Happy anniversary to me and my wife Mik'L. Or big 6th today. So I did all my miles for the day in one run so I have more time this evening to spend with my sweetheart. She's my little trooper.
Today I ran up to the powerline trail and to Middleton trail and over to golf course then around to the house. I took my hydro pack and it felt good to stay hydrated. No turtles or snakes today. Just a couple of golfers who could use a lesson or two.
Nice morning run with the club. Everyone came. The first time for well like ever. We ran a loop around Sand Hollow out by Hurricane. We just ran easy for the fisrt 6 or so talking and moving along. Then around the half we move down around 6:40 pace for a mile or so and then started to drop around 5:50 pace for the next 4 and a half. I told myself ealy this morning not to play hard today but it felt so good and I fell to temptation. Then at 11.5 we ran into the main road so I stopped and waited for Steve H. and Steve O. then did the last mile as a cool down.
Good run and I feel good going ino my taper. It will be nice to run on fresh legs again. I haven't had them since before Boston in April.
Fun run this morning with James from Logan, and his friend Damon Cox, and Steve Hooper. We meet up at the Dixie Center and went up the fire trail on Webb Hill and then down off onto the trail that loop around the river and back to the DC. Nice and cool this morning and fun to run with those guys.
Ran 6 more tonight with James. Around 6:40 pace. Went a little farther than I wanted to but it was a good little run. We did around a mile in bare feet on the golf course to help with biometrics.
Ran this morning with Holt and James. They meet at my house and we went up into the reserve and back round golf course to the house. Pace was a little faster than I wanted to go. Around a 6:15- 6:40 effort for the run. The times up on the trails in the reserve are a little slower but the effort was right there. So now for sure I need to start some good easy days. This will be all today and Wed, Thurs, Fri should be nice and easy. As usual the nerves are stating to drive me crazy. I wish I didn't get so nervous before races but its just part of it for me.
Easy run this morning up to power line trail and then back down. Wind is a pain today... although the temp is way down so I guess you win some and lose some. I feel's good to be running this week- doing the taper and all. It almost feels like the last week of school. You have to show up but you don't have to do anything. Anyways if everyone on the blog will all cross their fingers at the same time maybe the wind won't be too bad in Rexburg on Saturday morning. Or I may just be wishful thinking.
Nice easy run this morning up around the golf course. What a nice morning. The storm and wind are all gone and it was just so peaceful, plus it was nice and cool. 50 something degrees in June is a big deal in this town.
Tried to run nice and easy but got into a nice little groove and was cruising along for a while. We will leave for Orem this afternoon. Drive up there tonight and then up to Rexburg on Friday morning. It almost feels like I going to be driving from Mexico to Canada.
Drove up to Rexburg from Orem today. What a drive. I really do feel like I'm in the Canadian Tundra. It sure is nice and green from SLC north. In northern Utah and southern Idaho it is way pretty and lush.
So the race hasn't even started yet and I'm out on Rexburg. I'll report more later but not really a fan. We went and drove the last 10 miles of the course. That hill from 16 to 21ish is a beast. Not looking forward to it. Also they had it posted that the last few miles are downhill; that was false. The last miles and a half will be an incline to the finish. I've got a bad attitude right now. It could be from the drive, or the not so warm welcome with our number pick-up at city hall.
Teton Dam Marathon (26.2 Miles) 00:02:40, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
26.20
Teton Dam Marathon.
After we arrived in Rexburg on Friday we drove sections of the course and I quickly changed my goals for the race. I feel like I’m in PR shape and ready to run a 2:32ish marathon but it wasn’t going to happen today. There is a hill… Goals changed from wanting to PR to just wanting to win. Sasha had told me during the Del Sol Relay to just go run it and winbut not push it hard, and I thought that was a good approach. Although I didn’t know exactly who would show and what would happen.
So we get to the bus and I meet Jeff and Kory. Jeff and I sit together on the bus and talk about race. At the start it was a beautiful crisp morning. Perfect race conditions-low temp, little to no wind. So I’m pumped for that.
The Teton Dam web page shows an elevation chart and also has a description of the course. Both are very inadequet. It shows the first 16 or so with a slight downhill if anything level. Then it shows the hill and then a drop down to the finish. Well here’s the real story.
6:13 Nice warm-up mile. Little uphill then a little downhill
5:50 Pretty level. Starting to get warmed up. Running with Jeff.
5:43 Some gradual drop and I start trying to reel in the relay team in front of us.
5:46 Jeff and I catch and pass relay and both of us beat all the relay teams.
5:47 Cruising by a little town of Newdale
5:45 Feeling good. Nice and level for a few.
5:45 Jeff not too far back. Everyone else long gone.
