Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

Smithfield Shamrock Shuffle 5K

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Location:

Fort Collins,CO,

Member Since:

May 15, 2003

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Local Elite

Running Accomplishments:

Unaided PR's:
5K: 14:48 (Track - 2001)
10K: 30:45 (Track - 2001)
10K: 31:32 (Bolder Boulder - 2013)
Half Marathon: 1:06:09 (Duluth - 2013)
Marathon: 2:17:54 (Grandma's) - 2014)
Marathon: 2:19:47 (Indianapolis Monumental - 2013)
Marathon: 2:19:49 (Indianapolis Monumental - 2010)

Aided PR's:
10K: 29:38 (Des News - 2011)
Half Marathon: 1:05:30 (TOU Half - 2011)
Marathon: 2:18:09 (St George - 2007)
Marathon: 2:17:35 (Boston - 2011)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis in June of 2008. Started taking Enbrel in March, 2009.

Run as much as I can, and race as well as I can. Make the most of however much time I have left as an able-bodied runner.

Training for the 2018 Colorado Marathon

Long-Term Running Goals:

  Run until I'm old, and then run some more. Stand tall.

Personal:

1 wife, 2 kids. 1 cat. Work as a GIS Specialist/Map Geek

Endure and persist; this pain will turn to your good. - Ovid

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. - Romans 5:1-5

 

 

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Saucony Trail Shoe Lifetime Miles: 247.50
Hoka Clifton Lifetime Miles: 491.50
Saucony Type A6 Lifetime Miles: 186.50
Saucony Zealot Lifetime Miles: 478.75
Saucony Kinvara 6 Lifetime Miles: 433.50
Saucony Kinvara 6-2 Lifetime Miles: 358.75
Brooks Pure Connect Blue Lifetime Miles: 337.25
New Balance Trainers Lifetime Miles: 314.50
New Balance 1400 Racers Lifetime Miles: 65.00
Brook Pureflow Lifetime Miles: 99.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
3051.05190.70123.0514.450.003379.25
New Balance 790 Miles: 269.75Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 353.75Brooks Launch Miles: 412.25Brooks Adrenaline 8 Blue Miles: 24.50Brooks Adrenaline 8, #2 Miles: 4.00Saucony Guide TR Miles: 115.00Brooks Axiom Miles: 74.75Saucony Tangent Miles: 285.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 510.25Saucony Type A Miles: 157.50Jogging Stroller Miles: 59.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 348.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 436.50Brooks Launch Miles: 321.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Stayed up until midnight last night, for the first time in quite a while. Stacy and I both got really slap-happy around 10:30PM, which is sad, but that's what happens when you go to bed by 9:30PM every night. Slept in until 7:45AM, and had all sorts of weird dreams. Puttered around during the morning, and finally got out for a run around 1PM. It had snowed overnight, and was snowing lightly all morning, but it was pretty warm out, right around the freezing mark. That is 40 degrees warmer than what I am used to these days, and quite welcome. I tried wearing tights with nothing over them for the first time (my only Resolution), and I found it strangely wonderful.

I stole Cody's idea, and wore my NB 790 trail shoes, hoping they would get better traction in the snow. Plus they are very light and fun to wear. I got these shoes in 2007 and have only worn them a couple time, and I had forgotten how much I liked them. Now I found a good use for them: winter snow running. They do indeed work really well on packed or thin snow on the roads. I tried going on the canal trail, but it was in terrible shape, footing-wise, so I went back to the roads.

Ran down Hillside Dr to Summit Dr., then thought it might be fun to do laps in the cemetery. Most of the cemetery loop was pretty good running, but some of it was pretty rough, so I went back to the roads, wander to the west side of Smithfield, and then finally back up to my house for 8 miles. Did some strides/fartlek in the middle, and also worked the hills pretty good, especially at the end. It was a fun run. Averaged 6:18/mile.

New Balance 790 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Jon on Fri, Jan 01, 2010 at 19:06:18 from 174.19.199.72

Yes, running in new snow is great in the NB. About the only time I use mine, as well.

From James on Sat, Jan 02, 2010 at 01:45:53 from 174.23.28.205

I like the trail shoes in the snow as well. Happy New Year to you and the family!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.250.000.000.000.0014.25

I tried a new route today, on the county roads northwest of Smithfield. Crossed Main St., and then took 300 N out of town. 300 N to 1600 W, up to 6600N. I planned to go further north, but the road was not plowed very well from there. So I turned back east and meandered around until about 6.5 miles, then I turned around and came back the same way. Roads were mostly in decent shape. Snowy for some stretches, but most sections were fine, if not a bit sloppy. The great thing about this route is the lack of traffic. Think I saw one or two cars the whole time. Plus it's very peaceful out there, nice and rural. Combined with the warm weather, it was a nice, relaxing run. On the way back, I added on some distance by going up Summit Dr., and then back home. Ended up with 14.25 miles, averaging 6:45/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 14.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.008.000.000.000.008.00

Did a bit of a tempo today, up Smithfield Canyon and back. Averaged 6:20-6:30 on the uphill miles, and about 5:30/mile on the downhill miles. 5:59/mile average for the whole run. Wicked cold this morning.

Brooks Launch Miles: 8.00
Comments
From jtshad on Mon, Jan 04, 2010 at 11:40:28 from 204.134.132.225

Awesome run and pace in "wicked cold" conditions!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.250.000.000.000.008.25

Did a semi-loop from Summit Dr to Upper Canyon Rd down Canyon Rd and back up on 600 S. Did some strides in the middle. Averaged 6:41/mile for the run. It was warmer out today than expected, and I overdressed. Yesterday I underdressed. Once I get the wireless thermometer I ordered from Amazon, I will be complete.

Brooks Adrenaline 8 Blue Miles: 8.25
Comments
From Mike Kirk on Tue, Jan 05, 2010 at 13:57:50 from 68.53.219.208

Hi Paul. We have a wireless projection thermometer and love it.

Amy is looking at a job in Logan. Do you have any advice or thoughts about living in Logan that would help her?

Mike

From Paul on Tue, Jan 05, 2010 at 14:50:07 from 204.113.19.55

Hey Mike, good to hear from you. In regards to Logan/Cache Valley...it's a great place to live if you like a quiet life. Not so great if you love hustle and bustle and "culture" (whatever that is). Outdoor activities are great. Mountains not as big as Salt Lake area, but they allow dogs at least. Skiing is very cheap at Beaver Mnt, esp for kids. Cost of living is also quite low, as real estate and land are cheap, and any commute will be short. Right now you can still buy a lot of house for $200K. (we just bought 2250 sqft and 0.25 acres for < $170K). Not as many places to eat here than in larger cities, but the selection has actually grown quite a bit since I moved here, so I don't think it's bad. Really good gardeners markets here during the growing seasons. Winters are absolutely awful (except for skiing), spring, summer, and fall absolutely delightful. Nice and cool every morning during the summer, and A/C is rarely needed. Winter inversions are very bad. Although I just made fun of the lack of culture, there is the Utah Festival Opera here. There is the Eccles Theatre for plays. Lots of movie theaters. No good live music though. Utah State usually has stuff going on. USU football is bad, but basketball is good. Hmmm, what else. Big new Catholic church in Hyde Park, and one other on USU campus. I don't know from experience if the public schools are any good. No private schools are that I know of, but there are a few charter schools. Obviously, very safe here; always in the Top 10 for Safest Metros. Not sure where your wife would work, but the IHC Women's Center is very new and pretty nice (as I recall your wife is neonatal doc). Lastly, Cache Valley has the coolest runners around. But your wife probably doesn't care about that. Hope that helps!

From Jon on Tue, Jan 05, 2010 at 20:01:25 from 75.169.151.39

I second the bit about Cache Valley having the coolest runners, though more are always welcome!

From Mike Kirk on Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 17:10:57 from 68.53.219.208

Logan sounds good to me! I like quiet, affordable, and scenic. Amy will be happy if there is a Cafe Rio. I also like the 7-5 lifestyle instead of the work for two days straight lifestyle. Hopefully IHC can set something up for next week for Amy.

Thanks Paul,

Mike

From Paul on Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 17:17:32 from 204.113.19.55

There is a Cafe Rio. It is 4 blocks from IHC.

From Mike Kirk on Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 17:19:45 from 68.53.219.208

Call the realtor and the moving truck!

From Jon on Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 18:02:17 from 138.64.8.51

There's a Cafe Rio, a Costa Vida, and a Bajio's (all very similar)- we actually like Costa Vida the most.

From Paul on Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 18:07:54 from 204.113.19.55

I actually don't care for any of those restaurants (yes, I'm the only one). But there are several Mexican hole-in-the-wall burrito joints around here where you will be the only english speaker if you walk in there, but the burritos are amazing. Bigger than your head. And the Pounders Hawaiian joint is awesome.

Realtor referral: www.melodysheldon.com.

From Mike Kirk on Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 18:24:06 from 68.53.219.208

I'm with you. Amy loves Cafe Rio but I'll eat a bowl of cereal instead of eating from there.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.500.003.000.000.009.50

Ran from work today. It was very warm out (like, upper 30s), and I got all hot and sweaty. It was disgusting. It is supposed to be back down to single digits tomorrow morning, and I am looking forward to the reprieve. 

Ran the Providence Hill Loop, and did some speed play (aka - fartlek) in the middle of it. Kept to the literal sense of the term, and did not stick to any specific time or pace, just ran hard for a few minutes then easy, then hard again. Kept it, you know, "playful". Did some uphill and some downhill for variety during the speed play sessions.

Ended up averaging 6:22/mile for 9.5 miles, so not a bad workout.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 9.50
Comments
From redrooster on Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 23:10:00 from 71.35.225.200

that big wind gust at 4 PM completely cleared the valley air. tomorrow you can run without fear of destroying your lung capillaries while doing so. I live and run by these charts in the winter:

http://www.airquality.utah.gov/flashDataGraphs/getData.php?id=cache

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.750.000.000.000.007.75

Back to single digits this morning, but I dressed appropriately thanks to my new wireless indoor/outdoor thermoter ($15, amazon.com). So I knew the temperature before I even got out of bed. I'm quite excited about this toy, obviously. My other toy, the garmin, ran out of batteries midway through my run, so I didn't get a time or pace. I ran a semi-loop out to Hyde Park and North Logan. It turned out to be about 7.75 miles according to gmap. Took it easy for the most part, and enjoy the crisp air and the nice views of the Wellsvilles (first non-smoggy or non-snowy day we've had in weeks, and visibility was excellent).

Brooks Launch Miles: 7.75
Comments
From jtshad on Thu, Jan 07, 2010 at 11:36:43 from 204.134.132.225

I agree with the thermometer, it is the first thing I look at in the monrnig to get ready for a run.

From Kory on Thu, Jan 07, 2010 at 12:31:33 from 134.50.89.55

What brand did you buy? I ran outside today at -5. But where the weather.com reports int our area by the airport it was -1. Luckily I ran with my friend who has one at his house.

I used to have one, but it didn't work good.

From Paul on Thu, Jan 07, 2010 at 19:32:54 from 76.27.122.123

Kory -

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I2RNEQ/ref=oss_T15_product

Dang, the price just dropped. It's only $10 now! So far it works fine, but it's only been one day. Verdict is still out.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.250.000.000.000.008.25

Worked at home today, which gave me the luxury of running in the sun. So I waited until 11AM, and by then it was a very pleasant +3 degrees outside. I ran the Big Smithfield Loop, averaged 6:33/mile for 8.25 miles. Did some strides in the middle.

Brooks Adrenaline 8 Blue Miles: 8.25
Comments
From Jon on Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 17:07:14 from 138.64.8.51

3 deg and sunny is a lot better than -11 deg and dark. Not that I would know, since I didn't run outside at all today.

From Paul on Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 17:14:34 from 174.27.244.135

Yes, well I did refer to it as "pleasant". So I certainly agree.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Woke up with a sore throat and some congestion, so I'm not running today. Rest, and live to run another day.

Comments
From Adam RW on Sat, Jan 09, 2010 at 11:40:10 from 24.10.132.131

Feel better soon!

From Jon on Sat, Jan 09, 2010 at 11:41:57 from 75.169.157.131

Bummer.

From Paul on Sat, Jan 09, 2010 at 12:23:15 from 174.27.244.135

Kind of a bummer, but a day off is nice. Mostly I'm bummed that it happened during the weekend and not the work week. Oh well, I find some other way to use my 160+ sick hours I've accumulated.

From Kory on Sat, Jan 09, 2010 at 12:29:10 from 24.116.159.75

I hope you feel better, but your right there's always tomorrow and beyond.

Hows the wireless temperature gadget working?

I put my old one in place but I don't think it's accurate. The one I have is one of the first one's they ever came out with several years ago.

From Benny's on Sat, Jan 09, 2010 at 23:18:13 from 24.174.249.108

Get well Paul..

From Jon on Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 23:55:23 from 75.169.146.177

Hope you didn't have a heart attack watching the Packers.

From Paul on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 11:13:01 from 76.27.122.123

No, it's just football. But an enjoyable season, sad it ended.

From Burt on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 12:33:47 from 206.19.214.144

I too am sad that the Packers season ended. Hey Paul, we were told at the Ragnar Clinic that the Del Sol course would be finishing up at Tempe Marketplace so they can put our teams on the big screen as we come across. There was also word that it would change in Fountain Hills because of a festival they have. Also, I know with the new highway they put through Wickenburg, it's going to change through there. Do you have any idea when new maps will be available?

From Paul on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 12:41:30 from 65.103.252.214

Burt - that is a question for Ragnar.

From Burt on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 12:44:13 from 206.19.214.144

Gotchya.

BTW - I'm not sad at all that the Packers season is over. You probably knew I was lying anyway.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

I was well enough to work most of the day, but did not feel up to running.

Comments
From Steve on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 22:55:04 from 63.110.79.2

Paul how's it going? I just got started on the blog. Kind of cool!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Feeling a bit better, and glands are less swollen. Worked from home, but did not run. Will likely be ready tomorrow. The air quality does not make me inclined to push it.

Comments
From redrooster on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 18:55:24 from 129.123.3.31

the air will clear out tonight hopefully. better not to run at all than to run when the pm 2.5 levels are like they are now so you picked a good time for some downtime. get well soon. PS- the packers were robbed. but what a game. too bad rodgers pulled a brent on the final play of the game. eerily reminiscent of last year with indy.

From Paul on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 18:58:05 from 174.27.244.135

Now I know how Seattle felt when they lost against the Packers in OT in the playoffs. One bad play, and it was over. The thing is, the game should have ended two plays earlier, when Rogers missed a wide-open Jennings for a sure TD.

From redrooster on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 19:03:37 from 129.123.3.31

yes, I have fretted over that play as well. oh well next year we're going all the way. now all we have left for this year is to hope that brent goes down in a blaze of interceptions and fumbles. not that I will bother to watch though.

From Jon on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 23:15:13 from 75.169.141.226

That Jennings play would have been awesome...

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.250.000.000.000.007.25

Ran from work. Did the First Dam Run 10K route. Averaged 6:35/mile. It felt good to run again.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 7.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

There was a light layer of snow this morning, but nothing my NB 790s couldn't cut through. Decently warm too, although I don't know that it was enough to clean the air out. I ran up Smithfield Canyon and back. Averaged 6:58/mile.

New Balance 790 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Mike Kirk on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 13:59:49 from 68.53.219.208

Amy is interviewing in Logan today. DON'T DRIVE! The air must be clear.

She called two minutes before the interview to say how beautiful Logan was this morning.

Mike

From Paul on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 14:04:34 from 65.103.252.214

Hopefully they will take her to Cafe Rio for lunch.

She must have been joking. The air is much cleaner today than other days, but visibility is still very poor. I'll try not to let my car idle out in front of Walmart for more than 10 minutes.

From Mike Kirk on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 14:12:26 from 68.53.219.208

I think she is comparing Logan to here. When we get a great day I can see the mountains. On a bad day I can only see as far as the nuclear power plant.

I think Cafe Rio is for dinner tonight.

From Steve Piccolo on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 15:12:07 from 155.100.236.234

Hi Paul. I ran across a journal article about a scientific study on the genetics of AS. Thought you might be interested. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20062062?dopt=Abstract Not sure if you can get the full text of the article. The basic idea behind it is that they found some genes that are associated with immune response that they believe give some people a genetic predisposition to AS. If that's true, they may eventually be able to use that information to come up with better treatments.

From Paul on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 15:39:46 from 65.103.252.214

Yeah, I think I've seen the synopsis of that study, or at least a similar one. Researchers seem to learn new things everyday, and I agree that this will hopefully lead to better screening and treatments.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Very foggy this morning (although not too cold). I started out toward Hyde Park, but quickly realized that if I continued with that route, I would likely be killed due to the combination of Skyview-bound teenage drivers and the lack of a road shoulder. So I repented (lit. "turned around"), and ran Hillside to Summit, down to the Cemetery, where I did loops until it was time to go home. Not the most exciting, but much safer. Averaged 6:57/mile for the run.

Brooks Launch Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Clay on Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 16:35:30 from 67.222.231.10

Very smart move, you can not trust those darn teenage drivers;-)

From Adam RW on Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 21:36:22 from 24.10.132.131

Safe it good and hopefully you have something more fun in store for tomorrow.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.500.000.000.000.0015.50

Ran with Cody for 7.5 miles, and then added Jon to the mix for 8 more miles. Yucky day out.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 15.50
Comments
From Burt on Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 15:11:36 from 206.19.214.144

That's good company.

From Jon on Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 16:32:02 from 75.169.136.232

Actually, Burt, when he said "Yucky day" he WAS referring to the company of Cody and myself...

From Burt on Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 16:58:46 from 98.177.216.165

lol!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.500.000.000.000.009.50

We had a little bit of snow this morning, not much but enough to make the road slick on some places. But it was fine mostly. It had stopped snowing right after I started my run, and temps were nice. Only a yellow air day today. I did a North Logan semi-loop, and tried to keep it pretty quick, but not quite tempo. Didn't look at my garmin until the end, just to keep it real. Averaged 6:24/mile for 9.5 miles.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 9.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Snowing today...but warm! 31.5 degrees to be exact. Seemed like a good day for the NB 790s, so I slipped them on and headed out. I did an out-and-back: Hillside to Summit, and then up Smithfield Canyon. Averaged about 6:40/mile going up Smithfield Canyon in the snow. I found out why it was so easy when I turned around: tailwind! Which was now a headwind. Had to squint for most of the way back down, but it wasn't too bad. Averaged about 5:55/mile on the downhill. But the worst was to come. I climbed back up Summit Dr, and then finally turned south onto Hillside Dr. And that was the nastiest headwind. Little pellet-like snow was bombarding my face, and the wind itself didn't feel that good. It brought back memories of last years' Striders Half Marathon. But it was only a mile-long stretch, and I made it. Ended up averaging 6:26/mile for 10 miles. The roads got progressively snowier during my run, but the 790s did great, with very minimal loss of traction compared to dry roads. Everyone should have a pair of these shoes.

***********

For the five people out there who care, I've updated my personal blog, here. I figure it's a good thing to do every 6 months or so.

New Balance 790 Miles: 10.00
Comments
From redrooster on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 14:16:06 from 63.226.92.94

I am the proud owner of 5 pairs of NB790s. When they went on clearance I stockpiled a bunch at 40 dollars a pair with free shipping from the new balance outlet. I agree, they are my go to shoe now for almost everything, and great in the winter. Now we have to get you into some five fingers....

From Superfly on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 15:30:46 from 208.117.127.110

I'm one of the five people who care.

From Marathon Dreamer on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 15:41:31 from 200.52.168.2

Me too... Awesome run!! Thank you for sharing your personal blog. I enjoyed reading about your experiences. One of my favorite sayings comes to mind, "this too shall pass" and when it doesn't - I like to think that it just means that there are different plans for you....

From Jon on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 18:12:08 from 138.64.8.51

I care. I looked just last week to see if it was updated.

From Paul on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 18:19:15 from 65.103.252.214

Okay, I stand corrected: three people.

From Benny's on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 18:47:10 from 24.174.249.108

ha! I read and dissected your entire blog, wrote down all workouts and learned from them! As you know, I'm gonna break sub 1:10 in your honor PAUL! Way to go man!! thanks for keeping the people you hardly know motivated.. ROCK ON!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Ran from work, did the North Logan Loop. Good running conditions today. Averaged 6:46/mile for the run. Did 6x100m strides in the middle of the run.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 10.00
Comments
From redrooster on Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 01:47:10 from 67.40.119.216

what time do you run when you run from work? I could really benefit from a pace like that, which for me would be tempo of course. maybe I will join you some time.

PS- stupid vikings. stupid brent. no justice.

oh and you should still do the madison mini with me!

From Paul on Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 09:28:11 from 65.103.252.214

I run whenever I get the urge. Usually it's around noon, but not always. I usually run from Logan on Wednesdays.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.003.500.000.009.50

I ran in the late afternoon, and it was gorgeous out, sunny and relatively warm. I ran the Hyde Park - North Logan semi-loop, and did 5x4-minute fartlek with 2-minute recoveries. It was not my greatest workout, but I got through it. The route is pretty rolling, and it seemed like my recoveries were always on the downhills, and the intervals on the uphills (except for the first interval, which was all downhill). Bad timing, I guess. Averaged 5:15/mile, 5:45/mile, 5:37/mile, 5:48/mile, and 5:53/mile for the fartlek part of it. Averaged 6:22/mile for the entire run.

We head out to Michigan tomorrow. I frontloaded my week so that I only need 4 miles tomorrow, as I won't have much time to run.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.50
Comments
From Superfly on Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 19:47:55 from 208.117.127.110

Have a good trip. I front loaded my week too. Well kind of. I can take Friday off and then do a 30 miler on Sat.

From Jon on Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 01:34:28 from 75.169.157.10

A thought I just had- do you think that you underperform in the half compared to other distances? For example, your 10k PR is 3 minutes faster than me, and you marathon is 16 minutes faster. But your half is only 3 min faster. Would you say that is the PR you can improve the most right now?

From Paul on Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 21:44:36 from 98.243.86.41

Jon - no, I think I'm pretty even throughout the distances. My Daniels' VDOT spans eerily accurate across the board, from 1500m all the way through marathon.

Also, you have to remember that you are comparing your TOU Half time (aided) to my Seattle Half time (unaided). And then you are comparing my St George Marathon time (exceptionally aided) to your TOU Marathon time (moderately aided). So you are really comparing apples and oranges. If you want to compare apples and apples, my best TOU Half time is about 5 minutes faster than yours (1:06-mid vs. 1:11-mid). And my TOU Marathon best is 11 minutes faster than yours (2:23 vs. 2:34). When you look at it this way, our differences in 10K, half marathon, and marathon are pretty linear.

But all that said, I do think I can post much better times in the half marathon than I have in the past. But that's just because I'm an optimistic chap, not because I think I've underperformed at that particular distance.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

Did a short loop in the dark before we headed to the airport. 4 miles, averaging about 7:30/mile. It was quite warm this morning, and windy. Front must be coming in.

Brooks Adrenaline 8, #2 Miles: 4.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

Ran from Stacy's dad's house in Monroe, Michigan. It was a gray day, but relatively warm (upper 30s). Amazing how little snow there is out here, and also amazing how flat it is. I just did a simple out-and-back, since I have no idea where I am. Ran down Dunbar Rd about 7.5 miles, and then turned around and came back. Had a tailwind the whole way out...and predictably a headwind the whole way back, but it wasn't too bad. The road was pretty boring, but had a dirt shoulder to run on, so that was nice. Averaged 6:35/mile for 15 miles.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 15.00
Comments
From redrooster on Sun, Jan 24, 2010 at 23:55:03 from 67.40.119.216

Hey Paul. Why do I have the song "Deja vu" by Crosby Stills and Nash stuck in my head?

ha ha ha. what a classic playoff finish for a classy guy. I almost hope he'll be back next year for more entertainment!!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Still in Michigan. I ran the opposite direction on Dunbar St today, and then crossed over I-75 and found a little DNR boat launch area. Since the boat launch was basically closed for the winter, it turned out to be a good place to run, as there were no cars and shelter from the wind. After about a mile, I got to a parking lot and had to turn around. Did this little "loop" 3x, which gave me 10 miles for the run. Felt kind of heavy from eating crappy food during this trip, but oh well. Didn't do a tempo run, but still tried to keep the pace decent. Averaged 6:35/mile for the run.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 10.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Ran into Bolle Harbor. It was slightly less awful than the other runs I've done, with pristine views of beautiful Lake Eerie. Sigh. Pace was slow today, 7:17/mile average for the run. Windy again (it's windy every day here). Colder too.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From redrooster on Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 17:35:15 from 67.40.119.216

lake erie- pristine views? now you've been in Monroe too long. better get back to Utah. I am getting worried about you.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Last run in michigan. Very cold and windy, bad wind chill. Same route as yesterday. 6:55/mile average pace. Flying home in a few hours!

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Back in Smithfield, back to the fog. Did a bit of a tempo today. I ran Hillside to Summit and then up Smithifield Canyon. Felt better as the run went on. Splits were 6:32, 5:58, 5:59, 6:21, 6:43, 5:38, 5:35, 5:58, 6:22, 5:26. Average pace for the run was 6:03/mile.

Brooks Launch Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Kory on Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 02:20:19 from 24.116.159.75

I bought a pair of the Brook Launch and I really like them. Nice splits your just flat out fast.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Horrible, foggy again. I'm getting very depressed, can't remember the last time I saw direct sunlight. North Logan-Hyde Park out-and-back, sought high ground. Got up to 4900+ feet, but no difference. Averaged 6:39/mile for the run.

Brooks Adrenaline 8 Blue Miles: 8.00
Comments
From redrooster on Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 16:30:27 from 129.123.3.31

tomorrow will cheer you up. BF canyon was GORGEOUS today. blue sky, clear, I stopped at my turnaround and just enjoyed the beautiful weather for about five minutes before reluctantly running back towards reality.

From allie on Sat, Jan 30, 2010 at 10:44:21 from 98.202.24.36

i agree, this has been one depressing month weather-wise. hope you found clear skies today.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.000.000.000.000.0016.00

Run up Blacksmith Fork to escape the inversion. It worked for the most part. I met Cody at the park, and we run up the Canyon to Hardware Ranch. The first half of the run just flew by, despite going uphill. I think it was a result of getting direct sunlight, something I have not experienced for a couple months. Going down was actually the harder part. The first few miles going down were pretty good, but then fatigue started to set in (I think my week of travel plus increased mileage caught up with me), and also it turned out that the inversion had followed us up the canyon, and the smog and cold temperatures were a lot higher up than when we started the run. Combine that with a headwind, made the last 4-5 miles more grueling than they should be. But we made it, and it was still a good run. Averaged 6:52/mile for 16 miles.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Jon on Sat, Jan 30, 2010 at 20:39:46 from 75.169.143.180

Grueling last miles? Cody says you weren't even breathing hard!

From Paul on Sat, Jan 30, 2010 at 21:33:35 from 174.27.212.60

No, but it was cold, and my hands hurt.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
11.250.000.000.000.0011.25

Did an up-tempo run on the Bear River Loop. 11.25 miles, averaging 6:01/mile. The 6-minute guy passed me on the final hill.

Brooks Launch Miles: 11.25
Comments
From redrooster on Mon, Feb 01, 2010 at 22:34:16 from 67.40.119.216

the six minute guy- is that something on the garmin? I will have to figure out how to do that. All I know how to do on my 205 now is start, stop and pause. is it hard?

