Rob Murphy

June 1 - first what I would call comfortable morning run of the year where shorts and short sleeves don't feel cold. Just a nice easy seven past the Blue Plate and around the Foothill loop.

Had a nice walk around the neighborhood with Abby after the run. Might not make it to school technically on time this morning.

Fourteen miles up and down City Creek Canyon. Ran 9 to 11 in 11:16. Ran 13 in 5:25.

My dog Ollie died today and we just got in from the funeral in our backyard. Ann and I got Ollie in 1996 so we had him for almost five years before either of our kids were born. We'll really miss him. Ollie (1995-2011 R.I.P)

Unplanned day off. Couldn't work a run in around my work, Abby's swim meet, and Ann's work and lack of a babysitter.

Finally summoned the will to do an for real interval workout not on a treadmill!

4.25 mile warm-up that included a handful of striders. Then 6 X 800 meters with a 400 meter recovery.

2:39, 2:44, 2:41, 2:42, 2:42, 2:35 - the plan was to start out around 5k pace and drop a second or so on each one but my feel for pace on the track ain't what it used to be.

Finished with a short cool down jog back home through Sugarhouse Park., I was really glad to get this workout in. It's pretty warm today, about 80, and quite humid for Utah in June and I was glad to be able to work on getting used to running hard in the heat.

Spent all of last night and most of today at Abby's swim meet. She's pretty excited about winning her heat in 3 of her 5 races. She lowered her time in the 50 meter freestyle to 49 seconds from her previous best of 1:02. Wish I could still do that.

Out the door at 6:30 this morning for16.5 miles in about two hours. Ran around Sugarhouse a couple times, down 15th East past the outside breakfast eaters and coffee drinkers at 15th and 15th, and then down to Liberty Park for several miles on the wood chip path. The city recently dumped a lot of fresh wood chip on the trail so it is considerably softer and slower than usual. Nice run, but legs felt a little slow from the hard 800s yesterday.

Ann and  the kids met me at the park at 8:45 and we dropped her off at her yoga class. The kids and I went to Barnes and Noble in Sugarhouse for a treat in the cafe and some fun hangin' out in the kids section reading books. I was reading this book by this dude who is apparently a surfing legend named Laird Hamilton called "Force of Nature". I was wondering if I wrote a book about myself if I could use a title like that without gagging. Anyway, the book had lots of glossy pictures of Laird surfing big waves all over the planet, pictures of Laird gazing off into the distance with intensity and deep wisdom, Laird with his incredibly gorgeous family. The book should maybe be called "Force of My Perfection". So I woud never buy this book but there is a lot of worthwhile advice in it so if anyone wanted to buy it for me and have it shipped to my house that would be cool.

Really nasty conditions today - heavy winds and polluted air and high humidity. But misery loves company and I was able to gut through this run with a handful of my more dedicated runners who want to get a jump on summer training.

3 miles on the elliptical at the gym after. Also some hot tubbin. 

9.5 hilly, sandy miles in the gully. Beautiful day and one day left of school.

Wierd day. I had hoped to get in a morning run on my last day of school but was really busy finalizing grades for the term so I didn't get around to running until about 2 PM. Did 6.5 miles in the gully - pretty hot, around 80 and windy.

Then I did 5.5 miles on the treadmill at 4 PM while Abby was swimming. Did 4 x 1/4 mile in 75 seconds as well. Wanted to run fast on tired legs. Speaking of that, I'm feeling pretty sluggish this week.

I think I'm going to take a day off.

Walked 3.5 miles this morning before cross country practice. Might go to the gym later and do some cross training. 

OK, I had a change of plans.I had planned to take the day off today, go for a nice walk, maybe do some stretching and core work. But I came home from cross country practice this morning and Ann had been to Great Harvest and came home with this big bag of huge chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. So I had to have like four of the damn things because I completely lack discipline.

So then I was sitting around the house feeling guilty and like I was a bad person. And the only cure for that is a run so I went to the gym and hammered myself on the treadmill for an hour.

One mile warm-up

60 minute treadmill fartlek: Two minutes at 7.5, Two minutes at 8.5, Two minutes at 9.5, Four minutes at 10.5. Repeat six times but was actually running as fast as 10.8 at the end.

Feel better now after having paid for my sins.

Just went for a 3 mile walk today. Nice. Lots of time hanging out with the kids.

