I'm retired from racing. Really.

I figure it is a good time for an end of year review.  For my goals, I did a pretty good job meeting them.  I stayed relatively injury free, met my mileage goal of 2500-3000 miles (I would have been pushing the upper end if it weren't for my slacking plus a number of sicknesses in Nov/Dec).  I did set new highs for weekly, monthly, and yearly mileage.

I placed top 3 at Striders, Logan Peak, and MMM, and barely missed my goal by placing 4th at Jupiter Steeplechase.  I crushed my 1/2 marathon goal by almost a minute and a half, though I completely missed my St. George goal. 

I would say the highlights of the year included the first 3 striders races, particularly the 10 mile- I really enjoyed the challenges of the hills.  I got sick before the 1/2 marathon, which threw me off for the 1/2, 30k, and Ogden marathon.  WBR was ok, but I don't think I'm going to do any more overnight relays- I've done 5 and the fun is gone for me.  I really, really enjoyed doing my first 3 trail races- Logan Peak was a very fun, challenging course where I learned a lot about trail racing while managing to win and set a course record.  Jupiter Steeplechase was just plain fun and I want to do better in 2009.  The high point of the year was the 2 week period where I crushed my 1/2 marathon PR by 2.5 minutes at the TOU 1/2, and then won the MMM and almost set a course record.  Fun times.  That was quickly followed by the low point and my only bad race of the season at St. George.  I had really been looking forward to that race and knew I was in sub-2:30 shape.  However, I think I had not fully recovered from my previous races, though I still would have run a PR except for the weather.  I can't complain about only having one bad race all year, though it is disappointing when it was the one I had been focusing on and building towards.  I planned to take a little time off and then train the rest of the year, but a very busy schedule combined with a number of illnesses have resulted in a end of year slowdown, with only 27 miles in Dec.

Now for next year- the first think I need to do is get in shape again for the Striders series.  I am really looking forward this these races.  Assuming I can do the training, I want to aim for 2:35 at Ogden.  If I can get that, I plan to run very few road marathons in the future.  I am definitely running Wahsatch Steeplechase in June, something I have always wanted to do.  Things are a bit fuzzy after that, though there will be an emphasis on trail races and ultras- potential races include the Blacksmith Fork Freedom Run 15k, Wasatch Speedgoat 50k, Jupiter and MMM, TOU 1/2, maybe pace someone at the Bear 100, run the Ogden Valley 50 miler, and maybe run NYC marathon in Nov.  Who knows.  First I have to get over this darn cold and get in shape.  I want to run 3000+ miles and stay injury free.  That is the plan for the year- should be a fun one!  I'm tentatively planning on a 100 mile ultra in 2010, so I better get ready for that!

Happy New Years, everyone!

The roads were pure ice, covered with 2 inches of new, dry, very slick snow.  In other words, the absolute worst running conditions possible.  So I went to Planet Fitness and was greeted with my first every Pizza Night!  All you can eat Pier 49 pizza!  Needless to say, I was determined to get my membership's worth.  I ate one big piece immediately, ran 3 miles, ate another piece (yup, I still have my stomach of steel), ran 3 more miles, then finished with 2 more pieces.  Yummy.

6.

8

Seven.

Goose Egg, which is too bad cause I really wanted to run every day this week.  But when you first step foot in your house at 9:30 pm, it makes it real hard to run that day.  12 miles tomorrow with Paul.

Long run- it was my longest run since Nov 15 and my first run of more than 10 miles in a month.  Paul and I did the Youngward loop with a bit added on so I could get 40 miles this week.  Normal amount of chattiness for he and I, though I was breathing hard.  My legs were pretty tired by the end, as expected.  But I made it- it's nice to have enough fitness that I can take 2 months off and then just get up and run a half marathon distance (run, not race).

I got 3 running related Christmas gifts this year from my lovely wife, and I used 2 of them for the first time today- fleece headband/earwarmer, and a Garmin 205!  What a great wife!  I'm sure I will enjoy the Garmin.  Unfortunately, I somehow stopped it mid run today so cut out 3 miles.  But per Paul's garmin, we did 13 miles at 7:30 pace.  I have to comment on how most of my runs this week on a treadmill feel harder at 7:30 or even 8:00 pace for 6-8 miles than it does to run 7:30 pace for 13 miles on the roads.  I really struggle to run fast on treadmills.

Now it is off to an adult's pinewood derby, then watch NFL football!