5:49
5:47
5:55 First mile of a not shown climb (gradual) Now I’m out in front and running solo.
5:52 What are we doing going up?
5:51 Long straight shot
5:52 Right after half we finish the small climb
5:52 Feeling good, but can see the big hill coming
6:00 Trying to relax before the climb
6:09 This mile drops down and then starts at the base of the hill. The only aid station with sports drinks, everything else just has water.
6:46 Kill me!
6:40 Just pull the trigger! At the aid station I take a GU and drink. About .2 miles later I start dry heaving and stomach is doing crazy things. Still going up!
6:43 Training for Ragnar. Uphill style.
6:23 Still going up but not as steep. At 20 miles my time is 2:00.30 not too bad for really not pushing it, and all this uphill stuff. I start thinking about trying to run down a PR anyways. If I could only pound out this last 10k in 35 something.
6:23 This mile changes my mind back pretty fast. Some rollers that are pretty steep up and down.
6:25 So I’ve finally crested all the hills and am hitting the downhill I’ve been dreaming about all race. Only now I can’t get going. In fact I’m done trying. The cop tells me I have a solid mile lead on anyone else (I later find out that wasn’t true, Jeff was hunting me down and I was there for the taking). But his words tell me to go into survival mode and just finish.
6:12 Downhill here but I was hoping for 5:40 pace on this section. Who cares though. I see my wife and I see her lips moving but I can’t focus on anything she is saying.
6:12 Some good downhill I’m not cashing in on.
6:36 Here is the really frustrating part. The course description says it drops from like 21 down to the finish. That’s funny because I felt like I was on a gradual incline here. Nothing too serious but I wanted cruise control all the way in.
6:39 Ready for it to be over as I make my way down main with the crowd and stuff the only thing I can think of is “I wonder what pace I’d be running on this mile if it was a decline?” Speaking of pace I should pick it up here and break 2:40… na it doesn’t matter.
.22:40 Last little part was fun. Kind of a little arch to run under and “I just won a MARATHON”
Finish time 2:40:11 at the time I couldn’t care less but now I’m mad I didn’t push itand run 2:39:59 or something.
Fast running blog goes 1. Me, 2. Jeff, 3. Kory!!!
Good race, New course record by 10 mins although they didn’t say anything about it. I’d never run it again but I’m glad I went up. Very challenging course. Awards were…Well lets just put it this way I’m glad I wasn’t running to win something. Bad news there. It was good to meet Jeff and Kory. They are both really nice guys. I enjoyed talking and running with Jeff (who ran a very good race considering Ogden was just a few weeks ago).
At Boston I took my heart out of my chest and ran with all I had, and then paid the price by being trashed for a month and a half. Today I never really pounded any of the miles out. Not the best effort but I really don’t feel that sore tonight. So I’m glad it turned out that way- hopefully I really will be ready for RAGNAR! Anyways that’s about it I could go on forever.
I wasn't going to even run today but after getting up and walking around the house I started to feel pretty good. So I just went out nice and easy. Going up some of the hill portions out in the reserve was a little challenging but nothing too bad.
I'm still going to take this week very easy. My wife and I are doing a hand-cart trek with our church on Thurs, Fri, Sat and I may not even get to run on those days. But we will be walking and eating dried fruit and jerky in small proportions.
Did the industrial park loop a little late in the morning. By the time I was doing the last few miles it was hot. My diet has been ugly this week. Hamburgers on Monday and pizza on Tuesday. Its time go come back to earth and start eating better. My miles will still be pretty low this week. I just don't want to drop any fitness in this so called down time. I think the worst part about racing is that it really cuts into your training- with the taper and then an even longer recovery.
Our trek is somewhat local. In the Kaibab National Forest. So I think I'll be able to get a run in early Thursday morning before we leave and then no run on Friday. On Saturday when we get back I will do a longer run that evening if I feel good.
First day of trek. Walked a little over 8 miles/ pushed hand-cart and packed a pack with around 25lbs of junk in it. I don't make it a practice of giving myself miles for non running activities but this trek stuff left my calves just as sore as if I had did hill workouts at home. So we'll go with 4 easy miles on the day.
Walked a little over 2 miles on the last day of the trek. So 1 easy mile on that.
After finally getting home from a marathon of a trip with the youth from our stake I sat around the house so tierd I couldn't sleep for a few hours. Then just before ten o'clock I went out and did 12 miles down around town and back home. Bad, bad, bad run.
Wanted to get in 20 today and was going to do it all this morning but decided to split it up and try and say as shap as I can before WBR this weekend. I headed out and only was a half mile from home when I ran into Dave so I joined him on the second part of his 20- we did his Wendy's loop back to his house. Then I got a drink and went up over the new overpass and back home.
