Dave's Addiction

Standard workout day, 6 AM. Gym nice and empty.

Run up and back Rock Canyon, first of the season. Getting warm up there.

Nice 14 mph kicker before the squats

Now I am sticking all my 2013 races in here so I can keep them, it was a really fun year

2013 races!

1/5 Snowman half - 1:25 2nd overall

1/17 St George Half - 1:19:44 21st

3/9 Yeti 5K/Snowshoe - 1:11:09 2nd

3/23 Running of the Leopards 5K - 16:32 7th

-- Now entering 45-49 age bracket --

Commence Operation Domination

5/4 Provo Half - 1:15:19 6th

Masters Domination

5/18 Timp Trail Half - 1:47:08 4th

Masters Domination

6/1 Art City 5K - 17:37 8th

AG Domination

6/15 American Fork Half - 1:13:17 7th

AG Domination

6/21-2 Ragnar - 22:37:00 6th

Submasters Domination

Portapotty Domination (7)

6/29 Big Springs 8K - 36:28 6th

Masters Domination

Nephew Domination

7/4 Freedom Run 5K - 17:59 18th

Masters Domination

7/13 Hobbler Half - 1:16:17 5th

Masters Domination

7/24 Mapleton 5K - 17:07 3rd

Masters Domination

7/27 Timp Half - 1:16:07 3rd

AG Domination

8/3 Grizzly 8K - 37:07 8th

Masters Domination

8/17 Hobble Creek Half - 1:14:22 12th

Masters Domination

9/7 Nebo Half - 1:09:07 (PR) 1st

Total Domination

10/5 St George Marathon - 2:42:17 40th

Got Dominated Horribly

10/19 Trail 51 15K - 1:03:31 4th

Masters Domination

**** Now commencing Operation Steve Austin ****

Double ankle strength and increase top speed by 2 MPH before 14 Feb

11/28 Earn Turkey 4 mile - 23:02 17th

AG Domination

The nicest day in a month, and it turns out to be race day. Got to love it! Nobody fast showed up so Toni was not going to be able to chase me down again, but it was 28 degrees instead of -2 so I would still be able to see at the end of the race. We started of briskly, uphill and into the wind for 2 miles. A 430 foot gain but I still got a 6:43 and a 7:39 (steeper). Not too hard but definitely into the yellow. I topped out well ahead of everyone and started cruising down into Apline at around an easy 6 flat plus. With the exception of the little hill on North County drive (6:55) all the rest of the miles were 6:08 to 6:22 or so. The lights turned green as I got to them, the air was brisk and happy, and the sun was shining. Even the temple hill didn't look particulary difficult, and that mile was 7:07. I hoofed it in at a sub 6 to win by 8 minutes. I guess that makes me the Utah champ so far for the year, ha ha :)

A positively brutal calf and quad workout, lots of core too. The two mile warmdown was more of a stumble, trying to stay on the treadmill at 9.1...

Too sore to run, rode my bike to work and back

Amazingly sore, did TM miles anyway

TM, Stepper, and Bike in the gym, still really sore

Warm up and down on the TM from the squat workout of doom
 

Out and back on the Murdock trail, 7 flats mostly except miles 10 and 11 at 6:40 and miles 13 and 14 at 6:19 and 6:11. Nice and hard.

Last strength training session! We'll give it the week to set and then run a 5K race on Saturday. Burst of 14 MPH on the TM

Did a weak interval so as not to disturb the results of the 5K test on Sat - 1 at 11.8, 1at 12.1, .7 at 12.5, .5 at 12.8, .2 at 14.

Itty bitty tempo run to get the training started, time to crank miles over 40 now

Bike to and from work, really

5x10 second hill sprints at 14 MPH and 9%, easy run beside

This was a time trial to determine effectiveness of 33 strength workout sessions since October. I was not pleased with the outcome, but there were certainly no muscle faults! Mainly an oxygen delivery fault, which is being addressed with the next 12 seesions of Frappier Distance Protocol. Mile 1 was 5:32, felt easy. I caught up to the truck that was putting out the cones, had a 5 second delay while they showed me where to turn and I had to go easy on the ice. Mile 2 was 6:09 as a result. Then I had to stop and tie my shoe, wait a minute, maybe this race wasn't so bad after all. Especially since it was 11 degrees and I was wearing a bunch of winter gear. No matter, the 6 weeks of distance protocol ends just in time for the Yeti so I should get a good read at that point.

2 miles in the gym on the TM before the upper body workout, then later this morning I went to my first distance protocol session at the hospital. Some of those intervals got as long as 2 minutes, and two of them were run at 20% incline and 8 MPH! Nasty stuff, definitely going to do something :) The 2 minutes were 11 MPH at 3%.

Nice six on the road in the afternoon. What smog? Pansies. Cough hack hack

Another easy 6 in the neighborhood, starting to step it up for Boston

First hospital speed session, kind of wimpy, so they are going to use the level 2 protocol.

Nice easy 10.3 on the TM with a 14 quarter at the end, standard upper body

7 up and back in Hobble Creek Canyon at 7 flat avg, with three on the way back at threshold (6:09 today, easy T) Then a quick run from Abravanel Hall to Energy Solutions Arena and back to grab the last Brian Regan tickets

2 on the TM in the early morning, then another distance protocol session. Nasty stuff in there, like 40 seconds at 13.5 MPH on a 10% grade. We'll see if it does anything.

Volume equivalent, really 43 minutes of straight up and straight down the mountain as fast as you can go.

Run around Mapleton and the old parents house

Brutal hill interval day at the hospital, 1:30-2:00 of 7.5MPH at 14% down to 11.0MPH at 5.5%

Progression run on the treadmill, was much harder than usual (had to drop back to jogging pace 4 times, ended at 13.2 for one minute), I guess I shouldn't try two consecutive speed workouts. Oh well, I can do a nice easy run tomorrow. Of 16 miles :)

Mix of light marathon effort and downright easy miles, continuing buildup

Hospital hill workout that was too brutal to finish. The 9% at 8 MPH for 1.5 minutes (x2) was bad. The 4% at 11 MPH for 2 minutes (x2) was beyond bad, had to stop for a few seconds in the middle. The 3% at 12 MPH for 3 minutes (x2) was impossible, had to stop twice in the first one and bailed out after 2 minutes of the second one. But I feel like I had a real speed workout today!

Easy 9.5 to 10.5 on the TM, then I was feeling it so I stepped it up to 12.5 for the last half mile

9.1 to 11.9 TM progression (.1 per minute) with a 13.0 kicker at minute 30. I dropped back to 9.5 for 1 minute at 26 minutes because I didn't want to go all out before tomorrow's hospital workout.

Easier hill interval workout at the hospital, ended with a 14.5 at 4% for 15 seconds, wheee!

TM and around the neighborhood

Nice zippy 15 on the flat, started off slow (7+) and then did 11 within 5 seconds of 6:29. That feels like a good pace for Boston. Easy breathing the whole time. Except the hill up to SF canyon at the Mapleton junction.

