track fan

2:05:24.  Yes!  There was a huge -- I mean huge -- storm this morning that lasted until about 10:30.  I am not afraid (and relish it in fact) of running in the rain, but when there is lightening ... I am a little chicken, especially up here, where fires start all the time during the lightening storms.  Anyway - I waited until the worst of the storm had passed before leaving for the trail - it was raining, but not hard.  I drove to Campbell Mesa by far the easiest trail system in Flagstaff - a couple hills, but overall pretty easy - even though it is a little higher than the 7000ft of most of the trails I run during the week (I can't find the elevation, but I could have sworn that I read somewhere that it is around 7600ft or so).   The air was a little thin, I think it takes longer than a couple weeks for us flatlanders to completely acclimate to the altitude, but I felt pretty good.  I have to say that my limitation right now is my neuromuscular system.  My lungs/heart feel ok, but my legs are sore from the increased mileage.  I am also still very sore in my chest area -- I think it is a little inflammation of tissue in between the ribs -- pretty common after radiation.  All very tolerable -- I am so happy to be running again!! 

I hope you are all having a very good weekend! 

AM: (little longer than 9 miles, 1:22:35). 42:15 out and 40:20 back on the Schultz Canyon/Sunrise trail.  This is a great trail that I haven't run much because the last time we stayed at this particular cabin (owned by one of my colleagues) there had been a fire burning on the mountain.  Little evidence of the fire down this particular trail, but there was a lot debris from subsequent floods.  It is a very popular mountain biking trail - so the trail is in pretty good condition.  Rocky, but gradual uphill going out and nice downhill coming back.

PM: easy 4.

The new mcmillan running calculator is out !!! check and out and see what you think.  For me, it did not change too much -- a little faster on some of the stamina workouts, but overall still seems pretty accurate.  The race predictions haven't changed much - except for the addition of some track distances and the ultra stuff.

Happy Tuesday! 

62 mins or so ... ran on the trails -- I think I was on the Forces of Nature trail again for a while -- definitely the pipeline trail for a while.  I seem to take different routes every time I run the "pipeline" towards Fat Man's loop ;-)  -- luckily, all trails seem to feed back into the pipeline -- and I know that trail well.

I hope you are all doing well.  I have a 4+ hour conference call today -- this was a problem because we don't have a phone here in the cabin, and our cell phones don't work here either ... so, after many days of trying to figure out how I was going to swing this (I guess an option would have been my cell out near the trailhead ... but 4 hours???) -- I am proud to say that I am a tech geek and was able to get VoIP to work, and I now have a working phone! Yea ... I heart Google for making this possible (Google Voice). 

AM: (9 miles, 1:22:45).  Probably a little longer than 9 ... 42:05 out 39:20 back on the Wing Mountain trail (FRS 222). 

PM: easy 4.

I saw Chad and Ryan Hall this morning on their run.  It was weird because they were running a road (180 -- Fort Valley Road - the road from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon) -- I can understand why Ryan would want to avoid trails right now (no reason to take a chance on a sprained ankle or a fall) - but with so many good dirt roads, and even paved roads with no traffic, why run on a fairly busy road (where people are cooking along at 55 mph).  They did have a car driving behind them -- sort of on the shoulder such that it is.  Anyway -- he looked like he was booking it!!!  

We saw Abdi the other night coming out of Karma ("the" sushi place up here) and he is on his way to London this weekend -- the Olympics are SOOOO close!! Can't wait!  Go USA!!! 

63:32 ... pipeline and lower oldham trails.

I ran a little late today, because I have been working on a grant application, while watching livestream of the Monaco meet.  Three MUST see videos:

Kiprop running a WL time of 3:28.81 in the 1500 (splits: 53, 1:52, 2:49, 3:28 -- Moses's first lap: 55, last lap: 53) 

Evan Jager interview after running a 8:06.81 Steeple -- a new American record!!!

Also, near and dear to my heart, Aries Merritt wins the 110H   - I have his autograph from a few years ago, he came and ran a race at Vanderbilt about a year after he graduated from University of Tennessee.  I really like him.

Happy weekend bloggers. 

AM: (8 miles, ~70 mins).  In a hurry, because I had a conference call ... it was a very rough trail, probably similar (footing wise) to what the 50k is going to be like -- some bouldering involved, very rocky, lots of tree roots.  The elevation gain was not as significant as Stump Jump, but it was at 7500ft so that might count for something (Stump Jump is at sea level - but it gains a whole bunch of elevation over the course of the race).

PM: easy 4.

Watched the Monaco meet on Universal Sports last night -- such a good event, and a great track!!  

This morning I saw a person walking with a dog ... as I got closer it looked like 2 dogs ... as I got even closer it was 4 dogs, and as I pulled up along side her there were *5* dogs.  I stopped to say hi, and asked her (jokingly) if they were sled dogs ... she said, "yes"!  Apparently "mushing" is actually a popular sport here in Flag and there are about 17 people who have mushers and participate in a bunch of both local and national events.  WHO KNEW??

Have a great day bloggers!!