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

Ran an easy 6 miles (8:15 pace) today.  Big taper for Saturday.

Nice, easy 4 miles (7:48 avg.)  Feeling fresh.

Slept well last night. Left for St. George at 7:00am. Long drive ahead. 

Got up this morning at 4:00am.  The weather channel said it was 72 outside but it was going to get cooler and rain and be WINDY.  I ate a bowl of oatmeal at 4:15, something new for me.

Got off the bus at the start at 6:15am and it was raining steadily and windy, yes a HEADWIND.  I tried my best to stay warm but I was pretty wet before the start at 6:45.

First mile in 7:13.  My feet are already sloshing in my shoes as I cannot see the big puddles of water in the dark.  The headwind is going to be nasty.  I wanted a 3:05 today but weather conditions will make it tough.  Mile 2 in 7:20.  Not looking too good.  Mile 3 in 6:59, getting a better pace now.  Still can't see very much.  Mile 4 in 7:00.  Mile 5 in 7:05.  Mile 6 in 6:48.  Dropping down to the town of Veyo.  Mile 7 in 6:54.

Got knocked around getting water at the aid station.  They had the cups mixed up so I was handed the wrong thing and had to double back.  Cost me about 10 seconds.

Time for the Veyo hills.  Mile 8 in 8:11.  Did not want to push too hard to save it for 2nd half.  Mile 9 in 7:56.  Ate my gel in this mile.  Mile 10 in 7:30.  My pace has slipped, but not too far to get it back later.  Mile 11 in 7:45.  Mile 12 in 7:19.  Mile 13 in 7:05.  That is looking better.

Half Marathon in 1:35:58.  7:19 average so far.  I need to go negative in 2nd half.

Mile 14 in 7:10.  Mile 15 in 6:56.  Ate another gel in mile 15.  Mile 16 in 6:45.  I am now on pace for a 3:09 or better, just ran a 6:45 mile, yet the 3:10 pace team just passed me???  They are a couple minutes ahead of schedule.  It started raining harder and the headwind really picked up as we dropped in to the Snow canyon area. 

Mile 17 in 7:05.  Holding a good steady pace.  Mile 18 in 7:09.  Winchester hills coming up, trying to stay strong.  Mile 19 in 7:34.  Hill did not kill me, overall average pace still looks good.  Mile 20 in 7:03.

Ate my last gel in mile 21, Mile 21 in 6:56.  Feeling strong, legs OK.  Currently on pace for a 3:08 or 3:09.  Mile 22 in 6:59.  Mile 23 in 7:00.  Mile 24 in 6:55. 

Passed the 3:10 pace guy in mile 25.  He was all alone.  I asked him where his group of 20-plus were and he said they ran ahead.  He finally slowed to the 3:10 pace.  Mile 25 in 7:02.  If I push the last 1.2 miles maybe I can get a high 3:07.  Mile 26 in 6:38.  I am passing a LOT of people now.  Last .2 miles in 6:24 pace.

Final time 3:07:57.  Fastest time in 3 years.  I was more than 4 minutes negative in the 2nd half.  Within 5 minutes of finishing I started getting cold.  I normally like to hang around and talk to people I know after this race but not today, I need to get dry soon.

I ended up winning my age group (40-49) in the Utah Grand Slam for the year.  I want to use this performance as a springboard for sub-3 next year.  Had the weather been better I may have come closer this year.  I feel very good about my effort today :)

Ran an easy 6.53 miles this afternoon about 2 hours after my 7 hour drive back from St. George.  I was a little stiff from the drive and wanted to loosen things up a bit.  It was really windy in Pocatello this afternoon but at least it wasn't raining like yesterday.

Nice, easy run this morning.  Cool wind, fall is here for sure.  Calves still a bit tight from Saturday.  Ran most of the miles with Jedd.  Nice to have a partner on a recovery run.

Not a bad run this morning.  Started out tired from working late on our restaurant remodel in Idaho Falls.  Bad news....was up and down ladders, stools, etc assembling equipment.  Good news...that stiffness in my calves is gone.

Finished with 2 fast miles.  Very windy and cool this morning.

Easy miles today.  Ran 3 miles with Dr. Bob Fisher.  The man has not missed a single day of running in almost 30 years.  I like to talk running with him periodically.  He still runs 55-60 miles per week.

Cool and windy today.

Ended up working in Idaho Falls from 6:30am to 8:30pm.  So no run today.  Will get a good one in tomorrow morning.

Nice run this morning.  It was chilly (28 degrees, 19 windchill) but legs were fresh.  Ran some great miles in the middle of the run.  7:33 avg pace for the 10.61 miles

Wow.....cold morning run.  We got some snow last night.  The wind from the North was extremely nasty on the bench.  Nice steady pace (considering the wind).

Ran at 7:30am after last nights snowstorm.  Started out in light snow running in 2-3 inches of heavy, wet snow.  Found some pavement around ISU and got in some better miles.  Spent the last 5 miles running along the side of the road in 2 inches of slush.  Easy, interesting run but I was soaking wet by the time I finished.

Ok.....so 16 degrees is not EVEN funny for the 13th of October.  Luckily there was very little wind so it wasn't so bad.  Nice run today, got some good miles once I could see a little bit.

7:30am:  I had today off so I ran later today, actually ran in shorts for the first time since Thursday.  It was 27 degrees but warmed to 32 by the time I finished.  I ran 15.12 miles in 1:58:46.  Nice, crisp morning.  It was nice to run in the light.

5:00pm:  Ran an easy 8.15 miles in nice weather.  50 degrees and a light breeze.  Did not push very hard as it has been several years since I have done doubles.

6:30am:  Ran an easy 11.41 miles.  It was 30 degrees and the moon was nice and bright so it was easy to see running around the fairgrounds loop.  Ran 4 miles with Bob. 

