Rob Murphy

The plan today is to head up to Jeremy Ranch at noon and start a longish run at 12:30. The hourly forecast has it at about 75 degrees. Would rather be running now when it's 55 but it's not in the cards.

So there was another big race yesterday (the TOU Half) that  I didn't run. I have a hard time doing many fall races because I have a job that keeps me busy on Saturday's. It's weird though - at the beginning of my current racing drought that goes back to Boston it was driving me crazy that I wasn't doing any of the big races. But now I don't even care. I still have this compulsion to get out and run. Like today I plan to run close to twenty miles but I'm not sure why other than I feel like running. I have no plans to run a marathon in the foreseeable future.

I also looked back and noticed that the years I was really focusing on my teaching and coaching were the years when I was doing the least amount of running ( I was fat in 2003, 2004, and 2008, my three "state championship years".) and the years I was running my best times I was sort of putting my job on the back burner. It's almost like I can either focus on my own running or someone else's running, but not both. And since coaching and teaching are essentially the same thing, I guess it applies to that too.

Well, no twenty this afternoon. 6.25 instead around the inferno at Sugarhouse Park.

6 AM workout with my xc team: Four easy miles plus six barefoot striders on the football field.

No run yesterday due to the hectic first day of school and my kid's after school activities. 

AM: Early seven miles around Foothill.

Afternoon cross country meet today. My boys will be racing in the crisp fall (96 degree) air at 3:30 at Cottonwood Complex. Ideal for fast times. 

There is a great thread going on now on Letsrun called "Nearing 50 and my legs are trashed". Of course this won't apply to those of you who are able to pound out 100 mile weeks with no problem but for me there are some very good insights.  

Pretty decent result this afternoon in our meet. My boys won with 47 points defeating Jordan, Brighton, Copper Hills, West Jordan, and Cottonwood high schools. Hardly dominating, but I'll take it. Our #1 runner, Kramer Morton, took first overall in 16:41. Not bad for a 3:30 PM race at the end of a school day in 95 degree heat. We placed three runners well up in the top ten, but a big gap to 4 and 5 that will kill us in bigger meets with better competition. 

AM: Easy 5.5 miles with my victorious cross country team.

Once again, five easy miles with my team at 6 AM.

Heading up to Pocatello tonight to run the half tomorrow. I've run 1:17 there the past two years. I'll be thrilled if I can break 1:20 tomorrow.

Short race report for now.

I'm so thrilled with how I ran today. I had no idea going in what I could run since I haven't raced and my training has been inconsistent.

Took the first three miles easy - 19:00 at 5k. Then I ran 58:54 for the last ten miles which was great. I ran every mile right at 5:55. This is the third straight year I have finished second in this race to three different guys. This year it was Grey Augustus from Idaho Falls who got me by about two minutes I think. 

Justin Park ran 2:26 to win the marathon. He really looked good. Jeff Shadley was under 2:40 to finish second.