Seeking a better country...

Ran to Kelli's and back, via Davis Blvd extended to dirt.  I only had to climb through one fence.  I got a couple sub 7's in coming back down, and one 9+ running up.  This run felt pretty good.  Overall pace 7:38.  I wonder why it's easier to run than walk.  We had a pre-trek thing today, which included walking 6 miles.  My upper it bands and back hurt worse after four miles than they feel now after the 7 mile run.  Weird.

I started at memory grove, and ran 5.3 miles up city creek.  I came back down and met my sister, and we ran to Pioneer Park, followed by Liberty Park, then back to her house in Federal Heights.  There were lots of uphill miles.  This run was rugged.  I skipped the gu, just to try and simulate late stages of the marathon without running that many miles.  Ugh.  I'm glad to be done running long for a couple weeks.  I need to relax and get my head right for May 15th.  I'd post how many feet of elevation change, but I'm too tired to walk into the other room and sync up the GPS.  Overall pace was 8:20. (added later...3400' of climb)

5 grinders around the soccer fields. All the family came out and played frisbee, baseball, and the make a bird nest out of dead grass game.  What a gorgeous night.

From home to parrish to legacy.  The first mile felt pretty good, so I decided to make it a 5k.  20:50.  Then I walked to the trailhead, stretched, and ran home.  The first three miles were 6:46 pace, the last 3 were 7:46 pace.

Now the bad news.  My left calf twinged a bit.  I kept going, easier, and it didn't seem too bad.  Then I got home, and the thing is totally locking up on me.  This timing blows.  I'm pretty sure it'll feel better on it's own in a day or two, but man, I've been painless for 5 months, and now a week before the marathon, this flares up.  I blame my mom.  She came by the other day, and was saying, "I hope you've done enough downhill miles for this race.  You'd hate for your calves to cramp up."  It's like she jinxed me. 

Like I said, I'm sure it'll clear up.  Even if not, it wasn't so bad I couldn't run on it.  How it might feel after a lot of miles is another question...

Other than that, it was a gorgeous run under a moody sky after sunset. 

This is somewhat of a dubious milestone.  I tried to run last night, but the calf said no.  I thought, "I'll see how it feels after a mile."  "Then you'll have to walk home for a mile."  I turned around to come home.  "No, I'm not going home.  I got dressed, I found gloves, it's getting late, I need to get this run in."  I turned around and headed out again.  "No, don't be stupid.  It's too late for this run to help, and it could really hurt.  You've got a marathon next week, so give it another day.  Go home."  I went home.  Watching Office reruns was little comfort.  I hope to run an easy 5-6 tonight.  The calf feels better.  Not right, but better.

After Thursday's abortive attempt, I had to give it another shot today.  I saddled up and ran to Ricks creek, taking things nice and easy.  My calf felt okay on the run, but I can still feel something going on in there.  It's weird.  It's a bit stiff right now, and I'm still concerned about how it will do over 26 miles.  I'm going to get in for some a-stim or massage, and hope for the best.  I can't believe there's less than a week to go.

I mowed lawns with the boys for 5 hours, then ran home from the last three, stopped to get keys and went to pick up my car.  I had on old shoes, dirty socks, long, filthy shorts and a hawt looking t-shirt.  The babes were flocking to my side and trying to take me home.  I just buried my head while maintaining proper form and finished my run.

After spending the afternoon with the in-laws, we went to my mom's to wish her a happy day.  I grabbed my running clothes to run home from her house.  What a perfect night.  All systems are go.  I think things are setting up nicely for a great day on Saturday.  My legs feel good, and I have a lot more confidence in my preparation than I did last year.  I've been fortunate/lucky/blessed to be healthy for the last 6 months, and haven't missed any time away from training due to illness or injury.  I've never sustained this effort level in my life, and I expect it will pay dividends.  

I got some quick miles in before my final Tuesday night choir practice.  I ran nice and flat around the industrial park.  The temp was perfect, but a bit less wind would have been desireable.  I couldn't slow down.  The taper is leaving me punchy.  While running, I was trying to feel my pace, but it kept creeping into the 6:50 range.  I should run with a partner for the rest of the week, I guess. 

 I'm having a hard time supressing all the nerves for Saturday.  I cut my toenails this morning...No sense leaving that till the last minute.

The first part of this run was with 2 kids, who wanted to run 2 miles pretty slow.  By the time we wound around, I stretched them out to 2.8.  They were pleased to have gone that far, and have solid goals for the 4th of July 5k.  After they stopped, I went out to get up to five.  The pace was much less leisurely. 

The evening was perfect, and I'm glad a couple of my kids are finally taking me up on the $100 for 100 miles within 2 months offer.

