Relentless

AM - Big Workout #17 - 16 Fields.  4 warm/4 cool with 7 Tinman in between.  Tinman went very well for the most part.  I felt very good, just like I think this pace should be - controlled, relaxed, and quick.  But during the 6th and 7th miles I had to work a lot harder as I felt myself starting to lose juice in the legs - even felt like I needed to throw up again around the halfway mark of mile 6, but it went away after a couple minutes.  Kept pace within a fwe seconds each way with 6 and 7 dropping to 6:07's each.  Finished and took Molly around for a mile.  (Stratus grey 155.85)

afternoon - 9 GS/PL/Midd.  Summer has arrived - 106 degrees on this run!  Soaked my shirt at the upper Green Springs park and tied it around my head as I ran through the desert and the heat didn't seem as bad.  (Landreth  808.75)

AM - 13 Target.  A very tired run this morning.  I think the heat took a lot out of me yesterday, as well as the Tinman yesterday.  It will be interesting to see if I can hold this crap for long.  The summer is so different than the spring.  Finished by taking Molly around.  (Landreth orange 211.15)

Counted up my barefoot mileage for the year so far and added it as a shoe.

afternoon - 9 barefoot/grass.  Went out and hit some grass hoping that it would take pressure off the top of my left foot which has been giving me pain the last two days.  It felt good.  The wind picked up a bit and helped it feel a little cooler.  (barefoot 77.75)

AM - 12.5 Junction/CC.  Ran out through Coral Canyon.  Foot felt the best it has in days; still a little pain, but not much.  Took the dog around.  (Landreth black 619.35)

noon - 9.5 River Trail.  Hot down on that blasted trail; I don't know why I go on that heat infested oven.  Even with the temps not at 100, it just sucks you dry down there.  Went home and slept for 1 1/2 hours.  (Stratus black 344.6)

Foot has been feeling much better; only just a little pain.

AM - Big Workout #16 - 6x1000.  Warmed up to the school and did the DI at Tinman.  Then started into the 1000's.  It had been a couple months since I had tried anything like this, so I was a little concerned.  Times were at the upper end of the range (3:19-3:23) 1-3:23, 2-3:22, 3-3:24, 4-3:23, 5-3:22, 6-3:21 with a 200 jog at 1:15 between.  I didn't feel great, but not bad either; it is just hard to do this type of workout when you haven't for awhile.  I also decided that high mileage is going to make times on these workouts in the high range, but as long as I can keep it at least in the range of where it is supposed to be I will take the trade off - I mean, I am already in both feet on this high mileage stuff; I am not a burner anyway, so let's see where this takes me.  Cooled off back home by way of DI and Fire Station and a mile with Molly.  (Triumph 60.2)

noon - 8 Grapevine/Coral Canyon.  I ran again today.  The foot felt really good, but the heat is getting me so I took another nap after I got home from graduation.  (Cumulus gold 370.15)

AM - 8 Green Springs.  Slept in a little!  Nice overcast morning, so I hope that holds on to this afternoon.  Ran Green Springs very easy and took Molly around.  Legs are a little sore from yesterday I guess.  (Stratus bee 678.25)

noon - 21.5 Pine Valley.  There are 20 mile runs and then there are 20 mile experiences - this was an experience.  Started at Silver Reef with the intent of running up to Oak Grove and up the Summit Trail to the top of Pine Valley, then around on the trail up there and back.  I hadn't ever done this before, but have heard that the trail is just as steep as possible.  Started off at 3700 ft. at Silver Reef and started up to Oak Grove - this 7+ mile section is in of itself a climber, up to 6800 ft.  Saw a very cool Red Tail Hawk flying with a snake in its claws.  Got to Oak Grove and started up the trail; basically it is 3+ miles and nearly 3500 ft elevation gain.  There was a lot of hiking and wishing that I hadn't done this, but at the same time it was remarkable.  The views were undescribable and the challenge was amazing.  I finally got to the top of the trail and told myself that there was no way I was getting up here without summitting, which was another few hundred feet up and about 1/2, but the trail was covered with snow and unfollowable.  So I just started working my way up crashing through the drifts and occasionally folling through only stopping at my hips and getting cut up by the hidden rocks and trees.  I finally reached the pinnacle and stopped to eat and just chill at 10261 ft!  I just relaxed and took it all in.  Got kind of lost on my way back to the main trail, but finally found it.  Had to carefully work my way back down the mountain as to not fall (which would have dropped me straight off the cliffs) - only had a few slips and was able to grab some bushes and rocks as to prevent a serious problem.  Eventually got back to Oak Grove and strated back on the dirt road back to the Jeep.  Finally after 4:45 minutes and 21.5 miles (including a seven mile progression down Oak Grove 7:00 - 6:00) I was finished.  Got into the stream and drank a lot of water and gatorade and kind of releved in what I had just done.  Didn't quite the mileage I wanted, but there was no way to run on top with the snow and my legs were way too beat up to add anything on at the end; no big deal though.  (Landreth  830.25)

morning - 10 Washington Loop/Parkway.  Legs were spent today, barely made it through the run.  Took Molly around when I finished.  (Cumulus white 676.85)

Week went well getting into marathon training.  Legs are a bit shot now, hopefully they will bounce back a little more this weekend.

Goals for next week: Make it about the same as this week - mileage, big workouts, survive the summer heat.