I had a great time at the Heart of Holladay 5k today. My goal was to run as fast as I could without suffering too much ahead of my Half Marathon next Saturday. As often happens, I ended up running solo the last mile and a half which made the last predominately uphill mile really tough.

Finished second to Dennis Simonaitis in the Masters division and had a great conversation with him after about training and racing.

Ran a nice 4 mile cool down with Bill Cobler, Emily Jamison, Susanna H, and a couple other folks. Did 5.5 easy when I got home around Sugarhouse.

Got up early this morning and was out the door at 5:45. Jeff Shadley and his family stayed with us last night after the UVM na we had plans for a big breakfast this morning at Ruth's Diner.

So I ran 15 miles, generally easy, but with the last mile in 5:50. When I got home everyone was up and Jeff gave me a slight hard time about not waking him up to run with me. Said he would have been good for five! I told him I was trying to encourage responsible behavior the day after a 2:42 marathon. There are some hard core runners on this blog.

Anyway, we had a great time with the Shadleys. Jeff and I took the kids to our local pool yesterday afternoon, grilled burgers and hot dogs last night, and a big huge breakfast this morning. After breakfast at Ruth's I was going to show Jeff the fir5st few miles of the Deseret News Marathon course and was surprised to see the road is still closed going up to Big Mountain.

am: Went to the gym this morning for an easy jog on the treadmill plus some weights and core stuff. Nice workout.

Ran into Fritz at the gym and tried to convince him not to be too despondent over his 1:09 half on Saturday three weeks after his win at Ogden. It will be fun to see if he can get in several consistent training months and go sub 2:20 at Chicago. I think he can.

pm: Last real workout before the race Saturday...

1 mile warm-up

3.25 miles starting at 5:45 pace and working down to 5:39 pace for the last quarter.

.75 mile jog

1 mile in 5:24

1/4 mile jog

1/4 mile at 5:00 pace

Cool down.

Just did an easy three mile walk whis morning. We had some thunderstorms blow through overnight and it's absolutely beautiful out now so I really wanted to run. I normally take the day off two days before a big race but I think I'll rest today because I'll be in Mineapolis on Thursday and I know I'll want to do a nice run around Lake of the Isles and Lake Calhoun - my old stomping grounds.

6.25 miles around Sugarhouse Park on another perfect day for running. Six fast striders after.

Now off the the airport for 13 days in Minnesota.

Six miles around Lake of the Isles and Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. This has to be one of the best urban trails in America. The only one better I think is City Creek Canyon out of downtown Salt Lake.

Rode the roller coaster and experienced the Paul Bunyan log flume in the M of A. Took the kids by the house where Ann and I lived when we got married. Lots of fun today.

Easy run in North Branch - farm country about 60 miles North of the Twin Cities at Ann's uncle's house.

Checked in with the "elite athletes" at the Canal Park Lodge in downtown Duluth. Lots of free food and drinks for me and the kids. Now off to hang out with Steve Anderson and his girls.

Had quite a day at the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon after a night with zero sleep. This is something that I really need fo figure out and it just keeps getting worse before every race. I can't seem to switch my brain off at night. Just once I'd like to run a race after a decent night's sleep.

Ann dropped me off at the bus pick up at the U. of Minnesota Duluth. The course is point to point along the Lake Superior shoreline.I was supposed to hitch a ride with our friend's next door neighbor who was running the half as well, but he called at like 4:30 AM to say that it was raining too hard and he wasn't going to run.

Rained hard right up until the 6:30 start time. I got to huddle under a tent with the other ELITE ATHLETES and laugh at the masses of ordinary runners as they got soaked and froze their a**** off. Also got to make extensive use of the ELITE ATHLETE POP's which were nice and dry. Dropped my bag off at the ELITE ATHLETE bag drop right on the starting line about 30 seconds before the race.

Seriously, I felt a little self conscious hanging with all these Kenyans who were going to run 62 minutes for the half marathon. Clearly there is a wide disparity in what qualifies as "elite". But I really appreciated the fine treatment and I highly reccomend Grandma's/Gary Bjorklund to all of you considering an out of town race. And it's on a Saturday which I know is important to a lot of Utah people.

Gun went off. I was wanting for once in my life to avoid going out too fast and this was the perfect race to succeed at that as I didn't know anyone and so felt free to run my own race. Good racing weather - cool, light rain, nice tailwind.

Here are my splits: 5:48, 5:42, 5:42, 5:51, 5:48, 5:38, 5:55, 5:52, 5:48, 5:43, 5:42, 5:45, 5:46, and 5:24 pace for the point one.

