Little Buddha

Still struggling with some illness, I have a pretty bad cough and stuffed up nose.  I wasn't going to run today, but decided to give it a try tonight and was able to manage six easy miles. I ran down and through a new subdivision they are building between La Verkin and Toquerville so it was a new route, made the time go by faster.  Hopefully, I'll be feeling better tomorrow.  This little illness has been bothering me since Thursday night.

DS Trainer- 16.5 

Still feeling some sickness so took the day off.

Club run from Enterprise Res down toward Veyo. The run was ok, I'm a not a big fan of running on trails and dirt roads, but I just tried to do my best today. I felt pretty good the first 12 miles, except on some of the steep uphill sections. I stopped and waited for Bill at mile 11, then I pretty much struggled the rest of the run. We started a little later than we should have and I ran out of fluids, I think everybody was kind of feeling the effects of the heat, by the end. My coughing continued throughout the run, and was pretty bad the rest of the day. I finally got some better medicine later in the evening, which seems to have helped. I am still feeling a little drained though. My legs are feeling a little hashed from the run.

Nimbus-269

Better run this afternoon than yesterday morning with the club. I ran from the cabin in Pine Valley down to Central. There was some nice gradual downhill and I averaged 7:00 pace for 8.1 miles, and I felt like I was taking it pretty easy. I still have a little cough today, but seem to be feeling a little better. I don't think I'm going to make it over to the club run, tonight but I still might go out and do a few more miles here in La Verkin.

Cumulus-31

Didn't get out very early this morning. Ran 2.5 miles over to Hurricane High School, then did a few 800m repeats

1-2:44

2-2:41

3-2:43

4-2:45

I didn't feel very good on the 800s probably because of the heat and still feeling a little run down from the last few days.

The 2.5 miles home were very slow.

DS Trainer-24.5

I didn't make it over to Clyde's to run with the guys this morning.  I had a rough night sleeping and so did a few of my kids.  Anyway, I did get out a little latter this morning and ran 12 miles.  I did an out and back course, out to Toquerville and up the road toward the freeway 6 miles, then turned and came back.  It was an ok run, variety of uphills and downhills.  My legs are feeling a little tight and I still have a little cough, but not as bad as the other day.  My mileage for the week is only 50, but I'm still satisfied, considering I didn't run much on Monday, and took Tuesday completely off, because I wasn't feeling too good.  I registered for the Bryce Canyon Half Marathon yesterday, and I'm excited for the race.  I feel like I'm in better shape than last year, so I'm getting excited to see how my times will compare.

Cumulus-43

Ran up over 600 North Trail, then cut down through the new sub division came out by Ernestos, then picked up pace to the gas station to make a pit stop, came back to La Verkin and added .5 miles down past Beechers.  Still have a cough, and hamstrings and hip flexors a little tight.

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Easy 2 miles this morning up 300 West to the fire hydrant and back. Right hip is hurting some.

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This afternoon I did 1 easy mile over to pick up my truck. I got the engine replaced, so it should run good for a few more years. After a nap this afternoon, I ran 5 miles on the treadmill, blah, blah at least the major league baseball all-star game was on to pass the time. After five miles I decided to go outside, it had cooled down some. I was only going to do an easy 2 miles up to the fire hydrant again, but decided instead to push the pace and run up to the substation and back in Hurricane. The two miles over I tried to push the pace, averaged 7:22 mostly uphill, coming back I average 6:13 and felt pretty good. My hip is still pretty sore, so I need to keep that in check, not to get too injured.

DS Trainer-34.5

Rest day

I decided to take yesterday off and see if it would help my hip feel any better.  I'm also interested to see if my cough is being caused by running.  I've never really had coughing problems like I've had lately.  I'm not sure if it is something in the air or something that is exercise induced.  Anyway, I might also take another day off today, as we are traveling to Phoenix later this afternoon, and we'll be there through the weekend.

Well, after 5 days off, I went for a run today.  I only did 4.5 miles this afternoon out along the 600 North trail.  I went at about the worst time of day and died in the heat.  I spent the rest of the day sheet rocking a garage, so now I'm pretty sore.  My cough didn't bother me as bad as it was a few days ago, so hopefully I'm getting better.

Nimbus-281.5 

Didn't get out this morning, I was camping with the scouts and got back into town just in time to leave for work. Tonight, I ran 2.5 over to Hurricane High School then did 8 x 400m with 200 m rest/recovery. The repeats felt ok, but not great, 75, 74, then the remaining six were all 76. My hip was hurting a little during the workout and is still pretty sore tonight. I was having some problems with it last week as well as a bad cough. The cough seems to be better, but the hip issue still remains. I'm getting a little worried with the half marathon coming up this weekend. Did a real easy 2.5 miles home.

DS Trainer-42.5

Nice easy run with the club, the pace was smooth and enjoyable, I could actually visit a little with the guys. We ran 6.6 miles and my hip felt pretty good. My only complaint was my dinner which hadn't fully settled, but besides that everything else went pretty good.

Cumulus-52

Well my race was just "average" I was pretty worried going into the race, since I've been experiencing some sickness the last few weeks and my training has really been down. I was also concerned a little about my hip, but it actually felt pretty good during the race, so that is good. In all the other races I've ran this year my times have been faster than a year ago, so I was hoping for the same today. Last year I ran 1:18:25 and today I just barely ran faster than last year 1:18:08, so I guess I can be happy about that, but I still think if I would have had a few better weeks of training leading up to this race I could have ran about a minute or two faster, anyway I finished about where my training level is at, so I just need to accept that and get to working harder. I'm already thinking about doing the Provo Half Marathon and or Hobblecreek in August. Actually, the next few weeks things should slow down for me some and I should be able to pick up the training.

