Relentless

AM - 11 4xCemetery miles.  Last major interval session this morning.  Warmed up with 5 miles on the Parkway and then got into my miles.  Wasn't sure what would happen after last weekend's run but having a few days to get the legs back.  1-5:15, this totally surprised me.  I felt strong, but not like I was ripping it up; in fact, I backed off a little and didn't feel totally warmed up yet.  2-5:17, the first one scared me a little.  I was worried that it was much too quick and I would struggle the rest, so I backed off a little and thought I would be low 20's - so the time again surprised.  3-5:14, pushed a little and I was also a little tired.  4-5:12, finished up strong and pleased with the overall workout.  At the same time, I still am worried the workout; was it too strong, did I push too much?  I think those are just pre-race jitters however.  Cooled with just over a mile with a long way home and had to hurry to get to practice started and a dang all-day school meeting.  (Last Ohana 131.5)

morning - 4 Grass.  Just ran 3 at practice over on the grass (3.5 with warm up) and then with some of the kids groups on our first day of Summer Running Club - very big turnout, bigger than last year.  (Barefoot '11 70.5)(Five Fingers 458.6)

evening - 10 Club.  The usual loop.  Nice to run with the crew again.  Temps seemed a little warm, but they were actually really nice - I just haven't run in the afternoons lately.  (Altra 157.75)

morning - 10.25 Turtle Creek/Parkway.  Ran around the neighborhood for a little and then over to practice where we ran over to Turtle Creek and back.  I finished with the Parkway.  A little flat in the legs - kind of surprised since I iced last night.  (Kinvara 399.65)(Barefoot '11 71)

AM -15.5 DC.  With the Circle and also Taylor Stout, went from Dixie Center out into Bloomington (through Bloomington Hills).  Felt a bit tight and slow today so I wasn't too stoked about any tempo, plus it was a nice morning and nice to just run and chill with the all the sailors.  But on the way back I decided to throw a little out any way.  So went 5:45, 5:40, 5:35, 5:30.  Nothing crazy but some turnover.  Felt okay for parts and then tired for parts.  Logan then dragged Clyde and I back to the DC going about 6:10-20.  (Boston 647.5)  Bostons are pretty much on the way out - bottom has been dead for some time, but now they are starting to come unstitched here and there.  But got more mileage out of them that I thought for a lightweight trainer (and I will probably hit a bit more in them) - got a few new pairs of Adidas coming soon.  I am liking their lightweight fast feel.

Week was about what I would want.  Mileage was controlled, workout was good, hip is feeling good, practice and club got started off well.

Goals for next week:  Keep improving the feel of the legs (more icing, rolling - like I did today, and stretching), get ready mentally and physically for the big day.

morning - 7.5 Tortoise.  Ran up the Tortoise road for practice and then I added a little around the townhomes and up through Cottonmill for a little more.  (Barefoot '11 71.5)(Triumph silver 571.3)

AM - 8.5 Dirt Mile.  Went up to the desert (or what was once the desert) and marked out a mile loop for my team to run on every now and then.  While there I ran 4x1/2 miles at marathon pace.  Felt a little bit off, but nothing that didn't work itself out by the last one.  Not a killer pace, just nice and controlled.  (NB 101 77.75)

morning - 7.5 Dirt Mile.  Ran over to practice where we ran up to the Dirt Mile and ran a couple and back.  I then added a little around.  (Barefoot '11 72)(Free 470.45)

Iced up this morning and did the foam roller for the last time before the race.  Things are looking and feeling good.

Had a neighbor ask me the other day why I am still running.  His question was, "What do you still have to prove?"  I thought it was a rather odd question (but I guess not to nonrunners) - prove... I have a lot left to prove; you never stop "proving" throughout your whole life.

AM - 6 Desert/Grass.  Ran a couple miles before practice and then we hit the grass for practice.  At this point in the taper I get hypersensitive to how I am feeling.  It feels like everything aches a little more and each little soreness is amplified.  Once I hit the grass everything felt good.  (Barefoot '11 75.5)(Landreth black 1022.35)

morning - 4.5 Grapevine.  Ran from Sienna Hills Park out to Grapevine.  Nothing but good stuff in the legs.  And, ironically enough, I had "Time for me to Fly" in my mind all morning!  (Barefoot '11 76)(Stratus grey 802.85)

Utah Valley Marathon 2:42:06

A poor effort both mentally and physically.  My grandma has probably run the 2nd half of marathons better than this (but maybe not as part as a full, just a solo half).  (Last Ohana 185.5)

