Clyde's Comeback!

Nice good run this morning south of STG actually in and out of AZ. A good group of guys: Bill, Dave, James and Logan. The sun was out and it felt good out- a nice way to bring in the new year. For the last 8 years or so I've played in a golf tourney on New Years day but this year we decided not to do it so I was able to run. During our little run we went and visited more rock art left by the natives here in the area. In the last couple days I've seen some really cool pictures. Anyways now to relax, eat a pizza and watch some football. 

I'm a walking mess. I ended up getting sick again this holiday season after Fridays run. So another day on the couch for me. Mentally I'm so sick of being sick I could almost go insane.

5.4 mile B-hills loop this morning. It was brisk and my face was cold. 

6.6 mile B-hills loop this evening with my uncle. Nice and easy.  

Went out south of town to the Little Black Mt and did a loop out there. For the most part it was the same loop as I did with the guys last week. Only I kept going past the petroglyphs about a mile and then turned south until hitting the powerline road that looped back to the jeep. I was surprised to see that it was a perfect 10 mile loop and decided to do it once more. First lap in 1:13:35

Total time 2:22:04 so around a 7:07 min mile avg for the run. I didn't ever feel in the groove but I never felt crappy either. So I guess I'll take it. Started the run at around 1 p.m and it was BEA-utiful outside. Shorts and headphones and lots of sunshine. 

Did the B-hills loop this morning. Was kind of sore and very tired but got through the run. I didn't sleep a wink last  night and it always hurts my running. I'll just chill the rest of the day and not go out again. Hopefully I can get out twice on Thursday with the club run and all. 

Club run tonight at the DC. We did a shorter run around the 5 mile loop and extended up to the gas station before we left. Then I looped up around STG Ford and into Bloomington then back up the trail for a few more. As I was coming up the trail down in Bloomington Aaron came running up behind me and we chatted for a little over a mile back up to the DC. He pushed the pace so we hit that mile around 6:15 but the rest of the run was walkie talkie pace. 

It was a beautiful 60 f this afternoon here in Dixie when I went out at 3 p.m. Once running I was hot but it felt amazing. I dropped Myler off at grandmas and ran from her house down around Bloomington and back on the trail. I had to stop over at St. George Ford to get the other set of keys to a car I bought on Saturday. The run was great with no hammy pain. I stayed at a pretty consistent pace of 7 min miles but did roll from the bottom of Bloomington up to River Road at around 6:30 pace. Roughly 4 miles. Nothing snappy but a little faster turnover to help push the avg for the run down to 6:56. Feeling really good about training right now and that makes me smile more than Mc Donalds does. 

Out and back run today over to the DC pushing Myler in the jogger. The temps were lovely again and really gave me a rush of spring fever. I just took things smooth as to try and not aggravate the hammy at all. Myler enjoyed the ride and fell asleep after two miles and didn't wake up until we had about a mile to go. It was a great run and fun to see so many people out running, walking or biking on the trails. 

Ran over to Webb hill and did 3 repeats up it with Logan. They sucked big time. I was dead on the first one and hit it in 8:18. Then on the second I felt a little better but the time was slower at 8:20. The third was hard from the start and was the slowest at 8:30. None of these were at all out effort. In fact we just ran them at around regular 7:15 effort on a flat road. Then I extended around the Knolls on the way home to round it off at 12. Good workout but a hard one for my present shape. 

B-hills inner loop this morning. Legs and body both felt trashed... dead! But managed to make the rounds. I won't be able to go to the club run tonight as I forgot and scheduled a run in Hurricane with my uncle. So if anyone is out there at 5 I'll be doing 5 miles as a slow and easy pace. 

Ended up not going to Hurricane and then just felt like not running here with the club either. Just kind of trashed and tired. So a evening at home resting for then next two days of longer runs.  

Nice longish run this morning. Up early so I could finish before Mik'L went to the office. I took the new parkway out around by SunRiver and then followed the river trail up to and then around through B-hills back home. I felt pretty good but never pushed it. Just hung out around the 6:50 and 7 min guy the entire run. Only one potty stop and I ate Taco Bell last night. Now to rest up for another longer run tomorrow. 

2 loops out at little black mt with the guys. We had a good chat and made our way around the first lap. Then hit the truck and hydrated then went back out. On the second loop we took the first 5 miles really easy... maybe slower than on the first lap. After that we started to lay down some tracks. Logan and I were feeling it with some nice smooth strides as we rolled back at around a 6 min mile avg. It was nice to finish off a strong week with a strong run. Feeling like I'm getting closer to were I want to be before the race on the 13th of Feb. 

Logan and I ran out in the rain on the Barrel Roll trail above Santa Clara. It looked pretty nasty out but one we got going the weather was never an issue. We looped it once and were at 9 miles back to the truck. The we did an out and back down into Green Valley to put us at 17.1 for the day. Slow and easy out on the rocky trails. This will be good training for our race coming up. 

