A Lean and Hungry Look

Easy run with Maja (Sugarhouse Park loop).  I had expected the roads to be completely empty after their New Year's festivities, but it looked like quite a few people were getting right on their  resolutions.

More snow fell overnight, making the going a little slower and more arduous than usual, but it was a beautiful morning.  I ran up to Wasatch, then across Parley's on the snow-covered trail (not packed down, which made for a bit of a slog) and out to Millstream Lane and back.  I left Maja home, as the longer distances can be a little frustrating with her.

I was in such a good rhythm of running early before the holidays crashed the party.  I just didn't get out of bed in time to run today, so I brought my gear and did a quick run after work.  I changed into my running clothes at the office, then drove to Popperton Park and ran along 11th Ave to the mouth of City Creek and beyond toward the Capitol, then turned around.  It was pretty dark by the time I hit the end of 11th on the way out, so the portion of the return route without sidewalks was a little sketchy.  Aside from the fact that my fingers froze (I thought it was supposed to be warmer yesterday, so I left my cold-weather gloves at home), the run felt great.

Pace: 7:21

AHR: 154

My alarm clock lost the battle again this morning, so I once again brought my gear to work.  Fortunately, the end of the year was so hectic that things are a light enough to allow me to take a little longer lunch than usual to run and shower.  Unfortunately, it's another Disgusting Air Day out there, and by the time I sat back down at my desk, I felt like I'd been sucking on the tailpipe of a semi for an hour instead of doing something healthy.  Maybe it's like this every year, but the inversion seems to be coming back every few days or so, and it's bumming me out.

Pace: 7:14

AHR: 162

The past two days have been red air quality days, so I've been wary of filling my lungs with more junk, especially with my asthma.  I skipped yesterday and this morning, but I found an excuse to go to Wasatch County this afternoon and stopped at the Rail Trail (Promontory trailhead) on the way and did 6 miles.  The trail is groomed like a ski trail, presumably for snowshoeing and nordic skiing, so I figured it would be perfect for running.  Unfortunately, though, the layer of crust on the top was not very thick and broke through with probably 50% of my footfalls, resulting in my foot sinking from 2-6 inches at a time.  The softer areas were patchy enough that I could go a few hundred yards at a time without sinking too far, so I managed to continue for 6 miles.  I don't know what the temperature was, but my fingers lost feeling within about 5 minutes (with two pairs of light gloves on).  My right hand recovered about halfway through, but my left got worse and worse, to the point that I was a little nervous about frostbite by about the 4-mile mark.  The trail was incredibly beautiful, though, and the air tasted clean.  I saw a fox in one of the pastures and several spots where largish burrowing creatures had emerged from (or entered) their underground tunnels and sprayed dirt all over the otherwise perfectly white snow.

By the time I hit the 4-mile mark, the sun had gone down and the temperature had dropped considerably.  That wasn't good for my fingers, but it did leave the upper crust much more firm, so my last two miles were much faster than the first 4.  All in all, this was a fantastic run, one that I hope to repeat a few times this winter.

I took some time off due to the near-permanent inversion that seems to have settled in the valley, then a mean but quick bout of stomach flu.  There was supposed to be a storm yesterday, then today, but it never materialized.  I finally decided that I couldn't afford to sit out any longer, so I texted Jake last night and we headed out at 5:30 this morning for our first run together since before Christmas.  The air was thick and slightly disgusting, but neither of us died.  I need to refill my inhaler prescription, especially if the rest of winter is going to be as bad as the past month.

We finally got a weak excuse for some snow this morning, so the air was slightly improved.  Unfortunately, there was just enough to cover up all the icy spots, which resulted in one fall, about a dozen near-misses, and a cautious pace.  I'll take slippery over disgusting any day, though.

Jake was planning to run with me, but I think he thought better of it when the alarm went off and the fact that he had the day off finally sunk in.  I worked all day anyway, so it was good to get out early.

I don't remember the last time I went outside into a stiff wind and got excited about it, but I was thrilled this morning to go running right into the storm front.  I headed down to Jake's and waited a bit, but it looked pretty dark so I went back home to get Maja.  She hadn't been out for a couple of weeks and was going a little stir crazy, so I was glad to be able to take her.  (I like to run on the sidewalk due to a history of ITB problems when I run on the road, and when I have Maja Jake has to run on the road, and it's pretty tough to hear him and keep a conversation going.)

For some reason, I felt pretty sluggish today.  I was running into the wind on the way to Sugarhouse, then ended up battling a combination of ice, slush, mud, and puddles in the dark all the way around the park, and by the time I emerged at the southeast corner, I was tired.  Hopefully this storm system will keep the gunk out of the air for a couple of weeks and I'll be able to reestablish a 6-day-per-week habit.

I blew off my alarm this morning and fell back asleep, so I brought my gear to work, thinking I would run at lunch.  The day got busy, though, so that wasn't in the cards.  When it started to taper off near the end of the day, I decided to run home and leave my car at work, then run back in the morning.

The run was a little frustrating, since it was in rush-hour traffic, but I felt great and was able to turn on a little speed in the final mile.  The overall pace wasn't fast, but that was largely because the entire way home is uphill.  No aches or pains anywhere.

Since my car was at work and Kaela had violin this morning, I had to be up at 5 in order to make it out to the office and back in time for Brooke to take Kaela.  After a few months of low and inconsistent mileage, it felt a little tiring to get back on the legs only 12 hours after last night's run.  However, it was great to be out on the same route in nonexistent traffic after battling cars and exhaust all the way home last night.  I listened to a great This American Life episode called "Mind Games," and the miles clicked away pretty quickly.

I made it back by 6:40, just in time for Brooke and Kaela to leave, so it worked out just right.

The VFFs finally arrived (they were a Christmas gift, but were the wrong size, so I took them back, but they were on backorder) on Wednesday, so I decided to give them a shot this morning.  In an effort to avoid damaging myself too severely, I stayed inside and did an easy, short jaunt on the treadmill.  Other than the fact that the little toe on each of my feet seems convinced that it has no identity separate and apart from its next-door toe neighbor (which makes the process of putting the VFFs on a little tricky and slightly painful), I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience on these new-fangled things.  Perhaps the best part of owning a pair is the fact that a woman at work now refers to me as a "hippie-freak" after I told her how excited I was to try them out.  For a guy with my background, that's downright awesome.  I look forward to cashing in on the street-cred the new identity provides.

We'll see how much I like the sensation of running barefoot after I wake up tomorrow for a semi-long run.  I expect my calves to be screaming in protest at Christopher McDougal and his "hippie-freak" ways.  For the record, I have no plans at the moment to become the next Caballo Blanco or Barefoot Ted, but I do look forward to using the VFFs as a way of strengthening muscles and tendons that are underutilized in my regular trainers (and hopefully providing a little insurance against injury in the process), slowly working up to a point that I can do some trail running in them.

