Running

6.10 in 47:18 (7:45).  Out towards Saratoga and back.  The day off yesterday worked wonders cause I felt a lot better this morning.

PM CF 

20.50 in 2:43:12 (7:58).  Started at 6:00 AM and was solo cause Mark is running Squaw Peak 50.  Ran from the movie theaters in the Riverwoods up 10.25 and then back. Turnaround point was at Big Springs and hit it right around 1:26:00.  The climb up South Fork is brutal, especially the last 1.5 miles.  Didn't want to kill myself coming down, but just wanted to get into a decent rhythm.  Overall, a good run.  Right hammy, both knees (especially the left), and the left achilles are all sore and bothered me quite a bit the last 2-3 miles.  I may have to take several days off just to heal up.  Last Monday's run has had a lasting effect. UV 1/2 next week, so I'm fine with decreasing the mileage this next week.     

3.0 no watch.  Slow.  I may have a lot of these this week to try and nurse the legs back to normal.

PM CF

7.0 no watch up 300 W. and back.

PM. CF. 

3.0 no watch.

Well, this was a really, really good race for me despite the battles with the headwind up in the canyon, and it was actually a lot of fun.  In fact, this is probably a PR effort for me as I ran Hobble Creek in 1:22:04 several years back and a pretty honest Pocatello course in 1:24:23 last fall.  Wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I just ran a 1:24:40 at the Provo City Half a little over a month ago and the courses are somewhat similar, although I would say that Provo City is a bit faster.   I also knew that I ran a 1:25:46 in a somewhat disappointing race last year.  However, the one thing I wanted more than anything was to at least push myself early in the race and if I blew up, so be it.  That 6:00-6:15 pace is intimidating to me, but I wanted to go there as long as possible (I need to learn to go and stay at this pace more frequently).  Here are the splits:    

1 6:14        Things separated pretty quick.  There was a pack of 6 that formed and flew away and then a pack of 4 that I believe included JPark from the blog and Ryan (Rob's R's friend) that separated a bit as well.  Then there was our pack of about 15 or so, which included the leading women.

2 6:23  12:38  Just rolling along in our big pack.  Lots of headwind up in the canyon and I tried to tuck in behind as best as possible.  In all honesty, I love running in these big groups cause it is easy to get sucked in and just go with the pace, which is what I did for quite a while.  It helped.

3 6:30  19:09  Big hill in here.  There were some decent climbs along the way.

4 6:25  25:34

5 6:13  31:48  Seemed like right around in here are pack breaks up a bit.  There were about 4-5 women and maybe 2-4 guys.  

6 6:01  37:50  Things really split up here and now it was me, K. Harmon (who ended up winning the women's) Melody (didn't realize she was on the blog until I just read her report), green shirt guy who had come back to us from one of the groups ahead, and one other guy.

7 6:01  43:52  Obviously from the splits, miles 5-9 were some great miles for me.  Got into a good groove and really felt good.  K. Harmon and I were running right together all through here and Melody had fallen back just a bit.  Green shirt guy must have started feeling better cause he gapped us pretty quickly around the end of this mile I believe.

8 6:10  50:02

9 6:01  56:03  Seems like we came out of the canyon right around here and too be honest, I didn't really notice much of the headwind from here on out.  But it was pretty fierce up in the canyon.

10 6:25 1:02:29  I start struggling here and K. Harmon pulls away and Melody and her friend that jumped in with her for a few miles also passed and pulled away.  Just trying to make it to the next aid station, which I make it to and walk through.

11 6:35 1:09:04  Up the hill by the golf course.  Not as bad a split as I thought it was going to be.

12 6:22 1:15:27  Just trying to hold on.  Legs are hurting, but still pulled off another decent split.

13 6:20 1:21:47  Longest mile ever.  Felt like it went on forever.  Guy behind me was a good 20-30 seconds behind.

0.10 0:50 1:22:37

I think I ended around 11th place for the men.  Obviously a better than expected time, but I'll take it and keep trying to get faster.  I've only ever seen 1:22:xx twice before at the end of a half, so I was pretty excited to finish where I did.  I'm very happy with where I'm at right now with the running and seem to be running faster than I thought I could for this time of the year.  Maybe the CrossFit is helping, although I'm sure that is up for debate with many on this blog.  But overall my running mileage is down this year, but I'm supplementing things with the CrossFit....and also losing a bit of weight.  Who knows.  I think the plan is to run DesNews Marathon, so this is a good confidence booster, but that race is a whole different animal it seems like.    