Went to Twin Falls in the afternoon to watch Nicole in her High school swim meet.  She normally does 4 events (2 relays, 2 individuals).  She was upset with herself after her 100-yard backstroke.  Her goggles popped-off at the start and it messed her up.  She has been working pretty hard and she wanted to do better.  Got to bed late due to the trip. 

6:30am:  Nice morning, temps in low 40's.  Felt better today.  Was a bit tired on Wednesday after double on Tues.  Ran some nice miles after warm-up and felt good.

I registered for the Tucson marathon (Dec 7th)last night.  I am going with Brett from Rexburg.  He got us a great condo to stay in.

6:30am:  Ran 11.50 miles nice and easy.  Legs feeling good with the heavy miles this week.  It was 34 degrees and calm this morning.

6:30am:  Ran 16.19 miles with Barry.  Temperature was 36 degrees at the start.  NICE Morning!!!  We ran to ISU and then over the top of Buckskin.  Finished with a 6:16 mile down Jerome.  Awesome day. 

FIRST 100+ MILE WEEK FOR ME!!! 

I did not run today.  I felt good enough.....I really wanted to, but I knew I should take a day off after last weeks 100 and the fact that I haven't had a day off in 10 days.

Did my abdominal work this morning and did lower body weights this evening.  I am going to push for 90-100 again this week and then taper for the half-marathon on Nov 1st.

6:00am:  Ran 15.35 miles.  It was 35 degrees, not too bad.  Ran out to Chubbuck then South to Oak St. and up over the Monte Vista overpass, down Booth Rd. and then up Satterfield.  Ran 6 solid, good pace miles.  Felt really good after the day off.

5:15pm:  Had to drop off my vehicle at Prestige Auto Annex to have my bumper and grill replaced after my fender-bender last week.  A guy pulled out in front of me (said he didn't see me even though I drive a Toyota Highlander).  My car is almost brand new GRRRRR.  The man who runs the place is related to Kory.  He asked me if I knew Kory because he saw my Boston Marathon jacket when I got the estimate last week.  After I dropped my vehicle off I ran home.  I ran up to Highline and ran the trail along the canal bank then up through the Mountain Park neighborhood.  I crossed the freeway on Chubbuck road and then circled the fairgrounds then home.  I ran 5.23 miles and it was a net uphill run because I live on the bench.  The temperature was 62 degrees with a light breeze.  It was nice.

7:30am:  Holy cow, was it ever windy today.  It was 36 degrees with winds between 25 to 35 mph.  It was a cold wind too.  Cut right through me.  I ran out through Chubbuck, down to ISU, up Barton Rd., across Alvin Ricken, up over Buckskin, across Parks Rd. down Pocatello Creek, up Satterfield, then  home.  Total 17.45 miles.  The wind made it feel a lot harder than it should have been.

6:30am:  It was cold this morning. 20 degrees but luckily no wind like yesterday, just a light breeze.  Had to wear tights, my hat, and 2 pair of gloves.  I ran 12.62 miles and felt good.

6:15am:  I did my Chubbuck, ISU, Satterfield loop.  It was 19 degrees but I must be getting used to it, it was OK.  I ran 15.62 miles in a nice steady rate.  An interesting note, city workers were putting up no parking signs along Flandro drive at 6:30 this morning.  I think they are worried about the new Costco opening today.

6:15am:  It was a little warmer this morning, 25 or something.  I ran 12.23 miles and had some really good miles in the middle.

6:00am:  Ran with Barry and Greg today.  We let Greg pick the route.  We went West on Chubbuck Rd., then North on Hawthorne to Tyhee Rd.  We then went West on Tyhee to some road past Rio Vista.  It was too dark, I could not see the sign.  Then we went South to Siphon, then East to Philbin, then south to Quinn, turned south on Pole Line, then East on Alameda up to Olympus then back to the start.  We had 19 miles at this point so I ran the extra 3 I needed to be over 100 for the week.  Did the entire 22.35 miles in under 3 hours.  It was 35 degrees at the start so I wore shorts....it was nice.  2nd 100+ mile week in a row but this week I did it in 6 days instead of 7 and felt all the better for it.

No running today.  Day of rest.  I did some abdominal work in the morning and did lower body weights before dinner.  I am very pleased with how I feel after 2 big mileage weeks.  I will probably drop back to 60-70 miles this week so I can be fresher for the half-marathon on Saturday. 

6:15am:  It was 25 degrees this morning.....I wore my shorts anyway because I'm like that.  There was very little wind so it wasn't bad.  I came across another runner on Warren Ave.  His name was Alan.  We were chatting and he asked me if I knew Kory.  He said his daughter and Kory's daughter are friends.  Hey Kory....does everybody know you? :)  I ran 12.71 decent miles today, but didn't push too hard.

9:00am:  Decided to do kind of a tempo run today.  Ran the first 9 miles a bit faster (6:48 avg.) then backed off the last 5 and change.  Ran 14.15 miles in a 7:01 average.  Did not want to push too hard with the half-marathon coming up on Saturday.  It was about 35 degrees when I started and warmed-up nicely from there.  Ran some hills, both up and down, to prepare for Saturday.

6:30am:  Nice easy run today.  It was 38 degrees, not too bad considering some of the days in the last 2 weeks.  I ran 11.12 miles keeping it smooth and easy.

6:30am: 26 degrees this morning. Nice slow run. Ran 10.71 miles in an easy pace.

No run today, trying to be fresh for half-marathon tomorrow.  Looks like the weather might be unfavorable; wind and possible rain.  Funny, I didn't think I was in St.George again.  Did some abdominal work to pass the time this morning.  I should do well tomorrow but I won't beat Kory if he pushes it.  My 100% is about equal to his 75%.