Rob Murphy

I'm 46 years old today. Officially in my "late 40s". Nice to have the day off from work.

I ran seven in 54 minutes early this morning. After that, I walked with Abby to school and jogged the half mile back home. Ann and I dropped Andy off at preschool and then went to Alta High for 9:30 am cross country practice. Just had the kids do a couple easy miles then some ATP regeneration speedwork. Then Ann and I went to breakfast at Mimi's on State Street by the Southtown Mall. Sort of a breakfast date with the schools doing the babysitting.

PM circuit/strength training workout:

1 mile warm-up on treadmill

1 x 30 push-ups, 1 x 25 incline sit-ups, 1 x 8 pull-ups, 1 x 10 back extensions with 45 lb. plate, 1 x 15 dips, 1 x 25 hanging leg lifts, 1 x 8 chin-ups, 2 x 12 plyo box jumps onto a 30 inch box, 1 x 10 back extensions with 45 lb plate, 1 x 30 push-ups, 1 x 30 v-crunches, 1 x 8 pull-ups, 1 x 12 single leg box jumps (each leg) on 14 inch box, 1 x 10 back extensions with 45 lb. plate, 1 x 25 calf raises with 110 lbs., 1 x 30 crunches, 1 x 10 dips, 1 x 20 calf raises with 110 lbs., 1 x 30 push-ups, 1 x 15 one-arm dumbell cleans with 30 lbs., 1 x 25 incline sit-ups, 1 x 12 deadlift with 125 lbs., 1 x 25 push-ups, 1 x 15 back squats with 145 lbs.

1 mile cool-down on treadmill

This is pretty much the strength training workout I have done, with some variations, for the past year and a half. I think it's one of the reasons for the improvement in my half-marathon and marathon times the past couple years. I think it builds a lot of strength and muscular endurance without adding bulk and weight which could be detrimental to my running. In fact, my weight is down from 5 to 7 pounds since starting this workout.

am: 2.25 miles around the cross country course at the Park City Invitational.

Went to the race anticipating a showdown with #36 in the nation Park City and my Alta girls. Everything went pretty much as I had hoped - all my girls ran great with the exception of my #1 runner, Sierra Knapp, who rolled her ankle badly at the 1/4 mile mark and hobbled the entire way finishing as our #5 runner. She ran a really courageous race, and a mere freshman. I figure it cost us about 17 points. Park City got us 71-81. Today's race was a hilly 3 miles at 7000 feet! My #1 girl, Carolyn Webber finished 4th overall in 19:13.

I guarantee anybody that if you lined my girls up with the supposed national top 50 according to ESPN Rise that they would finish nowhere near 50th.

pm: 10 miles in 1:13:55 (7:23) around Sugarhouse.

21.1 miles in 2:38:51 (7:32). Mostly around the neighborhood and Sugarhouse Park. Paid special attention to running the downhills in the park hard.

Began the run at 3 pm because I actually wanted to run in the heat. We've had several straight days of all time highs here in Salt Lake. Close to 90 everyday. About halfway through the run the cold front that is supposed to make our weather more Fall like came in. The temp dropped about 15 degrees in about 10 minutes.

Well, I talked myself into doing this Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim run next Monday with Jon Allen and a couple other guys who are veteran champion type trail ultramarathoners. Apparently this run is close to 50 miles.

I'm very excited about this, but a little apprehensive. I like to think the apprehension proves that I'm not a COMPLETE idiot. 

Kind of a wierd workout today. Mostly because the gym was so crowded that I couldn't get a treadmill, so I used what was available. Had to do the gym as I had Andy with me while Abby was at swim practice.

125 floors on the stair-master

2 miles on the e-lip-tickle

3.25 miles on the treadmill in my nifty new Brooks Cascadia trail shoes.

Great dinner tonight of ribs, broccoli, and baked potato. Now for a family walk around the neighborhood to look at halloween decorations. It's chilly, blustery, Fall-like.

Got a new used George Sheehan book today from Amazon - "This Running Life", For you new runners, Dr. George Sheehan was for many years a regular columnist for Runner's World back when it was still a magazine for serious runners. He was sort of the philosopher of the first running boom back in the '70s. Any book of his you can pick up is gold.

One mile at Sugarhouse at XC practice. One mile on treadmill at gym.