Dropped Myler off at grandmas and then did a run up around B-hills over to Flying J. Then down into Bloomington to the trail and back up to River Road then over to her house. About two miles into it the rain started and for about the next 4 miles I got soaked- it was cold too. Then I had a potty stop at the DC and just tried to make it back to the house. Not a great run at all. In fact for some reason it beat the crap out of me. I know one reason is the shoes I had on are done. Running on flat shoes really trashes the entire body... cuz now my back hurts too. Anyways another day another dollar... but glad it's done. 

Meat Grinder Wednesdays... Logan and I met at the hill and did three "grinders". I felt flat before we started so you can guess how they went. Neither one of us timed them but I'm guessing they were about what they were last week. Pushed through them and then finished the run back around the Knolls like I did last week. 

Got a short run in this morning out in the dark and rain. Legs felt pretty good after yesterdays hill workout. Lots of rain this week: good and bad. Good cuz we really, really need the water. Bad cuz it makes it hard to get runs in when it's cold and wet out. Hopefully it's not muddy and wet on Sat for our 30 mile (speed) workout. 

6.3 miles on the treadmill this evening. It was raining way too much to go out and do the club run. If anyone else went bless your souls.  

Took the day off before the big workout on Saturday. 

Well this goes down as one of the top 3 workouts in my lifetime for a number of reasons. First I wanted to bail and do it next week because we've had hard rain for a week. That equals mud to your hind end. Second I knew there would be mud. Third there was a chance of even more showers this morning after raining all night and that could lead to mud. However Logan used the commitment pattern on me on the phone and next thing I know by 8 a.m I was running out in the mud. 

The plan was to do 3 loops out at Little Black Mt. Each loop is a perfect 10 miles. So we wanted to do the first one as a kind of long warm up. Then run the second at trail race effort. Then do the third as a longish cool down. All in all a nice 30 mile day.

So we hit the first lap in 1:15. Not bad considering 100 meters from the truck we were already in bad mud. Shoes were caked and we had just begun. The first 2.3 miles of the loop were by far the worst. I told Logan if there would have been alligators this could pass as a swamp. Just gooey, slimy mud about 5 inches deep every step. After that it was hit and miss but still very muddy all the way around.

Anyways as we started the second loop we were a little hesitant to even try any "tempo" because what could you really do in this? Well we did very well if I dare say so. After plowing through the now even muckier first few we settled into a smooth flow. It was however always hampered with the spot where you would about loose a shoe in deep mud but we hit this lap in 1:07. Really good considering...

The last lap was going to be nice and easy as our reward for breaking 1:08 on the second lap. But Logan kept the pace honest and again after we snorkeled through the first now painful section we hit the final lap in 1:12. A great time considering.

3:34:20 for 30 miles in those conditions had us both pretty jazzed about our up coming race in Moab. We finally made it back to my house and I was in the first stages of hypothermia having been wet for hours and now cooled down. But now after a hot shower and some grub I'm really glad we pushed through such an epic workout.   

5.4 mile loop this afternoon before my uncle came over. I took my phone with me and he called when I had about 2.5 left. So for the remainder of that loop I laid down the hammer and ran hard back home. I didn't have a watch but I'm guessing the pace was at or just under 6 min. Felt good because I knew it was only going to be for a short time and it was nice because I had wanted to do some tempo stuff this week. 

6.6 mile loop with him. Pace was somewhere at around 8 min mile. He is running great and showing some strong improvements. We never had to stop and walk either.   

B-hills loop this morning. Felt kind of tired but other than that good. It was a nice morning with blue skies looming. Now to start a busy day and start crossing things off the list. 

Was planning on running 20 this morning with Steve but it was raining cats and dogs. Then it rained almost all day and I was busy... long story short I let this one slip by the way side. 

B-hills loop this morning. There was a thick fog out and it seemed pretty weird out on the streets. Reminded me of living in the UK with the wet streets, fog and dark clouds. By the time I got back home the fog was so thick I could seek water molecules in the air and I was basically swimming. Kind of fun seeing that here in the desert. Now it's beautiful blue ski day out!

12 miles tonight. I did 2 before the guys showed and then 10 with the club. Nice run over to the Knolls park and back. Felt pretty good but my stomach was kind of sketchy. I took some advile before the run on an empty tummy and that got things jacked. The hammy was a little tight too but nothing crazy. Good to finally get out with most the guys again.  

After my run on Thursday my stomach was way jacked and I spent the night by trying to throw up (never did  but would have felt better if I could have). I can't believe that I'm sick again!

No run again today. Still kind of sick. I was going to try a shorter run in the afternoon but we ended up going up to Torrey for the night. Hopefully with all this rest I can be ready for a good week next week and then a good race then next.