Another interesting hospital workout, medium hill intervals today. Ended with 2x12 at 2.5%, 1:10 each
 

1:15 on the bike, actually.

Really great TM progression, 9.1 to 11.9 with a 13.2 final minute. I did drop back to 9.6 for 50 seconds just to keep from getting too far into the red to properly enjoy tomorrow's hill workout at the hospital.

Felt odd so I cancelled by hospital session for today. Got antibiotics.

Canyon run! Slide canyon, max up, cruise down.

Magic 18 at a pace I can sleep at, 7:08 avg. Ran to the Cannon Center, then through the CS building at BYU, then back home. Nice day! Well rested afterwards :)

Nice 8X60 hill workout at the hospital today. They set the treadmill at 7.5% and I did

2x1minute at 10 MPH

then 5.5%

2x1minute at 11 MPH

then 4%

3x1minute at 12 MPH and another minute at 12.2

then 20 seconds at 13 MPH and 20 seconds at 15 MPH.

Felt just right.

EZ 6 outside, felt very nice

Not the best day on the progression run, stopped early because the treadmill kept breaking and throwing me off my rhythm.

Nasty 2 minute hill intervals at the hospital, followed by less nasty 45 second intervals.

Run to and from work, feels awesome

Ran 15 in Mapleton, first 2 on the road, then cut up the hill to the BST and went south. Lots of good hills and some surprise ice puddles with 4 inches of water under them. Yeek. I got to run the new segment of the BST that we built last fall! It was really cool. I realized about that time that I had forgotten my pants, which is why the dingleberries were getting so chilly. The St George Marathon shirt was enough to hide the fact that all I had was thermals so no foul. 6 more back to the house downwind, thankfully. Got some good speed on the last three down to the 6:20s.
 

Another series of treadmill hill workouts at the hospital

Was supposed to be 6 EZ, ended up racing a truck at the end, way fun :)

Treadmill progression, 9.1 to 11.9 with 13.3 for the last minute. Except I had to drop back twice. I think I am going to go off sugar, I feel a little below peak.

Another hospital hill interval workout, longer intervals today (starting at 20 seconds at 9 and 20%, up to 2 minutes at 11.3 and 2.5%)

I decided to get my keystone workout in while it was not raining, one more 20 in two weeks makes the arch. 7:18 AP, easy the whole time except on the hills where I pushed it. No nutrition or muscle trouble, a little bone-sore at the end.

Nice run to the Y and back

Nasty hospital workout, hill intervals ranging from 6x40 seconds at 4% from 11 to 13.5 mph to a 2 minute death march up a 8% hill.

I really did this last night so I could go to Vegas and make a sale today. 3x2 between upper body sets

Didn't feel up to the speed workout so I ran 2.5 and biked 8.

The nastiest and last hospital workout, Operation Steve Austin complete. I couldn't hack it so I dropped the 12 MPH 2.5% 3 minute runs back to 2:15 on the flat. Absolutely brutal. Hopefully worth it...

Rode to Whiting Canyon, ran up canyon, ran down canyon, rode home. EZ pace.

Fun run with the guys, met at Brandon's house Chris, Matt, Mike, Reed and Chad were there. I tried to keep up with Matt and Mike on the tempo portion, that was hilarious. Got a 5:25 for a half mile though :) Ran with Chris for the rest of it. I feel awesome today.

I was going to do intervals today but I wanted to do an outside run when the weather was so good.

OK, I think the hospital stuff didn't work out so good. I tried doing my treadmill intervals and I got the 11.8 and the 12.1 no problem, but 12.5 got split into two 880s and the 12.8 I was only able to do half of. Back to what works...

Then I joined Walter briefly at the SFH tonight, put a little more in.

EZ miles in the cold wind. Brrr. This should be the nastiest weather for the rest of the season. (7:22)
 

Up to the top of Woodland Hills. Registered for the Yeti. Woohoo! Down to the bottom at 5:20 pace. Fun!

3 miles on the TM with a .2 mile stride of 14 MPH, then ride bike to work and back

A nice run up Provo canyon, with light zephyrs on the upper half, slowly becoming a decent tailwind in South Fork, then a blistering headwind on the way down South Fork, then gradually diminishing to 5 MPH or so by Canyon Glen. Objective as to go 10 EZ up, then burn it down at all I could hande. Task completed. Yow. Great nap afterwards restored most of my hit points.

EZ run on the progressive course in Mapleton

Best interval run in weeks! I did TM 11.8, 12.1, 12.5 mile intervals, then instead of doing the 12.8 mile I opted to hone a bit more and did .6 at 12.8, a shorter rest, and .4 at 13.1. I could have gone more.

2 miles on the TM in the morning, checked out the upper half of the Yeti course in the afternoon. Trail is almost snow-free, don't think the snowshoes are going to work!

EZ recovery miles to cement the hill miles before Saturday

I think I got food poisoned, recovering quickly (hopefully won't damage tomorrow's Yeti). Ran 1 on the TM before upper body in the morning, then rode bike back and forth to work.

I do so love the Yeti, although I wish they would move it earlier so I could do Leopards too. Anyway, there were only about 30-40 people combined this year - I guess the snowstorm just before the start scared them off. I had some sort of food poisoning on Thursday so I was worried about energy delivery, but once the race got off I found that I had enough energy to make my legs hurt as bad as I wanted to, and more! The crowd fell swiftly back and when I turned around after the first mile I was shocked to see a quarter mile and 150 vertical feet separate me from second place. I got back to it and didn't see anybody after that.

The snowshoe route was changed because the trail had no snow. We went up the avalanche chute and the rule was to put your snowshoes on when you need to. Since I pooped twice this morning (still a little burbly) I was light enough to not break through the snow and I got to the top in short order. I bombed down the switchbacks, came out by my lot, and lazily run up the road to the park and the finish. I didn't even get a little wet this year! The waffle truck was up there so I was sad to be allergic to gluten, but such is life. No Yeti cake either, major bummer. But that's three first place finishes for me this year! I bet I won't get four....

Feeling a little oogy so I ran easy to and from work.

Ride around the town with a little run up the canyon in between (10 miles ride, .5 hill running)

Great tempo run on the triangle flat course. It started off a little rocky at 6:13 but every mile got faster until at the end I was a bit under 6 flat. I even stumbled through some road construction in the dark and managed to hold a 6 flat :) 6:03 avg for the whole thing.

EZ TM day but I couldn't resist a 64 quarter at the end. Wheeeee!

Run to the Y and back plus some misc miles

Nice long run today around the Orem strees with Chris, then up and down the canyon with the crew. I got a nice tempo thanks to Chase on the way down and we een did the hill at 6:20, I am ready for Boston. Starting a gradual taper now, focusing on speedwork.

