Rob Murphy

I saw that Paul only ran 5 miles at 8 minute pace so I thought I'd adopt a 3 time Olympic trials qualifier as my role model.

I feel like a Mormon for a day. Went to Kramer's LDS ward down in Sandy this morning to hear his talk before leaving on his mission next week. Now we're heading back down there to Kramer's house for a farewell get together which apparently lasts several hours and involves eating. So that's good.

I'm going to miss Kramer these next couple years.

How much money does Sasha make off of these relentless Chili's adds that keep popping up and obscuring my typing?

Amazon is having a great sale on Saucony running shoes - up to 50% off if you want to choose unpopular colors. I just picked up a pair of Ride 6's for $43.00.

Great run this morning. I met Rory Linkletter, Davis, and Ashton in the gully at 7 am for a double gully long run. I added the longer run loops to the second lap to make 14 miles in 1:48. Pretty warm and windy but otherwise a good run.

7:43 pace for 14 miles in the gully is not bad.

I'm going to take it easy the next couple days so hopefully I have a little zip in my legs for Des News. The fast downhill miles are getting harder for me. My ability to run steep uphills seems mostly undiminished but ripping it on the downhills is harder. Bad News for Des News.

Easy treadmill run with 4 X 1/4 mile at 5:40 pace.

Pool, hot tub, pool after. Relaxing.

I was all set to have a relaxing evening when my wife reminded me that I have to attend the neighborhood street lighting committee meeting tonight. It should rock! I've broken an important barrier by becomming the first non-Mormon to sit on that powerful committee. Seems that my neighbor Shane, who rules the local ward and, thus, the neighborhood has always recruited members at church but it apparently occured to him this year that including the non-Mormon perspective on street lighting would be a positive step towards inclusion. Seriously, Shane is a super nice guy though and always willing to help everybody.

For those of you who live in states or cities that provide residential street lighting as a municipal service and at no extra cost to residents, you're lucky.

AM: Two easy miles and striders on the Alta track.

I just got back from packet pick-up for Des News. Let me just say that I'm not happy with how this race has evolved over the past few years. Someday I'm going to write a long post on the types of races I like to run and the types of races I don't like to run. I ran my first road race in 1978, so I feel qualified to comment.

I just looked over my race report for the 2010 10k. I went out in 5:03!

35:19. Not bad. Not sure about the results yet and where I placed. I'm pretty sure I won my age group and was second master to Walter.

Took it out in 5:13 and hit the 5k split in 16:50. This should give you an idea of how, once again, that last mile was a death march for me. I hung with a bunch of high school kids, Sarah Feeny from Ogden and a bunch of Davis High boys until about the 5th mile when our pack began to break up. I was wearing an Alta singlet and one of them told me I looked too old to run for Alta. 

The heat was a real challenge today. 87 degrees on the starting line at 6 am! Took its toll on me at the end. I have tons of respect for the marathoners out there. I ran about a quarter mile with Fritz at mile 25 and about a mile with Jon Kotter who was having one of those days but was gutting it out anyway.

Past Deseret News 10k results for me and age..

2012 (47) - 33:27 on short course

2010 (45) - 34:36

2008 (43) - 35:40

2007 (42) - 35:54

2006 (41) - 35:37

2005 (40) - 34:43 on short course

2004 (39) - 37:57

2003 (38) - 39:06

2002 (37) - 38:39

I ran 4.25 miles around the neighborhood and the Highland track when I got home just because.

PM: A couple hours of trampolining at The wAIRhouse with Steve and his kids. That was a workout!

Wow, what a difference 24 hours makes. Went out to pick up my paper this morning and it's an absolutely perfect day to race a 10k or a marathon. Or at least as perfect as it gets for July in Utah.

Too bad I can't run - too sore. I'm actually a little disapponted by that since I really thought I'd trained hard for the downhills. Plus my left knee is a bit achy so I'm going to rest.

We Murphy's are heading out of town today for a week in Colorado. I'm teaching a new class this year (AP European History) so I'm going to a College Board workshop at Cherry Creek High School near Denver. Since the district is paying for the trip, the whole family is coming. Ann and the kids will do vacationy stuff while I'm in class. We are staying in Boulder on Saturday night and I plan to get up early Sunday morning and do a 15 miler on Magnolia Road which should be familiar to anyone who's read Running With the Buffalos. Andy and I are going to a Rockies game on Sunday afternoon. I'm excited about that and it's Andy's first big leage game and my first since 2003 in Cincinnatti. 

Taking our time getting out of here this morning. The kids are exhausted after a couple days with the Anderson kids! Overnight tonight in Craig Colorado so just an easy drive today. Maybe stop by Dinosaur National Monument which we've never been to.

PM: Swim and hot tub at the hotel plus some hiking at Dinosaur National Monument.

Off to J.W. Snacks Gulf Coast Bar & Grill for dinner. Seriously.

AM: 2.25 mile walk plus core workout at the hotel.

PM: Easy 6.5 along the Boulder Creek Trail. Nice urban run with lots of fast runners. Still not as nice as the trails around the lakes in Minneapolis.

Only got two powerful whiffs of weed along the trail. I was expecting more.