Rob Murphy

Twelve miles in 1:30.

Everything is harder in the winter. I mean literally harder. I'm sure the midsole of your shoe is harder and has less shock absorbtion when it's five degrees out. The road seems harder. On the rare occasion when the grass and trails aren't covered with snow, they are harder too. My bones feel more brittle. I think I'll have to avoid hills. On tonights run I did the first eight miles in Sugarhouse Park, which is hilly, and I really felt achy. Then I did the last four in my neighborhood, where it is flat, and I felt like I could keep going all night.

The obvious solution (other than moving to a warm climate) if to run more on the treadmill which I find to be way easier on my legs. But when I'm in a phase of training where I'm focusing on long aerobic runs, I hate to use the tm. I like to save it for harder runs. Might have to change that philosophy and maybe use a 2% incline to make it a little more realistic.

Two miles on the treadmill.

45 minutes of weights/strength training.

Six easy miles in Sugarhouse Park.

Rough night here in the Murphy house. Seems the 10 year old child thinks that life is unfair

Treadmill Workout:

1.5 mile warm-up

10 miles in 59:21

.5 mile cool down

1.5% incline for the first 7.25 miles, then dropped down to 1.0% as I increased the pace at the end to make it psychologically a little easier.

I'm pretty happy with that. Especially since I'm still sore everywhere from the weights on Thursday.

am: Three easy miles on the treadmill. Plus about 45 minutes of strength training at the gym. Looking forward to a nice run this afternoon. We have sunshine and 40s in the forcast. Might even be able to wear shorts. Although with all the snow melting I'll probably finish with really wet feet.

pm: I decided to go to the gym again this afternoon to spare my legs and avoid our gunky red alert air here in the Salt Lake Valley. Ran 8.5 miles in 63 minutes on the treadmill.

After that, I walked over to Barnes and Nobel and read the entire issue of Trail Running without buying it, the family met me there and we went to Smashburger for dinner. I was "good" and skipped the fries - just a half pound burger.

10.25 miles on the treadmill averaging 8.3 mph. Alternated between 1.5 and 2%.

OK. Now I have to vent. Yesterday I was spending (wasting?) time browsing over some old threads in the discussion forum when I came across one in the Running section entitled "Elite Runner X Does Bad Thing Y...", started by Sasha. Sasha pointed out that virtually all the Olympic trials qualifiers in the Marathon over the past several years from the state of Utah have been LDS. He continued saying that since 30% of Utah's population is non-Mormon, that you would expect 30% of the Olympic trial runners to be non Mormon as well.

Sasha then went on to conclude that it must be the LDS practice of abstaining from alcohol and caffeine that accounted for their disproportionally high numbers among Utah's elite runners. I'm quoting from one of his posts... "so there is something in LDS culture that makes one a better runner".

Here is the real answer in two parts.

1. Almost all elite distance runners in this country start running early in their high school years. As a demographic, high school runners tend to come from affluent, educated, white, suburban families. Outside of Salt Lake City and Park City, the population that fits that demographic in Utah is way more than 70% LDS. Closer to 80 or 90 percent I'd say - going by the demographics at Alta High School where I coach. The non-LDS population of this state is disproportionally lower middle class and minority - groups not traditionally attracted to distance running.

2. We produce lots of national class high school runners here in Utah and many of them are not LDS. Based on my observations as a long time coach in this state, virtually all of the elite LDS runners end up going to college at BYU or somewhere else in Utah. They also tend to remain in the state after graduation. So, when they reach their distance running prime and are thinking about the Olympic trials, they are still Utahans. On the other hand, most of the top non-Mormon kids go to college out of state and they never return. Examples include Laura and Jackie Ziegle, Patrick Smyth, and Luke Puskedra.I believe the Ziegle's went to Colorado, Patrick ran at Notre Dame and is now training at Mammoth with Terrence Mahon. I'm sure if he were here in Utah he'd be dominating the Top of Utah Marathon! Luke just finished 3rd at the NCAA Cross Country championships running for Oregon.

I would agree with Sasha, at least partly, if Utah's non-LDS runners were pounding a twelve pack every night. But I'm fairly certain than most top runners, Mormon or not, have fairly healthy lifestyles.

So there, that's the answer. I feel better now.

Managed to squeeze in a few miles between the end of school and our cross country banquet tonight at 6:00.