Today marked the first day of official training for Ogden.  It was a beautiful, clear morning, perfect for the route over to City Creek and back (the view along 11th Ave was gorgeous).  I kept the pace quite relaxed from start to finish and enjoyed the company of This American Life. 

For the record, although I missed my Saturday long run, it was not due to soreness after testing out the VFFs on Friday.  On the contrary, I didn't feel any soreness at all, and I wore the VFFs around the house all evening on Friday and out to dinner and the mall (for a truly exciting date night with Brooke) on Saturday.  I think my little toes are starting to sense the inevitability of their independence, because the last two times I put the VFFs on, it only took me about 2 minutes instead of 10.  I'm looking forward to integrating them into some of my training, although to what extent is yet to be determined.

Here's hoping for a consistent, healthy, and enjoyable season of preparation.

Jake joined me today and we headed over to City Creek through the middle of campus via the alley.  I guess we got into a rhythm, because we forgot to turn around at 4.5.  It was snowing slightly, so there were a few slick spots, but it was a beautiful morning.  My schedule called for some LT work, but I think I'm going to focus on mileage for a couple of weeks before introducing much speed.  I think one of my problems last year was introducing too much speed too soon, which resulting in my feeling beat up (mentally and physically) all the time.  So I'll probably follow the mileage recommendations but will not start doing tempo or speed until my body feels ready.

Pace: 7:30

AHR: 153

Had a late night, so I slept in and brought my gear to work.  Unfortunately, the disgusting air is back and getting worse by the minute.  I so enjoyed the last week or so of good air!

Pace: 7:19

AHR: 162

Easy effort with Maja in tow, down to Sugarhouse, then along 13th to the street just past 27th, eventually to Zenith Ave and up to 20th, then down to 18th at Parley's Canyon, then back.  Decent 8-mile route for future use.

I decided to try the VFFs out on the road today to see if I could hack it.  I was worried that I'd feel a lot more impact than I did on the treadmill for my 2-mile trial run last week, but I don't feel bruised or sore now (immediately following the run).  We'll see how I feel this afternoon and tomorrow morning.  I took Maja along and we met up with Jake.  The pace was very easy (Jake and I chatted comfortably the entire time), as I wanted to avoid overdoing it on my first time out.

I must say that I enjoy the sensation of padding along the streets this way.  I hope I'm saying the same thing when I wake up tomorrow.

It was interesting to hear a piece on NPR earlier this week about the barefoot running article by Dan Lieberman that came out in Nature this week, especially after I received an email from the "Chief Runner" at RoadRunner Sports on Monday in which he warned people not to fall prey to the crazy and dangerous barefoot running trend that's out there.  I think Mr. Chief Runner might need a lesson in PR and old-fashioned capitalism.  The barefoot-minimalism craze may prove to be enduring and transformative, or it may be a mere flash in the pan.  Either way, though, wouldn't it make sense to sell some gear to people (like me) who are jumping on the bandwagon, or at least to try to disguise the self-interest in telling people to keep buying expensive shoes?

Speaking of the Lieberman article, he's set up a great website devoted to the science of barefoot running here" http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/

It has a section containing training tips that include "build up slowly!" For anyone considering a transition to barefoot or minimalist running, these may help avoid injuries associated with too rapid a switch from shod running.

Ran up Emigration a little past the hairpin turn.  The canyon winds were blowing pretty hard for the first 2 or 3 miles, and the temperature in the canyon got colder and colder as I went up.  By the time I hit the turnaround point, my water bottles had frozen and I hadn't been able to feel my hands for about 30 minutes.  The pace on the way up was snail-slow, but the way back was decent without any particular effort.  Splits were:

Mile 9: 6:22 (151)

Mile 10: 6:30 (158)

Mile 11: 6:34 (159)

Mile 12: 6:29 (159)

Mile 13: 6:44 (158)

Mile 14: 6:38 (158)

Mile 15: 6:28 (161)

Overall average: 7:30 (152)

Nice, clean air this morning! Jake and I used the new 8-mile route I ran last Thursday and both managed to make it through without falling, although the roads were pretty slick after a little snow last night that followed a day of some melting. I got caught up in telling Jake a story I heard from a friend over the weekend, so I was a little breathless by the last couple of miles, but the effort was easy.

Pace: 7:27

The plan called for 12 this morning, but I got a late start and was still feeling sluggish at about 5 miles, so I turned around and headed home.  I went up to Wasatch, across Parley's to Millstream and back.  The trail was still covered in snow in parts, and that slowed my pace down considerably on the way out (the snow-covered spots were mostly on the downhill on the way back).  My calves were still a little sore (particularly on the uphill sections), but it's hard to tell if that was attributable to Friday's run in the VFFs or just the fact that I upped my mileage so much last week.  Either way, I'll keep an eye on it and will try to remember to stretch throughout the day and apply The Stick at night.

Pace: 7:40 (150)

Jake and I met around 5:15 for what was supposed to be an easy 9 across campus and along 11th Ave and back, but Jake pushed the pace for the first few miles.  Once I finally warmed up (after the climb to 11th Ave), I may have started pushing Jake a bit.  The overall pace was just over 7:00, but we had several sub-7 miles in the hilly section, so my heart rate was probably pretty high.  So much for an easy day!

I slept in until 5:50, strapped on the VFFs (I'm down to about 30 seconds per foot now), leashed up Maja and headed down to Jake's, where I found a quiet house with all the lights off.  As a result, Maja and I padded off on our own for an easy and relaxing 5 1/2.  Since most of the snow is gone, I ran on the park strip along most of 19th East and wherever the surface was level and where the grass hadn't been replaced with rocks or other xeriscaping.  My calves felt fine and my gait was comfortable.  The only thing that bothers me in the VFFs is the feeling that the ball of my foot is getting slightly bruised.  I assume that improves over time.

Ran south on Shoreline along Wasatch to Mt. Olympus and back.  Took it easy all the way out, then picked it up a little on the way back with a little more concerted effort in the last four miles. Last mile in 5:57.  I felt great start to finish.  I had a slice of Brooke's homemade bread before leaving and a packet of fruit snacks at the turnaround.  I never really felt wiped out the rest of the day (like I did last week after my 15-miler), so maybe I'll have to make a routine out of that.  Wore the VFFs around all day and didn't feel at all sore.

Pace: 7:12 (it was around 7:45 on the way out)

AHR: 155

I got to bed too late on Sunday night to make it out for a 5 am run yesterday and the day just got away from me, so I pushed this week's schedule back a day.  I headed over to 11th Ave past the Marriott Library, then turned right at the Capitol and up the lovely hill to Edgecombe Drive and back for an even 13.  By the time I made it home, I was in a rush to get Brooke some breakfast from Eggs in the City for her birthday (Happy Birthday, Brooke!), so I didn't even check my Garmin to see what my pace or HR looked like.  I feel pretty safe in guessing that the pace was no faster than 7:40 and HR was no higher than 150, though.