Bleh

Still feeling a little tight in the lungs from the Sunday's minor cold, so after yesterday's rest I did 1 mile at 11.8, 1 at 12.1, 800 at 12.5, 800 at 12.8, about a mile of recovery at 9.3, and .25 at 14.0

Very fun EZ treadmill run, feeling great

Negative ramp, I found the most efficient stride ever so it was easy all the way to minute 24. I still dropped back for a minute at 27 because I might race Saturday but I think I could have made it to the end without too much trouble. 9.1 to 11.9 with a 13.2 last minute.

Run to the gym and back, then ride to Spanish Fork after work cause I forgot I was going to meet Lance (1 hour)

Trail run! Mcdonalds route, 1 mile up the canyon to make it 14.

I tried the new cadence on the 4x1 run. Wow! This is crazy. I am 3-5 BPM on the heart rate more efficient, and the 12.5 isn't particularly hard any more. 12.8 was a bit hard but I could have finished, instead at .75 I dropped back for 60 seconds to 7.0 and then did 14.0 for .25. No problem. This could be significant. I might actually try hard at Boston :)

Run to and from the gym + 1.6 on the TM to make up 4, a little hill stride at the end like usual

Fun six mile run in the neighborhoods, I really felt like I was getting fast at the end, probably should have taken the watch :)
 

Wow Wow Wow!

The new stride pattern is for real. I nuked my tempo record on the 100 ft aided course today. I broke my 5K record in the middle by 10 seconds - on a tempo run! 4.5 miles at 5:45 avg, 17:22 5K at the beginning (first mile is aided, last 1.6 miles is uphill)

Splits were 5:14, 5:41, 5:48, 6:12, 6:00 for .5 pattern is down, flat, flat, up, up

Now I should try the secret weapon with the new stride :)

Run to and from gym, ride bike to and from work

I was really feeling it on my last long run before Boston - I ran up the canyon with the crew and then Tony, Jacob and myself turned around at 10K. We were going to temp at whatever pace felt comfortable but I got a resonance with the new stride pattern and was dipping down to the low 5s with ease. Fastest mile was 5:28, as I slowed up and waited for the guys. Tony made us burn it at the end down to 4:45 for a tenth or so. Great way to cap off training, now just having an easy rest week after calves and squats and hill repeats on Monday.

Run to gym, 10x10 hill sprints at 14 MPH, starting at 7% and ending at 11.5%, squats (135/185/205), calf raises (140 on leveredx2, 395 on machine), core, upper body, run back.

Now it's all easy runs until Boston.

Ow. Very sore from yesterday, absolutely perfect. No major, just a lot of minor.

Less sore today

Zippy, marathon-pace quickstepping miles. I should have taken the Garmin, I think I was flying. Last run until I jog to the hotel!

Running through the airport

Went to the expo, tried out a 15 MPH treadmill, stopped after .25 because Iwas worried about taking the edge off even though I wasn't really having cardio distress yet (how crazy is that) Got lost in Chelsea, had to make it back to my hotel by noon to check out, just barely made it but I had to get help in at least three different languages :)

Ran to dinner, to gym where my clothes were being stored next day, and back

Too much running, uh-oh
 

I went to this race to have an experience, and I succeeded. It was completely different that anything I could have expected. First of all everyone treated the runners like royalty, no matter how fast. Before, during and after it was like we were honored guests coming to perform a great work. Everyone was polite and helpful, and I would be shocked to learn that a single crime occurred in the city Sat-Mon. I arrived Sat night late and the middle eastern taxi driver told me I should take the hotel shuttle, which I did not know about, instead of being his fare. This was just one of many incidents of helpful and honest people, Sunday was spent at the Expo and checking out the finish line, including a group photo of at least 200 of the Utah people at the marathon. How great was that? Monday came and I was greeted by a huge plume of black smoke outside my hotel window as I woke up. Really??! You have to be kidding. Then I realized the finish line was to my south and the window faced northeast. It was just a truck on fire on the freeway. OK, that was wacky. I ran to the busses and jumped on.The garbage bag I brought as a windbreak and solar heater worked out great,I  was perfectly warm up to the start.

I looked around for anybody familiar but I was unable to see anyone, then we went to the corrals. I remarked to the guy next to me that now that we could see a big sample of people as fast as us, it was obviously impossible to tell how fast someone is by looking at them. Then the elites showed up and I took the comment back. We were all towering giants next to them, with oaken arms and oversized heads. I toyed again with the thought of running up front with them for a mile or two but banished it right off because they were going to go out at 4:30. Turns out that Seth managed to pull it off (you rock Seth) and they were going out at 4:50, so I could have kept up for a mile or two. It would have been cool to have a Utah fist bump on the USA today site :)

The race started, and I was swept away as I knew I would be. I just swam in the river, gleefully watching the miles go by at a disasterous clip, 5:55, 5:41, 5:48, 5:51, kachink kachunk. Breathing was easy, but I could feel the muscles working hard on the uphills and I knew that I was running suboptimally. But I just didn't care. The crowds were amazing, I couldn't help but grin like an idiot and give two thumbs up all the way to Wellsley. But running the first 5 k 30 seconds off my record, the 10k 1 minute slower than my record, and the half 2 minutes slower, I knew I was in for destruction and death in the last half of the race. I backed off at the half to a more reasonable 6:30 and hoped for the best. Sadly, I had not been hyrating enough in the early part of the race, as I took nothing until mile 7 hoping to avoid overhydration but did not take into account the warm weather.

At mile 16 I felt the first warning signs of an empty tank as we hit the first hill. Just to be safe I walked a little, to avoid early cramping. I usually despise gels but at 17 I was willing to try anything to make it to the end of the race. I grabbed the gel and it tasted like ambrosia. That's when I knew I was in real trouble and should take it easy if I didn't want to have to use the Charlie card that was burning a hole in the plastic bag safety pinned to the inside of my pants. I started walking every two minutes on the hills, but managed to keep the average pace under 8:00 still. But by mile 22 the bonk was massive and I was climbing through the 8s relentlessly. I was determined to finish at any cost, even if I had to walk the rest of the way, and the remainder of the race was spent running to the edge of cramps, then walking to take the heat off. Everyone continued to yell encouragement from the crowd, which gave me no choice but to push back to running speed again. I had to walk up the massive hill at the overpass, and the huge mountain after the underpass was truly daunting.

I could not dishonor the race by walking on Boyleston street however, so I walked the hill up to the turn and went to a determined run. The finish looked so far away! About a tenth of a mile from the finish every muscle in my left leg seized simultaneuously and I almost went face first into the street. I somehow managed to keep running all the way to the line and gave a victory yell, then started walking (sort of since the leg was on FIRE) and hoping to find water and gatorade or anything at all. I was sleepy and disoriented, and had difficulty maintaining a straight line. The peaches were liquid gold. I had to lay down on the warm soft sidewalk for a few minutes but after the second offer of medical assistance I figured I should move on to the gym where my clothes were stored. That was the hardest mile and a half I have ever moved. But a glorious shower awaited, after which I was almost human, then I took the subway to the airport and bestowed the remaining 5 days of Charlie Card on a random stranger. After two more offers of medical assistance, a smoothie, a burrito bowl, and a 30 minute nap with my legs up agains a wall, I was back to (a very slow moving) normal and managed to snag the early flight back to SLC.

