Philippians 4:13

5 miles early on a cool, windy morning in 42 minutes.  Just nice and easy, the knee is continuing to feel better.  (Defyance)

Finally got the supplies for PowerBar for the Pocatello marathon yesterday, cutting it close!  PowerBar has been great in supporting several local races over the past year, including being the exclusive supplier of gels for Pocatello Marathon/Half marathon!

Very busy day so I had no time to get in a second run today.  OK with this to help rest the knee.

6 miles early on a cool day in 47:25.  Started slow and finished faster for a decent run with no knee issues what so ever.  Feeling good, hopefully work will be less stressful today.  (Defyance)

I have been working to start a fall running club at my kid's elementary school and ran into some issues on expectations with the PTO, but it appears we are on the same page again and I will be coaching some kids this fall.  PowerBar has been great and supplied nutritional products for the club as well.  Should be fun!

Bad News:  Stress and more stress at work, so very busy this morning and working through lunch.

Good news:  Have a break from the stress and see a window to run in the nice weather outside!!!  5M in 37 minutes just to try and relax.  (Black Ride)

More Bad news:  Had already eaten my lunch and ran 30 minutes after eating so my stomach was not all that happy!

More Bad news x 2:  Having major issues with our neighbors...their children are being mean to our kids and so our kids won't play with them, their parents are pissed at us for not including their kids in play and won't take accountability for their bad behavior.  So, we cut them off from playing with our kids.  Now they (kid and parents) are going around talking smack to others about our family and indicating we are being derogatory to other families...our neighbors are acting like there are still in junior high!  Grow up and take accountability for your actions and stop blaming us for your own issues!  DAMN more stress at home too over very stupid stuff!

Just tired this morning from a busy and stressful day yesterday, so much so that I almost didn't get up to run.  Maybe I shouldn't have because I was just flat and not motivated on a cold (37 degrees) morning to run, so I did a short 4 miles really slow and called it good for that run (plus nature was calling).  Maybe another short run at lunch today (stress relief at least) on hopefully a less stressful day. (Defyance)

Looking forward to the Poky half tomorrow and meeting a few FRB'ers that I have not had the pleasure yet to meet face to face. 

On a good note yesterday, my son had his first soccer game of the season and the all did great.  It was a fun game to watch between two good and respectful teams, with it resulting in a close 4-2 win for our team.  Way to play boys!

Another stressful day, a necessary easy run at lunch to cool off.  4.6M in 37 minutes easy in the Kinvara shoes I plan on wearing tomorrow...go to my happy place, go to my happy place..hey, where is the beer? (Kinvara)

My son had an activity at a friends house, so my daughter wanted to go roller skating.  She, my and I spent a couple of hours on a "date night" with our daugther having a ball at the local skating rink.  She did awesome!

1st overall in 1:17:29.  Rob Murphy pushed me the whole way and ran a great race.   I had stomach/intestinal issues starting about mile 6 and finally had to jump in a honeypot at mile 10 (not fun running 4 miles holding it back).  I Came out of the POP and Rob had passed me, but the relief from the intestinal pain helped and I was able to power through to the end.  Almost got hit by a car at 12.5 miles by a guy not looking right pulling out from the park.  I think that if it weren't for the GI issues, I would have been close to or under 1:16.  I had a similar start to 08, a slower middle section but a faster finish so this is still hopeful for a good training run for SGM.  At the start, I am wearing my Powerbar shirt and get recognized from several runners from last year and encourage them to run their best race.  Take a PowerBar Gel and am ready to go!

Splits:

1 - 5:26   Start off a bit fast but use the mild downhill to establish a groove for the run.

2- 5:43    Now just easing into my pace for the run.  Rob is right there with me running strong on a mostly flat mile.

3 - 5:58   Starting to hit the beginning of the rollers, we pass Teena and exchange hellos and encouragement, she is looking strong!

4 - 6:08  The biggest roller on the course (except the hill at 7-8), just maintaining steady effort for now instead of trying to kill the hills.  Rob has dropped back a bit but I know he is there running strong.

5 - 5:42  Over the big roller, now on flat and mild downhill.  My GI is starting to talk to me but nothing bad (yet).