It's been a rough week for getting up at 5, but I managed to get to bed at a decent time last night and made it out this morning for a lovely run in the falling snow.  I took it quite easy all the way out and about halfway back, then threw a little effort in for a couple of sections of a half mile or so.  It felt good to stretch the legs out a little.

Pace: 7:20

AHR: 159

Short run in St. George.  I started in the VFFs but I'm losing a nail on my second toe on my right foot (happens every year), so they didn't feel good.  I turned around, put on my regular shoes and finished a short effort in time to start the process of driving all over St. George to attend 6 soccer games in two days, while also shuttling my kids to and from team dinners and parties.  Good times.

My favorite place to run is the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve in St. George, and today reminded me why.  In perfect running conditions (high-40s at the start, low-50s at the finish under perfectly blue skies), I ran the Icehouse trail from the condo in Green Springs.  I had a full day of soccer awaiting me, so I had to cut the run short and ended up throwing in some tempo and beyond in order to avoid making my son too late for his team warmup.  The route features a lot of elevation changes, soft sand in sections, and boulder fields in others, so it's pretty challenging, but completely rewarding, especially at the top of the plateau.  This is why I run.

I spent the day moving furniture for my parents (and throwing my back out in the process), then packing up the kids and driving home.  I could barely walk after the move, and I'm a little worried about this week's mileage as a result.

Although the back felt slightly better this morning after icing it last night and getting a solid night's sleep, it is still way out of whack.  I can hardly walk without bending over slightly, so running was out of the question.  I brought the Miracle Ball to work with me and have been using it every hour or so in an effort to get my lower back to chill out and let me live my life.  Hopefully I'll be back on the wagon by tomorrow.

After spending an hour or so of quality time rolling around on a ball last night, the back was a little bit better this morning, but still not quite ready to run.  I spent another 30 minutes rolling around and can feel (and even see) the difference in my lower back.  Barring any setback today (good thing I sit at my desk all day), I should be able to resume running tomorrow.  I guess this should motivate me to do some core strengthening.

I kept looking for a box that said "Horrible, Crappy Miles," but "Easy" was the closest option available.  After my back issues that kept me out for the first half of last week, I came down with a nasty chest cold/bronchial infection that was bad enough to keep me off the streets for another several days.  As a result, today was my first day out in 9 days, and I paid for it.  Although my cold is clearly on the  mend, the congestion is still going strong and had me wheezing throughout the second half of the "run."  In addition, I had a new pain in my inner right knee that was fairly severe for about the first mile (I almost turned around and went home).  The pain lessened as I started to warm up, but never fully abated.  I expect it's just one of those old-man issues that crops up as a result of taking too many days off, but I'll keep an eye on it.  I was supposed to run 12 this morning, but there was no way that was going to happen with the way I was feeling.  It was like trying to start an old car that's been sitting out in the bitter cold for a few weeks.  That's apparently what I've come to at the age of 35.

My sister had twins last night (10 weeks early), so I was at the hospital until late and didn't make it out of bed in time to run this morning, so I ran at lunch instead.  I hadn't done a lunchtime run up City Creek for a long time, so it was great to be up there again and to see some of the regulars.  Fortunately, the knee pain that bothered me so much yesterday was totally gone, and my lungs felt a little better, too, although I've clearly lost a step from where I was 10 days ago.  Normally I like to include a little turnover work on the way back down the canyon, but the best I could do today without really laboring was in the 6:20 range.  Hopefully it comes back quickly, because I need to start doing some speed and tempo work, ideally next week.

I love having a shower at work.

Easy effort around Sugarhouse and back with Maya in tow.  Lungs still aren't clear, but the hack is slowly going away.

I'm giving serious consideration to putting my semi-competitive running pursuits on the shelf for a few years.  My kids are requiring more and more of my time and attention, and I feel like my focus on running sometimes dilutes my effectiveness as a husband and father.  I know that these issues are specific to me and that many people can compete without compromising their commitment to family, but I just don't seem to multitask well enough.  Here is a nonexhaustive list of ways that my efforts to compete impair my ability to be the kind of husband and father I want to be:

• Going to bed early so that I can get up in time to do a long run or a hard workout the next day.  Even though I do this so that I can avoid missing time with my kids in the morning, I'm finding that as my older kids approach the teenage years, they are out later and I need to be around to talk to them before bed.
• Getting in to work later due to my morning running routine.  When I run 12-16 miles on a weekday, it's hard to be at the office before 8:00 even when I run at 5:00.  I think my kids would benefit more from having me home earlier in the evening, which I could do if I were getting to the office by 7:00 every morning.  If I were home by 5:00 on average, I could spend an hour shooting hoops or kicking a soccer ball with the kids before dinner and homework.
  
• Being wasted on Saturdays following a long run plus tempo work, which leaves me not wanting to do projects around the house and not feeling too enthusiastic about things like taking the family skiing or hiking or otherwise doing something active.  Besides, with two kids playing comp soccer as well as other sports and participating in music, our Saturdays are plenty busy even without my long runs.
• Spending money on entry fees, travel expenses, and equipment when the cost of my kids' activities is going up drastically and they are expected to participate in more summer camps and other supplemental activities in support of sports and music.  The cost of running isn't that high, but when the other costs are astronomical, it wouldn't hurt to have a little room in the budget to work with.
  
• Being focused on hitting my goal to the neglect of my kids' own pursuits.  For example, I freak out when I miss a long run or a hard workout and sometimes miss a soccer game that comes too early on a Saturday morning.  I'm always the party pooper on family vacations because everyone wants to hang out until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning and I have to be in bed by midnight in order to get up and do my run the next morning.  But it's not just a time thing--my mindset when I'm in achievement mode is just as big a problem as the time my pursuits require.  I just can't shake the feeling that it's not about me anymore, and that anything that detracts from my desire or ability to be fully engaged as a husband and father should be thrown by the wayside.  If I had a job that allowed me to be around more or if my kids were younger or if they weren't so interested in pursuing their own goals, it might be different.  Every family has different dynamics and requires different levels of parental engagement.  All four of my kids require a lot of attention in totally different ways, and I just couldn't live with myself if I were to look back in 20 years and wish I hadn't been so focused on myself that I didn't give every piece of myself to my wife and kids.
  

I'm not going to make a decision today, but I am going to keep thinking about this and may end up drastically changing my plans for 2010.  If I were to scrap the semi-competitive running, I would continue running 4-6 times a week, but I would do it for purposes of health and fitness and general sanity, not in training for a specific event.  Instead of looking at 60-80 miles per week through the summer, I would keep it to somewhere between 25-50, depending on the specific commitments and conflicts in a given week.  I might even cross train now and then, just to mix it up.