I'll write more later - but I know some of my friends would want to see how I did and wouldn't want to disappoint!

morning - 3.5 SLC.  Went up and ran barefoot at the Granite Park.  I had a little soreness in the quads that will be there for the next week or so, but other than that I felt fine.  Mentally I am ready to run hard again, but it will be a couple weeks before the legs are ready for anything quicker than easy pace.  (Barefoot '11 79.75)

morning - 5.75 Parkway.  Short version - 4 miles - (up to Maverick and then down and back around to the Elementary).  Felt pretty good today.  Recovery is going much better than I thought it would just after the race.  Got a few new shoes, so today I ran in the Adidas Oregon 11's.  They are kind of a retro looking shoe and they feel fast and light, which I like.  (Barefoot '11 80)(Oregon 5.25)

morning - 7.75 Dirt Miles.  Up to the dirt for practice.  The new Varsity guys are doing real well - they may develop into a decent squad.  A few of the girls need to push themselves a bit more.  (Barefoot '11 80.5)(NB 101 85)

morning - 3.5 Grass.  Barefoot day at practice.  Feeling solid still although my hip decided to hurt this morning.  It was weird because it hasn't hurt in quite awhile.  Will try a double today - hitting club later.  (Barefoot '11 84)

Lap Swim: 10 minutes

evening - 8.5 Club.  Ran down the trail to find Logan who had gone earlier - and bumped into him and ran a couple back where I found some of the boys and we ran the middle loop for 6 more.  Ended up being a little more than I had planned for the run, but I felt pretty good and my hip loosened up after a mile and felt much better.  (Rocket 8.5)

morning - 6.25 Middleton.  Ran from Middleton Park up the Turkey Farm Road for practice today.  Pretty weak turnout (maybe 20 kids).  But the run was a good workout for everyone 2 miles up the hill and back.  Molly's Mile with Ry when I got home.  She has been running a lot, 1+ miles pretty much every day.  No hip pain this morning.  (Mana 6.25)

lap swim: 10 min. 

AM - 10 Little Black Mt.  Joined Logan for the first of his two loops out in the desert.  The morning was great.  And I felt pretty good.  Hip had only a slight twinge for a little and then things went well.  Could have done (and wanted to do) more, but decided that I should hold off through the weekend - no need to do something stupid and then feel junky next week.  (NB 101 95)

lap swim: 15 min.  Feeling pretty good on my swims.  It isn't a long time, but I am starting to get a better feel for my breathing.  And the extra time today wasn't a big deal at all.

Good recovery week.  Feeling good now at the end of the week.

Goals for next week:  Bring the mileage up a bit, try not to push the pace too hard, but give myself one more week for that to come around.

AM - 10 Hell's Hole.  Got a few miles before practice around the neighborhood and then ran down into Hell's Hole just a little with the team and then a few more around the neighborhood after.  Really feeling pretty good right now.  (Barefoot '11 84.5)(Oregon 14.75)

lap swim: 10 mins.  A little more tired in the arms than last week.

afternoon - 6 Lower Grapevine - Long Hill.  Out for my first afternoon run in awhile.  While it was plenty hot, it wasn't too bad (much hotter days are to come - this week even).  Felt pretty good while taking it pretty easy; except up the hill - which is something I will be working on this summer).  (Triumph  745.75)

AM - 10 Grass/Dirt.  Went over to practice and ran some on the grass and then we went up to the dirt mile and ran 4 laps.  Boys looked strong and the girls responded well to a discussion about group running.  Finished with a little more.  (Barefoot '11 87)(NB 101 102.75)

lap swim: 15 mins.  Felt pretty strong swimming today.  It takes awhile, but then the time gets moving.  I would imagine somewhat like a person just getting into running and watching his watch all the time and it has only been a minute or two.

