Maybe I'll Blog, Maybe I Won't

Last night I went to bed at 2:15 AM.  Got up at 8:30 and didn't feel tired at all which was amazing.  Got ready and went down to the park to get warmed up etc.  Warmed up just jogging around and doing some small striders and stuff.  Legs feel pretty good.  A couple of small sore spots but nothing of concern.  

Started the race feeling like the pace was really easy.  Didn't bring my watch because a) I think I left it at home (in Hurricane) and b) I just wanted to run by feel anyway.  Legs felt fine for the first 2 miles and I was running with this guy who seemed very fast.  He said he knew some bloggers too.  We were way out in front.  One other guy was behind us a bit but no one for a long way after that.  He was going for under 35 too which was kinda what I was hoping for too so I determined to stick with him.  Unfortunately, those dreams were short lived.  I don't know whether it was the marathon still in my legs or excessive mileage earlier in the week but my legs just kinda shut off after about two miles and he pulled away and built up a big lead by the time I hit mile 3.   About mile 3 I got passed by the guy who was a bit behind us but I got my stuff together and stuck on him.  Still trailed by about 3-5 seconds but didn't let him build any lead to speak of.  He turned out to be a very good front runner.  I would surge to try and get him but by the time I would catch him my legs would be dead again and he would pick it up and get his lead back.  This happened 5 or 6 times the whole last half of the race.  Almost got him at 1.5 to go, but I wasn't as familiar with the course as I should have been and it just kept making turns and making turns and I was wondering when the heck it was going to end and my legs kept doing this surge-sputter thing.  Last .5 mile he has a good 15 second lead but I tried to kick it pretty hard and cut it down to about 9 or 10 seconds by the finish.  Ended up 3rd with 35:29:14, so I didn't get any of my goals but I did PR by over a minute (not counting USG) so I'm satisfied for now.  I think I kind of redeemed myself from the TOU 5k as well...felt much better about my time and mental state.  I didn't let the guy get away from me hardly at all and I was in the race the whole way.  Pretty happy about it.  Will probably jog a couple more miles today.  That later.

11 easy to moderate pace.  Legs felt great today!  Ran down to First Dam where my FHE group was doing FHE and watched them freeze their butts off by jumping in a 35-40 degree lake (in 45 degree weather) while re-enacting the "Iron Rod" story.  I used the fact that I was in the middle of a run as an excuse not to do something that stupid.  It was funny...there was definitely some language that will need to be edited out of that one.  haha.  Anyway, ran down the last half of the First Dam 10k course, up River heights and then east to that one road and out through Providence.  Was headed to Main, but then I had the misfortune of running into a couple of other old reprobates crazy enough to run in the dark and stormy night...namely Jon and Cody.  ;)  Ran with them all the way back to campus on part of the route I came and that was it.  Nice run.  A little chilly and rainy towards the end but it felt really good.  Had a good strong pace most of the way.  Hovered around 7 min. averaging maybe slightly under 7 min pace.  I think winter is starting to be here.  :(

10 easy pace up through Hyde Park.  New route through the fields.  Cold today but nice run.

Easy for 8 miles, Bonneville Trail down to First Dam, along Canyon Road to and out around the First Dam 10k Course to Merlin Olsen Park, up past the Temple and back through campus.  Last 2 miles hit tempo run pace just to get a workout but felt very good.  Weather was pretty cold again but I was dressed for it so it wasn't bad.  Great run today.

North Logan/Main/4th North Loop.  8.6 mi. hard pace.  6:30 or better pace the whole way.  Legs got tired heading up 4th North but other than that they felt very strong.  I like running down Main because I can look at myself in all the windows and make sure that my form looks good and stuff.  Tried to work on that today.  It was a cold one today...didn't get out til after dark.  I hate this daylight savings time...I don't think it actually saves any daylight.  :P  Good run though so I'll survive.

6.5 miles very easy.  Nothing special.

Met Jon at the start of the Canal Trail then ran up to the River Trail start where we picked up Paul.  Easy pace but my legs were a little fatigued for some reason...no problem though.  Went almost to the G-something Campground and came back.  15 miles.  Felt good but I was ready to be done when we were done.  Longest run since St. George.  Weather was beautiful...a little chilly but being dressed warm it wasn't too bad...plus I think I am starting to get used to the cooler temps...still 30 or 40 degrees to go though.  :P  oh well.  Good day today.

Easy 12 miles today.  River Heights/Providence/Main/N. Logan.  Felt a little sluggish but I suppose that's because it's monday.  Felt okay.

8.5 hill run on Bonneville Shoreline Trail.  Nice run, good weather but got a little blustery and chilly near the end as it started to snow in the mountains.  Nice run though.

tried a new interval workout today.  I will dub it "Stoplights"  because you run all out for one stoplight and then rest the next one and then all out again and so on.  Went all down main and up 4th north...lots of stoplights.  Felt pretty good I guess.

Bonneville and Green Canyon with Paul, Cody, Jon, and Lisa.  Felt good.  It was a little chilly and I actually got some ice in my beard which was cool.  Nice run.  It was nice to run with people today.  Also hiked Wind Caves today.

14 today moderate pace on the Canal and River Trails.  Felt very good but the canyon was much colder than the valley and my hands got cold since I didn't wear any warm stuff.  but it got warm again coming back out so it was okay.  Legs felt very strong after last week's rest week.  Great run today.

10 miles Providence Loop.  Easy pace.  Legs were a little sore from yesterday but it was the good "I got a great workout yesterday" kind of sore which I haven't actually felt for awhile.  Passed 500 miles on this pair of shoes and they are still in way good shape.  My stride etc must be improving because there is a lot less wear and tear at this point on them than my last pair (which are the same brand and style).  I figure I have at least another 100 miles on them.

