Dare to be great!

Couple easy miles around the hood this morning. That is all... carry on.

Had a good run this morning. 7 miles from the house this morning. Legs are feeling like they want to run.. Hit 2 miles at a bit faster than marathon pace 7:00 and 7:07. Finished with an AP 7:35  I can't believe the marathon is only 4 days away....let the taper continue

Couple easy laps around Liberty Park during lunch at work.  Once again stayed in the wood chips and just enjoyed the day.  8:10AP

I can't believe this is the last run before St. George. Nothing more to do now but wait, nice and easy run around liberty park.   I threw in 6 strides during the run to get my legs used to moving.  8:07 AP.  Body is feeling pretty good considering all it has been through.  Hopefully everything holds up.  I know it will take a perfect race for me to hit my goal of qualifying for Boston with a 3:09:59.  Maybe if the stars align and angels carry me in it will happen.  Looks like it will be pretty good weather.

Off to St. George... we are planning on seeing Wicked in Vegas afterwards so I can't tell who is more excited, me or my wife.   Good luck to all those who are racing this weekend.

Overall I am thrilled with how the race went.  I had set a goal high to break 3:10 in order to qualify for Boston.  I missed the goal by 9 seconds, but crushed my PR from earlier this year by over 14 minutes.  I was also able to negative split the course and never really crashed. First half 1:35:59, second half 1:34:09

We were lucky enough to be able to stay with my cousin the night before.  Slept pretty good considering.  Laurel dropped me off at the start and headed up on the buses to the start.  I could tell by the flags blowing it would be a great race for a lot of people.  Tailwind for the first half or so.  I tried to stay warm and met up with Mark Ellison and Mike at the start.  I was shivering trying to stay warm probably more nerves than cold.

My plan was to at least get myself into a position to be able to reach my goal the first half.  The gun went off and I was just getting into a groove, everything felt comfortable and smooth.

1. 7:28 getting warmed up 2. 7:24 feeling good 3. 7:10 now on track still feeling really comfortable and the next couple miles just clicked away, chatted with a few people who were after the same goal. 4-7. 7:00,6:58,6:55,6:56, coming up to Veyo just tried to stay relaxed through the hills and not burn my legs out, 7:49,7:32,7:25,7:41, whew still feeling ok just got to get my legs moving again, miles12-13,7:25,7:13.

Hit the half in 1:35:59, I was right about where I needed to be. Now was the time to push it in if my legs would allow, mile 14-18, 7:19, 6:54,7:02,7:07,7:12, I was still feeling really good through these miles.  I did not even feel my shin/calves for pretty much the whole race.  I used my compression socks and had them taped at the expo the night before. 

The hill at 19 really took a hit on my time 7:46, mile 20,7:19.  My quads really started to get tight in here.  I kept trying to focus and keep pushing.  I told myself to just take it one mile at a time, and not thing about how much further I needed to go.  I just told myself you can keep this pace for one mile then go from there.  Just keep fighting.

Mile 21, 7:00, mile 22 7:17 for some reason I think there was a little hill in here that just killed me, maybe not.  Mile 23, 7:12 just taking it a mile at a time.  Only a 5k left you can do this.  Mile 24 7:03, I knew it would be close trying to push it as much as I can.  Quads screeming at this point.  Mile 25 7:12 the crowd were a huge boost and I was still pushing.  I saw the time on the last mile and knew I had to run sub 7 to get my goal.  I was pushing with all I had 7:09, last bit to the finish line 6:28.  It was actually a sprint for me at this point.  My legs just couldn't give any more.

Hit my watch 3:10:08, I was actually elated at this point.  I trained hard for this one and now I have a carrot to chase after next year....

I couldn't find my wife after the finish for about an hour.  She missed me finishing somehow.  Other than my quads being tight my legs felt ok after the race.  I am so grateful I did not injure something.  The night after the race I thought I would recover pretty fast.  Then I woke up the next morning.  Ouch.  They are a little better this morning, just need to get moving on them.

I know if I keep building up on my base miles I can break 3:10, or crush it next year.  I am planning on signing up for Utah Valley next spring.  Any advise on what I need to do to take it to the next level from here?

Went for a jaunt to the church and back.  Pretty much a walk/shuffle to feel out the legs.  They are feeling better everyday.  I don't want to push it too much this week.  Quads are still really sore.  Other than that pretty good and it doesn't feel like there are any injuries.  Probably head to the hills hiking tomorrow.

Went up Little Cottonwood Canyon for some time in the mountains.  Went by myself still some lingering soreness in the legs so went out to get a good workout in without the pounding.  Really enjoyed my morning up there.  Hiked from about 7 until 10:45, then off to work.  I love having a flexible schedule.

Well the honeymoon week is over. Enjoyed my week off following the marathon. It was a week of sleeping in and glutony. Now it's time to get back on track. Out the door at 5am, only had 45 minutes to run, kept the pace easy. AP 8:29. Legs are still a bit heavy.

