A Runner at Heart.....Riding a Bike

I woke up early this morning with nasty stomach cramps.  I think it was from some late evening snacking last night.  Since I was up early I ended up going out for my run early and went a little farther than I originally planned.  I ran 15.31 miles and had some stomach issues the first half.  I stopped at ISU to use the bathroom and get a drink of water and that seemed to help.  I kept the pace nice and easy as I am planning on doing a 10K tomorrow in the middle of a 20 mile run.

It started as a nice weather day today.....it did not stay that way.  It was 40 degrees with almost no breeze when I left the house.  I ran to Barry Smith's house and we ran together to the start of the 10K.  I ran 4.10 miles to the start averaging around 7:30/mile, just nice and easy.  

The weather for the 10K was perfect.  We started at 8:00am.  They changed the course this year so it is actually a true 10K.  In past years it has been short (like 5.88).  The problem was the 10K runners started with a loop around Raymond Park and the 5K runners/walkers went directly South.  So, as you may have guessed, before we hit the first mile marker we were running through a sea of 5K walkers, strollers, little kids on bikes, you name it.  The 5K and 10K courses were together from mile .3 until mile 3 for the 10Kers.  

Barry and I ran together to pace each other today as a speed workout to prepare for Ogden in 2 weeks.  Barry's only goal today was to beat me.  We were about 1 minute behind the leaders at mile 3 when we had some uphills and winding trails so our pace slowed a bit.  When we got to the top of our climb and flattened-out I was worried that we would not break 40 minutes as we were behind schedule.  During mile 5 Barry pushed the pace and actually made a move to try and gap me with 1.5 miles left to go.  I hung on and stayed about 10 feet behind him as we pushed on.  I caught him at 5.7 and we were both pushing pretty good.  I asked him if we were running in together and he gave me that "I'm going to beat you" look.  We saw the finish line with .2 to go and we both just went all-out.  We sprinted (well, as fast as 2 guys in their mid-40's can sprint) to the finish and we both crossed at the exact same time.  Our pace the last .2 miles was 4:23!!!  His foot with the timing chip must have been his front foot and mine must have been my back foot because the official results had him 2/100's of a second ahead of me.  So he got his goal and beat me......NICE JOB!!!  It was a PR for both of us.

Here are the splits:

1.  6:13

2.  6:19

3.  6:45 (some uphill)

4.  6:47 (more hills)

5.  6:19

6.  6:10

.2  4:23

So he finished 3rd overall and I was 4th.  The 1st overall was in our age group and the 2nd overall was in the 50's age group so today OLD GUYS RULE!!!

I had about 35 minutes until the awards so I went for a cool-down run of 4.27 miles in a 7:28 average.  It was during this time that it started to rain and I got pretty wet.  During the awards I stood under the park shelter with everyone else but got a pretty good chill.  My plan was to run home after the awards but it started raining really hard and I was not dressed for it so I caught a ride home.  I try to do another 8 or so tonight if the weather clears up.

It was 45 degrees with light winds this morning.  I ran 8.55 miles nice and easy as an active recovery run.  No real push at all.

It was 35 degrees with some light winds this morning but the humidity was over 80% after all the heavy rain we received yesterday.  In other words I was pretty wet when I was finished even with the cool temps.  I ran 12.44 miles in a decent pace.

It was about 45 degrees windy and raining this morning.  I have the day off so I wanted a nice, slow distance run today.  When I turned South on Hawthorne I had the wind in my face and a steady rain.  Knowing that I was going to be going this direction for the next 8.5 miles did not really excite me.  

When I made the turn at Indian Hills it started to clear-up and I started getting too hot because I was dressed for wind and rain.  I got to spend the next hour and a half sweating like crazy and now the wind was behind me so it did not cool me off much.

I ran 23.16 miles in a nice, easy pace and feel really good but glad the uncomfortableness is over.

It was 45 this morning with no wind, actually a very nice morning.  I ran 10.13 miles nice and easy and did about half of them with Bob.

It was 45 degrees with nasty winds this morning, 20-25mph at times.  I was feeling a bit sluggish today due to the cold I have been fighting for the past week so I was not happy about the wind as an added bonus to my fun.  I ran 13.22 miles in an OK but not really fast pace.

It was 26 degrees this morning but at least yesterdays 40+mph winds are gone.  I ran 10.56 miles and felt a little better than yesterday cold-wise.

It was 26 degrees this morning with no wind.  6 of us drove up to the top of Buckskin and it was a nice morning.  Barry Smith and I ran the first mile slow with the others, then we took off and ran some nice pace miles back into town.  I ended up running 13.24 miles in all.

After the run I helped a friend move out of his apartment for 2 hours so I got a good workout so far today.

It was 40 degrees and sunny...a beautiful morning.  I ran 6.56 miles nice and easy.  Ogden in 6 days!!!

