Relentless

morning - 10 City Wells. A great morning run up in the desert. A beautiful sunrise as I ran in the high desert with the towns lights down below reminded me why I love running so much. (VertK 55.5)

afternoon - 10 Indian Cliffs. Out on the cliffs up above the dump. Didn't get all the way to the Indian ruins though because I just wanted to make sure I controlled myself a bit today. (Connect 454)

AM - 10.5 Parkway/PVHS. A thought I was feeling okay yesterday, but it hit me a bit more this morning. Some large creature scared me to death down by Millcreek. (F50 419)

afternoon - 9.75 Grass/2xHarts/Home. Ran 4 on the grass barefoot and then a Harts warm and cool with the team. Lifted weights and then ran home. More fatigued this afternoon. Won't be doing the workout I had hoped for tomorrow. (Barefoot '13 20)(Kinvara3 241.75)

AM - 10.25 Clyde's. Didn't have frozen hands at the end of the run. Nice. Didn't necessarily feel any better than yesterday. Super tired. (Stratus grey 1062.1)

afternoon - 10 River Trail AT Tempo. Earlier in the week I had hoped that I could get a good workout in today, but after being so tired yesterday, I wondered if I should even try any of this run with the team. Decided to give it a shot and see if a little bit would work out the legs a little. Took the first mile to get the legs going, but had an okay AT tempo for 24 minutes. Next week I will turn this into the first of a couple or so sets (or something like that). (Mana 264.25)

AM - 10.5 Highland Hill/Mall.  Got a decent sleep even with a weird dream - I was at the Phoenix Marathon and there was all this strange stuff for the "elite" runners (which I was part of) like creating a computer generated picture of the start and putting yourself on the front row and other strange things about the course; and there were all these people at the expo/packet pick-up from back in high school and college (people I haven't seen in 15+ years).  When the race started I couldn't run... ahhh! one of those dreams!  everyone took off and I was behind some lady that had a green singlet on with a target on the back and I was just so mad at myself that I was behind her.  My brother was around and he kept telling me that I needed to get going and I was trying to be calm and tell him I was warming into it, but really I just couldn't move.  The course was on this weird bike path made of stone that had these extreme drops and switchbacks.  At one point I heard the pack of guys in front of me saying something about the leader and that he would come back to them.  And I was like, "Don't you know who that is?  Do you know what time he just ran in a half?  That's JakeK; he's a  1:05 1/2 marathoner!"  And they were like, "Ohhh... maybe he won't come back."  I was all, "Duhhh."  Anyway... strange dream.  Weather sure was nice this morning, by the way.  No gloves or hat.  Started to sprinkle as I finished up.  (Free 745.45)

afternoon - 7 GS.  Team was a little worn down, so I changed up the workout.  We went up Green Springs and threw in some fartleks instead of Old Mans.  Finished up with 8xbarefoot striders and weights.  (Barefoot '13 21)(Rocket 577.5)

AM - 6 AC/Lutheran.  After an eventful puke-filled night with little sleep, I slept in a bit and skipped the first 5 miles of my run - just joining the team for practice and my usual extension at the end.  Sickness hit pretty much the whole family last night, but Laney and I.  It is often easy to justify missing a run (or part in this case), but I think the sleep and a little bit of rest on my left hip flexor (which has been acting up a bit) probably make it okay today.  (Oregon 538.75)

afternoon - 5.5 Chuckawalla. Trail running with the team is a lot of fun. A great group of guys and ladies. (NB 101 641.25)

AM - Green Valley. Early morning long run with some tempo. Rai y throughout, so the temps were nice, but I was soaked. Went over the paved trail on the Red Hills Parkway, connected that over to the trail down GV and started into my tempo. Started at Tinman (6:00) and planned on working down to low range of AT/upper LT. As usual felt tied and didn't think I would hit, but worked into easy and was soon pushing low 5:40. Connect to the River Trail and started back up toward home. After a few miles I was feeling very good and thinking how this is probably the most fit I have ever been, but as I tried to work down into the :30's and hopefully mid :20's, I felt the fatigue of the run and last week's race still hanging a bit and I stayed where I was. Then struggled the last 2 to keep them in the AT range. But no stress - 11 solid tempo miles and a good long run. (Mana 287.25)

Hopefully mostly recovered now as I move into next week.

Goals for next week: continue to focus on marathon specific AT work and sharpen up a bit. Want to keep the mileage around 110 - don't want it to get too much higher than that.