If anyone is reading this, please don't interpret it as judgmental of other parents who are working to reach a running goal.  I acknowledge that I am a bit of a head case and that my inability to limit my intensity about running is not a defect shared by everyone out there.  I know runners who are able to put in huge mileage without sacrificing their families' interests.  Some runners have jobs that allow them to be home during business hours or provide flexibility that accommodates a running lifestyle better than mine does.  I'm talking only about myself here given the particularities of my situation at the present time and am not trying to discourage anyone out there from pursuing their goals.  I am especially sensitive to the needs of stay-at-home parents to have an outlet and, if I decide to back down, will encourage my wife to spend the time she wants and needs to pursue her own running with me at home as her support crew instead of the other way around.

Ran up City Creek at lunch and felt good enough coming down that I picked it up some and finished with an overall average pace of 6:45.  What a gorgeous day to be out running in shorts.

Very comfortable effort around the park and back, with Maja in tow.  A relaxing start to the day.

Lunchtime run up to the mouth of City Cree, then over to the Capitol and down to Caputo's, where I picked up my favorite sandwich (the Caprese) and walked back to the office.  Felt quite sluggish for the first 2-3 miles, but good the rest of the way.

Took Maja for an easy jaunt down to Sugarhouse, then along 13th to around 27th South and continuing southeast to 20th East and home.  Kept a steady pace throughout and felt comfortable start to finish.

Pace: 7:20

AHR: 155

It had been a while since I'd gone out in the VFFs (I was really sore for 3-4 days the last time and got a little worried that it was too much, so I took a break for a couple of weeks), so I decided to break them out again and haul Maja out with me for an easy 4.  I hit a long stretch of muddy sidewalk along 20th East where the new church has been built.  The mud felt pretty slimy in the VFFs--it was kind of cool.

Left the Garmin home today, but I'm guessing the pace was right around 7-flat with an AHR below 160.

Easy jaunt over to Shriner's and back.  Maja is getting so much better at anticipating my turns and street-crossings and not tripping me. It was a beautiful morning.  I got out a little late (around 6:20), so it was just getting light during the final couple of miles.  I love being out in the morning.  I just wish I loved getting up in the morning.

I leave for Korea tomorrow to visit my parents.  I'm taking the VFFs, since the area around my parents' place in Seoul has miles and miles of rubberized exercise trails.  I'm still wary of doing more than a few runs a week in the VFFs as my muscles and tendons adjust to the different stresses, but the softer surfaces might make it more enjoyable to go out 2 or 3 times within the week I'll spend there.

First day in Korea.  Quick 4 around Olympic Park at 5 am before leaving for the DMZ tour.

Still in Korea.  Got carried away running along the Han river and missed the turn that led back to Olympic Park.  By the time I figured out what was going on, I was 1.5 miles or so past the turn.  I was planning to run 8.  I love running at sea level, though!

I ran with my dad around Olympic Park this morning.  He hasn't been able to run for 25 years or so due to bad knees.  However, with the padded trails all around his place in Seoul, he's been able to work up to 3 days/10 miles a week.  Pace was nice and easy, but it was great to run with my dad.

Still in Korea and enjoying the trail system along the Han river.  I feel like a rebel out there without a face mask and full skin covering from head to toe (the Koreans are very sensitive to the Yellow Dust that blows over from deforested China and also to sun exposure).

Last day in Korea, maybe forever.  I wish we had such an incredible trail network at home.  I could do all of my long runs without ever worrying about vehicular traffic, cambered roads causing IT problems, sidewalks causing shin splints, etc.

Back home.  It was bizarre to leave Seoul at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night (Seoul time) and arrive home at 6:40 p.m. Thursday night (SLC time).  Friday was a long day at work, with my head buzzing from jetlag.  This morning's run felt awful.  Who knew that altitude and a little climbing could make such a difference after only a week of running over flat terrain at sea level?  I was going to run 10, but after a couple of miles it was clear that I wasn't up to it.  I ran over to 11th Ave and back and nearly collapsed running up Alta Street toward Shriner's.  Let's hope the jetlag is short-lived.

Brooke and the kids headed down to California for Spring Break, so I have no good excuse for not running first thing this morning.  I'll blame it on the lingering effects of jetlag.  Anyway, I was planning to take Maja running after work since she'd been on her own all day.  However, the storm was raging by the time I made it home and I didn't feel like battling it.  Instead, I strapped on the VFFs for an easy run in front of the TV to watch the Duke-Butler game.  I felt good and was thinking about stretching out the run a bit to see how long I felt comfortable in the VFFs, but I somehow developed a blister around 3.5 and called it at 4.

Woke up to 6 inches of snow and a beautiful morning.  I took Maja out to Sugarhouse and worked our way back along 16th and 17th South, trying to stay on back roads so we could run in the street.  It was gorgeous (especially because the snow won't last long).

Ran on the treadmill while watching Seinfeld. Nothing interesting to report.

Took Maja out after work in shorts and a t-shirt.  Gorgeous evening at the park--people were running, walking, cycling, barbecuing, playing frisbee, baseball, football, lacrosse, you name it.  A nice change of pace after the way the week started.

After a good start to last week, I missed Friday's run, then came down with some food poisoning over the weekend, so I ended up missing several days in a row.  This morning was one of the few times when I don't appreciate living in a neighborhood with streets lined by a canopy of mature trees--the snow and slush was falling all over me and I was kind of a mess by the time I made it home.  Small price to pay for the beauty the trees offer, though.

Maja is such a wimp.  If it's raining, snowing, or just generally wet outside, she won't run with me.  Considering how much she loves running, it's a testament to how afraid of water the poor dog really is!

Forgot to set my alarm last night, so I brought my gear with me to work and ran home from my client's office in Cottonwood Heights.  I wish the temperature could stay like this all summer--perfect for running.  Everything seems to be feeling good at the moment--it's rare that I notice any AT pain these days.  Knock on wood!

The advantage of running home is that I can't blow off my run the next morning.  I ran back to the client's office and drove home in time to shower and get to my office.  Should have worn gloves, as my fingers were numb for the last 4 miles, but otherwise everything felt great.  I pushed it a little on the way home last night, which is all uphill, so I relaxed today.  I thought I would be more stiff after having run 9 less than 12 hours earlier, but it felt great.

Jogged up past the zoo and did 6 hill repeats up Crestview.  I could tell it had been a while since I'd done hills or speed, but it felt good to shake the legs out a little.  The weather could not have been more beautiful, and the view from Donner Park makes it a great place for hill work.  After my reps were done, I warmed down by running up to Augusta, over to St. Mary's, down to Foothill and home.

