track fan

2:14:18.  Ran on the trails down in the valley ... legs were pretty tired today, so I took it pretty slow.   Was an awesome day for a run.  

Have to get to work, not only do classes start next week, but I have to get ready for a talk on Tuesday and I have a manuscript due next weekend (it was an invited article for a special issue of a journal that is coming out in March).  

Still sad.  Hate to say it, but I still hate guns, despite the fact that it is a right, I don't like them at all. 

AM: (9.5 miles, 1:24:24).  I really have no idea how far this was, I did my usual "8 mile" route and added in 10 x :30 pick-ups w/1` recovery. 

PM: (4 miles easy).

Early morning meeting, I had give a short talk this morning ... we are going to be submitting a very big grant in May and I am the director of one of the core's in the project.  Very boring - except when I got into a minor "altercation" with one of the other project leaders ... that was exciting.

There is a huge memorial (and vigil) going on in the front of the hospital (all of the victims from Saturday are here) -- it is two buildings over from my office and next door to the Cancer Center (where I have a lot of meetings).  It is quite sad ... and I couldn't believe how many people were there (not including reports, of which there are thousands).  We are in "lock-down" here, many areas are closed off to the public and everywhere you go you have to show your id.  There is a big Memorial tomorrow (President and first lady Obama will be here) - so they cancelled the first day of classes tomorrow.  This is actually pretty good for me, as Monday is a holiday so I have a whole week before my first lecture now, and I can concentrate on my paper that is due next Tuesday ... the University will be shutting down tomorrow at 2:30 though, I have not decided whether I will be going to the Memorial or watch it from home.  

I hope you are all having a wonderful week, running strong and staying warm. 

1:04:38.  Ran on the Yeatman trail.  Nice day -- not a lot (none actually) of other folks on the trail ... loved the red mountains from the sunrise.

I hope you are all having a wonderful day ... very busy so I have to go! 

AM: (10 miles, 1:26:36).  My usual 8 plus adding on 10 x :30 pickups on a dirt road with 1` recovery.

PM: (easy 4).

Still swamped at work, I promise I will have more interesting things to say as soon as this deadline is over (well, depending on how class goes, the class is booked and there 5 more on the waitlist for the class).   The one thing that I can share is the lastest from the Kiwi Kim Smith - she absolutely rocks.  She was 3rd overall in a super fast 5K (she ran 14:59,  this weekend.  The winning man ran a 14:54 and is a 2:16 marathoner.  Great read about the race can be found here.  I can't wait until she and Shalane Flannagan meet again - their duals in college were amazing.

Happy trails bloggers! 

1:04:49.  Up the mountain ... it was beautiful (as always this time of year).  I did not see any wildlife, but, I saw a hunter.  He was carefully crouching and walking up the side of the mountain (off trail, they can't hunt from the trail).  I felt sorry for him, if *I* could see/hear him as I was running by he doesn't have much chance of sneaking up on a deer or javelina.

Happy Friday everyone, may your day be extra productive so you can enjoy your weekends!!  

Good luck to all the RocknRoll Arizona runners:  Marathon Dreamer, Jeff!

good luck to Nan (as she prepares for the USATF 1/2 marathon championship in a couple weeks!!!  GO NAN!!!).

AM: (8 miles, 1:07:09).  I started out today and felt SO good, I had to slow myself down a lot (I was more thant 15secs/mile faster than usual and I was breathing out of my nose running really easy) -- I love days like this.  Then, when I had about 25mins to go (through the hardest part of the run -- a 1.5 mile uphill -- this guy passes me. I had seen him when I came off of my dirt road part (after I saw Big Boy and CoCo).  I let him go, because I heard him huffing and puffing behind me, and even uphill I was running super easy.  As soon as we crested the steepest section I knew he was toast.  So, I bumped it up a notch and flew by him ...  pretty stupid,  but I did it anyway.  There was this HUGE fire near my house, and I stopped and talked to some cyclists for a minute, and then took off ... by now I was running super easy again, and he caught up to me.  He said something to me as he went off to another road, I don't know what he said, but I think he was being friendly.  

Regardless, I felt better than I have in months ... it was a good day (and it was 50F!!  I was wearing shorts and a racer top ... lovely!

PM: easy 4.

I have to work my little brain off today.  I have to finish part of my paper to send to my collaborators -- and then I can work on the more methodologic portions on my own ... it is due on Tuesday, yikes yikes yikes.

There is an awesome track meet today at UW.  Shalane Flannagan and Lisa Koll will be running the 3000m and Bumbi (Georgetown standout from Nashville - in his first "pro" race)  and Aaron Braun (from McMillan Elite - winner of the USATF Club XC championships) will by running in the men's 3000m mile ... many track fans are crying foul about this race because it is an oversized indoor track (so kind of like running on an aided/downhill course) - but I don't care if it can't be used for records, it is a great way to start the indoor track season with some awesome head-to-head racing!!  Entries are here, schedule is here, and results will be here.   

UPDATE: men's race finished, what a close race!

  1 Bumbalough, Andrew           Nike                   4:00.14
  2 Braun, Aaron                 McMillan Eli           4:00.38
  3 smith, scott                 Unattached             4:04.07
  4 Horn, Jordan                 Adidas/McMil           4:06.61