Speed only kills if you don't have it!

I needed a long run to hit 50 miles this week after some shorter days and spending a lot of time doing things other than running.  I was supposed to meet some of the guys for a run and then I knew I would have to get more mileage after that.  Alex and Bryce showed up 45 minutes late because they slept in, so I got two miles in before they came at 8:30.  Then we ran out to Butterfield Canyon and back (same run as last Saturday).   We had to stop for some potty breaks so it took longer, but we got a nice 10 miler in. 

I met Derrek and Aubree after their little 5k at the Jordan River Trail and we did 4 more miles.  It was 10:30-11:00ish by now and I was getting hungry, and all we seemed to talk about was food which didn't help.  I helped myself to some of the food at the end of the race before going home and gorging myself.  16 miles today, not bad.  I will have to get at least two 20 milers in this month if not three, so I need to get used to long runs again.

AM-  Met the kids at the pool for an easy run.  Some of the kids are going to camp so they only ran 4 miles.  I made Aubree go the full 7 with me though.  We ran with Parker and Will most of the run.  Nice morning and good to stretch the legs.  56:00 for the run, 8:00 ave.  

Now I am off to Logan and Tremonton for the next couple of days to help put on the Top of Utah Cross Country camp.  This year USU is sponsoring us so Gensel and some his athletes will be helping us out.  Should be fun!

PM-  I took the kids out from the Logan pool down to the end of the planet walk and back before our BBQ and swinmming.  The kids had already run between 5 and 7 miles in the heat with some good uphill, so this was a recovery for them.  4 miles at 7:50 pace

AM-  I got up and ran 3.5 miles on my own to scout out the afternoon run and the mid-morning relay for the kids.  

USU brought their coaches and athletes to do some clinics with the kids and be the guest speakers for that evening.  Steve Reader, Greg Gensel, Joel Johnson, Steve Strickland, and Kristen Guymon were their staff.

I took the kids out for another easy run before the speakers and dinner.  4 miles.

I was timing the morning mile race so I didn't get to run this year.  But my guys did well.  Chris won with a 4:36, Dillon was 3rd 4:44, Alex 4th 4:47, Stockton 5th 4:51, and Bryce 7th 4:56.  We pretty much dominated that race and that isn't even my top 5 guys for sure.   Aubree was 5:24 as well.

When camp was done we ran out and Dillon and Alex came with me.  We started way behind the other 70 kids and pushed the run hard in the last three miles.  Dillon and I finally caught the two boys in the lead with about a block to go, they knew we were coming after them!  We ran 6:21, 5:52, 5:21, and kicked the last .5 in 2:21 in the last 3.5 miles to be the first ones back.  It felt good to run that fast again, and Dillon was very impressive after already running a 4:44 mile this morning.   

After camp we hit Peach City in Brigham City on the way home for a huge shake.

Camp seemed to be a success and it was a lot of fun, but I am camped out for a while.  I need a nap!

I ran the same run as last Thursday only I took my Garmin to know the distance.  I am way sore in my calves and quads from that run out of camp yesterday, ouch!   I figured I would be because the last 1.5 miles was like a race for me on already hammered legs.   I took it really easy but still ran a bunch of hills  I averaged 7:45 pace for the run.  Hopefully I can recover quickly and feel less sore tomorrow.  

Easy run with my kids that showed up.  Today we only had about 20 kids, probably the least since I have been around.  We did a canal loop to the south at about 7:30 pace.  I am not so sore today, but am still super tired.  The pace felt good.  Shane Kirtright came today for the first time ever.  He was the only one not trashed from camp.  We did 5 x100 meter barefoot striders in the grass after.  It was cooler today and the air was bad because of all of the fires around here yesterday.  7:28 ave.

I woke up at 4:00am to go help out with the Provo half marathon.  Because I wasn't going to race today I saved my comp for another race and ran it as a training run.  The bus duty went a lot better today than in recent years.  I talked Aubree into running her first half and ran most of it with her.  I wanted to get her between 1:26:00 and 1:30:00.  I know she could have run way faster but I was trying for more of a workout than a race that could cripple my little college freshman to be.   Aubree did awesome!  I know she was way beat up from camp like me, but still toughed out a great first half marathon.  I was way proud of her.  Her time was 1:28:57.

Derrek also ran very well we got him down to a 1:22:20ish.  And I did get a chance to run into several buddies, and teammates like Dustin, Sasha, and Jeff Mc. Sasha clip those toenails!

When I got home Allison had been to the Herriman farmers market and found a little German Shepherd puppy that she talked me into.  We named her Jetta.  Don't worry she'll be a running buddy and a Rottweiler destroyer.  Maybe I'll let Jon borrow her someday!:)

I ran with my guys along the river trail to our old interval, that have been torn up by construction.  We went from there all the way up 11400 S to 10000 E and over to Alta HS, ran around their track while the football team was out practicing, and headed home a slightly different way.  Fun run.  Legs were a little tired but nothing horrible.  Good start to the week.

