Clyde's Comeback!

Drove home from Torrey. We had some Taco Bell in Richfield and it will prove to be a big mistake. There was heavy rain from Richfield to New Harmony and then it stopped. 

16 mile run this morning on the normal loop but extended onto the Coral Canyon Mesa and then back around. It smelled like rain when I went out early this morning but I'm not sure a drop ever touched the ground. It must have been the wind blowing from the north. We drove through rain all day yesterday on the way home. However it did feel just a little cooler this morning and I was pleased with mother natures effort. 

A very smooth effort today on my part on the morning run. 8 miles in 1:02 and 16 in 1:56. I didn't really pick it up a lot on the second part just less climbing on that portion. I had some Taco Bell on the trip home yesterday and it put me trail side twice this morning for potty stops. Once I burned out all the Taco Bell I actually felt great for a Monday. So hopefully the rest of the week will work out the same.

( blue cumulus 421.25) 

10 miles for Monday Night Meat Grinders. It was 104 when I pulled into the parking lot and some of the guys were late so it could have cooled down a degree or so before we left. However this week didn't seem as bad as last week. I kept a more consistent effort and really wanted to make sure all of them were under 8 min's.

1. 7:38- Really didn't feel like I was working too hard. I packed a water bottle up on this one and just plugged along.

2. 7:42- I was really shocked when I got to the top and saw this one was slower than the first. I pushed it pretty good, but went out really slow at the first and that must have been why it was slow.

3. 7:34- I really wanted to make sure this one was under 8 min's so I tried to push a little harder than the last one all the way up. When I got up I was pleased to see that it was the fastest one of the night for me.

Overall not a stand out performance tonight, but a well rounded/ solid effort. I really have a hard time pushing myself hard during these workouts. My mind kind of goes into survival mode and I do just enough to get by. I'd like to train my brain to dig a little deeper on speed or hill workout days.

(Blue Stratus) 

14.8 mile loop up onto the Coral Canyon Mesa but cut a little shorter than yesterday. I was very unwilling to get out this morning after the hill workout last night. But once I got out I realized I wasn't as trashed as I was last week. I just plugged along- I swallowed a bug of some kind coming past the turf farm... then from there on home I was hacking away trying to get it out of my throat. That part sucked. 

(Landreth 317.5) 

5.3 mile run on the treadmill. I actually wanted to run on it today. I  had no intentions of going outside- for some reason I just didn't want to deal with the heat today. Nice run on the  mill- Did it in 10 songs on the I-pod.

Big workout this morning. 17.5 miles with 5.25 at tempo pace effort. I ran part of my normal run but up onto the Coral Canyon mesa and went to the park (8.6 miles out) for a drink and restroom. Then I ran back the same way until I was at 9 miles. From there I started the tempo back up the road on top of the mesa and then dropped off the hill by the watertank (steep and rocky) and made my way back over to the new overpass. I ran up over that and down to the intersection by the fire station- then up the dirt road (killer hill at tempo) and back down into GS. I stopped the tempo at the fence. From there I did a cool down of 3.25 miles up to the water coolers on the golf course and back home. 

This is a tough area to run way fast on due to the terrain, but the effort was solid this morning. It's that time... I really need to do at least one good tempo every week or I'm going to be stuck with no improvement. Hopefully from here I can finish the week off strong and then have a good taper week next week to run Bryce on.

(white cumulus 409.3) 

4 miles on the treadmill this afternoon. If the distance is low the treadmill isn't too bad.  

16.2 mile run this morning. Up over the new overpass and along the freeway to the spooky tunnel that goes under the freeway. I've wanted to run under it and follow that trail for a while so today was the day. At the tunnels entrance I shouted to make sure there wasn't a vagabond sleeping inside and then I tip toed through the whole time thinking a group of snakes were going to attack me in the dark. Anyways I made it through and ran the trail up over the hill and back down around to GS- then home around Middleton. 