It's a good thing that marathons aren't 26.3, I think somebody would have had to carry me :) It was way better than a day at work.

Hill sprints with Lydia, got to make her fast before she turns 9

Hill sprints with Lydia, she likes to run!

Run to and from gym, calves and deep muscles still healing, right shoulder still sunburned

Time to get back in the saddle, ran 3X1 at 11.8,12.1,12.5 then 800 at 12.8, 400 at 13.4, and 400 at 14. That should send a message to the legs.

Ow. Run to gym and back, 2.5

EZ run on the Springblades just for fun, almost forgot pants again

A little faster run on the Springblades, just for fun

Woked with Lydia,she's getting faster!

It's good to run like the monster again, no holding back. I went out with Fritz and the lead group, tremendous depth today. No trouble hanging as usual for the first half mile, the dropped back a small amount at the mile(5:18). I had a surge of energy in the second mile and I felt like I might catch them (5:17) but I didn't. That would have messed with their heads! I did the flat mile at 5:43 so I knew I as in great aerobic shape after Boston, still waiting to see if the glucose had filled back up. Then Brandon and his group caught up with me and dragged me another mile at 5:30, he was looking good! I dropped back about 100 feet and got dragged 3 more miles (5:42, 5:45, 5:54) then Brandon had some minor issues and stopped several times so I could get a little surge each time he passed (5:49). Very nice. But Boston caught up with me by mile 8 so I was down a little bit on the energy for the rest of the race, but still able to turn it over with some consistency (6:04 6:04 6:09 5:59) - you woudn't even know there was a hill in there! Mile 13 I was really starting to feel it so I eased off a little (6:09) but still had a nice kick at the ending .1 (4:58). Very satisfied with the race, but 40 seconds slower than last year. I should be completely back for the Timp Trail Half though.

Taking it easy after the most excellent workout on Saturday

Tried to do the vo2max mile intervals but the claves were screaming after the first mile for some reason so I did hill runs instead.

Nice run backwards along the gym course, broken by upper body workout

Nice hill workout, run to the Y. Time to do hills every day almost.

Fun progression run around Mapleton, splits were

7:29

6:45

6:45

6:53 (hill)

6:27

6:17

6:07

I was going to do a triple Dry Canyon loop, but the loops are longer than I thought and a double was hard enough, thank you very much. Second time around only 4 minutes slower than the first (54,58)

Woo Hoo! The Boston is now adding to the legs. I felt pretty good today, did 3x1 on the TM at 11.8, 12.1, 12.5 then 800 at 12.8 and 2x400 at 13.4 and 14.0 except I went .3 at 14.0 because it felt too short.

Not ready for the threshold run today so I did a progression hill run on the TM, 7.5 MPH starting at 0.5 incline, up .5 every 30 seconds until 11.0

Demolition is weighing heavy on the legs, but I still managed to eke out a 6:03/6:02 threshold run on the flat course. Very good. Splits 5:57 6:06 6:04 6:03 5:53 (.3)

Nice EZ run up the canyon (HCC) and back

Yeah baby, 5:22 (5%) faster than last week on the double Dry Canyon. The only mile that was slower was the steep ascent on the second loop, I was really feeling it there. Those guys at thge Timp Trail Half aren't going to know what hit them.

New record on three segments of the road 4x1! 5:31 on the first mile, thought sure I would blow up in mile 2 but no! 5:41. Mile three started off a bit rough so I turned it into 2 .45s with .05 rest, got 5:57 and 5:43 on these uphill portions, then 5:19 on the downwind. Fun!

Reward for excellent interval workout is EZ miles, got 5.75 before the house snuck up on me.

Hill runs on the Springville portion of the BST. Feeling strong.

Getting ready for TTHM!

3 easy with 3 strides, a 220 flat, 440 TM 14 MPH, and 220 hill.

This is one of the best races of the year and I wanted to give it my all, so I did double dry for the last two weeks in preparation. I think it paid off, because I got a 2 minute PR! And I can tell you, any PR after age 45 is a big win in my book. Adam showed up so I knew I would have to try for second, but I went off zippy at the start anyway and was immediately joined by Adam and Trevor. We got up to the flat and Trevor dropped back, but Adam stayed with me. I thought for a vain moment that I was staying with him, but every time I pushed it a tiny bit to see what would happen he effortlessly matched. Then we climbed to the basin and he opend it up a tiny bit and was immediately 100 feet ahead. Both of these guys were smoking me on the uphill but I could smoke Trevor on the flat or downhill so I knew that as long as I could stay ahead of him to the middle of DryI would be OK. I got to the top of the second climb up to the upper road and Adam was .25 miles ahead and gradually pulling further away. So I just focused and pounded the flats (6:46, 6:37) and the downhill to the gun range (5:44) in hopes that he might get lost for a bit like I tend to do :) Now the climbingmiles were upon me. I felt decently strong and able to maintain, but I still got smacked bad in Dry (7:50, 10:46, 15:00). About halfway up Trevor snuck up on me and we enjoyed a coke together at the aid station. Then we bailed before Amber could catch us. He pulled ahead, but he couldn't get more than about 50 feet on me, so I knew it was mine to lose. Sure enough at the top I was able to close the distance quickly, although he passed me again when I had to tie my shoe. I always have to tie my shoe in this race. Next time I am using safety pins. I quickly blew him off the trail again just before the start of the Mario Karts, then went full tilt down those because it was looking possible to get in the 143s which was my goal for the day. I was doing 6:20 on the flat at the bottom which was very encouraging, then on to the lower trail. Coming over the top was 7:14 and Mario splits were 6:11, 6:17, 6:28. I got on to the road and did a 5:04 pace for the last .4 miles. I ended up 2 minutes ahead of T and 3 from A, great day for eeryone! Nathan and Lars tied and got the course record in the marathon, 3:29.

Feeling a bit congested in the lungs so I took it easy today.

10.5 bike, really

I tried for an interval workout but my lungs are still not recovered from this bug so I did a bunch of easy running with 2 80s and 2 440s thrown in there. Felt perfect.

Feeling like lungs are weak with infection yesterday so I chilled and just ran easy today. Hopefully I will be back tomorrow.

