Training for a Belt Buckle

Didn't want to risk slipping this close to the races, so went out to the Oval.  For a while I was the only person in the track/rink area, so ran in the dark.  After a mile or so, about 20 or so other runners started piling in and they turned on the lights.

As I was leaving, saw this really short lady and really tall lady coming in to the track, so visited with them.  One of them was going to 'lose her marbles' today as a way of tracking laps, so I passed on my lap counter as an easier method.

Went to the gym.  One mile warmup on the treadmill followed by two miles of various intervals and speedwork followed by one mile cooldown.

Anxious to get out of this cold and get the races over with.

Just a final 3 mile run and hacking spell in the sauna before heading off on vacation on Wednesday.

Ran the Disney World Half Marathon with my daughter. This was the first race in the two day Goofy Challenge. I will be posting a full race post on Tuesday when I have internet access.

 Race Report with pictures is up on my other blog at http://adventures-in-running-with-maurine.blogspot.com/2011/01/disney-world-half-marathon-and-packet.html

Second day of the Goofy Challenge. Ran the races with the thought that they needed to be treated as an ultramarathon. I'll write up a full race report on Tuesday. Legs are trashed. Probably shouldn't have wandered Downtown Disney last night and done Harry Potter today. Kind of sad - but I have made the decision to take a year off from marathons or longer. Going to focus on speeding up my pace.

Updated by blog post on my personal blog.

Needed some cleaning supplies - so ran to the store where my daughter works and back.  Legs are feeling pretty good, so will try 4-5 miles tomorrow.

Taking a forced break.  Started getting sick on Tuesday and by Wednesday afternoon I was totally miserable.

On Thursday I did some phone calling and found an Urgent Care Center here in Richmond Hill, Georgia and got in to see a doctor.  Diagnosis - I am crazy.  Loved the bugged out look the doctor had after I mentioned all my symptoms and then said, "It might help to realize I ran a half marathon on Saturday and a marathon on Sunday."  She used to run marathons and asked me why I did them back to back. 

Actual diagnosis - upper respiratory infection, sinusitis, and neck/upper back muscle swelling and stiffness. They gave me a breathing treatment to get my O sats up to 98 and a steroid injection.  Plus put me on an inhaler every 4 hours round the clock for the first day or so, flonase nasal steroid, mucinex, muscle relaxants, antibiotics & cough medication. Unfortunately, the round the clock inhaler treatments did not allow me to fall asleep until 5:30 a.m. (even with sleeping pills at 3:00 a.m.).

Took an enforced leave of absence from running since I had been sick for a month and really wanted to get over it.  I think I am almost there now.  The turning point was my boss recommend a neti pot or the equivalent to clean out my sinuses.  I couldn't believe the amount of stuff oozing out of me the first night.  Two days later and my face is not hurting - so the sinusitis must be healing.

One mile walk with the dog.  Later, to the gym and did 3 miles on the treadmill. .5 mile warmup at 5 mph, followed by 2 miles at 6 mph, followed by 1/2 mile cooldown.  Then 30 minutes on the recumbent stationary bike just to be moving.  10 minute session in the sauna cleaned out more gunk.

1st day of speedwork this year. I have a lot of mental barriers I intend to conquer in 2011.

1 mile warmup at 12:00. Stopped to do some of the hip opening swings from the latest Runners World. The plan was to try and do .25 intervals at 7 mph but the brain mentally called it quits the first interval at .2 and at .18 the next interval. Changed up to 125 paces at 7 mph with reat intervals jogging at 4 mph for 100 paces. Repeat for 1.5 miles. Cooldown at 12 mm for .5.

10 minutes in sauna to clean out sinuses and lungs.

While cooking dinner for my son who was over doing laundry threw in 40 minutes of lower body and core training.

1 mile warmup.  Then I set out to do some miles at below 11 mm pace (my plans for January and February).  Mile 1  10:24   Mile 2  10:37   Mile 2 felt a lot harder than mile 1.  

