Seeking a better country...

BST to Freedom Hills, with Jens on the bike.  He was slow on the hills, so I did extra backtracking to let him catch up.  The cooler temps brought out the hillside bugs, so I obligingly ate a few.  Cloudless sunset = dull sunset.

Ash rode her bike, Anna rode in the stroller.  We went to JP, and I ran 5 miles of loops around while they played at the park.  Then we came home.  It was a later start than optimal, but not too hot.  I was pretty sad when I saw they drank the entire .5 gallons of liquid we dragged with us.  

I'm slogging along.  Work has been so busy, I've missed a lot of runs.  I realize you can't cheat a marathon, and that will bite me in October in Layton.  It should be a valuable experience, nonetheless.  I may only have one good marathon in me per year, at least the way my life is presently balanced/out of balance. 

Long Labor Day run.  1 gu at 11 miles.  It was cool/cold to start, but by the middle I had my shirt off.  I made it to Kaysville, and spent some time running on a train right of way.  Drinks at most parks on the route, and one pit stop.  20 miles is far.  26.2 is farther.  Why marathons?

I got home from work early for a change...around 8:00.  Turned around for a warmish run to pick up my newly repaired truck from big-o, with Jens on a bike.  Although the tire store is only 1 mile from my home, we wound around for 9 miles to get there.  It's a bit warm tonight, much warmer than I anticipated.  We drank from some guys hose bib, and were pretty thirsty the whole time.  Glad I went, glad to be done.  I got one blister on monday's long run, right under my 2nd toenail.  I keep draining it; it keeps refilling.  

This small race is sponsored by the Rotary club in the foothills above Centerville.  About 35 people showed up to run.   I saw one of my neighbors, and he asked, "Are you going to win?"  I told him it depends on who shows up.  Last year I was in the top ten, but I was around a mile behind the faster runners.  After reciting the pledge of allegiance, we walked down to the start.    The first mile climbs around 400' to the shoreline trail.  Instead of the usual stampede with the starters pistol, everyone started shuffling along up the hill.  Surprisingly, I was leading.  A couple guys were roughly matching my pace, so up we climbed.  We got to where the course levels out a bit, and they were all still running, so I kept running.  I didn't want to turn around and see how far.  I spent those first two miles contemplating that I could actually win the race.  There are some pretty steep ascents; on one I was actually on my hands and knees.  I would get to the top of these, and look back to see a grey shirt guy starting up the incline.  I hoped he would be walking up.  After several of these, the grey guy was still hanging back there, making me nervous.  I spent the next two miles figuring out excuses for why I didn't hold on to the lead and win the race.  I was sure grey guy or somebody was sandbagging back there, and would come on strong and pass me.    

Around mile 5, there is a large bend in the trail as it dips into a canyon.  I looked at my watch at the start of the bend, and again at the end.  90 seconds.  Nobody was visible at the beginning of the bend when I was at the end.  I was pretty excited to have that much gap, and kept pushing all the way to the switchbacks down into the park.  I finished in 48:49, which was about 5 minutes faster than last year's effort.  The next finisher was 2:40 later.

So I won a race!  I was pretty excited.  My wife even arrived in time to get some pictures of me coming across the line.   It was very gratifying/surprising to win.  I'm lucky that the strong runners who chewed up the course in 42 minutes last year didn't show up.  I guess that's why you tie your shoes and head out.  

Since that race last year, I've been running up on those trails at least once a week, even through the winter.  It gave me a decided advantage to know how long the hills were, and when there were good recovery flats.   It's a great change of pace to run on the trails, away from the cars and closer to the trees.  

Work really exploded this week.  After working till 1 a.m. I got up and ran to the park to do 3 barefoot miles on the grass.  Then I put my shoes back on and ran home.  I got to work by 10, and didn't get home until the following day at 10 p.m.  

So I was glad to complete the run.  It was too warm.  I was glad of the drinking fountains at parks along the way.

Pretty much the same run as Tuesday.  I didn't have my gps, so I took the same route today to find out how long the lap around the park is.  (.75 miles)  I ran three laps with a dude from Ogden named Kevin.  It was nice to visit, but our respective paces were someone non-conducive to conversation. 

I am looking forward to a nice 16 miler on Saturday.  My sis is running TOU, and I'm going to meet up with her at the bottom of the canyon.  She's making her BQ run, so we can join my mom in Boston this spring.  Hopefully I see some bloggers at the race, and put faces to names.

This run was on the TOU course with my sister.  She was entered, I was pacing for the last 14 miles.  I got to the bottom of the canyon and started up into a stiff headwind.  I was glad, cuz I knew it would be pushing her down the canyon.  We met up around mile 12.  Her half split was 1:44.  She needed a 3:50, and claimed to be shooting for a 3:49.  She's been sandbagging like that all month.  The last 13 miles were uneventful from her standpoint, (but not for the guy who had decided to ditch his shoes at mile 16 and run barefoot the rest of the way.)  She stopped at one aid station for a minute to stretch, but other than that there was no stopping her.  In the last 2.2 miles, she passed over 25 people, on the way to a 3:27 finish.  Negative splits!  I wish I had a finish like that in me.  

So she took home a third place age division moose that should have been a second.  She had a pop stop in mile 2, not realizing her chip time would be her qualifying time, and she could have started late, and used the bathroom before the clock started.  She was off second by 20 seconds. 