I ran too conservatively, and looking back, I realize that if I had run more aggresively that I could have run a really nice time. But I wasn't sure how the zero sleep would affect me in the later miles and I wanted to finish strong. I just got into a nice comfortable groove. Nobody passed me after the first mile and I must have passed twenty people over the last couple miles into downtown Duluth.

Off to the awards ceremony now.

Five very easy miles with Steve around Lake Bimidji here in the Great North Woods.

Steve and I rented bikes at Bemidji State University and did a 22 mile ride around the lake and town.The bike ride was the only way I could get Steve to take a day off of running.

Having lots of fun. My kids and Steve's girls are in this Kid's Club deal they have at the lodge where they get to swim, do crafts ets. Giving us the day without kids.Not that I don't love my kids and all but you know what I mean.

8 miles easy in the AM around Lake Bemidji State Park with Steve. Took the kids to the pool one more time and checked out at 11. Will be visiting the grandparents the rest of the week.

Ten miles in the rain on the muddy dirt roads around my in-laws house in BF Minnesota.

PM run: 4.5 more wet, soggy miles.

Great run today. Fourteen miles in 1:38 around lakes on dirt roads here in Minnesota.

I really hate mosquitoes and the lack of them is one of the best things about Utah.

Six easy miles with 6 hard 20-30 second efforts at about 90%. Ann borrowed a bike from her dad and rode along with me.

Planning to do 20 miles or more tomorrow. Off to the Pine River Summerfest now.

Nice run this morning except for I didn't eat before or have any water along the way so I was running out of gas at the end.

I had planned on 20 this morning but I found out about a local 5k tomorrow morning that I might as well run.I won the same race six years ago with an 18:30 and got one of my best trophies ever.

More to come later...just have a second now. But a dude pushing a kid in a baby jogger beat me.

OK, so I'm here in Ann's hometown of Pine River Minnesota and the annual Summerfest is going on culminating in today's 5k race. I was hoping to win and looking around at the starting line I noticed only one guy that looked like he might give me a hard time. But when we lined up he had his 18 month old son in a baby jogger so I was even more confident.

So the gun goes off and we're running into a pretty good headwind. I tucked in behind a couple guys from the local cross country team that, like all high school guys, were probably going out too fast. After about a half mile it was just me and Baby Jogger Dude with him maintaining about a ten second lead on me. Every time I'd start to close the gap he'd look back and pick it up a bit. I figured at this point that the guy was quite a bit better than me and was running just fast enough to win. We came to about a mile long section of rocky dirt road and I was hopeful that it might really slow down the baby jogger. No luck, but the guy was pulling me to a pretty decent 5k time.

Mile splits were off the whole way (.93 on my garmin for the first mile). By mile 2 I was sure the course was going to be about 2.96 miles. However, when I got to the 3 mile marker I could see the finish line up ahead and it was the longest point one in history. Turned out to be .21! So the course turned out to be almost exactly 3.1. All's well that ends well.

I'm pretty happy with the 17:05 especially after a 17 miler yesterday and a totally irresponsible, but really fun, 17th Anniversary dinner out with Ann last night. Talked to the guy who won for a while after and it turns out he ran a 15:50 5k yesterday sans baby jogger so I guess I never had a chance.

We are heading down to Minneapolis tomorrow before our flight home on Tuesday. We plan to stop at the boyhood home/museum of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh in the town of Little Falls on the way.

Six miles in a monumental downpour dodging lightening bolts.

Heading down to the Twin Cities now. Staying at the Raddison by the airport and Mall of America tonight wherethe have the "world's largest indoor waterpark".

pm: One mile easy on hotel treadmill

am: Four easy miles and some lifting in the hotel gym before heading home to Utah.

pm: A little weary after a day of dealing with airports with kids. Went to the gym when I got home and did an 8.25 mile treadmill run in one hour. Hot and windy here in Salt Lake.

It's really good to be home.

First run of the Summer up at Alta/Snowbird. Every single one of my normal trails are still snow clogged so I had to confine myself to the roads.

8 very hilly miles at altitude. Many of my cross country kids really struggled which I guess proves that I shouldn't even bother typing out workout schedules for most of them when I am gone for a couple weeks.

PM: Nine miles in 63 minutes on the treadmill at Steiner.

Six easy miles in Sugarhouse Park during cross country practice. Probably my only run today.