6 - 5:50  Still mostly flat, but now I can tell my intestinal issues are getting more noticeable but not to the point of needing to stop, I figure I can run through this mild discomfort.

7 - 5:54 Flat mile before the hill.  Come into the aid station and try to grab a PowerBar Gel but the worker let's go before I can grab it.  So on I run but then I hear the pounding footsteps of one of the kids trying to catch me to hand me one...he chases me for about 0.25 mile but never gets to me and gives up with a "keep running fast!".  Looking back it is probably good I didn't get one with my GI issues which are still there and getting stronger.

8 - 6:02  The wind picks up and pushes us for a mile, up the hill!  Run a strong mile up the hill to Century high school.  GI issues are now starting to get me worried but I keep pushing to maintain momentum after the hill.

9 - 5:58  Slight uphill section on the worst part of the course for me.  GI issues now getting worse and nearly stop at the POP but they have kinda ebbed down and I didn't want to slow as I know Rob is out there ready to pounce.  I should have stopped here!

10 - 6:40  GI issues now very bad just past the aid station, nearly stop behind a wall to just relieve the pressure.  I make it to the aid station at 10 and have to wait about 10 seconds for someone to get out.  SO much relief after the stop!  Jump out and the workers say "There goes your guy!" and I see Rob about 20 seconds ahead.

11 - 5:36  Feeling much better and with someone to chase I put on the jets and catch Rob and keep on moving out fast.

12 - 5:51  Trying to keep moving strong but not wanting to burn out, so I scale it back to make sure I have a little left at the end in case Rob chases me down.

 13 - 5:42  Picking it up knowing the end is near.  I am nearly hit by a car at 12.5 as a guy fails to look both ways even though his passenger looks right at me. 

0.1 (0.17) - 1:00  Just roll into the finish praise God for the strength to run this race well.  Rob is running great and comes in right behind me.

After the race I talked to lots of other runners, local friends and FRB'er friends (including Teena, Smooth and Kathie...nice to put a face to the name). Saw my buddy Pat B who won the marathon in 2:44, running with cramps from mile 16 on and nearly dropping out at 24 miles but he pushed to the end.  Way to go, Pat!  Andrea did well finishing the half marathon in 1:40 for third overall and McKay finished the full in 3:35, great job!  Bill Mandler and Barry ran good as well.

Lots more intestinal issues at the finish and even after getting home.  I have never had this bad a case of cramps after a race of any distance!  I feel like #$%&!  Hope this goes away soon.  I loved the Kinvara as race shoes, hopefully they will work well for the marathon as well.

No run today to rest my intestinal track and get over my issues from the race yesterday.  We spent a family day walking around the East Idaho State fair for about 4 hours in very windy conditions.  I am so glad that we didn't run the race today and that I took a day off, the wind was given me a severe headache.

Slept in and went out at sunrise in 33 degree temps.  10 miles in 1:12 through Snake River Landing to the greenbelt and John's Hole Bridge and back.  No GI issues, new felt most good so a nice recovery run on my day off.

3 miles easy around 7:30pm on a glorious evening just to burn off some anstiness.  My left knee and shin were a bit twingy, but I think it was due to the shoes, so the Defyance are now officially retired! 

Wow, what a game last night, I wasn't sure if BSU could pull off the late game magic again but they seem to just have a will to win!  Way to represent Idaho with a big win back east against Va. Tech!

Got up a bit late but still got in an easy 6 miles on a chilly morning (35 degrees).  Left leg was better and wearing good shoes helped a lot.  Back to work, hopefully less stressful than last week. 

6 miles at lunch in 46 minutes on a beautiful day, sunny and temps in the high 60's.  Just nice and easy, my left knee was a bit twingy but not bad.  (Black Ride)

6 miles early and easy on a warm morning.  Left knee a lot better again today.  Got done just before the thunderstorm hit...lots of big lightning and some rain!  I will try to get a run in at lunch depending on work schedule.  No run at lunch due to meetings and thundershowers outside!  Maybe this evening...

I just talked to the elite coordinator at St. George marathon and she indicated that the Master's champ from last year, Pepi Peterson, is running again!  Now to see if I can try and challenge him for the Master's title, but that 2:24 he ran last year is tough! 