This afternoon I pushed it a little harder than I should have. It was still around 100 degrees and by the time I got home I felt dead. After the marathon a week ago and then kind of having a some time off last week I feel like I am teaching my body how to run all over again.
Went out this morning for a quick run before heading up to Cedar for the day. Went up to help with the summer wrestling camp. Good day of wrestling. We had Pat Smith (4x NCAA Champ) and brother of Olympic Gold winner John Smith. It's fun to see guys that have been that great at what they do. I sat and talked with Pat over dinner and asked him how much running played a part in his wrestling career. He said he ran almost every day durning his college career- around 5 miles.
Anyways morning run was o.k and then the afternoon run up in Cedar should have been nice because the weather is cooler. However, I went only a hour after a big meal and paid the price.
8.1 a.m. miles up to powerline/water tank then down around industrial park
5.1 p.m. miles on the treadmill this afternoon
Starting to come around. Still no sparks, or signs of any speed. But the form is falling back into place and the soreness fading fast. This evening I couldn't talk myself into going out. It still said 102 on the temp and it just felt like it was going to zap me for all I was worth. So I stayed inside at 72 degrees and hit the treadmill for the first time in months. We've got this $2,000 treadmill I may as well us it once in a while.
Lots to do before we go up to Logan on Thursday morning. The Wasatch Back Relay team is falling into place-with some last day changes.
Here are a list of the Bloggers on the team.
Paul
James from Mona
Dustin
Sasha
Steve O
Dan
Cody
Jon with green shorts
Chris R.
Me
The other two are not bloggers yet. Go team MarathonGIS! Oh yeah and Bingo was his name O!
8 miles this morning Good run today. Feeling pretty good. Now we just have to pack up and drive from one side of the state to the other. Hope to get around 4-5 miles in tonight in Logan.
Long drive up. I mean it sucked. However, worth it to join some of the WBR team at Dan's house for a BBQ. Good start to what should prove to be a great weekend.
4 miles back at the motel tonight after hanging out at the BBQ. I don't know where I went- I just ran until the garmin said four miles and that I could stop.
Woke up at 6:30 a.m and did a nice morning run here in Logan. A very nice morning. Then came back to the motel and had breakfast then went back to bed until around noon. Hope to be ready to roll for the race today. Some of those suckers have been racing for hours now.
Race starts and it's hot! I'm in the second van so we shuttle up to the major exchange. At the exchange we find out that we and BYU took some wrong turns and put us back from Weber who is running very strong.
I start my first leg and it's only 3.6 miles. The race was right after it got dark and I ran ok but nothing amazing. around 5:39 pace.With a warm up and cool down a mile and a half also on the day.
WBR (187 Miles) 00:00:00, Place overall: 3, Place in age division: 3
Total Distance
11.80
Second leg (6.6 but ended up almost 6.8) of the race. Around Coalville, Utah. Leg was about 3:30 am and on rolling road. Felt ok but not racey at all. I have a hard time running hard in the dark. I feel like I'm going crazy fast and I'm really not going that fast. This leg ended up being like 5:58 pace. Really can feel the altitude and then in the last .4 I start dry heaving and just make it to the hand off.
Third leg (Ragnar 4 miles).
This is the leg that everyone seemed to talk about. When people talk about the WBR they talk about the Ragnar leg. Why? Because its straight up hill. Wasn't really that bad. There was even a little part that was flat that gave me some time to relax the quads that were on fire. Ended up doing it in 34:48 or @ 8:46 min/mile pace I think. I felt better on this leg than the two other legs before. I was happy with this leg, not that happy with the first two. This wasn't the fastest time up the mountain but was in the top 10 I'm guessing.
A mile a half warm up/ cool down on the day with both runs combined.
Team ended up in 3rd place overall out of 330 or something. Fun race! I decided I like running these relays because of the guys. It's just fun to work as a team and live in a van or Expedition. If you haven't done a relay you need to sign up for one.
Morning run up through industrial park and up the hill to the water tank then back down trail to the house. Felt really good for a Monday morning- one of the best Moday runs I've had in a long time. Around 7:20 pace
This afternoon I went out at 6:30 and it was still over 100 degrees out. I did fine for the first 6-7 miles hitting 6:30 pace or faster. Then in the 7th mile I got very dry and needed to be done fast. So I only went 8 instead of the 10 I had planned. Once I got to my in-laws house and finished the run I felt sick to my stomach and it took almost a half hour to cool down.
Moral of the story- When you go out and it is over 100 out, don't go more than 5 miles or so without water.
Good run this morning at 5 a.m. Went up to new overpass and then down through Washington and back home (9 miles). This town is a lot better place to be when the sun is asleep. I may have to start using my treadmill in the afternoons... it's just too hot to run and if you do go out it just zaps your energy for then next three days. We'll see what happens this eveing?
