track fan

15+ miles. 2:02:02 ... cool, huh? So ... what a beautiful day - I decided it was cool enough to go back to the desert route ... I got an early start because the Mcmillan athletes got up to get ready for the race ... the desert is beautiful early in the morning.
 
It is a very hilly (about 4% ascent over the first 3 miles and then a gradual decent of about 2% with a tiny (about 1/2 mile) in the middle of the descent. I ran ~ 2 miles out and back before hand, (18:21) and since the loop itself is slightly under 6 miles I add on a portion in the middle to a trailhead and back (3/4 of a mile). Mapmy run says it is almost 6.2 miles. The first loop was about 57:06 (9:02 pace) and the second was 46:33 (7:47). The second loop was pretty hard pace (especially the uphill). I was pretty happy with the run.  Even though it meant that I missed the awards ceremony for the 8K race. There were only 3 Mcmillan Elite athletes in the race and they took 2nd place (males, he ran a 24:xx something) and I think 3rd and 5th place in females (they ran in the mid-29s).  They all got $ and gift certificates. 

We all went out to breakfast before they left to go home ... it was fun!

Happy Sunday bloggers!

AM: (9 miles, 1:19:52) ... no "turn-around" splits, somehow I missed the button on my watch.   I ran faster the last 20` (even faster than I usually do) -- since that is what Greg told me to do ;-).  Felt pretty tired the first 40 mins.  Sunday was a little harder than I meant to run (I realized later as I went through my entries from last spring that I ran 2 mins faster than I usually run -- and that was WITH the extra mile added in the middle -- which means I ran nearly 10 mins faster than I have ever run this course ... that is way too fast -- Dean runs the non-added on course in 45 mins and he is way way faster than I am ...).  Anyway -- I really need to make sure I recover in time for a good race on Sunday.

PM: (4 miles, very very easy).

1:02:32 (31:32/31:00).  Pretty even split.  The "out" split included a little time on the ground and wound assessment - so actually it was a little faster than shown.  I hit a gopher/ground squirrel hole that was obstructed by desert ivy or some such thing.  It was right next to the curb so I flew through the air and slid on the street.  Luckily, the car that was there had just gone past ... so I did not hit the car, nor did the car hit me (they did stop though, to make sure I was not hurt).  Being the studly runner that I am, I just looked at my bloody knee and hand, flexed my wrist and went on my way.  Worst thing was that as I was airborne all I could think of was, "save the shorts".  Dean got me a very cool pair of shorts for my birthday from a company that specializes in womens running.  They are a couple of women who were in his running group in Seattle - they are so cool - and they make me look (or maybe just feel) very fast ;-).  I really did not want to tear my new shorts ... then, just before I hit the asphalt, all I could think of was, "oh no not my wrist" - I landed, yet again, on the wrist that I broke trail running in Salt Lake City a couple of years ago (not the arm that I hurt mountain biking here in Arizona).   Still lucky, I get the glory of two bloody "war wounds" without any serious damage.  My ankle is sore, but I don't think it twisted or anything, I think I just landed on it funny when it sunk into the hole.

Happy Wednesday bloggers!! 

AM: (8.5, 1:13:31) 7 miles + 6 x ~200 meters w/200 recovery.  Felt remarkably good today -- except for the hamstring and hip area from my fall yesterday -- wasn't related to running (I don't think) ... but I was pretty sore this morning.  My knee looks marvelous -- red, scabby, just plain gross ;-).

PM: (very easy 3-4 miles ... just want to run 30 or so minutes).

Happy Thursday bloggers ...  

40:18 (20:09/20:09) ... pretty cool eh?  

 My quad is killing me ... I can't tell if it is from my fall or something else.  I am sure I won't feel it on Sunday - I am so out-of-fast-running shape my legs will be the least of my worries.  I have to say, it is likely that I will only barely run faster than I did 4 years ago.  I am in better shape now than I was then, but I just haven't done any speed work yet and I am pretty sure that even 1/2 marathon pace is going to feel pretty darn hard.  I am calling the race my "rust buster 10 miler". 

Happy Friday bloggers.

31:26 ... nice and slow.  Am feeling a little sick today - my throat hurts a little and it feels like I am coming down with a cold.  I was planning on going and signing up for the race this afternoon, instead of waiting until tomorrow morning ... but I am not sure now whether I might wait and see what happens after I take some vitamins and stuff.  In any case, I might jog a couple of miles this PM.