Seeking a better country...

The 15 miler that turned into a death march.  I got up at 5:15, but it was still 70+ degrees.  What I wouldn't give for a cold front.  Do I really need to drive to Ogden Valley to have a comfortable run?  So this was nothing to write home about, but I completed it, the last three miles barefoot doing laps around the soccer field.  My legs were sure spent, and I needed more fuel than 16 oz of Powerade.  Once again I chickened out on eating my Gu-like substance, due to stomach ache.  I guess I need to accept that as part of the long run.  I had one early pit stop at mile 1.5 (rec center), and another at mile 5 at the golf course.

Tried out the used treadmill tonight.  It was nice to do it at home, although it's a noisy thing.  I watched X-Men.  I hope logging more miles on this surface will alleviate the pain in my lower left leg and iliac crest.  I wore some really old shoes.

Early in the morning, rising above the heat...

After staying up till midnight waiting for my son to arrive home, 6:15 seemed a bit early for the alarm to hit.  I didn't get on the road till 6:40, after a 10 minute snooze and some toast, etc.  Temp was 67; warm, but not awful.  Home to BST took me spot on 10 minutes.  Nothing like starting off with a 10 minute mile on 10% average grade.  I scared up one deer, and ran through a tunnel of dragonflies, darting back and forth through the canopy. 

I think I've hit a plateau.  All the easy gains in pace are done.  I'm really going to have to work in order to get faster.  Either that or switch to cycling or swimming or weightlifting to pick all the low hanging fruit in those sports.  Or is it just the heat making me so sluggish?  Or my crappy diet?  Meh. 

I got up at 5:30 to meet my sister for one of her long runs.  We started at Shriners, ran down to City Creek, to the top, and back.  It was not bad, temp wise.  The canyon was great, with very few cyclists buzzing by.  We saw 7 or 8 despite the fact it was a no bike day.  The water fountains at regular intervals were a blessing.  Shannon had lots of stops.  Our overall time was 2:55 with all the pauses to stretch and eat powerbars, etc.  The actual running time was 2:25, so the running pace was respectable, considering how many uphill miles.  The road up that canyon ends at 6100', so we went up a ways.  

I'm always surprised how important fueling is on long runs.  I had one gel at the 10 mile mark, and snacked on sour watermelons for the rest of the run.  The first half mile after a drink or gel are so iffy.  Will it stay down?  Ugh.  I'm glad to be done.  My usual spots hurt;  left hip and high ankle.  I think that ankle thing is just a shin splint.  A very low shin splint.  I don't know about the hip.  It might be time for a visit to the DC.  A retired orthopedist used to work at my job, but he got laid off, so I can't get a free consult from him anymore... 

The end of a heavy mileage (for me) week.  Ah.   

Cross training miles.  Two of my kids bought new bikes today, so we went on a 10 miler to try them out.  Everyone is satisfied.  I'm not sure...what is the biking to running mileage equivalent?  My butt hurts, and my right knee didn't seem to agree with the pedaling.

Barefoot miles on the wet soccer field.  I think it was 13 laps around.  Boring, but a good run in the morning.  The clouds looked nice.  I need to figure out how to get a run in and make it to work before 9.

On the treadmill, watching X-Men 2.  3 warmup miles at 6, then 5 at 8.  My basement is still hot.  It was a sweatfest, but I was kicking butt and taking names.  Next time I'll set up a fan.

Today was that morning in August that I look forward to each year.  It's the one where you wake up and feel a sense of looming fall.  I was going to say eminent, but that makes it seem to close.  But there is always that one day, smack in the middle of 90+ degree days, and 65+ degree nights, when a cold front blows through, and cools things into the 50's overnight.  It'll be hot tomorrow, and for the next couple weeks, but for one morning, it feels like late September. 

On to the run...8 miles BST to Freedom Hills.  I felt pretty sluggish for the first couple miles, but decided to try and pick it up on the road home.  The last three miles were pretty solid, 7 minute pace or below, including some climbs of consequence.  After Tueday night's sweatfest when I exceeded my 3 fast mile goal by 2 miles, I thought I could make it home in good shape. 

After the post run chocolate milk I took out the trash and cleaned up for work.  I dropped my daughter off at dance, and didn't roll in until 20 after 9.  Oops.

