Speed only kills if you don't have it!

Morning run.  It was very nice this morning and I took advantage of it and went out for a good longer run.  I went up Providence hill and up to the mouth of the canyon.  From there I got onto the Bonneville/Deer fence trail and took it over to Dry Canyon.  I really liked that part of the trail and have never been on it until today.  When I hit Dry Canyon I took Mountain Road and Center Street down and got on Boulevard.  I went home and ended with my fu little 800 North hill, which is a bugger after a run like that.  Good run and I felt good.  I enjoyed going on a different trail and plan on trying more out as the summer comes on.

 1:34:28

(Adrenaline-122 miles)

I had two interesting experiences today.  The first was about a half mile from Dry canyon, when this older guy on a mountain bike about took me out.  He was flying down the hill and not watching where he was going, and I was coming at him.  When he looked up and saw me I was on the opposite side of the trail as he was.  He freaked out a little bit, braked too much, and started fish-tailing right at me.  I thought he was a dead man as went flying off of the trail after I spun out of his way, but he got control and missed the fence and some trees.  He was flying!

The other thing that happened was one of the things that get me fired up.  I hate when I am running and people let their dog attack you or even just get in your way.  And I hate when people try to hit you or run you off the road with there car.  Both of these things make my temper flair!  I was coming out of Dry Canyon and going past one of the huge houses on the right hand side.  Some guy was getting his news paper out of the mail box,  and he had some kind o little yippy-snippy terrier dog with him.  The little dog came up and across the street and started to nip at my heel and ankle.  The guy started walking back up his driveway, did nothing to call off his dog, and was getting quite a kick out of his dog trying to bite me.  As I passed him I asked him if he thought it was pretty funny, and I thought that I heard him tell his dog to get me.  Just then the little sucker nipped my ankle and my patience was gone.  I turned and soccer kicked that dogged about 30 feet across the road, at the same time asking the guy how funny he thought that was.  I yelled back that the next time he thought it was funny to sick his dogs on someone that it was going to be his butt that I kicked across the street.  It probably wasn’t the best way to handle the situation but it seemed liked a good idea at the time; when enough was too much.  Other than that, it was a great run.  My wife thinks that I need to control my temper better and she is right, but some times I get my buttons pushed and I get a little fired up.

Canal trail, 1st dam, Hillcrest loop this morning.  Felt okay and just took it easy.  It was pretty warm, and felt good outside.  I was going to go with Paul and Cody at 6:00 am but couldn't role out of bed because I got to bed so late, so I went on my own.  5 miles

35:35

Evening run with Jon and Paul.  Easy pace and nice evening.  Good to get out with just those two guys for the first time this year.  We went around the Golf course trail and Blackhawk area.  About 6.5 miles total.

48:34

(Hurricane-154 miles)

Mid-morning run after my last final.  Needed to release a little stress and get a few miles.  I went into North Providence and looped back home.  Mostly an easy pace.  Kind of a boring run for some reason, it really seemed to drag on.  It was cold too and I didn't wear any gloves and should have. 

59:22

(Adrenaline-130 miles)

Done with a rough and long semester of school, and it feels really good!

Got up early this morning and ran a long run today.  Jon's wife dropped us of at the top 1.5 miles from the start of TOU and we ran down to Jon's house.  It was cold at first but ended up being good weather after all.  Good run and good company. This weekend is going to be crazy with all of the students leaving, so it was better to go longer today than tomorrow for me.  First 20 miler of the year.  2:22:30

(Hurricane-174 miles)

Jon, have fun on your vacation!