Strength workout:

35 push-ups, 30 incline sit-ups, 9 pull-ups, 12 x back extensions, 12 x two leg box jumps, 15 dips, 25 hanging leg-lifts, 9 chin-ups, 12 x back extensions, 12 x single leg box jumps, 35 push-ups. 30 crunches, 8 pull-ups, 12 x back extensions, 12 x one leg box jumps, 25 toe raises w/110 lbs, 25 hanging leg lifts, 12 x bent over rows w/ 80 lbs, 20 x toe raises w/ 110 lbs, 30 crunches, 12 x bent over rows w/ 80 lbs, 10 x front squats w/ 145 lbs, 15 dips, 25 x incline sit-ups, 10 x back squats w/ 145 lbs, 25 push-ups with toes on stability ball, leg curls, leg extensions, 10 two leg box jumps, 20 push-ups.

Very little rest between sets. Tired, wobbly.

Four miles with the cross country team this morning in my new trail shoes. About 60 degrees, windy, rain.

pm: 9.25 miles in the gully. Gullu long run plus 2 x the upper gully loop. All sand, wood chip, hilly. Cold and drizzly at first, but cleared up and was a beautiful fall evening at the end.

Weighed 145 at the end of the run.

Took the day off.

Six and a quarter at 5 am around the park.

Region championship cross country tonight. My girls haven't won since 2005. Hoping to change that.

Region IV Cross Country Meet Report

Girls Varsity:

1. Alta (41), 2. American Fork (72), 3. Jordan (86), 4. Lone Peak (88), 5. Pleasant Grove (111), 6.  Hillcrest (133), 7. Brighton (466,321)

My Girls Times  (with pre-region time on the same course in August in parenthases)

 Carolyn Webber 19:58 (21:06), Sierra Knapp 20:11 (20:53), Kim Arbon 20:14 (21:21),  Celeste Gutzman 20:15 (20:26), Sierra Murri 20:17 (20:50), Tiffany Morris 20:40 (21:15), Kaitlyn Syndergaard 21:13 (22:07)

 My boys team finished 5th out of 7 teams and failed to qualify for to state meet. It is my first team ever to fail to make it to state. Although, they are far from the slowest team I have coached. Considering that 6 of my 7 guys are in their first year running, they didn't do too bad. Here's their times plus their improvement from six weeks earlier..

Ryan Fuller 17:24 (17:34)  - qualified for state as an individual

Tyler Ross 17:35 (18:13) - qualified for state as an individual

Bradd Biggs 17:45 (18:46) - a sophomore

Kramer Morton 17:50 (19:09) - a freshman

Brandon Gardenhire 17:58 (18:42)

Conner Anderson 18:09 (19:29) - a sophomore

Chandler Morton ????

Just an easy five today in 38:55. Really great fall morning in Utah and the first Saturday off in a while without a cross country meet.

pm: met my girls for practice at 5 pm in the gully. I got there a little early and walked the Upper Loop - about 1.25 miles. Beautiful evening. Spent most of the walk thinking about the Grand Canyon R2R2R Run on Monday and about how much running has enriched my life for 32 years now. At the end I sat down with the girls and discussed the workout and the plan for the next 12 days before the state meet. But in the back of my mind I was thinking about how I hoped that the sport would end up being half as meaningful for them as it has been for me. I'd trade a state championship for that assurance.

I won the Masters division. Can't remember whether it was Jon or Cody that took the overall title. Although, we all finished together. (This is a joke by the way. There were 3 guys on the run. Me and two 30 years olds.)

So, about two weeks ago, I was invited to run back and forth across the Grand Canyon a couple times with Jon Allen and Cody Draper. Apparently this is something hard core ultrarunning trail runners like Jon and Cody enjoy doing. Not knowing any better, and despite never having run over 26 miles, I accepted.

We headed down on Sunday morning after breakfast at my house. Upon arriving at the North Rim, we did the typical tourist stuff, took pictures, hung around the lodge, and bought stuff in the over priced gift shop for our kids.Then we returned to our tent and went to bed around 9 pm. I only slept an hour or two because my mind was too wired for Monday's adventure.I think Jon was the same way, but Cody was snoring away between us.