I missed my Wednesday run because I stayed up too late on Tuesday watching the Boston Marathon coverage on Universal and couldn't get up at 5:15.  Brooke was leaving at 6:00, so I was hoping to run that night.  Her family came in town, though, so we ended up at my mother-in-law's house and it was a little too late by the time I made it home to get my run in.  I need to get back on a more predictable schedule.

This morning I worked in a little bit of tempo effort.  The pace wasn't too hot (between 5:30 and 6:30), but it was good to add some effort and turnover in.  It was a classic April morning out there, with light rain that had changed to snow by the time I finished the run.

It's been a long time since I got as wet on a run as I did this morning, but the rain has turned everything so green and beautiful that it's hard to complain.  I headed down to Guardsman and across the U campus, through lower Federal Heights and up to Popperton, then came back along the golf course road.  I threw a little tempo into the final mile, but otherwise took it easy. 

It was a crisp but beautiful out this morning.  I headed up to Wasatch, across Parley's on the trail, and down to Millstream and back for an even 10.  I kept the pace easy on the way out and started to pick it up a little on the way back.  Final 3 were at roughly MP effort (just over 170 bpm), with final mile of 5:50.  I wrapped up a This American Life on the way out, then turned on a Lionel Richie playlist on the way back.  About 10 seconds into You Are the Sun, You Are the Rain, I was back in the 80s on a Lake Powell trip with two other families in our neighborhood, the Caltons and the Irions, lounging on the houseboat while they played Lionel's newest release over the stereo system.  Not a bad way to tick off miles on a Saturday morning.

I've had a nice chest cold going for the past few days and have been trying to sleep it off.  I took Nyquil on Monday night and felt like I had a hangover until about noon yesterday, so even though I slept well, I'm still not sure the tradeoff was worth it.  Anyway, I didn't sleep great last night due to mid-back pain (we have a super-cushy pillow-top mattress that my wife is crazy about, but which doesn't always agree with me), but decided I needed to at least get the legs moving for a minute.  It hadn't really started raining yet, so Maja was willing to go out.  She wasn't very happy, though, when the rain started coming down after a mile or so.  My lungs were full of junk, I got a couple of blisters from the Nike Frees (happens about every other time with them), and my back didn't feel great, but I'm glad I managed to get out.  Hopefully this is the tail end of the cold and I can get back to doing a little speed next week.

Well, last week was a complete loss.  Between a nasty cold, multiple nights with little sleep due to sick kids, and an all-around hectic week, I managed a grand total of 4 miles. Not good.

I started fresh with an easy run around the park today.  Maja came along and was a perfect companion on a gorgeous morning.  My sinuses are still clogged and I'm not 100%, but I felt considerably better than any day last week, and it was just nice to be out.  The rain has made everything a deep green that only lasts a few weeks, so I may as well enjoy it.

8 x short hill reps up Crestview

Warmed up by running from my house to the Emigration Canyon sign about half a mile past the zoo and back to Crestview (exactly 2 miles), then did 8 reps of the hill, starting at the Stop sign and finishing where the sidewalk on Crestview ends, with jogging in between each rep.  Effort felt pretty strong.  Cooled down for 2 miles by jogging back up to the original turnaround point and home.

Easy 7 with Maja.  Went out to the park, then continued on 13th East to Parkway, then up to Chadwick, over to Stratford, up to 20th East and home.  It was a little brisk but clear and beautiful.  Calves were a little sore from yesterday's hills, but everything seems to be working properly at the moment.

I skipped my run yesterday due to a rough night caused by what seems to be a sinus infection.  I felt like my head was going to explode all night and couldn't sleep, and the feeling continued throughout the day.  However, I tried a Mucinex inhaler before going to bed and it seems to have largely alleviated the pressure.  I'm back to about 80% today.

With the health log out of the way, I can't believe I lived in my neighborhood for almost 8 years before finally running the H Rock.  I took Maja and had one of the most enjoyable runs I've ever had in SLC.  The 21st South hill wasn't especially fun, but the short segment of the Shoreline Trail was spectacular.  When I got down to Donner Park I decided to tack on a little more distance by looping back along Wasatch through the golf course to 13th South and back.  I still had to do a couple of little loops (around the church and up to the top of my street and back) to get the full 7, but it was a glorious run.  The temp was cold but the air was clear and the views were spectacular.  This will become one of my frequent loops.

Headed up to Wasatch, across Parley's, and out to just before Churchill Jr. High and back.  I left Maja home because she tends to be kind of useless after 8 miles.  Listened to a fascinating This American Life that included a crazy story about hookworms and immune system disorders.  I did the final 3 miles at MP effort or higher, but only the final mile was actually fast enough to qualify as marathon pace (thanks to the downhill from Wasatch to Foothill).

Overall pace: 7:04

Overall AHR: 160

Last three:

10: 6:13

11: 6:04

12: 5:41

It was raining lightly this morning, so of course Maja refused to join me.  I ran out to the park, then continued on 13th to Parkway, up to Chadwick, up Stratford (like last week), but then continued on 17th East to 17th South, then down to 16th and through the neighborhood back home.  It was close enough to an even 7 that I just had to run one street over and back when I got close to home in order to complete the mileage.  It's a decent 7-mile loop to use in the future.

First speed day since last October, and I felt it.  I did four half-miles at Sugar House Park and felt every one of the hills along the way.  I warmed up for just under 1.5, including some form drills, then did the reps with 3 min rest between each.  I was going to do 6, but I was running short on time and even shorter on stamina, so I called it after 4.  Pace was 5:35 for the best and 5:56 for the worst (last) one.  Given that this is my first time turning the legs over in months and that every rep included a long hill, I'm pleased with the results.  The speed and stamina obviously need improvement, but that's the point of training, right?  I feel like I spent 3 months of my training last year trying to hit unrealistic splits on my reps instead of letting myself train into the condition necessary to hit those splits.  I'm trying not to make that mistake this time, instead focusing on consistent effort and improvement. Cooled down for about 1.25 and headed home to get Jacob off to an early morning rehearsal for a school program.

Tempo day.  I headed up Emigration, with the first 2 miles at an easy pace.  I stopped and stretched for a minute, then picked up the pace to what felt like LT effort or thereabouts for 1.5 to my turnaround point.  At the turnaround, I stopped briefly, then headed down with a goal of maintaining LT effort.  Here's what the splits looked like:

Mile 3: 7:20 (all uphill), AHR 168 (effort was a little low--should have been in low to mid-170s)

Mile 4: 6:21 (half up, half down), AHR 176 (effort good)

Mile 5: 5:48 (down), AHR 180 (still good)

Mile 6: 5:25 (down), AHR 183 (maybe a little high but okay--I probably would have lost some speed if I'd continued for another mile, but could have maintained in the 5:30-5:40 range)

Cooldown mile was 6:54 (downhill), with AHR down to 167 (I didn't stop at the end of the tempo section; otherwise the AHR would have been much lower).  Felt good about the effort and not bad about the turnover.  A few months of similar effort should bring the pace down to where it needs to be.