I met Cody and Paul at the canal trail.  We went up on the Bonneville trail and it statred snowing and the wind was picking up.  I knew we were in for it when we hit Green Canyon.  I went up the canyon just over 3.5 miles, according to Cody's Garmin.  We were going a good easy pace, (which didn't always feel easy on the uphill in the snow), and I felt like I could went the whole run with Paul and Cody.  I didn't want to overdo it though, and I needed to get home to do checkouts with the students.  I had already mole miles than what I had plnned to do in the wohle run, so I turned around.  The way down Green Canyon was terrible!  It was a head iwnd with snow blowing in my face.  I had a hard time seeing where I was going, and needed to see with the rough terrain so I didn't kill myself.  I needed some goggles for this run.  By the time I got out of the canyon and headed down to 1500 East, the wind and storm were dying.  I had about an inch of of ice and snow on my head, which started melting and running down my shirt the rest of the way home.  I went home on 1500 East and 1000 North.  Good pace down the canyon and home, but probably 9 minute pace going up.  2:02:03

I got 72 miles this week, my highest week in over five years, now it is time to taper back down for Ogden.

I got up early and went at 6:00 am today.  I knew that I would be wasted by the time evening came because of all of the work we are doing at the appartments this week, so I needed to get my run done early.  I went on an easy run out into North Providence and back.  Pretty cold this morning, and I had some general fatigue from the weekend, but I eventually got warmed up and felt alright.  1:01:30

(Hurricane-182 miles)

Morning run.  I was beat this morning and could hardly role out of bed for a short run.  It wasn't near as cold this morning as it was yesterday, but I got wiped out from the 13 hour workday and the late Jazz game.  I did a University/Lunstrom Park 4 miler.  It took me a while to wake up, but once I did I moved alright.  28:13

(Adrenaline-134 miles)

PM.   I finally got my tired bones out the door for another short run.  It was beautiful today and evening, hard to believed that I was getting snowed on Saturday.  Cody wants to do a 5 minute mile on Thursday morning so I will make tomorrow an easy day.  Because of that, I figured I needed something harder today, especially since both runs were turning out so easy.  I did a tempo mile for my last mile on my Canal trail-1st Dam-HillCrest loop.  I figured I would do right around a 5:00 mile so I could see how it would feel.  I ended up with a 5:02.  2/10ths of the last 1/4 mile are down the hill by the Cemetary, so it is kind of a cheater mile, but not that much different than the track.  Legs felt good, but my upper body is way sore from all of the heavy lifting around the apartments the last couple of days. 

33:10 for 5 miles.

Early morning run into Hyde Park.  I went the opposite way that I usually go on that loop, and I am not sure which way I like better.  Felt okay, I am just really wiped out from everything this week.  Stayed at a pretty easy pace.

1:02:35

(Hurricane-190 miles)

I met Cody and Paul at the USU track at about 6:30 am.  Cody wanted to run a five minute mile and PR, so Paul and I went to do some pacing.  I have been so hammered this week with all of the extra work that I have been doing thatI could hardly get myself out of bed.  I figured I wouldn't be much help to Cody because of fatigue and soreness, but since he made his time trial this morning just to accommodate me, I figured I would try. 

Paul set the pace the first lap and then dropped out and came back in on the third lap.  He was a lot more help than I was.  I stuck with Cody until Paul jumped back in on the third lap and then I decided to stop.  I am not really sure why I was being so wussy, probably because I was so tired.  I was going to jump back in on the last lap and realized that I would never make it across the field in time, so I started again.  By now I was about 6 seconds back and had no desire to catch up.  I cruised in the rst of the way and tried to get Cody's splits.  He finished in 5:00 a new PR!  I was 5:06 and glad to be done!  I was sorry that I wasn't more help, but I did the best I could today, other than my wussiness around 1000 meters when I was deciding whether to stop or keep going.

We cooled down for a while, and Paul went home while Cody and I did a loop around the University.  I was glad Cody ran what he wanted to, but in hind site I think he should have  went for a faster time.  We were all set on a 5:00 mile and that is exactly what he did.  We should set the pace for a 4:50-4:55 for him to go sub 5:00.  Cody is in great shape and could go sub 5:00 for sure.  I think he could do a lot better with the right training, but I was glad to see him do about what he wanted to do in a mile with only marathon training.  Nice job!

Long day of work again, but the apartment stuff will be winding down now a bit.  So much for a taper week!

