Elite Jogging For Dummies

We received about 3-4 inches of snow overnight. It was easy to shovel because the ground was still relatively warm. After shoveling, I ran the Ensign Elem. loop. It was quite slushy out and I had to dodge getting splashed by passing vehicles. The descent down Memory Grove was memorable. Lots of fresh, untracked snow under the morning sky. Just easy pace this morning.

PM: I ran 4 miles after work. The sky was clear, but a little chilly. But I had a great run. I bounded through the still-untracked snow on the golf course and thought to myself . . . this is why I run!

Finally made it out for a workout with the Black Sheep. I ran from home and met those guys over by the U. We ran back into campus for a little more warm up and then did a round on the Golden Mile. Josh & I finished together in 5:30. Then Straley showed up and had us chase each other fox & hound style up the center of campus. So that was 8 x hill repeats with distances between .20 an.50. I felt great on the short ones, plenty of power. On the longer ones, I lagged behind Josh a bit, couldn't get the turnover. After all this, I ran another mile or so with Josh & Megan and then ran home.

We had some rain this morning, but it stayed very light. I ran down to Josh & Megan's house and we ran their Sugarhouse/11th E./8th E. ten mile loop. It's a nice loop, though all the climbing is at the end. They're both getting ready for Boston, I look forward to seeing their results, which should be very good. I ran home after dropping them back at their place. Total time 1:28.

PM:  Easy four mile run with Heather and Jack. We ran down to Memory Grove, up the canyon a bit, and returned more or less the same way.
 

Sadly, our beloved Radda Cafe in Holladay has closed. It's a tragedy, really.  The bake some of the best muffins and scones around. So the group had to switch up plans.  One of the Radda Crew, Frank Dolce, is now a part owner in RawBean cafe on 600 South and West Temple downtown. So we met there at 5:30 am for a run. We had a big group, like 14 people, and we ran up Main Street through downtown and up into Memory Grove, to 11th Ave., and out past the fire station. We returned via the same route.  Running through downtown with that big of a pack was interesting, I've never done that outside of a race context.  The few people that were out no doubt thought we were a very strange sight. That's too bad.  People are fully equipped to be running everywhere, all the time.  It's interesting that the people traveling by their own power are unusual and the one's safely tucked inside of a vehicle get no notice at all.  

 At any rate, at the end of the run, Frank hooked us up with lots of goodies at RawBean, making it a fun morning.
 

This morning I ran up through the U and up to the gate in Red Butte Canyon.  From there, I jumped on the trail and canvassed the mountainside over to the bottom of Dry Creek.  I hit the metal pipe with a rock and then continued home via Federal Heights and 4th Ave.  Easy, easy pace.

Striders Half Marathon.  I knew this would be the most competitive of these winter series races to date, and appearances by Teren and Aleksander only confirmed that suspicion. Plus Logan and Clyde and Ashbaker, Walter were there, so it made for a really strong turnout.  The race is well timed for those running Salt Lake, Ogden, Boston ... basically any spring marathon.

I arrived at the start and got off the bus with only 20 minutes to go before the start. I got in a warm up of just under two miles.  At the start, I was hanging with Cody and Ben and another guy named Mike, who is an air force lieutenant stationed at Hill Field.  We stuck together for about 4-5 miles and then started to separate. I was running alone behind Walter most of the race, usually within about 50m or so, though that lead fluctuated. I just couldn't make up the ground. Anyway, I was basically on my own for the second half of the race except when Lt. Mike came up and caught a ride. We ran together at about 9.5-11.5 and then he pulled away a bit. Others have documented the wind factor and it was significant.  I had just one mile under 6 minutes in the last five miles.  The wind  probably cost a minute overall when it's all said and done.  It was also cold, though I didn't notice that too much (headband and gloves go a long way when you're wearing just a singlet and shorts).

The course was interesting, nice grade for the first 10km or so, and then it starts to roll for several miles. In fact, once the wind started, it felt like it never really stopped rolling.  No big climbs, just some terrain change. 

So here are the splits:

1) 5:31

2) 5:44

3) 5:39

4) 5:38

5) 5:38

6) 5:42

7) 5:45

8) 5:52

9) 6:03

10) 6:00

11) 6:04

12) 5:53

13) 6:08

.1) 33.39

Overall, I'm actually pretty content with the race. I always want to push more in the final few miles. At about mile 12, I asked myself whether I was really pushing as hard as I could at that point, and I was pretty close. I didn't have a big surge in me at the end today, but one of these days I'm going to find that other gear.  It just requires a more complete acceptance of some temporary pain. 

After the run, cool down for two miles with bloggers. Then a 3 mile cooldown with Bill Cobler.  Then standing around in the cold for awards.  Good job to all the bloggers today in tough conditions.