H-rock loop with Maja.  No walking up the hill today, but my pace wasn't exactly impressive, either.  Temperature and weather couldn't have been better.  Left calf is a little knotted up, so I need to remember to give it The Stick.  Left AT was also tight when I woke up, though it didn't give me any pain on the run.  I need to be better about stretching it and doing my exercises as I start to increase my mileage.

Missed my early run because I headed up early to watch some friends and family run Ogden.  It was a gorgeous day up there and made me wish I'd been able to get trained for the marathon in time.  I headed out when I got home around noon.  First warm run of the year.  It always kills me to transition to warm-weather running, but it's probably good to get a few midday runs under my belt before Ragnar, where the heat always destroys me on my first leg.

Today was the first time that I've been able to run in shorts and short sleeves without even feeling a chill at the beginning of my run.  I headed out to Sugar House, continued past the park into the neighborhood just past 27th South, then worked my way over to Zenith, up to Imperial, eventually making it to the playground at Highland Park, up Atkin Ave to 20th and back home.  Maja did great until about 7 miles, where she started to crash.  Fortunately, it wasn't too bad and we made it home without me having to drag her more than a couple of times.  What a beautiful morning.

Pace: 7:28

AHR: 150

Hill repeats.  Ran up to Wasatch and over to 21st South like I do for the H-rock run, then did reps up the hill between Wasatch and Scenic View Circle.  I thought my lungs were going to explode, but fortunately that didn't happen.  Between reps, I walked briefly, then jogged back down the hill and a little on the flatter road.  After 5 reps, I ran up to the H-rock trail (with several walking breaks along the way, since I had already blown up), ran past the rock (didn't climb it) to Devonshire and eventually down through Donner Park and over to Sunnyside and home.

For future reference, it's a great hill workout, but hard to maintain a decent turnover due to the ridiculous grade.

Easy loop out to Sugar House, then through the neighborhood south of 27th, eventually to Imperial and out to 33rd and back.  Took Maja out for her longest run ever (previous record was 8).  She did well until 7.5 or so, but only had a few slow patches after that.  Left AT was tight when I got out of bed but didn't give me any trouble on the run and doesn't hurt now (two hours later).

Relaxed loop with Maja down 21st East through Country Club, down to the park, returning along 16th East route.

Ran up Emigration to about a quarter mile past the Pinecrest turn and back.  There was a large group from a running club that was doing a supported run in the canyon, so I spent much of my time passing them in small clumps.  They were all super friendly and offered me refreshment each time I passed their support vehicle.  For better or worse, having people to chase probably kept my pace faster than it would have otherwise been.  I had planned to do 5 miles at MP effort in the final 5 or 6 miles of the run, but I ended up hitting the gas as soon as I turned around.  I pushed hard until the 13-mile mark, where I slowed for my cooldown, but the pace was still just slower than 6-minute miles for the final 2, so I'm counting that as MP effort lite.  My hard MP effort miles ranged from 5:43 to 5:54.  That effort felt more like a 5:20-5:35 pace felt at the peak of my training last summer, so I still have plenty of work to do to get myself back in shape.

Easy loop through Highland Park and back (turned east on Edward St from Imperial) with Maja.  Left calf is unusually tight, but tendinitis in 4th metatarsal on right foot is feeling better.

Same route as yesterday.  Maja had three potty breaks and lost her steam by mile 6.  Not the best running partner today, but I'm sure there was some benefit to my being tethered to an anchor dragging behind me.

Ran the neighborhood 5k with Jacob (my son who turns 11 tomorrow).  He only stopped to walk once, when his buddy started having trouble about 1 mile in.  After that, he made it the rest of the way and had a great kick to finish.  He was wheezing by about 1.5 miles, though, so he seems to have inherited some mild asthma from me.  Probably time to get him an inhaler.

I was supposed to run 9 today, but didn't get to bed until way too late and spent the rest of the day moving for my parents.

Despite having run only twice last week, the 4th metatarsal on my right foot is still tender.

Highland Park loop to 33rd with Maja.  Pace was very slow for the first couple of miles, but picked up as we gained distance for an overall avg of about 7:30. Maja did much better than my last run with her--I only had to drag her for the last half mile or so.  4th metatarsal on the right foot didn't hurt on the run, but it's noticeably tender now (2 hours later).

Right foot (4th metatarsal) ached all day yesterday, so I decided to rest it today.

Hill repeats today.  Ran up to Popperton Park (crossed paths with Chad in the alley, which was great) and did 8 reps from the southwest corner of the park up to the tree about 200 m up the hill.  What a grunt that climb is.  It was steep enough that my pace was slow, but my legs and lungs were burning like crazy.  I walked down between reps and used that as my rest.  The legs were a little shaky during the final 3 miles of cooldown back home, so I think the session served its purpose.

Easy pace up Emigration 6 miles, then back at MP effort.  Splits were mostly in low 5:50s and mid-5:40s until the final mile at 5:36.  Crossed paths with Chad Derum again, this time in front of Ruth's as he was on his way up and I was going down.  I had wanted to do 16, but had a packed day ahead and could only squeeze in 12.

Easy loop into Highland Park with Maja.  I was going to do 9, but when Maja started dragging just under 4 miles in, I decided to head back along the 8-mile route instead.  I don't know what was wrong with her, but I had to drag her for the final 4 miles, even though I slowed the pace to what couldn't have been faster than 8:00 or even 8:30 (left the Garmin home today).  

Feeling guilty for having such a bad few weeks in terms of consistency, so I went out for 12 and left Maja home.  Temperature was nice and cool and the run was great.  The issue on my right foot (4th metatarsal) is still hanging around in spite of the reduced mileage.  I had some achilles pain in the left leg (same spot as always) over the past couple of days, which tells me that I need to stop being lazy and do my stretches and eccentric loading exercises.

H-rock with Maja.  Perhaps due to the reduced schedule over the past couple of weeks, I didn't notice any pain anywhere this morning.  Hopefully the rest has done more good than harm.  Since I dissed Maja in my last post involving her, I must give her credit today--she had a lot more energy than I did on the 21st South hill up to Lakeline Drive, and she finished strong.  When I got home and Brooke was just getting ready to leave, Maja started chasing her tail and acting like she couldn't wait to get back out on the roads.  (Brooke left her home rather than take her for a second run less than 15 minutes later.)

Easy effort with Maja out along Highland Park loop.