6.75 in 53:13 (7:53).  Ran out on the JRP near Saratoga.  Nice and easy.  Legs didn't feel great, but not that sore either.

CF.  This is where my legs started to hurt (right knee). 

6.75 in 53:16 (7:53).  Out on the JRP.

PM CF.  I've felt very sluggish all week, so I haven't really done much.  

18 in 2:10:27 (7:15).  Ran 2.5 and met Melanie B. (all her training friends are recovering from last weekend's marathon) and we ran up by Smith's Mktplace and up from there about two miles, which meant we climbed up Suncrest a good bit.  Turned around at her 7 mile mark and my 8.50 mark and did a tempo for 7 miles back down into her neighborhood.  Splits were 7:17 (part of this was going up Suncrest), 6:19, 6:20, 6:26, 6:22, 6:26, 6:25.  I was nervous about being able to go fast today, but I actually felt pretty good, especially on the downhill portions of the tempo.  I never run this fast on a long run.  In fact, we even kept a pretty good pace on the first part of the run.  But, it was a good run and glad I did it.

CF 

PM 2.25 slow, easy miles on the JRP. 

8.05 in 1:05:28 (8:08).  Went up by the cemetery and then north down into the gully.  Just put it into a slow cruise control and went.

PM CF 

8.05 in 1:04:19 (7:59).  700 S. out to Willow Park and back.  Pretty slow and easy.

8.0 in 1:00:22 (7:33).  About half the medium cemetery loop.  Turned around once I hit 4 and did a tempo for the next 3.  Splits were 6:44, 6:50, 6:25.  Cooled down with 1 more home.

8.15 in 1:01:29 (7:33).  Up 300 W. until I hit the 4 mile mark and then turned.  Did a 3 mile tempo from miles 5-7.  Splits were 6:51, 6:45, 6:43.  Just tried to keep it relaxed and around the desired marathon pace.

PM CF.  1.0 while there. 

5 miles no watch.  It was slow.

PM CF 

Started at 5:30 in the Riverwoods behind the movie theaters.  Ran to the top of South Fork and back down.  Garmin lost reception for a good portion of South Fork.  Course tool showed the route at just over 22 miles.  I suspect it was in the neighborhood.  

CF

Very good week for me.  If I can just get the next three weeks close to this one then I think I will feel pretty good for DesNews. 

Should I even log this mile? Vacationing in Maui this week.  Travelled most of the day and then lifted when we arrived at the hotel.  Threw in a bit of a warm up on the treadmill and then ran outside for a bit.

14.0 in 1:55:00 (8:13).  This is one of the most incredible runs of my life.  Mark and I started at about 6:00 AM and went from our hotel (Marriott) in Wailea south down the coast for 7 miles and back.  First mile was on the path that goes along the beach and then we were on roads.  Eventually got to where there was little traffic and we were  along the coast running by some massive homes.  Eventually got to the lava fields and ran through there for a bit.  Had no water, so by about mile 10-11 we were dying.  Plus it is just so freakin humid here compared to the Utah desert. 

7.10 in 1:01:25.  Way slow today cause we had to walk a bit.  Headed north towards Kihei today.  Ended up being a good run.

10.35 at 7:54 pace.  Same route as Tuesday, only 5 out and and then back.  Lots of hills on this route and pushed the pace a bit from 6-9.  Felt pretty good.  I just need to run about 20 more miles today to offset all the food I've been eating.

10.25 in 1:29:54.  Really, really slow today, which is exactly what I wanted.  Legs don't have much to give right now so I'm hoping the slow run today will help them out for tomorrow.  Similar route to yesterday, but a little bit of variation thrown in.

1.0 in the gym in the afternoon on the TM. 

15.25 at just over 8 min pace.  Same route as the prior days only I went further.  In fact, the road ended around 7.25 and I just ran slowly around the rocky beach.  Last couple of miles were with two guys that live in Hawaii.  One is a triathlete and the other is a trail runner.  Fun to talk with them and push the pace a bit for a few miles.

Another good solid week for me and I did it in only 5 days.