Best Buy Loop plus a few laps on the Alta track. Nice weather, no more snow and ice to slip on. 

Ten miles in 1:16:16 (7:38).

Avoided the treadmill for a second straight day. Best Buy (Tour de Sandy) loop again plus a little extra.

Off to pick up Abby from swimming now and then Christmas caroling through the neighborhood with the Highland Park Elementary 4th grade classes. 

Easy treadmill jog to warm up then a massive amount of pumping iron at the gym.

60 Minute "treadmill fartlek". Hard efforts consisted of 1-3 minutes at 5:25 to 5:36 pace. Lost track of how many I did.

am: Two miles on the treadmill. More later.

pm: Steve Anderson and I ran 20.5 (2:34:18) miles up Emmigration Canyon and back. We got a late start - not leaving my house until 4pm. This was the first time I've ever run the canyon in the dark. It's a good thing the road has a wide shoulder because there is no light. It was a really great run and challenging for me to run with a runner like Steve.

am: Three mile walk-jog around the neighborhood. Mostly walk.

lunch time: Two miles on the treadmill along with some heavy lifting for about 45 minutes. Our recent warm weather has some of my trails open again, so I'm hoping to scurry over to the Dimple Dell Gully after work for a few miles.

pm: Check that. Five miles on the treadmill at the Salt Lake Sports Complex while Abby was swimming. Ann got called in to work tonight so that was my only option. Legs felt heavy and sluggish.

My dad died one year ago on this day. Among other things, I credit him with my life-long interest in sports and fitness. When I was nine or ten, he came home with one of those old 110 lb. weight sets from Sears. Remember the plastic ones filled with cement? I got really into it and my dad really encouraged me. I'd always be lifting in our garage in Anaheim California and my dad would sit with me, coaching. Cigarette in one hand, Pabst Blue Ribbon in the other. In high school he almost never missed my meets. I hope that I will be able to pass along a passion to my kids that means half as much.

I don't think he really got why someone would want to run and he thought marathons were for the insane. But whenever I finished one, he'd be the first person I'd call. As I continued into my 40s he's always ask when I was going to "hang it up". But I could tell he was proud. A couple months ago when I was doing the Grand Canyon run with Jon and Cody, I thought about him a lot the last few miles - wondering if he was aware of what I was doing and shaking his head. When we made it back to the North Rim I really wanted to call him but had to content myself with the hope that he knew and was happy. He was a really great dad and I will run this afternoon thinking of him the whole way.

Robert L. Murphy (1934-2009). Retired from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. He would definitely want me to mention that last part.

Now, for todays workout. Kind of complicated.

1.75 mile warm-up

2 minutes at 7:35 pace, 2 minutes at 6:44, 2 minutes at 6:03, and 2 minutes at 5:30 - did this for 52 minutes, so...

14 minutes at 7:35 pace, 14 minutes at 6:44, 12 minutes at 6:03, and 12 minutes at 5:30. 7 minute cool down at 8 minute pace. Kept the incline at 1.5% but lowered it to 1.0% on the 5:30 segments towards the end.

Total of 9 miles in 59 minutes for the hard run plus the warm-up for 10.75 miles.

I fell pretty good about this workout. It was hard without being too hard. I have to get comfortable with running at 5:30 pace for an extended period.

Squeezed in some miles during lunch. 6.5 in 49 minutes. Probably my only chance to run today.

Food discovery of the week: Veggie Burrito at Barbacoa. They have whole wheat tortillas. I get it with black beans, all three kinds of salsa and guacamole. No sour cream.  It's ridiculously healthy and yummy at the same time. A rare combo.

am: 7.25 cold, dark miles at 5 am. But like most such runs, it was really tough the first few minutes, then not so bad, then kind of nice. Got back around 6 am and found Abby in the kitchen trying to make waffles!

Two treadmill miles plus some strength training at Steiner while Abby swam. Took it easy today. I have 16 days off and I have it in the back of my mind that I want to run 200 miles over that time.

11.25 easy miles. I started out at 8 mph and worked up gradually to 9 mph at the end. The workout seemed harder though because of my sore leg and butt muscles from the squats I did with 150 pounds last night.

pm: 5 easy miles

Six miles really easy in Liberty Park. I have to remember to run there more often as I'm increasing my mileage because it has a great flat wood chip path that is really easy on the legs.