From Jon on Mon, Feb 01, 2010 at 22:36:33 from 75.169.140.96

Are you sure you'll be able to keep up with me Saturday? 12 min miles can be pretty rough!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

North Logan out-and-back. Averaged 6:44/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From missy on Tue, Feb 02, 2010 at 22:06:17 from 70.56.98.145

Paul, by the looks of your Profile Picture..you took too much youth serum! Nice runner legs by the way! :)

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
3.756.000.000.000.009.75

Ran from work and did a bit of a tempo run on the First Dam Run 10K course. Followed up the tempo with 8x30s hill charges up the Boulevard. Tempo splits were 5:53, 5:51, 5:55, 5:32, 5:36, 5:34.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Decided to take the day off today. My right achilles got a bit sore during yesterday's run, and is still sore today. Not worth it to take chances, so will lay off until Saturday.

Comments
From redrooster on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 at 20:53:02 from 67.40.119.216

are you and Cody running part of the 100 to pace Jon? or just going for fun?

hope the achilles is feeling better by Saturday.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Travel day out to Houston. My achilles is feeling quite a bit better, after rest, stretching and massaging.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
24.000.000.000.000.0024.00

Crewed for and paced Jon in the Rocky 100 today. I'm not going to steal any of Jon's thunder regarding the race, so won't talk about that much. Cody and I explored some of the trails during some down-time in the mid-morning, and did about 4 miles. Then I paced Jon for 20 miles, for his Mile 60-80 during the race. My pacing duties started around 4PM, and ended around 8PM, so about half was in the dark. It was quite fun, more for me than for Jon. Even though it was "only" 20 miles, I was still pretty tired from the end, probably more from being on my feet for 4 hours than from the pace. Plus, it was my longest run since Top of Utah last September. I liked the trails out there. Rolling hills, but nothing long.

Saucony Guide TR Miles: 24.00
Comments
From Superfly on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 12:23:44 from 208.117.127.110

Good job. You guys are great for helping Jonny boy with his race. Sounds like a cool trip.

From David Nelson on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 23:12:06 from 24.22.231.57

Didn't know you guys were going down to crew; nice!

From Paul on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 23:13:28 from 174.23.180.177

Yeah, let me know when you do your first 100, and I'll help you out too. I've got serious crew skills now.

From Jon on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 at 19:45:51 from 75.169.145.105

Dave- And I'll give him a solid A for his crewing- he comes highly recommended!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Easy 8 miles, Upper Canyon loop. 7:10/mile average.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.500.000.000.000.009.50

Hyde Park - North Logan route. 9.5 miles averaging 6:44/mile. My right achilles is still just a little bit funny, so I'm not doing anything intense until I get it massaged/stretched out and feeling normal. Feels okay at this pace though.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 9.50
Comments
From Aaron Kennard on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 at 15:38:59 from 174.51.250.151

Its always inspiring to hear you doing stuff like 9.5 miles at 6:44/pace and be in 'recovery' mode. I love it...keeps me remembering what's possible with increased fitness.

From Jon on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 at 19:46:36 from 75.169.145.105

Yeah, Aaron, it's always interesting to run with him when he talks about throwing down 5:00 min miles in the middle of a marathon... Intimidating.

From Jon on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 at 19:53:12 from 75.169.145.105

My achilles feels ok at sitting pace. And the rest of me, too.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

I caught Seth's cold, so am taking today off.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Still sick. I took a turn for the worse yesterday (fever), and saw a doctor later on. As suspected, I have strep. Taking antibiotics and laying low. The worst part is that I had to delay my dose of Enbrel until I get better. Bummer.

Comments
From redrooster on Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 12:59:31 from 184.48.107.75

sorry to hear, the antibiotics ought to do the trick though. get well soon.

From Jon on Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 17:22:33 from 138.64.8.51

Yes, sorry to hear you're sick.

From Predog on Sat, Feb 13, 2010 at 13:42:37 from 174.27.133.30

That's too bad. I had strep a couple of summers ago and it was no fun at all. Get well.

From Ashbaker on Sat, Feb 13, 2010 at 14:18:46 from 174.52.96.106

Hang in there Paul. Get well soon..

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Feeling 95% better from strep infection. Still, I decided to take one more day off for good measure. After all, it's just running.

Comments
From Ashbaker on Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 18:38:46 from 64.134.22.122

Glad to hear it:)

From redrooster on Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 23:41:37 from 67.40.119.216

are you sure it was strep, and not just a delayed allergic reaction to those awful fluorescent green gaiters Jon wore at the RR100?

From Jon on Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 08:38:37 from 75.169.150.15

Scott, you're just jealous.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.750.000.000.000.005.75

I resumed training today, but am easing into it; nothing hard until I'm not with antibiotics. Did a loop around the east side of Smithfield, 5.75 miles averaging 7:30/mile. It felt pretty good.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 5.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Ran from work. Planet Walk - Landfill Loop. Averaged 7:15/mile.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

North Logan out-and-back. 6:36/mile average pace.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

Smithfield Canyon out-and-back. 9 miles, 6:52/mile average. My left glute was really sore from tearing around the house last night with Seth on my shoulders. Funny how running 10 miles at 6-minute pace makes me feel nothing, but playing hard with my kid for two minutes makes me sore.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 9.00
Comments
From redrooster on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 15:12:35 from 67.40.119.216

wanna run with me tomorrow, warmup, FYB 5K, and cooldown? I can go up to 14 total.

From Paul on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 15:31:54 from 65.103.252.214

No, I have a meeting all morning.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.250.000.000.000.0012.25

Did a tempo run today, 12.25 miles on the Bear River Loop. I didn't really look at my watch at all, just ran at whatever pace my legs wanted to go. As usual for this type of workout, it was a progression; splits were 6:09, 6:00, 5:56, 5:58, 5:56, 5:47, 5:46, 5:37, 5:47, 5:50, 5:46, 6:03. (5:54/mile average). The first half is a general downhill (toward the Bear River), second half generally a slight uphill (away from river, toward mountains). But most people would describe it as "flat". I was working pretty hard on the last few miles to maintain that pace on the incline, but felt pretty good. Beautiful day to run.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 12.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

Out-and-back on Canyon Rd, 9 miles total. Did 6 hill charges up the dugway near the end of the run. Averaged 6:50/mile for the run.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.500.000.000.000.009.50

North Logan - Hyde Park Loop. 6:54/mile average pace.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 9.50
Comments
From Superfly on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 12:15:55 from 208.117.127.110

was it below zero there this morning like the news said it would be last night?

From Paul on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 12:37:24 from 65.103.252.214

It was about 10 degrees, not too bad out.

From Jon on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 19:36:20 from 75.169.146.150

Smithfield was warm. It was 1 deg at my house.

From Paul on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 19:41:25 from 204.113.19.55

Hmmm, that's cold. I didn't run until 8AM though, so the sun was up.

From Jon on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 19:41:37 from 75.169.146.150

What's up with the no-comments on marathongis blog?

From Paul on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 19:57:49 from 65.103.252.214

Uh...must have hit the no-comment button by accident for the most recent post. I've fixed it.

From Scott Ensign on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 12:09:43 from 65.100.253.126

Paul, yeah right, I think you are just paranoid someone will post an anonymous comment to your web site. we can't have that. someone might anonymously post a disparaging comment about, for example, Jon's awful green gaiters. There are all kinds of lurkers out there just dying to do that you know.

Hey- did you see I figured out how to change my blog nickname to my real name? I am pretty proud of myself... no anonymity anymore for this red rooster.

From Paul on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 12:14:28 from 65.103.252.214

Scott, now that you are no longer anonymous, I've already stolen your identity.

From Scott Ensign on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 12:29:27 from 65.100.253.126

Paul, that is fine, as long as you also register for some races as me and bring home some hardware (and better yet, cash) for me.

From Superfly on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 12:53:20 from 208.117.127.110

LOL... Paul that was good:)

From Jon on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 19:31:46 from 75.169.146.150

You're just jealous of my shorts and matching gaiters, Scott.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.750.000.000.000.009.75

Did a tempo on the First Dam Run 10K course, followed by 8x30 hill charges on the Boulevard. Gray and snowy today, although nothing was sticking to the roads yet. But it was a less than inspiring day to run, and kind of a "bleh" workout. Tempo splits were 6:05, 6:03, 6:04, 5:49, 5:47, 5:40. Average pace for the entire run was 6:17/mile.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 9.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.500.000.000.000.008.50

Ran from work. Planet Walk - Landfill Loop. 8 miles, right around 7-minute pace.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.50
Comments
From Jon on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 19:35:38 from 75.169.159.86

Is Planet Walk icy?

From Paul on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 19:48:01 from 65.103.252.214

Yeah, mega-icy. You and Cody have dropped the ball in keeping it shoveled.

From Scott Ensign on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 23:53:56 from 65.100.253.126

I ran on planet walk on Saturday with Joe. it was icy then too. neighborhood has kind of tanked since you left and took your snowblower to Smithfield.

From Paul on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 08:29:32 from 174.23.180.177

Snowblower? You mean Shovel?

From Bonnie on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:38:54 from 64.119.33.134

Cutest profile picture yet Paul!

From Jon on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 09:55:04 from 138.64.8.52

Bonnie- you do realize that's his kid, Seth, and not Paul, right? Paul's not near that cute... ;)

From Paul on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 10:21:19 from 174.23.180.177

Thanks Bonnie. PR for cuteness!

Jon, Bonnie has met me. She knows that I'm not pretty.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

Out-and-back up Smithfield Canyon. Did a little bit of a progression run. Average pace was 6:31/mile for 9 miles.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.000.000.000.000.0016.00

Did a loop out west and north of Smithfield. Very rural and nice, with a few really soft dirt roads. I probably saw about 3 cars the entire. It was absolutely gorgeous out today, and I just let my body take me at the pace it wanted to go. And apparently my body wanted to go fast. Splits were 6:20, 6:30, 6:22, 6:11, 6:26, 6:01, 5:58, 5:59, 6:06, 5:55, 5:51, 6:06, 5:56, 5:53, 5:58, 6:35. 6:07/mile average for 16 miles. For a while, 6-minute pace was feel pretty darn comfortable, but I was working hard during the last few miles, especially since they were a gradual uphill. The final mile (which is a big uphill) about killed me.

Great day to be alive.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Adam RW on Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 20:37:04 from 24.10.132.131

Great run. Glad to see that the juices are flowing. What had Seth just done before that picture. It looks like he is trying to get away with something.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
11.250.000.000.000.0011.25

Did the Bear River Loop, with 7 miles of tempo. Most miles were around 5:55 or so, but I had a 5:45 and a 5:40 in the middle. Turned it down with a few miles left and cruised at 6:30-6:40 for a couple miles, and then did 6 strides up the hill on the last mile. 6:07/mile average pace for the run. Didn't feel especially great, but not terrible either.

Brooks Launch Miles: 11.25
Comments
From Jon on Mon, Mar 01, 2010 at 19:25:11 from 75.169.137.126

"5:40 mile... didn't feel especially great." I wish I could run a 5:40 mile while not feeling great... :)

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM - lower Hyde Park out-and-back. 8 miles, 7:00/mile average. Achilles is still bothering me a little bit. 

PM - Summit Dr loop with Seth. Saw a bunch of deer in the cemetery, which Seth liked. 8:00/mile pace. Seth has gotten heavier over the winter, and the hills have gotten bigger, so the stroller is tough going.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Ran from work and did the Planet Walk - Landfill Loop. Planet Walk is almost clear, just a little ice left. It was a bit warmer today, and very nice to run. I walked the dog, so to speak. Right achilles feels about the same as yesterday. Running easy is fine (no pain and doesn't make things worse), but no speedwork or hills until it gets better. 6:59/mile average.

Brooks Launch Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Jon on Wed, Mar 03, 2010 at 20:57:47 from 75.169.155.14

Planet Walk is about clear... which means it's going to snow tomorrow.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

North Logan out-and-back, 10 miles. Averaged 6:46/mile. Achilles felt slightly better today, but still needs to improve.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 10.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.250.000.000.000.0012.25

AM - Summit Loop, 4 miles easy. 7:10/mile pace.

PM - Ran home from work, a little over 8 miles. It's the first time I've done this, but perhaps I'll do it once/week. Saves commuting time. Just wore my watch, but average pace was around 7:00/mile, maybe a little under.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.500.000.000.000.0016.50

Ran with special guest Walter this morning. I intended to run the back roads up to Richmond (which is nice and flat), but then we bumped into Carson Cambell running with some of his team, and he ran with us for a while, and amidst the confusion we ended up going all the way up Smithfield Canyon, which is the exact opposite of what I had planned. Carson left us midway, so Walter and I kept going until the road got really bad, then we came back down. The probably was that we only had 9 miles, and we needed 16. So then we ran a loop to Hyde Park. Still needed a few more after than, so then we did a small loop on Summit Dr and back to my house. 16.5 miles total, averaged 7:15/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 16.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.250.000.000.000.0012.25

AM - 4 miles easy on the Summit - Cemetery Loop. No watch.

PM - Ran home from work. 8.25 miles, averaged 6:55/mile.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.250.000.000.000.0012.25

Met Carson at Mack Park, and then we ran up Smithfield Canyon a ways, and then back down and added some distance by running around the west side. Dropped Carson at his house and then ran back home. 12.25 miles, averaged 6:56/mile.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 12.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.500.000.000.000.009.50

Run-commuted home from work. 9.5 miles, averaging 6:46/mile.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM - easy loop around Smithfield with Carson. 7.5 miles, averaged 7:12/mile.

PM - ran on the Shamrock Shuffle course. It will be fairly hard. Uphill first 0.75 miles, then downhill for 1.5 miles, then gentle incline uphill to finish. I did a couple miles today at 6-minute pace. Averaged 6:33/mile for the run.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 4.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 7.50
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 11:33:20 from 65.100.253.126

yeah, that is not a very fun course at all. oh well. see you tomorrow.

From Scott Ensign on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 11:45:05 from 65.100.253.126

is this the route you ran (see below)? this is what Missy perkes gave me. It is different than the 5K turkey trot in the fall, which goes north instead of south from skyview. I thought it was going to be that route. but they are both hard. Scott

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3538723

From Paul on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 12:06:42 from 65.103.252.214

Yeah, that's the loop.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Did a loop around Smithfield. Walked the dog. 7:11/mile average.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Jon on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 20:55:37 from 75.169.152.81

Dog? I thought you got rid of Gil.

From JD on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 21:32:03 from 209.183.51.63

...or perhaps you consider a 7:11 pace pedestrian, therefore you "walked the dog".

From Paul on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 22:41:51 from 174.23.180.177

Yes. I did get rid of Gil, but I still have the right to walk the dog every so often.

Race: Smithfield Shamrock Shuffle 5K (3.107 Miles) 00:16:27, Place overall: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.000.003.000.000.0016.00

Today I ran a local race, the Smithfield Shamrock Shuffle 5K. By "local", I mean, "race that I can run to from my house. The Smithfield Rec Center puts it on along with the Cache Sun 'n' Snow Runners. I like running the S'n'S races, because they know how to put on a race and they are nice folks. Plus, this race was only $5, and you get $1 off if you wear green. So I wore green.

I slept in until 7AM today, and then got up and decided to do a short run to get some extra miles early (since it was supposed to snow later), and to try to shake out some of the crud in my legs. I ran from my house down to the race start line (about a mile), and then ran the 5K course. The first half mile is a pretty decent uphill with about 125 ft of gain. I run it several times a week over the course of my daily runs, and it's no fun. The next 1.5 miles is a nice, fast downhill. The route loses about 230 ft during this stretch. The final mile is a gradual but noticeable uphill, about 70 ft of climb over the mile. Due to the uphill start and uphill finish of this loop course, I rank it as a moderately difficult route. Not as hard as Striders 5K, but certainly much slower than First Dam Run, TOU 5K, Heart of Holladay, Draper Days, and courses like that. For my shakeout run, I just did the route pretty slow. Felt like garbage.

I went back home after the first run (about 5.5 miles total), ate breakfast, read, drank some coffee, and put some finishing touches on the new Wasatch Back Relay maps. Typical Saturday morning stuff. At about 9:15AM, I realized that I should probably get back down to the Rec Center and register, since the race starts at 10AM. I found a few dollar bills, stuffed them in my tights, and headed down.

Registered, warmed up a little more, talked to some people, met some new people. The typical pre-race stuff I really like. Eventually, the race management herded us all up to the start line, and they got the race going, pretty close to on time.

Being a small, local fun-run, a few kids bolted out to the front, most notably a junior high girl and a junior high boy. The girl faded pretty quick, but the boy kept putting distance on me (keep in mind we're going up a 4% grade hill). I just tried to run steady and not too hard, especially since I wasn't really in the mood to run hard today. Near the top of the hill, before the turn, I started reeling the kid in. I was kind of feeling sorry for him, knowing that he would certainly die a painful death the rest of the race, but was also waxing nostalgic a bit for those days of my own youth, when I could just sprint up hills without fearing the consequences.

We turned the corner from 600 S onto 1000 W, and uphill turned into downhill. I passed the kid, and just tried to keep a strong push on the downhill, and also regain my breath at the same time. Soon, I couldn't hear any footsteps behind me, and I knew the rest of the way would be a time trial/workout. I hit Mile 1 in 5:16, which was faster than I thought it would be. Turns out that I have a favorable cross-wind/tailwind. Garmin time matched pretty well with the road mark. Cache S'n'S use a wheel for a lot of their courses, so they are usually pretty accurate.

The downhill flattened out a bit as I neared Hyde Park, but then the route made another right turn onto 4400 N, and I had another mile or so of fairly big downhill. I just tried to enjoy the ride, knowing that I was going to get uphill (and a headwind) for the last mile. My Mile 2 split was 4:57. The crosswind was not favorable in this direction, which slowed it down slightly, but not much.

Right after Mile 2, I turned the corner onto 300 E. Now it was a gradual 1% uphill, and also a mild to moderate headwind. I wasn't feeling too motivated to finish out the race with a bang, so just tried to run steady and reasonably strong. And behold, I made it back to 600 S, and turned the corner. Hit Mile 3 split in 5:23.

At this point, I had about a 2% uphill to the Rec Center/Skyview parking lot, and then a left turn into the lot, and into the chute. Pretty much just coasted in, victorious, but lazy. I averaged 5:30-pace for the last 0.1. I ended up stopping at the beginning of the chute, but the finish line was at the end of the chute. So my garmin time was 16:21, but my offical time was 16:27, since I walked it in. Ah well.

Second place was a Mountain Crest freshman, about 17:30 (good effort). Surprisingly, the 7th grader who rabbited out so hard was 3rd place with 17:50. I was actually quite impressed, given his age and race strategy. Kid probably has a future with running.

I never felt that great during the race, and wasn't really in the mood to race, but that's why I thought it would be good to do a race. Sometimes I need a little push like that. My next race (Striders Half) will hopefully be a little bit spunkier, and then my third race, a peak race, I'll hopefully have all the cobwebs kicked out and fire on all cylinders. My achilles has been concerning me since early February, so I've backed off on speedwork, tempos, hills, and strides, which certainly hurt 5K speed as well, but my endurance is still pretty good. Hopefully the speed will come around. I'll have to see how my achilles responds to racing flats and a race effort, and gauge my future training off that. I'm hoping I can start getting back into some quality work again. The achilles has not been hurting while running lately, but is a little sore to the touch when I push on it the right way.

After the race, I talked to some more people, met some neighbors, etc. Decided to stick around for the awards, and glad I did, because I won an exercise ball in the raffle, and then a $20 Al's gift certificate for 1st place. Not bad for a $4 race that I didn't even need to drive to.

After awards, I joined up with the Red Rooster and with DaveS, and we shuttled up to my house, where I changed my shoes, and then we cooled down for 6 miles by doing an out-and-back to Smithfield Canyon via Summit Dr. During the time of the awards, the weather really took a turn for the worse. The wind picked up about three-fold, and it also started snowing. The first part of our cooldown was just terrible, as we were going straight into the wind, but then it got better after that, and the last four miles were decent. I'm just glad it wasn't that windy during the race.

Anyway, kind of a "beh" start to the racing year, but that's how I wanted it. Time to eeeaase back into racing, so mission accomplished.

Saucony Type A Miles: 4.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 11.50
Comments
From Superfly on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 16:38:35 from 208.117.127.110

Solid race for a "beh" intro to the racing year. That 4:57 second mile was so "beh".

Good job man- looking forward to seeing what you do this year.

From Jon on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 16:56:09 from 75.169.152.81

Nice job beating down all the poor, innocent 7th graders. I hope you feel good about yourself.

Just kidding. Congrats on a win. I think I will have a heart attack from surprise when you DON'T win a Cache Valley race, at least one which doesn't attract Teren. And it's good to hear about how well run the race was, especially compared to that Provo run today. Add on a $4 entry fee, and it sounds like you had a great start to your day.

From Scott Ensign on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 17:09:58 from 65.100.253.126

how come you both win the race and also win stuff in the raffle? that just isn't fair. i never win stuff in the raffle.

oh, nice win, and thanks for taking me on that nice cool down run. I especially enjoyed the head wind, snow in the face and the hills. yes I am a wimp.

From Cody on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 17:24:47 from 174.52.244.185

Nice Job Paul! What more can I say?

From Burt on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 17:49:29 from 98.177.220.145

Good race. I bet if Jon had run, he would not have worn green just out of spite.

From Holt on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 19:10:15 from 75.169.77.61

I was thinking the same thing as Clyde - sub 5:00 blah...!

From Dave S on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 20:29:09 from 4.254.226.28

Nice job for an blah race. It was fun watching you catch and pass that jr high kid in the lead like he was standing still just after turning the corner.

From Walter on Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 01:43:50 from 24.10.169.110

Great race Paul! Was that the same course as the Turkey Trot they put on? You rocked it anyhow. Good job!

From MichelleL on Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 01:52:14 from 71.35.238.210

Sometimes signing up for the race and showing up is half the battle. I hope your achilles cooperates.

From Paul on Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 15:04:59 from 174.23.180.177

Thanks everyone.

Yes, similar course to the Turkey Trot, but I think it goes the other direction.

The achilles feels quite good today. I think it needed a race to stimulate recovery.

From Benny's on Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 15:37:28 from 24.174.249.108

Good Job Paul!

From JD on Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 17:33:04 from 209.183.51.66

Nicely done!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM - 8 very easy miles. Ran out past Mack Park and then to Forrester Acres and back on the paved trail. Still very icy around Forrester (I took a big digger on that ice last week, forgot to mention it). Then came back up Summit to Hillside, and then went south a little ways on the canal trail. The paved part is fine, of course, and the dirt section I was on was clear of snow, although it was mud frozen over, so rather poor footing. But we are getting closer to running on dirt again.

PM - 4 miles with Seth, Summit-Cemetery Loop. 7:45/mile pace.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 4.00Jogging Stroller Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM - 8 miles with Carson, out-and-back on Smithfield Canyon. 7:08/mile average.

PM - Cemetery laps with Seth. 4 miles, 6:56/mile. Felt really good.

Jogging Stroller Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00Brooks Launch Miles: 4.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.500.000.000.000.009.50

Awesome evening to run, and it's great to be in shorts and a t-shirt. I run-mmuted home from work. Tried to tempo for most of the way. The last 3.5 miles were on the canal trail, which was about 80% good, with patches of snow or mud. Not much snow actually, but the mud slowed me down in places. But it was nice to run on again. Felt good, and averaged 6:22/mile for the run.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 9.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

Ran 8 miles easy with Carson. We ran up Summit Dr, Hillside, and then ran up Dry Canyon Rd until it got too snowy (almost up to single track). Then ran on canal trail for a little while and headed home. About an hour later, I took Seth out, and we did 4 miles (Cemetery Loops). Average pace was all over 8:00/mile.

Jogging Stroller Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 12.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.750.000.000.000.0012.75

AM - 4 miles on the canal trail. Wore the NB 790s, and enjoyed it. It was a cold morning, but very clear and beautiful out. The sun was on the Wellsvilles, with dark clouds behind them, and it was very striking, great view. 6:42/mile average.

AM.2 - ran down to the bus stop from my house. Missed the bus, so then Stacy had to take me to work.

PM - Run-mmuted home from work, 8.25 miles. It was kind of nasty - snowing with a head-wind - and I was unprepared for it, wearing shorts. But then when I went from Logan into North Logan, it all mysteriously stopped, the sun came out, and wind died. I looked back into Logan, and there was still a black cloud over it. Glad I was going north. I was able to enjoy the second half of the run, and kept an honest pace the whole way. Averaged 6:29/mile for the run.

New Balance 790 Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.000.000.000.000.0016.00

Did a harder, longer run today, and it was gloriously nice out, so I enjoyed every minute of it. Ran from my house to Saddleback Rd and out west of Smithfield, and then headed north on the county roads up toward Richmond. Lots of dirt roads out there, which is nice, and I have great, clear views of Cache Valley in every direction. Felt good the whole way. Splits were:

6:04, 6:13, 5:48, 5:46, 5:43, 5:50, 5:42, 5:52, 5:49, 5:51, 5:43, 5:50, 5:56, 5:54, 6:02, 6:50. If I throw out my first two miles, which was warmup, and my last mile, which was all uphill, then I averaged 5:46/mile for the gut of the run. With the slow miles, it was a 5:55/mile average. Definitely a good run, and I think my body has adjusted to the mileage increase and wants to run hard again. I still get some soreness in my achilles, so I continue to work on it (lot of stretching, calf raises, ultrasound). Hopefully it will hold up, and continue to not inhibit my stride. It really doesn't hurt at all while running, just some soreness when I massage on it.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Jon on Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 19:33:52 from 75.169.145.188

Wow- impressive run.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM - met Carson at Mack Park, and then we ran up Birch Creek Canyon. The road was mostly clear of snow, but was a total mud pit. I think it will be pretty good for running by the end of the week, but today it was very slow going. Averaged 8:06/mile for 8 miles.

PM - Cemetery Loops with Seth. 4 miles, 7:05/mile average.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 4.00Jogging Stroller Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From James on Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 23:57:43 from 174.23.25.221

Carson Campbell?

From Paul on Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 08:14:28 from 174.23.180.177

Yes. He lives in Smithfield too.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM - Met Carson at Mack Park, and did a big loop around the west side of Smithfield. Snowing a little bit, but pretty nice for running. Averaged 6:55/mile for 8 miles.

PM - Smithfield Canyon with Seth. 4 miles, averaged 6:58/mile.

Jogging Stroller Miles: 4.00Brooks Launch Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.250.004.000.000.0012.25

Run-commuted home from work today, and did a fartlek work: 2-minutes hard, 1 minute recovery, x 10 repeats. Warmed up 3 miles at brisk pace: 6:12, 6:06, 6:01. Then started the fartlek.

 Interval Distance Pace
 1 0.40 mi
5:01/mile
 2 0.39 mi
5:09/mile
 3 0.38 mi
5:19/mile
 4 0.39 mi
5:10/mile
 5 0.39 mi
5:07/mile
 6 0.39 mi
5:13/mile
 7 0.39 mi
5:11/mile
 8 0.39 mi
5:10/mile
 9 0.39 mi
5:08/mile
 10 0.39 mi
5:11/mile

Pretty consistent pacing, which was good. Terrain for that route home is mostly flat, with some slight inclines here and there. Safe to assume that the slower intervals were on uphills, faster ones on downhills. Felt pretty good, although it was plain to me that the speedwork was badly needed. After I got home, I grabbed Seth, and we ran down to Mack Pack and along the path there, and back home. 12 miles total. 6:20/mile for the entire run.

 

 

Jogging Stroller Miles: 2.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM - met Carson at Mack Park, and we did an out-and-back up Smithfield Canyon. I forgot to start my garmin, so didn't get a pace. (but it was slow...tired from yesterday).8 miles.

