It ain't Chinese algebra!

2 miles easy, 3 miles under 5:35, 1 mile easy.

Sprained ankle playing basketball.  So no running until I go home on leave, then I'll pick it up when I get back in Iraq.

PT test

I bought a Garmin 201 off of Amazon and it got to Iraq yesterday.  Pretty excited to run with it, especially because I have no idea what my routes have truely been here in Iraq. 

Total Time: 25:40

Pace: 6:25 

Total Time: 41:51

Pace: 6:59 

Total Time: 25:22

Pace: 6:21 

Hills on treadmill

Total Time: 43:17

Pace: 6:11 

Treadmill

Total Time: 37:30

Pace: 6:16 

Total Time: 36:05

Pace: 6:11 

Total Time: 41:52

Pace: 6:39 

Total Time: 37:48

Pace: 6:18 

Total Time: 48:39

Pace: 6:05 

3x1600m

Averaged 5:18.  Should be faster, but have to dodge humvee's and lots of dust.... 

Total Time: 35:33

Pace: 5:56 

Total Time: 1:00:53

Pace: 6:05 

Total Time: 39:31

Pace: 6:35

I also did 6x400m repeats. 

Bad run.  Tired.

Total Time: 42:45

Pace: 6:07 

Last run in Ramadi........EVER!  How good is that???!!  No more dust, tanks, 6 ft exhaust hitting me in the face, mud, incoming mortars, snipers, Ogden and Trooper Gate!!!  I'm outta here! 

Total Time: 26:50

Pace: 6:43

I ran in TQ today.  We're in some holdover tents while we wait for a flight to Kuwait.  It's not bad running here.  Lots of asphalt roads so the footing is even.  Faster humvees though..... 

3x1600m

• 5:48
• 5:08
• 5:32

I'm in Kuwait baby!!! Last run in the Middle East and it can't come soon enough. I had to make 3 laps around the outer border of the base to get 12 miles. It's hotter than ...... and I can't suck in any more dust. I'm done with this dirt running!

Total Time: 1:17:35

Pace: 6:28

I'm back in America.  How sweet is that?  Mississippi for just under a week, so a few runs in thick humidity.  Today I had to get up at 4:30 am and run in order to be in a 6am formation.  3 easy miles, 2 hard.

Total Time (for last 2): 9:50

Pace: 4:55

Super fast.  How come?  I figure either happy to be back in America, firm footing on gravel roads or garmin a little off.  I think it's the garmin a little off....

Total Time: 42:46

Pace: 6:07

Around Camp Shelby Lake.  Brings back memories from runs in Jan-April 2005....... 

Horrible run.  So it's humid here......  I've never sweat during a run as much as I did today.  I was raining sweat.  I'm completely serious here.  Joe Wilden was amazed, full on taking pictures of how wet I was when I got back.  It looked like I'd just stepped out of the shower, completely dressed, running shoes and all.  I got thirsty around mile 5 so found some water to drink, but that gave my gut fits, so the run unraveled from that point on.

Total Time: 1:05:32

Pace: 7:17 (6:15 average until mile 6, then as slow at 11:28 on my last one) 

I'm officially home.  Back in Utah and loving the dry air.  Home I never have to go back to Iraq.  Todays run was 6x400 on the track (a track!!).  Splits were:

• 65
• 65
• 65
• 63
• 66
• 63

1 mile easy, 6 mile tempo.  Tempo splits were:

• 6:06
• 5:43
• 5:42
• 5:48
• 6:09
• 5:31
  

Total Time: 1:01:53

Pace: 6:11

2 miles easy, 4x1600, 1 mile easy.  Splits were:

• 4:56
• 5:07
• 5:05
• 5:00

Not sure what happened on that first one.  Got a little excited I guess......

Speedstar

1 mile easy, 8 mile tempo.

Tempo Pace: 6:03 

Wanted to got 12, but just after 11 my left thigh felt strained.  Bummer.

Total Time: 1 10:19

Pace: 6:23 

3x800. Splits were:

• 2:23
• 2:20
• 2:20

2 miles easy, 3 mile tempo.