I know it is supposed to be beneficial to take a couple of weeks off from running each year to let your body heal, but I really hate going through the muscle adaptation and stiffness when I start up again.

Picked up my Muir Fresh Harvest bundle this afternoon.  Great stuff!  $35 for about $80 worth of fresh food.  And - I got a groupon today for $20 for $50 worth of food from Winder Dairy.

Plank:  :33   Side Plank:  :32  - long way to go to catch up to Allie.

Easy run this afternoon with the dog.  I about had to drag her yesterday to do one mile in the snow - guess she remembered the pain from one of her earlier runs when she got salt in her paws continuously.  Today, I had to remind her we were doing a recovery run and slow down.

Managed to fit in Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred level 1 before hitting the shower and going to work at the temple. Still feel pathetically unfit and am using 2.5 pound weights (although it is only the first of her 3 interval sessions that beats me up). Wish the stupid video didn't have a long introduction you have to listen through each time.

Another tempo day. (Actually - I don't know what to call these days that I focus on working on getting my overall speed down, but am not doing intervals or pushing super hard).

1 mile warmup with the dog. 2 miles tempo work. .5 mile cooldown.

Mile 1:10:20      Mile 2: 10:10

The miles were definitely easier than on Tuesday. Don't know if that was because Monday was speedwork day or because I went a couple of blocks farther down 7th before turning around. 

Stretched and worked on opening up my leg flexibility post run. Core work.

3 easy miles on the treadmill at 4.5 mph.  Followed immediately by 11 minutes walking at 15% incline.  30 minutes upper body and core training.  Visited with an old co-worker from back in 2004 when I worked for the LDS Church.  15 minutes sauna.  Homemade cocoa monkey protein shake. It was delicious.

Long run day.  Decided to brave the air crap and set out from home.  9.5 miles total.

Splits (nothing to be proud of): 12:41, 12:23, 13:37 (uphill), 12:13, 1241, 13:06, 12:17, 1308

Last week I completed a full week of planned workouts.  Today is my last day at 3 miles on my speed/tempo days. I'll go up to 4 miles per day for February.

I hate intervals, so dragged my butt getting out of bed. 1 mile warmup at 5 mph. Quick session of stretching and opening up my hips.  1.5 miles running 30 seconds+ at 8 mph (once the treadmill got up to speed) followed by 60 seconds recovery at 4 mph.  Last interval was at 8.5 mph. .5 mile cooldown.  .4 miles on the moving stairmaster.

Starting the 100 pushup challenge again today.

1 mile warmup on treadmill at 12 mm.

1.25 miles at 10 mm - then broke and dropped down to 11 mm for .25.  Another .75 miles at 10 mm before breaking down for .25 at 11 mm.

.5 cooldown at 12 mm.

35 minutes lower body and core workout.

30 minutes stationary bike.

3 easy miles on the treadmill between work and temple shift.

I have some vacation to use up before my anniversary date and decided to take a half day off. Went over to the Olympic Oval and ran 10 miles.

Didn't achieve my running goals last week.  Had a mental slip due to some hurtful things my dad said.  Back on track today.

I don't think I'll ever love speed work but I  hope I will get to love the results of speed work.

1 mile warmup at 5 mph on the treadmill. Trying out some Nike Free shoes I snagged at the Factory Outlet Stores last week.  1.5 miles of intervals with 30-35 seconds at 8 mph followed by ~60 seconds at 4 mph.  I didn't break out of any of my fast interval sessions even though twice my mind tried to make me step off - so I am proud of that.  The last few intervals I had to do about 20-30 seconds longer at the slower pace before another fast interval.

The plan after that was to start at 7 mph and decrease my speed every .10 by .1, but the mind couldn't handle that - so ended up starting at 6 mph and working my way down.

Think I won't push too hard on my tempo days this week since I have a 5K this weekend. I know I am not ready for a PR attempt yet, but want to push and see how I feel my endurance is based upon weather and such and stuff.

