1:47:55 (56:47/51:07). Ran on the Rilito path today - nice and flat (and about 1/2 mile of shade, I will take what I can get ;-)). Felt pretty sluggish the first 4 miles, I think it was because of the ART I had yesterday - I think that it helped alot, but my R leg and L hip were pretty beat up. Managed to speed it up some the last half of the run, averaged 8:10 pace. I was told (by Greg) to reduce my long run time ... so I am, however, to me that means I can run a little faster ;-). I did take it pretty slow, since it was the usual hot and sunny (89F at the end).

I did not sleep much last night, I got to bed on time, set the alarm for 5:30 and then found a scorpion right by my nightstand (then spent another 20 inspecting bedsheets to make sure there were none *in* the bed). Spent a restless night fretting that I did not search the bedsheets enough ;-).

I hope you all have a wonderful family and rest day!

AM: (9.5 miles, 1:24:49). ~ 7.5 miles + 15 (or 16, I lost count) x 100 meter strides. It was not exactly comfortable, but it was not unbearably hot (89F and sunny) - unlike my PM run which will be in the 104F (but not sunny as I won't go until the sun goes down) range.

Note to self, when using the beautiful desert "bathroom" be aware of the prickly pear just lying in wait. I got got bad today -- spines up and down my calf. Worst part was when I was trying to get the larger of them out I got a whole bunch of little ones in the tips of my fingers, it hurts to type -- and I will be doing a whole lot of that today (I need to get an important section of my grant done so I can get it sent off to some folks to look it over for me). I did find a secret today though, you can use hair removal strips (or duct tape) to remove many of the thousands of little cacti spines when stuck ;-). You heard it here first, 1,000,001th use of duct tape.

PM: (4 miles very slow in the convection oven that is Arizona in June).

1:04:31.  Up the Yeatman trail.  Wonderfully uneventful (no bugs, no grabbing cacti, no snakes, no scorpions).  Just me and the oppressively hot hot sun.  Flagstaff - Flagstaff - Flagstaff - just three more weeks!

Have a wonderful day bloggers, stay safe, have fun, run free!! 

AM: (10 miles, 1:26:22).  30:10wu/26:23cd (misnomer, there was nothing cool about this run).  4 mile SS run (7:16-7:28).  WHINER ALERT (sorry, stop here if my whining gets on your nerves).  It was 89F and sunny ... so I knew I was going to have to modify my expectations for my run today.  Then, on my way down to the track I noticed how freaking windy it was - I hadn't checked the weather before I left the house because, I knew it was hot and I didn't want to psych myself out.  I could tell it was bad (after I got home I checked and it was 15mph) -- double whammy for a run.  I estimated 4-5 secs/mile for the heat and about that much for the wind too.    

Anyway - this wasn't my fastest workout, I would not even say it was my best workout, but it was a GREAT mental workout.  Since I am not even training right now I knew I wasn't going to kill myself to hit a "pace" - so I just concentrated on running by effort ... every lap I adjusted and readjusted my rhythm to the conditions, how hard it felt like I was running, and how far I had left to run (great simulation for races - I think).  I can't tell you how much I dreaded turning into the back stretch every freakn lap -- the wind was fierce and I had to really concentrate to keep up effort while not fighting into it (since I knew that would only deplete my energy even more, and I was already depleting with every lap because it was so horribly hot).  I looked at my watch the first 400 meters of every mile just to make sure I was not running too fast, and then I just concentrated on making it through the workout: 7:35, 7:24, 7:24, 7:21.

Then ... after all this, I still had a 3 mile run home -- 2.5 miles uphill (it wasn't pretty ... that is all I can say).  IT IS OVER! yea.  And, it supposed to be cooler today (106F yesterday, only 100F today? I hope I can drag my sorry behind out for a run in the heat tonight).

PM: (4 miles as easy as I can possibly run).

I hope you all have a wonderful day today - sorry about the whining. I am done now, and grateful I can run, that I am in good enough shape not to kill myself doing it, and just plain lucky as lucky can get.

1:02:56.  Up the trail.  So, in general I am most hyper-vigilant about snakes when I am in the most remote part of the trail (and where there is a lot of brush that makes it hard to see the trail - or on cliffs - where I can't escape).  Today, I was just finishing up and getting back to the trailhead when I had to jump over a snake that was spread out across the trail - it kind of snuck up on me ... as I was airborne over it I realized, "wow, it is a rattlesnake too." Sure enough, it was a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake and I could tell because it had 4 concentric circles of black and white rings near its rattle ... beautiful actually (and looked just like the web-picture I linked you to). It did not look like it perceived me as a threat because it did not coil or rattle (even as I leaped over it).  So, that brings my total number of rattlesnake sightings to 3 (one Mohave and I think two Western Diamondbacks).

I did run last night, but it almost didn't happen.  I actually got a little sick from my morning run -- I think that despite trying hard not to run too hard in the sun I did ... I had a bad headache for most of the afternoon (which usually happens when I get a touch of heat exhaustion).  I took many doses of Emergen-C ElectroMIX, which finally got things under control.  All that horrid wind brought good things too, it was the coolest run I have had all week (95F) -- pretty sure that 90F and full sun was a little much for a 4 mile tempo run.   Next week I will be in DC (study section - I am reviewing NIH grants) - it will be much easier to run there, despite the humidity -- although my schedule will be bizarre (on Tuesday we will be in review from 5-10PM??  how weird is that? and then we start super early the next morning).  

I hope you all have a wonderful day - and a great weekend.

Track and Field:  NCAA is this weekend (actually started on Wednesday, so far I have only picked 3 winners in my pool -- but they have been big ones and I have a few points).  On TV we will have the Adidas Grand Prix (will be aired on ESPN on Sunday).  Starting on the 23rd we will have the USATF track and field championships (will be aired on NBC and ESPN).  

Also: FUTBOL!!!!!  GO MEXICO (today - playing against South Africa) and GO USA (playing tomorrow against England).

AM: (8 miles, 1:11:50).  It was SOOOOO nice today!  I couldn't believe it, 78F!!! wow!!  I am so luckily.  We went up to see John of the ART last night ... ouch ouch ouch.  But I felt so good today, a little "beat up" but much less "clunky" and my stride was much smoother (plus my foot and leg did not hurt).

PM: (4 miles easy).

I have to work all day today, and probably tomorrow too. I have to get my grant reviews turned in by tomorrow night.  Travel day all day (it takes 7 hours to get to DC from here!) Monday ... a very busy week for sure.

So far, NCAA have been very exciting!!  I am in 74th place (out of 931) in the NCAA pool.  I would have been even better if Bizzarri hadn't DNF'd in the 5K!  I was happy though to see Koll pull off a 5/10K double championship! wow!  The mens 800 was all it was supposed to be, and the Olympian, Andrew Wheating pulled off an impressive win.  I have correctly gotten 1-2-3 in the womens 800 and the mens 3000 steeple, and I still think I have a shot at the mens 5K too ... though I did not do very well for the womens ;-).

Lots of track on TV today! Must get to work so I can enjoy some good action tonight!

Have a wonderful weekend bloggers!