I came off a weak week, still full of crap in my lungs, but ready to try a 10 hard pace on the murderous hills of Midway. This is a tough course. There were a lot fewer people than last year, and it was a very hot, late start. I felt a good pace at the beginning, 5:53, and started hoping for a sub 60 time. Down and down we went after the initial uphill, I maintained my relative position as the deathmarch to the east began. Aggg, the sun! It's so, so, sunny. At last I turned the corner to head towards Memorial Hill and my watch clicked through mile 3. Seriously? I've been running hard for, like, an hour and it's only mile 3? Time to sleep. So I started going up the spiral. It doesn't seem reasonable, but that road is actually a mile from bottom to top! It isn't much of a hill but you really start to feel it after a mile. I walked for 10 seconds near the top. Then I noticed that Amber was right behind me. She's a terrible taskmaster, and this time was no different. We ran down and she was right on my heels. We started the 100 mile climb to Wasatch State park and she was right there the whole way. As we passed a girl I heard her complain about how her calf seized up, and I thought I might be able to pull ahead. Turns out it was the girl we passed and not Amber that had the calf problem though so when I stopped to take a decent drink at the water station, she blew on by and I never caught her again. She beat me by 10 seconds. On the bright side, the lungs are much cleaner now :)

Wow was it ever hard to get back on the wagon after last week. But I have a 5K coming up this Saturday so there was no choice but to bite the bullet. It was interval time. So I did

1 mile at 11.8

1 mile at 12.1

.5 at 12.8

.35 at 13.0

.35 at 13.0

.25 at 13.5

.25 at 13.8

.25 at 14.0

Ow.

What can we do after two speed days in a row? Why another speed day of course! This was two laps around the nasty uphill part of the Art City Days 5k, with high effort on the uphill side. Still trying to cough up a part of a lung, but almost totally clear.

OK time to take it easy and consolidate the three speed workouts.

10 mile bike, actually

Standard pre-race three strides, .25 on the flat, .25 at 14 on the treadmill, .1 on the hill

5k in the morning, ran 1 mile to and from the race. I kept up with the lead group until 1/3 of amile from the end of the upwind straight part, then I died andfell back to a 6:20 pace. Up the hill was superdeath but I felt pretty good after it so I kept it under 5:45 to the finish. Not nearly as good as last year but I was still coughing up a lung.

In the afternoon I parked at Vivian Park and ran up the great western trail until I found Curtis who was almost completely nuked at the end of the Squak Peak 50. I paced him to the end, what an excellent finish! He also was slower thn  he wanted to be but not doing too bad all things considered. That was a bloody hot run too.

EZ run with a hard uphill thrown in for good luck

1 at 11.8

1 at 12.1

.7 at12.5

.5 at 12.8

.3 at13.2

.25  at 13.6

.25 at 14

To and from the gym in the morning, up and down the road in West Yellowstone in the afternoon

Nice long hill run up and down to get ready for the half on Saturday

High altitude hike up and down part of the Mt Washburn trail

Walter was kind enough to let me be a pacer for this race, and after reading about the headwind at the UV Half I am glad I was there instead. The night before had some cold rain so I got a little worried about conditions, but the morning dawned bright and cold (in the low 30s). Fortunately my spiffy new running jacket with built-in gloves was up to the task! A little too up, because I got pretty hot by mile 9 when it hit 50 degrees. Anyway, we started off with a stern warning from the race director to clap our hands loudly before going around corners to let the bears know to get out of the way. Turned out not to be needed since the rangers were riding dirt bikes out front to scare away the wildlife. The first two miles were in the town of West Yellowstone which was still kind of interesting, then on some straight dirt roads behind the airport, but then they took us onto some snowmobiling roads and those were really pretty. Tall, green pines with wet clay from the night before, twittering birds, the whole nine yards. The mile long hill at mile 5 was pretty tough even though it only went up 400 feet or so, and I would be surprised if at least a few of the 2000 participants didn't biff it on the somewhat technical descent at mile 8. I tried to gather people as I passed them at a rigid 1:30 pace but the altitude was proving too much for most (6800) so I ran the last 5 miles alone and dawdled a bit near the end to try and cross on time even with a slightly shortened course. A really great race, highly recommended.

Nice run around the neighborhood, I thought about doing speed today.

1 at 11.8

1 at 12.1

1 at 12.5

.65 at 12.8

.35 at 13.2

I think that last one was too easy, I should go faster or do two.

EZ run with .8 miles of zippy hills thrown in.

Didn't have time for the full threshold run this morning but I got 5:46, 6:01 then a .3 mile jog then 6:07 (slightly uphill) and 5:41 (slightly downhill and downwind)

Pretty good for a loop!

8 bike with a hill, really

"Ran" to the top of Baldy up Dry Canyon, really just past the point where the Little Baldy trail splitsoff. What a pretty area! Utah rules.

Recovering from Saturday, had a brutal weight workout that afternoon as well moving rock from here tothere in the heat.

Most excellent ladder workout at the track, I did

220 in 32 (4:16 pace)

440 in 1:14 (4:56)

880 in 2:36 (5:12)

1320 in 4:07 (5:29)

1m in 5:27 (5:27, where did THAT come from?)

1320 in 4:05 (5:26)

880 in 2:36 (5:12, barely hanging on)

440 in 1:09 (4:36, doesn't matter now!)

220 in 32 (4:14)

1 mile wu and wd

1 running on TM plus 9 hilly bike miles

EZ around neighborhood to rest up for Ragnar

First leg of Ragnar, 5:50 pace slightly downhill

Nighttime leg was 11.9 on a flat to uphill trail, pre ragnar was 1500 vertical straight up the steep part of Guardsman pass. Nasty.

EZ run with two nice hills thrown in there

Threshold intervals:

1m warmup (7:54)

2m interval (5:13 downhill, 5:54 down and up)

1.33 interval (5:43 downish, 6:04 upish)

.87 interval (5:56 up)

1.2 warmdown (7:45)

Three strides before the Freedom Run tomorrow, a little more EZ running to make up for not running yesterday but I was digging a lot so still got good exercise)

PR! That's the second one this year, bodes well for Hobbler. I started this race up near the front of the pack and to my surprise I was leading about three blocks into it. About when I started wondering what was up I got passed by the high school stars but they really didn't get all that far ahead in the first mile, which I finished in a 5 second Freedom Run first mile record of 5:07. It didn't feel disasterously fast so I kept pushing on the flat/minor uphill in mile 2 and came through the two mile in 10:54 (5:47). But I knew I still had the nasty hill to go and was pleasantly surprised to see low sixes almost all the way through it for a 6:10 mile 3. The mile markers were a bit early though because that would leave 37 seconds for the last .1 and I was going faster than that, but no biggie - I beat my previous best from 2009 by 6 seconds and it's a 40 foot net gainer so I am quite pleased.

8 mile run up and back left fork Hobble Creek

Nice easy run

Mile intervalse on the TM

1 at 11.8

1 at 12.1

1 at 12.5

.72 at 12.8

.28 at 14

Nuked from construction, ran anyway

2 tempo intervals to get ready for HH, 1.8 at 6:01 then 2.2 at 5:58

Traditional pre-race strides (1 on the flat, 1 on the treadmill at 14, one on the uphill)

PR! Kind of. New course, but the intro miles were stronger than last year so I am calling it. Besides, I beat it by over 1:30 so it has to be. I hope they keep this course, it's much better than the normal one.

