Philippians 4:13

Slow early 5M run...left achilles really started bothering me about 3M in, so I slowed way down.  After the run, it has been painful and hurts a bit when I walk.  I have been massaging it and took Ibuprofen, but still hurts.  Haven't registered for Zeitgeist HM (deadline today) and am now very uncertain if I should do it.

Easy early morning 6M run...planned 4M but went longer at a slow (7:16) pace as achilles was not too bad...still couldn't push off as much as I would like.  Probably best that I scratched Zeitgeist HM as the hills would not have been good on the achilles.  I am still somewhat pissed that I scratched another planned race...also considered doing the Tri-cities marathon last weekend but couldn't quite get travel arranged...looking at the results it would have been a likely win.

Nice day for a lunchtime run...7.1M at moderate/very easy marathon pace (6:33).  Achilles felt ok on flats, but on the hills I could feel it and felt like if I pushed any harder it would really not do well. 

Good longer run after watching the OT recap (motivation for my run). First 8M at good pace (6:10ish), last 7M at crappy pace as the wind really kicked up and my leg started bothering me. Overall an ok run.

Total time: 1:36:50.

Congratulations to Paul and Sean!  What a shame to hear about Ryan Shay...you just don't think this can happen to an elite athlete...my prayers are with his family on this sad day.

Easy 10M run down Sunnyside and back. Nice run on a beautiful day...3M at MP, the rest at an easy 6:35-6:44 pace.

1M run with my 8 year old son and my 5 year old daughter in the jogger.  Justin did great running it in about 13 minutes.

Nice easy early morning 7M run down Sunnyside. Just took it easy at a 7:10 pace today...actually saw another runner out at 4:30!  Total time:  50:18

Looked up the results for the Zeitgeist HM...winner was 1:15 and change, fast time for this course! A friend of mine got 7th overall in 1:25ish.

Nice 7.15M MP run on a beautiful day at lunch.  Achilles is now feeling a lot better...I did feel it in the cold this morning but not a bit at lunch.  Pace was really good (avg. 6:21) with 1M warmup, then the last 6.15M at a good MP (6:14ish).  Total time:  45:26

Nice early morning 7M run at an easy pace (7:15) under clear cold skies. First run in new shoes (retired a pair with 500 miles on them, starting to feel like cardboard). 

Total time:  50:40   (Saucony T2 - 7 miles)

Nice 7.1M run at lunch...beautiful day once again. Warmup, some MP work with 8x50m strides thrown in over 4 miles, then 2M at about 6:33 pace to cool down. No pain in the achilles during this run.

Total time:  45:38  (Saucony T3 - 320 miles)

Easy early morning 9.05M run...no pain in achilles, just nice and easy avg. 7:18 for the run (including about 2M warmup pace of ~ 7:30-7:40).  Work will likely not allow a lunch run today.

Total time: 1:06:02  (Saucony T2 - 16 miles)

Nice easy early morning 7M run.  Nothing particular to report, will try to get another run in at lunch today.

Total time:  50:12 (Saucony T2 - 23)

Oh, work sucks!

Nice 6.7M MP run at lunch today (6:20 avg)...weather was great, pace was great.  Took a Melaleuca Access bar before run and did it help with energy level today due to lack of fuel earlier in the morning (work got in the way of my morning snack!).

Total Time: 42:24  (Saucony T3 - 327)

Good paced (6:57) 5M run early this morning...planning on 10+ miler at lunch today (day off!).   If the weather is decent tomorrow, should hit an all time weekly high mileage.

total time:  34:46  (Saucony Stratos 92 miles)

10M run in late morning...clouds rolling in and temp just about right. Could not get up for a fast pace, so did a moderate pace (6:39). Overall an ok run.

total time: 1:06:34  (Saucony T2 - 33 miles)

Nice 13M this morning while daughter was at ballet practice...warmup, some MP miles, 2M cooldown.  Good run on a very beautiful morning.  New weekly mileage high!

total time:  1:27:23  (Saucony T2 - 46 miles)

4M run on the TM at home while watching "Over the Hedge" with my son.  Just an easy run on a planned short day.  Crappy weather outside as well, so the TM was the choice of the day.

total time:  26:55 (Saucony T2 - 50 miles)

Nice and easy early morning 11M at an easy pace (7:12). Run was good on a brisk morning (25 degrees). Veteran's day off...spend time with the family today...good thing because I don't want to go back to the big old mess that I have facing me at work this week.  Dang I hate bureaucracy and in-trenched bureaucrats!

Total time: 1:19:11 (Saucony T2 - 61 miles)

First TM at the gym of the season...went ok actually.  Nice run...slow for first 2M, then MP for next 4M, then a Threshold pace last mile (5:30).  Never felt hard.  Good run.

total time:  45:00  (Saucony T2 - 68 miles)

OK 6M MP run around the river at lunch in the rain and strong winds.  Overall kept up a slow MP (6:24), which in these conditions wasn't bad. 

total time:  38:24  (Saucony T3 - 333 miles)

10K easy run very early this morning in the coldest temps yet (19 degrees), but no wind!  Good easy run...will try to get a run in at lunch at the dessert. 