(Adrenaline-140 miles)

A badly needed day off!  I have been hammered all week.  I did sign up for the Smithfield Health Days 10k on Saturday.  I am not sure how I will run the race?  I will probably take it pretty easy and use it as a training run, but we'll see how I feel.

Beautiful morning for a race!  The 5k and 10k started and ended at a really cool park (Mack Park) in Smithfield that I didn't even know existed.  I warmed up with Dan for about a mile before the race, he and Cody had already been running a while. 

The start looked pretty good for Cody to win the 5k since Carson Campbell jumped into the 10k five minutes before the race.  I knew that he would take it out hard so I figured I would just go out at marathon pace for the first half and see how I felt for the second half.  Carson took off pretty good and built a huge lead on me in the first mile or so.  The course went up the canyon road on some roling hills and it didn't seem too bad going up.  I just tried to keep Carson in site for as long as possible, and enjoy the nice morning and pretty course.  I didn't even realize that it was such a good grade, other than I was barely running 6:10 mile average, until I turned around and started back down.  The 3-4 mile was the steepest, 6:40 up and 5:08 down.  I felt good at the turn around so I just cruised down, and by then Carson was a good 1:20 ahead me and I was all alone for the rest of the way.  The course went back the same way until we hit just past the 5k turn around, then we went up on a different road.  There was a steep little hill that was kind of like the dug-way in Logan, that we went up to get on the random country road.  I followed the road for a about a mile and got a little nervous a few times that I was off course, but eventually I saw a kid directing me around three sharp turns and down a steep little hill.  Cody and Dan had finished their race and were cooling down coming up the hill.  They probably came looking for me, wondering where I was since Carson had already come by a minute and a half before. When I got back on the main course I was in middle of a bunch of 29 minute 5kers, but the it was only a block to the finish.  My splits were: 

1^st  mile-6:08

2^nd mile-6:27

3^rd mile-6:40

4^th mile-5:08

5^th mile-5:22

Last 1.2-6:01

The first three miles up was 19:15 and the 3.2 down was 16:31, like I said it was a lot steeper than what I originally thought.

Carson beat me down pretty good as expected, and would have done so even with an all out effort and 10k training on my part.  Cody ended up winning the 5k and Dan had some trouble but still ended up in 4th place.  It was a fun little run and I liked the course too.  We invited Carson out to do some training runs with us, he would be a great addition to our Logan group.  I felt good and was happy with my run, I did about what I had planned.  35:46 was my time (5:45 ave.).

The only problem with the race was that people kept jumping from 5to 10k and 10 to5k before the start.  Carson's card at the finish said he was 46th place in the 5k and mine said that my time was 36:42 and 3rd in the 10k.  My time was almost a minute faster, I was second place, and there was no one within 5 minutes of me.  Some kid that was like 14 years old probably took first in the 10k and set a world record at the same time!  They got everything figured out by the time the awards were given though.  I thought it was fun, and will probably try to do some more races like that in the summer.  Cooled down with the guys, and won enough money to pay for my entry fee, cant beat that!  Went to the parade with Allison and Jaren after the race.

Beautiful evening!  I did a 2nd dam run tonight.  There were a lot of people out on the trail enjoying the nice spring evening.  I felt pretty good, and went at a comfortable pace but held back so I wouldn't get carried away.  I am excited to taper this week and hope that I will be rested and ready for Ogden on Saturday.   1:12:47

(Hurricane-203 miles)

Hot afternoon track workout at USU.  I went out at about 2:00 pm and I was grateful for the drinking fountains that were on at the track.  I think they are the only drinking fountains on in the whole valley!  I did 2x1600 meters with an 800 meter cool-down in between.  My first mile was 5:19 and my second one was a 5:16.  I felt pretty good for both repeats, a little better in the second one.   It is nice to know that the rest of the week is very easy until Saturday.  Total time was 41:10.