Got up around 4 am, had a cliff bar, banana, and a bottle of Starbucks frappacino - 2 bottles, and were on the trail by 5:30 am. The North Rim is at an elevation of about 8200 feet and the Bright Angel Trail that descends down the canyon is quite steep with lots of switchbacks, rocks, and log steps. With only our headlamps for illumination, we went  tearing down the trail at a pace I felt was suicidal. It was clear that Jon and Cody were more experienced on the technical trails than I was so I let them go. I chose to focus on not breaking my ankle or plummeting off the canyon edge.But I could always see their headlamps up ahead on the switchbacks.The temperature warmed up from 31 degrees to the mid 50s pretty quick as we lost elevation. I ditched my hat and base layer in a bush near the ranger cabin a few miles down - hoping to find it on the way back.We got to the first big bridge over Cottonwood Creek and, of course, peed off of it in the dark. Fun.

When the trail leveled off, we were able to clip along at 7:30 to 8:00 pace for quite a while. Probably through the Phantom Ranch campground to the Colorado River crossing at an elevation of 2400 feet.This was great running in perhaps the most beautiful place on the planet. I couldn't believe that I was on a 50 mile run through the Grand Canyon. I really enjoyed chatting with the backpackers we met along the way whenever we stopped to fill up our bottles. Lots of incredulous head shakes as we explained to them what we were doing.

*** Funniest conversation - on the return trip (about 32 miles into the run), we came on a group of hikers sitting on a bench taking a break next to the water faucet at Phantom Ranch. An exhausted looking woman asked us what we were doing. I don't even think she really believed us. Anyway, I decided to show some interest in what she was doing and so I asked how far they were going. "I don't even want to tell you" she said. "It's too embarrassing, kind of like talking to Donald Trump about how much money you make". We laughed heartily! I told her that if it made her feel any better, that I was just a humble schoolteacher.

After crossing the Colorado, we began the long 10 mile climb up to the South Rim. This was a very challenging trail and my quads were burning.We managed lots of running, but had to "hike fast" on the steeper portions. Lots of backpackers and mule trains on this trail. The amount of Mule pee and poop on the trail was stunning!

Ominously, shortly before arriving at the South Rim, we came across a NPS sign that read the following...

"Warning! DO NOT attempt to hike from the canyon rim to the river and back in one day. Each year hikers suffer serious illness or death from exhaustion". This is printed in English, French, German, and Japanese. And there's a hiker on the sigh who is clearly about to expire. Of course, this was not at all what we were attempting. We were going from the rim, to the river, to the other rim, back to the river, and back to the first rim. Only four times what the sign was warning us to avoid. 

Made it to the South Rim well before noon. I bought two Gatorade's and drank one and filled one of my bottles for the return trip with the other. Used the restroom, shook the sand out of my socks, and ate a big cheese muffin.I also got a Snickers Bar which I thought might be great for the return trip.Jon, Cody, and I got someone to take our picture on the South Rim and then we headed back on the return.

Talk about quad pounding, treacherous downhill! I almost busted my ass on several occasions and by the time we got to the Colorado my legs were on their way to becoming mush. By now it was hot and their was little shade.After Phantom Ranch I ran by myself for a couple hours as Jon and Cody decided the run wasn't long enough and decided to take a 3/4 mile detour to sight see. This was a lonely, tough stretch, but I was able to maintain 10 minute miles from around mile 35 to 38. Unfortunately, I had drained both my bottles and was on my way to becoming dehydrated. When I finally got to the Cottonwood camp ground I downed two full bottles and filled back up. Fortunately, as I was getting ready to pull out, Jon and Cody showed up and I finally had some company.

We stayed together until the end, struggling on the steep climb back up the North Rim to dip under 30 minutes per mile. Cody did a great job of keeping me honest and forcing me into a jog on the less insanely steep portions of the trail.

Jon mostly told hilarious jokes!!!

It was really depressing how slowly the quarter mile increments on my Garmin were ticking off. But we knew we were getting close. I was dead tired and aching everywhere, but definitely had one of the most intense feelings of accomplishment ever. I was literally finding it hard not to cry. Despite the pain, I understand now why people get hooked on running these kinds of distances. Not that that will happen to me - I'm still looking forward to my next 5k.