I'm so nervous for Saturday.  I may never register for another race.  jk

 All right!  I'm excited about this race report.  My dad drove me, my sister and mom up to the expo around 7pm.  We picked up our bibs and got some chocolate milk and orange juice.  I momentarily thought about scrapping my life and joining the Odgen Bike Shop Collective.  When I picked up my number, I didn't have my drivers license.  I told the lady it had been revoked.  She seemed pretty appalled.  I guess I better find it so I don't offend any race volunteers' sensibilities in the future.  I should have really given her an earful about running to get clean, etc...

After the expo, we headed up to Wolf Creek to stay the night.  We had penne pasta for dinner and watched "Run Fat Boy, Run" to inspire/entertain us.  We retired around 11.  The upstairs neighbors were very noisy until about 1.  I went and banged on their door a few times.  They never answered, but they got quiet.  I slept well from 1 to 5:15.  We ate, got our crap together, and caught the bus in Huntsville around 6:15.  We waited in porta potty lines until 6:55, and headed over for the start.  Logistically, everything went perfectly.   I ate a gel before the start, and boom, we were off.  I lined up with the 7 minute pace.  

The first third of the race is fantastic.  The slope is perfect for flying effortlessly.  I love watching the group settle into the bell curve of runners.  The morning was cold, and I was glad for my gloves.  I ditched the overshirt and ran sleeveless and shorts the whole time.  Lingering images from the first 8 miles were seeing everyone ahead of me exhaling.  It was cold enough to see their effort, and it was really cool to see all these awesome, fit, powerful runners making it look easy.

In my mind, this race is a breeze until the right turn to circle the lake.  At mile 8 you hit the flat, and the spread increases with the runners.  I struggled mightily in the late parts of the race last year, and was determined not to duplicate that performance.  I was taking Gu every 4-5 miles to try to stave off starvation and stupidity.  The problem was, it was making me feel sick to my stomach.  I felt full the whole race, cuz I can't down that stuff without water.  Anyhow, things went well up to the halfway point.  I saw my mom and dad there, and collected some jelly beans I never ate.  But I carried them for 10 miles.  

Then comes mile 14.  This is where the wheels began to wobble for me last year.  Not this time.  I powered up that hill, passing 5 or 6 people, in a sparse field.  (They would pass me later, but still...)  The far side of the lake seems to go on forever, but finally I crossed the dam and enjoyed that slope down on mile 18.  I was checking my splits every couple miles, and at this point I still had 4 minutes banked.  

I know I said that the west side of the lake seems interminable.  Well, multiply that by some factor for the canyon.  Last year, by mile 21 I was back to even, and quit.  I stopped believing the elevation profile, and literally felt like I was running uphill.  This year the canyon stayed downhill the whole time, but it was still a struggle.  I was feeling so sick of Gu, I think I skipped one, and was flagging somewhat.  My time cushion shrunk to 3 minutes by mile 21, but I wasn't worried.  I had an ace in the hole.  My sister was going to come run me in, and I figured it didn't matter how crappy I was doing, she would browbeat me into a BQ finish.  Well, the cops wouldn't let her up the canyon, so I unexpectedly went those final canyon miles alone.  It was a relief to see her at the mouth, and even better to get out of that endless canyon.

The trail.  I hate the trail for several reasons.  These are risky miles for a very inexperienced marathoner like myself.  I ran up to 22 miles in training, and have one other marathon under my belt, so the sensations are very unfamiliar.  I hate the narrowness.  This is exacerbated by the people who are walking??? biking??? standing there for no apparent reason???  What I really hate are the groups of walkers that are four abreast, blocking the whole trail, forcing you off into the bark or grass.  Oh sure, they say, "Good job!  Keep it up!  You are almost there!"  as you pass.  I'd rather they move their wide loads out of the way.  The last thing anybody needs at this stage of the race is to play dodge the people pinball with lots of turning and lateral movement.  Enough of that rant, but man, it bugged me last year and this.

So, between the obstructions, fatigue, twists and turns, climbs up from under roads, these miles were rocky.  My right knee and left butt were pretty sore, and I stopped a couple times to stretch.  Shannon was encouraging, and didn't browbeat me too much, but I know I made her nervous.  I didn't want to be stopping, but I was stopping a bit.  I need to toughen up a little bit.