Total time:  45:03  (Saucony T2 - 74 miles)

Nice slow MP (6:26) 4M run out on the dessert trails on a glorious day...sunny, cool (33 degrees), no wind...ahh what a day for a run (especially after yeterday's crappy weather).

Total time:  25:45 (Saucony T3 - 337 miles)

Nice easy early morning 6.1M at a 7:03 pace.  Nice morning, no wind, 22 degrees, picked up pace to 6:44ish for last 3M. 

total time:  42:58  (Saucony T2 - 80 miles)

OK 7M run on a nice day at lunchtime.  Got a side stitch around 3M and couldn't ever really recover from it.  Overall just a mediocre run at a moderate 6:39 pace.  Meetings got in the way of my normal mid-morning snack and I didn't get any fuel in before the run, so I felt pretty flat today.  Will try to compensate and do a tempo run at lunch tomorrow. 

total time:  46:30  (Saucony T3 - 344 miles) 

Very easy paced (7:21) 7M run early this morning.  First 2M really slow warmup, then picked it up to low 7:00's.  Warmest morning this week (31 degrees), overdressed this morning as I was a bit warm.

total time:  51:26  (Saucony T2 - 87 miles)

Nice 7.1M run on a beautiful day (again!) at lunch. 2M into wind at moderate pace (6:35) then 5.1M at MP (6:17ish avg.). Nice run...not the tempo that I wanted, but it felt good to get out and pick it up for those last 5M.

total time:  45:25 (Saucony T3 - 351 miles)

10.1M moderate paced (6:45) run this morning...warmer and cloudy with no wind.  Didn't push hard, just took it out at comfortable pace around the river while my daughter was at ballet rehersal.  Overall a good run to end the week.

total time: 1:08:04  (Saucony T2 - 97 miles)

Nice 6M run this morning in windy but warm weather (46 degrees).  2M of warmup (6:55 pace), then 4M at MP, last 2M at 6:19 and 6:12.  Legs felt great, best morning run in  while.

total time:  39:27  (Saucony T2 - 103 miles)

Nice early morning 8M run.  First 3M at 7:20ish pace, last 5M at 6:52ish pace.  Felt great...nice weather, have to get out at lunch again to maximize it before the bad weather comes.

total time:  56:21  (Saucony T2 - 111 miles)

Nice MP (6:21) 7M run at lunch on a nice but very windy day.  Heading out (3M) at avg. 6:30 pace, but coming back averaged more like 6:15ish (with the wind for most of this part of the run). 

total time:  44:24  (Saucony T3 - 358 miles)

Kind of cool statistic observed today...noted 15 people from my office out walking/running/excercising at lunch, approximately 5% of my office...man are we a healthy bunch!

Other note..took my wife to see the orthopedic doc today...see started running this past spring and ran in two 5K's in May/June, but stopped running after her knee started really hurting her.  I suggested rest, ice, anti-inflammatory...kinda of work (I figured she had chondromalcia).  The Doc confirmed the chondromalcia...due to a structural issue in her knee.  Her kneecaps actually ride at a 45 degree tilt over her knee under flexion and therefore cause a lot of pressure on the outside of edge of the connective tissue and create a quite a bit of roughing and inflammation.  Nothing to really do about it (at least for now) besides meds, ice, strengthening of the quad muscle (which she has strong quads!).  But has turned her off of running after a good start this spring.  Dang it.

8M run at an avg. 6:24 pace on the TM at the gym (ugh..).  First 2M slower, 5M at MP, last mile at threshold (5:40ish).  Good run except for being inside...I didn't want to deal with the wind and snow outside this early in the morning.

total time:  50:18   (Saucony T2 - 127 miles)

Got an email yesterday indicating that I got a comp entry into the PF Chang's marathon in Phoenix on Jan. 13, 2008.  Now, I just need to figure out and final travel plans and ensure it fits into the budget (especially this close after Christmas).  We have friends to stay with, so it is just the travel expense and deciding who is going (just me, my son and I or the whole family) which dictates the window of travel.

Pretty good 6M run at lunch at a moderate pace. Intenstinal issues the last 3M and ran a bit with a buddy at a 7:20ish pace. Got the mileage in but nothing special.

total time:  39:53  (Saucony T3 - 364 miles)

Nice and easy early morning 6M run in chilly temps (13 degrees) but no wind. Just an easy day to rest for tomorrow's 10K race.  Kind of cool about the race tomorrow, at least 8-10 of my coworkers are running it as well...should be fun (and the forecast is for a sunny but cold morning).