I started out feeling super strong so I didn't want to get held back by the normal front guys - I ran a 4:30 pace for about .3 until the body checked in at a high level then I backed off for the real race. Fritz and Justin passed me, followed closely by green shirt guy. I kept them in sight until about mile 3 or so, then they really took off. Except green shirt was coming back to me! The strong feeling was still there as I felt like a machine running down the cool canyon. Finally about mile 5 I caught him and passed him. But he just would not stay passed! Surge after surge failed to dislodge him. I could tell he was putting in more effort than me but it didn't seem to matter, he was just willing to keep going into the back bedrooms of the house of pain. Finally he got creamed on the hill going into Mapleton but still managed to hold on for another mile. My corner surges took their toll and as we passed the Junior High school I was finally able to break away. Incredible defense, hats off. Now I was in 3rd and paranoid that I might not stay there so I went to redline and held (except that stretch from 1200 to 1600 that I know and hate so well) and managed to come through with a nice gap on 4th. Podium, woohoo! I am really liking these PRs. I looked around  for Fritz and Justin but they were offon the warmdown so I got a massage, ate breakfast, showered, and came back for awards which Ihad to grab early since I hada guy working a grader in SF that I had to get to.

Splits 5:21,5:35, 5:42, 5:45, 5:31, 5:45, 5:48, 6:00, 6:02, 6:18, 6:05, 5:59, 5:58

Easy 6 to recover

Tried to do a ladder workout but it was too hot and I have more repairs to make from Hobbler Half so I bagged it and ran random intervals around the neighborhood, nice windup at the end

9 bike plus a calf killer run/hike 1000 feet straight up the mountain

VO2max interval (1.7 at 5:50)

then a Tempo interval (1.3 at 5:50)

The slight uphill/upwind of the first was reversed for the second, quite the difference!

Wandering around Springville after the gym, found a road I didn't know about in back of the high school.

PR on the full Powerhouse today! 2:09 to run up the rocky canyon and down thPole Heaven road to the golf course, then home. Nasty.

Treadmill, 1 at 11.8, 1 at 12.1, 1 at 12.5, .72 at 12.8, .28 at 14.0

Some in the heat, most in the morning around the reservoir

2 x 4.5 bike, last one in the heat

Woohoo! I finally won this blasted race. Ten years of getting edged to second or third but not today. The first mile I felt like I was running through molasses but I didn't dare push it any harder in case somebody was planning a move on the back side. Turned out I just felt slow, but I wasn't really - came through in 5:23. The first mile is a loop around the low part of the course back past the start line, but the second mile is a steady uphill with a nasty into the wind three blocks, so it was a very respectable 5:57. By the beginning of the second mile I couldn't hear anybody behind but as I made the turn into the wind tunnel I could see the second place guy only 200 feet back so still a danger. But the tunnel nuked him and I didn't even really feel it! Usually I get knocked back to 7 but today nothing slower than 6:20. The third mile is a crosswind slight downhill and that was good for a 5:45. Then I made the turn into the finish area, .15 to go downhill and downwind which I ran at a 4:23 pace because it looked like I was going to grab a 5K PR. Missed it by 2 seconds, but it's a course PR 17:34 and the real PR was extrapolated from an actual finish so this is really my strongest performance ever. They finally made this race an actual exact 5k too so that was nice.

EZ gym/Mapleton standard route

My planned run was interrupted by a giant wall of flames on Powerhouse mountiain so I did a reverse McDonalds loop on the BST and went up to the South Provo dropoff, then back home. Kind of challenging in the heat and smoke.

Nice west fields run with a hill sprint at the end

And I thought my last ladder workout in June was the best workout ever. Wow.

Today's: (goal) time - pace

220 (32) 30 - 4:01

440 (72) 71 - 4:44

880 (2:30) 2:34 - 5:08

1320 (4:00) 3:58 - 5:17

1m (5:32) 5:26 - 5:26

1320 (4:00) 4:01 - 5:22

880 (2:30) 2:33 - 5:06

440 (72) 66 - 4:32

220 (32) 32 - 4:12

Total fast time was 29 seconds less than last time for a 7 second per mile average improvement! Most awesome workout of my life.

Didn't run yesterday because I had to go to Vegas. Today's was a EZ/nasty hill-canyon hybrid. I checked out the Spring Canyon burn area.

2 - gym - upper body - 4

Nice route through Spanish Fork and back but it had a 1.5 mile stretch into a 25 MPH canyon wind and three nasty rollers at the end. Felt perfect, almost broke 1:30 for the half.

Nice run around the neighborhood + upper body

TM vo2max workout:

1 at 11.8

1 at 12.1

1 at 12.5
.72 at 12.8

.28 at 14.0

Heart rate dropped to 89 after the first one! Not too difficult today.

Standard gym route

I didn't want another EZ run today, but I need to save energy for the brutal Saturday workout so I compromised - 4 sets of 1 easy, .5 tempo plus (5:45 or so)

9 bike

Gnarly workout around the Hobble Creek Half starting line (well up to it anyway, started at mile 3 of the race and went

Up

8:17,7:43,8:04

Down

5:17

Up

8:10

Down

5:33, 5:31

Up

8:06, 7:58

Down

5:43, 5:38, 5:42

Somehow I slipped down a tenth of amile during the run, probably because I ran the tangents going down but not up so

Up .1 (:54)

There were all kinds of people from the club and the local town doing downhills, not sure how they got up :)

Nice recovery run plus upper body

Tempo run on the flat course, no push (don't want to screw up the race!) Average pace 6:02

Standard easy gym route

10 bike, really

Standard pre-race strides,.2 on the flat, .25 on the treadmill at 14 MPH, quick hill sprint

Could this be my best race ever? I don't know - I've had so many this year. And Nebo will be incredible. Walter you better go down there because I am going to smoke your course record.

Anyway, I started off in the traditional fashion, well in front of the race, but it was taking longer than usual for the leaders to catch up. In fact the first guys didn't get me until about .75 in, and most passed around the one mile mark. This year it wasn't onesies and twosies like usual, but a whole pack of intimidating racers screaming down the mountain looking for all the world like the usual pack at the olympic mile race. I knew then it would be a strong year, and I was just hoping that a masters guy did not sneak in there. The first milepost flew by at 4:52 and my watch dinged at 4:58 - a new record! I was feeling a tiny bit overextended by that point so I brought it back to half pace plus and hoped for the best.

The beautifulday made the miles pass quickly, splits on the other upper miles were 5:26, 5:32, 5:31, 5:38, 5:38 so it looked like I had found a good pace that I could maintain. I hit the dreaded flats by the golf course and still managed to squeeze under 6 at 5:56! By now nobody was passing me and I was passing nobody - it was just a race with my endurance which seemed to be holding out well. 5:35 on the golf course downhill, then into the more flat stuff with 5:58, 5:51, 5:56, and 5:58. By this point I could not argue with my eyes - Trevor wascoming back to me! I passed him in mile 12 and ran a 5:55 to the end of the race. 10th overall, another masters win, and a huge PR! What an awesome day. I think doing all the construction has really helped my endurance a lot.

