The Renegade

AM: 3 semi easy miles, mostly laps around Woodruff's field. 6:56/mile. This week I think I'm gonna take another small step up and try get 55, than maintain between 55-60 miles for the next four weeks. I'll double most days to make it easier, expecially this week because I think I might do some kind of Vo2max workout, cuz I think I'm ready for it.

PM: Sorta made this decision out of the blue, but I went up to Logan Canyon for an evening workout. Warmed up for three miles which felt absolutley fantastic (first mile was a sub 7 and didn't even feel hard). I could tell it was a good run because I was able to enjoy the scenery around and above me instead of staring at the ground like I usually do I guess. After three miles I rested and then did a 3 mile downhill tempo. The first mile was all single track and after about a minute I came up behind this girl running with headphones in in both ears and I shouted "on your left" a few times each time louder than the first, but she didn't hear me, and she was running slow so I was like awkwardly joggin behind her for maybe 30 seconds until she moved over just enough and I threw myself through the opening which was must have really startled her but whatev. GOod thing that was early. First mile was a 6:04 still, then I hit the wide trail and started moving a little more, although I actually didn't feel amazing like on the way up. Next two miles were 5:57 and 5:39. Would've liked to be a bit faster tho (like if I could do that pace on a flat tempo course that would be cool). I'm sure I scared alot of people seeing that I was barreling down the trail and a speed most couldn't imagine a trail running hobbyjogger like me going at. I then did 3 hill reps on a ~230m stretch. Good opening day to what should be a good week. (also I highly recommend the Nike 2" Tempo Split shorts, this was my first time running in them and they are quality af) 

I got dropped off at first dam after some arctic circle (which did not sit well in my stomach later) and I ran the FDPR course to measure. Came out as 2.95. but it is a relativley tough course compared to most fun runs because the first half is downhill, second half has a little bit of a climb. Anyways, then I hopped on the canal trail and ran home that way. Felt eh the whole time, but a bit better the longer I ran. 7:05 ap.

Went to practice this morning and they were doing 800s. Well, a mile before the 8s, but I sat out for that. I ran 5 800s ranging from 2:48-3:05, just with the fastest kids there. Like I said before, there are some promising freshmen. Wasn't too hard for me, but it was a good way to ease into doing reps because I think I'll do Ks on monday, which I am really scared for.

Shoutout to Connor Baller (even though he won't see this) for leaving on the mish today. It's been great getting to know him a bit the past 7 months.

The plan was to get up at 6, drive to Green, and thn run up to Beirdnau Peak, 12 miles round trip. Didn't end up getting up till 9 but it was actually a pretty cool morning so lucky me. Drove up there and got started right away. I made the wise decision to take my pack. My legs felt tired. 1.25 miles in I tripped on a rock and banged my knee up a bit but not too bad. Funny, I've had my only falls while running ever (excluding ice) in the last 5 days. The PV trailhead was a little less than 2 miles up so I found that and headed on up. It took me like 35 minutes to run the 2.2 miles to the ridge line (800 ft/mi elevation gain). Got up there and took a five minute break, them kept going, this time eastward up the ridge towards the peak. The trail was nice in some places and really overgrown in others, so it took too long to run a mile. When I turned around, I was like a mile away from the peak (I think the trail only goes around it tho) and I figured that was good enough, I could already see alot of the valley, so I turned back. Maybe I'll get up there some other time when I have a buddy to run with. The way back was nice and easy, didn't push it at all even when I got on the road. 10:34 ap and 2,913 vertical feet, 8,067 ft max elevation.

Was going to run at practice but slept in. It is overcast today, so I took advantage of that and I ran at 5pm up on the Deer Fence. Didn't feel too bad after yesterday, and my knee felt completley fine, which is something I was worrying about. I extended up Prov and hit 4 where I stopped for the first time. Then headed down and I was gonna go for a killer time on the segment back but had to stop once when I was already in it, but other than that, it was continuous. 7:22 ap, which is good because I don't think I've ever averaged under 7:30 pace on this trail. Slowest mile going back was a 7:15 and that was with all the huge hills at the end.

[AM:] One of the sickest runs I've done this summer! Ran up to High Creek Lake (trailhead is up above Cove) with the xc team. The drive there was longer but it was worth it. One thing I wasn't expecting was how mountainous it was actually going to be, so I wish I had brought my pack but really it was fine. Ran up with Strand, Todd, Carson, and Paul. Beautiful run. It was just over five miles up to the lake, which included 2800 feet of climbing with almost a thousand in the last mile, but that was the coolest part of the run. Lake is at 8900 feet and is just over the ridge from Mount Naomi and White Pine Lake, and right below to Cherry Peak, so this is real mountain running. Was tough at times but great run. My watch died after we got up there but the average pace for the climb was 11:53. On the way down I was running with Strand and Paul and we hit a group of cows that had nowhere to really go so we chased them down the trail for a bit, and that was fun. I also came close to falling on my face multiple times lol.  That puts me at 7600 feet of weekly vert, which shatters my record of 6500 from last summer. And to think last week was when I wanted to get vert! That was 10.6 miles.

[PM]: Easy run to Woodruff where I did strides on the grass, played a round of tetherball with the bro, and ran home for 2.1 and just over 55 this week, the most I've run since my 60 mile week last summer.