Tempo Time: 16:10

Pace: 5:24 

Total Time: 43:08

Pace: 6:10 

2 miles easy, 4x400m. 1 mile easy.  Splits were:

• 66
• 61
• 64
• 63

1 mile easy, 2 mile tempo.

Tempo Time: 10:42

Pace: 5:22 

Pretty fun run.  My thoughts, as best as I can remember:

We drove to Bryce yesterday and saw some sights.  Andrea had never been to Bryce Canyon before.  Most of it was just drive and look, but we went walking down a few trails as well.  Around 2 we went for a little hike and 2 miles into it I was regretting the decision.  I wanted to save juice for my legs, so we turned around and called it a day.  Pasta dinner at the park, stayed at some random motel.

First ever half marathon, so I was very nervous.  How much to eat, when to eat, when do I get up, etc.  I slept okay and got up around 4:30 and ate 1/2 of a banana and drank some water.  We took the shuttle to the start and I jogged just under 1 mile to warm up.  We were on the first shuttle, which I'm glad.  We had plenty of time to warm up and relax at the start.  I wasn't sure what to do; go out fast or slow.  I wanted to run around 6:00 min/mile for my first one, then let the downhill take me at whatever pace felt good.  First mile was 5:57 and I found myself in 12th or so, including one female, Devra Vierkant, winner of last years S.G. Marathon.

I hate downhill running, so I think I resisted it during mile 2 (5:54), but then I just relaxed and went with the flow (5:30's next 6 miles).  I slowly picked people off, 1 or 2 per mile, until I caught the female around mile 9.  I was feeling good and passed Devra as we went through Tropic.  At this point I was in 5th overall.  I kept pushing, although my times slowed the last 3 miles, and passed 2 more guys, finishing in 3rd place overall.

I was very pleased with the race, especially with it being my first ever race longer than a 10k and first race in 20 months (not counting the 2 dinky 5k's in Iraq).  I didn't drink at any of the aid stations.  Maybe if I had I wouldn't have slowed as much at the end?  Also, I ran in my trainers, not racing flats of any kind.  May look into some lighter shoes for even the half marathon distance.  Here are my garmin splits:

• 5:57
• 5:54  (11:51)
  
• 5:21  (17:12)
  
• 5:43  (22:55)
  
• 5:33  (28:28)
  
• 5:19  (33:47)
  
• 5:24  (39:11)
  
• 5:29  (44:40)
• 5:45  (50:25)
  
• 5:36  (56:02)
  
• 5:40  (1:01:41)
  
• 5:50  (1:07:32)
  
• 5:55  (1:13:27)
  

Sore.  Very sore.  I've never been so sore.  Hurt from my head to my toes.  Stairs are my enemy right now.  Come to think of it, I didn't cool down at all........or stretch.........or anything positive for my body like I should have done following a race.

Felt Good.  I'll start training again next week.

5x1200.  Splits were:

• 3:48
• 3:45
• 3:45
• 3:46
• 3:44

1 mile easy, 5 mile tempo.

Total Tempo Pace: 5:39

Speedstar 

Good run until mile 13 and then my left quad felt super strained.  I walked for 800 meters, then did 2 more miles.  Leg felt fine on last 2 miles and I was able to maintain pace no problem (6:08, 6:03).  I drank Gatorade at 4, 8, 10, 12, 14.  I didn't get cramps in my gut at any aid station, so that's good.

Pace (minus 800m walking): 6:22 

7x800m.  Splits:

• 2:21
• 2:21
• 2:21
• 2:17
• 2:25
• 2:25
• 2:21

Tough Workout.

Speedstar 

1 mile easy, 8 mile tempo run.

Total Time: 47:38

Pace: 5:58

Speedstar 

1 banana eaten 2 hours before the run and no cramping.  My body is learning.....  I also ate powergel at 10 and no cramp.

Total Time: 1:59:29

Pace: 6:38
 

3x1600.  Splits:

• 5:00
• 4:57
• 4:54

We've been driving the last two days, helping Seth and Julie move to Lincoln, Nebraska for grad school.  Just ran around Lincoln, past University of Nebraska, some downtown streets, river trails, etc.  Just happy I didn't get lost!

