Philippians 4:13

7 miles before church up on Bernal Heights again, this time running the reverse direction...the hills were not any easier.  Having a great time with family but ready to be home. 

No run today as we had to get up really early for our flight back to SLC.  Met up with the Murphy's for breakfast at Ruth's then the drive home and getting unpacked from the trip and getting Moxie.  We were tired and ready for bed.

Spent a couple of hours trying to clear up an issue with the PowerBar Gels that I was able to get for a couple of marathons.  Unfortunately a lot of communication issues with the company and have to see what I can do to get all the gels distributed and enough for both events. 

4:15am...normal 6 mile run with Moxie.  (Ride)

As I was heading out for worked I checked on my wife's car which had been acting funny lately and determined there is an electrical issue so I had to take it in to the dealer this morning.

No lunch run due to being slammed from being gone from work so much lately and waiting to here back on my wife's car...new battery and new brakes (some of which should be covered by extended warranty).  I would run tonight but I have a church meeting...so a light mileage week.

Still trying to decide if I am going to run the Mesa Falls race this weekend.  My mind is just likely not there for a full marathon but I might be able to fake a hard half.  Or, just go for a long training run from home...hmm.

PowerBar came through and is getting the PowerBar Gels we need for both Mesa Falls and Pocatello...a good company with great products!  Now just to make sure I can get them all the RD's in time for the races!

4:30am...8.5 miles with Curt in 1:07.  We ran through SRL to Broadway and back.  Thanks for the company and great conversation.   During the run I had a slight twing in my right groin, but it seemed to go away after about a mile. (Kinvara)

Not looking like Pocatello will work as my son's XC meet starts at 10:20 and the race starts at 8am and is about 1 hour away from the meet.  Priority is on Justin's first meet!  Now, to run the the Mesa full or half this weekend, or not at all??

10K in 41:07 at lunch on a beautiful day.  Started with an easy w/u mile (7:05) then tried to run at goal MP for the rest.  However, everytime I would get to pace, my right groin would really start to hurt and is still hurting after the run.  Maybe my decision on Mesa has been made for me.  Splits: 7:05, 6:34, 6:34, 6:30, 6:29, 6:35, 0.2 - 1:18. (Cortana)

I had a hard time getting up today (up a bit late last night with my son's party) and my right groin was still aching a bit so I thought about skipping.  Feels like I have a grade 1 abductor strain.

Got out the door at 5am with Moxie and finished 4.3 miles before quitting.  Right leg/groin was a bit sore and I had to stop and walk 3 times during the run.  (Ride)

5.7 miles at lunch in 40 minutes on VERY smoky day, not a good air day.  Slow and easy (7:20, 7:12, 7:11, 7:06, 6:55, cooldown) with a few twinges during the run whenever I picked it up much. (Cortana)

Really conflicted about the race this weekend.  Told the RD that I was at best going to make the half and I will see how I am feeling tomorrow.

I slept in and didn't get out until 5:45.  I woke up wondering how my abductor was going to feel and it wasn't bad.  I ran about 3.5 miles at ~7:40 pace then ran into Curt doing a tempo run so I ran him home for 4 miles averaging about 6:45 and it felt pretty good (a few little twinges).  I went out to finish the run and ran with Andrea for a while.  I finished off ~10 miles and saw lots of runners out this morning.

I then went and helped with XC practice and their time trial today (1.55 miles).  We warmed up on the course to learn it and then I helped monitor and time.  The kids did great and Justin ran pretty well with a 12:36 for 7th place.  I will count about 2 miles during the practice.

I think that I am going to go ahead and run the half tomorrow.

I decided to go ahead and run the Mesa Falls Half this morning and just see how bad the abductor felt.  Got up and out the door at 5:45 to drive to Ashton, ID.

Once there, I stopped it to get my bib and bag and heard that Gray was going to run...sweet!  Stopped in at the breakfast area and said hi to some friends and saw Tyler LeBaron was running the half as well (2:30 at STG last year).   The HM course starts at 5760 feet, ends at 5260 feet so we are at elevation!

Hit the facilities a few times and got on the bus and rode up with Saige (for sure the winning woman).  Hit the PoP one last time, ran a warm up with Tyler then got to the start...but no Gray! 

At the gun Tyler and I were running well down the trail part (miles 1-3, approx. 350 elevation drop) at about a 5:35 average pace passing lots of marathoners.  I was running easy and breathing easy but I felt the abductor a bit though not bad, this would stay the same throughout the race.  After running into the campground we have a flat mile or so then start into the hill that climbs pretty fast and continuously til mile 7 (climb about 300 feet).  Through here I let Tyler take the lead a bit and just ran very controlled and easy to save it for after cresting the hill.  Tyler had been breathing very heavily since the start and I was wondering how far he would last.  Average up the hill around a 6:30. 

At mile 7, we top off and hit the downhill rollers so I start to see what Tyler has left in the tank and push the pace up a bit.  We hit mile 8 at a 5:33 and just past here is a hill at which time Tyler indicates he can't hold the pace.  So I maintain the effort to ensure he would not catch back up and run the next 2 miles in 5:42 pace (downhill about 250 feet).   It was fun to have the company but good to break the competition a bit and start to go for the win.

At mile 10, my intestinal issues start to show up and I slow a bit as I am fighting the need for a PoP start but make it through mile 11-13 at 6:00 pace (mostly flat).  The home stretch is a bit long (0.22 on my GPS probably due to my bad tangents).  Chat for a couple of minutes, see Tyler finish then run to the PoP.

At the finish, I see the RD and he says congrats.  RD says he heard we were neck and neck at mile 7 and said he put his money on the young guy (since I had told him about my injury and Tyler had told him that he was going for the CR).  I guess I proved that old guys can still race well. 

Cooled down for about a mile back and forth to my truck and stuck around to get some food and chat with other runners then headed home for family time and chores.

Splits: 5:22, 5:40, 5:44, 5:55, 6:27, 6:46, 6:16, 5:33, 5:42, 5:43, 6:05, 6:00, 5:55, 1:15 (0.22M).