Believe to Achieve

Hill work.....again with Melanie this time.  She wanted me to join her in Lehi at the Legacy Center.  We met at 645 am and ran her hill work on the only hills really in Lehi.  Up to Freedom Elementary then back to Micron Hill as I call it but it is below micron.  It is a pretty steep decline then incline, intense but brief enough.  Turned around at stop sign and repeat and head back thru same deep dip and home free (downhill) after that.  Average pace for 8:  8:20.  First uphill to freedom I was winded, talking lots and legs heavy from 12.5 mile hill run on Saturday so pace was 8:50 for first 3.42 miles.  All in all it was refreshing.  On drive home I got to see the end of the 5K memorial run ending close to Albertson's in American Fork.  Cheered on first two guys and then came Mary Ann.  So I cheered her of course.  Looking fast.  Then headed home for a ward Memorial Flag Ceremony.  

Wake up run at 2pm. Quite warm out. Should acclimate well for Hobble Creek having to run at 2pm after I work a night shift. I will call those runs my sprinkler route here in a few weeks when it will be so blazing hot I will have to run from sprinkler to sprinkler. Since there is a rule for the even numbered houses to sprinkle during the day I should have no problem, hopefully. I will also do the hose down route by coming back to my house every few miles to hose myself off and then take off again. 3.32 miles at 8:30 pace average. Last half mile 7:36 pace. Started to wake up then. Now I am again tired. Oh by the way I signed up for the Bryce Canyon 1/2 marathon July 18th. I should love the 6am start (not so hot) and the 7400 feet above sea level start that is downhill like hobble creek, so I am told.

1040am run with Kim up to canal via 2600 north PG then North on canal past Lone Peak and back thru scenic mountain like trail by Tri City Golf Course, single runner only at this point for about 3/4 mile coming out by some large open fields north of AF high school then up 700 north past Mt. Timp Temple and back home.  Last mile 6:29 (last 1/4 3:11).  1/2 mile cool down at 9:00 pace.  Avg pace for 8.86=  7:42.    Tired but glad to push it.  Still some sciatic pain in right hip.  Used to be only on the left so not sure why it showed up on right since marathon.  Summer Time is HERE!!!

Easy, but not so easy run. Body achy all over, joints etc....but just wanted to try and tough it out.  After two miles I got my adrenaline going to give me strength to do the rest of my planned 5 miler.  Ran through a couple of sprinklers even though not quite as hot as I thought it would be.  Visers sure help to make me feel much cooler.  Slowly acclimating...not near 100 degrees yet.  Hope weather gradually warms up so it doesn't shock me.  Pace for 5.15 miles:  8:26   

SPEED WORK, HIP HIP HOORAY.  Not sure who is winning the battle-- my body or my mind?  I wake up feeling sick, the way I always do before a workout I know I am going to push myself in.  Brain controlling body, or body controlling brain?  So...got the kids off to their last 1 1/2 hours of school and took off on my warm up run of 2.81 miles at 8:48 pace, a long route to Kim's house to use her treadmill for some serious speedwork....since before the marathon.  I only did three official speed works before Ogden, one being the five mile blog race so I need to get it in gear to get some PRs this year starting with the Nestle Art City Days 5K next Saturday.  This is what I did ... (all premeditated from yesterday and with talking to Melanie, who is up to two 10Ks of treadmill speed work at 6:30 and 6:22 pace, which  lesser workouts gave her a 3:07 at Ogden!!!!!!).  Kim's house is relatively perfume-free and I could open the windows in her basement to give me the outside feel.    Okay here is what I did Sorry for the long introduction:   first gradual increase of pace on treadmill to avoid injury and "frog in hot water" panic attack for 5 minutes then the work began of  6.5 minutes at 6:31 pace increasing to 6:27 second quarter of first mile and 6:22 for last 30 seconds;  two minute recovery run at 8:49 pace; then starting at 6:27 pace increasing to 6:22 the second quarter of second mile and 6:18 to 6:15 last 30 seconds;  two minute recovery at 8:49 pace; then last mile starting at 6:22 pace last quarter of third mile at 6:18 and last 30 seconds at 6:15 pace then 2 1/2 minutes recovery run at 8:49 and 2.35 mile run home....AHhhhhhhh the feeling of accomplishment!!!.  Kept incline at 1%.  Felt really good actually especially the first 3 to 4 minutes of the first mile. The sweat poured down on me during the second mile.  Hoping that means my max VO2 capacity is increasing.   Felt very focused staring at Kim's electrical outlet...got to get her to post an inspirational poster in front of her treadmill.   Kim will try this workout on Monday as she is now inspired!!    Work the next two nights...got to slow down at some point...wish my life was family and running....but must pay the bills too I guess. 

Nice relaxing wake up run.  Good hill work too.  Of course I can't have an easy run be completely easy.  Ran some roads I never before ran on...and I thought I have run them all around here.  Nice change of scenery.  Pace for 5.9 miles  8:41.  Last mile 7:41.