Ran on the "Fire break road" this morning, with the dogs. I've had to cut back the dogs mileage this Summer, they've slowed down considerably. Dogs age more rapidly than humans, so you gotta keep an eye on them when they get to being six or seven years old.

     This route on the fire break road is one I use most often, it's on the East side of the valley, so the ridgeline protects me from the sun until about 8:00 or 9:00 AM. It's a very hilly dirt road, I'll have more stats about the ups and downs once I get the gps out there, next week. Once the snow hits though, the road is un-runable. Today I struggled with lead legs and no energy. It always seems to pay off when I tough it out on days like this.

After four hours of fitful sleep, I decided it was easier to just get up and get the run in. Started at 5:45 AM. Weekly long run on the "cattle road" which takes me out to the bird refuge. I like to call this course "the dykes" because it's a marsh land with miles (and miles) of dykes running through. Awesome place to run. Got to see the business end of two skunks this morning and more birds than I can wrap my mind around. Just guessing on the mileage based on my time. Felt great though, had enough strength at the end to do a couple of surges in the last mile. So glad to be running again! 

Re co ve ry:  Hurts so good. Nice and easy on the fire break road (hilly).

6:30 am, took the dogs up on the fire break road. It took three miles until I felt loose. I'm going to give the ol' six days a week thing a try starting this week...three down three to go. Sunday is my long run and Saturday is for rest.

Reading through this blog has really inspired me to train better, and to develop my mental strength on a whole different level. Thanks to Sasha and all the runners on this blog for generously sharing their experience and support.

6:45 am ran on the cattle rd/dykes. Nice, partly cloudy morning. There was someone in an old fashioned airplane, an open cockpit etc. flying around out there. There are no power lines or buildings, so it must be a great place to fly. He was flying pretty low to the ground and flew right over me a couple of times. Pretty cool. 

First run with my Garmin...yeah! The bad news is, it looks like I've been over estimating my mileages, just by a little though. I may go back on my log here and adjust my previous entries as I re-run the courses over te next week or so. But yeah, I love seeing my pace as I run, and I especially love having an accurate distance, since I run on trails mostly. 

7:00 am. Ran on the junior high field. Each lap, if I hug the outer perimeter, equals a half mile. Just did three today, trying to get through doing my first "six day week" without hurting myself. Tommorrows run will make six. I anitcipate, after my run tommorrow, that the heavens will open up, and the answer to all of lifes questions will be revealed to me. Actually though, I really feel good about my training so far, and I look forward to getting my aerobic base built and solid.

Today's splits were 1st mile 10:30, 2nd 10:12, 3rd 9:01 Total 29:43

6:45 am. 4 miles on the fire break rd. Four tiny hours of sleep last night. I've always been kind of an insomniac but this week seems unusually sleepless. Todays run makes six days in a row, first time in my life I've done that. I feel really good. I plan to do it again next week starting on Sunday. I may cut back a little on my long run though. This is new territory for me and I want to be cautious.

I must say when I first started reading these blogs I was very skeptical of the six day a week theory...but after reading through the blogs for several weeks I began to see some of the advantages of training this way. Looking back on my logs for my previous three marathons ('95, '99' '03) I wonder how I even managed to finish those races. I see that I was trying to get by on as little training as possible, running three or four days, 25-35 miles a week...silly me. So I'm encouraged by my newfound training ethic, and motivated. Even though I'm 44 yrs old, I think that I can improve on my marathon PR (4:21) significantly in the Fall of '09.

Boy, we are a lucky bunch.

No run today. Lots of sleep.

Woke up at 6:00 am, the wind was still howling, didn't sleep well anyway, so I "slept" until 8:00. Really didn't feel well, nothing specific, just slight nausea, malaise etc. But I got out on the run anyway. Struggled the whole way, extremely slow pace but I finished. No gas in the tank but another deposit in the bank.

Ran on the cattle rd./dykes. When I ran years before I used to run out here and I never saw another runner until today. We passed running opposite directions. Very fit looking, having a better run than me no doubt. I wonder if he's on this blog.

I felt 100% better this morning than yesterday.

Fire break road. Lots of hills. Pushed an even pace throughout. Felt it.

6:30 am. Cattle rd. Felt really good. This is why I run.

6:30 am. Cattle rd. My mile splits are improving, but I'm not really trying to run faster, so I hope I'm not over doing it. For me, the last couple of weeks have been a big increase in mileage, and so far I feel good. I'm resisting the urge to run more and faster, I just want to get a good aerobic base going without getting injured or sick.

One of the many benefits to running six days a week is that I can count on the run...I know I'm running the next day...what am I trying to say? Before, I would run one day, be tired the next morning, not run, not think about it etc. Very inconsistent. Mentally (and aerobically) it just makes more sense, if you're serious about being a runner, to plan on running every day, and actually it's kind of relief to know I'm going to get out tommorrow for another run. Kind of  an all or nothing approach to training.

Lot's of hilly fun on the fire break road today. I have now completed two-6 day weeks in a row.

Though I was gagged and bound and thrown into the trunk of the relaxy taxi seven months ago when I started running again, I think I can see a way out, but I have to be careful the trunk lid doesn't slam shut on my legs when I make my escape...to be continued...