I am taking it easy until the overtraining indicators move back from yellow to green. I could go for some high altitude work.

10 mile ride around the town, really

I figured I might attempt a speed workout just to see what would happen. But the workmen who have the muscles all taken apart for maintenance complained loudly, so I did some elliptical followed by two miles of TM at various speeds, including super fast. The neurons were on speaking terms by the end but I will continue the rest week to gain maximum advantage.

I didn't take my watch this morning because I thought the run was going to suck somewhat, but apparently the rebuilding is complete because I had the best water tower canyon run ever. At least I think so, hard to say without the watch. I almost never needed to stop and walk! And coming down was scary fast. Definitely time for some high altitude work on Saturday. Hope the weather holds out!

Standard gym route with upper body thrown in, was very zen-like this morning. I barely remember it.

There was no way I was going to run in that rain, but when it cleared up later there was no way I was going to miss it. Perfect high altitude workout - I drove to 7000 feet on the Squaw Peak Road out of HC, then ran to the top and the other top, then ran back. There was nobody up there except a bunch of giant birds and a couple of bow hunters. Almost chilly, but not quite.

Reverse gym run, last 1.2 with a gallon of milk and 82 cents in change.

So THAT's the workout Scott does on the treadmill? Pah. I run 12.8 MPH for a mile in my fourth VO2max mile. I can crush that workout. I'll probably have to up the speed on the last four intervals. This will be no trouble.

9.5 - 5 minutes. Starts off a little hard as usual but I am in the groove by minute three. Almost 10 percent done already with zero effort.

10 - 5 minutes. No trouble, breathing 3 in 3 out, but let's go a little faster on the breathing as we get into the intervals.

12 - 1 minute. Really? I barely feel this, A little bump by the end.

10 - 1 minute.I feel recovered by 35 seconds. I wonder though, usually I walk fast between intervals but I still feel pretty good.

12 - 2 minutes. OK, this one I feel decently. But it's still nowhere near the 5 I usually do so I'll be OK.

10 - 2 minutes. Hey it's taking a lot longer to recover and I don't really get down to Oh crap it's time for the 3

12 - 3 minutes. Dang this one feels like the last three minutes of the mile, not the first three. Geez I am actually having to push now.

10 - 1 minute. Aggg! I am not recovering at all. I need to drop it back.

6 - 1 minute. OK this is too slow, recovery is instant.

8 - 1 minute. Still slow, but now the real work starts.

12 - 4 minutes. Eegad. full-on nastiness. Nothing over the top though. But I have to walk for a second.

3.5, 6, 8 - 4 minutes. OK now for the real one. Boy do my legs feel heavy.

12 - 5 minutes. Yow! This sucks. Worse than the 12.5 mile I usually do. The seconds crawl by. Did you know that half way through this you still have 150 seconds to go? Tick.    Tock.   Tick.

6 - 4 minutes. I certainly don't need 5 minutes at this speed, but the legs are very heavy. Sweat is starting to run down the face of the TM and pool at the bottom. I want to stop but I know if I can do just one more interval I will be happy at Nebo in 10 days.

12 - 4 minutes. OK this is crazy. The stupid TV is stuck on China news and I am so sick of watching that six year old playing in the street get run over by the SUV and survive that I think I'll just stand still and launch myself backwards into the ellipticals and end it all.

6 - 3 minutes. I have 19 minutes of VO2max at this point. Really? That's ALL? Well I really need to get 20 because that's one more than 19.

14 - 1 minute. End with a bang!

I am listing to the right as I stagger out of the gym. These guys are nuts. Or at least 8 percent more fit than me. Great workout :P

Ow. I better take it easy today. 6 around the neighborhood + upper bodyat gym.

OW! I can't get faster than 8 minute miles today. That Tuesday workout went DEEP.

Some residual core pain remains, but it is going away. I feel like my muscles are made of  molten titanium. By tomorrow it should be solidified. That Tueday thing may have done something really good. Standard pre-race strides.

Rode 6.5 down HCH in the evening so I would have time to tile

I started out way in front of this one, surprise surprise. But to my surprise I was still in front until halfway up the switchbacks, and then Jason went the wrong way so I was in front again. And at the one mile mark, still in front! Then we turned up the mother hill. I slowed to a walk and Jason and another guy passed me. Then to my shock Amber passed me like she wasn't even on the hill! I think she has been doing hill training. I cut 20 seconds off the ascent time from last year, but it still wasn't enough to make up for my slower start and downhill running so no PR. But Amber went on to pass Jasonand win the whole race! Good day for her. I passed the other guy and was gaining on Amber/Jason all the way down but could not seal the deal. But finally, just like Charlie Brown, I got a rock. Woohoo!

I am recovered! I think I was a little sick on Saturday because my kid now has a cold and I was feeling wonky, probably explains the failure to PR. But watch out this weekend!

I meant for this to be a moderately hard run, but it ended up at a 5:58 on the flat course! I think that is either a record or close to it. Great tempo run, I am ready for Nebo.

Run to McDonald's and back, via the gym (upper body)

10 around the town on the crappy bike, really

Pre-race strides, .2 on the flat, .2 at 14 on the TM, hillsprint

The goal today was to break every record I could, including Walter's course record, my mile, my 5K, my 10K, and my half. Unfortunately they changed the course, eliminating the first .52 miles of downhill and replacing it with .52 miles of flat at the end, for a total time penalty of 31 seconds. This would make it much more challenging. I had also tried to get Walter to come down and race me, sort of as a superpacer, but he would not take the bait. It didn't end up mattering though. The start came and I saw Craig, who I beat last year, there as well as a few other fit-looking guys. As the gun went off I engaged my first-mile-is-free superpower to try for a new record, but alas I only got a 4:52. Still feeling good though and well out front I settled in to what I hoped would stay a sub 5 pace for a long time. Second mile was 5:05, drat! Third mile was 5 flat though and I had high hopes for the 4th mile which is the most downhill, but it came in at 4:55. OK, I was probably not going to get a course record even with the correction but I could hear people coming up on me fast, which was a real shock! In mile 4 I got passed by Craig Green and Jeff Olsen, and passed quickly. I bet they did mile 4 in 4:40. As he passed Craig said "Nice, I see you are saving something until the end." Dude! Are you serious? You are blasting me at my top speed and you think I am holding back? Crap he is fast. Well, he pulled ever so slowly ahead in each succeeding mile but I still held out hopes to nuke him in the flats like last year. I did get my 5K record though at 15:25 and things were looking good for the 10 K as well. But it was not to be, missed it by 10 seconds at 31:20 because even though mile 5 was a solid 5:06, mile 6 was a 5:18. In mile 7 I was catching the rubber burning twins but I had to stop and tie my shoe, arg. Even with that it was still a 5:17 so that was pretty good but they had gained quite a bit of distance anyway. Then things started to flatten out with miles 8-10 at 5:27, 5:23, and 5:35 through the big field. But Jeff was coming back to me! I passed him with authority in the middle of the flat part in the fields, but Craig was maintaining a solid eighth of a mile out front and things were looking grim. Into the rollers we went, last chance to grab him. Even with the last three miles at 5:45, 5:46, and 5:49, I was unable to overtake and he beat me by 50 seconds. But I got 1:09:17, which was a new PR by 21 seconds for this course given the 31 second correction!