Decided to get some fresh tracks today.  Dang - it was cold out, especially on the way back when I was running into the wind.  Wonder how long until I fully thaw out?

4 miles moderate.

PM - 30 minutes stationary bike, 30 minutes elliptical

30 Day Shred workout 2, kettlebell workout 1

3 quick miles between work and temple shift.

I got offered another job last night! Between training, my day job, my temple shift, the new part time job and studying for certifications - I think I need to fit in some sleep.

1 mile warmup talking on the phone with my daughter.

3 miles tempo - wheels fell off the third mile and I did a bit of a pull-back for 25 steps every street crossing.  10:13 / 9:54 / 9:42.  I think the speed work on Mondays is starting to pay off helping my regular miles feel easier. Of course, I did hit a stop light every half mile, so got a bit of a recovery there.

1 mile cooldown running with the dog

Pre dinner - threw in the first two workouts that came with my kettle bells.  Using the 5 pound weight for now. Will move up to my 10 pound bell when it gets too easy.

Started out on an easy run yesterday afternoon and the left knee started having pains shoot through it.  Gave it a few more minutes and gave up and went home.  Decided to rest a couple of days from running.

Today I took the dog over to Wheeler Farm and we walked around the outside loop twice for about 3.5 miles.  The back section is really torn up from construction, and the sun was melting the ice - so the second loop was really muddy.

Ran with a patella strap this morning and there was no knee pain. Don't know if that is from resting or the strap - but I'll take it.

Need to remember to put vaseline on my feet when running in my old FiveFingers.  I think the insides are starting to rub behind my big toes raw.

Getting better about starting the week off with speed. Not as many mental grumbles. 1 mile warmup at 5 mph.  Today I did 1 minute intervals at 7.5 mph followed by 2 minute recoveries at 4.3 mph.  2.25 miles worth of interval work.

.75 cooldown.

1 mile walk in the morning with the dog.

My right hip and buttock have been bothering me for several days as well as my left knee, so I finally gave in and set up an appointment this afternoon for the chiropractor.  When he started working on my back, glutes and piriformis, I realized I had waited too long to get in there. He gave me some stretches to do to try and keep the piriformis loose and told me to quit sitting on my wallet - especially now that I am working two IT jobs where I sit a lot.

It was windy out, so I headed to the gym for a treadmill workout because I wanted to work on pace some more and that is hard to do with a headwind.  1 mile warmup at 5 mph. Then I kicked it up to 7 mph and every .10 mile I dropped the speed .1 mph.  When I got to 5.9 mph, I kicked it up to 6.7 mph and started all over again. Finally, at a  total of 3.75 miles, did a cooldown. Lots of stretching and hip flexibility work afterwards.  Another mile walk with the dog as a final cooldown. Iced the hip.

Couldn't get up the guts to run in the wind, so an easy 2.5 miles on the treadmill before heading off to the temple.

Went to the chiropractor again yesterday afternoon to have him work on my right piriformis and left knee.  The left knee is almost back to where I want it to be. The piriformis, right glute and lower back were all really inflamed, so I took the day off running and did lots of icing and stretching because I wanted to do three medium to long runs over my four day weekend.

Drove to Draper this morning and did the Porter Rockwell Trail out to Point of the Mountain and the Draper Canal Trails on the way back.  The wind was awful.  Headwind the first three miles, then side wind to the turnaround that made me have to run canted to the side to stay upright.  Much easier on the way back.  Still building up endurance for the year, so did 3 minutes running 1 minute walking the entire time. Got through four more PMP Prep podcasts while running.

12:33/12:26/12:06/12:28/12:44

12:02/11:29/12:13/12:15/12:14

Yoga, then stretching and icing.

Going to Tiburon with my sister tonight (thanks to Groupon) and then to the Symphony to hear Bravo Broadway/Wicked Divas.

10 miles on the treadmill.