Started run at 5:40 am. This is my longest run under this current effort. Everything went as well as I could hope for. Ran on the cattle rd/dykes. Average pace 10:10, my fastest mile was the last mile. I feel like I'm doing everything right so far, not over doing it, avoiding injury. Felt controlled most of the run, able to maintain form, and breathing easy.

Beautiful full moon out this morning.

6:30 am. First run "on the roads" since I started running again. Funny how the strategies I had developed years ago for avoiding traffic are seemingly hardwired in my brain. I've been a little anxious about running through the streets again but it all came back in an instant and I felt right at home. The big difference though is that I have a GPS! It's so great to know that no matter what twists and turns I decide to take while out on a run, I'll have an accurate measurement of my time and pace. Bueno!

My pace was slow. I felt good considering what for me was a long run yesterday.

I'm still trying to decide if I like the feature on the Garmin that starts mocking me when I dip below a certain pace. Lol!

6:45 am. Absolutely wanted to stay in bed this morning. I'm getting plenty of sleep. Yeah my legs are a little sore, this was just plain ol' fatigue I think. I have increased my mileage a lot recently, and this is only my third week of running six days, so I think it's catching up to me a little. It's hard to stay safe and not over do the mileage, especially when my mileage is only 35 miles a week or so. Must keep things in perspective.

Late start run on the cattle rd/dykes. When the sun hits those marshes the bugs start swarmin'. So I think I got my protien for the day. Felt tired but strong. My average pace was almost thirty seconds per miles faster than the seven miler I did out here last week!

6:30 am. Easy and slow, on the cattle rd.

Let's pretend that my pace on this run is a meal...a big heaping plate of "slow", now let's suppose that I decide to dash down to the store and get a pound of grated "slow" to pile on top of my plate. Then, not being satisfied with that, for my beverage, I mix up a gallon of 100% "slow" to quench my thirst! Finally for dessert, two...no, make that three, scoops of  organic, corn fed, free range..."slow". Therein lies the best description I can muster to illustrate my pace on todays run.

Bon apetit!

6:30 am. Ran from the house up Farmington canyon, along the fire break road and back. Didn't know what I'd do this morning but ended up feeling good so I made the climb, 500 ft in the first mile and a half, then lots of up and down for four miles, along the  fire break rd, then back down the canyon, then weaving through the neighborhood so I could get enough distance in to make my first 40 mile week! Yeah baby!

This is three weeks in a row running six days a week. I've increased my mileage from 25/wk to 40/wk. So I think I should make next week an easy week. Still running six days, but cutting back a little on the mileage.

I hope to stay motivated enough to keep laying down base throughout the Winter and coming out strong next Spring.

6:15 am. Man I love being out early on a run. The sleepers don't know what they're missing! Felt good today. Easy pace. Ran from the house to the cattle rd 2.2 mi, South on cattle rd 1.45 mi onto the bird refuge till I got to 5 mi. then came back, and added a couple of blocks in the neighborhood. 

Great start to another glorious week in paradise!

Congratulations to all the bloggers who raced yesterday! 

6:15 am. Tour of the neighborhood. Going easy this week.

6:30 am. Giving it to the hills on the fire break road.

6:30 am. Cattle rd/dykes. Nice cool temps this morning. If I can beat the sun, I avoid the bugs!

For some reason Joan Jett was singing "I love rock and roll!" in my head during the run. Strange because I'm not particularly fond of rock and roll. Not that I have anything against it, there is some rock music I do like, but I certainly don't need the phrase "I love rock and roll" ringing in my brain all morning. Almost as bad as "My Sherona". Good heavens, these people made money on these songs!

6:15 am. Cooler temps this morning, felt good. Ran around the neighborhood including a mile and a half on the Jr. High field.

I think the walkers I encounter in the morning are scared of me...not sure why...it could be my lightening fast pace (9:00-9:30 p/mile) or the heavy breathing...oh wait I know, it's the facial hair! I say good morning and get silence for a response. From now on I'm going to wait until I'm just passing and then say "Boo!" That oughta get a response.

6:15 am. 1.8 mi. to the jr high, 2.5 mi. on the field, then roundabout the hood home to make 6.13 total.

Felt pretty good today. Sure wish I had known then what I know now...

This ends four weeks in a row of running six days a week. It's like someone left a gift bag at my door full of all kind of goodies: a desire to eat better, better sleeping, less weight, more energy, the ability to become a better runner, a general feeling of well being, a positive, productive outlook on life.

Talk about schwag.

7:00 am. Ran with Chad on the Pipeline trail in Milcreek canyon. Nice to run with someone for a change. When we got to the trailhead at Birch Hollow, it started to rain, but a few minutes into the run it cleared up and conditions were nice. 

Oddly, my average pace for todays run was 20 seconds per mile slower than the six miles I ran Friday. Must have been the slow company...hah! Just kidding! I hope it didn't do Chad too much harm to run 2 to 3 mins. per mile slower than his usual pace. Thanks again Chad!

So I doubled my mileage from July to August! I feel good and will continue to run consistently, increase my miles, and keep looking for the magic pill that will make me faster!