My wife is really bummed about her knees even though the doctor said there is not a problem, just something to be aware of for the future when her knees hurt.  The "runner's knee" pain is getting better, but she thinks the structural issue will keep her from exercising (despite what the doc said) and getting back into running.  She doesn't want to run if she has to have any pain.  I told her that all runners experience some pain at least now and then and you pay attention to what it is telling you...and that if running is not something that she enjoys, she doesn't have to do it.  She is a monster on the elliptical and in the weight room (she takes great pleasure in getting on a machine after a guy and adding weight to it!).

total time:  43:58  (Saucony T2 - 125 miles)

Short 3.8M run around the loops of Freeman Park.  Paced my buddy through a 6:50ish first 2M in preparation for tomorrow's 10K race.  Did last 1.8M at a 6:10ish pace.  Stopped because my fingers were icicles (kinda underdress for the weather...shorts long sleeves, fleece vest and two pair of light cotton gloves in 22 degrees).

total time:  24:11  (Saucony T3 - 368 miles)

Run to Feed the Hungry
2nd overall behind Ken Richardson

Splits: 1-5:27; 2-5:42; 3-5:43; 4-6:03; 5-6:09; 6-5:49; 0.2-0:55.

Cool but beautiful day for a run. Middle 2M not quite sure what happened but crappy miles. Ran with Ken or about 10 secs. behind until mile 5, then he started to pull away as I faded for some reason.

Won a pair of La Sportiva trail running shoes.

1M easy warmup, 1M easy cooldown.

(Saucony Tangent - 87 miles)

Nice 9.1M run on a crisp (18 degrees) but calm and sunny morning. Nice and easy, but picked it up to MP (6:25) for the last mile.

Good morning for a run after my wife went to the gym. Looking for a new bed for my daughter today (after convincing my wife not to do the crazy shopping morning mess).

Total time: 1:00:36 (Saucony T2 - 135 miles)

Good morning run...1M warmup, 6M at MP, 1M cooldown.  Nothing special to report.

Total time:  52:11  (Saucony T2 - 143 miles)

Easy 7.1M on a cool bright morning.  Just easy around the park at an avg. 6:50 pace...a good start to the week.

Today we will take advantage of the good weather to finish putting up Christmas lights.

total time: 48:28  (Saucony T2 - 150 miles)

Very slow easy and short 4M this morning after I got up late and only had time for a short run on about 4 hours of sleep. I had a horrible case of insomnia last night...you ever have one of those nights where you are exhausted and ready for sleep but you just lay there and your mind won't turn off?  Not thinking of anything in particular...just random activity and just as you are about to doze off...BAM! you mind wanders back to consciousness again.  This went of for 3 hours last night...man am I tired this morning.

total time:  30:41  (Saucony T2 - 154 miles)

Good 5.3M MP (6:24) run at lunch today in cool weather.  Felt pretty good for running on lack of sleep...

Decided I am probably going to order a pair of La Sportiva Fireblades as my free shoes from the turkey day race.

total time:  33:58  (Saucony T3 - 373 miles)

Good easy paced (7:10) 8M run early this morning.  Almost overdressed due to higher temps until I turned around at 4M mark and hit the wind face on.  Within half and hour of finishing my run, the snow started and man did it make for slick driving to work today.

total time:  57:23   (Saucony T2 - 162 miles)

Good 5.4M MP run at lunch around the river...had to watch footing to make sure there was no ice as the path was quite wet.  Pretty good wind coming out of the south made for one of those runs where you are cold going one way, hot coming the other.

total time:  35:01  (Saucony T3 - 378 miles)

4M on the TM at home as I had to be at work early to head to the desert.  1M warmup then 3M at faster MP (6:10ish).  Try to get another run in at lunch after we get back to town.

There must be something bad in the water in IF right now...I just heard about some good friends who are getting divorced.  This is the 4th person/couple in the past 3 weeks alone (in the past 2 years, we have known about 12 couples/friends that have gotten divorced, many from our church!).  Dang, how can you not find a way to work hard at a marriage in which you have invested your soul, commitment and, hopefully, spiritual focus on God?  My wife is flabergasted as am I. 

total time:  25:20  (Saucony T2 - 166 miles)

Good MP 5.25M run at lunch today is sunny, cool and windy conditions.  Got out a bit late, so it was warmer and I kinda overdressed but didn't heat up to bad. 

total time:  33:36  (Saucony T3 - 384 miles)

Good easy pace early morning 6.5M run.  Temps not too bad, wind light, light dusting of snow on the pathway...good morning for a run.  Try to get another run in at lunch then later today we are putting up the Christmas tree with the kids.

total time:  46:30  (Saucony T2 - 172 miles)

Easier 6.25M run at lunch.  First 2M with Jeff Fogg at easy (7:35 pace), next 1.5M with Dan Shirley at 7:20 pace then had to take a bathroom break.  Next 2.75M at MP (6:15ish).  Stomach issues clouded an otherwise ok run.

total time:  43:35  (Saucony T3 - 390 miles)

Easy 5M run early in the morning in the coldest temps yet (13 degrees) but no wind.  Shorter run as Kami had to leave for work by 5:30am. 

total time:   37:09  (Saucony T2 - 177 miles)

Good 6M at lunch on a decent morning.  Light winds and not bad temps.  3M at moderate pace, 3M at slow MP.

total time:  39:21  (Saucony T3 - 396 miles)