Fly on the Wall

Just some more ez recovery miles on JRP.

Not sure on the miles, but who's counting?

I ran from a trail head in the upper Aves to the summit of Little Black Mountain.  This is part of the course for Saturday's race.  I had planned to run the course through to City Creek canyon but there was enough snow on the ridge at Smugglers Gap that I turned around.  The drop into the canyon is steep and the trail would have been buried.  I was running out of time, didn't have any gear, and was solo.  The snow will continue to melt but I can't imagine the decent into City Creek will be melted out in a week.  On Saturday (day after I was up there) the race director tried to hike in supplies to the Smuggler's Gap aid station but was denied by the deep snow.  This could be an interesting race.  

It is big trash pick up time in Rose Park.  So I ran through the neighborhood and looked at big trash piles.  

Ladder at 6:00 to 6:10 pace w/ 1/4 mile recovery jog.  69° w/ 8 mph wind.

0.5 warmup. 

0.25, 5:52 (trying to find pace, oops too fast)

hit stop instead of lap.... ran 0.13 before I realized...  doubled back and started over.

0.5, 5:57

0.75, 6:08 (ouch)

0.75, 6:07 (more ouch)

0.5, 6:10  (could have been faster)

0.25, 5:56

0.13, 5:33 (just because of the previous 0.13 w/o Garmin)

0.3 cool down.

JRP.  

JRP ez.

If I had to choose, I’d probably choose the Wahsatch Steeplechase as my favorite race.  Boston has the cheering crowds.  St. George is fast and friendly.  But the Wahsatch Steeplechase is fun, fun, fun.  I wish I could talk some of you into running it.  This race is not just for faster runners.  There are plenty of 4, 5, 6, and even 7 hour finishers (the cut off is 6 hours).  “Bueller?... Bueller?... Bueller?”  “Class? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?…” 

There was still too much snow to run the course, so for the second time in some 30 years an alternate was used.  Not to fear, the alternate, while not as adventuresome as the original, was still great with 14 miles and 7,200 feet (elevation gain + loss) of beautiful views and fun trails.  We ran an out and back/loop from Memory Grove up to Dude Peak on the northwest side of City Creek Canyon.  The final mile or so to and from Dude Peak is plagued with loose marble to softball sized rocks, making for some careful, attentive running.  Luckily I only rolled each ankle once, on the way up, and not very badly.  The course included a steep decent back into City Creek Canyon with a drop of >1,100 feet in about a mile. 

Last year a friend beat me by less than a minute, the year before I beat him by 7 minutes.  This year could have been a rematch but he ran with his 11 year old son!  This coupled with the alternate course took the pressure off.  This means less recovery time before I can get back to training for St. George.

While my finish time was not spectacular, my finish sort of was.  With about a mile to go I was having a conversation with someone who was passing me.  We decided it was too late in the race to be at conversation pace, so he picked up the pace and I tried to follow.  We started picking off runners, while he eventually left me behind.  As I neared the finish I had one more guy in my sights and I figured I could just pass him at the line by maintaining my pace.  A few yards before the line I was just off his right shoulder when he finally saw me coming.  The guy took a flying leap and beat me.  In doing so he tumbled down a grassy incline after the finish with me close in tow.  We crashed, skidded, and rolled. 

Slowest mile:  mile 7 @ 16:09 (included a quick pit stop)

Fastest mile:  mile 14 @<6:34 (last mile, I forgot to stop my Garmin)

2:25:17.  34^th of  249.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/92178674

JRP.  1.5 miles at a faster pace with the fast guy.  1.5 slow miles alone.

JRP ez.  Just a bit of soreness remains in my quads and left ankle.

JRP EZ.  I was hoping to run intervals but I felt like I really needed another recovery day.

It is finally warm, but only for today I think.

JRP.  Ladder of intervals, 0.25, 0.5, 0.25, 0.75 0.75 0.5 0.25, & 0.3 with 0.25 very slow recovery jog/walk.   Goal pace <6:10

0.5 warmup

0.26 @ 5:59

0.51 @ 6:07

0.75 @ 6:06

0.75 @ 6:03

0.5 @ 6:08

0.25 @ 6:08

0.3 @ 5:57

0.6 recovery

When I run hard intervals I feel awful and have negative thoughts while I'm doing them.  Then almost as soon as I'm done I feel pretty good and have positive thoughts.

EZ.  Downtown, Memory Grove....

Mouth of Provo Canyon up river trail past Bridal Veil Falls and back.  This should have been a pace run but I'm not sure what pace to run uphill and downhill.  I just ran hard uphill and tried to keep it below 6:45 downhill.

 1.1 mile warmup. 3 miles up canyon. 3.6 miles down canyon.  0.4 mile cool down.

up 7:10, 7:28, 7:43

down 6:45, 6:42, 6:41, 6:45

ave.- 7:03

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93736112 

Sluggish run.

Woke up the last two mornings with a mild fever.  Then by mid day I feel better.  Hmmmm....

JRP.  6 x 1/2 mile intervals w/ 1/4 mile recovery jog, walk, or crawl.  77°.

1/2 mile warmup.  Pacing on intervals- 5:52, 5:54, 5:56, 5:56, 5:55, 5:56, extra 0.3 mile at 6:00.  1/2 mile cool down.  Running that fast didn't feel good!

JRP Just not feeling it.

JRP.  Hardest easy run in a long, long time.  Just a slog...  Should have done a pace run but did not feel up to it. 

Provo River Trail.  Felling better but not 100%.

Mouth of Provo Canyon up river trail past Bridal Veil Falls and back.  Same as last week, ran hard uphill and tried to keep it below 6:45 downhill.

 1.1 mile warmup. 3 miles up canyon. 3.6 miles down canyon.  0.45 mile cool down.

up 7:28, 7:36, 7:51   down 6:46, 6:40, 6:47, 6:36    ave.- ~7:08

Last week  up 7:10, 7:28, 7:43  down 6:45, 6:42, 6:41, 6:45  ave.- 7:03

So slower than last week.  I'm glad this running week is over and hope next week will go better.

Cross training.  I was going to run in the late afternoon but fell asleep on the sofa.

JRP.  Goal was a 3.3 mile interval ladder at <6:10 pace with 0.25 recoveries.  But summer is here.  I took an early lunch and it was still 88° by the time I was done.  Plus the wind was blowing 17 mph  w/ gusts to 25 mph.

0.25- 6:10,  0.5- 6:05, 0.75- 6:12, 0.76- 6:13,  0.5- 6:17 (feeling the headwind), 0.25- 6:04 (downwind), 0.3- 6:08.  A lot of walking and trying to cool off during the recoveries.   Not at goal pace but considering the heat, not so bad? 

Really slow on JRP.

JRP.  Goal was 6 miles at 6:50 pace.  I failed miserably.  It was only 72°, so it wasn't the heat.  I don't know but I just crashed and burned.  I couldn't keep pace for even 4 miles.  Very discouraging.  I'm not sure what to think.  Should I adjust my training, give up on goal time, or just dismiss it as a bad run?  Are my legs and the rest of me tired from faster intervals even though my mileage is low?  Hmmm...

0.3 warmup.  6:49, 6:49, 6:54, 7:07 and I was done.  2 miles slothing it back in.