I got home from work needing a run in the worst way.  We decided to meet at the park for family night.  I took off, and headed for the hills.  I ended up at the temple, climbing up 400 North.  I walked for one light pole.  That's a long climb.  I crossed the blvd, and ended up at my parents in the nick of time for a pit stop.  I saw my cute niece and nephew for a few minutes, then headed back out to get down the hill to the park.  Those were the faster miles.  It's getting dark so much earlier now...The temp was great for this run, but I could do without the GI issues of the last few days.  Maybe if I drink more soda...

Ah, fall.  The moon came up.  There is something nice about running in moonshadow.  It nearly made up for being on the frontage road for a while.  I mixed in some hills so I wouldn't be mad when I got home.

The first half of this mid-day run was with the jogging stroller and two girls on bikes.  We ran over to take Nena some books and lunch at work.  These miles were slow.  Then we came home, I dropped everyone off and went out for 4 more.  I grabbed a popsicle to eat, and that worked surprisingly well.  

This run was well-planned but poorly executed.  Nena came with on the bike for the anticipated 19-20 miler.  We started at the north end of Bountiful Blvd, .5 miles north of the temple.  The plan was to run into City Creek Canyon far enough to get the required miles.  The Blvd. portion went fine.  The road isn't flat, but it was early enough and I was fresh enough to do fine on the hills.  Nena couldn't ride up all of them, so I'd get a ways ahead, and she'd pass me later on the flats or downhill.  We stopped at North Canyon for a pit stop, and continued south past Eaglewood, and onto another road that ends at the BST.  I think it was around 6.5 miles on pavement.  

The trail was quiet, and the view was beautiful between NSL and SL.  We got to the cellphone towers, and still needed more mileage, so we decided to head for Ensign peak.  We took a turn that didn't lead that way, and Nena was really lagging on the hills, so rather than keep her with me, I sent her back to the cellphone towers to meet me, or wait for me after I went far enough.  She left, along with all the water/gatorade.  I continued along to the southern face of Ensign peak, and found a trail that took me right up the front.  It was close to hands and knees steep.  My heart was pounding pretty hard.  I got up there, and there were 20-25 people up there looking at geological stuff in the basin.  They all had on reflective orange vests, and waterbottles.  I had on a garmin and my shorts.  Feeling out of place, and jealous of their water, I stayed only briefly and headed back down the backside to reunite with my daughter.  Whatever somebody tells you, there is no drinking fountain at Ensign peak.  Not knowing the best route, I took an equivalently steep way back down the north side.  I caught up to Nena much sooner than the towers, and was glad I had sent her back early.  The steep ascent and lack of fluids was getting to me, and I really slowed down, also to not leave her in the dust.  These were slow miles.  We finally made it back to the flat portion of the trail, and there were several people out walking their dogs.  I hate dogs that aren't leashed.  They run at your groin, then circle around and come back and clip your heels.  I muttered bad words at both the dogs and the owners that let them run loose.  It's very inconsiderate.  I do not like your dog.  Your dog licks it's own butt.  Keep it away from me.   

So anyway, we finally made it back to pavement, and refilled the water bottles at a church.   I gagged down a gu with 4 miles to go, and it was helpful.  I was more than a little happy to reach the north end of the boulevard.  I rested on the sidewalk for a few minutes while Nena put her bike in the car and we drove home.  I should have made her ride down the hill home so she could have a real 20 mile ride under her belt.  

So...the poor execution came in not leaving earlier.  It was much warmer than I anticipated overnight.  I wore a long sleeve shirt, and took it off 3 miles in.  I spent 2/3 of the miles running in the sun, which wasn't in the plan.  Also, I should have let Nena know she needed to provide her own beverages.   I wish I had better knowledge of the route, as well.  All that aside, I got the time in.  The canyon and hills were beautiful.  I'm glad I didn't do this run along Legacy trail or routine Main Street.  I wish it had been Saturday, as well.  

I'm looking ahead to next week's run.  It will be the Mueller to North Canyon loop, with the fall colors at or near their peak of beauty.  This is such a great time of year.   The following Saturday is the Layton Marathon.  

This run tells me not to expect a command performance at the marathon.  I know I've shorted this training cycle, but I really haven't had much choice.  I've been averaging 60 hours/week at work, while we push for deadline after deadline.  Excuses, excuses I know, but I just haven't had the time or energy or impetus to care very much about killing it at this marathon.  It will be a course record for me no matter what, and it will be interesting to run a marathon when I'm not shooting for a BQ. 

Anna and I left just after dark in the running stroller.  She chattered the entire run, singing to herself and asking question after question.  I never felt good on this run.  This morning my left knee is flaring a bit, so...I wish I would have stayed home, or something. 

At one point, we were crossing over the creek in Smoot park.  It was pretty dark, and I was going carefully so I didn't miss the spot.  She asked why we were going slow.  I told her I was being careful about the creek.  She got started about how awful it would be to fall in the creek, and the crocodiles would eat us, and that wouldn't be fun or funny, and we would get cold.  She didn't let up for about five minutes.  20 minutes later, she was talking about how she was never going to cross that creek, even when she was grown up. 

I guess we are all scared of the dark unknown.  It sure freaked her out.  We got back a little before 9, and I was excited to watch Biggest Loser.  Instead, I fell asleep on the bed trying to get my wife to come watch it with me.  I'm going into hard-core rest mode till the marathon.  I need to do some catching up after the last 7 weeks at work, and it can only help.

BST to Freedom Hills, home the harder way.  The climbs were walks, but I pushed hard on the road home.  It was too warm; I wish I had gone earlier, but my daughters are home with the flu, so I'm doing lots of wash.  Gross.