It was 45 degrees this morning with some wind, but not too bad.  It is supposed to be 75 today so that will be nice.  I ran 8.57 miles nice and easy.  I will do some faster tempo miles tomorrow to keep fresh for Saturday.

5 days to Ogden.....

It was 37 degrees and windy this morning.  I did a good tempo run with 4 MP miles and good pace on all the miles just taking it easy on the uphills.  I ran 10.54 miles in all.

I got my official e-mail that I hit the lottery for St.George!!!!  I always earn my way in through the Grand Slam but it is alot easier and less-stressful this way.

It was 28 degrees this morning with a Wind Chill (yes, I said wind chill) of 19 degrees.  At least the wind was better than the last couple of days.  I ran 6.53 miles very easy.  Saving it for Saturday.

The weather forecast for the marathon is looking pretty good.  It might even get a little warm by the finish.

3 days........

It was 48 degrees and windy this morning, but at least it wasn't in the 20's like yesterday.  I ran 4.16 miles nice and easy.  Legs are feeling good.

2 days.....

No run this morning, just doing a bunch of work around the house before I go to work today and then drive to Ogden this afternoon.  A not so funny thing happened to me late yesterday.  I got an e-mail from the Ben Lomond hotel in Ogden saying that their reservation computer had crashed and they were overbooked and I now do not have a room.  I booked that room in early February and I love staying there because it is right where the buses leave from and less than a block from the finish line.  They blocked off rooms at other motels but now I am at the Days Inn which is 8 blocks South and I have to figure out parking and such for the morning.  Worst of all they did not seem to care AT ALL!!!  

 This, however, will NOT spoil my day tomorrow.  I am prepared, and pretty rested.....

OK......so I didn't quite PR today.  This was my 2nd best marathon ever but I am a bit disappointed that I wasn't under 2:53 like I wanted.  It was nice and cold at the start, about 39 degrees is what I saw on someone's thermometer.  There were some light winds at times but nothing that really hurt us.

I jogged the 1.1 miles from my motel to the bus pick-up area and got there in plenty of time.  We got to the start a full 1 hour and 15 minutes before starting time and the fires were quite helpful.  I got to meet LOTS of bloggers today before and after the race.  I met Nick Mc, Amber, Riverton Paul, Allie, Dustin, Bill from St. George, and Walter.  I hope I did not forget anybody.  It was fun meeting all those great runners.  

So back to the race.  I started kind of fast and had to back off as I was clipping a 5:50 thru the first 1/2 mile, which is too fast for me.  I settled in to a 6:15-6:20 pace and was doing good thru mile 8.  I made the turn North and passed several people in the next couple of miles but I was not happy with my splits.  How could I be passing people and slowing down so bad.  I had been trailing Bill Cobler since the start and finally passed him around 10 1/2 but it was not a great mile for me.  Dustin passed me around 11 1/2 and he was looking good.  I passed 3 more before the half but still was loosing ground on my goal. 

I crossed the 1/2 in 1:25:45, just 45 seconds off my goal but I could tell that I was fading a bit.  I did the uphill mile 15 in 7:07 but was able to get back in to the 6:35-6:40 range right after that.    Right about mile 15 is when I began to notice the huge hot spot on my right foot as a nasty blister was developing.  I must have had a wrinkle in my sock.  The problem was I was STUCK in the 6:35-6:45 range.  Even down the canyon I could not  go much faster and that blister was feeling like it was going to explode.  I passed the female first place runner at mile 21 and she was having some issues and ended up getting passed at the end.  I was still teetering on the edge of a PR at mile 23 but I knew it would be tough on those narrow, winding trails especially with all the walkers blocking the entire path at times.  I was getting tired and dodging all those people was not fun.  And let's be honest....when I knew my PR was out of reach and I had nobody left to pass or pace with except half-marathon walkers, my motivation level wasn't at it's peak.

I ended up finishing in 17th place, I think.  I will correct it once they actually post overall results.  I did get a 2nd place age group award so that was kind of nice.  The top 4 overall were Seth Wold, Nick McCombs, Fritz Van de Camp, and Walter Brown.  The bloggers did great!!!  My friend Barry Smith from Pocatello ran a 3:08, shattering his old PR of 3:30 so he had a great day as well.

Here are my splits

1.  6:02

2.  6:21

3.  6:16

4.  6:19

5.  6:24

6.  6:21

7.  6:25

8.  6:34

9.  6:45

10.  6:41

11.  6:55

12.  6:45

13.  6:52

14.  6:48

15.  7:07 (hill climb)

16. 6:45

17. 6:47 (the mile I finally passed the dude in the clown suit and BLUE wig)

18. 6:35

19. 6:34

20. 6:41

21. 6:45

22. 6:38

23. 6:26

24. 6:48

25. 7:06 (and the wheels fall off......)