We caught a couple guys that were also shooting for a 3:15.  They immediately recognized that Shannon was fresh, and joined our little pace group.  We were all fried, and struggling, so we'd leapfrog each other a bit.  At mile 25, I passed "what's his name" for the last time.  I tapped him on the shoulder and said, "We've got 10 minutes."  I got thinking, "I can do anything for 10 minutes."  Well, I couldn't.  I walked again on Grant, but it was just for a couple sets of cones.  My boys showed up at 25.5, and my daughter had a sign.  I started seeing my family as those final tenths disappeared.  I wish I felt a huge lift, but I was dog tired.  Max was telling me how far I had to go every tenth of a mile, and I finally told him to just shut up.  I didn't want to know.  Finally the finish line was in sight.  The clock rolled over 3:15 just ahead of my finish, but I'm sure my chip time was a bit under.  My watch said 3:14:52; 11 minutes of last years PR, and BQ.

At the misters, I ran into "what's his name".  He came in under 3:16, so he qualified too.  It was great for him.  We shared and awkward and lingering man hug.  But it wasn't awkward, just great to have put it all out there and achieved.  

After a couple creamies I felt a bit better, but not much.  I got a weak-sauce massage from perhaps the wimpiest masseur ever.  But I appreciated it.  I wouldn't be too into touching a sweaty guy either.  

Put a fork in me.  I'm done.  I feel pretty well, 4 hours post-race.  The warm bath and motrin helped a lot.  Now I'm going to eat, eat, and eat some more.  But no more Gus for a while. 

5 miles, 50 minutes.  I ran the first three with my 2 kids.  They were really lazy and didn't push hard at all.  We went to the West Bountiful park and back, stopping for a drink and bathroom.  After they were home, I ran 2 more, 8 minute pace.  My legs feel pretty bad.  My right knee hurt, and when I got home, I felt like puking for about 3 hours.  I busted so much stuff loose and was just feeling really sick.  This morning my legs feel much better.  I'm sure the run helped.  Maybe tonight I'll swim or do nothing.  My wife said the 10-pack of mini DV tapes she bought are almost full, so perhaps Tuesday night will turn into video editing night instead of choir.

I found myself alert earlier than usual this morning.  The rain had stopped, so I decided to head out.  The morning was fantastic; 50 degree temps, wet roads, beautiful trees, worms all over the place.  I don't feel like running very hard yet, but I feel okay.  No real joint pain, just an overall tiredness.  I'm glad I went.

I guess not running at night makes it so I fall asleep easier.  I've been crashing around 10:30, so I'm wide awake at 6 or so.  This morning I got up and ran BST from 100 S. to Freedom Hills park and back.  What a fantastic, beautiful, resplendent morning.  The leaves on the scrub oak are this delicate, pale, new green.  Each run this week has felt better than the last. 

After mowing lawns for 7 hours, I earned my shower with 10k run.  Reading and back.  My ipod was too quiet.  I stopped for Lemonheads at dollar tree, and ate them while watching Sherlock Holmes.

The marathon tiredness and soreness is mostly behind me, although both knees are a bit sore.  I probably should keep things a little on the easy side for another week.  I'll probably run TOU, and maybe Layton City's inaugural marathon.  Until then, it should be challenging to get new 5k and 1/2 marathon prs. 

I ran last night with my 12 year old.  We ran a 30 minute 5k, then I continued for 4 more.  The pace went from 9:30 with frequent walking breaks to 7:10 with no walking.  I overdressed for the run; it was deceptively perfect running conditions, but not with long sleeves, long pants and gloves.  I guess I kept him up too late because he was a real grouch this morning.

I was definitely chomping at the bit to get on this run.  Since the marathon, I've reduced the frequency from 6 times per week to 4 times per week...running that is...and I'm noticing a big difference in my mental health.  It may not help me be a better runner to go for 4-5 miles every day, but it sure helps me feel not depressed in spirit.

So I ran the hard route to Freedom Hills via BST, and came home the hard way as well, adding a few extra hills.  I would run up a sidestreet until I felt kind of sick, then I'd come back down, and repeat.  Overall pace for the run was 8:10, which represents a very solid effort.  The first two miles of this run are 7-8% grade, so to average down to 8:10 I must have been doing something right.

Zero technology morning run, only the bird cacophony to keep me company.  I should have eaten breakfast before.  This run didn't feel good.

Ah, the trail.  There's nothing like May in Utah, except every day in San Diego.  BST from home to Farmington Canyon, home via Main Street.  14 miles, 2 hours.  I was pretty thrashed by the end of the run.  I've done a lot more yard care this week than usual, so it's sapping my energy.  After today's run, my legs and feet are as thrashed and sore as my back and arms.  Yay!!  2500' of climbing, 90% of it in the first half of the run.  

I got home and realized that run was what is expected of me over three legs at the Wasatch Back.  That should be fun.  Flash Gordon's Good Ones;  go Van 2.