PM - 4 miles with Seth, cemetery loops. 7:45/mile average.

Jogging Stroller Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 23:48:11 from 65.100.218.130

I see you moved back the date for retiring from running forever by a few weeks. and I see you want your trophy back for the tou 5K. bummer.

From Paul on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 11:52:23 from 65.103.252.214

Absurdly tentative

From Jon on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 19:49:42 from 75.169.141.133

Retire from running forever? Ha!

From Paul on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 23:00:46 from 174.23.180.177

Just watch me.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.250.000.000.000.0013.25

AM - Canal Trail, 4.75 miles averaging 6:41/mile.

PM - ran home from work. Averaged about 7:00/mile for 8.5 miles. Explored a little bit of the middle canal trail through Hyde Park.

New Balance 790 Miles: 4.75Brooks Launch Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

Did the Bear River - Benson Loop this morning, with 8 miles of tinman tempo. The tempo miles were 5:56, 5:52, 5:48, 5:37, 5:36, 5:48, 5:59, 6:10. Faster miles were due to slight downhill, slower miles at the end due to slight uphill plus wearing down plus really needing a portapot. Found a portapot near Skyview thanks to new home construction, and then continued on, cooled down for a few miles on the canal trail. 6:25/mile for the entire run. Decent workout, given that I'm at little worn down from the week's mileage.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 15.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.000.000.000.000.0013.00

AM - Canal Trail with Carson. 7:23/mile average.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 5.25 miles.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 5.25New Balance 790 Miles: 7.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.750.003.750.000.0010.50

Met Carson at Mack Park, and then I had to take a pit stop at the 7/11. Feeling much better, we then went out to the cemetery do to a workout of 6-8x1000m. Each big cemetery loop is almost 1000m, and I figured I could get the exact distance by adding on a little bit to the loop. After I got home, I checked my start/finish line on gmap, and determined I was a little bit short, more like 985m, which equates to about 3 seconds based on the pace I was running.

 Interval Adjusted Time
 1 3:07
 2 3:10
 3 3:08
 4 3:06
 5 3:06
 6 3:07

So I was hitting most of my splits in 3:03-3:05, which equate to 3:06-3:08. I was pretty pumped about being able to run 1000s this fast, this early in the season, definitely a good sign for Saturday. It was a windy day this morning, but it turned out that we had a head wind on most of the downhill portions, and a tailwind for the inclines, so that worked out pretty well. I really like using the cemetery loop for intervals. It seemed to go by faster than on a track, plus it better simulates road conditions, as the loop as both uphills and downhills (but not too steep anywhere), and it is a nice, level blacktop surface with no traffic. I'll definitely keep doing workouts there.

I stopped the workout after 6 intervals, since it was my first session of the year, plus I have a race on Saturday. Didn't want to push too hard, and I was definitely feeling it by the end.

 

Saucony Tangent Miles: 10.50
Comments
From Jon on Wed, Mar 31, 2010 at 23:56:19 from 75.169.139.220

Logan cemetary, or Smithfield?

From Paul on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 at 10:37:18 from 174.27.225.89

Smithfield. The one that's near a 7-11.

From jtshad on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 at 10:39:47 from 204.134.132.225

Good luck this weekend!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.500.000.000.000.008.50

Ran home from work. Driving headwind with snow pelting my face the entire way. Garmin battery died, so didn't get pace, but that's probably a good thing.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

I'm a little bit under the weather today, so am laying low. Don't feel terrible, but I want to give myself a chance to race on Saturday so am being conservative. I guess running into a headwind  with driving snow for 8 miles last night was not good for my immune system.

Comments
From Jon on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 at 19:39:26 from 75.169.138.17

If Saturday is anything like the past 2 years, you'll again be running into a headwind with driving snow.

From Paul on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 at 20:11:52 from 174.27.225.89

Yeah, if it's snowing I'm just not going to bother. I'd rather eat my entry fee than endure last year again.

From Scott Ensign on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 at 21:47:03 from 67.41.173.102

this doesn't sound bad at all...

South southwest wind between 13 and 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

From Paul on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 at 21:58:52 from 174.27.225.89

Yeah, we'll see. I would not feel bad at all for sleeping in. At this point in my life, I'm a fair-weather runner.

From Superfly on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 at 23:44:03 from 208.117.127.110

Good luck this weekend. That race scared me away after the conditions in 2008. I'd eat 10 entry fees before doing that again.

From Jon on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 at 23:47:54 from 75.169.138.17

Clyde- the sad part is 2009 was worse than 2008. Windier. I'm not doing it again- just back luck.

From Scott Ensign on Fri, Apr 02, 2010 at 20:18:51 from 67.41.173.102

hope your feeling better. maybe this will cheer you up. or not.

Point Forecast: 2 Miles ENE Ogden UT

41.23°N 111.92°W (Elev. 4599 ft)

Tonight: Snow. Low around 30. South southwest wind between 14 and 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.

Saturday: Snow before noon. High near 44. West wind between 8 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.250.000.000.000.008.25

Feeling better today. I ran home from work, and enjoyed a nice tailwind for once. Weather forecast looks grim for tomorrow. When I wake up, if it's snowin', I'm not goin'. Thankfully, I didn't ask for a comp for this race, so I'm free to enjoy a DNS.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.25
Comments
From Benn Griffin on Fri, Apr 02, 2010 at 22:16:37 from 96.240.245.142

The little one is growing up fast, Paul! And did I read that right? You have a 2nd on the way?? Exciting!

From Jon on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 00:19:11 from 174.19.189.39

Hey, wait, what? When?

From jtshad on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 12:46:57 from 69.20.183.178

Congrats on the impending new addition!

From Paul on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 12:56:31 from 174.27.225.89

Thanks. I'm excited to add our new deck. Oh, wait, you're talking about the baby... Yeah, that's pretty cool too.

From Jon on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 14:45:08 from 174.19.189.39

You better not let Stacy see that comment!

And what's up with this "retire from running forever" thing?

From Paul on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 15:56:30 from 174.27.225.89

Stacy is excited about the deck too.

From Cody on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 16:05:41 from 69.9.58.17

So, obviously no race for you today?

From Paul on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 16:34:16 from 174.27.225.89

Obviously.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.500.004.000.000.0017.50

I was signed up to run the Striders Half today, and felt ready to race, but I ended up with a big DNS. I got up at 4:30AM, checked the weather outside, then checked the weather in Huntsville via internet, then checked the road conditions on Sardine Canyon via internet, then went back to bed. I think I'm just getting mentally weak, today it did not seem worth it to risk life and limb to drive up to Ogden Valley for the opportunity to be miserable for 13.1 miles. Plus being miserable for the hour before the race, and the hour after the race. I did that and bought the t-shirt last year. All weather reports were indicating snow, 28 degrees, and 15mpw headwind. Bleh. Felt a little bad about wasting $45 on the entry fee, but at least I like Striders, so I'll consider it a donation, or maybe payback for the hundreds of dollars I've taken from them over the years in prize money.

Slept in until 8:15AM, a 2010 season-best.

Got up, ate breakfast, drank coffee, worked for a little while, and then headed out for a run. The snow was mostly melted from the roads, and weather was still cold but pretty decent for running. I was starting to regret not racing, especially when I felt pretty sharp during the whole run.

I needed to get a hard workout it, given that I missed a somewhat important tune-up race to Indy. So I took Hillside to Summit down to Center St, and then headed up Smithfield Canyon for some fun. First two miles of warmup were 6:40 and then 6:02. Smithfield Canyon was a winter wonderland, very pretty with all the snow, and I had the whole road to myself.

I picked up the pace when I started going up the canyon. Hit a 5:52 and 6:04 on my first two miles, which is really good for me in this canyon. Then a 6:15, which is about normal. And then the road started getting snowy, so I had to slow down in places, but still kept it brisk. 6:36 and 7:15 for the these two miles. At this point, there was about 6 inches of fresh snow in the road, much more than what was at my house. I had tire treads to run in, but it was still fairly slow. I was feeling a lot better about not racing, given that I was at the elevation of the race start line (~5400').

I got to the gate to the campground, and then turned around here, and started going downhill. 6:22 for the first downhill mile. The snow was pretty grippy, and good to run in. I was also getting some headwind on the downhill, which explained why the uphill felt so good. It was starting to snow too. Feeling increasingly good about not racing.

Once the snow cleared up, I started a short half marathon-pace tempo. First mile was 5:25, slowed partially by patchy snow. But the road continued to improve as I descended. Next three miles were 5:11, 5:09, 5:11. Felt absolutely great at this pace, and considered it a decent workout, especially combined with the earlier uphill tempo. I had to fight the headwind a little bit, but it was not very strong.

Made a pit-stop at the 7-11 on Center St at the end of the tempo, and then got some more miles by doing an out-and-back on the trail to Forrester Acres, then took the long way home on Summit. Averaged about 6:30/mile on these cooldown miles. Averaged 6:12/mile for the entire run of 17.5 miles, which I'm pretty happy with, and had plenty of spunk at the end.

I suppose one good thing about not racing today (beside not killing myself on Sardine Canyon) is that I don't have to recover from anything. I did 4 straight weeks of 70+ during March, and had an easier week last week. Now next week I'm ready to jump up to 80 miles, and hope to hold mid-80s until my half marathon in Indianapolis in early May. I would love to run 1:06-something there, and feel like I'm starting to get in pretty good shape. I'd still like to find a tune-up race sometime this month, maybe I'll do the USU track meet in a couple weeks. That would be interesting.

After I finished my run today, I found the Striders Half race results and also read Matt Rowley's reports. Sounds like I made the right choice. Teren running 1:14 is a pretty good indicator, as is Ben VanB at 1:15 (expected 1:11 out of him or so). And the list goes on. It looked about 5 minutes slow, and sounded very painful. I really wished I could have raced something (I've got the itch), but Striders would have just been frustrating to me, just as it was last year. So it goes.

Brooks Launch Miles: 17.50
Comments
From Superfly on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 17:27:01 from 208.117.127.110

Good workout. Don't blame you at all about skipping the race. There's always another day.

My race plans are... well I'm signed up for UV Marathon in June. I know I wont be in "race shape" by then but it will be a good spring board into the summer. Then I'll try to put together another shot at something special at STG again.

In the meantime I'll catch some low level 10k's and halfs to get ready for UV.

From Jon on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 17:41:25 from 174.19.189.39

Wise choice. You are indeed getting soft, but in a smart way. :)

From cgbooth23 on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 17:43:38 from 63.248.153.155

good choice, my house is on the course and I went out in the car to watch them struggle and it didn't look fun... very steady headwind from mile 4ish to the finish, well other than the last 200yds you had a sweet tailwind for a final push(haha)!

From steve ash on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 23:32:04 from 64.134.19.247

Looks like you got a better workout this way anyhow Paul. I think Striders does a really nice job in putting it on but I can't justify spending that much money plus another fifteen dollars in gas to go up there and plow through hurricane force winds.

Running is supposed to be at least somewhat enjoyable in my book.

From Paul on Sun, Apr 04, 2010 at 17:57:18 from 174.27.225.89

Steve - I agree.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.250.000.000.000.0013.25

AM - Met Carson at Mack Park, and ran up Smithfield Canyon and back. Kind of misty this morning, but nice for running. I was a little bit sore from planting trees all weekend, but ended up feeling good by the end of the run. Averaged 7:04/mile for 9 miles.

PM - ran up Dry Canyon in the rain. It was actually fairly pleasant. Eventually, the snow got too sloppy and soft, so I turned around. Slow. 4.25 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 4.25Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Superfly on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 16:00:34 from 208.117.127.110

what kind of trees?

From Paul on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 16:35:32 from 65.103.252.214

Autumn Blaze Maple (x2)

Mt St Helens Plum (x2)

Tulip Poplar (x1)

From Ruthio on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 20:53:21 from 174.52.247.14

Your kid is so cute! I have been MIA from the blog for the last month, so your pic is new to me and I love it! How old is he now?

From Paul on Tue, Apr 06, 2010 at 08:10:18 from 174.27.225.89

Ruth - he turns 2 in July. I agree, he's a cutie!

I'm 90% sure I'm running the 5K at the Mark Faldmo Invite, so maybe I'll see you there.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.500.000.000.000.0012.50

Wanted to do 1600m repeats on the track this morning, but the 4" of new snow changed those plans. I met Carson at Skyview, and we ended up doing a few brisk miles on the west side of Smithfield. Not quite a tempo, but not easy either. Dropped Carson off, and did a few more miles. Averaged 6:31/mile for 12.5 miles.

Brooks Launch Miles: 12.50
Comments
From Cody on Wed, Apr 07, 2010 at 23:30:55 from 174.52.244.185

How about 7am start time sat? I will pick up Jon and meet at your place. Game?

From Paul on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 08:13:23 from 174.27.225.89

Okay, 7AM is fine. I will let Carson know, as he might come too.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.750.000.000.000.009.75

Ran home from work. Found a new canal trail to run on. Then got on the upper canal trail, which was extremely muddy. Averaged 6:56/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 9.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.250.006.000.000.0013.25

Did a workout on the Skyview track this morning, 6x1600m at LT pace, with 400m jog recovery. Ran down to the track (about 1 mile), then changed into flats, took a potty stop at the rec center, then met up with Carson and started the workout. I was hoping to hit between 5:05-5:10, and I did. It was a good workout, and I felt excellent the whole way.

 IntervalSplit
 1 5:07
 2 5:06
 3 5:06
 4 5:05
 5 5:02
 6 4:58

Cooled down for a few miles afterward.

 

Saucony Type A Miles: 8.75Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 4.50
Comments
From Superfly on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 12:08:47 from 208.117.127.110

Great job Paul. Your looking pretty sharp for the first of April. Way to finish the workout off strong too.

From Paul on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 12:19:34 from 174.27.225.89

Thanks. I feel pretty sharp. I'm doing more mileage, plus running these mile repeats about 10 seconds faster than this point last year, so I hope this converts to a big half marathon PR in May.

From Jon on Fri, Apr 09, 2010 at 00:02:35 from 75.169.150.163

Holy cow, have mercy on us mortals. Sub-5 at the end of an interval workout?

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.250.000.000.000.0013.25

AM - canal trail, 5 miles, 7:05/mile average.

PM - ran home from work. 8.25 miles. 7:03/mile average.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 5.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
18.000.000.000.000.0018.00

Met with Jon, Cody, and Carson at my house, then ran the canal trail to the BST to Logan Canyon, and then up Green Canyon a little ways for some distance, and then back down the road to the canal trail and back. Good to run with all those guys, but I was pretty tired by the end. I think we all were.

Saucony Guide TR Miles: 18.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - met Carson at Mack Park, and then ran up Birch Creek Canyon. 7:20/mile average for 9.5 miles.

PM - easy 4.5 miles with Seth. Slow. 

Signed up for the Mark Faldmo Invite 5000m this Saturday. It will be my first track race in 9 years.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 4.50Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 9.50
Comments
From Cody on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 13:19:41 from 69.9.58.17

What time is the race at? And does it cost $ to watch?

From Paul on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 13:37:49 from 65.103.252.214

3PM. No idea on cost. If it does cost money, what a rip-off! Plus, there's tons of ways to sneak into that track.

From Cody on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 13:56:44 from 69.9.58.17

I will do my best to be there. I wouldn't miss a chance to see Paul kick some college butt.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - easy 9 miles, out-and-back to North Logan. Left calf is still sore. 6:59/mile average

PM - easy distance. 6:50/mile. Got snowed on a little bit.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 5.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Jon on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 19:39:27 from 75.169.142.62

Hey, thanks for that Bear poster. It's awesome- I unrolled it today and was surprised to see it was only on 3 pages. Looks great. You should give an electronic copy to Phil for their website.

From Paul on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 23:13:11 from 174.27.225.89

You're welcome. Now you can use the mighty power of MAPS to win the Bear. I told Phil that I would print off another set and give them to him. If want the electronic (pdf) version, I can send that to you as well.

From Cody on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 00:15:24 from 174.52.244.185

I will take a PDF version for own electronic wall. Looks like saturday is now a no go to watch you slaughter the college boys. Bummer. Make me proud.

From Jon on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 08:49:55 from 75.169.142.62

I'd love an pdf copy.

From Jon on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 09:53:50 from 138.64.8.52

If you're sending a copy to Phil and can still edit the map, I found 1 little error- the elevation for Ranger Dip aid station is 0.

From Paul on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 11:21:36 from 174.27.225.89

Jon - I made these maps as a gift to you. Meaning I don't give a rip if there's an error, because it's a freebie. These maps are quite "unofficial", and I have no affiliation with the Bear 100. Use at your own risk. I suggest fixing it with a sharpie.

From Jon on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 21:23:20 from 75.169.142.62

I'm not worried about it. I just figured you would want to fix it if it were going into mass production. But it isn't, so it doesn't matter.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
17.000.000.000.000.0017.00

AM - had scheduled an interval workout for yesterday, but pushed back to today because of my sore calf. The calf is still sore, so I just bagged it and did a tinman tempo instead (don't have to get up on toes at tinman pace, so less strain on calves). It's probably for the better, so I'll get a V02Max effort at the race Saturday, so I tempo makes a little more sense anyway. Ran up Smithfield Canyon. 6:30s on the way up, 5:45s on the way down. Averaged about 6:15/mile for the whole run.

PM - ran home from work. 9 miles, averaged 7:01/mile. Feels like my calf is improving.

Brooks Axiom Miles: 9.00Brooks Launch Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 11:43:38 from 71.35.223.135

sorry about the calves. I am having similar problems. frustrating part is not knowing if it is cramp, strain, pulled, torn, or at what level. Sara helped a lot when I really strained it, she brought all the swelling down.

So who do you run with and against on Saturday? the college runners, or is there another race for the non-students? My son has a tennis invite at Logan high all day- maybe I will come over and watch some of the action during his breaks, I would like to watch Ruth race too. what time is your race? Scott

From Paul on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 12:06:57 from 174.27.225.89

It's the USU invitational.

From Ruthio on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 12:50:41 from 174.52.247.14

I didn't know you were going to come run at our home meet! That's awesome! Come give Brian McKenna a run for his money. :) I'll see you on Saturday!

From Paul on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 13:06:17 from 174.27.225.89

It will be fun. But I have no speed right now!

From Barry on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 14:29:14 from 67.61.235.198

Paul, good luck on your race Saturday. But i have a question for you? Are you really retiring from running November 21?

From Paul on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 14:34:33 from 65.103.252.214

Barry - sure. But if I qualify for Trials, I'll have to briefly come out of retirement to run the race.

From Kory on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 13:36:04 from 134.50.207.229

Preparing your body and knowing when to push and when not is a smart move. Taking care of the sore calf is more important. But you've had consistent training leading up to this event (except for being sick) so your fitness level, peak level I'm assuming is close to where you want it?

Paul your going to rock the track and do well. Sorry I haven't responded in a while. My life has been about work and just running for fitness.

From Paul on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 13:45:01 from 65.103.252.214

Thanks Kory. I feel fit, so hope to have a good one on Saturday.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.500.000.000.000.008.50

Ran home.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.500.000.000.000.008.50

Ran home from work. Easy

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.50
Race: USU Faldmo Invite 5000m (track) (3.108 Miles) 00:15:27, Place overall: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.900.000.003.100.0018.00

AM - easy shakeout run on the canal trail. 7.5 miles, no watch. It's going to be a warm one today, 70+! The 5000m is at 3PM.

noon - mowed the lawn. Got on the roof to tinker with the swamp cooler.

PM - went to Utah State for the Mark Faldmo track meet. I had signed up for the 5000m as an open runner. This was my first track race in 9 years, so I was a little nervous. Fortunately, it's a pretty low-key invite.

Got there early in case the meet was running fast, and indeed it was ahead by about 30 minutes. I warmed up for 2 miles, used the potty, etc etc. The 200m finished, but then it took a while to get the women's 5000m going, and then finally it was our turn.

There were only 7 runners that ran the race, but one of them was Brian McKenna, Utah State's top runner. He's the WAC xc champ, and made nationals this fall. He recently ran 14:30 for 5K on the track, so definitely my superior at this distance. Fortunate for me, he'd already run the 1500m, so was not fresh. Unfortunately to me, I suck at the 5000m, and was at the end of an 80 mile week.

Chatted with Brian before the race, and we agreed to trade some laps and try to run 72s/lap. I was actually a bit dubious of my ability to do this, with lack of speed work, plus an intense sun with temps in the low 70s, and a decent wind going into the backstretch. Conditions were less than ideal for a distance race. But I figured my options were to run with McKenna, or run by myself, so I chose the former. I tried to alleviate the heat some by dunking my head in the steeple pit right before the race. Felt great at the time, but I was bone dry by the 3rd lap.

Gun went off and about 4 of us packed up quick for the first 200m, but then I managed to get around everyone and tuck in behind McKenna. First lap was a 74-75 or so, which was too slow, plus it felt awful. McKenna and I cleared out the pack on the 2nd lap, and were through the 800m in about 2:25, so about a 70s split. Quite a bit faster, but it actually felt good.

After 800m, I took the pacing duties for the next two laps, and we hit 4:50 at the mile. Pace was feeling hard, but sustainable for the time being. Brian took the lead back (and I was grateful to tuck back in and let him take the wind), and we hit a couple more 72-73's for the next two laps.

At just less than halfway through, I started feeling...less than good, and McKenna dropped me pretty quick. He kept running 72-73s laps, and I dropped back to 75s/lap. I went through 3200m in 9:46, so 4:56 for the 2nd mile. This drop in speed is the 5K equivalent to a death rattle.

McKenna was soon on the verge of being long gone, and I was fast wilting from the heat and from fatigue. Man, it was hot! My left calf, which had been giving me trouble for the last 10 days, decided that 2 miles was enough, and started misbehaving with 4 laps to go. It hurt, but not too bad, and I was able to deal with it. So it goes.

Lap 9 was a 76, and then a 77. Things were going downhill, but at least I was close enough to sense the finish and find some hope in that. McKenna now was approaching a 100m lead on me, and no one was close to me from behind. I was about to lap a couple runners, though. I didn't grab splits for the last two laps, but they were about the same as the previous two, in the 76s range. I just gritted to the finish the best I could. 15:27 was the finish time (McKenna was 15:05), which means my last mile was something like a 5:05. I was never great at finishing track 5K's.

So it wasn't an amazing race or anything, but I came out of it fairly satisfied with both the time and the effort. It was good for me to try to run with a national-caliber collegiate runner, and the heat, wind, and elevation certainly tinkered with my time some. I would have liked to have been in the low 15's, but I have to take what I can get on the given day. It was a little discouraging to run slower than my solo First Dam Run effort last November, but I know I'm actually way ahead of where I was then. I still think that sub-1:07 is still worth going after in Indianapolis, and hopefully the next several weeks of training, plus sea level, plus better conditions, plus a little more moxie will allow me to click off 5:05/mile for 13.1 miles. We'll see.

Went to the Logan Zoo with Stacy and Seth afterward, and then I grabbed 5 more miles when we got home to finish out my week. The calf hurt, but was runnable.

The next two weeks of training are big for me. I plan on two 85 mile weeks, with two good workouts each week. I hope it's all worth it, because training is hard work.

Saucony Type A Miles: 3.50Saucony Guide TR Miles: 7.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Jon on Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 13:43:38 from 75.169.140.47

Kick some collegiate trash!

From Scott Ensign on Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 22:37:50 from 67.40.116.131

great adventure, way to beat all those college kids. with the heat and all that time sounds pretty incredible to me. wish I could have come and watched but other duties called. great job, good luck getting ready for Indy.

From josse on Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 22:42:34 from 75.252.127.132

Wow that is quite the day, put some ice on that calf and do some massage. Great race!!

From Fritz on Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 23:21:33 from 97.117.38.94

sounds intense. You would have beaten him with a good taper.

From Holt on Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 23:29:07 from 75.169.77.61

Track race - sounds absolutely hideous! Good job sticking in there. Were you able to watch Ruth run?

From Dale on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 08:47:28 from 198.134.92.34

Cool writeup and nice race. Especially after the whole lawn mowing thing.

From jtshad on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:14:56 from 69.20.183.178

Great race report. Good job running hard at the 5K and finishing off a big week (that kind of pace after a full day of activities...awesome). Good luck with the training and go get 'em in Indy!

From Superfly on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 11:04:34 from 208.117.127.110

I never knew reading a report about a 5000m could be so fun. I wouldn't be disappointed. Thats a great effort on that day. Like Dave said it sounds absolutely "hideous". If I have any future fixes to run a event on the track I'll just come reread your report and live vicariously through you... then add at least 20 seconds to time.

Anyways good job man. I'm really pumped to see how your Indy half goes and also how you roll out the downhill half at UV... I'm thinking a 59:30.

From Jon on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 11:15:29 from 75.169.159.140

Paul- I think this is the first time I have ever seen a whole race of yours. Usually I watch you pull away at the start and you disappear within 1/2 mile or so. It was exciting and enjoyable to see you run tough. Nice work.

From Bonnie on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 11:53:44 from 64.119.33.134

Great race report Paul (and great race too). Racing on the track is so different than the roads, and you got your head right back into it! Congratulations.

Good luck on the next couple of weeks, try to enjoy the process (even though it is hard) since the "rewards" of a good race doesn't last nearly as long ;-). One of my favorite sayings is "the only thing worse than doing it, is not doing it".

From Paul on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 14:52:05 from 174.27.225.89

Thanks everyone. Holt - no I didn't see Ruth in the steeple, as it was the first event, and I was still mowing the lawn at that point.

From MichelleL on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 15:09:46 from 67.41.226.109

Must have been dejavuish. I don't know what a death rattle is, but I am guessing a 6 second drop from mile 1 to 2 doesn't make the cut. It's nice to get your first track race back out of the way, in case you want to take another crack at it. Even less on-target races and workouts are money in the bank.

From steve ash on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 15:21:13 from 174.52.96.106

I would have loved to see the look on their faces wth you running unattached and that fast. Paul, I'm sure with 4-6 weeks of short speed work you would have probably been 8-10 sec/mile faster. Agree?

From Paul on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 15:44:21 from 174.27.225.89

Michelle - I've ran way too many track 5Ks, and know well the feeling of impending doom. A good race will be marked by very little to no slowdown during the second mile. It will be evenly paced. But when I start hurting and fatiguing by Lap 7, it's always an a sign of the beginning of the end. True, 6 seconds doesn't sound like much, but I think it's actually quite a bit when the goal is even splits. For some reason, I don't have this problem on the roads. For what it's worth, McKenna ran absolutely even all three miles.

Steve - I agree, probably 5 sec/mile with 5K specific training. But that would be at the expense of my half marathon-specific training! I've found that I can run about 15:20 just on base work, and get about 30 seconds in return for busting my rear on intervals. Back in college, 30s faster meant everything, but these days it doesn't mean much since my focus is elsewhere. But specificity in training is very important.

From Little Bad Legs on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 16:26:45 from 67.170.153.203

Great race Paul!

From JD on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 17:08:23 from 209.183.51.131

Nice going! Enjoyed your race report. Impressive given all the variables of the day.

From Dave S on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 21:14:26 from 4.254.228.221

Nice job! Liked the report as usual. Hope the calf problem clears up quickly.

From Burt on Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 21:24:36 from 98.177.220.145

Great job Paul. Amazing. My favorite part of your report was after waiting for the girls "then finally it was our turn."

From Sasha Pachev on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 17:38:02 from 192.168.1.1

Congratulations on expecting another kid!

Regarding the race. You cannot expect a great 5 K on a hot windy afternoon on the track after a 7.5 mile warm up in the AM. But I do believe that this performance indicates that you had about 15:00 in ideal conditions (and without AM "warm up"), or possibly little under.