Today was supposed to be Ragnar day for me, but things are too crazy right now and I can't afford the time away.  Instead, I'll be working on my house and garage all day as we prepare to move back to our old place.  Because we have the current place torn up while we replace some carpet, we slept at my parents' place in Murray.  I ran home early in order to meet the carpet installers.  A little brisk out.  Hopefully that bodes well for the Ragnar folks today, especially my team (Trading Paces) and the Nordic Track Elite Men, which took two of our teammates in their quest to dethrone BYU.  Good luck to everyone!

Easy effort out to Stratford and up to 20th and back.  

Highland Park loop without Maja.  I listened to some tunes and found my pace about 30 sec/mile faster than my usual easy run.  Last 2 miles felt a little labored.  My fitness has clearly slipped, but I also think I need to refill my inhaler prescription.  I ran without it all winter and spring without trouble, but I'm finding myself wheezing more and more by the end of my runs.  It's the height of my allergy season, so it makes sense that my asthma is also flaring up.

Maja's probably getting a complex this week, but I went without her again because I knew she couldn't handle the distance.  She's a funny dog--she's young (4 years) and spry, but she just doesn't hold up very well beyond 8 miles.  I headed up to Wasatch, across Parley's and out to Millstream and back.  Caught up to my cousin Kristen on the Parley's portion of the run and ran for 5 minutes with her while we chatted.  On the climb out of Parley's in both directions, I was feeling the asthma, and the raspiness has stayed with me today (5 hours later).  Fortunately, I was able to get a prescription called in and filled it this morning.  Hopefully I'll feel stronger tomorrow; otherwise, I'll know that it's a lack of fitness and not my asthma that's wearing me out.

Easy pace up Emigration with MP effort all the way down.  I haven't been able to find my Garmin charger and the unit is out of battery, so I wasn't able to take splits.  My guess is that I had 3-4 miles slightly under 6:00 and the remaining MP effort miles between 6:00 and 6:10.  I refilled my inhaler prescription and that seemed to help quite a bit.  The early uphill miles felt much better than they have for the past few weeks.

The chief legal officer for our firm's biggest client called me Sunday night to see if I could help him out with a special project this afternoon.  I told him I'd be happy to.  Then he explained the project--buy a bunch of drinks and carbs for him and his 6 friends, drive to the gate up Millcreek Canyon, then hike the goods to the Upper Big Water trailhead at the top of the road.  He is running the Wasatch 100 this year and was doing a 50-mile training run, and they had just realized that the Millcreek gate would still be closed that day, which prevented having someone's spouse drive the supplies up.  Being a dutiful lawyer, I agreed.

By the time I was done shopping, my pack was bulging and probably weighed 40 pounds (I went a little overboard).  I pushed the pace on the hike up (averaging 15-minute miles) and the temperature was hot, so it was a pretty good workout.  When I got there, I ended up waiting about 30 minutes for the first person in the group to arrive.  After everyone made it and had had a chance to rest and eat what they could, I loaded up the trash and the excess carbs (lots of those) and ran back to the car.

I wish every work day could include 3 hours in Millcreek Canyon.

After skipping a couple of days due to my parents' return from Korea and the attendant late nights with family, I headed out for an easy 10 today.  My legs were shockingly sore from Monday's canyon run, and my back is still a little bruised from the pack.  Other than that, it was a great run on a gorgeous (if warm) morning.

Ran to the top of Little Mountain and back, with the second half at MP effort.  The final 8 miles were all either just over 6 min pace or better, with Miles 16 and 17 in the 5:40s and the final mile in 5:34.  For how little I've been running lately, the run felt surprisingly good.  Unfortunately, I didn't have time to stretch after the run because we had to be to a July 4th party by 8:00 a.m. (I started early).  As a result, my right IT band tightened up badly and left me limping most of the day.

What a week.  Between July 4th celebrations, preparing for the move, the

busiest workload I've had in months, and a family vacation (that I'm

skipping due to work obligations), it's been I could do to keep everyone

from screaming.  Until this morning, I'd been working on the house too

late and going into the office too early to permit a run.  I only had

time for 6 today.  At least I made it out, I guess.

Well, after a long hiatus from blogging and a crazy six months or so, I registered for Boston yesterday and decided it was time to rejoin the ranks.  I feel awful for everyone who tried to register yesterday but got shut out, either by technical problems (I ended up finding a link on Facebook via Twitter that got me in after the registration page failed) or due to the incredible speed with which the race filled up.  I'm sure there were plenty out there who saw qualifying as a once-in-a-lifetime achievement and found themselves among the dismayed throng who missed out.  That has to be a tough pill to swallow.

As for me, I decided to make use of a large grass field across from a client's office where I spend about half of my time.  I hadn't pulled out the VFFs for months (I had fun running in them for a while but found my feet feeling bruised after pounding around on the streets of SLC in them for a while) but figured the grass would be a good way to strengthen some stabilizing muscles without causing damage.  It was a short run but was highly enjoyable.  Gorgeous weather that won't last much longer.  I stretched longer than usual in an effort to minimize the inevitable soreness that attends minimalist running for me.

Easy 5 with Maja across the U campus, past the new track (yippee!), over the Olympic bridge, and through Fort Douglas.  Calves were sore from the VFF workout yesterday, but not too bad.

Note: I haven't been tracking mileage on my Kayanos for months, but they are probably both up in the 400-mile range.  They still feel good, though, so I'll hold off on replacing them for now.  I think my VFF and Nike Free running earlier in the year may have helped modify my form to the point that I strike more in the mid-foot region now, and that could be one reason why the Kayanos aren't showing the same kind of wear I'm used to after 300 miles or so.

Easy 3 with Brooke, then went for a second loop on my own.  About a mile into the second loop, felt a shooting pain in the tendon between my Achilles and my calf on my right leg.  I stopped and stretched it for a minute, then jogged home slowly in hopes of not aggravating it.  I'm sure I went too far or too fast in the VFFs on Monday after having not trained in them for a long time.  I'll watch this and may take a day or two off.  You'd think I'd have known better.

After taking two days off to make sure I didn't do further damage to my calves following Monday's VFF stupidity, I felt good enough to get back on the road.  Did the standard route up to Wasatch, across Parley's on the trail, and out to Millstream Lane and back.  Lower right calf was still tight but not painful.

Pace: 7:25

I missed my run yesterday after failing to get up with my alarm (I'll blame it on being awakened in the middle of the night by the crazy storm, which took a 30-foot limb off of our big Ash tree, barely missing our next-door neighbor's car when it came down), and I'm not proud of it.  It was brisk out, but I managed to overdress when I couldn't find my long-sleeve base layer and wore a pullover instead.  Welcome, winter!

Easy 5 with Maja around U campus.  Hit every red light and had to stop three times for Maja's sake.  Nice start to the day.

