, but I did enjoy the run and unintentionally ran the last few miles faster than it felt ... one more hard workout this week, a fast finish long run and then a peak/pace workout and then the race!  I am planning on really concentrating on rest/recovery/and eating well the next couple of weeks - it can't hurt ;-)

48:48 - easy run around Liberty park .... played a game, "how slow can I go" -- I was suprised to see it was about the same time as last week, it felt a lot slower!

1:01:46  10 x 1` w/1` recovery +wu and cd

ran on the Ute's practice fields (2 football fields laid end to end) -- very nice place for a fartlek run - wasn't really "fast-fast" just a little leg turnover workout.  Still not feeling as "rested" as I would like ... trying to focus on getting sleep and eating well.  Wish work was a little less stress right now, but somethings just never change! 

Nice weather!!