That said, I think you could benefit from a couple of more such races to verify that this is indeed the case. Still train like you, though. I am still of the opinion that OTQ is impossible if you cannot break 15:00 on a flat sea-level course (as I mentioned in the "baptism" discussion on the forum ). You do want to have as much 5 K speed as possible without going into the mode where you achieve it by burning more fuel than you should to run at slower paces.

If you find it difficult to sustain 72 second quarters, then it is perhaps time for magic. Regular collegiate 5 K training is no good because it will make you an 8-cylinder sports car, which is no good for the marathon. We need something that gives speed and fuel economy at the same time. So maybe something like 3x2 miles at 5:15 pace with the last mile of the last repeat run first in 5:00, work your way up to 4:50, then see if you can run the last 2000 in 6:00. Once you can do that, the 5 K should be fine.

From Paul on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 17:59:00 from 65.103.252.214

Sasha - I pretty much agree. Someone who cannot break 15:00 or 31:00 has no business even trying for under 2:19. An even better gauge IMO is sub-1:07 for the half marathon.

Obviously the 5K is not my focus and never will be, but it's still fun to go out and see what I can do with training geared toward longer races. I did a long "warmup" because I valued the mileage more than the race performance. Just a different set of priorities, I guess. I was planning a 3x2-mile workout similar to what you suggested, but I'll probably have to bag until after my Indianapolis race, due to the inconvenience of getting sick.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - Met Carson at Mack Park, and run up Birch Canyon. Made it to the single track, and ran up a bit past the first creek crossing. Pace was slow, but I didn't feel too bad. Still some soreness from the race Saturday, but Stacy was kind enough to massage my calf the last two nights so it was feeling a bit better.

I'm sitting in my den right now watching the Boston Marathon on Universal Sports (KSL-2), with the laptop on my lap. It will be a good morning of telecommuting.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth, 5 miles

Jogging Stroller Miles: 5.00Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 9.00Brooks Launch Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Fast Running Mommy on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 10:33:35 from 192.168.1.1

Congrats on number 2...I'm feeling smug that I found out before Sasha!!

From Paul on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 11:03:29 from 204.113.19.55

Thanks. We are due in early September.

From Jon on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 21:12:30 from 75.169.159.140

Jealous about the Boston feed.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - canal trail, about 6:45/mile. 8.75 miles.

PM - Forrester acres with Seth. 7:04/mile for 5.25 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 8.75Jogging Stroller Miles: 5.25Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 5.25
Comments
From steve ash on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 20:22:13 from 144.35.254.5

Paul, Are you going to Striders 30k this week?

From Paul on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 22:55:15 from 174.27.225.89

Nope.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.008.000.000.000.0012.00

Ran home from work, and did an 8-mile tempo. Unfortunately, I had to fight a headwind and a cold rain the whole way. One big downfall about running point to point. Still managed a good workout, despite getting very cold and angry, since I was woefully underdressed. Splits were 5:52, 5:53, 5:48, 5:43, 5:46, 5:54, 5:52, 6:26 (uphill). Probably would have been worth 5:30 pace without the wind. After I got home, I changed out my shirt, grabbed a hat and gloves and headed out for a few more miles. Was nice and toasty by the end, and much cheerier.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 12.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon with Carson. 9 miles. My garmin battery died, so no time.

PM - came down with a sore throat/cold. Likely my immune system got beaten down from doing a tempo into a cold wind and rain yesterday, and then I picked up whatever is going around. Rest now, and it will pass.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Kam on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 20:12:16 from 68.66.163.179

I hate when my battery dies.

From JamesH on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 22:50:42 from 74.211.22.194

Paul, how long do you hold off on running when youve got a cold/flu? In the past ive just run through it unless I was really hurting. But Im tired of getting sick every few weeks from what I assume is a broken down immune system. This time im trying to hold off on running until its gone. Any words of wisdom from the master?

From Predog on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 03:31:07 from 174.27.183.108

If you have the same thing I had a couple of weeks ago you'd better bring a stock of tissue with you wherever you go. My nose was running like a faucet. Literally dripping at one point.

From Paul on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 11:08:40 from 174.27.225.89

James - I do not run a step until symptoms go away. I'm a little different, because I have a compromised immune system due to the medication I take, so I "baby" myself when sick, or if I feel something coming on. But I would probably rest anyway. In the past, if I try to run through an illness, I've lost up to a MONTH of running due to the sickness getting worse, or just dragging on at low levels. But I've never had any bad effects from skipping a couple days of running while getting healthy. Usually I can return without skipping a beat, or losing fitness, plus I'm mentally fresh again and eager to run. Running while sick is just grueling and painful. Remember, it's a hobby, it's supposed to be fun.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

still sick, seems to be garden-variety cold. No activity.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Finally turned the corner with being sick, and had quite a bit more energy today. But to be safe, I didn't run. However, I did mow the lawn, finish hooking up the swamp cooler, and sprayed for weeds. Nice time in the sun.

Comments
From steve ash on Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 13:30:08 from 174.52.96.106

Glad to see you feeling better Paul. Be careful.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

AM - congestion has finally cleared, and now I'm draining. Disgusting. Wanted to do a track workout this morning, but bagged it because I could tell I wasn't ready. Met Carson at the track, and did 6x100m strides while he did the workout. Tried to jump in one interval with Carson just for fun, but dropped after 400m (he was doing 1000m's @ 3:11 pace). Felt very rusty and not quite right. But 6:30/mile pace nice and easy felt fine. Did some distance on the roads afterward. 9 miles, averaged about 7-minutes/mile.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

AM - met Carson at Mack Park, then headed up Birch Canyon. We went up to the trailhead, and then headed back down. Decided to explore a little, so we veered off and crossed the creek, and ran along the hillside on an ATV trail. I had seen this roadcut for a while, but hadn't tried running it until now. It was actually really good. Eventually we popped up out of the canyon, on the ridge. Then we ran toward Dry Canyon on an ATV trail along a farm field up on the hillside. Then we saw an old ditch, and hopped up there and ran along it until we got to a barb wire fence. The old ditch was pretty cool, despite many stickers and burrs. Found an opening in the fence and resumed along the ATV trail we started on. Had to cross overland through an alfalfa field at one point, but eventually reach Dry Canyon. So there is indeed decent access between Birch and Dry. So that was fun. Added a couple miles afterward. 9 miles total.

I'm still not quite over this cold. Congestion is gone, but I'm still coughing a little bit. Running at normal feels pretty good (clears me up, actually), but I'm trying not to exert myself until this is gone. Bad timing; I wanted last week and this week to be "big", but it's been more of a whimper.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 9.00
Comments
From MichelleL on Tue, Apr 27, 2010 at 10:45:18 from 67.41.226.109

Good call to not try to force it. So you said your colds stay longer when you get them (due to Enbrel)?

From Paul on Tue, Apr 27, 2010 at 10:55:02 from 174.27.225.89

Actually, this cold is the longest I've had in years. With Enbrel, most of my colds go away pretty quick (a couple of days), but I get them more frequently. Probably twice as many as before. I also got a strep infection earlier this winter, probably would not have gotten that had I not been on Enbrel. But that has been my one and only bacterial infection, so it's not bad, and the reward is worth the side effect to me. For the colds, I really baby myself, take time off work, don't run a step, and take lots of Emergen-C, and they go away really quick. Except for this one.

From Steve on Tue, Apr 27, 2010 at 12:21:24 from 72.165.228.4

You gotta show me some of these local trails some time!

BTW, like that scripture on the page. I don't think I've seen it. There's a lot of stuff in life that applies to..

From Predog on Tue, Apr 27, 2010 at 22:08:18 from 174.27.233.224

I'm guessing that this nasty windstorm with all the dust isn't helping at all with the cold. Yuck.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

Found an open window in the weather and went for it, around 11AM. Did the Planet Walk - Landfill Loop from work, 8 miles of tinman tempo. Didn't push it too hard, still recovering from being sick, but averaged 6:05/mile for 8 miles. Then did an extra 4 miles to finish out the mileage. It was snowing pretty good by the time I finished. Today was one of those days where it's nice to have a shower at work.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 12.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.500.000.000.000.0013.50

AM - easy 8 miles on the canal trail. 6:53/mile average. Not snowing or raining, and slightly above freezing, which is awesome.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 5.5 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 8.00Jogging Stroller Miles: 5.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 5.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.250.000.000.000.0016.25

AM - Met Carson at Mack Park, and ran up Smithfield Canyon. In the snow, of course. 8-minute pace going up, a bit faster going down. Averaged about 7:20/mile for the run.

PM - ran home from work. No watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.00Brooks Launch Miles: 8.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
11.000.005.000.000.0016.00

Did my last interval workout before Indy. This makes a whopping "3". I had planned on doing a couple more interval workouts, but they were canceled either due to health or to weather. So it goes.

The plan today was 8x1000m @ CV pace, with 200m recovery (about 1 minute). My goal pace was to run 75s/lap, or 74s/lap if I was feeling good. This comes out to 3:05-3:08 range. I wore flats, and jogged out from my house to Skyview track (about one mile), and started the interval session immediately (trying to beat the rain).

 Interval Split
 1 3:09
 2 3:07
 3 3:05
 4 3:06
 5 3:05
 6 3:06
 7 3:06
 8 3:01

It took me a couple intervals to get fully warmed up and into the workout, but once I settled in, 74s/lap felt pretty smooth. Stayed consistent, except for the last lap of the final interval. Had a headwind on the back curve and the front-stretch, and a tailwind on the inverse. The wind got worse as the workout went on, due to weather approaching. Got a few snow pellets on me, but it held off for the most part. I was especially pleased with my recoveries. On the first couple intervals I actually had to force myself to slow down in order to give a full minute on the 200m jog. And usually my recoveries get longer and longer for this kind of workout, but I stuck around 60s for each one to the end. Felt like I could have kept going with a few more. So that's all good.

Managed to salvage decent mileage this week, despite still recovering from illness, plus terrible weather. Next week I just have a short tempo scheduled on Tuesday, and the rest is easy.


Saucony Type A Miles: 8.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 7.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.500.000.000.000.0012.50

AM - met Carson at Mack Park. Ran up Birch Creek. It was muddy. Ran slow. 8.25 miles.

PM - ran out-and-back to the north edge of Smithfield with Seth.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.25Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 4.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
11.500.000.000.000.0011.50

Did a 5-mile tempo run on the Bear River Loop. Averaged about 5:45/mile during tempo. 11.5 miles total. Now it's just easy days until Saturday.

Brooks Launch Miles: 11.50
Comments
From Steve on Tue, May 04, 2010 at 12:07:34 from 66.17.89.170

Sweet workout. Are you hitting that half marathon Saturday?

From Paul on Tue, May 04, 2010 at 14:42:00 from 65.103.252.214

Yup.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Landfill Loop. 6:40/mile for 8 miles. Feeling good.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From JD on Wed, May 05, 2010 at 18:19:11 from 70.96.78.157

Good luck with your race this weekend. Also, the info you posted on the discussion forum for the Ogden marathon is very helpful. So thanks!

From Jon on Wed, May 05, 2010 at 20:16:59 from 75.169.150.168

Good luck and have fun this weekend. And whatever happens, we don't want you to not "finish the deal" and let someone pass you right at the end. Stay strong through the line!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

Forrester Acres, 6 miles, easy.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 6.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

Easy 4-mile run from my sisters house in Indiana. It's hot, humid, and windy here, but a cold front is coming in tonight that should take temps down and hopefully wick out the humidity too. It's still supposed to be windy tomorrow, but at least it's a loop course so I won't have to deal with it the whole way, plus I'll just draft a lot.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 4.00
Comments
From jtshad on Fri, May 07, 2010 at 13:42:37 from 69.20.183.178

Good luck and have fun!

From steve ash on Fri, May 07, 2010 at 17:40:47 from 64.134.237.197

I've got that funny feeling again Paul.. Just like TOU remember?

Race: 500 Festival Mini Marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:08:05, Place overall: 11
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
2.900.0013.100.000.0016.00

Indy Mini, short report. Overcast and upper 40s for temps, which is good. 20 mph wind with 30 mph gusts, which is bad. The wind came from the west, meaning that we would have a headwind for the first half of the race, and tailwind for the last few miles. Competition was much better than last year, with about 8 really solid Kenyans. Lead pack dropped me pretty quick (winner went on to run a high 1:02), and then I ran in no-man's land by myself for most of the race. This stunk because I had to battle the wind by myself. Went through 5K in 16:18, went through 10K in just under 33:00, and went through 15K in 49:02. Passed the 10-mile mark in 52:33, and realized then that I had somehow managed to average 5:15, and had a chance at beating my time from last year. And now I had an awesome tailwind to help me finish the race. With two miles left, I realized I had a shot at PRing, and with one mile left that I had a shot at 1:08:00.  Closed the last 4 miles in 20:04, with one sub-5:00 mile at Mile 11. Finished at 1:08:05, in 12th place, and was out of the money by about 60 seconds, so not even close. It was not what I wanted, but still a good race, happy for the PR.

***

Video of start is here. I'm wearing a red singlet and black arm warmers, bib #15.

Long Report. Very long, actually, since I had time to kill in the airport. Don't read unless you're really bored.

I arrived in Indianapolis on Thursday evening. Stayed with my sister and her family, and got to hang out with my niece and nephew, which was nice. On Friday, my parents came over, and my dad and I went to the expo and checked into my hotel room. Then we went out to eat at TGI Fridays, and I ate way too much. After dinner, I went back to the hotel room by myself and just hung out. My assigned roommate was a fellow named Scott Schmick. Turns out that he was a former DIII runner as well, a UW LaCrosse alum. He now goes to MSU for grad school. We shot the breeze for a few hours, until it was time for bed. Seemed like a good guy, fun to talk to, and we had similar PR’s and goals for this race and for the marathon as well. Plus it's always fun to play the name game with other former DIII runners.

Saturday morning I got up at 5:30AM, in preparation for the 7:30AM start. I usually like about 2 hours to eat, digest, and fully wake up before a race. Ate a banana, an apple, and a Lara Bar, and brewed some coffee. At 6:40AM, I headed down to the street and jogged over to the NCAA Headquarters, which served as the elite staging area. We got the comfort of an indoor facility, plus nice bathrooms and a gear drop. I warmed up with Scott and his teammates from Lansing, about 2 miles. Felt pretty sharp.

And the weather…gotta mention that, as it would be a big factor. Temperature was in the upper 40s. Perfect. Skies were overcast. Perfect. No rain or threat of rain. Perfect. Wind was 20 mph out of the west, with 30 mph gusts (based on tv reports). Imperfect. Hey, I guess you can’t get perfect conditions all of the time (or even most of the time), can you? To have a great race, several things need to happen:

·         Great training

·         Great health

·         Great competition (brings out the best of us)

·         Great course (flat, few turns, wide streets)

·         Great temperatures (mid-40s, upper 50s)

·         No wind

·         Little or no precipitation (a little rain or mist never hurt)

·         Race day magic (when speed defies all training and all logic)

If these factors do not all align, you can still have a very good race, but not that perfect race (we only get a few of those over a lifetime). 

Out of these factors, I had decent training (but not great). My health was good, finally. Competition would be there. The course is magnificent. Temps were perfect. Precip was perfect. Wind was very bad. Race day magic yet to be determined. Fortunately, it is a loop course, so I would not have to face a direct headwind for more than half the race (less than that actually). The wind was coming out of the west, and the race primarily goes west to start (headwind), then north a little bit to the track (crosswind), then a loop on the speedway (all directions), and then the route comes back east the last 4 miles to finish (tailwind). If I had a pick a wind direction, I’d much rather start with a headwind, and then finish with a tailwind, than the other way around. At least I would have the wind at my back at the point of the race where I’m the most tired and broken, and could face the wind while fresh. So I was hopeful to still have a very good race.

Anyway, that’s my tangent on race factors and on wind. About 15 minutes before the race start, I headed down to the start line, did few strides, and then waited for the race to begin. 35,000  people run this event, but you can’t see beyond the first few rows behind me, so I just accepted that fact on faith.

They started the wheelers, and then the runners’ start was 5 minutes later. I lined up on the inside curve, knowing the race started by curving left. All the Kenyans (about 8 total) lined up on the right. Sure enough, when the gun went off, I found myself running next to my roommate Scott, sharing the lead. That was fun, for about 30 seconds. Then I started feeling the wind, right in my face. I was quite happy when the pack of Kenyans finally merged over, and I quickly tucked in.

My strategy was this: since it was windy, I anticipated the race would be slow and tactical. I would simply tuck in behind the pack, let everyone else do the work on the first half of the race, and then I would take off and blitz the field the final 5 miles, for the easy win. It sounded good in my head.

The first mile went exactly to plan – 5:16 for the split. Very slow, very good. The wind would tire these Kenyans down soon enough. Then the plan went awry! The pack of Kenyans ran a 4:50 straight into the wind. I did a 5:04, and felt like I was standing still. And that was it, race over as far as Top 10. The pack was just gone. Gone. It was quite a site, and a quite a humbling feeling to get dropped so hard by “real runners”. It’s the difference between real elites and whatever the heck I am. My hotel roommate Scott and another American runner were working together a few seconds behind the lead pack, but they were fast getting dropped too. I was a 5 seconds behind those two, and gapping with every stride. There was no one behind me. And I ran most of the rest of the race like that, until around Mile 9. No man’s land, not a good place to be on a windy day. But I would try to make the best of it.

The rest of this race report should be less detailed, as there is much less to say. Basically it became a battle of me vs. the wind, and just trying to get to the tailwind section of the course in one piece.

Mile 3 was 5:23. This was a bit discouraging, although frankly I was surprised that it was even this fast. 16:18 for 5K. I knew that the route would turn north soon, and I would get a cross-wind rather than a head-wind, so this thought kept me going. Sure enough, we turned north at about 3.5 miles, and the cross-wind felt beautiful. The hard gusts still knocked me back at times, but it was still much better. 5:13 for the Mile 4 split.

The course turned west again, and virtually all of Mile 5 was straight into the wind. Hit 5:27 for this mile, my slowest split of the race. 26:24 for 5 miles. The encouragement I felt at Mile 4 quickly turned into discouragement. I came into this race thinking I could break 1:07, but would I even break 1:10?

But despite the hardships and discouragements, I actually didn't feel too bad. Frankly, I've been beaten up by the wind far worse in previous races (Great Salt Lake Half in 2007 and Striders Half in 2009 were far worse). And holding sub-5:30 didn't seem too bad given the conditions. Again, I've done far worse in the past. I've found that virtually any runner can "fake it" in pristine conditions, but hard conditions (wind, rain, hills, etc) always reveal gaps in fitness and weaknesses. So that fact that I felt strong after 5 miles of dealing with the wind probably meant that my training had some substance. I suppose our hard winter and equally hard spring helped condition me to run in adverse conditions, moreso than others years. Typically I wilt in bad conditions, as I am more of a rhythm runner than a strength runner.

The route turned north on Mile 6, and even had a short east section with tailwind. Very short, but it hinted at what was to come. 5:10 for the Mile 6 split. Then 32:43 for 10K. I was getting sick of this yo-yo pacing, and it was hard to gauge what kind of time I was headed for. I was still assuming here that I wouldn't break 1:10. Still nobody near me, either ahead or behind. I just kept trying to push. Calves and hamstrings were getting tight, but that is normal, and I still felt decent.

I entered the Speedway at the end of Mile 6, and began the 2.5 mile loop on the race track. This portion of the race was tedious last year, but I liked it better this year simply because going in a loop made the wind vary, which was interesting. Mile 7 was primarily going north, and then west on the first curve. 5:23 for the split, not great. Mile 8 was mostly going south on the backstretch, so a crosswind, somewhat better. 5:20 for Mile 8.

At point I'm still thinking sub-1:10 is a stretch, but I also knew the best part of the race was coming (the part with the tailwind). Much of Mile 9 I had tailwind, around the second curve, and then out of the speedway. As I left the track, I could feel a couple runners coming up behind me. Both good and bad; it's not good to get passed, but perhaps I would have people to run with and push me to the finish.

Hit Mile 9 in a 5:10. Let the yo-yo pace continue. The two guys behind me caught me, and one guy passed me. I pushed to stay with him, and ran behind him for about half a mile. The other guy never passed me, but he was still there. Hit 15K in 49:03. Mile 10 was a 5:05. That's more like it! 52:34 for 10 miles (5:15/mile pace). I now realized that I would certainly break 1:09, and might beat last year's time. Having a new goal gave me a lot of encouragement. My hamstrings and calves were yelling at me, but the tailwind helped a lot and my legs still had a little pop in them. Perhaps if I could keep running sub-5:10, I could salvage a somewhat respectable time.

The guy who passed me eventually dropped me, but I was still holding off the second runner. Still running east with the tailwind. Mile 11 was 4:58. Dang. Made me feel better about getting dropped, as the other guy must have been under 4:55. I know realized that I had a slim chance of breaking my PR of 1:08:12. I almost couldn't believe it, with how up and down the race had gone so far. I kept pushing hard, trying to run more 5-minute miles...

And succeeded mostly. The route turned south-southwest, and I had a favorable cross-wind, other than some random gusts. Hit Mile 12 in 5:03. Kept pushing. The runner ahead of me was still pulling away (dang, he's moving!), but the runner behind me was still...behind me. The route turned east again and the last 1.1 was with the tailwind. Tried to put the hammer down. A PR seemed very possible, perhaps even sub-1:08, if I could finish with a 4:5x mile?

Mile 13 split was 5:01, and then I took it on in. 27 seconds for the last 0.1. Finish time was officially 1:08:05, good for 12th place overall and a 7-second PR. I had no idea of my placing the whole race, other than knowing that I was well out of the Top 10. I ended up 62 seconds out of 10th, and the money. (10th place was actually my hotel roommate Scott, 50 second PR for him). So I placed similar to last year, but unlike last year, I wasn't really close to the Top 10. The competition was very good this year, but with higher-caliber Kenyans than last year, and good local runners too. I think last year was actually an outlier, with slower times than usual, and this year was more normal.

If you had told me a week before the race that I would fail to break 1:08, I would have been really disappointed, and probably threatened to quit running. I was that sure of my fitness. But in the circumstance, I have to take what I can get, and I'm pleased to come out with a PR, after running that many miles over 5:20 during the race. I was pleased to be able to push through, not give up, recover from getting slapped in the face with wind, and still have enough spunk and pop to be able to take advantage of the tailwind at the end and finish strong. I think other years (including last year), I would have been broken, and just limped in. So the race was a success in all those regards.

My one regret is not being able to pack it up with a group. I wish I could have run with the two runners ahead of me (although I would have had to push hard early on to keep up). Or I wish I had gone out slower and packed it up with the runners behind me. Being able to trade miles while going into the wind would have been invaluable, and would have conserved more energy for the second half of the race.

At the same time, I'm forced to acknowledge that I'm not "there" yet. Even if I spot myself a full minute for the wind (which I think would be liberal), I still need much improvement before I'm a quality-enough runner to hit that sub-2:19 mark. Am I in sub-2:22 shape? Probably. But sub-2:22 is a long ways from sub-2:19. I really wanted to see 1:06:xx at that finish line to give me the confidence that 2:19 is possible. I do still think it's possible, but I need to improve. I need to get faster, to get stronger, and to get even better at running in adverse conditions (may have to deal with bad conditions during a marathon, after all). The wind today definitely hurt, but it was not a killer to those who were truly fit, judging by the finish times. A truly fit runner will just plow through the wind, heat, rain, hills, or whatever else the day through at them. A less fit runner will feel adverse conditions much more.

Looking forward, I'll take a week of rest, and then get back to it. Will probably go back to the bread-and-butter of long tempos, while trying to increase my mileage up to 90mpw. We'll see where that gets me for Utah Valley Half, my next key race. The downhill will aid times at UVM, but my goal there is more oriented toward competition rather than time. But I need to be fit enough to compete with ferocity.

 Mile Marker
Split
Total Time
 1 5:165:16
 2 5:04 10:20
 3 5:23 15:43
 5K  16:18
 4 5:13 20:57
 5 5:27 26:24
 6 5:10 31:34
 10K  32:43
 7 5:23 36:57
 8 5:20 42:18
 9 5:10 47:28
 15K  49:03
 10 5:05 52:34
 11 4:58 57:32
 12 5:03 1:02:36
13
5:01
1:07:38
13.1
0:27
1:08:05

 

Results are HERE.

 

 


Saucony Type A Miles: 14.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 2.00
Comments
From steve ash on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 12:58:03 from 64.134.227.77

Very cool Paul.. You make me look slow buddy.

From crockett on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 14:08:42 from 71.36.72.204

Big congrats! Way to go. Super performance. You made us all proud. See you at Utah Valley Half.

From Little Bad Legs on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 15:50:50 from 71.92.146.242

Paul- You never disappoint. Great job!

From Predog on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 18:05:20 from 174.27.227.32

Nice race Paul! I think I'd rather do just about anything than fight the wind by myself in a race. Way to tough it out and get the PR.

From Jon on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 18:26:13 from 174.19.189.39

Wow- a PR in a very windy, flat race, despite running the whole thing yourself. And your last 4 miles in 20 min is amazing. Congrats and well done.

From Burt on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 18:28:23 from 98.177.220.145

Great job Paul! I can't believe it's been a year already. 30 seconds faster this year and still 11th place. That's some serious competition. Look on the bright side. If you would have got your 1:07, you might not PR again for a long time if ever. With just a little PR, you'll be PR-ing again soon.

From JD on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 18:30:29 from 70.96.78.157

Great running! Congrats on the PR.

From JimF on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 19:08:39 from 67.162.67.145

Awesome race. I live in Indy (didn't run today) but agree that the wind was crazy so it was great that you ran a PR in those conditions.

From Clay on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 19:46:59 from 166.205.11.134

Nice race Paul! Keep working hard dude!;)

From Scott Ensign on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 20:03:02 from 65.100.253.227

nice job Paul!!! we missed you today at your home turf Smithfield health days, certainly a more prestigous race, but we understand indy needed you this year as well. have a safe trip home. nice weather awaits you...

From Holt on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 23:54:09 from 75.169.94.163

Good job Paul!

From Kory on Sun, May 09, 2010 at 02:58:19 from 24.116.159.75

Another knock out run for you. You have to be happy with the conditions the way they were. Great determination and run.

From jtshad on Sun, May 09, 2010 at 09:24:55 from 69.20.183.178

Great run in difficult conditions to run to an amazing PR! Dang, you such a strong runner.

From Seth on Sun, May 09, 2010 at 19:03:43 from 199.188.28.8

Great race, those last 4 miles were blazing fast! Your reports are always a joy as well.

From Superfly on Sun, May 09, 2010 at 19:13:51 from 208.117.127.110

Great way to finish strong and great longish report. Is that a PR on length?:) Looking forward to seeing how you run at UV next month.

From Paul on Sun, May 09, 2010 at 19:16:04 from 174.27.230.30

Clyde - haven't checked, but I'm hoping it's a PR.

From MichelleL on Sun, May 09, 2010 at 23:42:17 from 67.41.226.109

Congrats on a PR in non-ideal conditions. I actually think wind is much harder to deal with than precipitation. I think tail wind doesn't make up for headwind.

As I read the top of your race report, I was like dang, why was your third 5k faster than your first and second, but it all started to make sense as I read the details.

As far as needing a 1:06xx, perhaps you need that fast, but you aren't that far off if you spot yourself some time for the wind. And you have plenty of time still.