Went out after dinner and helping with kid's at 7pm for a quick 5 miles in 30:40 (6:08 pace) which felt really good and relaxed.  Nice weather after the heavy rains this afternoon!

6 miles easy on a cool morning.  Legs felt good, run was normal recovery pace. 

4.15 miles at lunch on a cold, windy, rainy day with stomach issues in 30:15..yuck!

Slept in and went out for my run around 10am after going to the dentist.  10.1 miles in 1:14:30 on a crappy day (cold, windy, cloudy) and with more damn intestinal issues.  I had to stop at 6.5 and 7.5 to alleviate issues.  I was thinking of going longer but by the time I ran by my house I was done.  

I'm beginning to think it might be some lactose intolerance (which I have never had) but it seems worse after I have a bowl of cereal for breakfast. I will work on changing my diet in the mornings and see if that helps.

7 miles in 56 minutes at 4:30am on a nice but cool morning.  Nothing special just easy, no intestinal issues but knee was a bit twingy.  

Taking the Scouts on a 7 mile round trip hike to lower Palisades lake today, should be a nice day and fun to spend the time with the boys.   Left at 8am, got home a 5pm...a total of 4.5 hours of hiking on a great day!  The boys did great and had loads of fun (but very tired legs and feet!).

6 miles in 45 minutes on a cool but brilliant day before church.  Just nice and easy to enjoy God's glory this morning.  

Easy early run in cool but calm weather.  7.25 miles in 1:00 on Sunnyside, just a normal early morning run.  

6 mile run on a beautiful day at lunch in 42:56, just easy.  My left left is a bit stiff so I didn't push it today, just getting in some miles.

7 easy miles early on a warm and breezy morning.  Nothing special, tired and unmotivated and my left knee was twingy again.  

4 miles at lunch in 28:20.  Beautiful day (warm and calm!) and more motivated than this morning but just don't have oomph right now...probably need more sleep.  Knee was better but I could still tell it was there. 

4am...6 easy miles on the cool but calm morning before Kami had to go to work.  Very tired this morning, a struggle to make it out the door.

4 miles in 25:20 in between meetings today at lunch.  Just enough time to get in a short one.  First mile at 6:30ish, the rest pushing down towards 6:15 pace.  No knee issues, in fact the faster I ran the less I felt it.

4:30am...7 easy miles on a nice morning through Snake River Landing.  Ran into Marlin and chatted and ran together for a bit.  Left knee was still noticable but not bad and it got better as the run progressed.  Hoping for a faster run at lunch today, maybe some 800's/1000's.

Well, I did the 5x800's...only problem was they were crappy!  I couldn't get my hammy's to loosen up so the splits were very slow (I won't even mention them!).  Total of 6.2 miles in just under 43 minutes.  What a crappy speedwork day...not a good indictator! 

No early AM run today, decided to sleep in a bit and rest my legs.  I will try for a longer run at lunch today (7-10 miles) instead of the beating of the easy/sleepy early run.

10 miles in 1:08 on a glorious day at lunch...sunny, perfect temperature and just enough breeze to cool you down.  1 mile wu, 3 solid miles at slow MP, then easy to the finish to ensure my knee keeps on the mend.  Felt really good for most the run, felt it a couple of times but much better than even yesterday!   Good rest for tomorrow's long hill workout on Sunnyside hill (~18 miler). 

Order a new pair of shoes today with a discount I got in the mail, I am going to give the Brooks Launch a try!

18.1 miles on a beautiful morning.   I ran up Sunnyside hill and back down followed by a return trip of 4 miles up again and back to the car in a total time of 2:11.  Averaged about a 8:15 minute pace up the killer hill and 5:45 pace down the hill for the run.  My knee felt great and it never did bother me and using my PowerBar Gels kept me fueled well.  Felt great afterward!  A great run to start the weekend, last long run before St. George and a good hill workout to boot!

6 mile recovery run in new Saucony Ride's in 44:45.  Legs a bit fatigued from the hill workout yesterday but really not bad.  The left knee was good during the run.  

