Relentless

AM - 4 Twix.  Warm run with the dog and then weights and abs.  Also got a bit of rolling in.  (Cumulus 395.75)

afternoon - 6.5 PV. Warmed up with the boys. Then the team did a 6 min Test. They did very well. Good growth in a month. Then did 3xHill Circuits. Finished with the girls and did a good game of quiz show. Got back to school with the very sad that my dog Molly died. She was an amazing part of our family for the past ten years. I took her out to the desert near Little Black Mountain and found a nice spot for her. In her younger years, she loved to run with me. And she always loved to go to the desert. Although she was old, it was very unexpected. Up until she died, she would get so excited when we would go for walks and jump around like a puppy. What a good dog. 

AM - 4 Twix. Wasn’t planning on running this morning, but our cute Molly died last night and originally I was going to walk the dogs I his morning because my achilles has been hurting and I thought a walk would do it good. But with the circumstances, I thought it might be good for Twix to get out and run so she wouldn’t be as antsy without her buddy. And it would be good for me, too, to just go for a few. So we did. Did abs, as well. (Pace 418.5)

afternoon - 8 Sullivan River Trail. Out and back in the River Trail. Over 70 degrees and it felt warm. Team’s a bit beat up right now. (Peg green 284.5)

morning - 20 Santa Clara River Reserve Trails. Big day for me. Old school’ers on here probably won’t believe this (and I couldn’t either). This is my first 20 miler since my final marathon 2 years and 4 months ago!  Back in the day, I remember a discussion with The Circle of Trust where we were saying how it was pretty cool that any day, any time we could go out and get 20 in, and that not many people could do that. So didn’t plan on 20, but I was enjoying the trails and the beautiful morning so much that I just kept going. Got tired toward the end and came home and took a nap, but still ave. 7:30 on the trails; so it wasn’t too sloggy either. Did most of it alone, but started for a mile with Steve and a little with Levi Hawks as well. Did the Rim Trails, then Black Brush, and finished with Barrel Roll; then down the single track to the bridge. Didn’t have any water - on the run or after the run (it spilled in the car in the way over and all over my socks).  Anyway, happy I was able to do it. Runs like this (even if it had been shorter) bring me great joy. And it was a bit cathartic after loosing Molly the other day. (Speedgoat 75.5)

AM - 4 Twix.  No gloves, no hat.  Pretty warm for the first part of Feb.  Did abs before.  (Pace 422.5)

afternoon - 13.5 River Trail.  Headed south on the trail this afternoon.  Had a few tempo sections and things felt pretty good after a big week last week.  (Boston 315.5)

AM - 4 Twix.  Run with Twix on another warm morning.  Weights and abs.  (Peg Oly 471.5)

afternoon - 3 Track.  Just ran around a little before and after the Root Beer Mile.  If you want to check out some epic Root Beer Mile action go to @pvxctrack on Insta or Twitter.  (Pace blue 206.5)

AM - 7.5 Twix/AC.  Up onto Bella Vista with Twix and then our first full morning run (besides weights and jog).  As usual, hammies are a bit tight and make me nervous.  Abs after.  (Peg blue 604.5)

afternoon - 8 GS. Run up around Green Springs. (Peg black33 517.75)

AM - Abs and walk with Twix.  Then weights and rolled.  Although I am getting to sleep at the usually productive time, I am a bit fatigued in general and need some more rest.

afternoon - 7.5 PV. Warmed and cooled around some pace work on the track with the crew that is mostly VGirls. (Adios 491.75)

AM - 4 Twix. Abs and a decent run with Twix. A good night’s rest helped. (Pace Blue 210.5)

afternoon - 9 Foremaster. Kind of a depleted crew as of late - sickness and injury are taking a toll on us right now. Finished up with 3xHill Circuit. Kind of liking those. Hearing positive feedback from the team as well. (Boston 324.5)

morning - 16 Prospector. Ran with Twix. It was the longest she’s gone in awhile, but she survived. So did I. It was a good run. I probably would have pushed out 20 w/o Twix, but it is all good. I need to be careful not to go too crazy. Love the desert; love running. (Speedgoat 91.75)

Finished the 2nd solid week in a row. 

Goals for next week: play it by feel if I need a little recovery, or can keep it solid  have been working on the hammies. Hopefully I can see some improvement. 