We ran North Rim to South Rim in exactly 5 hours. The return trip was 5:58. Counting time stopped, filling bottles, heeding the call of nature, yielding to mules, resting on the South Rim, and chatting with backpackers the total time was more like 12:50. 

After the run, we drove back to Salt Lake since Cody and I had to be at work today, and Jon had the movers coming to take his stuff to South Carolina at 8 am. We got to my house at 2:30 am. I slept for 3 hours and was in class at 8:00. Great conversation on the ride home and lots of eating. I've been famished all day today, literally can't stop eating.

So this was my introduction to trail running. I guess a 50 miler through the Grand Canyon is as good a place as any to start.

I can't wait to read Jon and Cody's reports. Hopefully with lots of pictures. 

Quote of the Day...

The plain fact remains that men the world over possess amounts of resources that only exceptional individuals push to their extreme use. We have a habit of inferiority to our full self. Compared to what we ought to be we are only half awake.

- William James

Todays workout: One mile warm-up on the elliptical and then a tough, but shortened due to time, strength workout at the gym. 

My legs are feeling quite a bit better today. I'm heading out to cross country practice at Cottonwood Complex now to run my team through one more hard workout before state next Wednesday. I hate to keep my mileage stuck at 48.5 the rest of the week. Surely I'll be able to at least get in 1.5 by Saturday?

Maybe I'll walk a couple miles out there. Then up to Ogden with the family to take the kids to the Hill Air Force Base museum. They have about 20 planes the kids can climb through.

I love UEA weekend!

2.5 mile walk around the Yalecrest neighborhood in Salt Lake today while Abby was swimming at the Steiner Aquatic Center.

Planning on joggimg a 5k tomorrow morning with a neighbor who has just discovered running.

Walked one mile in the gully during cross country practice. The girls look good and I think they will be ready to go Wednesday.

Ran 2.25 miles on the treadmill after. Maybe a "regular" run tomorrow? I still have a lot of deep tissue soreness.

This morning I ran 5.25 in 45:58 (8:46 pace!). The good news is that I was able to run, which is important for my mental health as much as anything. But the lingering soreness from Monday's run is amazing. It's so deep down in my thighs that I swear my femurs are bruised or something.

The thought occurred to me while I was running that perhaps since the distance I ran was twice the distance of a marathon, that complete recovery might take twice as long. Seems to make sense. Oh well, no need to rush anything as I don't have any races on my schedule now until late January. I just need to recover and the focus on piling up the mileage over the winter.

This afternoon, Abby and I went up to Mill Creek Canyon and hiked 3 miles up the Desolation Trail. Really nice time with her.

Quote I read today...

The plain fact remains, that men the world over possess amounts of resources that only exceptional  individuals push to their extreme use. We have a habit of inferiority to our full self. Compared to what we ought to be we are only half awake. 

- William James

Today's Workout: Easy mile warm-up on the elliptical, shortened, but still pretty intense weight workout at the gym. 

pm: Walked 3 miles while Abby was swimming.

Gully Long Run easy today - about 8:20 pace. Still no "pop" in the legs, but otherwise feeling good. Out great run of fall weather continues, so it's just great being out there.

Today is the Utah State cross country meet. The races will run from shortly before noon until about 5 pm at Sugarhouse Park in Salt Lake if anyone can make it out.

3 easy miles after the state meet. State meet too painful to write about at the moment.

Good news. Today was the first day that I felt even close to normal since the Grand Canyon. I did 6.5 on the treadmill in 48 minutes. Not lightening fast or anything, but did get up to 8.8 mph for a while and felt pretty good. Just wanted to see if my legs would still turn over at faster than 8:30 pace!

One mile on the elip. after.

I've been re-reading the journal of John Wesley Powell since the run through the canyon. Powell was a one armed Civil War veteran who was the first down the Colorado through the canyon in the late 1860s. It's way more interesting now that I can picture most of what he describes.

Gully Long Run in just under 52 minutes. This is my favorite run that I do all the time. Snow is in the forecast for next week which means it's just a matter of time before the trails are covered with snow and I won't be able to run it until spring.

I felt good. Close to normal. Heading to pick Abby up from swim practice now and then the The Pie near the University of Utah for pizza.

Easy Sunday morning run around Sugarhouse. 54:49.

pm: went to the gym and did some strength training along with 1.75 on the treadmill as warm-up and cool-down.