Made the mistake of saying I was going to run 10-12 miles.  Legs were heavy from two 10 milers in a row last week, so the mind gave out at the concept of going over 10.

Same policy as Friday - run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute.

12:25/12:37/12:44 (phone call)/12:22/12:32

12:42/12:45/13:12 (trax train)/12:18/12:40

Should have run earlier this week - but allowed stress to get to me.  Between some concerns with my granddaughter, the stress of having a 'boarder/niece' living with me, and working two jobs - I need to juggle my time better.

Five easy miles tonight.  Enjoyed running in capris. 

I had absolutely no motivation and no energy this morning.  Went to the gym and did 1.5 on the treadmill and 2.5 on the ellipticals.

Absolutely no energy the last four miles of my run.  I went to the Oval after working on my second job most of the morning.  Plans were for 12-13, but I just lost my motivation.

Did stop to talk to say hello to a guy that had lapped me almost every time around (can't stand those people!) and asked him if he was Walter - and he was. Poor guy had spent the whole night snowplowing and was getting in his miles before sleeping.

Also talked to two other guys doing constant laps.  The one guy, after complimenting me on running so many laps, started off with, "We are ultrarunners training for a race next month." He looked shocked when I said, "And I will be providing your overnight aid station at the ranch." so - then we talked ultrarunning.  They were just finishing up 30 miles and going to do at least 40-42. They are doing the 100 mile option at Buffalo Run.

Time to get back to work. Having a second income is nice - but I need to find a good balance between work and life.

Still struggling with extreme exhaustion - but think my iron levels are climbing back up again tonight.

Walked 1 mile with the dog this morning.

Froze in the office - furnace was dead and it was 48 degrees.

2.5 miles after work walking with the dog.

45 minutes on the stationary bike.

40 minutes lower body workout.

Stretching.

My feeling last night that the anemia issues were clearing up was right. Or it was the beautiful sunny afternoon.

Ran 2 miles with the dog.  She lagged behind me the first mile and I let her have the lead on the way home.  No watch, but I'm guessing she was going 9:30 pace or better.

3 more miles. 9:34/9:53/10:23 (last half mile was cooldown).

Easy run this morning before work with the dog.  More later - hopefully.

I found another sign of the anemia buildup that I didn't recognize until afterwards. The last two weeks I could not get my resting heart rate below the low 60's or high 50's.  Today it was back to 48.  

PM = another 3 easy miles.

Struggles again.  I went to the gym during lunch figuring I could work on 10mm on the treadmill.  I was pouring sweat at 12 mm and managed to do .5 at 6 mph and then had to back off.

Still not a lot of energy.  3 easy miles.  Need to be one with nature so heading out to Antelope Island tomorrow for a run (or a walk if I have no energy).

Needed to get away from sitting on my butt and working and running on pavement/treadmills, so packed up this morning and headed out to Antelope Island.  Lots of people out there this morning - I mentioned to Jim Skaggs that I remember the days when I would be the only runner on the island - not anymore.

14 miles.  I was ready to be done at 10, but wanted to do over 13 - so was glad I was on a loop that would force me to get the mileage in.  Felt some IT Band pain on the last downhills, so need to so some stretching and rolling later.

So nice to trip over rocks and sand and mud. I love trail running. :)

A couple of hours into the day I started getting shooting pains in the left sciatic nerve area in the buttock clear down the leg and into the ankle.  Tried to stand up for phone calls for a while and gave in and went home. Stopped in at the chiropractor on the way home and he said I caught it early.  Alternated laying down and taking the dog for short walks and finally the pain went away about 6 p.m.

No residual effects from the 'butt' injury yesterday, so went for a run on the treadmill after work. Felt good and did some speedwork.

Just putting in miles and enjoying the nice weather.

6 miles in shorts and a t-shirt - including some good hills up 8600 S and 13th East.  

