track fan

1:45:24 (52:54/52:30) -- Jeremy Ranch Road ... so last week was not a fluke!  Wow.  Todays run was actually a little better than last week, even though the negative split was not as impressive, nor was the run as long.  I was much more tired going into this run and there was a strong headwind (blowing in the nice cooler weather into town, which made the run a little more tolerable) the first 3 miles from the turn-around. I wonder how this run would feel if it weren't at 6500ft?

Happy Sunday bloggers!


 

AM: (1:00:03, 7 miles, hilly) -- actually a little longer than 7 miles (2:06 to bathroom!). 5 x 1.4 mile laps in Sugarhouse Park. I am actually quite suprised with this run. I really tried hard to take it easy, and by the last two laps the uphills were hard ... but the reason was because I was running them too fast ... 11:59 (8:33), 11:42 (8:21), 11:31 (8:13), 11:35 (8:16), 11:10 (7:58). I think it was the day off ... or Jeremy Ranch Road paying off for hills! I will see this afternoon if it was really too fast, I need to have 4-5 more miles left in my legs for the day.

PM: (38:37, 4.5 miles) -- 3 laps on the grass at Liberty Park.  This was the best 2nd run I have had so far ... the fact that it is cooler than it has been helps a lot, as does the fact it is nice and flat at Liberty Park! 

I am tired, but I felt ok on the runs ... I need to really make an effort to run really slowly tomorrow ... not that it will be hard to run easy after today!

Happy Tuesday bloggers
 

1:03:42 - recovery day, 2.5 laps on outside grassy loop at Liberty Park.  All and all I felt ok today.  My legs felt suprisingly good, but my head was not into it ... which means I had to really concentrate to stay slow (because my head wanted to get it over with and the best way to do that is to run fast).  My legs did start to rebel on the long uphill home - however, I was reflecting on how much easier the climb is now compared to this time last year (we drove into town on July 5th of last year).  Man, it was just such a struggle up the hills with the altitude and daunting uphill view ... though I still don't exactly "enjoy" them, the hills are not nearly as painful anymore.

1:20:14 - hilly run from my office to Wasatch Drive to Foothill (the freeway) and back. Went pretty easy on the way out, worked up Wasatch to Crenshaw and Donner Park. Felt stronger than this winter when I ran this route.

 I am a little out of it today, I found out last night that a friend and colleague from Vanderbilt died on Sunday. It makes me sad and homesick for my friends from Vanderbilt. He ran almost every day, and many times in the middle of the day during the summer (which in Nashville is pretty brutal) ... he loved the Boulvard Bolt race (very competative Thanksgiving Day race) and ran it many times.  He was a very kind person, and a brilliant and amazing scientist.  I generally don't like to put personal things up on my blog, but since this news is affecting my day I decided I had to write something down, if for no other reason as a personal tribute to someone I will miss.

1:03:38 - recovery run on the grass at Liberty Park ... I was very tired the first 3 miles, so much so I was feeling sorry for myself ;-).  By the time I was heading home I felt much better.  I do think I ran a littler harder yesterday than I should have ... but no damage done, I think I compensated today by running so easy.

I have to work all weekend, but I hope to get a little more sleep too ...

AM: long 5 miles; 44:35 (~8:45 pace). I ran down to Liberty Park and did 1 lap + about .5 miles on the outer grass of the park. I am running in the afternoon too, so I was trying to run easy even though I got to the park about 15 secs faster than usual. So, I am on my way home and I was thinking that I needed to slow down a little, tomorrow's run is going to be hard and I have already had two pretty hard days this week (getting to the starting line healthy is my first priority). Then, I suddenly remembered!! I was supposed to run my last 5` fast today ... DRAT, I can't believe I had forgotten -- what I had intended to do was drive to the park so I could do the fast part on the flat! Instead, I had to run the last 5` fast uphill!! (any of you who are running DesNews will see first hand the uphill to my house, luckily we will be running the opposite direction!) ... felt good though, finished strong (not a sprint but a solid pace, I was running about 7:50 effort) and I think my form is actually better uphill than flat ... anyway, back to work!

PM: 3.5 miles; 30:45 (8:47 pace). Bonneville Shoreline Trail -- ouch, the hills hurt bad tonight ... I felt like I was just crawling ... Interesting, there were 4 wagons (like old fashioned horse-drawn carts) on the trail, not just in the immediate area around the park (This Is The Place) either, plus horse droppings! I was on the lookout for snakes, I have only seen one so far out here in the evening (it wasn't a "dangerous" one), but I am pretty sure they are around. I have heard that it is a problem in the grassy areas right around my building at work, so I am ever vigilant getting up to the trail.

I did not get out for my PM run until 7:30, what a difference a week makes, it was SO much better today than last week, at least 10-15 degrees cooler!