From Cody on Mon, May 10, 2010 at 10:44:29 from 69.9.58.17

Nice Job Paul! Way to gut it out and finish so strong. Yes, you are fit!

From Dave S on Mon, May 10, 2010 at 14:33:16 from 4.254.229.212

Great race! It's got to feel great to still PR after fighting that wind alone. And yes [like Scott mentioned] we did miss you in Smithfield Saturday.

From Sasha Pachev on Tue, May 11, 2010 at 11:42:32 from 192.168.1.1

My rule of thumb for adversity slowdown is 2:1 ratio. E.g. Suppose you run 5:30 into the wind, and 5:00 with it. That is 5:10 windless effort. Same for uphill/downhill. So assuming you were putting in an even effort while the pace fluctuated between 5:27 and 4:55 that does put you somewhere around 5:06 average, which is 1:06:51. So your race shows the half speed is there.

From Paul on Tue, May 11, 2010 at 11:46:08 from 174.27.230.30

Thanks Sasha. I agree with the 2:1 adversity ratio; it's something I've thought about in the past. It works for hills, anyway.

From MichelleL on Tue, May 11, 2010 at 13:05:02 from 67.41.226.109

Yeah, Sasha's quantifying my comment quite nicely. I was thinking of this as I was running today (it was windy). What if on my next marathon I got tailwind without any head wind? That would be a bit of luck.

From Paul on Tue, May 11, 2010 at 13:21:00 from 65.103.252.214

Yeah, I was thinking during my run how my last 5 miles at Indy were 25:17. It would be great to run that pace for the first 8 too! That would have been sub-1:06.

Sometimes people will get lucky with tailwind on a point-to-point course, such as at Boston or Grandmas or CIM. Out here in Utah we can get a good wind for TOU or even St George. So it can happen. But for some reason it's usually a headwind! Murphy's law, I suppose. In the case of my race last week, I'm just grateful for having half the race with a good wind. I would have cried if the wind had shifted for the second half of the race. The thought of "tailwind" was the one thing that kept me driving forward.

From Sean Sundwall on Thu, May 13, 2010 at 12:07:49 from 209.67.107.10

Really nice run Paul. I'm amazed at what you accomplish with your training. As for the wind...not sure there is an answer for that. A tailwind NEVER makes up for a headwind. It's simple physics. At 5:00 pace in completely still wind, you are creating a headwind of 12mph. So even on a completely calm day, you still have a headwind resistance factor. Add in a 10mph, for example, and now you are looking at a 22mph headwind. With that 10mph wind at your back, you still have a net headwind of 2mph. So it never pencils out and so it's the one weather condition that I don't think you can ever compensate for. You can do more to train for heat, humidity and rain, but I'm not sure there is anything you can do for wind. Great race.

From Sasha Pachev on Fri, May 05, 2017 at 11:18:40 from 50.90.242.200

Paul - just re-read your race report in preparation for tomorrow, will make it a required reading for Benjamin :-)

From Paul on Fri, May 05, 2017 at 11:55:50 from 50.203.178.38

Don't forget my 2009 and 2014 reports for this race! :-)

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Taking a recovery day from the race, so no running until tomorrow. I feel like I'm recovering reasonably well, not a ton of soreness beyond what's normal for this time of year.

Now that my spring race is over with, it's time to find a fall marathon. I am targeting early October, simply because I don't want to train longer than that with a new baby (lack of sleep will catch up with me). My #1 choice is Chicago, due to the speed of the course, and also the American incentives ($2500 for sub-2:19, $1000 for sub-2:21). #2 choice would be Twin Cities. Although it is not as fast as Chicago, it is the U.S. marathon championships, and would be guaranteed good competition and probably a lot of people in the same boat as me. Plus, the Top 10 at the U.S. Championship will qualify for trials, which gives some buffer against bad weather. #3 choice would probably be ING Hartford. The course is flat and fast, and prize money is 6 deep. We'll see which one works out best financially.

Comments
From Scott Ensign on Mon, May 10, 2010 at 16:08:04 from 65.100.253.227

I say go for Chicago. just my opinion. for what it is worth. which isn't much. and think twice about that Mesquite half. that will leave a bad taste as you retire forever from running the next day.

From josse on Mon, May 10, 2010 at 17:00:07 from 75.231.107.232

When is the baby due?

From Paul on Mon, May 10, 2010 at 17:07:27 from 65.103.252.214

Due September 4th. But Seth was 4 weeks early, so we'll be ready in August...

From josse on Mon, May 10, 2010 at 17:14:13 from 75.231.107.232

I hope mine come in august too.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

Easy 6 miles, Smithfield Canyon. Soreness is mostly gone, but I still have a bit of fatigue.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.500.000.000.000.007.50

First Dam 10K course, 7.5 miles total, 6:38/mile average pace. Still shaking the sludge out of my legs, but felt pretty good today.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 7.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.500.000.000.000.009.50

Ran home from work, hit the canal trail near the end. Ran into a headwind most of the way, but kept the pace brisk. 6:37/mile average pace.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.250.000.000.000.008.25

Easy run from work to home. 7:20/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.25
Race: Law Day 5K (3.1 Miles) 00:15:16, Place overall: 3
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.400.000.003.100.0010.50

Ran the Law Day 5K in Salt Lake City this morning. Chad invited me onto his team, and we decided to make a family day out of it, with brunch and the Salt Lake City Zoo afterward. We got up at 4:45AM, ate breakfast, and scooped Seth out of bed and straight into the car seat, still in his PJ's (hoping he would fall back asleep...he didn't).

Got to the U of U campus at 7AM, parked, found Chad, got my number, and then warmed up. Ran about a mile with Chad, and then I met up with Sasha and Jeff, and we ran the whole course. I'm glad we did the whole course, because there are lots of little turns, curbs, bumps, and other nuances. I would describe the route as "goofy but fun". The first mile is mostly uphill, and then the last two miles are mostly flat or downhill. And lots of turns, did I mention that? But the course was well-marked, and I never had any issues during the race.

This is a team competition between law firms, and Chad had assembled a group of ringers to beat the beat the other law office's group of ringers. It was myself, Jeff McClellan, Josh Stephan, Emily Bates, and Lindsey Dunkley on our team, going against Teren Jameson, Nate Hornok, Albert Wint, Sue Nielson, and Devra Veirkant on the other team (forgive my spelling on all names, or if I missed anyone). We all matched up pretty well, so it would be a toss-up. The winner is based on cumulative time of all 5 team members. Last year's competition was decided by only a few seconds. Obviously, I was most worried about Teren, but was also concerned about Nate Hornok, as he is quite fast at the 5km distance. On my team, I expected to get stiff competition from Jeff.

I finished the warmup, and was surprised to see how many other runners were there. Several hundred, a good turnout. Found an empty bathroom inside, and finished up that whole business. Did a few strides, and they were ready to start the race. (after a lot of talking).

They started the race with a gavel, and Teren immediately tore off at a mad pace on the initial downhill part. Jeff was hot on his heels. I didn't go out with them...because I couldn't. It was pretty much beyond my full sprint. There was some other guy ahead of me as well, but I passed him after about a quarter mile. The race turned left, and started going uphill. I just tried to keep them both in reach.

We wound around campus. All of the turns made it fun, but I had no idea how fast we were going. Seemed too fast though. I managed to make up some ground on Jeff and Teren and got within a second or so of them, but then they extended their lead on a short downhill section. Then we had a fairly long, straight uphill around the one-mile mark (which I missed), and I closed a little bit on them again. At 2km the course turns right and starts going downhill. Teren and Jeff extended their lead again on the downhill and started to gap me pretty good. I was running about as fast as I could, but it wasn't fast enough. Kind of the story of the race. And I'm not sure why I was running the uphills better than the downhills.

And that's pretty much how the rest of the race went. Teren and Jeff were running up front, and I was chasing, chasing. Lots of twists and turns, lots of downhill, but also some flat stretches and uphill segments. It was kind of a whirlwind. I felt pretty good, never felt like I was tanking or losing my form, but I just couldn't catch them. I never really gave up the idea that I could close the gap, until about 1km left, and by then the lead had gotten pretty big. I finished the race strong, and came in about 20 seconds behind Teren and Jeff. It was actually a pretty good race to watch. Jeff was obviously running with some fire and enthusiasm to try to take down Teren (when you're at the top, you're a marked man). Jeff even made a move and passed him during the last mile, and I thought he might get it. But Teren was able to finish off the race, and ended up a couple seconds ahead of Jeff. But it was a gutsy and strong performance on Jeff's part. Good race by Teren too. The guy definitely knows how to race, and when to turn it on.

Jeff and Teren finished a few seconds under 15:00, and I came in at 15:16. Turns out that Nate Hornok was hot my heels, as he finished in 15:20 or so. I think he was probably closing a bit on me, and just ran out of road. Speaking of running out of road, due to these fast times, we all suspected that the course was a bit short. The route is usually certified, but part of the route is in a construction zone this year, so they had to throw something together, and when that happens it's usually not accurate. But better short than long, in my book. Less running.

It was a beautiful morning to run. Perfect weather with clear skies and no wind. I enjoyed this race and felt pretty good. Results are still being sorted out due to a timing issue, but it looks like we won the team competition. The top 2 runners on each team pretty much canceled each other out, but we gained a lot with our first woman finisher, Lindsey. Good race also by Josh, who I think beat Albert for the 3rd male slot.

Oh, and splits? I have none. Both miles and kilometers marked, but they were the tiniest little signs ever. Humorous, actually. I like racing splitless, so I'm good with it. But each marker was a little 4"x4" card on stick. The only one I caught was 2km, and I was at 6:25-ish.

Enjoyed brunch and the zoo after the race.

Saucony Type A Miles: 3.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Cody on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 22:34:04 from 174.52.244.185

Cool Race, looks like lots of fun. Do the lawyers stand around at the finish bickering over the results? Or is there a judge to settle disputes?

My opinion, you are fast on the uphills because you are strong (very strong), but you have done little to get your top gear going (ie speed work). Put them in that Indy race last week with you and they may have suffered a bit more....

From Steve on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 00:02:08 from 64.134.158.81

Man, that's some speed! That was a grouping of the fastest Utah runners out there. Would have been fun to watch, not so fun to try and run with ya'll!

From Little Bad Legs on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 00:17:37 from 67.170.153.203

Impressive run, as always!

From Burt on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 00:37:10 from 98.177.220.145

I agree with Steve. That would have been a fun one to watch.

From Walter on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 01:25:17 from 24.10.169.110

Cody, that is freakin funny! Great job Paul. Holy mother of pearl a 4:55 ave? Jeff and Teren have some amazing leg turnover!

From Lindsey Dunkley on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 02:27:39 from 75.169.155.111

Good job today...I saw you in passing after the race but didn't get to actually meet you. Maybe another race. Fun to be on the same team as such speedy men :)

From Scott Ensign on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 22:20:46 from 65.100.253.227

nice job Paul. and nobody got sued?

From Superfly on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 23:38:41 from 208.117.127.110

Solid race Paul sounds like a cool little event. Way too fast for my liking but cool nonetheless.

From Seth on Mon, May 17, 2010 at 12:24:34 from 199.188.28.8

Great run! I'm always impressed by your speed.

From jtshad on Mon, May 17, 2010 at 12:26:15 from 204.134.132.225

Awesome time, nice to have such good competition to push you! OTQ here you come!

From Maurine/Miles on Mon, May 17, 2010 at 14:52:39 from 63.255.172.2

Great run, Paul. Looks like you might have another good year.

From Paul on Mon, May 17, 2010 at 15:15:05 from 65.103.252.214

Thanks everyone. I hope it's the beginning of a good year as well. Chad told me about a Law Day race in some other state, where an ambulance services as the pace car. Now THAT'S funny!

From Sasha Pachev on Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:52:11 from 192.168.1.1

After some analysis I concluded the course was comparable to Heart of Holladay/Murray Fun Days/new Draper Days. In other words, a certified loop course with sane hills and no crazy turns. So this was actually a very solid performance.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.250.000.000.000.0013.25

Back it this week. My plan for the next four weeks is to build my mileage up to 90 mpw, with a fair amount of tempo runs. No intervals planned, but will probably do some strides.

Did 8.25 miles easy this morning with Carson. We ran Birch Creek, up to the FS fence and back. Beautiful morning. 7:34/mile average pace.

PM - 5 miles with Seth, Forrester Acres. 7:29/mile average.

Jogging Stroller Miles: 5.00Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.25Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 5.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.000.000.000.000.0013.00

Ran in a warm rain/mist this morning. It was quite nice, reminded me of growing up. I did an out-and-back up Smithfield Canyon at a moderate to brisk pace. Got to the dirt road and went about a mile up before turning around. Averaged 6:24/mile for the mile.

Brooks Launch Miles: 13.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Tue, May 18, 2010 at 20:20:57 from 65.100.253.227

I like the new red St George Running Center singlet. Is that a new design to replace the old one, or made special for sponsored runners? very sharp outfit anyway.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.250.000.000.000.0013.25

AM - 5 miles on the rather muddy canal trail. But the canal is flowing again, which lends a certain aesthetic quality that I have missed since last fall. Averaged 6:40/mile for the run.

PM - Ran home from work. 6:43/mile average pace for 8.25 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 5.00Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 8.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.750.000.000.000.0012.75

AM - easy jaunt around Smithfield. 6.75 miles. Averaged 7:20/mile.

PM - canal trail. 6 miles. Averaged 6:43/mile.

New Balance 790 Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.500.000.000.000.0013.50

AM - canal trail, 5 miles easy. 7:04/mile average.

PM - ran home from work. 8.5 miles. 7:05/mile average.

New Balance 790 Miles: 5.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.500.000.000.000.0012.50

Ran the Logan Canyon River Trail today. I used to this almost every week, but have not ran it yet this year. Parked at First Dam for a little bit of extra distance. I took the upper route (Bridger Lookout), and then came down the rock slide into Spring Hollow, and went on to Guineva Malibu, and then turned around and came back along the river. 12.5 miles total. It was a nice, cool day to run.

Saucony Guide TR Miles: 12.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.250.000.000.000.0014.25

AM - Smithfield Canyon with Carson. 8.5 miles, 7:12/mile average. Raining. Again.

PM -  Forrester Acres with Seth. Dodged the rain for once.

Jogging Stroller Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.0010.000.000.000.0014.00

Awesome morning today. The rain finally stopped and it cleared up. It was brisk but sunny out, so I decided to make my run brisk as well. I did the Saddleback-Bear River Ranch route, west of town. Out-and-back, 14 miles total. About 12 miles worth of tempo, although I eased into it during the first two miles. Then cooldown for the last two miles. It was a great workout, and I felt wonderful. Splits were 5:55, 5:53, 5:29, 5:32, 5:31, 5:37, 5:25, 5:31, 5:19, 5:20, 5:29, 5:28, 6:22, 6:52. I averaged 5:32/mile for the 12-mile tempo, and averaged 5:28/mile if you take out the first two "ease in" miles. Hit 13.1 miles at 1:13:25. So all-in-all, a pretty good day. I was really happy to hit sub-5:30s coming back on the uphill portion of the out-and-back route. It's definitely a good sign that training is coming along very well.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 14.00
Comments
From Dustin on Tue, May 25, 2010 at 12:06:56 from 204.113.48.77

Very nice workout!

From Bonnie on Tue, May 25, 2010 at 13:34:14 from 64.119.33.134

Nice workout and I really like the new picture Paul, your push-off looks perfect!

From steve ash on Tue, May 25, 2010 at 19:14:08 from 174.52.96.106

Nice.. I like that workout.

From Jon on Wed, May 26, 2010 at 00:54:19 from 75.169.158.126

Paul- there are only a handful of people on the blog who can even run a 1:13 at a race, and you do it as a normal workout! 1:06, here you come!

From Ben VanBeekum on Thu, May 27, 2010 at 00:42:37 from 67.169.246.116

Hey what workout do you think is the most beneficial for marathon training? Also, whats the longest tempo run you do for marathons?

From Paul on Thu, May 27, 2010 at 08:10:00 from 174.27.230.30

Ben - workout above is about the longest I'll tempo for (10-12 miles of tempo, plus warmup and cooldown). For me tempo runs are the bread and butter of marathon training, and give me the most bang for the buck. The tempo does not necessarily be that hard (it can be slower than MP), but it should be decently long in duration.

From Holt on Thu, May 27, 2010 at 11:32:00 from 204.113.55.41

I'm sold on tempos - I just wish I could throw them down like you! Great job Paul. See you up at UV.

From Paul on Thu, May 27, 2010 at 11:36:18 from 174.27.230.30

I don't know Dave, I'm not the one hammering 5:15 pace for 10 miles! Yeah, UVM will be fun. Looking forward to seeing y'all there, and glad I'm not doing the marathon!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.500.000.000.000.0014.50

AM - easy 5 miles on the canal trail.

PM - ran home from work. 9.5 miles, averaged 6:55/mile.

New Balance 790 Miles: 5.00Brooks Launch Miles: 9.50
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Wed, May 26, 2010 at 21:35:27 from 67.41.180.54

I see you took the mesquite half off your race schedule. good call.

From Paul on Thu, May 27, 2010 at 17:41:03 from 65.103.252.214

I can retire earlier now.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - 9 miles very easy with Carson (about 7:35/mile). We ran around rather haphazardly. Checked out part of the middle canal trail that I had never been on, but we hit a locked gate, so then we went up to the upper canal.

PM - 5 miles with Seth. Mack Park. 7:40/mile average.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 5.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.750.000.000.000.0013.75

AM - Birch Creek Canyon. 5 miles, very slow.

PM - ran home from work. 8.75 miles. Averaged 6:56/mile.

Weighed in yesterday at 125 lbs on the Wii Fit. This is how much I weighed as a freshman in high school. Not sure if this means that I'm the fittest I've ever been, or if grain-free eating doesn't go well with high mileage and thus I'm losing weight. I've introduced yams into my daily diet for additional calories and some extra carbohydrate. Perhaps I should dip them in chocolate as well. Since I feel pretty good, and have plenty of energy, I think I'm just fit and trim, but I'm making a conscious effort to up the calories as well. After all, this is the highest mileage I've hit since fall of 2007.

New Balance 790 Miles: 5.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.75
Comments
From steve ash on Fri, May 28, 2010 at 22:11:32 from 174.52.96.106

I'm down to 135 lbs at 6'2, but I feel pretty good all things considered. So I don't think it will be a problem Paul. If anything you may be a few seconds faster now per mile. Give you that edge on race day..

From Paul on Fri, May 28, 2010 at 22:52:30 from 204.113.19.55

Yeah, I'm not really worried. I still weigh more than most Kenyans. Plus, it's mostly belly fat that I lost, so I actually have defined abs now, despite now working out.

From Holt on Sat, May 29, 2010 at 15:26:12 from 75.169.90.161

I think you should dip it in chocolate - anything in chocolate!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.004.000.000.0018.00

Did my run around 11AM this morning. Weather was perfect: cool temps, light rain off-and-on, and little wind. I wanted 18 miles at a decent pace for most miles, and also with 2x2-mile LT intervals somewhere in the middle. I did an out-and-back up Smithfield Canyon, since that would give me a long stretch of downhill to hammer the intervals on. I've been training on mostly flat and rolling terrain all winter and spring, and I needed some downhill specific training to get ready for my string of heinous downhill summer races (UVM 1/2, Des News 10K, and TOU 1/2). So the goal for today was to bust my quads and have fun doing it.

And it was a good day to run. I tried to keep the pace honest on the uphill part, and hit a really sweet rhythm that I locked into until I hit the dirt road. Averaged about 6:30/mile on the paved part, and then low-7s on the dirt/mud road. Was averaging 6:43/mile at the turnaround at 9 miles, which I was pleased with, given that there was about 1500' of elevation gain. I turned around at the end of the dirt road & start of the single track. The road was pretty muddy and a little slick in places due to all the rain (and I was getting sprinkled/snowed on a little during the run), so I kept the pace under control, right around 7:00/mile until I got off the dirt and back onto the asphalt.

Then I slowly ramped up to about 6-minute pace on the downhill through Mile 12. After my garmin beeped for Mile 12, I started the first 2-mile interval. I wanted a half marathon race pace effort, which I figured would translate to 5:00/mile or a little under, given the downhill (it's steeper than the TOU course or the UVM course, but less steep than St George). I just let the downhill carry me for the first interval. I had forgotten how easy downhill running is. Hit 4:57 and 4:54 for the splits, 9:51 total on the first interval. Breathing felt conversational, although my legs and feet were getting sick of running. Active recovery for 0.25 miles (1:45), and then did the second interval: 4:54 and then 4:53, 9:47 total. I was definitely working harder on this one, but still in a nice groove and it never felt too hard. Cooled down for the final 1.75 miles, which unfortunately included the 200' climb back to my house. That always feels hard. Finished the 18 miles averaging 6:22/mile overall; very good long run for me, and no fueling issues. I'm really looking forward to UVM 1/2. I am definitely a rhythm runner, and I'm hoping the long downhill and straight sections (no turns) will help me to just lock in and go. The good competition will make it really fun too.

Brooks Launch Miles: 18.00
Comments
From Holt on Sat, May 29, 2010 at 16:52:35 from 75.169.90.161

Uhhh... Yeah you'll do well!

From Nan on Sun, May 30, 2010 at 11:16:54 from 174.51.250.151

Your workouts and overall pace always amaze me. Good luck in the UVM 1/2!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.250.000.000.000.0014.25

AM - Saddleback out-and-back, 8.5 miles. Very slow, 7:40/mile.

noon - Forrester Acres with Seth. 5.75 miles. No watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

Today was a workout day, but I did not want a tempo as hard as last week (need to change it up some). Plus I was a little sore and worn out from Saturday's run combined with Memorial weekend festivities (who knew I could get so sore from kicking a football?). I ran the Bear River Loop at a brisk pace, just tried to keep things honest. And of course it was raining. It is always raining here in Utah, or at least this spring it is. By halfway through the run, I was soaked to the core. But it was alright, fortunately not cold or anything, so most of it felt good, but I got kind of sick of being wet for the last few miles. Ended up with 14 miles. Hit the first 10 miles just a hair under 60 minutes, so right under 6:00/mile average. Toned down for the last few, but added some strides during the last couple miles. Averaged 6:09/mile for the full 14 miles.Nice bread-and-butter type run.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 14.00
Comments
From Superfly on Tue, Jun 01, 2010 at 12:12:13 from 208.117.127.110

Good run Paul. As for being sore from kicking the football... well you said to me once a couple years ago after I was hurting from water skiing. "We are just fragile little runners and only use to running. Everything else jacks us up." Or something to that effect.

From Paul on Tue, Jun 01, 2010 at 12:20:13 from 65.103.252.214

Indeed. At least botchiball didn't make me sore.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - canal trail, 5.5 miles. About 7:20/mile.

PM - ran home from work, hit the canal trail. 9.5 miles, 6:42/mile average.

New Balance 790 Miles: 5.50Brooks Launch Miles: 9.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.250.000.000.000.0014.25

AM - Smithfield Canyon. 8.5 miles, 6:50/mile average. Did some strides on the downhill portion.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 5.75 miles, averaged 7:12/mile.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.500.000.000.000.0014.50

AM - canal trail with Carson. 6 miles, 7:20/mile average pace.

PM - ran home from work. 8.5 miles, 7:05/mile. Did a few strides too.

New Balance 790 Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.000.005.000.000.0018.00

Did a decent workout today. I drove out to the start of Hollow Rd, and did and out-and-back on the TOU course. Basically I ran to near the half marathon start and back. I wanted to keep a brisk pace going up, and then do a 3-2-1 (mile) workout coming down at half marathon race pace, quarter mile recovery between each rep. My first 6 miles were all between 6:15 and 6:00, and things were feeling really good on the uphill. I realized about halfway that the reason it felt so good was because I had a tailwind, meaning I would get a headwind on the downhill, interval part of my workout. Oh well, I just tried to enjoy the tailwind while I could. I also realized that it was getting pretty hot out, and that I hadn't hydrated all morning, unless a pot of coffee counts. I think that it does not. So dehydration could be an issue, as could the heat. It was only 70 degrees out, but if you convert that to Logan Standard Temperature, it comes out to about 90 degrees. Keep in mind I wear gloves still most mornings.

Anway, the last 3 miles of the uphill portion felt really good, and I hit mid-5:50s on them. At the turnaround point at 9 miles, I had averaged 6:04/mile for the whole uphill portion of the run. Aided by the tailwind, but still not bad, and it felt really good. I took a quick potty stop at an outhouse in the picnic area, and then started down. Did one mile in 5:55 to get a feel for the headwind and the downhill. Despite going downhill now, the effort to do 5:55 was the same as it was on the uphill with the tailwind. Interesting.

At mile 10, I started my 3-mile interval. Obviously, that made the head-wind worse, since I was running faster into it. Hit 16:31 for 3 miles (5:15, 5:19, 5:17). It did not feel good. I was really starting to feel dried out at this point. The wind was cooling me off, but it was also evaporating my sweat faster. I wished that someone had cached some Gatorade in the bushes for me, but that was not the case.

Took 0.25 miles recovery (2 minutes), then started the 2-mile interval. This one started better, but finished worse. 10:18 for 2 miles (5:03, 5:15). The last half mile I started feeling pretty bad, and pretty much turned it off the last quarter. And then I turned off the workout for the day as well, and nixed the last interval. I could tell that I was dehydrated, and that the sun was getting to me. I was sweating less and less (a bad thing), and having a tough time catching my breath. I cruised in the last couple miles on Hollow Rd with some low-6's. Amazing how much backing off just a little bit helps. I fininshed the 18 miles in 1:45:54, which is 5:53/mile. So still a pretty good day, despite really messing up my workout by not hydrating enough and by waiting too late in the morning to run (it was about noon when I finished).

But I survived. And this run concluded my first 90-mile week since fall of 2007. Training over the last month has been good. My primary goal was to get my mileage up to 90, and actual workouts were secondary to the overall volume. So mission accomplished. I'm looking forward to the UVM Half in a week, and then will do a short 10K training cycle in preparation for Des News, and then from August through October the sole focus will be the marathon.

Brooks Launch Miles: 18.00
Comments
From Cody on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 15:47:01 from 174.52.244.185

Nice!

From Jon on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 20:39:35 from 174.19.189.39

Logan Standard Temperature- I like it. Excellent workout, too, and congrats on a 90 mile week.

From Superfly on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 23:00:01 from 208.117.127.110

Looking forward to next weekend. Should we just meet at Wienerschnitzel for dinner on Friday night? Pretty low key and a chili dog should ride well Saturday morning:).

From Paul on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 08:30:55 from 174.27.230.30

Low key is good, but I don't know about chili dogs! I had bbq ribs the night before TOU last year, so perhaps chili dogs would be even better.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - met Carson at Mack Park, and ran Birch Creek Canyon. 8.25 miles, averaged 7:21/mile. Did some strides at the end. Felt decent.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. No watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.25
Comments
From Jon on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 22:01:38 from 75.169.145.159

Are you or Carson coming to Juniper tomorrow? We are leaving First Dam at 5:10 pm.

From Paul on Tue, Jun 08, 2010 at 08:09:09 from 174.27.230.30

No

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.505.000.000.000.0011.50

Last workout before UVM. Did the Bear River Loop, with 5 miles of MP tempo. First three warmup miles hovered around 6:00 or just under, then I started the tempo. Averaged right around 5:28/mile for 5 miles (I forget my exact splits). Then cooled down for about 3 miles, averaging around 6:30/mile. Averaged 5:58/mile for 11.5 miles. Nice morning.