I'm really thinking I did some damage to my lungs with the 5 weeks of bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections sandwiched around the Goofy Challenge back in January.  I struggle too much on simple runs and cough a lot when trying to inhale deeply.  Dug out the inhaler from January this afternoon and am going to use it for a few days to see if it helps.

3.5 with the dog this morning to work off some stress.

Really struggling with motivation right now.

Finally pushed to do 45 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the stationary bike.

Ate healthy all day - that should count for something.

Oh - and doing better at cranking out more 'full' push-ups while working on the 100 push-up challenge.

Forced myself out this afternoon and had a good run. Just took it easy. It appears that speedwork is already helping me improve my miserable base pace.

11:18

10:43

10:56

10:34

10:28

I had some serious knee pain and couldn't touch it yesterday, so decided to not run at all.

Great day at my second job today.  We released a Kindle Notepad app last night and watched it garner 5 star reviews all day today (12 at last count).  Had a good run on top of that - pushed the first three miles a little bit.  10:09, 10:06, 10:00, 10:20.  I did stop at major road crossings to get my heart back under control.

1 mile running.  60 minutes hard on an elliptical a friend is lending me for a year or so (no mileage on that) - so gave myself 4 miles for that.

No running this weekend, but I did help out at the Buffalo Run.  Here is my "race report":

http://adventures-in-running-with-maurine.blogspot.com/2011/03/just-call-me-capn-mo.html

4 mile walk with the dog.

Treadmill miles.

1 mile warmup at 12 mm

3.5 miles alternating .25 at 10 mm and .25 at 11 mm

1.2 miles cooldown

Upper body workout

Ran 2 miles with the dog. Dropped her off and ran 1.7 miles to the gym.  Lower body workout. 1.3 miles home.

60 minutes on the elliptical. Ab workout.

5.3 miles running in my summer gear.

After dinner had a nice walk with my son and dog for a couple of miles.

1 mile warmup run with dog.

4 miles running alone.

1 mile cooldown run with dog.

hip flexor stretches and workout - working on piriformis issues in right hip.

30 minutes elliptical.

Too much work. No motivation.  3.5 miles on the dreadmill and 30 minutes on the stationary bike.

8.2 miles in the stupid snow.

Hip gave out last night - so just walked a mile with the dog. Painful.  Chiropractor visit hurt.

My trainer kicked my butt for 30 minutes.  I am so out of shape.  45 minutes on the elliptical.

Zumba - 20 minutes

Ran 3.25 miles with the dog.

Ab workout

20 minutes yoga.

Day 3 of healthy eating.

7 miles running.

30 minutes full body workout.

35 minutes tough lower body workout

1 mile with the dog walking

 Finished one week of eating healthy.

4 miles on a hilly route waiting to pick up a vegetable/fruit shipment.

2.2 miles more with the dog

45 minutes upper body and core workout

Working too much and working out too little. Right piriformis was killing me tonight, but did a bunch of exercises and rolled it and it finally gave in.

4 miles = 1 warmup with the dog, 2 miles at 9:30, 1 mile at sub 11 with the dog.

1 hour hard leg workout.

1 mile warmup on treadmill between 12 MM and 11 MM. 2 miles at 10MM or better. Cooldown dropping .1 every tenth of a mile for 1 mile.

1 hour upper body training.

1 hour on the stationary bike.

.6 mile warmup.  2.2  miles at 9:40 or better. Remaining with the dog.

Had the day off so hit Dimple Dell and ran trails.

.5 mile warmup

Ran the Salt Lake Running Company Free 5K. I was hoping to average 10 minute miles - but still need to work on speed and lost that pace after about 1.75 miles. Finished and then went back and ran Leslie Peterson in and then went with her and her family to run another runner in. 

Stopped by my Aunt's house right by the race and visited for an hour or so.

Another two miles with the dog.

Finally finished a portion of a stressful project at work that has occupied me 7 days a week for 4 weeks and decided I needed a break tonight. I also decided that it was time to make up my mind whether I would run the Ogden Half Marathon (even as a training run) or not.  