.5 run around the reservoir, had to stop and walk three times. Ow. Rode bike to and from (7 miles)

1 mile run on the TM, still a bit painful in a few spots but much stronger. Full recovery by tomorrow. More bike around the town (7 miles)

Full recovery, a tiny bit of deep achilles pain that is going away. All running today - who am I kidding, not running for a week, yeah right)

Standard pre-race strides, .15 on the flat, .25 on the TM, hill sprint

I guess the week long rest was helpful - even with 10 percent less descent I still only was 9 seconds slower than last week, and this course was actually the full 13.1 instead of just 13.

They didn't have enough buses for the half but I didn't care - nicer to wait in the warm valley. When we got up there it was way colder at the start than I expected, so I was glad for the space blanket. I was also happy to find gloves in the portapotty, thanks going out to some wonderful forgetful person.

I hung out with Johnny at the start all alone, waiting for everyone to walk out of the starting area and get there. Really well set up. I still couldn't see anybody except Brett who could beat me, so it was looking like Podium day! Well only one way to find out. They started the race at 7:25 and I slammed it to max right away, garmin says I hit 17.5 MPH! Oops. Still I didn't get caught by Brett until .75 in, but then two more guys passed me. Crap, fourth gets nothing in this race. All I could do is grind away and hope for the best. Mile 1 seemed slow at 5:16, and mile 2 was also 5:16. Even worse mile 3 was 5:27 and I was wondering if Nebo had killed me.

Then I came around a corner and the road disappeared off a cliff. I had forgotten that BC has its dip in the middle and not at the beginning. Mile 4 was 5:14 and 5 got down to a blistering 4:49! At this point Brett was still in sight and the other two guys were drifing back, so I figured I was doing pretty good. Mile 6 was a 4:58 and somewhere in those two I pulled off a 4:45, which is my new mile PR. Crazy. The 5K was 15:28 and the 10K was 31:40, all in the middle and not using the first two miles. Pretty close to PR pace there too.

Craig Hudman, the number 3 guy, was starting to send off vulnerability vibes by mile 7 so I was getting my hopes up. But I was only gaining 10 yards per mile or so on him and he was 300 yards ahead. Miles 7-11 were 5:17, 5:02, 5:14, 5:28, and 5:50 with that nasty slight uphill out of the canyon. And I got to see Toni at the mouth of the canyon. He is looking even stronger than before, if it were possible. Anyway the third place guy was still about 200 yards ahead though so it looked grim for me. But as I passed aid station K I saw somebody sitting in the middle of the road by the workers, covered in sweat! I wasn't sure if it was him but then the spectators were suddenly yelling "third!" instead of "fourth!" as I passed! So now I couldn't slack off, because I just knew he was going to jump up and catch me as he saw me pass.

But it was not to be. I figured as long as I maintained the punishing pace I would still gain 20 yards per mile on him and there was only 1.5 to go. I redlined all the way to the finish chute for a 5:23 and 5:46, then went to black at 5:13 for the last tenth. Ow. I didn't realize the Pepi was the other guy who had passed me, and since he was born within a very few days of me he can always knock me out of the division and masters. I had never met him before today - he's totally cool. And small. I think I will call him Piccolo Pepi :) No wonder he smokes me so bad. So Brett beat Pepi by 3 and a half, commenting that it was a nice tempo run (he is going to Rock and Roll and so he didn't want to push it) and Pepi beat me by 2 and a half, then I beat Craig by 2. Well worth the trip!

Wait! I just read Craig's report and the guy that was sitting wasn't him! OK, nowI am wondering what ended up happening. Nice race Craig :)

I am truly shocked. I can run today! Sort of - no fast stuff but way better than last week. Which is cool considering the effort yesterday was significantly stronger.

Almost completely recovered! Speed day tomorrow for sure. Did some mild hills in the run.

I am shocked how recovered I am. Just a little tightness in the right hammie. Well, nothing for that but a nice speed workout on the TM!

1 at 11.8

1 at 12.1

1 at 12.5

.5 at 12.8, active recovery

.25 at 13.1, active

.25 at 14.0

First canyon run of the winter season! I am going to do a lot of these. Ran up slide canyon to the sixth crossing. Bombed back down.

Two hard days make one easy day

Isaac and Abigail came along for the first bit of the up and back in Hobble Creek Canyon, Isaac peeled off after half a mile and came back for a nap, Abigail got slower and slower and then peeled off after 1.5 miles. They'll get it eventually :) I tried easy up and 2x2 temp down but me knee was wierdly out and starting to hurt a little on the second one so I aborted. Everything else doing great though and I popped it back in after the run.
 

EZ run but feeling really good after a no-race weekend so did a hill sprint up from Hunters Valley

2x2 tempo run on the downhill course, downhill and down/up miles were 5:15 and 5:48, flat and uphill miles were 5:55 and 6:05.

Fartlking around Springville and Mapleton

10 bike around the town, really

Standard pre-race strides (flat, TM, hill)

I had been getting a mild cold all week and kind of felt like crap, but I decided to go for it anyway as I might be able to take the $500 if everyone was going to St George. It looked like ugly weather was going to be the order of the day and sure enough, a nasty rain awaited us at the start. I cut a mouth hole in a garbage bag and stayed pretty dry until the start. Then I discovered that a few other people far faster than me had decided to run this race for the first time. The first mile was free but it felt slow, so I was shocked to see it go by in 5:06. I was even more shocked that the first two guys did it in 4:37. I led the race for maybe 200 meters. Then three more passed me in the second mile as I slowed down to a more reasonable 5:28. The rain started coming down harder and my big socks sucked it up, making my feet heavier and heavier. Also we ran out of significant downhill so the next three miles were 5:34, 5:56, 5:59. At that point I was completely alone and starting to feel a little under the weather, ha ha. I just decided to phone it in and not get passed for the rest of the race - 6:04, 6:06, 5:57, then getting flat and tired - 6:11, 6:09, 6:21. Then my right knee started to hurt a little again. At this point I just decided to be careful and then take a long time off running afterwards to avoid chronic injury, as I have been really pounding it. So I finished with 6:17 and 6:10, then 5:23 at the end just for fun. I almost got beat by the first place girl (1 minute) but I managed to keep ahead. Crappiest race of the year - I didn't even feel sore the next day. But not bad for being sick and heavy. A decent way to end the year.

EZ run to gym and back, on one month break now

Initiating lower body weight training phase

More lower body at gym, lots of machines to try!

Gym run plus lower body workout

EZ gym + LB

EZ gym + LB

Sprinkler system, brutal day

EZ gym + LB

EZ gym + LB

EZ gym + LB