Brooks Launch Miles: 11.50
Comments
From jtshad on Tue, Jun 08, 2010 at 12:05:21 from 204.134.132.225

Great workout, have a awesome race at the UV half!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.500.000.000.000.008.50

Ran home from work. About 6:50/mile average.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

Forrester Acres with Seth. No watch.

Jogging Stroller Miles: 6.00Brooks Launch Miles: 6.00
Comments
From josse on Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 14:57:35 from 75.231.9.95

Hey if you guys are interested some of us are meeting for dinner tomorrow at 6 at Cafe Peasan, more info is on my blog, but we would love to see you all. If not see you at the finish.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.000.000.000.000.005.00

Easy 5 on the canal trail. No watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 5.00
Comments
From jtshad on Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 10:51:42 from 204.134.132.225

Good luck tomorrow!

From Little Bad Legs on Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 13:49:26 from 173.151.95.107

I'm looking forward to reading about your race. Good luck!

From Paul on Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 14:08:34 from 204.113.19.55

I'm sure I will keep the report short and concise.

Race: Utah Valley Half Marathon (13.107 Miles) 01:06:05, Place overall: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.900.0013.100.000.0019.00

It's late right now, so the short report will suffice for now. Ran 1:06:05 at the UVM Half. Took 2nd place to Seth Pilkington. I was proud to hang with him so long. We had a pack of 5 people at two miles, a pack of 4 people through 5 miles, then it dropped down to 3 of us through 8 or 9 miles, and then Seth finally finished me off with less than a mile to go. I tried a surge or two with about 5K left, but they were pretty weak and I couldn't get any separation. Our times would have been about 20s faster, if not for a little course issue at the very end, more on that in the full report. Felt really good the whole way, almost too good. Lack of turnover got me in the end.

Full Report:

Stacy, Seth, and I drove down to Provo on Friday afternoon. Outlook for race-day looked grim: rain, more rain, and then some rain. Oh well, that's the story of the year so far. We found our way to the expo, then checked into our motel on the northwest side of BYU campus, and then met the StG crew for dinner. I love the social aspect of racing, and it was nice to catch up with people at dinner, and also at the finish line after the races.

Went to bed around 8:45PM, and Seth wound down relatively quickly and allowed us to get to sleep by 9:30PM or so. He didn't wake up during the night either. Wish I could say the same for myself. When I am in "race mode", I never need an alarm clock because my body keeps waking itself up. I never get nervous, but my body certainly anticipates a race. I was waking up about every half hour during the night, anticipating it being time to get up. Finally, I did get up at 3:14AM, so I indeed did not need the alarm, which was set for 3:15AM.

I brewed a pot of coffee, and ate a banana and the random sports bars that was with the goodie bag (think it was Snickers Marathon bar, or something). I had another banana later before I got on the bus. Drank 2 cups of coffee, which was very good quality for a motel.

Caught the StG-mobile (Tahoe) and hitched ride to the busing at 3:45AM. Hyrum had asked me to take the VIP bus and talk to the other runners on the bus, which I agreed to do since he was nice enough to comp my entry. That bus did not leave until 4:30, so I did my warmup from the mall, and jogged about two miles. Our bus left at 4:30AM, and there was only about 10 people on it. It was kind of nice actually, and I chatted with Lindsey D., MaryAnn S., and some of the other runners, and generally relaxed. Halfway up we found at that one man was supposed to be on the marathon bus. So when we got to the start line, I jumped out and grabbed a volunteer, who offered to drive the man to the start. But MaryAnn was also able to flag down a marathon bus, so the guy ended up getting on that instead.

Long story short, at this point there was not a ton of time to the start. But that is exactly why I did my warmup early. I dedicated my remaining time to standing in line for the portapot, which was quite a substantial line by now. The race could certainly improve on its portapots and staging area. But it's all good. Only a one-star race, but it was high-quality and I was all set afterward.

I did some strides at the start line, and was feeling good. My training had been good the last month, and I fully expected to go well under 1:07, and probably under 1:06 too (despite Sasha's predictions). I figured that if I could run 1:06:42 at the TOU Half last year, while being out of shape (running less than 60 mpw), then I should certainly be able to challenge 1:06:00 after some 90 mile weeks, even if the course is a little slower. I had expected Jeff and Hayden as my top competition before the race, but was surprised to learn at dinner the night before that Seth Pilkington was running too. At the time, I figured that eliminated me from contention, but as I mulled it over later that evening and on raceday morning, I figured I had to at least put myself out there and race him. I've attempted the same with Teren in past races, and although I never came out on top, I at least would surprise myself a little and have fun with the challenge. Plus, who knows what kind of shape Seth was in? If he was out of shape, or doing the race as a tempo run, or in a poor mindset, they I would have a legit chance.

Weather conditions ended up being quite excellent despite my concerns during the week. The rain had temporarily let up, and temps were in the low 50s, maybe upper 40s, which is perfect. In the rare times I could sense a wind, it was usually in a favorable direction (tailwind). So as long as the rain held off, it would be about perfect, other than perhaps an occasional slippery spot in the road. But I figured that Ryan Hall broke the American record in similar conditions, so perhaps a little rain wouldn't hurt either. It ended up just sprinkling occasionally for the first few miles, then steady rain for the middle miles, and then dry for the last few miles. Other than getting soggy, and some chaffing, I don't think the rain hurt me much, and was actually quite nice at times.

The race started about 15 minutes late. I wasn't surprised, since I figured that sync'ing the marathon start and the half marathon start would be kind of difficult. So 15 minutes isn't too bad, plus it allowed the sky to lighten up a little bit. It was sprinkling here and there, but the air felt good.

It was finally time to start, and they counted down from 10, and then fired the gun. I wanted to get out quick, and apparently so did everyone else. We had a pack of 5 for the first two miles (me, Jeff, Aaron Metler from St George, Seth Pilkington, and some other guy I didn't know who turned out to be Brad Osguthorpe). The first mile was mostly downhill with one little uphill (I think). We hit it in 4:55, which felt brilliant. Ted was there reading us splits, which was nice, and he continued to do so until Mile 8 or 9. I knew from previous workouts that 4:55 feels pretty good on a downhill, and I intended to sustain this pace in through canyon at least.

The second mile had a substantial hill that showed up in the elevation profile, so I was expecting it. We covered it in 5:16. Still feeling good, and ready to start ripping on the downhill, now that the main uphill was behind me. After two miles, Aaron decided the pace was a bit much, and he packed off, leaving us with a remaining pack of four runners. (Aaron went on to finish in 1:07:36, which is a massive PR for him, great race).

And rip the downhill we did. Mile 3 was 4:41, and felt like walking. I commented that it was either short, or we're really moving. In looking at the race afterward, it turned out to be the latter. Followed it up with a 4:50 for Mile 4. Just haulin'. Great downhill stretch.

By now I was in a major groove, a sweet rhythm. In my races this year, none of them catered to my main strength, which is hitting a pace and sticking it with a good rhythm. Yes, I am a rhythm runner, not a strength runner, not a surging runner. Indy was just too windy to find that groove until it was too late, and Law Day was too hilly and too twisty to find that special cadence. But so far UVM was perfect, and I found myself stuck in effortless 4:5x miles. It was a great groove.

For the first few miles, our pack dynamic involved Seth and Brad doing most of the leading, and Jeff and I on the trail legs. There was no wind to speak of, so drafting was not a factor, but I was happy to tuck in and try to hit decent tangents. The shoulder of the road had these annoying rumble-strips, and I was a little concerned about all the concrete, but mostly I just focused on keeping the pace and feeling smooth.

Mile 5 was 4:58. Right around here, Jeff started dropping back a little bit. I encouraged him to close the gap, but he continued to drop off, so I set my attention solely on Brad and Seth. They both looked really strong, and neither was breathing hard. But then again, neither was I.

Mile 6 was 4:56, and our cumulative time was 29:39. Probably about 30:40 for 10K or so, which is cool (my track PR is 30:45, and my downhill PR is 30:27 from Des News). With just three of us in the pack, I was putting myself out front a little more, and not just tucking in. Wind conditions were still good, although we'd hit a small headwinds once in a while.

Mile 7 was 4:53. My legs and lungs were still feeling absolutely brilliant. I held off the urge to make some sort of move; it was way to early, and I made a pact with myself not to do anything until after Mile 10. Plus, Brad and Seth were still looking effortless. Somewhere in here we left the canyon and got into the valley, but still on a nice downhill. I was starting to seriously believe that I would not only break 1:06, but would also break 1:05 (a secret pre-race goal of mine).

Alas, that was the final sub-5 mile we ran. Mile 8 was 5:00. Mile 9 degraded to 5:04, although I still felt very good. Somewhere in here Brad suddenly dropped off. It surprised me a little because he looked so good, but with four miles to go it was a two-man race between myself and Seth Pilkington.

After Brad dropped, the pace actually slowed quite a bit. I think the reason was three-fold. 1) the downhill was flattening out; 2) legs had some fatigue from the downhill pounding; 3) I think both Seth and I relaxed a little once it came down to just two people, plus I knew we had sub-1:07 and then time bonus in the bag. The last few miles almost felt like a waiting game, just getting ourselves in striking range of the finish.

Mile 10 was 5:11, the slowest split of the day. I started feeling a little frisky and antsy, and threw a couple test surges to try to push the pace a little. Seth responded to each one with little apparent difficulty, and after that I was content to sit and wait for the race to play itself out. In retrospect, I wish I had surged a little harder and longer, and made a better attempt to win the race right here. But that's how it went down. Mile 11 ended up at 5:04, so a little bit faster to reward my efforts.

Mile 12 was 5:10. It felt like I should still be sub-5 pace, as my lungs were still feeling easy, but my legs were getting heavier, and the turnover and spunk didn't seem to be there (for some reason, hmmm).

After we hit the 12 mile mark, Seth finally played his card, he gained about a second of separation on me before the overpass hill with 0.75 miles left. I ground up the hill, and managed to keep the gap from growing too much, and then worked the downhill as well as I could. But the gap widened, and I could tell that Seth had me beat, both physically and mentally. At this point I was looking mostly forward to finishing the race, and keeping it close and respectable (not a good mindset, by the way). We made the turn into the mall, and I knew we were almost there. He was still pushing hard, and I was still chasing, but not closing at all. He probably had 3 or 4 seconds on me. Saw the 13 mile marker, and the split was 5:07, which was good given the overpass hill.

Only 0.1 mile to go, but then the unexpected happened. There are two turns in the whole race course. The first was into the mall at mile 12.5, and the last was into the finish, at mile 13.0. This last turn was not marked (that I could see anyway), and there was not a soul present to inform us of it. Seth ran on by the turn. I paused as I started to go by, and realized that it looked suspiciously like what should be a final turn. How else would we finish? But there was nobody there...a bit confusing. Confusing enough to make me hesitate long enough to see someone sprinting toward me waving his arms and yelling. I literally stopped and yelled, "is this the turn??". "YES!" was the response. Seth was still on his current (wrong) path, but in yelling distance. I yelled at him once, with no response, and then again, louder (I am not much of a yeller, especially after 13.0 miles at 5:00/mile pace. This time he heard me, and I waved him back to the correct course. He came back, and waved him in, past me, and then we both ran into the finish line for the last 0.1 miles. Seth officially was 1:06:05.0, and I was officially 1:06:05.9, but it reality he had 3 or 4 seconds on me.

So that's what happened. The whole sequence of events took just a few seconds, so it was a lot of split decisions. But if I could do it again, I'd do it the same way. As far as why I'd give up an easy win like that is simple: it would not have been a real win. True, I would have come in 1st place, but I would not have won. I love competition, and I love winning. I love them both too much to win in such a fashion. The plain truth is that Seth had me broken and defeated, and he deserved to win the race. It would not have been right for me to be standing on the podium in front of him. It is not acceptable for a race this large or of this caliber not to have the course marked and not to have a volunteer out there, so I don't view it as "tactical error" either. My only wish was that I could have run faster and competed better, but Seth was the better runner this day. Furthermore, Christ, who I claim as my Lord, said "In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you." (Matt 7:12), and also "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." (Matt 9:35). In other words, to put the needs of others above my own, and to be a good neighbor, and to serve others. I feel that if I had gone on to "win", I would have actually "lost", and it would have certainly been a hollow victory. I did not want an asterisk by my placing, nor did I want to describe my race as "First place, but...". So for all of those reasons, it was a pretty easy decision. I had a fairly similar situation with Logan Fielding at the TOU Half in 2007, and I wished it could have gone down differently (Logan took a wrong turn, and I went on to "win" the race).

So yeah, official time was 1:06:05, but my last 0.1 was 53s. Usually I cover the last 0.1 in about 30s (or under), so I imagine we both would have been around 1:05:40 if not for the mishap. But I'll just have to break 1:06:00 at the TOU Half later this summer. I think UVM and TOU Half are pretty similar in speed. UVM might be slightly faster, but it's hard to say.

I'm thrilled about this race. I knew that I could run in the 1:06:00 range, but it's always exciting to go out and execute. And it's simply an awesome feeling to run that fast for that long, and to match strides with people that I really respect and view as my superiors. I don't know what kind of shape Seth is in, but I have never come close to running his times, so it was great to compete against him to the end, and have a shot at winning. I don't know Brad at all, but apparently he had run 29:3x at Des News, so I was happy to beat him. And after the pounding Jeff has given me at our last couple head-to-head races, it felt good to beat him too. ;-) Any given race, you just don't know the outcome until you run it. And Jeff and I really could probably switch off every race. This race just happened to be my turn.

After the race, I chit-chatted with folk for a little while (again, nice to see people out there and catch up). Then I cooled down by running back to our motel, about 4 miles. I didn't realize how shot my legs were until I did my cooldown. Ouch! Hamstrings were especially shot.

Next race is the Blacksmith Fork Freedom Run 15K on July 3. It's a fun local race, and I look forward to seeing how fast I can run 15K. I'm definitely looking at trying to go sub-46:00, given that it's a net downhill. And then I will do the Des News 10K in July 24. Huge 10K, with huge competition. Goal of sub-29:30. And I actually plan to do a 6-week 10K training cycle, to see what kind of shape I can get into, and to break up my training before I go into the final 12-week stretch of marathon-specific training. I just hope that I can continue to find time and desire to train hard. This is difficult at times for me. But races like UVM help me get pumped and keep the fire burning, at least for another few weeks.

 Mile Split Cumulative Time
 1 4:55 4:55
 2 5:16 10:12
 3 4:41 14:53
 4 4:50 19:44
 5 4:58 24:42
 6 4:56 29:39
 7 4:53 34:32
 8 5:00 39:33
 9 5:04 44:37
 10 5:11 49:49
 11 5:04 54:54
 12 5:10 1:00:04
 13 5:071:05:12
 13.1 0:53 1:06:05

Saucony Type A Miles: 19.00
Comments
From josse on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 23:40:23 from 75.220.107.166

Great job Paul, I was so impressed by you at the end making sure Seth came back and letting him go ahead. But like you said it would have been a hollow victory, I am not sure how many people would actually do that though. Any way great job and so fun to see you at the finish.

From James on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 01:05:25 from 174.23.33.14

It was fun to visit with you after the race, and see your family again as well. I am so glad that you have been doing well the last year. I am impressed by your sportsmanship today in a situation that most would have handled differently, and unlike some I am never surprised by what you accomplish when you are healthy. Let's stay in touch a little better from now on! Stay strong, and great race today!

From Lindsey Dunkley on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 02:27:18 from 75.169.150.228

Great job today! I heard about your finish immediately from my family, they and I think you are a very classy guy.

From Walter on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 10:13:40 from 24.10.169.110

Wowwie Paul! You freaking amaze me! You were telling me you had no chance against Seth and yet you almost nabbed him! You actually couldve won if you werent so damn nice! When I miss my turn, nobody yells to me! I need to get faster so I know your behind me! haha Great job once again and I will put the Freedom run on my to do list if I can convince my wife to sneak out for a couple hours.

From Superfly on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 10:18:50 from 208.117.127.110

Paul your the man. What a good example to us all. I know I would't have done that. I'm humbled by your kindness. Great job on the race too. I knew you were going to step up and run a great race today. You have a way of doing it all the time. Too bad for the ending otherwise you own a 1:05 to your name and maybe would have won outright.

Awesome job! Looking forward to the full report. It was really good to see you guys too. Seth is really cute and his personality is a lot like Mylers so it was fun to see two little boys so full of life. Sorry it was so crazy at the finish. Our car had to be jump started and we never got back over to the awards until after you'd gone.

From Mike Warren on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 10:24:52 from 74.211.5.221

I thought you said you lacked foot speed and turnover? Ya right! Hey, very impressive what you did at the finish. I know you would rather have no credit given, but as Clyde said what a great example. Hard to do that in the heat of battle. I am more impressed with you then your race, THANKS!!

From Brent on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 11:36:12 from 66.7.127.219

Paul, your always impressive, from Moab 5 miler suffering from injury, toe the line, its a race, you have something special on game day. 500 commando points for the 2nd place and another 500 from sportsmanship.

Tour de France, Lance, it is not about the bike, his sportsmanship during the tour and your example are the real essence of competition.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

From JamesH on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 12:41:25 from 174.52.139.219

Now the cats out of the bag. Everyone is going to know that not only are you an incredibly talented runner but your an even more classy person. Wish there was more of that out there. Thanks for being such a great example of what sportsmanship should be.

Maybe someday when Im older i'll have a "lack of turnover" that will cause me issues like you. I wish I could have been down there to watch you guys.

From RivertonPaul on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 13:04:14 from 97.37.213.178

Impressive on so many levels!

From Scott Ensign on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 13:50:11 from 65.100.254.90

character, class, and talent. way to set the example for all of us. congrats all the way around.

From allie on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 14:59:33 from 174.23.194.233

very cool what you did yesterday. congratulations on a great race.

From Schramm on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 17:42:49 from 32.176.10.218

Paul, we have never met, but great race recap, and that was a great way to handle a tough situation, you are a awesome runner and person.

cheers

From Little Bad Legs on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 18:39:15 from 67.170.153.203

I'm just like Mike Schramm--we've never met but I've followed your blog for a couple years now and I wouldn't have expected anything different from you.

I was sure you'd run an amazing time but more than that, you're actions just before the finish line speak to who you really are--so much more than just a talented runner.

Thanks for the great example.

From Dustin on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 20:30:19 from 209.33.243.131

Great job Paul, so impressive on so many levels. Sorry I didn't catch up with you after the race. The guys were telling me what happened, and I wasn't a bit surprised at how you handled the situation. Great example of sportsmanship and class.

From Tom on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 20:44:48 from 67.199.180.90

Congrats on a class performance at so many levels and staying true to your core values.

From Live to Run. Run to Live on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 22:36:14 from 64.255.94.159

Great job on the race! I'm real impressed by your integrity at that last .1. Keep it up and congrats on the PR!

From Cody on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 22:42:41 from 174.52.244.185

Well Done Paul! I really enjoy reading your thoughts and can really feel like I am right there next to you watching the race unfold (in my dreams). What a fun and inspiring race.

From Jon on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 22:56:59 from 75.169.144.85

Amazing- how many PR's is this in a row? 3? This has to make you feel better at your chances for 2:19. And I'm not at all surprised about how the finish unfolded- we expect nothing less than the utmost respect and sportsmanship from Paul. Well done.

From Ben VanBeekum on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 00:30:24 from 67.169.246.116

Paul tons of respect for you!! Seriously your character level is top notch!! Giving up the win like is admirable. Seriously your my running idol!! Great Job, awesome race.

From Predog on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 02:59:45 from 24.10.140.186

Great race Paul, and I too must say I'm impressed with your class at the finish (although I really wouldn't expect anything different from you in the first place). You're a great role model for us younger types.

From jtshad on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 08:20:54 from 69.20.183.178

Congratulations on a strong race and awesome time. You showed great character out there and as others have said demonstrate to all of us what this means and how this community of athletes is a great one. Keep up the great work!

From ben on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 08:51:30 from 130.11.38.98

You da man, Pauly. Thanks for the full report.

From Sasha Pachev on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 13:07:12 from 192.168.1.1

Congratulations on the breakthrough! After looking at the profile and having run on the course I do not think there is any significant difference between TOU half and UVM. If anything, I would say UVM 30 seconds slower due to the lack of the magic tailwind. You get some in the Provo Canyon for a mile or two, but I train there, and on most days I can tempo at sub-6:00 uphill, which means the tailwind going down is not too strong. From what I remember in TOU, the wind picks you up and carries you. So this is a very solid improvement.

I would be cautious though about the 10 K preparation. It is easy to go into superman mode after a great race and get yourself into trouble. You will probably get the best results training still as if you had run only 1:07:30. DesNews 10 K is also a rhythm race, though, which sounds promising for you. But let it happen naturally. Remember that the real goal is OTQ in the marathon. So we want good 10 K speed off marathon training, not off 10 K training. In other words, something like a tempo that starts at marathon pace and ends at 10 K pace, maybe even 5 K pace, but only with lots of miles on the odometer already, rather than just 6x1 mile at 10 K pace fresh.

From Paul on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 13:19:55 from 65.103.252.214

Thanks everyone.

Sasha - the main point to doing a 10K mini-cycle is simply to defer marathon training for another month, and also to work up the speed a little bit. I find marathon training very grueling and draining, so this is a way to break things up a little bit. I plan on doing tempos at MP as bread-and-butter, some CV pace stuff, and some LT pace 2-mile intervals, similar to what I was doing before UVM. But also a few shorter intervals (200s, 400s) simply to work on form (probably some barefoot 200s on grass). So it will be on the slower end of things, with marathon certainly as the end goal. I don't actually care too much how I do at Des News, it will be more of a measuring stick vs. 2007 and vs. my regional competition. I hate 10Ks. And 5Ks.

Last year we had a very strong tailwind at TOU.

From c h a d on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 13:22:43 from 67.42.252.25

Paul, congrats on finding your "groove," a PR, and a great pot of motel coffee. Come see us for Des News.

From seeaprilrun on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 16:57:08 from 68.103.255.61

Firstly, congratulations on a phenomenal race and an inspiring show of sportsmanship. Secondly, I loved your report! It read like a good story and I felt like I was right there during the race. You have literary talent as well as running talent, as well as a load of integrity! Awesome!

From Dave S on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 17:39:47 from 4.254.226.151

Awesome race and very nice show of character and class. Enjoyed the report.

From Holt on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 19:52:37 from 75.169.90.161

This is late you might not ever see it, but... Great job Paul. You are such an amazing runner and such a class act. Getting these awesome goals and results couldn't happen to a more deserving person. Great seeing you again.

From Calvin on Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 11:12:58 from 66.133.117.3

Very impressive Paul. Thanks for sharing your story. You're a great runner and a great person.

From fly on the Wall on Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 11:54:24 from 204.113.19.47

I find your splits incomprehensible and your final 0.1 commendable, respectable, and inspirational. Kudos and congratulations on the "win."

From Sasha Pachev on Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 15:42:16 from 192.168.1.1

I have wondered what I would have done in this situation. I think if I knew that my competitor had been running all out from the gun, I might have waited. But if I knew he had been running tactically trying to run as slow as it takes to win, I would have used this to teach him a lesson to run all out for longer than the last three quarters of a mile and not play games. But more likely, I would have been so absorbed in my own race that I would have gone through the finish line before I even realized what had happened.

From Dale on Wed, Jun 23, 2010 at 16:11:30 from 69.10.215.11

Great race and even better example of sportsmanship. Congratulations. Much to be proud of in the race result and even more so in your actions that have brought honor upon yourself and all of us as road racers. Thanks for being such a stand up guy.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

I'm pretty sore from the race on Saturday, which I suppose is a good thing. Taking today off, will resume running again tomorrow. It's nice to take a big deep breath, exhale, and relax a little after a big race.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.500.000.000.000.008.50

Birch Canyon with Carson. Hamstrings are still sore. 7:40/mile average pace for 8.5 miles.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.750.000.000.000.009.75

Ran home from work. It rained the whole way, with a strong headwind. As usual. It made me very grumpy. 7:05/mile. Legs still aren't recovered, but I ran faster than I planned to in order to get out of the rain sooner.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Smithfield Canyon with Carson. Temperature was 38 degrees this morning, so I wore long sleeves, pants, and gloves. Even Carson wore long sleeves today, it was really that cold out. Legs still feel like bung. I was planning a second run today, but nixed it for more recovery. This is why I only race no more than once/month.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Jon on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 10:12:46 from 192.107.247.6

I agree on the "don't over-race" thing- I'm of the opinion that people who race every weekend constantly underperform, at least if they are really trying to race and not just run at a race.

You should run by Ragnar this morning. Quite the zoo.

From Paul on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 10:30:14 from 174.27.230.30

I bet it's a zoo! I probably won't have time to stop by though.

From Paul on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 10:32:10 from 174.27.230.30

Also, Summerfest is today, which is even more zoo-like. Given that Summerfest overlaps Ragnar, it makes their move to ICON look pretty smart. Central Park would be too much.

From Jon on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 14:06:48 from 192.107.247.6

Agreed. Hopefully summerfest got some extra money last night from all the Ragnar runners. The Ragnar website said they moved cause the park was too small and the 5 am start would disturb the neighbors. They forgot that Icon has houses nearby, too (admittedly not as many or as close, but it still woke me up).

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.750.000.000.000.0013.75

AM - Canal trail with Carson. Feeling recovered finally.

PM - ran home from work. Wore the Kinvara's for the first time, and like them quite a bit, definitely a very light, minimal shoe. They will likely replace my Tangents as my primary workout shoe (although they are much lighter than the Tangents). Averaged 6:32/mile for 8.75 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 5.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 8.75
Comments
From Kory on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 19:23:50 from 134.50.89.33

Good run and glad to hear your recovery well.

Question: you've ran in the Brooks Axiom 2. Would you pay $40.00 for a pair. I know their a lightweight trainer?

From Paul on Sat, Jun 19, 2010 at 14:37:06 from 174.27.230.30

The Axiom was a decent shoe. I like the Brooks Launch much better though, if you can find it cheap.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

Ran Birch Creek Canyon this morning from my house. First couple miles are on paved road, then dirt road for about 2 miles, then an old dirt two-track for a couple more miles, and then true-blue single-track for the last 1.5 miles, until I elected to turnaround due to time. It's a nice run and a beautiful day to do it. Saw a few other trail runners and a horseback rider, and that's it. Once you get to the old two-track, there are over a dozen stream crossings, every 200m or so. It's high water right now, so I just plowed through the creek rather than trying to pick a dry path (which would have been a lost cause). It was pretty fun, and the cold water felt good. Eventually I turned around at about 6900', as the trail was getting very rocky, and since I was wearing the NB 790s my feet were starting to hurt. Plus I had enough anyway. Averaged about 8:30/mile for the 15-mile run. My easy week is over now, and back to real training next week.

New Balance 790 Miles: 15.00
Comments
From Nan on Sat, Jun 19, 2010 at 20:07:20 from 174.51.250.151

Someone painted the trail blue?! Thats strange. LOL. I love running single-track. Its even more fun mountain biking single-track.

From Jon on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 11:05:19 from 75.169.149.16

How often do you wear your NB790's? What distances do you run in them? I'm always hesitant to wear mine, afraid of foot bruises.