So - ran 1 mile warmup with the dog and then headed to the gym.  I ran 12.3 miles more on the treadmill. I didn't die at the end so I will approach the Odgen Half as a training run that might potentially turn into a PR effort halfway through if I am feeling good.

Good stretching. Good food.  Now on to my second job.

Very tired tonight. My trainer pushed me hard with lots of lower body dipping and balances exercises. Then I decided to try a spinning class for the first time ever (very painful on the feet in Five Fingers).  Finally - 3.5 miles with the dog. I need a nap.

Got a last minute invite to the Real game, so ran the 2.5 miles there, met my nephew and watched the game, then ran the 2.5 miles home.

45 minute workout full body in the evening.

Not in the mood to get wet - so ran on the treadmill.

2.5 miles running. Still struggling.

30 minutes on the elliptical.

Didn't feel like running in the rain - so 4 miles on the treadmill.

More treadmill miles. I read about Jeff Galloway's participation in an iPhone app call Ultimate 10K and started that this week.  Of course, it is only 3 days a week and I need to move more than that.  Today was quarter mile intervals at 7.0  mph on the treadmill with walking breaks.

After that, I did a heavy leg workout.  Lot less stressed now.  Ready to get back to work.  I'll admit that this two jobs bit is tiring - but has come in handy with having to buy tickets to go to Georgia next month with my son to say goodbye to my grandchildren.

Need to make exercise a priority again.  Otherwise I am miserably stressed out.

2 miles running the dog, then another 3 on my own.

Includes 3 miles running on grass - 2 of them barefoot.

Trail Therapy was desperately needed.  Took a break from work and hit the Pipeline Trail up Millcreek Canyon.

First run after pulling a calf muscle a week earlier.

Ran the dog before heading to Georgia to visit family.

Dying in the heat and humidity around my daughter's neighborhood.

Ran on the beach on Tybee Island and then again on a path out to see a little lighthouse on the next island.  Woodchip on the path went through a hole in my Vibram FiveFingers and I had to stop and dig a splinter out of my foot.

4 more miles along the Coastal Highway - this heat and humidity are killing me.

Humidity is killing me!

Volunteered and then ran the Dirty Girls 4 mile race at Wheeler Farm this morning.  Lots of fun in the mud.  I ran where it was possible, but lot of times you were standing around waiting for a turn at an obstacle or walking through some deep water and mud where running could have potentially turned an ankle because of knee deep holes you couldn't see.

I was in the very last wave and didn't start running until almost 10:45 - so the course was even more chopped up.  The mud was fun.  The course was fun.  We had to climb over hay bales, run through tires, climb over walls, crawl under webbing, climb over webbing walls, hike through snow melt water and mud, climb over pipes, climb through pipes, rinse and repeat.  

I like these runs because they are not timed and fun.  I'll do more of them.  My only complaints would be that they needed to spread the mud obstacles out to avoid backups and why do people do these runs when they walk around the obstacles to avoid them.  Oh - and lots of people entered as teams - and wanted to stick together as teams which blocked the paths and slowed down the obstacles.

Ran without walking breaks on the treadmill. One vpb at 2.5. Chocolate cake did not like me. Started 100 pushup program again. Going to do womens for six weeks then start over with mens.

No energy tonight.

Running in the heat tonight left me blind from sweat and very overheated.

First double digit run since early March. Ran 2 minutes, walked 1 minute. Only intended for ten miles, but was feeling good and did 13 total. Endurance improved again this week.

What the heck is up with the bugs this morning around dawn. Was pulling them out of my eyes and other orifices! Yuck.

No energy this morning - but no bugs and not much humidity either.  Didn't like the headwind and it was a shame I didn't notice the tailwind. :)

Went up and did Jeremy Ranch Road.

1.5 with the dog earlier. 5.5 just now.

1.5 with the dog in the morning. 6 at night. Threw in some hill work.