Race report

Easy 1 mile warm-up with the St. George boys

1- 5:58- The starter got happy and fired the gun about 5 times, which made a lot of people stop at the beginning thinking it was a restart. I was one who stopped and then found myself, behind quite a few slower people. I was still around 20th place at the mile marker.

2-6:05 (12:04) Good group running with Steve Hooper and Ryan

3-5:15 (17:20) This is a really fast downhill here

4-5:28 (22:48) Steve surges ahead and runs a good race. I stick with Ryan for awhile

5-5:47 (28:35) Still feeling really good, nice and relaxed, except I can feel a blister coming on my right heel, same place I had a huge one last summer after a 20 mile downhill run.

6-5:46 (34:22) Good pace and feeling pretty good. Ryan has dropped off some and Cheston has caught up to me and passed me. Steve and Jose Martinez have about 45 seconds on me.

7-5:59 (40:21)

8-6:15 (46:37) I think around here there was a slight hill coming into Tropic

9-6:21 (52:58) Starting to hurt a little and slow down

10-6:07 (59:05) Trying to pick up the pace

11-6:09 (1:05:14) The blister on my right heel is really starting to bother me now and is kind of effecting my stride.

12-6:20 (1:11:35) Feeling the effects of my lack of training.

13-6:07 (1:17:41) Pretty pleased with the effort on the last mile

.1-:27 Finish time 1:18:08 (5:57 min per mile)

After the race it was fun to talk to the other guys in the club and from the fastrunningblog.

There were some really great performances today. However, I just felt like mine was ok. I wasn't really disappointed, but at the same time not all that excited.

Some real soreness still from the race on Saturday I was only going to get out and do two or three miles, but once I got going I felt alright, so I went ahead and did 7.5 miles. I went over to Hurricane, out past Wendy's, then back on 400 South. Nice and easy pace. I would like to increase my mileage and training intensity over the next few weeks last year my training was really good during August and September and I need to have the same thing happen this year, if I want to accomplish my marathon goals this fall.
Cumulus-59.5 

Pretty easy 9.5 this morning. I ran out on 600 North trail, then stopped in at the boys swimming lessons on the way back. I got home and decided to do another 2 miles to make it over 9 miles. Was excited to read about some of the performances at Desert News. Especially happy to see Steve Olsen take 4th overall in the marathon.

Nimbus-290.5

Almost 1.5 hours of basketball this morning, then went for an easy 2 mile run over past the bridge and to the turn around and then back home. Did two easy miles late tonight, after taking the young men to the temple.

DS Trainer-44.5 

Good 8 mile run, mid morning, it started getting a little warm and muggy the last few miles, but overall felt pretty good 7:39 average pace. I ran up to the pool, then out on 600 North trail and then cut down through the new sub division, then back into Hurricane, stopped at the park for water, then home. Plan on running with the club tonight at 8:00 pm. My right hip is still bothering me, but the rest of my soreness from Bryce seems to be gone. I was pretty happy when I got on the scale after my run, of course much of the weight loss was due to sweat, but I weighed in at 140lb. The lowest I got down to last year was 142 right before the marathon. When I was running in college I was usually around 135 to 137, so I'm getting closer.

Cumulus-67.5

Ran 6.5 miles tonight out in the reserve with the Wildbull, Super Dave, and the Hoopster. I felt pretty good, tried to pick up the pace a little in the middle of the run.

DS Trainer- 51

Played basketball for 1 hour 20 minutes, easy 2 mile run to the fire hydrant and back. I did an easy 5 mile run down through Confluence park.

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We (club) were planning on doing a run from Anderson Junction back to St. George along the frontage road, but that didn't workout, so I did an easy 5 miles over to Hurricane and back, then a 10 mile loop that went from my house and up to the Overlook on a single track trail, once on top I took off toward the east and south toward Virgin, then came back on the highway, down the La Verkin Twist, and through town on Main Street. The first five miles were at 8:00 min pace, I ran 6 miles around 7:30 pace, and 2 miles around 6:30 pace, the other miles were slower.

I hit my goal of 70 miles for the week, so I feel pretty good about that, next week I need to get in a speed workout or two. Also last night I got signed up for the Provo River Half Marathon, which is in two weeks. I ran the race in 2004, 1:24:30 or something around that, however, I really think I'm going to crush that time this year.

Cumulus- 82.5

Did a pretty challenging hike most of the day, with my son Jordan, my father in-law, and some friends from Alaska.  We climbed from the north side of Pine Valley Mountain, up to the summit 9900 ft, then back down to Oak Grove Campground on the south side.  The overall distance was 6.5 miles, but was kind of slow going.  We had to stop quite a bit to let Jordan rest, but overall he did pretty good.  I'm going to try to do a few more miles maybe later tonight.

Decent run this morning. I went from the house out to my new school and back. Good 4 mile out and back. Overall 7:39 pace I checked out my schedule for the upcoming year, and it looks pretty good. 1st hour- plan, 5 classes of 7th grade Utah History, and 1 class of 6th grade Early Civilizations. School starts at 7:45 and we get out at 2:00 pm, which should really work well with my running schedule and also when I do driver's education over in St. George.

My weight has gone up a little the last few days. I had a big steak and potatoes dinner on Sunday night, before our hike, then last night Sunny and I went to Texas Roadhouse for our anniversary. I thought the food was really good and the price was decent. However, now I have some extra pounds to work off this week.

DS-Trainer-59

Went out and did an easy 2 miles with Sunny tonight, she did good.