AM - 10.5 Green Springs.  Around the neighborhood before practice and then up to Green Springs.  Sent most of the group a little shorter and Tyson and I had an interesting talk on the beginnings of man.  Finished up with 8xbarefoot striders and some more around the neighborhood.  (Barefoot '11 88.5)(Mana 14.75)

lap swim: 10 mins.  Got a out little later in the afternoon to swim and wasn't sure if I wanted to, but decided to anyway and ended up enjoying it.

afternoon - 6 Lower Grapevine.  And then went straight from the pool to the run.  Took Lower Grapevine and Long Hill again (like the other day).  Hit the fountain at the Parkway for some water on my shirt - which I wore as a hat, it was a saving grace on a very hot day.  (Landreth black 1028.35)

morning - 5 Grass.  Kind of all over - grass, home, back and then around a bit at the kids' club.  (Barefoot '11 92)(Five Fingers 460.1)

lap swim: 10 mins.  Felt a bit off on my swim today.

evening - 10 Club.  Dang hot!  But a good run nonetheless.  Felt pretty decent other than the heat, which I am just too old to defeat any more.  (Oregon 24.75)

AM - 9 Fields.  Went out to PV Park for practice where I ran a loop to get some mileage numbers for the team and then we went out and I did it again.  Hip a little tight this morning and a little drained from last night's heat - but not bad.  (Barefoot '11 92.5)(Rocket 17)

lap swim: went to the lake with the fam and swam a little there - mostly just for fun to see what it was like to swim outside of a pool.

AM - 14 Utah Hill.  Ran the loop up on the front side of Utah Hill.  Felt pretty good throughout, but got tired at the end.  Up by Dead Cow Pass, a little coyote ran out on the dirt road in front of us for a few hundred meters and then he slid to the side trail and we ran right along side of him for a little more.  Something was obviously wrong with him to let us be that close to him.  (NB 101 116.5)

Pretty good week getting back into a little more of a schedule.

Goals for next week: Mileage right around the same 80-85'ish.  Keep an eye on the hip and not let it get hurting too much.  Get to the weight room 2x's.  And maybe get into a little bit of a workout one day.

AM - 12.75 Parkway.  Ran a few on the treadmill before practice while Ally was out running.  Then for practice we did Parkway and Corey and I added a couple more.  Then a little with my girls.  Felt pretty good today except my left knee which decided to start aching over the weekend - kind of the stiff, puffy ache that just won't go away - it bugged me just a little on the run.  (Barefoot '11 98)(Altra 170)

lap swim: 10 mins.  Felt good on the swim this morning.  Could have done more quite easily, but have a double run today, so no need to push anything.

afternoon - 6 Lower Grapevine.  Put on a soaked hat and kept my shirt on to see if it would help it feel cooler.  It actually worked - even though it was 104, it didn't feel a bit over 102.  Felt good.  Pushed up the hill pretty hard.  (Triumph silver 576.8)

AM - 10 Buena Vista.  Went to get on the tready for a couple before practice, but the girls all started getting up.  So I took Elin in the stroller and we ran around the neighborhood, then over to practice where we ran with the girls on the Buena Vista loop, then we finished with a couple more around Dogtown.  It ended up being quite awhile on the feet for just a 10 miler, but it was fun to push her around, and it is fun to run with the girls team.  (Free 480.45) 

lap swim: 15 mins.  Getting pretty decent at this swim stuff - at least from where I was at.

AM - 15.5 Dirt.  Got up a little earlier and went up to the Dirt Mile to run some 400's with 1 min. rest.  Hadn't done anything quick for awhile and this was the first workout since UVM, so I didn't want to do too much.  Warmed up for 2 then hit 1:20, 17, 18, 11, 14.  Felt pretty good.  The first few I was just warming up and getting used to the type of speed again.  Next week I'll add a few more in and hopefully keep the times down a little more.  Then over to practice and went back to the Dirt Mile for some laps to work on pacing with the team.  Finished with 8xbarefoot striders. (Barefoot '11 95.5)(NB 101 129.5)

lap swim: 10 mins.

afternoon - 8 Parkway/Hell's Hole.  Elin wouldn't sleep, and it was a little overcast and cooler than the last couple days, so I took her out on the run.  It was pretty dang windy, but that with the clouds made a nice temp (comparatively), so I decided to extend down Hell's Hole and see the damage the floods this past winter did to the trail - not bad except in one place where it is totally washed out.  E like the run and slept for only about 30 mins.  Took my hip about a mile to warm up - I hate going out in the summer afternoons because of that hip pain, but usually after 1-2 miles it loosens up good and life goes okay.  (Kinvara 416.65)

morning - 3.5 Grass.  Not much this morning as it was pretty busy.  I had to get all the stuff ready for the Kids' Summer Running Club's race and get ready for a stinking coaches meeting at the District.  So that limited my running a bit.  Okay though, since I hit a big day yesterday and will get a good run in this evening at Club.  (Barefoot '11 99)

lap swim: 10 mins.

evening - 10 Club Run.  Good solid pace throughout.  Not nearly as hot as last week and that helped significantly.  (Rocket 27)