1 mile warmup with the dog. 5 miles on the treadmill.  Upper body workout with TRX system and trainer.

Pipeline Trail. Beautiful weather the first several miles - overcast and cooler.  Legs and lungs are coming back.

Working on keeping pace below 12 mm and running 60 minutes each run.

1 mile cooldown walk with the dog.

1 hour hard on the elliptical. 2 miles walking with the dog.

Little Cottonwood Trail.  Ran 100 steps/walked 100 steps on way up.  Ran the 3.25 down.

Ran the Draper Canal Trail system tonight.  Last half in pitch black.

Felt pretty good the first 3 miles - so endurance is improving slowly.  I have a 'catch' in my ankle that I can't shake out.  Might need to see the chiropractor tomorrow and have him work on it.

Quick break from work.  More later.

Little Cottonwood Trail again.

9.3 with Leslie and Harold and family from Guardsman Pass to Desolation Lake and Mill D.  Then 1.3 around Silver Lake on my own.  Helped out with a bike accident.  Good thing the woman wore her helmet - probably saved her life.

Been wearing a boot on my right ankle since Saturday hoping my tendon issues will heal and that I caught them earlier than last year.

Timing coincided with a business trip to Wichita - so didn't have to worry about taking running gear along.  I was a bit worried Monday night and Tuesday because my left calf was rock hard - I've heard horror stories about blood clots from flying. Tuesday night I walked for about 30 minutes after work and then after dinner did 45 minutes on the stationary bike at the hotel gym and then did some quad and hamstring weight training.  

Wednesday morning the leg was back to normal - so the movement must have cleared out the edema (or whatever it was).

Tonight I ran 3 miles and then took the dog for a 1 mile cooldown jog. Going to ice the ankle and then back in the boot.  I'm hoping that if I wear the boot while I am walking around during the day that I can keep up my training and still have the ankle heal.

Don't want to push the ankle too fast.  See a podiatrist on Monday.  Still wearing the boot most of the time.

Saw the podiatrist today.  I have a tendon that is really swollen and he is doing a special tape job on my ankle to determine if a custom orthotic would prevent this from happening in the future.  He also wants me to quit running in the Five Fingers. I don't think I will drop them totally - but will cut back.

Too hot to run last night - so did 6 miles alone this morning and another 1.5 with the dog.

Hot!  Ran the Jeremy Ranch Road again.

No energy after donating blood last night.

5 miles on the Little Cottonwood Trail.

Debating if I do a long run tomorrow or Saturday or Monday or all 3.

Two loops of Draper trails. 1st loop The Draper Canal Trail out and Porter Rockwell back. Second loop reversed. Lots of little hills. Ankle is still recovering so did 3 min running/ 2 min walking.

Harold Petersen dropped Leslie and I off at the top of Guardsman Pass and we ran into Midway.  Good downhill training for Leslie for St. George.  My quads will probably be yelling at me tomorrow.

Lower body workout

Signed up this week to run the Suncrest Half Marathon.  It looked like it would be tough half and I was right about that.

I'll write more in my other blog, but suffice it to say that the course  had 3357 feet of elevation gain and 3389 feet of descent (could have fooled me on the last one).  A good mix of trails and roads.  Lots of great views of both the Salt Lake and Utah Valleys. 

There may be a tougher half in Utah - but I'm not sure what it would be. 

Wore my Hoka Mafates. They are very comfortable to run in - but I wish I wouldn't get blisters on my big toes every time I run in them. Got some large ones this time even with putting blister packs on the toes and duct tape on top of that.

Two more miles with the dog.  Going to count my walking miles until the end of the year because I need to start spending a lot of time on my feet in preparation for Across the Years 48 hour race.

Took a vacation day to read a book that was released today. Alternated running .25 with walking .25 on the treadmill while reading on my Kindle.

Ran the Pipeline Trail with Leslie after work. First three miles were easy and sweet. After that i could feel the long run dragging on me.