5 miles early this morning very slow.  Nothing was working or feeling good (quads, feet, knees all hurt) so I just got in a few and called it good.  Hopefully doing better by lunchtime to make up for this crappy run.  (Ride Red)

5 miles at lunch on a windy and cool day.  Nothing fancy just steady and easy in the wind.  Have meetings today so this was just a short one to keep the body moving.  (Ride Black)

5 miles early on a cool but calm morning.  Nice and easy again, but sped up to a 7 minute mile for the last 1.5 miles.  Everything was much better this morning than yesterday.  (Ride Red)

6.26 mile run at lunch on a beautiful day.  I want to run some up tempo miles, so I ran a 5 mile tinman tempo with 0.5M warmup and 0.75 cooldown in 38:59.  Splits: 6:23, 6:02, 6:03, 6:11, 6:11, 6:23, 0.25M - 1:46.   Overall a good run, still wish it would have been a bit quicker but everything felt good and no issues.  (Ride Black)

No early run today as I was tired and just couldn't get out of bed.  I figured going into taper I will just get some rest rather than pushing mileage for mileage sake.  Plus I can be fresh for a lunch run. 

5 mile run at lunch in 35:09 on a beautiful day on the desert.  Perfect temp, slight breeze, plentiful sunshine...ahhh!  Left hammy a bit tight so this was just a stress reliever/enjoy the day run which felt relaxing!  (Ride Black)

I have a massage scheduled for this evening as well so hopefully I can reenergize for the race next weekend.   All I can say is OUCH!!  That was one deep tissue massage and it hurt like you know what!  He hit some spots that nearly made me cry...but the pain will be worth it!  Lots of water this evening to flush the toxins release from the massage as well.

4M at 4:45am on a cool and calm day.  Still a bit sore from the massage last night but it felt better by the end of the run.  Just nice and easy.  (Ride Red)

5M at a late lunch on a beautiful day.  Legs a lot better than this morning and I was able to just cruise easy to finish in 34:50.  While massage hurt, the benefits are starting to already be felt.  (Ride Black)

I slept in this morning and went for my run after walking the kids to school.  10 miles in 1:08:12 down through SRL to Broadway and back.  Nice and easy to start then did a progression to MP with the last mile at 6:02 pace.  A good run, everything felt good including my left knee.  Now for a day off with the family and our visitor from the UK.  

9.3 miles in 1:04 on a beautiful morning. Nice and easy start through SRL to Broadway then I picked it up a bit on the way back to run a couple of miles at slow MP.    I forgot there were a couple of 5k's I could have run today, but I just didn't feel like it anyways.

Last longish run, taper for St. George is now official on.  Bib numbers are out, I got number 21.

5 mile run on Sunnyside hill to test out my Kinvara shoes on hills in preparation for the race Saturday...they worked great!   Easy pace up, then a good MP down.  Splits:  8:10, 8:20, 6:32, 5:27, 5:20.  Total time 33:49 on a beautiful morning before church, I wanted to run longer but I am respecting the taper.  

1 mile with my kids after picking apples off our tree.  The kids did great, running in 9:45-10:30 range between the 2 of them.  Put new insoles in my racing shoes to see how they feel and if I want the extra padding for the race.

3.1 easy miles early on a beautiful morning.  Nothing special, just an easy taper run.  More miles at lunch today, some at MP.  (Ride Red)

5 miles at lunch on a wonderful day...70 degrees, sunny, light breeze!  3 easy miles, 2 at mid-MP for a nice easy run in 34 minutes.  Left hammy a bit tight, but the knee was good.  Splits: 7:12, 6:16, 6:17, 7:08, 7:07. 

4 miles in 28 minutes exactly on a warm day at lunch.  Just easy in between meetings on a stressful day at work.

4 easy miles in 32 minutes on a nice morning.  Did another run in the Kinvara's with the new insoles to test out the feel...still thinking about if I want the factory insoles or more cushioned based on this run.  Felt good most of the time, but I did get a funny feeling once or twice.  But the additional cushion may be good over the 26 mile distance.

Day off today per my normal routine.  Taking the day off to get the kids to school and drive to Layton area to catch a ride with some friend's of a friend to St. George.  Looking forward to seeing the FRB'ers tomorrow!   Everyone drive safely the next couple of days!