This evening I wanted to stay in and run on the treadmill... I should have! My wife wanted to go over to her parents house and have dinner so I warmed up on the treadmill for two miles then ran down past Costco and over to the in-laws. It's only about 6.4 miles down that way but it was over 104 degrees. This time I took water with me in a hydration pack, but it didn't seem to help. It was still just too hot. When I got to the house again like Monday it took me over a half hour to cool down and not feel sick.
So again I've got to play with ways to get in miles on my p.m. run until it cools of around here.
Got up at 5:20 a.m and ran the 2 miles down to the high school to meet the club. Waited until like 15 after and there was only a new guy Tony there. So I did a half mile more to be warm and started some speed miles- today there was no speed. I pretty much trashed my system last night on the hot run and could feel it like a slap in the face as soon as I started running this morning.
1. 5:26- Didn't feel good from the git go but thought as I pushed through I'd start to feel better.
2. 5:27- Same effort as the first, but by the end I don't want to do any- not even one more!
3. 5:48- Didn't want run this but am making mysef finish the workout I went there to do. Just ran lazy.
4. 5:48- Felt like I was even going slower on this mile. Dustin joined me on this one and him being there helped me push through. After I finished I was dry heaving. That seems to be happening like every run since my first leg of WBR. I think I need to do some ab work to help my stomach get over being a baby.
This workout pretty much sucked. Not only did I feel like barf, but I don't like the miles on the track. I'll stick to 800's and 400's and anything longer for speed I'll do out on the road. It's just too painful to run around the track. I can go out on the road and run the same pace and it feels a lot easier.
Between each mile did a 400. Then ran back home for 2 more miles.
Just an old fashion 7 miles on the treadmill this evening. Hit it right at 50:00. I started a 7 speed and worked my way up to 10 to finish the last half mile.
Nice run this morning at 4:45. Ran up through the industrial park to the water tank then back down. Went up the 4.5 in 36:00 and back down in 29:30. Felt good but didin't push anything.
Met up with the club at around 8 p.m. We ran a nice little loop around Bloomington for 8 miles tonight. The first two miles were slower but faster than I would have liked. I could tell that Steve wanted to push the pace and I was fine with that so we started to hit 6 min miles for the next three or four. A nice little push. Even though it was still around 100 the sun had gone down and it felt a lot better. Then we ran nice and easy for the last two miles or so to cool off.
Got up at 4:45 again and made myself go out on a 20 miler. The first 3-4 miles were up a dirt rocky trail and it was dark, I mean no light. So the pace was slow, but that was ok because I was feeling a little run down from the miles this week. I did the Winchestor Loop so by the time I got up there to the golf course I was finally feeling good. I ate a GU and got some water on the golf course and then hit the main road back to STG. Felt good on the downhill on into town. Then made my way back home. The last mile or so I was in need of a drink but all in all It was a pretty good run.
Torrey Apple days 5k (3.1 Miles) 00:17:55, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
13.00
Well this was kind of just for fun. I didn't taper at all for the race. In fact I was on a 100-mile week with 20 miles the day before. So I wanted to run it but just as like a tempo training run. The race was at 6,800-6,950 feet of elevation. The course wasn't fast by any means and it was out and back. Slight uphill the first .5 then .5 of downhill, then .5 uphill again- followed by the same backwards all on a freshly loose graveled road. Other than that it is very beautiful there and would point anyone in that direction for a good weekend in Southern Utah.
So I warmed up with just over 5.5 miles around the out skirts of town then made my way over to the start.
1. 5:31- Because of the way the course rolls I knew this would be the fastest mile so I pushed the start and felt good.
2. 5:44- Harder mile as you climb up to the turn around on the gravel. Same effort as the first mile and still feeling good. As I turn around I see the second place runner around 2 min's back and so I just kind of start coasting.
3. 6:08- You climb the hard hill in this mile and I wasn't in a hurry to get away from anyone so I tried to stay loose and wanted to push the last .5 from the top of the hill to the finish. I did run that section faster but not too much. Just felt good running in my hometown. 5:47 pace per mile for the race.
Fun race. IMHO I would have put together a different course to showcase the area a little more. It was actually a pretty good effort with what I'd done earlier this week and on the elements of the course and elevation. Had I been rested I could have maybe gone 1 min 30 seconds faster. On a flat course at lower elevation a little faster than that. Did just over 4.5 miles after the race to get to 13 on the day and 100 for the week.
I'm happy with my training this week and glad to see the improvement from one week ago. Starting to shake out the post-marathon garbage that my body goes through. Two good weeks of training before the week of the Bryce half. Then it's time to rock and roll and see where I'm really at.