Pretty super run this afternoon. Steve Anderson and I ran from my house up Little Mountain in Emmigration Canyon and back. Cold, windy, some snow, but great to have some company and good conversation.

22.5 miles in 2:47:20. Sooner or later I'm going to have to figure out why I'm doing these weekly 20 milers or more with no marathon on the schedule until late May.

2.25 miles on the treadmill and then lots of weights/strength training. Probably enough to make me sore tomorrow.

Had a nice lunch today at Fiddler's Elbow in Salt Lake with several folks from this here blog. Got to meet several people in person for the first time.

Twelve miles on the treadmill at the gym. Fluctuated between 7 and 7:30 pace most of the way. Was lucky enough to get a treadmill on the end and next to a broken one so I didn't have to make annoying chit chat with anyone or worry about my sweat landing on someone on the treadmill next to me.

Not a bad run today. Kept my vow made earlier this week to do more running on the path around Liberty Park which is really easy on the legs.

13.25 in 1:45. Easy 8 minute pace in a constant 35 degree drizzle.

I had planned on doing a 10 mile treadmill run at sub six pace this morning. However, during my warm-up I discovered that I wasn't in the mood for long, sustained suffering. Shorter, more intense suffering seemed to fit the bill a little better.

1.75 mile warm-up.

5 x 1 mile with half mile recovery jogs. 6:00, 5:30, 5:30, 5:30, 5:28 - 1.5 % incline.

1 x 1/2 mile in 2:39 - 1 % incline

Short cool-down.

My mom is visiting and plans to take the kids out to lunch and to a movie this afternoon. So Ann and I will be able to wrap presents and go out to lunch.

I'm fired up about my Christmas run tomorrow. I've run on Christmas every year since 1981. It is my absolute favorite run of the year. Calm, quiet, zero traffic. I always feel like I'm the only one alive.After that, I plan to take two consecutive days off of running.

This easily had to be one of my best Christmas runs ever. Ann drove me east on I-80 towards Park City and dropped me off in East Canyon by the entrance to the gun range. I ran through the canyon to the top of Little Mountain and then through Emmigration Canyon back into Salt Lake. Normally this would be a 16 mile run, but I kept taking little side roads and detours along the way plus a couple laps around my neighborhood to make it an even 20.

No traffic, sunny, about 20 degrees at the start and 40 at the finish, Roads were free of ice and the snow was beautiful. Glad I remembered my sun glasses.

20 miles in 2:28:03 (7:24 average)

I'm really pleased with this week. 86 miles total in only seven runs - no doubles. That might be my highest mileage total ever for a week. Definitely since the 80's. Feel good too, no aches or pains.

Took a day off.

Today I ran from my house over to Sugarhouse Park, around the road loop three times and then over to Liberty Park and circled the path there several times. Beautiful morning.

15.25 in 1:54:45 (7:32). Felt good after the day off yesterday.

This morning I met up with a group at the Starbucks on Foothill Blvd. at 5:45 for what I learned would be a "speed workout".

Ran about 5.5 miles in the neighborhood east of Foothill. The run included lots of hard uphill efforts averaging between 200 and 300 meters I'd say. Pretty good workout. Hopefully I'll be able to get in a few more miles later.

100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, core exercises when I got home.

pm workout: 11 miles on the Lifecycle in 30 minutes. A little more strength training and some hot tubbing.

Life was conspiring against my run today, but I was finally able to squeeze some treadmill miles in at Steiner while Abby was at swim practice. Started at 8 mph and worked up to 9 with several one minute efforts at six minute pace. 2% incline.

Big dumping of snow the last couple hours. If we lived in a section of the country that mattered to the media, instead of flyover country, we'd probably be on the news now.

Wavering back and forth as to whether I should do the Draper New Years Day 5k.

Not sure what's up. Fighting a general case of apathy this week. Probably be good to get back into the normal work and life routine next week. A little bit of sunshine would probably help too.

A little over five miles on the treadmill just to burn some calories.

There's no reason why that should have been a good run, but it was.

15 degrees, wind, snow, slush, ice - but I still enjoyed every minute of it. Maybe it was the two layers of gloves?

13 miles in 1:39:53 (7:41). Actually a fairly decent pace considering the poor conditions. I did one loop around Sugarhouse Park but bailed after that since the city hasn't made plowing the road through the park a priority. For those of you planning to run the Beat The New Year 5k tonight, don't expect a fast time and you might be better off with some snow shoes.