11.75 miles in the gully and surrounding neighborhoods. Probably 8 miles on trails and the rest on roads. I was taking it easy and felt pretty good. I also enjoyed the cool weather. There are certain aspects of winter running that I really love. For instance, the gym I am a member of is right next to a huge network of hilly trails that run up into the canyons east of the Salt Lake Valley. I usually change into my running clothes in the locker room, run on the trails, and then sit in the whirlpool or sauna after. On really cold days it's a great way to finish up a run.

Ran the Best Best Buy Loop with a bunch of my cross country kids. 7.5 miles in 58:14 (7:50). Chilly, windy, snow flurries.

I finally managed to drag my weary bones out of bed at 4:15 this morning for a morning run. Although, while sipping my coffee, I looked out the window and noticed several inches of snow on the ground and still coming down pretty hard. A wave of wimpy overtook me and I chose to skip the roads and head to the gym...

Did a slow mile warm-up followed by eight miles in 58:15 on the treadmill. While running, I was treated to about six televisions tuned to "Fox and Friends". Such a treat! From it I learned that since Nancy Pelosi has been Speaker of the House that the national debt has increased by $ 4, 576,000,000,000,001. I had no idea she was that bad! Here I thought the deficit/debt was a result of fighting two wars along with simultaneous tax cuts, and an unwillingness of both parties to make hard choices. But nope, just Pelosi.

My weight was 144 after the run this morning. I'm wondering if I could get down to 138 or so with a little more dietary discipline? I give myself a solid B right now when it comes to diet and nutrition, but there is room for improvement. Not willing to give up beer though... 

pm: two miles on the treadmill plus a mighty hard strength workout.

No possible way to run today. Last day of the term here at school and so, of course I had to spend most of the day signing transfer forms for kids who decided my AP class is too hard and need to transfer to regular U.S. History. It's amazing how many parents go along with this and even encourage it. It reminds me of my favorite HOMER SIMPSON QUOTE. BART IS SITTING ON HIS KNEE AND HE SAYS, "SON, SOMETIMES IN LIFE, WHEN SOMETHING IS HARD, IT'S JUST NOT WORTH DOING". Most parents would never dream of saying this to their kids, but they are basically communicating that exact message when they encourage their kids to bail into an easier option whenever life becomes a struggle.Also, had to answer about 20 parent emails explaining to parents why "Kaitlyn" is making her first ever B. That and grading lots of last minute stuff...

Great day for my daughter Abby. She competed in her second swim meet and did a lot better than she did a few weeks ago in her first. She swam the 50 free and the 50 back. Finished in the middle of the pack in both races.

She also got to meet former President Jimmy Carter who was here at the Kings English Bookstore signing his new book. I purchased two copies of this book back in April for the event thinking that surely between April and late October that I would be able to clear my schedule enough to get away from work a couple hours to meet a president of the United States. But no, not possible. So Ann checked Abby out of school early and took her. She got her picture taken with President Carter who shook her hand and told her she was a beautiful girl. She was very thrilled.

Ronald Reagan was the first president I ever voted for in 1984, but I'll never say anything bad about Jimmy Carter again.

Well that felt good. First "hard" workout in a while.

1 mile warm-up

9.35 miles in 60 minutes

.65 cool down

I haven't done anything faster than 7:30 pace really for quite a while, so I was being conservative. I was happily surprised at how relatively easy it seemed. Maybe the day off yesterday helped..

I ran 20 miles today in 2:29:48 (7:29). Up and down emmigration canyon.

I don't know why. But I do know this... when I got home from the run there was this huge bowl of little Snickers bars on the counter. I ate about seven of them. Yum.

Splits:

1. 8:19

2. 8:04

3. 7:55

4. 7:55

5. 7:45

6. 7:49

7. 7:42

8. 7:52

9. 7:57

10. 7:35

11. 7:03 - heading back down the canyon now

12. 7:07

13. 7:12

14. 7:10

15. 7:01

16. 7:00

17. 6:57

18. 7:02

19. 6:58

20. 7:22

OK, I do know why. I had 50 miles going into today and for some reason it was important for me to hit 70 for the week rather than a paltry 66 or 67. Because, as most experts will tell you, it's important to be obsessed with round numbers.