From Paul on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 15:39:07 from 174.27.230.30

I usually wear them about twice/week, almost exclusively on the canal trail. Usually just 5-7 miles. Yesterday was the longest I've ever worn them. I didn't have any lingering issues, but I definitely got sick of them by the end of the run.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.750.000.000.000.009.75

Started running up Smithfield Canyon, then ran into Carson, who was tempo'ing down. I turned around and finished his last mile of tempo with him, and then we cruised in to his house. Then I added some mileage by running up Summit Dr and took Hillside back to my house. Did 6 strides while on Hillside. Averaged 6:50/mile for 9.75 miles. Beautiful morning. Happy summer.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.008.000.000.000.0014.00

Did a tempo on the Bear River Ranch out-and-back course. Averaged 5:36/mile for the first 10 miles of the run, then cruised in from there. 5:55/mile for 14 miles. It got colder out during the run, and even started raining. There is no rain in the forecast today. It's not fair.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 14.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Tue, Jun 22, 2010 at 12:08:57 from 129.123.3.31

nice run. the rain felt good today though.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.750.000.000.000.0013.75

AM - canal trail, 4 miles

PM - ran home from work. 7:03/mile average. Legs tired from yesterday.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.75
Comments
From Jon on Wed, Jun 23, 2010 at 16:30:29 from 192.107.247.6

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700042453/Runner-makes-wrong-turn-right.html

From cheryl on Wed, Jun 23, 2010 at 19:03:57 from 67.166.68.69

Great article about you, very impressed with your integrity and sportsmanship.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM1 - ran with Carson up Summit to Hillside, and then up Dry Canyon. Very slow run today, thanks to Dry Canyon. Live and learn. 8.25 miles.

AM2 - Stacy had a dr appt (every two week now...sigh), so I took Seth and did my second run of the day, just a couple hours after I finished the first one. But it's going to get hot today, so this was probably a good thing. We did the Forrester Acres out-and-back, no watch. 5.75 miles.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 5.75Brooks Launch Miles: 8.25
Comments
From Logan Fielding on Thu, Jun 24, 2010 at 23:10:48 from 174.23.15.177

I am in Logan until Saturday morning if you want to do a run Friday afternoon or something on Saturday morning. Let me know. Also, I really enjoyed the article in the Des News. Do you remember who that guy was in the 2007 race you overtook to beat? I totally forgot who it was.

From Paul on Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 10:11:14 from 174.27.230.30

Logan - I am running home from work at 5PM, so you are welcome to join me for any part of that. (start at my office at 90 W Center St and run to Smithfield). Or I can stop by your in-laws and pick you up on the way. Saturday morning I'm going up Smithfield Canyon at about 5:30AM. Will keep a moderate pace going up, and some tempo going down. Nothing too hard, though. Let me know if you want to join me for any of it. 435-512-0814

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - canal trail with Carson. About 7:30/mile average.

PM - ran home from work. Did a few strides midway. Averaged 6:45/mile for 8.25 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.000.000.000.000.0016.00

Ran with the one and only Logan Fielding this morning. That was the good news. The bad news is that I felt like bung. We ran up Smithfield Canyon to the end of the dirt road, and then came back. Did about 4 tempo miles on the way back, ranging around 5:35-5:40/mile. We were both glad to be done. 16 miles total, averaged 6:59/mile.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Jon on Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 22:09:47 from 75.169.158.204

Can you save the Logan Peak article and bring it to Scott's house this week? I'd like to see the photos.

From Paul on Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 07:51:49 from 174.27.230.30

I've already recycled it. I suppose I could dig through my trash...

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.250.000.000.000.0014.25

AM - Birch Creek with Carson. 7:26/mile average pace for 8.5 miles.

PM - Forrester Acres after dinner with Seth. Hot out. 5.75 miles, no watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.005.000.002.000.0013.00

Met Carson at Mack Park and then we head out on the Bear River - Benson Loop. We did 5 miles worth of tempo, at about 5:35-5:40 pace. Then we recovered for about 3 minutes and did 10x1-minute fartlek, with 1-minute recovery jogs. Intervals were at about 5K pace, but were generally uphill. About 5:00-5:05 pace on these, according to the garmin, which you have to take with a grain of salt. I got the idea for this workout off of McMillans article in Running Times this month. Rather than doing repeat 400s on the track, he has some of his "slower-twitch" runners just stick to the road and not worry about cranking as much. I thought it would be a good way to work on turnover, economy, and form, without going through the rigors and mental agony of track intervals. Basically they were glorified strides. Ended up averaging 6:16/mile for 13 miles.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 13.00
Comments
From Superfly on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 12:32:41 from 208.117.127.110

Looking pretty strong. Good job!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - canal trail, 4 miles, no watch.

PM - ran home from work. Stopped at the dentist office after two miles, had an appointment, then stop at a park in North Logan for water at about 5 miles. It was hot out. Averaged 6:46/mile for 10 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 4.00Brooks Launch Miles: 10.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.000.000.000.000.0013.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon, 8.5 miles, averaging 7:03/mile. It's my birthday.

PM - Hillside-Summit loop with Seth. Hot out.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 4.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.50
Comments
From Cody on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 10:26:58 from 69.9.58.17

Let me be the first to wish you happy birthday. So, Happy Birthday!

From allie on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 10:34:18 from 174.23.194.233

happy birthday.

From steve ash on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 10:37:53 from 174.52.96.106

Hey Paul, Happy B-Day man.

From Steve Piccolo on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 11:25:14 from 155.100.160.123

Happy Birthday!

From Mike Warren on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 11:36:36 from 74.211.5.221

Have a great day! Happy B-Day!

From Andy on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 12:01:37 from 159.212.71.200

Happy Birthday!

From Superfly on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 12:12:06 from 208.117.127.110

Happy Birthday man. If you lived closer I'd buy lunch... your loss I guess.

From Scott Ensign on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 12:57:36 from 129.123.3.31

happy birthday! who's bringing cake for Paul to my house tomorrow??? Jon??? aren't you in charge of dessert :-)

From Paul on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 13:09:38 from 65.103.252.214

I'm more into meats than sweets. I'll stick with the burgers and 'dogs.

From Scott Ensign on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 13:45:48 from 129.123.3.31

ok. I will put some candles in your first burger of the evening. the wax will be good energy for you too.

From Paul on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 13:54:48 from 65.103.252.214

You could use hot dogs as candles. There should be enough grease to ignite them.

From Jon on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 15:44:16 from 192.107.247.6

Happy 31st birthday! Make sure Stacy spoils you today.

From Clay on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 17:21:24 from 67.222.231.10

Happy Birthday Paul...

From jtshad on Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 11:54:36 from 204.134.132.225

Happy belated birthday, I just saw this!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.250.000.000.000.007.25

Canal trail. Did a few strides.

Saucony Guide TR Miles: 7.25
Race: Blacksmith Fork Freedom Run 15K (9.32 Miles) 00:47:50, Place overall: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.700.009.300.000.0019.00

Ran the Blacksmith Fork Freedom Run today, a rare 15K race. I got up a little before 5AM, ate breakfast, and then grabbed my flats and jogged down to Carson's house for about a 2-mile pre-warmup warmup. Then we all carpooled with Carson's brother and sister, and one of their friends.

Got to the start line around 6:10, so plenty of time. We warmed up by running two miles up the canyon, and then back down, so 4 miles total. Perhaps it was too much pre-race running (6 miles total), but I needed the mileage more than the race.

Weather was pretty good. Nice and cool at the start line, maybe around 50 degrees. Didn't see any wind while driving up the canyon, so I was not counting on the famous Blacksmith Fork tailwind. Oh well. Managed one good portapot stop, and then it was time for the race to start. Narnia did not exist this year. Actually, the two portapots were there, but the race portapots were not in front of them, so they were exposed for the whole world to see. The magic was gone. But I used them anyway.

They actually started on time, which was great compared to last year. They were really ready for the crowd this year. I took it out pretty hard the first mile. My top-tier goal was to run around 46:00, which would be 15:20 per 5K, and about 4:57/mile. A tough goal, but I split pretty close to that at Utah Valley!

First mile was 4:58, but I knew it wasn't happening. Was working too hard and breathing too hard. The little tiny rollers in the canyon felt like big hills, and the downhills didn't feel big enough. My running felt uncoordinated, like I was lumbering rather than smoothly gliding. In other words, I was feeling pretty flat. But from taking it out hard, I was by myself from the gun, and it stayed that way to the finish.

I thought perhaps it would get better, but the race rolled by pretty much the same the whole. I mean, it wasn't terrible or anything, in fact it was pretty decent, but my last race was UVM, so I think I was expecting to feel like that again. Mile 2 was 5:04, then 5:06 for Mile 3. 5K was probably about 15:40.

Miles 4-6 were more of the same. Still on the downhill, but indeed we did not get a canyon wind today. In fact we picked up a slight headwind by the middle of the race and stayed through the end. Nothing major, but you notice it when you're trying to race into it. 5:06, 5:02, and 5:14 for Miles 4-6. Not sure what happen on Mile 6, probably the headwind picking up. 10K split was probably about 31:40. Waayyy slower than UVM. I think I've decided that Provo Canyon is quite a bit faster than Blacksmith Fork, though.

The end of mile 7 is the big hill of the course. Tried to work the hill, and hit 5:19 for the split. The first bit of mile 8 is uphill too, and then it's pretty flat. 5:22 for mile 8. By now I was out in the sun, but thankfully it stayed quite cool out, and was still great temperatures for racing. Mile 9 is downhill, with a really sweet downhill at the end of the mile as you approach downtown Hyrum. 5:09 for Mile 9. Then the last 0.3 to the finish was 1:29, as I tried to pick it up some.

My "official" finish time was 47:50. The timing mat was not turned on yet, so we used one of the race official's watch time, which matched mine pretty well. So it's all good. I definitely expected to run faster and to feel smoother, but I'm grateful to win the race, and to break 48-minutes, which is a nice barrier at the 15K distance (3xsub-16 5K's in a row). So it was a course best and a 15K PR, and a win. Gotta take it! Josh Steffen was 2nd and Kevin Dickey was 3rd. Carson was 4th. Official times were kind of mixed up for the top people, so hopefully everyone kept a watch time.

After the race I cooled down another 4 miles with Carson and his brother Todd. We ran up the course, and about 12 different people told us, "Hey, you're going the wrong way!" Each person thought they were being original. I usually told them that we had to go back because I left my windows down. The cooldown gave me 19 miles total for the day.

Stayed around for the awards and the raffle. I didn't win anything in the raffle, but the prize for 1st overall was a very cool pottery bowl. It's extremely huge. Not sure what I'll do with it, but it's unique and one of the nicer prizes I've won.

So it was a beautiful day and a nice day to race. Met some new people, saw a lot of bloggers (especially at Scott's pre-race BBQ yesterday, which was a great time), and got a little sun. A successful Saturday.

Comments
From Burt on Sat, Jul 03, 2010 at 21:01:45 from 68.225.214.248

Sounds like Nan, allie, and Rooster should have joined your carpool. If I remember correctly from last year, you had more of a succesful Saturday last year with Narnia and the raffle. Awesome job on the 3 consecutive sub 16's. That's incredible.

From Cody on Sat, Jul 03, 2010 at 21:06:50 from 174.52.244.185

Sweet Race! Was there any doubt? Too bad about Narnia. The magic is gone....

From Aaron Kennard on Sat, Jul 03, 2010 at 23:30:10 from 174.23.217.230

Nice to meet you Paul, and nicely done on a killer time this morning. It was fun driving up and seeing you all alone at the front...nobody else in sight, even the cops hadn't made it to block the traffic yet...it was like everyone was out to just watch you on your morning run. Good stuff.

From Lindsey Dunkley on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 01:43:09 from 75.169.150.228

Another amazing race, your an inspiration! Great job!

From Scott Ensign on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 12:43:26 from 71.35.225.195

nice race Paul, and another nice article in the paper with you and Nan featured:

http://news.hjnews.com/sports/article_ece55834-8733-11df-90ae-001cc4c03286.html

thanks for the ride back too!

From steve ash on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 12:45:03 from 64.134.236.60

Paul as always another great performance. Wish I could have been there.

From JD on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 13:12:15 from 32.176.32.252

Fast race! Congratulations on another win!

From Walter on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 13:52:29 from 206.53.147.162

http://www.hjnews.com/photography/2010/07/03/blacksmith-fork-freedom-run-15k/

Great run Paul! I thought if share this from the local newspaper up here in Logan on you, Nan and Josh for doing such a great job. I wished I couldve competed with you. I knew I'd hurt myself!

From Superfly on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 14:04:43 from 216.169.65.224

Good job man. Usually for me if form is bad in the first mile it doesn't get better during a race. My wife told me yesterday that my form looked horrible at the end of the 5k and it started bad too:)

From Dave S on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 17:58:12 from 4.254.227.217

Great job! Congrats on a pr even though you weren't feeling it. Also congrats on another great picture and article in the HJ.

From Seth on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 18:22:08 from 75.169.128.56

Nice job, you make running fast sound so easy. Keep up the great work!

From Jon on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 20:45:58 from 75.169.143.32

Excellent work, Paul. Especially impressive is how little you slowed down on the mile 7-8 uphill- very nice.

Hopefully we can do High Creek next weekend!

From Holt on Sun, Jul 04, 2010 at 22:02:09 from 75.169.90.161

Very nice job Paul - you are really letting it all pay off for you. Keep it rolling.

From James on Thu, Jul 08, 2010 at 17:30:39 from 174.23.38.167

Awesome again!

From Sean Sundwall on Sun, Jul 11, 2010 at 12:41:23 from 98.247.29.158

Nice job Paul. I noticed yo will be running the Monmental marathon in November in Indy. Natural place to finish your career. I may be running that one as well.

From Paul on Sun, Jul 11, 2010 at 14:41:08 from 174.27.219.36

Sean - there may be a few of us from Utah out there. Should be a decent field, but still winnable.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.500.000.000.000.0014.50

AM - Canal Trail. 7:24/mile for 8.25 miles. Felt kind of bleh, but I guess I did race on Saturday. I'm not sore at all, though.

PM - Forrester Acres with some strides in the grass. 6.25 miles, no watch.

Saucony Guide TR Miles: 8.25Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 6.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.005.000.000.000.0012.00

Ran up Smithfield Canyon for 6 miles. Averaged 6:10/mile going up. Then averaged around 5:20/mile going down, once I hit the pavement again. 5:49/mile average for 12 miles. It was a beautiful morning, and I felt good. Probably felt better than during my race on Saturday. 

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 12.00
Comments
From jtshad on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 at 11:02:10 from 204.134.132.225

Wow, you are amazing...what smokin' times.

From Superfly on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 at 13:18:58 from 208.117.127.110

Nice workout following a race.

From Holt on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 at 19:51:23 from 75.169.90.161

!!!!

Crazy

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.250.000.000.000.0014.25

AM - Birch Creek Canyon with Carson. 8.5 miles, slow.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. No watch. 5.75 miles.

Saucony Type A Miles: 5.75Brooks Launch Miles: 8.50
Comments
From Adam RW on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 08:46:42 from 155.101.152.123

Hi Paul,

It looks like things are going well for you. It has been awhile since I checked in "formally". I wanted to congratulate you on a number of your races over the last 6 months. I tried to be a graceful injured person that kept up with blogging as your example has always been and just couldn't cut it mentally. I did want to tell you though that you continue to be an inspiration. A number of people sent me an article "about a guy who gave up the lead in a half marathon". When I read the story I was HEY I know that guy and yes he is that nice of a person and Loves his sport in a way that everyone should learn from. Kudos and keep up being the great example.

From Paul on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 08:55:04 from 174.27.235.135

Thanks Adam. I hope that things are coming along for you. Drop in anytime, and hope to see you back full-time soon.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon with Carson. 7:14/mile average for 9 miles.

PM - Planet Walk with Seth. 5 miles, no watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Dan on Thu, Jul 08, 2010 at 17:10:37 from 24.209.83.20

Inspiration man... thanks.

I bought some Kinvara's too (your recommendation) and I REALLY like them, they seem to be wearing fast, but time will tell. How are they doing for you?

From Paul on Thu, Jul 08, 2010 at 17:16:16 from 65.103.252.214

Thanks Dan. I've been wearing the Kinvara's for a couple weeks, and really like them. Lighter than the Tangents, but more stable than the Type-A flats.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.002.000.000.0014.00

Kind of a weird workout today. I ran down to Skyview track to do mile repeats, and found that every gate was locked. Seriously? Heaven forbid someone does a track workout. Anyway, I circumnavigated the whole facility, and finally found a breach: I was able to army-crawl under the fence in one spot. Sometimes it pays to be extremely skinny, as normal person certainly could not have done this. Then I started the mile repeats. The workout was supposed to be 6x1600m with 200m recovery (60 seconds) at threshold pace (about 5:10/mile). I did the first one in 5:16. The second one felt quite a bit easier, and was 5:11. But by then some kids camp was flooding the track, so I decided to leave. Plus, I was really needing a potty stop. So I ran back home, used the facilities, changed to my NB 790s, and then hit the canal trail. Ran most of it at a brisk pace, and did some intermittent strides throughout the run. Averaged 6:30/mile for this 9-mile segment. Got 14 miles this morning total. Not quite the workout I wanted, but it could have been worse.

New Balance 790 Miles: 9.00Saucony Type A Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Superfly on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 11:03:45 from 208.117.127.110

You could have become a legendary criminal with those types of skills. Skinny, Fast, Smart and able to change plans on the fly. You should at least audition for Oceans 14 when they make it.

From Jon on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 11:03:59 from 192.107.247.6

You realize that we won't be averaging sub-6 pace tomorrow, right?

From Paul on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 11:32:22 from 65.103.252.214

No, not the on uphill part.

From Jason McK on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 11:35:24 from 63.255.173.99

Nice run. I'm here for a little advice. I really like my New Balance 790s, but I'm looking for another shoe like them. They are about all I've run in for a year. What shoe would you recommend for a similar fit and function?

Thanks in advance for any help! By the way, nice job at the Freedom Run.

From Paul on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 11:51:54 from 65.103.252.214

Jason - Jon should answer this question for you. He's more up to speed on trail shoes.

From Jon on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 12:07:25 from 192.107.247.6

Jason- NB100 are the new shoe most similar to NB790. The other super-lightweight trail shoes are many of the Inov-8 shoes- you may want to look into them. I'd start with those.

From Jason McK on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 15:20:45 from 63.255.173.99

Jon (and Paul) - thanks, I just got the NB MT100 but don't know anything about Inov-8, I'll look into them. Is Striders the closest place that sells them?

From Jon on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 15:38:24 from 192.107.247.6

Dunno- I've never owned a pair.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
19.500.000.000.000.0019.50

Long trail run today, I ran the High Creek - Cherry Creek loop with Jon. I guess this is a "short" trail run for Jon, but 20 miles and 4 hours is the longest I've run in quite some time. Jon came over to my house at 5:30AM, and then we piled in my car and headed out to Richmond (about 6 miles north of Smithfield). Parked at a big pullout along Cherry Creek, and then started the run on the dirt road (5200' elevation), which changed to paved as we headed north toward High Creek. This was the road segment that would make the route a "loop", rather than a shuttle. Not especially fun, but the road is actually very pretty to run on, and I thought it would be good to get this part done with at the very beginning while it's cool, rather than at the end of the run, when our legs are beaten up, feet hurting, and the the temperatures baking.

After about 3 miles we got onto the High Creek dirt road, and headed up the canyon. After a couple miles of that, we finally got to the trailhead and started the "real run". High Creek is a beautiful canyon, and the trail is in great shape. Lots of foot bridges at creek crossings, so we didn't even have to get our feet wet. It's a nice wooded single-track for a couple miles, and then it opens up to a gorgeous alpine meadow. Wildflowers were blooming everywhere, and everything was green. Once we were in the meadow (at about 6500'), we could see Cherry Peak, and big vertical cliffs everywhere, about 750' of sheer rock in some places. It feels more like Colorado or Wyoming Rockies more than Utah. There are also waterfalls dropping down the cliffs in several places.

The trail kept climbing, but was runnable. Eventually it got very steep, though, and we hiked most of the rest of the way up to High Creek Lake, which is a little cirque lake at the top of the canyon, near the ridge. The lake just pops up out of nowhere, and it very peaceful and beautiful. Not a ripple to be seen in the water, and the cliffs reflected perfectly off the surface. We could look down off the cirque to the meadow below, and it's a beautiful site.

We took a food break at the lake, and pitifully attempted to skip a few stones, and then continued on. From the lake at 8800', we climbed a few hundred feet to the saddle, and then ran just below the ridge, behind Cherry Peak. We had great views from there, including Naomi Peak (highest peak in the Bear River Range), and Smithfield Canyon. It was very green too. We ran along the ridge for a couple miles, which was fairly slow going due to rockiness and undulating terrain.

We finally topped out right at 9400' at the final pass, where we could see down into City Creek Canyon, and also had great views of Cache Valley, the Wellsvilles, and even Logan Peak (the radio antennas give it away). Finally, we started our rapid descent into the Cherry Creek drainage. We dropped about 1500' in probably about a mile, and it was pretty slow going for me. Jon got out a bit ahead of me. Eventually we dropped into a small meadow, and the trail got a little less steep, but still rough going.

Eventually we made it along Cherry Creek, and it was nice and shady, and the trail became less rocky and more packed dirt, which was nice. Plus there was a woman out there (the only person we saw on the Cherry Creek trail) who was doing trail maintenance and clipping overgrown vegetation. She did a great job, and our last mile or two were really smooth. Several creek crossings in here, but I just plowed through the water, since that is more fun, plus were were almost done. We finally made it off the single track, and then ran downhill on the dirt road for about another mile. Made it back to my car to complete the loop, 19.6 miles in just barely over 4 hours. Averaged 12:20/mile, or something stupid like that. It was fun to do a scenic trail run as a change of pace, so to speak. It was a beautiful day, and a good run.

Saucony Guide TR Miles: 19.50
Comments
From Superfly on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 15:54:09 from 208.117.127.110

Cool run! What classifies "temperatures baking". Our run here at 5 a.m started at 87 f and it's now 108 f.This is totally the time of year where you guys get paid for the long winter you have to deal with.

From Jon on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 16:09:30 from 75.169.151.244

Thanks for taking me on the run- very beautiful. Classic.

Clyde- it was probably mid-70's when we finished. Not too bad...

From Paul on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 17:27:17 from 174.27.219.36

It didn't get as warm as I thought it would. Was supposed to be in the mid-90s today, which is hot for around here. Mostly it's the direct sun that is "baking", not so much the actual temp

From Aaron Kennard on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 19:56:33 from 174.51.250.151

haha...its funny to hear the road runner sentiment in the 'stupid'ness of the 12:20/mile pace. It must feel ridiculous for you to even call that running I bet, since its almost double your normal training pace. But hey...depending on the grade, that could be considered a pretty good pace!

From Jon on Sun, Jul 11, 2010 at 19:07:20 from 75.169.156.117

Aaron- I don't think 12:20's are "almost" double Paul's normal pace. It's definitely double his normal pace. Heck, almost triple!!!

From Cody on Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 23:36:49 from 174.52.244.185

Sweet trail "run"! I am sad I couldn't make it. Want to do it tomorrow?

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

took today off. My quads are still hammered from Saturday. Just sticking with my "don't run while I'm sore policy". I'm kind of surprised and disappointed that I'm so sore, but maybe it will help me for Des News...

Comments
From Jon on Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 13:45:25 from 192.107.247.6

And I even thought we took the downhill very easy...

It should definitely help you at Des News, though.

From Paul on Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 13:55:17 from 65.103.252.214

I thought we took it easy too, but I already felt hammered before we even got down to the Cherry Creek drainage. I guess it's just a matter of not having used those muscles in quite some time. Apparently the downhill muscles for a course like Blacksmith Fork or Provo Canyon (2-4% grade) are different than for a steep trail. (10-20% grade).

From Jon on Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 14:05:03 from 192.107.247.6

Definitely different. Much more braking on the trail, while the road is converted to speed.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Took another day off due to soreness. Should be ready to go again tomorrow. So basically one trail run ruined an entire week of training. Goes to show how dangerous trails are. I'll never run one again. However, it has also shown me how much I enjoy not running. I look forward to my imminent retirement from the sport.

Comments
From Jon on Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 13:26:12 from 192.107.247.6

So are you up for another trail run this weekend?

From Paul on Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 18:51:37 from 65.103.252.214

Absolutely!!

From Paul on Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 18:51:54 from 65.103.252.214

Actually, I have a meeting on Saturday morning.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Back at it. Quads are still sore, but not the deep soreness from the last few days. Ran to Hyde Park and back with Carson. 7:15/mile average.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Smithfield Canyon with Carson. 10 miles, 7:12/mile. Quads are...ahem...still sore. But at least not tender to the touch anymore. Very nice, cool morning. I was actually a bit chilly for the first half.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Jon on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 12:31:19 from 192.107.247.6

Ok, I'm gonna say it- you may be fast, but you've gone soft. One 19 mile trail run made you sore for almost a week? We have to toughen up your quads, that's for sure. It's a good thing you're not trying to run SGM this year! :)

From Paul on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 13:00:29 from 65.103.252.214

It's similar soreness to the Alta Peruvian Downhill Dash. Fortunately my focus race is not downhill.

From Jon on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 13:58:36 from 192.107.247.6

Yes- I can't imagine Indianapolis marathon having more than a few small hills, so you definitely don't need super hill work. Alta Peruvian it ain't.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.250.000.000.000.0014.25

AM - feeling better. Ran 8.5 miles, averaged 6:32/mile. Did a few strides in the mile.

PM - Willow Park & Planet Walk from work. It was HOT! 6:51/mile average pace for 5.75 miles.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.004.000.000.0018.00

Long run with a workout today. I got up early (had a meeting at 8AM, so needed to finish and shower before then!), and ran up Smithfield Canyon. I wanted to do tinman tempo pace on the way up (6:15/mile), but it wasn't happening. Averaged about 6:50/mile on the uphill on the road before I hit the dirt at about Mile 6. Had a slight headwind, plus the new chip 'n' seal slowed things down, but it was mostly due to running so early; I can never run fast until at least 7AM. I continued up the canyon dirt road at a decent pace, and then eventually got to the start of the single track after a couple miles. Did a mile on the single track, then it was time to turn around a little bit after the first creek crossing. It's a pretty good trail, and I still need to run the whole thing at some point (goes all the way to Tony Grove).

So I turned around at 9 miles and went back down. Pace was pretty easy until I hit the paved road, then I started the workout portion of the run: 2x2-miles with 2 minutes recovery (deuces wild?). The first two-mile interval was 10:02 (5:05, 4:57). The first mile was a little slow, but I got to be feeling better by the second mile. My body had finally woken up. The second interval was better: 9:42 (4:54, 4:48). So by the time I felt good and warmed up, it was time to cool down! Kept a steady 6:30 pace back up to my house to finish the run. 18 miles total, 6:42/mile average.

Brooks Launch Miles: 18.00
Comments
From Jon on Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 10:49:03 from 75.169.157.88

Think you have time to do Smithfield to Tony Grove before work one morning? I'll be available.

From Paul on Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 16:13:17 from 174.27.144.122

Probably a Saturday morning. Perhaps July 31 is best for me. I don't have time on weekday mornings. Also, if you want to run up Birch Creek on an evening, I might be able to do that. It's a shorter trail, if we drive all the way to the fence. Would be a good evening run, lots of shade.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - Birch Creek Canyon with Carson. 7:31/mile average pace for 8.25 miles.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 5.75 miles.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.25Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 5.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.258.000.000.000.0013.25

Tempo day. I planned on doing some intervals, but I decided that I hate intervals, and never want to do them again. Ever. Again. In my lifetime. I love tempos. I will run tempos. Today I ran a tempo. Did the Bear River Loop. First 10 miles in 56:10 (5:37/mile average), then coasted back in, with 6x100m strides along the way. 5:52/mile average for the entire run.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 13.25
Comments
From Superfly on Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 11:22:11 from 208.117.127.110

I feel the very same way. Love tempos. Hate with a passion interval workouts.

