Clyde's Comeback!

Well I haven't been looking forward to writing this report. Bottom line is I messed this race up 3 weeks ago on a 25 mile training run with 10 miles at sub 5 min pace. I haven't felt the same since. Haven't ran close to that since and just wasn't recovered. Dumb to have done that...  sucks to live out the consequences. But thats really what happened. FACT. So with that and the sickness I've had the last few days. I just knew today wasn't going to be good. I tried to be positive and do the best I could. But I knew it wasn't going to be the day...

All that said I ran my best effort for the day.

Hung out at the start for about 45 min's. We just sat there at the gun range listenting to the most annyoing announcer ever. The guy was off the hook crazy. Then I put my hand in a prickly pear while hitting up a potty stop. And a few min's befor the gun went off it started to rain. Like a downpour at the time. Awesome. And the rain ended up being great. It was just the wind that really sucked the life out of me.

Decided to go out strong but not out of control. Stayed right with the Ogden boys for the first 5 miles then fell off them about 10 seconds climbing the hills. Then they started to hammer the downhill at around mile 7 and I was now running in 4th and would basically stay right there the rest of the race. Or 5th depending on what really happened.

Mile splits. 5:33, 5:19, 5:28, 5:18, 5:39, 5:49, 5:22, 5:27,5:28, 5:30, 5:33, 5:36, 5:45, 5:41, 5:35, 5:38, 5:51, 5:59, 5:57, 5:55, 5:45, 5:51, 5:58, 5:57, 5:53, 5:51 .2 @ 5:47

Hit the half in around 1:12:20

Had the course at 26.33

So I didn't ever ever ever feel good today. The first 10 or so felt ok. Like "I'm in a race the effort is harder but ok". But never felt like "Bang- Legs go baby". Then after mile 11 or so I really started to just "grind". Like I knew I'd possibly hit a wall or struggle... typical marathon stuff. But that happens at like mile 20 or 23. Not 11 or 12. From then on I just could not race. Miles 11-20 were so pathetically crappy I just about walked off the course. At 17 I was so frustrated that I decided to stop. But I could see the course turning  up a head and decided to push on to the next corner and see if changing directions might help. It kind of did but not much. The wind was an issue as well. Just slowed the pace and bugged the brain. After around mile 18 I just decided to not DNF even though I knew it wasn't going to be the race I'd trained for. So I said to myself. Just hit 6 min pace from here on in and at least you'll break 2:30. So that's basically what I did. Semi happy about that. My only real goal was to break 2:30 although my mileage, workouts and even the half marathon in January would all suggest I have a better race in me. But.... Oh well.  In the end I'm glad I didn't drop out. Even though I was so close. Like one step away from stopping. My splits are just all over the place. I never really did hit the wall or die. I just couldn't race anymore. And it turned into a long painful workout/ long run. I really love to train. I love hitting it everyday and pushing myself to the brink. I love seeing progress and feeling super fit. But I hate racing. I hate expectations that I put on myself and the disappointment of not reaching them. I've been in good shape before. I feel like through this winter I've been in great shape. I feel like I have a super race in me.... it's just so hard for me to boil that sucker out. I'm getting sick of trying. But I cant stop because I know it's in there... so the beat goes on I guess.

Thanks to my good friends for the trip down. I've logged thousands of miles with Dave and Logan. We are all getting old. Racing is hard on old men. But we keep smiling.

Trying to take a real recovery. Just let myself rest and not jump back into training too fast. Legs feel ok. But I have zero energy.

Wasn't going to run today. But was texting Paul H. and decided to go out for 3 EZ miles with him. It's been a long time since we got out on a run and today was good. I felt sore and again have no energy. But the pace was slow and at least helped loosen up the stomach and legs.

30.3 mile ride outside on the Venge at a 20.9 mph avg. Spent the whole day trying to decided if I should run. Not run. Ride.... and about 5 pm just decided to head out. Took it fairly ez for the first 6 miles or so... slow in places. But then started to warm up and was pretty honest all the way in from there. Good to get some blood flowing back into the legs. I can tell I'm just spent in all things. It'll take a week or so to get back the energy.

20 miles on the trainer. Pretty ez spin trying again to keep some blood in the legs. Maybe also help get my bum use to being in the saddle. It'll take some time:). Worked up a little sweat but not really anything to write home about.