I did an easy 5 miler over to Butterfield park and back in the later morning.  The legs were tired today with not a lot of spring in the step.  I might call it good for today and do some bigger runs later in the week like a 20 miler and maybe the LA freeway.

I met some of my varsity kids down in Provo for a trip on the LA Freeway.  I had taken several of them before and they all wanted to go again.  It is a fun and tough run!  It was a nice morning and fun running with the kids.  Alex and I lost everyone in the last 3 miles when we started hitting 6 minute pace.  Our final time was 1:17:00.  I can't believe sometimes that Damon and I used to run it under 1:10:00!

We went to Magleby's Fresh for some all you can eat french toast after the run, then headed to Seven Peaks for the rest of the day.  

I did an easy 10 miler today.  I went later because I didn't have to go to practice.  I ran down from home and Aubree met me at the park across from Smiths and we did 6 miles together.  I ran home on my own.  Legs are tired and so is the rest of me, but I have to work on the yard so I know I won't get a nap.

I had the kids do a 1.5 mile tempo in the middle of a 5.5 mile run.  I didn't do the tempo because I needed an easy day so I can go 20 miles tomorrow.  I held Aubree back to run with me and some of the slower runners.  We ran the same run as everyone else just minus the fast part.  

Well, it has been a long time since I had a real long run.  I have been tired the last week and last night we had a BBQ with some of the XC kids, mostly because Aubree is heading off to UVU.  I ate way too much and wasn't sure how it would effect me, but it didn't seem to at all.  

It was already raining good when I got up this morning but I still knew I needed to get this run under my belt.   I didn't have any plans as to where to go I just knew I wanted 20 miles.   I ran down into Riverton with the storm just nipping at my butt the whole way.  As I was going passed the big Church farm I saw 8 big buck deer all hanging out about 50 yards off the road.  I figured they were gay, until I saw the two doe hanging out with them.  Several were pretty big and the one was at least a 6 point.

I met Aubree at her house 5 miles into my run, it had just started raining hard.  Went to a church nearby to up up with the others kids, they all dogged because of the rain.  We went over toward Day Break to the lake.  We got rained on the whole run, and had to stop and take shelter under a tree one time and by a bathroom another time.  We finally made it back to her house and said good bye, or see ya later.  She is off to UVU cross country camp and college next week and I  am going to miss her.  She is one of my best little running buddies and one of my favorite girls I have coached.  I am excited for her too excell in college.  She has done so much in the short year I have coached her, going from never running to being on a college team.  She will do so good in the next couple of years and I wish her the best.

The last 4.5 miles or so of my run I got even more wet.  It was tough running uphill and into the wind and rain without my running partner, but I finally made it home as it started to clear up.  20.5 miles at a 7:55 average.  Several times I had bad memories of St. George last year pop into my head, but I got the run done today and was happy to be done. I got some food and got in a hot shower for about 20  minutes when I got home and I don't feel too bad, just tired.  It was a long run, but it would have been a lot longer all by myself.

I was camping all weekend up Diamond Fork with my family and my little sister's family and didn't run, so I needed a few easy miles tonight.

Easy 5 miles around Herriman when I got home.

I could feel this pain in my left foot today when we were camping.  I worked on this big knot that was in the ball of my foot, I don't know how I got it but it hurts.  The run didn't seem to bug it but it hurts to walk on barefooted.  I'll see how it is tomorrow. 

No run today, foot is hurt pretty good!

AM-  I went on a loop down by Smith and up around Rose Crest and down Juniper.  My foot is still way sore, but the run didn't seem to bug it at all luckily.  I slept with my strassburg sock on last night to stretch out my foot, it seemed to help.  I slept like crap last night though, last least I was lying in bed for 2+ hours before I fell asleep.  I felt okay on my run though.  7:39 pace for the run.

PM-  I went out in the heat with a workout in mind and felt super sluggish and kind of sick to my stomach.  I did push through some decent tempo though and had a good run.  I ran over to Butterfield Park and ran tempo from there to right before Smiths (2 miles).  My first mile was 5:48 and the second was 5:34.  I felt good once I started into my tempo other than the stomach was unsettled.  I could really feel the heat at 85 degrees, I know I am a wimp right now.  I ran up Rose Crest and back the same way as this morning.  The last half mile I busted out a 2:35 to give me 2.5 miles of tempo and a 6:59 average for the run.  It took me forever to get cooled down after this run, my face felt flushed for quite a while.  No pain in my foot on my runs which is good.  6.5 miles

Well this was my last day of summer and now I am back to school for training tomorrow, BIG BUMMER!