7.  My left foot started hurting at the end of the run, so I will retire them one run earlier than planned.  So long, shoes!  They were good ones.

It was my first run with Cody since Nov 15.  We did a Planet Walk/Providence loop.  I only planned on 7-8, but we ended up doing 10.  10 miles, 1:15:30.

Almost 15 hours at work = no run.  I'll try to get up for a 4:30 am run tomorrow, but will likely be working 14 hour days every day till next Wednesday.  Fun.

Another 14 hour work day, leaving the house at 6 am.  I knew if I went home I would not get out the door to go running, so I took my clothes and went straight to the gym after work.  I did 6 miles at 7:30 pace, 2.5 miles at 6:30 pace, then .5 mile at 6:00 pace, then 1 mile at 8:00 pace to cool down.  Got home after 9 pm, just in time to say good night to my girls, shower, and now go to sleep.  Ah, life.  But it was good to get a run in, and my first run with faster miles.  Another long day tomorrow.

13 hours at work, then straight to the gym (if I step in my house, I won't get out again).  8 easy miles.  My left foot is really starting to hurt under the arch, which isn't surprising given my 0 miles to 40 miles in one week.  Ice, rub, and hope it gets better.  PF? 

Not sure if I will get a run in tomorrow- I will be at work all day (and on Sunday, too).

A lovely 12 hours at work.  After, I went straight to the gym and had just enough time for 6 miles before they closed and kicked me out.  Foot bugged me all day, the first time I have felt anything when I wasn't running.  A full day of work again tomorrow.

14 hours at work yesterday, and Marci went running when I got home. By the time she got back, I was way too tired to run. So I got up this morning and left for the gym before 5 am, in hopes of doing a double today (assuming I can stomach another run at 8 pm).  The place was surprisingly busy- I saw Paul and Mark Jorgenson.  I did 1 mile at 7:30 pace, 3 at 7:00 pace, 1.5 at 6:30 pace, 1 at 6:00, then one cooldown.  Hopefully I can get more tomorrow.

What I dubbed my "Hell week" is finally over.  I intended to run after work yesterday, but ended up working from 6 am until almost 10:30 pm, so it was well after 11 when I got home.  In the past 8 days, I worked 96 hours with no days off.  If you account for my 2 hours commuting each day, it averages out to 112 hours (14 hours per day) away from my family due to work.  I know in some professions it is common to work 80-100 hours per week, and all I can say is I would quit if that were me.  This week almost killed me- I went days without seeing my kids, and all I did was work and sleep.  Fortunately, I am taking tomorrow off work so should be able to do a double to make up some of the miles I missed.  It is definitely easier to run 100 mile weeks and work my normal hours than it is to work as much as I did this week- I have no idea how MichelleL runs so much during her busy tax season.  I travel to Florida next week for business, so getting my runs in will not be easy.  I have just been so busy this month that getting in a good running routine has been difficult.

AM- 8.

AM- 6

PM- 7.  I planned on 10, but had to cut the run short due to foot pain.  I have had a pain under my arch for a few weeks that has annoyed me and caused a bit of pain.  I haven't done anything, and it hasn't gotten worse or better.  During today's run, it became painful enough that I started to limp a bit, then it became almost excruciating.  Hmm, better do something now.

After 3 days rest, I was hoping my foot would feel better.  It hurt for the first 1/2 mile, then started warming up a bit.  I ran for a few miles, then did elliptical with Paul while talking to him about PF, then ran another bit.  It hurt during the last part- dang it.  I'll have to really start treating this.  6 miles total.  Now it's off to Florida.

Very nice, warm run on a 65 deg evening at 10:30 on the beach in Cocoa Beach, Florida.  No moon, so it was very dark, allowing me to see the cruise boats steaming out to sea.  I practically had the beach to myself and really enjoyed it.  The high was 10 deg in Logan today, so this was a nice change.  I wandered into the water at the very end, so I am hoping my shoes dry fast enough for a morning run tomorrow.  Now I will shower and sleep.  Tomorrow I will spend all day presenting my engineering drawing of the Ares Rocket to NASA that I have spent the past 6 months on at work.  Hope it goes well.

10 at 7:30 pace.

14.2 miles at just under 7:30 pace.  3 deg windchill when we started with plenty of icicles on eye lashes, clothes, and Paul's beard.  Cody and I did about 9 together, then we did about 5 more with Paul.  They even dragged me up the hill to Cliffside- man, I am not in good shape right now.  Foot hurt the whole time, but not overly so.  Longest run since SGM.