(Adrenaline-146 miles) 

Easy 1st dam run this morning.  It was a beautiful morning and felt good to run easy.  I was a little tight at first from yesterday's workout but loosed up and felt good as I went.  46:18

(Hurricane-209 miles)

Easy afternoon run down to the Temple and back.  It was a nice warm day and I was excited about a very short and easy run.  I did 5x100 meter strides in the middle of my run and felt pretty good.  23:13

(Adrenaline-149)

All of my training for Ogden is now complete and it feels good.  Now all I need to work on is my mental attitute.  I always start to get doubtful of my training at this point and start to notice all the little aches and pains.  Funny how that works!  I know I am in better shape than I have been in years and I have had good health too, I think I am ready to throw down a good run on Saturday.   You never know what can happen in a race that long, but if I feel good I should PR for sure.  My only regret is that I haven't been getting much sleep lately, but I still have a couple of days to rest up.  I weighed in yesterday at 163 pounds, my lightest weight in six years!

Day off!  Nice to take a day off and just do other race preparations.  I think that tomorrow will be good.  I have never ran a spring marathon before, so I am excited to get one under my belt for the year.  Good luck to everyone who is running tomorrow!

Paul, Cody, and Dan stayed at my in-laws with me on Friday night.  It was kind of fun and relaxing to have my buddies with me the night before, and we only had a 15 minute drive to the busses in the moring. 

The start was cool but not too cool, definitly the warmest marathon start I remember.  I didn't think the heat would play a big factor in my race because I would get in early enough, but I was wrong, it got hot in the last few miles!

I started out with Ted and Jeff Shadley, running the first mile in 6:08.  I ran with those two for the first 14 miles, which made it nice.  I wasn't quite sure how I would feel, I never do because so much can happen to your body and mind over 26.2 miles.  I am not going to tell you my splits because no one really cares, including me now, but I was on PR pace at half 1:20:20ish. 

I ran with Ted and Jeff until we hit the climb up around the Res., and then Jeff pushed about a 20 second lead on me in the next couple of miles, and Ted followed him and stayed right in between us.  I was still feeling alright at about 16 miles and was just under 1:40:00, so I knew if I could hold on my PR was right there but it would be really close.  The problem was that I was getting tired and everyone around me started to dwindle off too.  It started to get hot and I could really feel it, even going down the canyon with some shade.

At about mile 18 I caught up to Ted and asked him to stay with me but he said that he was hurting and was just going to try to hold on.  I averaged 6:00s or better all the way down the canyon and started to fight off the mind games.  I would look at my watch one mile and think that there was no way that I would PR, and the next mile would pass and I would think I was going to do it.  I played the mind games for the last 10 miles of the race.

At 23 miles, when we hit the trail, I caught Steve Olsen and asked him if he was doing alright, he never responded so I moved on.  Jeff was still about 30-40 seconds ahead of me and Walter Brown was up there too, but I couldn't keep them in sight because of the winding of the trail.  I had been hydrating well and had popped a couple of GUs along the way, and every aid station I would dump water down the back of my neck to stay cool.  I was getting hot but I fought off everything, heat, fatigue, pain, etc. until mile 24.  I was still on pace for a PR and even had a bit of a cushion, but my legs started to get heavy.  I was trying to push but it felt like I was getting slower and slower.  My 6:00 minute pace fell apart and I struggled in at 6:25-6:30 pace for the last 2.2 miles. I had given it a good shot but was just trying to finish at that point.  I did catch Walter with a 1/2 mile to go and heard some people in the crowd telling me that I was going to be top 10, I thought that they must have been confused with all the 1/2 marathoners and relay runners that were coming in.  When I hit the finish line I was bummed a bit because the clock said I was just a couple of seconds under 2:43:00.  But because of the false start the clock was wrong and my watch was right, 2:42:25.  I hadn't died off as bad as I had thought.  I was just glad to finish by then and didn't know if could have run any further.

The first person to greet me out of the shute was Paul's wife Stacy and she told me that Paul had won.  I was so excited for him, and went and gave him a hug while he was being mauled by the media.  I stuck around the shute to see Cody, Ted, Nate Pollard, Bill, Dan, and others come in.  Everyone came in good, and most people were just glad to finish like me.