Slugfest along Legacy.  I went to mile post zero for the first time.  Getting there was okay.  Getting back was less fun.  I only sort of had it for a while today.  The last couple miles were ________(fill in demonic descriptor of your choice).  I got home by 8:45, though, so at least my whole day isn't shot.  Time for second, non-gel breakfast and ibuprofen.  

I rolled out around six, and wen't a couple extra.  Took the road to Farmington, then up to Freedom Hills for a drink.  No dogs attacked me.  Then up to BST to come home.  It was a lovely morning to run with no shirt.  Too bad I put one on.  8:24 overall pace, which isn't too bad considering all the climbing.

So this was the usual run along BST to Freedom Hills, but with some company.  My son's friend's brother, Tanner came along for the ride.  He ran in Ragnar, and ever since then has been threatening to come running with me.  We matched up pretty well, despite that he hasn't run over 4-5 miles since June.  There was a good sunset, but it was all the way dark coming home on the road.  I might need to break out the reflective vest again.  Despite the darkness, it was still pretty hot.

My hip and left lower leg feel the same.  No better, no worse, so I guess I'll keep wearing on them.  I'm looking forward to the trail 10k in Sep, Marathon in Oct, Halloween Half, then a 10k on Thanksgiving.  I can't decide if it's worth going all the way to Moab for the Winter Sun 10k.  If I took the family....maybe.

Very uninspired miles on the treadmill.  The girls were watching Spongebob.  Mr. Krabs turned into a robot.  A few questions:  Should a kid's show have a main character named Krabs?  What exactly is the nature of Spongebob and Patricks relationship?  Is it more complicated than their buffoonery indicates?  Or are they simply two infantile sea creatures that live in close proximity and spend an inordinate amount of time blowing bubbles and chasing jelly fish?

Note to self:  Don't watch Spongebob while treadmilling. 

I did this run in the no food zone, no breakfast.  The temperature was around 56; very nice.  I headed west to the train trail, north to 400 N. then 1100 W, down to legacy, to Parrish Lane, then home on 400 E.  I kept the pace at or below 7 minutes for 2 miles, then I'd walk for 30 seconds or something.  Everything felt all right, but my hip and tibia are typically sore now.  This was a solid effort for me.  It's really going to take some doing to be able to string 26 miles together at that pace and run a sub 3.

I'm having second thoughts about doing these long runs on Monday morning.  On the plus side, it was 55 degrees this morning, opposed to 78 on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

I ran from home to Farmington Canyon, then back on US89.  I had brief ambitions to run up the canyon to the swimming hole where a wrecked truck is, but after a short attempt, I aborted, opting to get home in time to wish the kids well on the first day of school.  Turns out I missed two of them anyway. 

I started at 5:30, and the full moon I was expecting to illuminate the trail was obscured by great clouds of dust, stirred up by yesterdays frontal passage.  It was erie to see the moon setting in the west, orange instead of white.  The first three miles were much slower than usual, because I couldn't see much of the trail, and had to pick along quite carefully so I didn't turn my ankle or take spill.  Things were bright enough by Freedom Hills (4 miles in) that I could see well enough to push the pace as fast as I wanted.  Unfortunately, the legs and ankles weren't very willing.  I gave it a solid effort till mile 12, then stopped to stretch and recover a bit.  Both ankles, but esp. the left were sore, and affecting my form.  I limped in the last two miles, which was disappointing, since I had such grand plans to push the pace at the end of the long run.  Overall, I was out just over 2 hours.  I enjoyed the temp and view of all the lonely people snaking along the freeway to start the work week. 

Based on how my legs were feeling, this run went much better than expected.  2 of the kids came along on their bikes. We left just after 8, so by the time we got home, it was pretty dark.  

I started at the Boulder City Library, and followed the creek up the canyon to Magnolia Drive.  Then I ran back down.  There were two portapottys on the trail.  Unfortunately, they were BYOTP.  That sucks.  I was surprised it was quite warm at 6 a.m. in Boulder.  I thought it would be colder.  Now I want to move there.

Family bike ride, and run for me.  We had 75% attendance, and enjoyed a wonderful, cool evening along Legacy trail and Pages Lane.  Anna weighed me down in the jogging stroller, but she did sing me a couple songs.