Elite Jogging For Dummies

Two miles. 

I drove up to the top of I Street this morning and ran 10 laps around the meadow. It's a bit sketchy running on the trail in the dark, but I know that ground like the back of my hand.  This was the right place to run today.  

Easy tune up from Foothill Sbux w/ Josh and Megan.

St. George Marathon.  It wasn't the race I wanted to have or expected to have, but it was a really interesting race and overall a good experience.  The lesson: it all comes down to the day.

It was raining on the bus ride up to Central for the start. When we arrived, all the flags were blowing northward, that is to say, in the wrong direction.  It was clear we would have a headwind, the question was for how long?  The answer, it turned out, was "the entire race." The air temperature was not cold, so the rain was not too much of a factor other than waterlogging some shoes, but the wind was relentless in its persistence.  

I started with the lead pack through the first mile. Then I heard Clyde say the pace was too slow and most everyone took off.  Josh and I didn't go with them, but hung together through mile 9 when Josh had to pick it up as I was not holding the pace we needed. It was clear he was planning to run a super time no matter what.  I was struggling a bit from the bottom of Veyo all the way through Dammeron Valley and my splits reflected that. I hit the half in 1:18:42 and it was clear that I would have to have a phenomenal second half to get a PR, let alone run anything near 2:30. 

 After Josh took off, I ran the entire race by myself except for a couple of guys I passed in the last mile.  So it was a long solitary race for me.  While cruising through the rain I had lots of ups and downs, mostly mental, but worked through the tough patches pretty effectively.  I had a side stitch at mile 18, but that was the only notable physical problem.  I had no calf cramps, which is significant for me.  Most of the struggle was in dealing with the wind as it was sucking my energy and my splits were not reflecting the effort I felt like I was putting into the race.  

  When I hit 20 miles in 1:59, it was evident that my effort was not yielding dividends sufficient to reach my primary goals.  What I was left to do was try to run a strong, competent final 10k, make sure I didn't get passed, and try to track down whomever happened to be within sight. I passed a couple of guys in the final two miles, fought off a surge in the last half mile from Bernie Boettcher, and finished feeling all right in 2:36:53.

Talking to other runners after the race, it was clear that I was not the only one that had a hard time fighting the wind.   Seems like it took its toll across the board.    Amazingly, after leaving me at mile 9, Josh pushed through the wind and ran his way to 4th in 2:30:05. Really impressive.  

Overall, I think that without the wind, I could have run 2:32 something today. I don't think that I would have run sub-2:30.  Maybe. Who knows? I do know I was in better shape for this race than I was last year.  Like I said, though, it all comes down to the day.  

Here are my splits (from the Garmin, which were almost dead on with the mile markers):

1-6:01

2-5:52 

3-5:33

4-5:40 

5- 5:42

6-5:23

7-5:31

8-6:37 (Veyo)

9-6:20 

10-6:17

11-6:37

12- 6:18

13-5:58

14- 6:02

15- 5:43

16- 5:39

17- 5:54

18- 5:50

19- 6:20

20- 6:08

21- 5:52

22-6:06

23-6:00

24-5:57

25- 5:59

26-6:12

So, there you have it.  It all comes down to the day. 

This morning I ran 1.7 miles around the meadow. My friend Ryan (whom I visited last week in Portland) passed away over the weekend and I thought a lot about him.

Cranking up the mileage to 2.0.  Down to the end of 4th Avenue and back. 

More easy mileage around the meadow.

This was my first run resembling an actual "run" since the marathon. I ran from home up to Dry Creek nearly to where the big switchback begins. It was dark on the trail, and cool, but I enjoyed it.  Legs are coming back nicely, but no sense in pushing it.

I ran from Foothill with the H Rock crew, though we skipped the H Rock run and just ran out and back to the footbridge at the bottom of Parley's Canyon. 

I ran the Pipeline Trail in Millcreek Canyon this morning with Jwood, Kim & Andy. Nice run, but cold! The sky was still dark when we started.  It was pretty nice for a few minutes after it got light, and then the clouds moved in and we started to get a little snow.