I am planning on building up my mileage this month to average around 70 per week, then add some speed work later.  Hopefully by following Sasha's plan, I can qualify for boston come spring.  Missing it by 9 seconds will haunt me all winter.

Woke up this morning with a slight pain in my shin again. Don't know where that came from as I had no pain on the run yesterday or the marathon last week. Decided to take it easy during the morning run. Went with the kids as they rode their bikes to school then continued on my 5k loop around my neighborhood.

PM: Decided to go to my old standby, Liberty Park, in the wood chips.  Went with John, calf was a bit tight.  It was so nice out, cool, the leaves were blowing, it was a really fun run.  Didn't want to push the pace at all averaged 7:49 for both laps.  Just a good day to be a runner.  Can't wait until I am all healed up and my base is built to really start flying again.

Another day in the mountains. Went all the way to the summit this morning. Power hiked/ran as much as possible on the way up then bushwacked down the mountain as best as I could. Another beautiful day up in God's country.

Well so much for being consistant this week.  I did go on a business trip for the last 2 days but I don't know if I can count walking around the Mall of America as legitimate miles.  Plus it was pouring rain the whole time.  I know excuses...

Went for a nice run this morning.  Went from the house and around Sunrise Meadows and back.  Had some pretty good hills this morning.  AP 7:47  It was probably good for my legs to take off the last 2 days.  I wanted to get a good workout this morning but not injure anything so I got back from the run and got my wife to take the bikes out.  We rode down to the JRP and looped around thanksgiving point then rode back home.  Only rode for 8.35 miles, but it was nice to be out.  Don't know how many sunny warm days we will have.

A couple early recovery miles this morning. Legs still don't feel recovered from the marathon. Just took it easy and looped around the neighborhood. AP 8:52

Freezing run this morning, really should have put on gloves at least.  Went from the house to the dirt road then up to the rock quarry then back.  Not a bad run just numb from the cold. AP 8:31

Nice run this afternoon.  I had the day off so I waited till the rain let up and I had some free time.  Ran from the house to sr73 then up the big hill towards the Ranches.  Turned around 3.5 into it a headed back.  I ran into Mark on the canal trail and ran the last couple miles with him. Miles were as follows:7:37,7:44,8:09,7:51,7:14(back down the hill),8:02,9:08(running with Mark)  Overall the run felt good, the legs are coming around.  I am thinking about a turkey trot 5k for Thanksgiving.

Was kinda stormy this morning.  Broke down and hit the gym on the way home from work this afternoon.  Oh how I dislike running indoors unless I have to.  Of course as soon as I was done it was nice and sunny out.  Oh well I am planning on heading up in the mountains for my weekly excursion first thing in the morning.  Ran 6.25 at 8:19 pace on the treadmill.  At least I got a workout in.

Went up Big Cottonwood Canyon then up Guardsman's Pass.  Hit a trail heading North.  Hiked/Ran until the drifts were over my waist deep with snow.  Cut in down the mountain and ended up in front of Solitude resort.  Beautiful albiet cold morning up in the mountains.  Went probably at least 5 did not have a GPS.  Felt like 15 pushing all the snow.

Whew, almost didn't get this one in.  Had football all day and by the time I got home I was tired and had a headache.  I was so tempted to just stay on the couch and relax.  Decided to test to see if the headache would go away.  I wouldn't say it went away but didn't get worse and had a pretty good run. 

Started at the house and ran down to Redwood then north up the hill past Camp Williams then cut in down to the JRP, headed south back to 2100 N then back to the house. Had some pretty good hills in the run. Still didn't try to push the pace too much but tried to run the hills well.  My legs got pretty tight around mile 7.  Stopped at the bathrooms and stretched them out and they were much better afterwards.  I was starting to feel pretty good the last mile.  I will still hold off a few more weeks before I do any real speed work.

Miles were as follows for my future reference when I run this again: 7:49,8:00,8:12 (up the big hill),7:22,7:38,7:29,7:55,7:53,7:55,7:56,7:34, last bit 6:08 pace.

Couple easy miles this morning before work. Nice full moon out. I kept the pace fairly easy AP 8:40. I want to average 7 per day this week with more on the weekend and gradually build up from there. By spring I want to be consistantly doing 70 miles a week.

Ran with the guys from work around Liberty Park.  I decided to sleep in this morning and take advantage of the warm weather this afternoon.  3.25 miles there AP7:34

Got home from work and did another 3.75 to hit my 7 miles for the day.  AP8:05

AM: 4 this morning from the house.  Ran up the dirt road until I hit 2 then back home.  AP 8min flat.

PM: Liberty Park around the wood chips.  3 laps AP 7:54 

Really needed to take advantage of the warmer temperatures today.  Glad I got some miles in today so I don't feel so bad stealing all the kids candy tonight.  Happy Halloween!