I ran about as good as I could today, I fell a little short in the last couple of miles, but I am pleased with my effort.  I have never done a spring marathon and wasn't even goig to do Odgen until three weeks ago.  It was probably close to my best effort in a marathon and I will take it.  I ended up 9th overall and 2nd in the age, and with a time that is my second best.  Overall the race was a good experience.  I was also happy for all of my friends, WBR teamates, and other bloggers who ran well in the races today.  Paul was the story of the day, dominating a comeback marathon with a PR and a 3minute course record.  Congrats to him and everyone who ran so well and trained so hard!

I will now take most of the next week off, do a reverse taper, and work on gettting some 5k and 10 k speed back.  I will do that until end of July or the first part of August.  I will need some good up and down hill training for my nasty legs at Wasatch back.  But for now it is all about doing nothing for a few day!

(Tangent-141 miles)

Glad to have the day off with all of the rain and nasty weather. Not too bad off, but I still have no desire to run at all today.

Not too sore anymore, but still not wanting to run yet.  I think I will at least force another full day off before going out for a few slow miles.  

Day off!  No run again today.  I will probably go out for a couple easy miles tomorrow.  I am being extra careful with recovery because I want to stay healthy and make it through the rest of the year.  I often feel pretty good in the weeks that follow a marathon and tend to do too much, and that is when some nasty injuries have taken place.  I have been more controlled and consistant in my training this spring and want to keep it going.

Last day off! I fully intended to get out the door for 3-4 easy miles today, but it just didn't happen.  I will go out tomorrow morning.

Easy out and back run this morning.  I went up to the nature trail up Logan canyon, via canal trail, and came back.  I felt alright, still some tightness in the hamstrings that I didn't know that I had until I ran today.  It was good to have some rest, but also good to get back out the door.  This is the beginning of what I hope to be an even better training cycle than the last one.  58:37

(Adrenaline-153 miles) 

Paul drove me, Dan, Jon, and Cody up to the Temple Fork parking lot and we ran up to the monument and back down.  Nice single track trail (soft footing).  I had never been up there before and I liked it.  Nice to do an easy trail run instead of a long hard run on Saturday morning for a change. 

1:00:58

Went over to USU after the run and played Ultimate with Paul, Jon, and Jon's group.  We played for two hours, got a good workout and had fun.  I am looking forward to more of these types of days.

I put my miles down in the "Easy" category but they were actually far from that.  I ran a loop from my in-law's cabin down the mountain and then back up.  I climbed up to the verytop of the mountain, dropped down about 1500-2000 feet in elevation, and then climbed back up.  The climb the last 4 miles is very similar to Ragnar, but I am not sure which one is steeper.  Beautiful Holiday run, and very peaceful.  I saw a lot of wildlife and had some nice running conditions.  Those hills about did me in for the rest of the day though!  8.7 miles in 1:08:19

No run.  I got too caught up in all of my projects to get out the door.

Morning run.  I did my same dog "punting loop" that I did about a month ago.  I went up Providence canyon, got on the Deer fence trail and took it over to Dry canyon, went down Mountain road, and back home via Boulevard and 800 North hill.   It was a nice morning, a bit cool, but perfect for running.  I hit the hills pretty hard and really worked on my form and on relaxing.  I like that run, it is a toughy but very good for training, and very pretty.  I will be hitting quite a few hills in the next few weeks to get ready for WBR.  My legs are pretty much straight up and straight down and I need some good conditioning so it won't hurt quite as bad come relay time.  I added an extra 1/4 mile because of a wrong turn and a cool down.  1:34:55

(Hurricane 222 miles)

Early morning run.  I went up to 2nd Dam and back via canal trail.  It was a nice morning, a little cool, but it felt good when I wasn't running into the canyon wind.  I ran a very easy pace, and probably my slowest run on that particular course.  The slow pace felt good and hopefully it will help me recover from my other two hard runs this week.  1:19:32