AM - 4 Twix.  Abs and a good quick pace with the dog.  She has really been bummed about Molly.  It is pretty sad to see.  (Peg Oly 475.5)

afternoon - 6.75 Washington.  It was raining pretty hard, so we switched up today's long run with tomorrow's shorter run.  (Kind of interesting though, that our shorter run was still longer than the longest runs I did in high school; that says a lot to our kids and the work they are willing to put in.)  Most of the team made it through the run fairly dry, but we hit the last 10 minutes in a pretty strong rain.  It made us happy that we were finishing and not just half way through.  (Peg green 291.25)

AM - 4 Twix.  The dog and I ran around the Parkway loop this morning.  Then weights and abs.  Wore my watch to check cadence.  Was at 168, so not bad.  Afternoons, however, are just always slower.  (Peg grey 557.25)

afternoon - 13.75 Parkway.  Good run with some tempo sessions.  A few kids are really pushing themselves.  Today was Cooper's turn to get a real good run in.  (Boston 338.25)

AM - 6.75 Twix/AC.  Abs and then run with the dog and then the team.  (Peg oly 482.25)

afternoon - 6.25 Elephant Arch.  Trails are nice with all the rain, so we went up in the desert to the arch.  The sand was very runnable.  (Peg black33 524)

AM - Walk with Twix and then weights and abs.  I am glad Twix makes me get up and going.

afternoon - 5 PV. Just around a bit warming and cooling with the team around their workout. I’m not feeling top-notch in the achilles and energy departments. (Cumulus 400.75)

AM - 6.5 Twix/AC. Abs and run with Twix. Then ran with the girls this morning. They are goofy. (Pace 429)

afternoon - 9.25 Roller Coaster. Ran out toward Shinobe Kibe and decided to do roller coaster. We hit them hard and my lungs were burning. (Peg blue 613.75)

morning - 22.25 ND Trails. Was all over the place this morning. Started off with a few laps of the Dirt Mile with Twix. Dropped her off and grabbed a handheld and gu and went back out. Went up Millcreek and hit Ice House. Decided to time it up and down (used to do some reps on it; would have to hunt down how quick those were, but today was 6:53 up/4:48 down). Such a burner. Then connected that to Mustang. Took my gu after hitting the pump house. Then went up Sand Hill. Hoped it would be in awesome condition after the rain, but the horses had torn it to pieces (I can’t totally remember, but I think 12:10 up/19:10 total). Thought about coming home down Grapevine here; I was really tired and hadn’t ever felt good the whole run. But decided to go up to Bracken’s and hit that loop. As always, it was breathtaking, but I was following the horses here, too. Dropped down to the gully to go through the tunnel then home. Got me excited to make a full Red Cliffs Desert Reserve Traverse FKT attempt. I think I’ll try it over spring break. (Speedgoat 114)

This run made me both feel better for the 55K in a couple weeks, and more worried. I was pretty wiped out and still need to add 10+ miles. 

Goals for next week: see if I can make a little progress on my right achilles. 

morning - 14.75 DM/Rim Trail. Went and did a couple laps with Twix up at the Dirt Mile. It started snowing and the wind was very cold. Then headed out to Hurricane and ran the Rim Trail with some of the team. It was super awesome. Very cold and windy in the way back, but the snow and trail was definitely worth it. A bit tired on the way back, but still hit a little negative split which is tough on this run with the big climb out of Sink Hole Wash toward the end. I am a bit concerned about our team a bit (I know some of you read this...). I just don’t feel the same vibe as the last few years right now; don’t know how to direct them down the proper path. (Speedgoat 128.75)

AM - Walk, weights, and abs. Got some new shoes, and cutting back with Tues and Thurs off of running. Hopefully brings a little relief to the achilles. Also getting a head cold again, so that’s fun. 4th or so this winter. Better than the flu though. 

afternoon - 6.5 Kick It.  Not a bad run.  Decent group of guys.  Nice to have a few getting healthy and back with us.  I felt decent, but was very tired after.  (Peg Purple 6.5)

AM - 5.5 Twix/AC.  Ran with the dog.  And then joined in with the girls today.  Hit abs after.  This cold is starting to grow.  I am conscientiously trying to really back down and heal up the achilles as well as get feeling better.  There is no way I could run a trail 55K if I am still feeling junk.  (Peg grey 562.75)

AM - walk with Twix; weights; and abs.  Cold is still lingering and really not getting any better.

afternoon  - 7 Kick It. Ran a bit and felt pretty crappy.  Shouldn't have run.  (Ravenna 7)

AM - walk with Twix and then abs.  Finished up with a nice batch of yoga.  Feeling worse than yesterday.  So I opted out of running.  Took the afternoon off as well.  Hopefully some rest will do the trick.

Nothing today either.  Feeling a little better.

AM - Twix/Turf Farm.  A couple with Twix before practice.  Felt pretty good and wished I could have taken her longer.  Then an hour with the girls team.  They are a fun group and it has been neat to see the progress of the younger girls.  First morning where my hands have been frozen after the run.  Typing this is quite interesting!  Quite a bit of coughing now that I've stopped running, but I felt okay energy-wise.  Abs.  (Ravenna )

AM - walk with Twix, weights, and abs.

afternoon - 5.5 Panorama.  Just ran around a bit.  Usually these kind of runs bug me and take forever, but today wasn't too bad.  Sat out the hill circuit because my cough is just blah.  Don't know if I'll be able to handle a trail 35 miler on Saturday - bumma.  (Ravenna 22)

AM - 7.5 Twix/AC.  Hit the usual this morning.  Although Twix is still occasionally a beast, that dog sure has grown up a lot.  Cough still pretty persistent.  Abs after. (Peg Purple 14)