2 miles on the treadmill after. I know I really hit it hard today. I planned on doing 5 miles but Hayler woke up from his nap and... I just wasn't in the mood to run much more. A full, honest recovery is in the works:)

35 mile ride out around the airport and fields. Basically the same ride as yesterday but extended down past the DC and into Bloomington then back home that way. Another 70 degree afternoon in the STG. I didn't plan on riding again but couldn't say no to the temps. Took the tri bike out for the first ride of the year. There was a little learning curve after not being on it for like 9 months or so. Kept the pace honest and ended at a 21.1 mph avg... and got my first KOM of 2014. #pounditbaby

Finally got in a real run post PHX marathon. It was kind of a killer. Mostly becuase of the biking the last couple days though. Legs were just heavy and slow. 5 miles into it I just wanted to be done. Struggled to keep any kind of real pace. Guess I shouldn't have expected anything else:).
 

Headed out with Ty and Bob early to ride to Beaver Dam and back.... but 15 miles into the ride I felt like garbage and had to let them go. I headed up to the top of Kayenta and drank a rockstar and ate a bar. Within about 5 miles I started to feel good again... So I decided to loop out around Hurricane and kind of ride the 70.3 course in reverse. The wind was horrible out Hurricane way... just rocked my world. Then coming into Sandhollow it about blew me over going 50 mph down the hill. I had to pull my foot out and basically drag myselt to a stop. That ended up grinding off my left cleat. So for the last 15 miles back home I kind of had to peddle with one leg. While the left side kept slipping off. Grabbed another KOM on the ride. Ended with a 19.5 mph avg. Considering the wind and cleat this was a pretty good effort.

Tried to get back on the wagon this moring. After only running like 13 total miles last week I needed a run. Not gonna jump back into 100 mile weeks but it's time to get some miles back. I felt really pretty good all over... other than my hip was crazy painful. All last week I did a horrible job doing my hip routine and it showed up today. Actually both hips hurt. Had planned on doing 10 but cut it short as to not over work and hurt it more.

8 miles tonight with Myler. He road his new birthday bike. Turned 5 on Sunday and logged a 8 mile ride tonight. Pace was under 7 min. Not too bad for the little guy. Both my hips are jacked.

Hips hurt really bad. Like rusty bars grinding on each other. Super tight. Need to get back to doing the hip routine. Just been too lazy and busy to care or think about it.

3.5 miles this afternoon on the treadmill. Just enough to get a sweat going. Then I about couldn't handle it anymore. Did the hip routine and it helped.

DC loop. Felt better than yesterday but I'm still a mess. Just wanted to be done at mile 6. Hips seem out of whack. Plus I just don't have any energy. It's like I'm starting all over again with fitness or something.

Just felt gloomy all day. Didn't feel like running. So I didn't.

DC loop extended a little here and there. Nice morning out. Hips were both tight. 7:00 avg for the run.

Trail run with the guys.

Hip is a mess. no running.

hip issues.

Up in Torrey. Around town with Myler and then up Sandcreek for a while. Hip hurt but was runnable.

Hip was way too tight and lower back after the run yesterday.

Torrey and Teasdale loop. 6:47 avg. Not bad but hammy and hip hurt bad at the end.

3 hour hike  but no run. Hips are a mess.

7 mile run in the morning pushing Halen in the baby jogger. Hip is killing me....

5.5 mile run this  afternoon pushing Halen again and Myler road his bike with us. Hip... go away please.

Missed meeting up with the guys. Sorry. 8 miles with an achy sore almost broken hip. Hurting as of late...

5 miles on the treadmill. Seems to actually hurt less on this... even though I hate it.

DC loop. Just tried to grind it out. Hips are ruining my love of running at the present time.

Hips hurt just laying in bed most of the night... both HIPS. They hurt and are tight. I'm trying all my tricks to help loosen them up but nothing seems to be helping. Todays run was the worst I've had in a long long time. :(

Pushed Halen around the DC loop plus a little extra over to the office for a potty stop. Hip felt better than it has in days... but was still painful. The good news was that it was only the left (normal hurting side) and not both today. Halen did great until about .4 miles left. Then it hit the fan. But we were basically done.

Had no plans this morning. Woke up at 4:40 and wasn't in the mood so I went back to bed until 7. Decided to go out and see what happened. Ended up doing a big loop through Santa Clara up to Kayenta and through Ivans around Santa Clara again and finally finished up. It's been since the PHX marathon almost a month ago that I've done any kind of long run. So today I just decided to push one out... but only after running for about 5 miles. Hip hurt pretty good the first 3 miles and the last 2.5. But in the middle it felt runnable. Ended with a 6:39 avg and 3 good potty stops.

Out and back run from the softball fields up to the Snow Canyon payhouse with Mike. Kept the pace ez and we did have some wind to deal with. 7:25 avg.

Monday run for sure. 5 total potties... Ugh. Stomach was not ready for running. But the hip was very runable with half the pain from a week ago. Left hammy was super tight though.

7 mile run tonight.