8.5 very very easy just around town.  felt good and weather was very nice.  I think I'm going to hit either some weights or a track workout tomorrow so I figured it would be good to take it easy today.  

Got in a great workout today in spite of Hurricane-esque winds.  Ran 5 miles to Merlin Olsen Park and back up to the field house where I did some weight training for the first time in a long time

Leg Extension:  3x15 @ 105 lbs.

Leg Flexor:  3x15 @ 90 lbs

Glute Flexor:  3x20 @ 110 lbs

Calf Raises:  3x15 w/ 2x35 lb dumbells

Jumping exercise:  3x15 @ 70 lbs

Hip Adductors:  3x15 @ 90 lbs

Hip Abductors:  3x15 @ 90 lbs

Also did 4x200m on the track at about 00:30 apiece.  Jog in between.  Cooled down for another mile or so back to the apartment.  Great workout today!  Felt good to get some strength and speed training in.  It's been awhile and I will probably be super sore tomorrow.  Yay!

Oh, and incidentally I weigh in at 140 lbs even with shoes and clothes on.

11.5 easy and relaxed today.  Legs were a little sore all day but felt awesome while running!  Felt very smooth and fluid and effortless today.  Great run!

12 on this big loop out in the fields west and south of town with Paul, Cody, and Logan.  All flat.  Very cold...I had ice in my beard for the first time ever I think.  That was cool.  Legs were tired from yesterday since it was only like 12 hours since I had last run but it turned out okay.  I liked the route...it was very pretty when the sun was coming up over the mountains and shining off the frost on the ground.  I bet that run is spectacular in the summer when you can smell the alfalfa and stuff.  I think it may become my "Bench Lake" equivalent up here at some point in time.  Nice run today.  Got done and went back to bed and didn't get up until 1 PM.  I am so lazy.  haha.  No, it's the weekend. 

Hyde Park loop easy today.  Legs were a little sluggish but felt better as the run went on.  Nothing real special today, just got the miles in.  

Went to class then sat in the car for 6 hours straight with no break traveling back home.  Got home, ate dinner and went on a 9 mile hard run.  Felt kinda crappy because of the long car ride but got it done okay.

11 miles in the rain and wind today.  Still got a very good run in in spite of the weather.  Felt great!  This low altitude is wonderful and I feel like I can run forever.  Averaged 6:11 pace today.  Found my watch that I left here when I was down for SGM.  Great run today, even though I have been tempted the last couple of days to forego the running.

AM:  Ran 8 easy with Matt from Brigham City who is also down here in Hurricane for Thanksgiving.  West Cinder Knoll loop plus an extension around Airport Road and Dairy road to make 8.  Felt good and relaxed.  Probably run a couple more this evening to burn off some of those extra calories...like I need to, haha.

AM:  Bench Lake Loop with an extension through Angel Heights with Matt.  Nice morning and nice temperatures.  7 min. avg mile.

 PM:  While hiking Observation Point in ZNP a friend and I decided to run the last little bit so that we could make it to the top before we had to turn back due to nightfall...the other people in our group were very slow so we ran up ahead for awhile.  Still decided to turn around before the top but we got a good view anyway and made it back just as it got dark.

Well, it's been an interesting morning.  I was supposed to go running with Holt, Logan, and some of the other St. George guys this morning so I got up on time and drove to what I believed to be the designated meeting spot here in Hurricane...the Canal Trail trailhead.  Problem was, there are 2 trails that are sometimes called the Canal Trail.  I picked the wrong one.  The right one was one that I usually refer to as the "Rim Trail."  I was wondering what Holt was talking about when he said something about two towers.  By the time I remembered that there were two radio towers near the start of the Rim Trail and that that was probably where they were it was already 8:00...half an hour after I thought they would be there.  So I drove like a bat out of hell up to there and discovered that they had already left.  I figured they had a 3+ mile lead on me so I booked it up the trail as fast as I could go and cut off all the switchbacks, hurdling brush, yucca, and cactus as I went and praying that I wouldn't break my ankle or neck.  Got back on the trail and was able to find some footprints and determine that I was indeed on the right trail and very behind.  I knew because last time Logan ran with us I noticed that he had the same shoes as I do, and I also know that Holt usually runs in Asics.  Anyway, so I spent the next 7 or 8 miles trying to make up the distance and hope that I would catch them at some point, and also using my tracking "skills" to try and determine which turnoffs they took.  I must have got lucky because about 9.5 miles out I ran into a couple of bikers who said that they were a half mile ahead.  Turns out they sucked at judging distance because at several places I could see at least that far ahead and didn't see a soul out there.  So I kept going on the Jem Trail, crossed the Sheep's Bridge road, and continued.  Long story short, I never caught them a little after crossing the road I decided that they probably had a car waiting at the other end, would get there long before me and leave me stranded and too tired to run back out in the middle of the boondocks.  So I determined to cut my losses, get back to Sheeps Bridge road, run to the highway and back down the highway on a very narrow shoulder in 60 mph traffic back to the trailhead.  I almost died about 4 times, got tons of burrs in my socks, scratched my legs up a bunch and made it back in one piece.  So that is my adventure.  Sorry guys...I hope you had fun on your run!  I did.  Oh, and I just noticed Logan's comment on my blog about meeting at Maverick...that would have probably worked...haha.  I'll be back down in 2 weeks for Christmas break so we'll have to try again then...and I'll try to get to the right place.