Hey, eight miles, I'm cranking it up. I ran the U/Avenues loop. It was cold. I wore tights, long sleeve, gloves, headband.  That's winter wear, dear reader. 

Trail run this morning from the trailhead at the meadow, out and back to the three mile overlook.  It took me 38 minutes to run the first three miles, owing to a very long VPB.  I saw about 10 deer. It was 32 degrees out. 

Easy seven miles with Josh and Megan up and around the Capitol. Took advantage of the gravel path that circles the building.

Out the door around 6am for an easy run up to the Shoreline Trail, the gate at the top of Red Butte, and back home via the roads.  I enjoy the trail runs in the dark.  Needless to say, there's not a lot of traffic.

I had to be up in Park City before 7am for work, so no morning run.  After work, however, I had a very nice run in the sun and relative warmth on the shoreline trail.  

Another Saturday, another run on the Pipeline trail. We had a good group of six.  The colors are still very nice in Millcreek canyon, and at sunrise especially so.  We started at Burch Hollow and ran out and back to the Rattlesnake Gulch overlook.

Easy run with Heather and Jack. Great weather and awesome views of the changing leaves coming down Memory Grove.  We stopped at Smith's to pick up some essentials on the way home, which weighed down the running stroller considerably.  I now know what it would be like to push Jack if he weighed 50 pounds. 

I ran the Avenues/U/Ensign/Memory Grove loop. I felt like I was really moving at one point, but was only running ~ 7:30.  Ha. I feel so out of shape already.  I also feel like my body needs more easy days. I had some weird lower back pain after the run which has eased up now, but I'll see if it means anything. It could just be from carrying Jack around all day yesterday. 

This morning I ran a loop that took me south to the edge of TiTP and then back north to Red Butte and the Bonneville Shoreline trail, then back to home through Federal Heights and 4th Avenue. I listened to Cormac Mcarthy's "The Road" on audiobook on the ipod. Not exactly a mood enhancer, but very interesting and well written.

Another trail run in the dark, listening to "The Road."

Avenues/U/Ensign loop.  32 degrees, cold enough for tights, but overall very good weather.  Still listening to "The Road." It's very engaging.

Avenues/U/Ensign loop. 37 degrees, cold enough for tights, but overall very good weather. Still listening to "The Road." It's still very engaging.

I met up with JD at his house at ~7am.  He introduced me to the Legacy Parkway Trail, which is quite a nice little running asset to have in the backyard.  Some interesting things we saw at various points: a large blue heron in a field, a pumpkin patch, a family of moose (in a pen behind Lagoon), ducks fleeing hunters, a makeshift graveyard, and two runners enjoying themselves (us).

Feeling fully recovered this morning, I ran the U/Avenues loop in 1:02, which is practically a sprint compared with recent paces since the marathon. I finished listening to "The Road." What an incredible book. 

I had planned to get up and drive over to Sugarhouse to run with the Black Sheep. But I overslept by about 15 minutes, so not today. Oh well. I wasn't that excited about a speed workout anyway.  Instead, I ran easy! I headed up through TiTP and up above the Zoo.  I was short on time or would have done my usual loop to get 10 miles.  Anyway, I felt like I had something resembling form today--albeit not running that quickly.  Now I need to think about how to handle the extra five pounds I have accumulated since the marathon.  

Met up with Josh at 5:45.  We ran up to the entrance to Shoreline Trail up behind the JCC.  Then we ran the trail up to the gate at the top of  Red Butte. No moon this morning, and very dark! I can't quite explain why I enjoy running the trail in the dark, but I do.  Perhaps its the lingering ultrarunner in me. Anyway, it wasn't all on the trail this morning. We ran back through TiTP, Research Park and the University. Nice run today.  Good to catch up with Josh.

I drove out to hook up with the Holladay crew this morning. It was a small group today.  Only Brad A. and I ran the 9.3 mile canal route.  It was very dark on the canal section.  We had a good run, however--easy pace.

Another tour of the U/Avenues/Ensign Elem. loop.  Great weather again. I know it can't last, but these are the best days of running weather in the entire year in my opinion.  I'll just enjoy it now.