Good run. I really enjoyed running on the trail. I was there right when the sun was coming up and it made for a nice morning. The hamstrings are very tight and I just want to hold on to this week before getting a message on Saturday or so. I may be heading up to Provo today to meet someone who is buying my car.... we'll see if it all works out. 

(Red Stratus)  

5 mile loop around GS. I'm selling my car to a lady in Ogden and am leaving today to meet her Friday morning to make the exchange in SLC. So I wanted to get the run over with before driving.

I'll be back Friday afternoon so I'm still in for the run on Saturday morning. Logan if you want to do the NEMC (National Elite Marathon Championship) course I'd be down with that.  Let me know what you guys want to do. 

3.2 mile out and back little shake out once I got up to Orem. I guess it's real- I'm really selling my car tomorrow and I'm sad now. For some reason I kind of hope it falls through and I can keep her a little longer. Not really but this is the first time I've been sad about selling off a car.

Out and back 9.5 miles each way. I left at around noon here in Orem and it felt better than it does at home at 5 a.m. I left Orem and ran up the the Provo river trail and took it as far as it would go. Then I hit a park and I jumped through a fence and ran up the canyon a little more on the rail road tarcks. Out in 1:07:48 (7:06 pace) and then back in 1:02:47 (6:35 pace) I was going to get up way early and get a run in but the hammys were as tight as banjo strings. So I went to SLC and took care of the car... all bye, bye. Then came back and had some time while I waited for Mik'L's dad to golf so I went out for the run. A pretty good run overall. I felt really good on the way up considering it's all uphill. Then on the way back I didn't try to push the pace, I tried more to just let the downhill pull me home. Anyway glad it's in the bank and now to recover so I can run with the club in STG tomorrow.

(Blue Cumulus 440.25)

I ran the National Elite Marathon Championships today with the STG Running Club. We stuck together as a pretty tight group working off one another until we all pulled out early to DNF. It was a very muggy morning. It rained last night and then it stayed overcast to keep things more like the east coast than typical STG. It was very nice to see the town get some rain and I'll always be happy for water. The course runs from the Dixie Center down into Bloomington (part of the Painters course) and then up around Bloomington Hills to be a 12.3 mile loop. We then dropped back down into Bloomington to do the first part again and then all stopped at around 20 to take a DNF for the race. The race directors still need to work on a few miles here and there around Bloomington Hills to get it certified through USATF- but there is some great potential for things if the director gets his stuff together. Dave, Logan, and I all got comped in, however the high schoolers, James and Bill had to pay the ultimate price. We were all covered in bugs by the end of the run and because of the muggy weather we were extra sweaty. Logan's shorts were soaked 4 miles into the race. Maybe due to the competition he peed his pants I'm not sure... I don't know about that kid?

Good run on only 3 hours of sleep. We didn't leave Orem last night until 9:45 and then drove home, and by the time I got to sleep it was 2 a.m. Then the alarm went off at 4:30. Nice!

I got a solid week of training in hitting solo runs of 16, 17.5, 19, and todays 20.4. A great base building week. It didn't do Jack for my speed which is what I really need to work on but I guess that will come the rest of the summer.  

(SS 148.5) 

10.3 mile bike ride = 2.5 miles of easy running. It was so nice today with the overcast sky's and the moist ground I just couldn't stay off the bike. I had to go out for a big ride. So this will be the only bike miles I've counted all week, and I earned every one of them. I left the house and road up the trail to the powerline and then over to Millcreek trail and back around the fire house and then home. I was really proud of myself for being able to peddle up everyone of those rocky hills without having to put a foot down- ever. I'm not the best bike rider in the world but those hills are step and rocky. My bike climbs like a goat.  By the time I got up to the top of Millcreek I was sweating so bad everything was soaked, and the camel back was running out fast. I made it home just in time before the front tire went flat? Anyways it was a great ride and great weather until later in the afternoon when the sun came out and it's insane hot again.