track fan

1:44:10 (55:22/49:48, at least 8:18 on the way back depending on how long). 

at least 12 ... maybe a little longer.  Dean and I wanted to run up at Jeremy Ranch road, but I80 was closed and Dean wanted to double today and did not want to take the time to drive up East Canyon and come in the back way ... so we ended up going to run on the Jordan River Parkway.  We started at Redwood Park and I ran to 54:22 to Germania Park and then turned around (about 6 miles?) and ran back.  It was pretty easy since it was the flattest (and lowest elevation) run I have done in a couple months!  The coolest thing of all was that I ran into Brent and he was sweet enough to slow down and ride along side me for a mile or so!  I was really trying to run slowly on the way out, and it was easy to run slowly since my legs were a little tired, but when I turned around I just started picking it up.  I could not read the road markings well, and was suprised when I thought I was running 9 min pace or slower (because I was reading the wrong paint markers) - because it felt much faster than that!!  When I finally found the mile 2 mark I realized I was running about 8 min pace (it felt pretty easy, just faster than I thought 9 min pace should feel ;-) ) so I eased up a little.  All and all, I felt pretty strong today, I felt I could have run farther and faster, which was my target on how to run! yippee.  Much better than I would have felt up at Jeremy Ranch Road I am sure, but I think I have benefited a lot by the runs up there.

Happy Sunday bloggers. 

AM: (58:04, 7+ hilly miles). 5 laps on the road at Sugarhouse Park (1.4 miles each lap). Wanted to run easy since I ran a little harder on Sunday - but the problem with the day after a day off is that I am just not tired enough ;-). I really tried to slow down, but I seemed to go faster every lap, I am either in better shape that I thought, or just having a difficult time finding pace (which won't be good running a 1/2 marathon as a workout). Anyway, paces were (11:50 (8:27), 11:29 (8:12), 11:34 (8:15), 11:13 (8:00), 11:01 (7:52)) + ~ 100m in parking lot to and from car :26, :28

I am pre-blogging my PM run because it is likely to be pretty late by the time I get out - I am preparing for a course I am teaching in Chicago next week and it is due tonight.

PM: (4.5 miles, 41:23).  Felt pretty good!  3 x 1.5 mile laps on the grass at Liberty Park.

Happy Running bloggers

59:20 ... very slow recovery run today.  Yesterday was a good workout, but I was pretty tired today.  The good thing about running later in the evening (7:30 PM) is that it is cooler, the bad thing is I don't get as many hours recovery between runs.  Since I was running so slowly I am pretty sure I did not get 7 miles in the alloted 60 mins -- so I am estimating about 6.5.

AM: (7 hilly miles, 1:01:24). Ran up Virginia to 11th and to City Creek Canyon and back through the Avenues - kept it slow and controlled. I am pretty tired today (physically and mentally).

Pre-blogging my PM run, as it is a very very busy day today - especially since I will be leaving work early tomorrow to get to Logan in time to pick up race packets! Dean is going to run the race too, I think both of us are looking more to get a good workout in than to have particularly good races ... it will be our last race in Utah for a while (at least as residents).

PM: (4.5 miles, 41:53) - very easy run on the grass at Liberty Park.  Still a little tired.  Hoping to get a good night sleep tonight (and tomorrow)!

36:02 - easy run to Liberty Park, a little on the grass and home.  Hope my legs feel a little more "lively" tomorrow.

Great race, very nicely done, mile markers in the right place, water where they said, and more spectators than I had expected. They had more runners than in the past (I heard later) - which made the start a little rough (for me) - I started too far back and it took a while things to spread out. I was planning on taking the first few miles pretty easy anyway - so it wasn't too bad, but still a little frustrating. All and all I am excited about my middle miles - and in retrospect I wish I had pushed a little harder on the first downhill miles as I suspect I could have broken 1:39, but this race was more about checking my fitness than anything, and since I have not done any over-distance yet (my long runs have not been very long) I was worried about how I was going to do on the final miles - I was pleasantly suprised that the final miles weren't too bad after all!

1: 8:03 (lots o' people)

2: 7:49

3: 7:42

4: 7:42

5: 7:30 (had decided that I needed to start picking it up here, it was feeling really easy up to now)

6/7: 14:53 (water stop - there was one at 3 but I passed it up - I missed the mile 6 marker - 7:27 average for the two miles)

8: 7:26 (course flattens out, I started passing tons of people on this stretch)

9: 7:33

10: 7:25

11: 7:36 (start of gradual uphill climb)

12: 7:46 (suprised I was not slower here, I felt like I was crawling, but I was still passing people)

13.1: 7:52 - last mile was about 7:09, though it was pretty downhill I was still suprised. I couldn't really tell where the finish line was (even though I saw the lights, I thought it was a turn light thing like at Des News) - I saw Dean and he was yelling "250 meters to go" and I pushed it in.

I was pretty happy overall, I did better than I had expected even with the lax start. Next time I will know to take the hills a little harder!

I saw Sasha, Paul, Chad, and some other bloggers, it was a great day. I couldn't wait to get home and see how the rest of you did at Park City and Hobble Creek - Congratulations everyone!