Missed the morning run, so I ran to my parents' house after dropping my car off for repairs.  I bought two pairs of DS Trainers last week in hopes of gradually going to less shoe.  The brand-new shoes felt amazing.

Ran first 2 with Brooke, then headed out on my own for the remainder (across U campus, across Olympic bridge, and back down through Research Park).  Loving the new shoes.

Couldn't find my inhaler this morning and I felt it just a bit.  Took Maja out to Sugarhouse and came back up 17th East, then over to 16th and back home through the neighborhood.  Calves were a little sore, possibly from the new shoes, so I switched it up and wore one of the Kayano pairs.

Easy loop through U campus and back through Research Park.

Left at 5:30 and headed out to first bridge crossing I-80 and back.  Warm enough for shorts and no hat or gloves.  I need to figure out how to get back into this early routine--it was great to be out before the traffic.

I think I'm getting fat.  Today's jaunt in the hills (across U campus, up to Popperton, up to Shoreline, back through Research Park) felt like a death march.  Time to start backing off the calories, upping the mileage, or (preferably) both.  I think I'm about 15 lbs above my fighting weight from SG '09 (which was admittedly pretty low--my wife started referring to me as her "manorexic"), and I should probably get back under 160 by about mid-February if I want to be ready for final speed tuning before Boston.  Stupid Peanut M&Ms in the office breakroom.

Missed my run this morning, so I brought my gear and ran home from the downtown office.  Other than hitting just about every light red the whole way home, it was a nice little jaunt.

The magic of leaving my car at work was that it forced me out of bed at 5:30 to run back and retrieve it.  Instead of taking the straightforward route, I went across the U campus and up to 11th Ave, then down to the mouth of City Creek, through Memory Grove, and down State to my parking spot.  I took Maja with me and had a great time.

I hope I don't need this little tidbit later, but on both last night's and this morning's runs, I felt some mild pain in my right arch.  I'm praying it's not PF.

After losing more than a week to a mean cold/respiratory infection, I did 3 easy miles on the treadmill.  Other than blowing the power near the end (these old houses don't seem to like sub-7 speed on the treadmill), it was fine.

In anticipation of beginning my Boston training next week, I thought it might make sense to actually drag myself out of bed and get a few miles in this morning.  Based on the fact that the run felt awful from about mile 2 on, the respiratory infection seems to have sucked the life out of me.  My legs felt like they weighed about 100 lbs each and the 4 miles felt like 20.  At least I have plenty of room for improvement as I move into my training regimen.

On a more positive note, I haven't felt any arch pain over the past two runs.  I realize that they were very short and easy runs, though, and that I need to keep an eye on things as I start putting some miles in.

After yesterday's death march, I had a hard time dragging myself out of bed this morning.  Fortunately, it felt much, much better.  I still found myself coughing for an hour or so following the run, but I didn't feel the heaviness in the legs or the overall fatigue that made yesterday's outing so unpleasant.  I'll try upping the mileage a little tomorrow to see if I can handle it.

At the tail end of the run, I bumped into Taylor Scalley and his friend Doug and we made tentative plans for a trail run on Saturday.  Sounds fun!

Another rough week in terms of mileage.  Here's hoping the commencement of my Boston regimen on Monday will help me get out more next week.

Headed across U campus, up to 11th Ave, over to fire station, back up past Popperton to Shoreline, then through U housing (detoured from Shoreline due to oil spill cleanup at Red Butte) and home.  Gorgeous day for a run.  Maja did well today.

The weather was so great that I decided to take Eli out in the jogger on my lunch hour instead of going out early.  I was in shorts and short sleeves and Eli just had a sweater on.  We headed out to Sugar House Park and had a great time together.  Maja (the dog) was clearly not pleased when I took Eli and left her at home, but I can only deal with so much extra company to which I'm attached when I run.

Sloppy but enjoyable jaunt across U campus up to the fire station on 11th Ave and back.  Maja was a pretty good sport about splashing around in the slush.  Pace was pretty slow, mostly because I was worried about slipping.  It felt relaxing and comfortable from start to finish.

Missed the early run, so I tried running on the treadmill after putting the kids to bed.  We had installed a flat-screen at eye level in front of the treadmill, so I thought I might possibly be able to stomach 6 or 7 without going crazy.  Unfortunately, the treadmill thinks I'm too fat or something, because it would shut down after about 1/2 mile (the power switch would get tripped).  In the end, I got too frustrated to keep powering the thing back up every 3 minutes or so, and I called it a night.

I've blown the circuit breaker before while running on the treadmill, usually when I dip into the sub-7 pace range, but this is a new problem.  The thing desperately needs to be serviced, but I'm not sure I'm up for dumping a few hundred bucks into it at the moment (after fixing my daughter's viola, my son's saxophone, my car, my wife's car (new tires and alignment--don't ask), our furnace, replacing a toilet, and having a plumber clean out the drum trap for our shower, all in the past 6 weeks).  It works fine for my wife, who uses it every day, so I'll just buck up and run outside.

Took my stuff to work and did the City Creek run as soon as I could break free.  I was in a hurry to get home, so I stepped up the pace a bit in both directions, but especially on the way down.  No Garmin, but my guess is that my last 3 were roughly 6:20, 5:50, and 5:20.

After today's run, I need a new category for "Miles that should have felt easy but did not."  I went out with Brooke and we kept an easy pace to 3.5 (up to Wasatch and south until we hit the first Parley's Crossing bridge).  Brooke took Maja and turned around at that point and I continued on to my usual turnaround point near Millstream Lane.  It kind of felt miserable the whole way back, obviously due to the fact that I had run hard just over 12 hours earlier and am not in great shape yet.  In fact, the last 5 miles felt a lot like the 3rd Wasatch Back leg always feels.  Oh, well, at least I managed to get some miles in!

Missed my early run (AGAIN), so I brought my gear to work and ran over lunch around Holladay (Haven Lane route).  After Saturday's death march, today's run felt light and easy.  A good thing, too--when the weather isn't great and life is busy, it's too easy to skip workouts when they feel like crap.  The real test will be to see whether I can haul myself out of bed in the morning and do some hills or speed while my wife and kids are fast asleep (school's out for the holidays, so the rest of the family is on a different schedule than I am).  Here's hoping!

We stayed in Park City last night, so I got up early to drive home and take Maja out for a run, but the roads were so horrendous that I didn't get back soon enough.  Fortunately, my day allowed for a lunchtime run, which was lovely.  For future reference, the Haven Lane loop can be lengthened to 7 by running to the end of Walker Lane, then continuing on Cottonwood Lane and around to 23rd East instead of going back on Haven.  It was slushly and sloppy out there, but I'll take that any day over inversion air.

Ran home from work (went in for a couple of hours in the morning) and nearly froze to death along the way.