I had to go back to school for 8 hours worth of meetings today, boring!  It was good to see some of the teachers again though.

AM-  I woke up early and did a 4 mile loop around Rose Crest.  Legs were tired this morning.  7:54 per mile.

PM-  I went out after 9:00pm and after dark on a 5 mile loop around Herriman / Riverton.  It was nice running later, but a little too dark.  Bettter running than at 5:00 am that's for sure.  I went really easy, 40:00 for the 5 miles.

AM-  I woke up early again to get a 5 miler in before I am off to school all day.  I did a loop around Rose Crest and Emmeline.  I busted out a super fast mile toward the end.  The first part was on Emmeline and then down Juniper Crest.  I did my fast mile in 4:54.   Not bad for my weak base zero speedwork.  I now need another 20 miler tomorrow, anyone want to join me???

 PM-  I went on my bike today with my kids for XC practice.  They did a two mile tempo run when it was 100 degrees.  I didn't want to run when it was hot so I would be drained for tomorrow so I opted to go later. Aubree Gailey got back from her camp called me to go on a little recovery run with her surprisingly. I invited some of the kids to come with us, but they all dogged. We went on a run around Herriman in the dark.  Dark isn't too bad if you have company.  My legs are still very tired after an easy evening run.  I think I will go shorter tomorrow.

My legs were tired, my body worn out, and I did not feel like running alone today.  However, I have St. George marathon in about 6 weeks and that scares me to death, I have to get some miles and some decent runs in, because as rough of a year as I have had I am not going to go down there and suck it up.

I went from my house down into Herriman and got on 12600 going out to Butterfield Canyon.  Not a lot of runners out today but tons of cyclists.  I went up Butterfield about 1.5 miles and turned around.  I was averaging 7:55s going out which I was happy with since I climbed about 900 feet and my legs were heavy, it felt slower.  I had a head wind the whole way home, but with it be mostly downhill until the last two miles I went pretty good, about 6:30s.  I went upt Rose Crest on the way home to add a half mile so I would for sure hit 50 this week.  I didn't quite make it home without water.  After a couple of uphill miles around 7 minute pace I had to stop at the splash park for a quick drink of water.  Then I made it home okay.  Man I am beat!  1:54:18 for the run (7:22 ave).

I did salvage a good week with starting school, having foot issues, and missing a day and a half of training.  I did get three two-a-days, and I know I can still bust out a sub 5 minute mile when I want to, so it was a good week.

Easy 8 miles around west Riverton on the canal with the kids.  Hot afternoon!  Not much to say I went way easy.

No run!  At school from 6:30am to 8:00pm.  Bummer!

No run again!  First day of school and Pre Region after school.  I didn't get home until 8:00pm again.  I have to get some miles in, but it has been crazy busy!

Ran with my guys on a hot loop around Riverton.  We hit every park that we could find with water along the way.  Upper 90s for sure.

It was way hot but I forced myself out the door for a long run so I could salvage a crappy running week.  I headed out to Butterfield Canyon.  It was way hot and there is no water going out.  I saw tons of deer along the way and up the canyon.  I finally got some relief form the heat when I got up Butterfield about a mile.  I ran up further than last week and average about 7:55 for the 1,000 foot climb.  The way back I need water bad, but there was none.  I was going a decent pace but couldn't bust out anything hard because I was so hot and dehydrated.  I averaged around 7 minute pace coming home with the last two miles being mostly uphill.  I did stop at the spash park for a quick drink so I could make the last 1.5 miles home.  1:59:55 for the run.

I was shot after last night and I was up later than I wanted.  I had to get up before 5:30 to struggle through 8 miles around Herriman before we headed down to the grass relays.  The whole run was in the dark and seemed pretty long.  I was just glad to salvage a 40 mile week with my 24 miles in 12 hours. 1:02:20

Am-  Got up at 5:30am to run a 4 mile run easy out to Butterfild Park and back.  I had to use the bathroom fromthe start but held it the whole run, so it wasn't a very comfortable run!  I saw about 40 women running on the way home.  Maybe they had some kind of weird Relief Society run at 6:00am this morning or something?!  7:55 ave

PM-  My first interval workout of the whole year.  It was nice and hot for it too.  I split the Varsity and JV up and left the JV at the track with Garlick.  We warmed up over to Oquirrh and did 10x400 meters on the lawn.  The deal was that if they didn't hit the pace I gave them that interval didn' count.  I wanted the guys to hit 1:14s with a 5 second window (i.e. we could run anywhere from 1:12-1:16 and be fine).  If we were under or over pace it didn't count.  I pushed the first one at1:04 just to throw them off at the start, but they did well.  We onnly had one that was off and so we ended up with 12x400 total and hit our average right on for 9 of them.  It felt good to run fast again and do a workout with my guys.  We got 7.5 miles total.