Total Time: 59:55

Pace: 6:00 

Tough course.  I put in Lay Hill at mile 6 and 9 so simulate the marathon.  It slowed me down big time, but will pay off in 2 months.

Total Time: 1:26:42

Pace: 6:40 

10x400m.

Don't want to list all 10, so I'll just say 65 average. 

1 mile easy, 3 mile tempo.

Total Tempo Time: 16:22

Pace: 5:27

Speedstar 

Solid run.  I at 1/2 banana and 1/2 bagel 2 hours prior to running.  I incorporated Lay Hill at miles 5 and 8 to simulate Veyo.  I took powergel at 11 and had no problems.

Total Time: 1:58:34

Pace: 6:35 

Bike 20 miles

1 mile easy, 5 mile tempo.

Total Tempo Time: 27:59

Pace: 5:36

Speedstar 

Just wanted to see what it was like to run 26 miles, regardless of the pace.  I ran with my dad which is always enjoyable.  Nice and leisurely pace where we could talk the whole way.  We would stop and drink at aid stations every 2 miles or so, but didn't stop the watch.  The pace and time was slow, but not quite as slow as the garmin says.

1 banana and 1 bagel 2 hours prior to run and no cramps.  Fun stuff.  We ran around Cedar for 10 miles or so, then got on the I-15 frontage road that took us south through Kanaraville and 2 miles into New Harmony (past the gas station).  My longest run ever.  And maybe my slowest :-)

Total Time: 3:54:41

Pace: 9:02 

4x1600m.  Splits were:

• 4:56
• 5:00
• 4:56
• 4:56

Tempo Run.  I felt good.

Total Time: 47:26

Pace: 5:56

Speedstar 

I felt good for the first 11, but then I was super tired.

Total Time: 1:23:36

Pace: 6:26 

10x400m.  66 average

1 mile easy, 6 mile tempo.

Total Tempo Time: 33:44

Pace: 5:38

Speedstar 

Slow.  I felt like junk.  My body is worn out and needs rest.  I could never get it going today.  Just a couple more weeks to go....

Total Time: 2:04:48

Pace: 7:05

Rotterdam 

So I'm retarded or something......

While cooking dinner last night, opening a can of water chestnuts, I sliced a tendon in my right hand and had to go to the emergency room for stitches.  At first they said it was just a slight cut, but then they realized, when I couldn't move my finger, that I'd cut a tendon.  Surgery for me, brace on my arm, and no marathon.  Bummer.  Very big bummer.

First run in nearly 1 month.

Pace: 6:37 average 

Total Time: 25:10

Pace: 6:18 

Total Time: 32:47

Pace: 6:34 

Total Time: 45:39

Pace: 6:31 

Total Time: 32:09

Pace: 6:26 

Total Time: 38:09

Pace: 6:22 

Total Time: 51:14

Pace: 6:24 

Total Time: 44:57

Pace: 6:26 

Total Time: 44:20

Pace: 6:20 

Total Time: 1:04:23

Pace: 6:26 

Total Time: 28:41

Pace: 5:44 

Total Time: 45:04

Pace: 6:26 

Total Time: 1:04:11

Pace: 6:25 

Total Time: 22:47

Pace: 5:42 

Total Time: 50:59

Pace: 6:22 

Total Time: 37:43

Pace: 6:17 

Pace: 6:02

Total Time: 1:02:33

Pace: 6:15 

Total Time: 35:43

Pace: 5:57

Speedstar 

1 mile easy, 5 mile tempo

Total Tempo Time: 29:42

Pace: 5:56

Cumulus 8 (orange) 

Total Time: 1:11:36

Pace: 6:31

Cumulus 8 (orange) 

1 mile easy, 4 miles quick

4 mile time: 23:28

Pace:  5:52

Cumulus 8 (orange)

4 mile tempo, 4 mile tempo.

1st tempo average: 5:45

2nd tempo average: 5:31

Speedstar

Total Time: 43:32

Pace: 6:13

Total Time: 49:20

Pace: 6:10

Rotterdam 

Total Time: 1:12:38

Pace: 6:03

Cumulus 8 (orange) 

Total Time: 43:37

Pace: 6:14 

3 miles in 18:46 (6:15 average)

1 mile in 5:09