26. 7:08

0.2 6:41

P.S.  Everyone with a GARMIN had the course long by about .2 of a mile.  I had it at 26.39.  I think when they measured it they used the tangents, and then don't let us run them in the canyon.  I also think you add on extras on the trail dodging the walkers and such.  Not an excuse.  I did not earn a PR.  Just an observation.

It was beautiful this morning.....46 degrees, a light breeze, sun coming up.....     I ran nice and easy today as a recovery run after Saturday.  My right hammy was tight for the first 5-6 miles but it finally loosened-up.  That nasty blister on my right foot was bearable and only bothered me when it "gooshed" a bit when making turns.  I knew it was there but it was OK.  I think the blister caused me to run a bit off balance the last 11 miles of the marathon and that is probably why the hammy is tight.  I ran 10.27 miles in a slow pace and the legs, while not fast, felt pretty good.

It was warm this morning.....61 when I left, 71 by the time I was done.  Not quite used to that yet.  I ran 13.21 miles, a bit quicker than yesterday and no hammy problems today.  The blister is hardening pretty good, just a bit soft around the edges.

It was cooler this morning at 50 degrees, but very windy with winds steady at 20 and gusting to 35mph.  I ran 10.55 fairly easy with splits all over the place due to the wind.

It was 34 degrees this morning, but winds were light.  I ran 12.26 miles, nothing eventful.

It was 40 degrees this morning and sunny.  I ran 10.61 miles with a few good miles mixed in.  Hammy a little tight again today.  Need to stretch tonight.

I decided to sleep in a bit this morning.  I am still fighting this stupid cold that I have had for several weeks.  I did not leave for my run until 8:00am.  It was 46 when I left, 66 when I got home so I got to run in warmer temperatures.  I need more warmer runs to prepare for heat-fests like DesNews.  I ran 15.22 miles and felt pretty strong the whole way.

 Oh yeah.....21 days 'til Utah Valley........I know.......

It was 55 degrees and overcast this morning.  Humidity 75% which is really high for us.  I got drizzled on a couple of times but nothing serious.  I ran 15.26 miles just nice and steady.  Planning a long run tomorrow for the day off.

It was 50 degrees and overcast this morning.  Great conditions for a long run.  I ran 22.70 miles in a nice steady pace.  Now it's off to the cemetery and a family get-together.

It was 44 degrees and calm this morning.  I was a bit tired from yesterday's long run and all the activities from the day.  I ran 12.23 miles in an easy pace.

It was 41 degrees with barely a breeze, what a beautiful morning!  I ran 12.21 miles with a couple slow miles from 5-7 ( I ran with Bob Fisher and he was recovering from the Coeur d' Alene half-marathon).  Then I picked-up the pace and had some strong miles from 8-12.

It was 45 degrees...another nice morning.  I was tired today because we got home late last night after my nephew's graduation in Kimberly.  I did a shorter run today, 10.31 miles pretty slow.

I finally got a massage tonight to work on my tight hamstring and glute that have been dogging me for a week.  I am so pig-headed and don't take advantage of massages when I have a massage therapist living in my house for only 2 more months, she is getting married.

It was 50 degrees with light winds this morning.  Another nice morning.....I love this time of year!!!  As soon as I started I could tell that last night's massage worked wonders.  She really dug deep in my right hammy....it felt very supple today and my run showed it.  I ran 12.71 miles and finally had some decent speed!!!  I finished running the last 3 miles at MP and felt wonderful.  I am going to get weekly massages now....I am sold!!!

It was 55 degrees when I left this morning......70 by the time I was done.  My run was different today.  I needed to pick up a company car that was left at the airport and wanted to make my run end there.  I started out with Barry Smith and we met Todd in Chubbuck.  We ran around Chubbuck and I left them after 10.7 miles when we were at the corner of Philbin and Siphon roads.  I headed West on Siphon to go all the way around the airport.  This stretch was 7 miles of a very gradual uphill with a slight headwind that felt pretty good.  

I spooked myself by getting way too close to what appeared to be a rattlesnake at mile 14.69.  I didn't hang around to confirm the snake type......all that mattered is that it was a snake.  So for the rest of my run any stick on the road spooked me so I stayed pretty much close to the middle of the road.

I turned South on the Arbon Valley Road at mile 17.75 and headed for the freeway.  I hit the freeway at 21 miles and still had to work my way back to the airport.  I had planned on 23 miles today but at 23 I was still almost 2 miles from the car so I just kept going.  I hit the car at 24.98 so I ran past it just to break 25 for the day.

Because this run did not have any major hills up or down my pace stayed pretty steady.  I finished the run in just over 3 hours so I felt pretty good about it, plus I broke 110 for the week.

It was another nice morning.  Just a little rain before I started, 50 degrees.  I ran 10.27 miles nice and easy.