From Tom on Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 11:31:52 from 137.65.56.16

Amen on the tempos, quickest way to the runner's high in my experience. Intervals, on the other hand, I think are just the quickest way to barfing and mental/physical destruction.

From Holt on Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 12:44:41 from 75.169.90.161

Paul, you've ignited a pretty good debate down here between Logan and Clyde about tempos and interval work - Clyde wants no intervals (1000's) ever again and Logan doesn't mind them every couple weeks. Anyway... it is entertaining to listen to!

From Paul on Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 12:55:01 from 65.103.252.214

Don't get me wrong, I think that intervals are beneficial, and part of being a well-rounded runner. I just don't think I want to be well-rounded anymore.

From steve ash on Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 13:10:42 from 64.134.220.90

It would be interesting to see everyone's composition of fast twitch to slow twitch muscle fibres in correlation with their preference of workout vs their best 100m-400m times

From Jon on Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 14:48:35 from 192.107.247.6

I'm laughing just imagining Logan and Clyde arguing this point.

Paul- if we really wanted to be well-rounded, we'd do the decathalon, right? Specialist is where it's at.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.750.000.000.000.009.75

Ran home from work. Blazing hot, but fortunately I took a hand bottle, so the hydration helped along the way. Averaged 7:01/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

Ran with Seth up Smithfield Canyon. 7:21/mile for 7 miles. 

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Jon on Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 15:44:53 from 75.169.149.111

Sub-7:30 with a jogging stroller just doesn't seem possible.

From Paul on Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 15:48:53 from 65.103.252.214

Seth is little. Did about 7:50 on the uphill, 7:00 on the downhill in the canyon. But it was shady, so I liked it.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.000.000.000.000.005.00

5 miles easy on the canal trail, with a few strides at the beginning and the end.

We'll see what happens tomorrow with the 10K. My training was just "okay", and definitely not what I wanted in terms of speed. I may not be in as good of shape as before UVM, but you never know. That's what raceday magic is for. That, and running downhill.

Brooks Launch Miles: 5.00
Comments
From James on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 13:13:12 from 174.23.34.125

Good running tomorrow at Des News!

Race: Des News 10K (6.21 Miles) 00:29:38, Place overall: 13
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.250.000.006.250.0014.50

Des News 10K today. I enjoy this race because it's so competitive, and I got a full order of competition today! Definitely both the deepest and top-heavy Des News field I've run in. It's sick how fast people ran today, but sick in a good way. It's great to have a race like this right here in Utah. Too bad it's all downhill, as no one outside the state gives the race any respect. But it's a great race.

Anyway, Stacy, Seth, and I drove down to SLC on Friday afternoon. Went early so that we could take our new (used) Volvo to the dealer (only dealer in the state) to do some magical dealer-only work (ie - turn off the air bag light). Managed to escape only spending $110 for that and a few other things.

We then shacked up at the Skyline Inn on Foothill Dr., just a couple miles from the start line. Ordered in pizza for dinner and sat around and gorged ourselves on TV (we have not have tv reception at home since we built our deck--no big loss). Went on to sleep my worst night of sleep ever. Absolutely terrible beds there, plus the room was too warm (weak AC). Wished I was in nice, cool Cache Valley. Got probably 3 hours of sleep, but I was ready to get up at 4:30AM, simply to get our of that dang bed. To top off the terrible bed, the room had no coffee machine. Even our hotel in Provo, a stone's throw from BYU, had a flippin' coffee machine. Oh well. My nervous system was pretty amp'ed for this race, so I was quite wide awake and ready to go anyway. But it would have helped with "other things".

Ate a banana and a couple mini-Cliff bars, and headed out to the course. Ran there, so it was about a 2 or 3-mile warmup. Conditions were cooler than I thought it might be, which was good, but still quite a bit warmer than what I'm used to. When I turned up Wakara, I noticed that we would have a favorable wind direction for that part of the race. Perhaps that helped make the race times so fast. I'm sure the nice temperatures helped too.

Took a potty stop, then warmed up a little more, did some strides, sat in the grass, and generally wasted time. Listened to a guy cuss up a storm because he realized he forgot his iPOD. Totally ruined his day. If you hate running that much, then don't do it! This guy was angry beyond belief, though, probably one of the same people who threw a fit on Ragnar's facebook page a few weeks ago.

Just before the race started, I bumped into an old teammate from Calvin, Kris Koster. Kris was a freshman when I was senior. He went on to be a multi-All American, and ran around 30-flat on the track in the 10K, and under 14:30 in the 5K too. He has family in Utah, and was here for a funeral, and jumped in Des News at 5PM last night. Pretty cool to see him after 9 years, and it definitely made my day (and helped my race, see below).

Chatted with a few others, and weaseled my way into the start. I somehow ended up 3 rows deep, and couldn't get any further up, being a 125-lb weakling and all. So I settled for 3 rows back, behind all the kids, including an 11-year-old whose mom personally insisted be up there.

They started the race right on time (this race is always very well-organized), and we roared out. Always a fast start, this Des News 10K. I quickly found myself in about 30th place or so. I got out from the crowd and wormed my way up, and was probably in about 20th by the turn onto Wakira. I couldn't believe how far up the leaders were, and how far back I was from my "peer group". I could see Jeff and Brad O. way the heck up there, and Seth P a little ahead of them. Leaders were almost out of site by a half mile. I figured that I was just having a tank of a race and going really slow. First mile split was 4:31. Okaaay. My goal pace for the first two miles for 4:35-4:38. I was not slow; everyone else was just extremely fast. Hopefully they would all pay.

I started running down the people that went out too hard. Knowing that my first mile was 4:31, I pretty much figured everyone went out too hard, and I was destined to win. Well, I didn't really think that, but I figured a lot of guys would come back to me, including Jeff and Brad. One-by-one I picked people off the next few miles. Mile 2 was 4:37 (9:08 for 2 miles). The pace felt quite hard (never felt relaxed at any point), and the downhill was hurting my back. I actually accelerated more and gained more ground on the flatter sections and on the uphill sections.

Mile 3 was tougher than I remember, and actually had quite a bit of uphill. Where did that come from. But again, I gained the most ground on the uphill, so although painful, it was good for my race. I also noticed a guy in dark maroon coming back to me, and I immediately recognized the distinct stride with the high leg kick: Kris Koster, my old college teammate. It's funny how you can recognize a stride after all those years. I was gaining on Kris, and he was the link between myself and the next pack ahead of him (Jeff, Brad, etc). Mile 3 was 4:50 (13:59 for 3 miles).

I was targeting 4:45 for the next couple miles, and then Mile 6 is always a death-march. Not that you can really "target" much at Des News. You more just load and go, and hope for the best. It's not a cerebral race. I caught Kris during the 4th mile. "Pack it up" I said to him as I pulled along side him. Got a lot of warm fuzzy college memories. Calvin College XC was well-known in DIII for its pack running. It's what gave us our strength, and how we won championships.  I ended up running with Kris the rest of the way, and we reeled in people together. Hit Mile 4 in 4:44 (18:43), so back to an ideal pace.

We made our turn onto the parade route, and of course by this point things were very uncomfortable. I really dislike any race shorter than 15K at this point of my running career. Too much pain, too much turnover, too much breathing, not enough rhythm. Kris and I continued to work together. Right around Mile 5, Kris looked up and said, "I lift my eyes up to the hills," a reference to Psalm 121 "

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
       where does my help come from?

 2 My help comes from the LORD,
       the Maker of heaven and earth."

Words of encouragement to me and also a reminder to enjoy God's creation that we were running in. Laboring but spurred on, we reeled in and passed a guy in red, and Jeff & Brad O. were coming back, and it was inevitable that we would catch them. Mile 5 was 4:45 (23:29), perfect.

I don't remember, but I think we finally caught Jeff & company with about 1 mile left. I sat on the pack for a few moments to gather some strength (I've been feeling pretty gassed since Mile 2!), and then made a move on the inside before the turn onto 900 S. Passed everyone, but then I couldn't finish deal, and we all stayed packed up. Made the turn onto 900 S, and started the uphill section to the finish. This part is always hard, and this year was no different. The work I'd done the last 3 miles to catch everyone was definitely set in, and I no pop.

Eventually Jeff, Brad, and some other guy passed me back, and then ground me up the hill. I sat and hoped for a good kick. Ugghh. Not feeling the fire either. Wish I had done some 10K training, as I promised myself that I would, but the last month was just miles and tempos, nothing hard. Had a little gap from the pack at Mile 6, but was 5:05 (28:34), which actually is my best Des News mile 6 split, so I shouldn't complain. Was 2 seconds beyond my peer group that I needed to beat, so still within striking range!

Unfortunately I didn't strike, and those guys somehow put another 3 seconds or so on me in the last 0.2. I guess Brad is a sub-1:50 800m guy, so that doesn't help (I ran 2:02, almost 10 years ago), but there's still no reason it couldn't have gone the other way for me. Kris had fallen back from my a little bit on 900 S (the uphill at altitude probably hurt him more, being a flatlander), so I remained ahead of him. Saw the clock for the first time right before I finished and realized that was going to kill my time goal of sub-30:00, and would be in the 29:30s. I had no idea. So that was good! Last 0.2 was 64s.

Was glad to be done, glad to hit my time goal, and glad to beat my course best by 48 seconds. Official chip time was 29:38, gun time was 29:39. I'll go with chip time here. Starting 3 rows back did not help, although running 4:30 for the first mile (opposed to 4:20) probably did help.

That said, I was a little shocked to get my bum handed to me on a platter en-route to a 29:38. 3 years ago that time would have been good for 3rd overall and 2nd Utahn; this year it was good for 13th overall and ?? Utahn. Not top 3, that's for sure. But it was all very exciting racing, and fun to work my way up in a good field like that, to recognize people as rivals and reel them in over the duration of a race, and to find an old teammate and work together with him (running with Kris was definitely the highlight of my day, by far).

Another positive was that we were all reeling in Teren J. over the last couple miles. Never came into contact with him, but I'm always glad just to have him visible. He ended up about 15 seconds ahead. He is running the TOU Half, so perhaps home-field will give me the advantage I need to finally slay the dragon? Jeff has owned me this year at the shorter distances (5K/10K). Perhaps we need to race another half marathon? TOU Half, Jeff? But I least I had to opportunity to make the pass in this race, whereas at Law Day I couldn't even made contact! And thankfully  I don't have to race any more 5K's or 10K's for a year or two or three. Maybe ever.

So in a nutshell, it was a PR effort, and a big course best. Great time and good progress compared to my 2007 time. I think I am on track for where I need to be to make a legitimate Trials shot. I get better as I go out in distance, so I don't put too much stock in 10Ks (especially downhill ones), but I have every reason to be encouraged because I can compare to my '07 time. The big negative was not being able to finish out yet another race. Although I have not been falling apart at the end, my kick and my killer instinct has not been there at any race this year. I believe that more than 50% of the problem is just attitude and emotional fatigue from the race. True the lack of speedwork didn't help, but most of it is mental. It can be improved.

After the race, I talked with Kris and a few other people for a while, then cooled down back to my hotel with Kris and Teren. Felt pretty good during the cooldown, and worked out most of my calf and quad soreness during the 4-mile run. Hopefully I'll feel good on Monday...for the start of marathon training! Everything I've done so far this winter, spring, and summer, has led up to this point. Just get me to 14 weeks before the marathon, healthy and fit. And that's where I am. The race is Nov. 6. I am healthy. I am fit. Just need the specific training, and to endure the next 3 months.

Saucony Type A Miles: 14.50
Comments
From Derunzo on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 20:52:02 from 98.229.131.173

Awesome race & report! You were ripping that first mile. Congrats on the PR!

From Holt on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 21:26:28 from 174.27.236.205

Great race Paul. The whole thing says a lot about what is to come for you this fall.

From Rob Murphy on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 22:20:04 from 69.144.239.26

Great race (as usual) Paul.

Hey, I have a guest bedroom in my basement in Salt Lake if you ever want to use it before a race.

From Burt on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 22:47:22 from 68.225.214.248

I always love to read your reports. They're the best. And even though you're a 125-lb weakling, I wouldn't mess with you. Especially when you wear that intimidating beard.

From jeffmc on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 00:11:37 from 76.27.88.14

Sorry Paul, no TOU half for me. I am moving to Las Vegas next week, and I start grad school at UNLV in August, so I will probably do very little racing between now and November. Maybe I can find a race or two in Vegas to give me a tune-up before the marathon, but traveling is pretty much out of the question.

Anyhow, great job on your race today. I was really surprised to see a 4:44 split for that 4th mile, I didn't realize that you had started that far behind us.

From Superfly on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 00:13:34 from 208.117.127.110

Great race and even better write up. Maybe a PR effort there too. I really enjoyed it and got the feel that your hungry for then next three months. Should turn out great for ya. Hope you stay healthy and if so you'll be ready to do some damage.

I was thinking about coming up for TOU half. If so maybe you could win and then run back to pace me for the last 6 miles:)

From Paul on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 14:26:04 from 174.27.193.158

Thanks all.

Rob - I usually like hotels when traveling with family (more privacy and more fun), but this one was just kind of a lemon. But maybe I'll take you up sometime.

Burt - the beard adds about 5 lbs (mostly food that gets stuck in it), so I'm a 130 lb weakling when I wear it.

Jeff - yeah, I knew you were moving, but didn't know if was this soon. Yeah, mile 4 & 5 were good for me, but I'm still amazed how fast you and everyone else got out. I just can't do it. It was fun reading your blog, though, and comparing the overall time at each mile. Looked like I was about 20 seconds back at the 2-mile.

Clyde - TOU Half is a good one, usually have nice cool weather. Competition will good, and it can be a PR course on the right day.

From Adam RW on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 15:20:30 from 24.10.132.131

As always, thank you for sharing a very entertaining recount of your race.

From Little Bad Legs on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 16:44:43 from 67.170.153.203

Impressive run! Great job Paul.

From Merri on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 16:47:33 from 160.7.252.148

Great job Paul, loved the race report.

From Lindsey Dunkley on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 17:15:41 from 75.169.144.67

Great race Paul...good luck to you in your next races!

From allie on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 18:16:45 from 174.23.226.74

great job on the race. it is always fun to read your commentary.

about the guy who forgot his ipod - there was a woman on the marathon bus who was in the same dilemma. she was seriously devastated. i recommended that she could just sing to herself but she didn't think that was funny.

From James on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 18:34:16 from 174.23.34.125

I liked to report as usual. That was one heck of a field yesterday, very fast and deep! I think you ran smart whether you tried to or not. 29:38 is a killer time on downhill, flat, or being pulled behind a car. You are showing some good speed still for being a distance man and training like one. I agree with Dave, this fall will prove to be a good one for you! I just remember how studly you ran in 2007 after running 48 seconds slower at Des News than you did yesterday!

From Bec on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 19:29:14 from 76.23.55.210

Wicked speed dude, wow!

From Jason McK on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 23:47:33 from 97.117.40.115

Awesome report. Nice job on the race too. Good luck with the next 14 weeks. May the heavens smile down on you!

From Scott Ensign on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 23:51:57 from 71.35.225.230

nice race Paul, and good to see you down there. speaking of the start, did you see the giant wearing cutoff jeans that jumped in right in front of me and Carol right before the start? I'm all of 160 pounds but that still intimidated me.

From jtshad on Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 23:55:47 from 69.20.183.178

Nice race and great perspective. You are looking great for that Trials qualifier run.

From Paul on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 07:50:38 from 174.27.193.158

Scott - the "giant" broke 31 minutes, which has to be a world record for a 10K in cutoff jean shorts and compression socks. You should be honored to have been touched by his awesomeness.

From MichelleL on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 12:14:02 from 67.41.230.247

Fun read, yet again. I know just what you mean about finding that killer instinct. There's definitely a mental fatigue in a race I have to relearn how to overcome.

So awesome you went so far under 30. Hope your body bounces back from the race.

From Scott Ensign on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 20:23:30 from 71.35.225.230

incredible. I watched him go out like a bolt of lightning and was very impressed. so just out of curiosity, who was that? I am going to go cut off some jeans and see if the magic rubs off!

From Burt on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 20:47:45 from 206.19.214.144

Maybe it was fellow blogger CDViking (6' 7")or loschi (6' 8").

From Holt on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 20:58:44 from 75.169.90.161

I was wondering where that guy finished - I never saw him the whole race and hoped that it was because he started behind me! But nope - thanks for rubbing salt in the wounds!

From Paul on Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 09:41:12 from 174.27.193.158

It was BJ Christenson. He's fairly well-known around here in both running and triathlon circles. Probably known more as a triathlete.

From Huans32 on Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 09:58:01 from 138.64.8.52

Yep that would of been BJ. I have seen him in a few of the tris I have done. He was one of the ones that flew by me as I was running my 5k sprint tri and him doing the Oly and starting his 2nd lap around. Also saw him down at IMSG. He is just under going pro. His only problem is that he works full time, schooling and trains for tris. He is awesome.

From Jon on Wed, Jul 28, 2010 at 23:48:42 from 75.169.144.58

Wow- great job, especially how much ground you had to make up on everyone. Now use your health and base to build up your marathon training and go OTQ!

From Seth on Mon, Aug 02, 2010 at 12:34:59 from 199.188.28.8

Even with the downhill, sub-5 minute over 6 miles is amazing! Great report!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.500.000.000.000.007.50

Easy run up Upper Canyon Rd and back on Smithfield Canyon, then Summit Dr to Hillside. Probably too hilly for a post-race run, but I was in the mood for it, because I haven't done this route in several months. My calves are sore, particularly the left one, but they got better once I got going on the run. Not the worst recovery every, but I have a few days still.

*****

Some fun comparison/analysis of my Des News races I've run over the years. Lately I've been enjoying the thoughts of being a "lifelong runner", and looking back at progression over the years. I am now in my third decade of running (age 11-20, 21-30, 31+), and it's cool to be 31 years old and still shaving time off. The course was short and a little bit different back in 2003, so the splits don't match up, plus I missed about half of them. But 2007 to 2010 is a direct comparison. I feel a little better about my "non-kick" this year, as I was only 1 second slower than in 2007, where I had to kick like a fiend to beat some high school kid in the final stretch. So maybe I was finishing halfway decent, but everyone else was just that much better...Another thing I can take away is that my Mile 6 was worlds better this year than any other year. So perhaps I'm getting more strength in my old age.


2003 (different course)
 2007 2010
Mile 1
 ?? 4:38 4:31
Mile 2
 (9:42) 4:38 4:37
Mile 3
 4:36
 4:57 4:50
Mile 4
 4:58 4:53 4:44
Mile 5
 5:33 pace (two mile)
 4:57 4:45
Mile 6
 5:33 pace (two mile)
 5:21 5:05
6.2
 (31:09) -- short
 1:03 (30:27)
1:04 (29:38)

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 7.50
Comments
From steve ash on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 14:21:39 from 98.202.75.78

Paul, Thats pretty cool man. But your not old!

From Scott Ensign on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 19:55:43 from 71.35.225.230

Paul, interesting, made me do some assessing. I started running in June 2005 at age 43 after my father was diagnosed with heart disease, in spite of being an ultra x-country ski marathoner in superb shape. that woke me up and got me going (not that I was sedentary, just wasn't doing sustained cardiovascular workouts). I ran DN10K as my first race in 2005 with a time of 44:53, not having a clue how to train, feeling like I was going to die. then I went and bought Daniels running formula and read it cover to cover. the next year I ran it in 38:16. now I can run it in 35:39. I'm not sure how many more years I have PRs in me, but these races keep me motivated to stay in shape anyway, and I guess that is what's important.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - Birch Creek Canyon with Carson. 8.25 miles, averaged 7:40/mile. Calves still a bit sore, but getting better. Seth was throwing up last night, so poor sleep for all of us.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 5.75 miles, untimed.

 

Brooks Launch Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.25
Comments
From Lily on Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 15:08:37 from 67.199.181.73

Being kept up all night by sick kids is the worst. Feel bad for them, and myself, especially when you want to run the next morning. You did great regardless. Why the sore calves?

From Paul on Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 15:21:31 from 65.103.252.214

Sore from Des news 10k

From Lily on Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 15:25:00 from 67.199.181.73

So I just checked your race report. You are a stallion. Great job! I can see why you are sore now. Take it easy! :)

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.750.000.000.000.009.75

Ran home from work. 9.75 miles, averaging 7:28/mile. Soreness is mostly gone, but still a bit tired. Plus, it's stinkin' hot out this afternoon.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Woke up with a fever, must have caught what Seth and then Stacy had. Funny how that works. Knocked me flat on my rear until about 3PM, and then the fever finally broke. No running today, but I'm sure I'll be set to go again tomorrow.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.250.000.000.000.0013.25

AM - canal trail, 5 miles, 7:07/mile.

PM - ran home from work. 8.25 miles. Was not feeling well (stomach bug), and it was a death-march in the heat. Considered hitchhiking, but I made it. Stacy is sick again too.

New Balance 790 Miles: 5.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 8.25
Comments
From kyanite on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 15:32:49 from 65.241.78.2

Hi Paul- always nice to 'meet' a fellow geologist and runner. And Wow- you are an impressive runner! Many congrats on all your accomplishments. As far as geology goes- I did an MS in structural geology at Indiana Univ. and am now changing paths a bit to concentrate on remote sensing and planetary geology at the Univ. of Hawaii. Very close to being done- it's been real and it's been fun, but not real fun! Anyways.. thanks for saying 'Hi'- will keep track of your training and races..and all the best to you in your upcoming races!

From Paul on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 15:37:32 from 65.103.252.214

Quite a shift there in your studies. I've shifted a bit myself, in that I can no longer call my self a geologist, but rather a geographer. I do GIS & Remote Sensing now, mostly GIS. I miss the rocks sometimes, but I do love maps.

From kyanite on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 16:05:35 from 65.241.78.2

I guess I should have posted my reply onto your original comment on my blog.. sorry about that- I'm new to the blog world and am still learning the ropes a bit. I'm a big fan of GIS- although for the past few years I've been using a 'homegrown' software called JMARS for Mars surface geology. I also primarily use ENVI for compositional analysis. I definitely need to brush up on my GIS skills- I'm sure it's significantly different now than it was ~7 years ago. I think it's a toss-up over which I love more; rocks or maps. I have to admit that some runs I do find myself analyzing the stratigraphy and locating fault zones. And on more than one occasion, I've stopped to pick up a cool rock.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

Feeling mostly better today, but I kept it mellow and didn't push thing. It was a hard week for all us, with Seth sick Monday night, Stacy sick on Wednesday and Friday, and myself sick on Thursday and Friday. It's a weird, lingering stomach bug, not fun. Ran 12 miles total, up Smithfield Canyon. Nice morning. Averaged 6:57/mile for the run.

Brooks Launch Miles: 12.00
Comments
From Jon on Sat, Jul 31, 2010 at 22:45:20 from 75.169.150.92

Glad to hear you're feeling better.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
2.000.000.000.000.002.00

Took Seth up Dry Canyon. Walked most of the way up, jogged most of the way down. We'll call it 2 miles. We were going to hike around at the trailhead, but Seth fell asleep. As usual.

Saucony Guide TR Miles: 2.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
13.750.000.000.000.0013.75

AM - ran a loop around Smithfield. 7.75 miles, averaged 7:02/mile.Did a few strides

PM - ran little bit up Birch Creek. 6 miles, averaged 7:10/mile.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 7.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.2510.000.000.000.0016.25

Big Workout today. Ran the Bear River Loop with 10 miles of MP tempo. Mile splits were 5:49, 5:38, 5:32, 5:18, 5:29, 5:22, 5:22, 5:23, 5:21, 5:20. 10 miles in 54:30, 5:27/mile average. This was essentially a progression run, since the first half of the route is downhill, and the second half is uphill (very slight grade). So those 5:20's at the end would have been sub-5:10 had they been going the other direction. Very pleased with the tempo, and other than my calves getting sore near the beginning (and staying sore), I felt very good.

After the tempo, I stopped at home, hydrated a bit, and then grabbed Seth and we did the Forrester Acres out-and-back, 5 miles total at 8:00/mile pace. Slow going, but at least it was a nice morning.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 5.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 11.25
Comments
From Oreo on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 11:52:51 from 206.81.136.61

Insane and Awesome all at the same time...Keep it rollin.

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 12:17:29 from 63.255.173.99

When you are doing marathon training, what percentage of your miles do you run at MP? Or do you just run paces based on how you feel for the day? Great times by the way.

From Paul on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 12:44:19 from 65.103.252.214

Jason - I don't know I'm not really that scientific about it. Probably about 15-20 miles per week will be MP, so that is about 20% of my total miles. But everything else will be very easy.

From Superfly on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 12:59:40 from 208.117.127.110

Good workout Paul. The 5 miles at the end pushing Seth sound pretty brutal after a killer 10 mile tempo. How do yo like the Kinvara compared to the Brooks Launch?

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 13:02:18 from 63.255.173.99

Paul - I see, thanks for the info. There's so much on the internet (some of it may even be credible) I just wondered what someone real (with a name and face appearing in local races and newspapers), who seems to be having success and fun, does to train...

From Paul on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 13:06:56 from 65.103.252.214

Clyde - yeah, it wasn't that fun, but fortunately it was still cool out. The Kinvara have less support and are lighter than the Launch. I love them both, but for different things. The Kinvara are basically my tempo shoe (Tuesdays), and the Launch are my long run shoe (Saturdays). I usually do tempo and/or intervals during my long run, and the Launch are "fast" enough for that, but I like the extra support and cushioning for those 20-milers.

Jason - yes, lots of info out there. I've been influenced a lot by various books and coaches, but pretty much do my own thing now, that works for my lifestyle, psyche, and level of commitment. As long as I keep lowering my times and feeling good, I'll stick with this type of training.

From Jon on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 17:09:38 from 75.169.152.23

Umm... wow. It will be interesting to see your TOU half time, since we can compare that pretty accurately to previous years. Should give you a good idea of fitness.

Who are you pacing at TOU marathon?

From Paul on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 17:15:58 from 65.103.252.214

Yeah should be a good test, assuming there is a 20 mph tailwind again this year! That alone is worth at least 30s.

I'm planning on running TOU with David Nelson.

From Jon on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 17:24:49 from 75.169.152.23

Yeah, but we've all done TOU half enough to know how to account for wind or no wind. If you set a PR... good sign.

Oh yeah, Mr. Washington will be here. And he's sticking around to pace me, too, at the Bear. What time is he aiming for? The elusive sub-3?

From Paul on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 17:30:19 from 65.103.252.214

Yes, sub-3 is the goal.

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 17:45:30 from 63.255.173.99

I know I'm not part of this conversation, but how far sub-3? At an even pace?

From Paul on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 18:08:53 from 65.103.252.214

I think Dave would be happy with 2:59:59! His best is 3:02. Given the layout of TOU, the first half is always faster, so I imagine we'd go through the half in 1:26-1:27 or so, and then try to split a 1:30 on top of that.

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 18:16:24 from 63.255.173.99

Hmm. I wonder if I could keep up... My current best is 3:24 at TOU last year, but I was ill. My training is much stronger this year (293 miles vs 206 for the month of July). I was thinking of doing under 1:30 for the 1st half and 1:35 or so for the second.

From Paul on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 18:21:10 from 65.103.252.214

BQ would be a nice goal (sub-3:10). If you can break 1:26 in the half marathon, it's probably worth given sub-3 a shot.

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 18:43:11 from 63.255.173.99

I did the half in 1:25:37 last year. I haven't decided if I should go all out for the half this year or not. I suppose that 3 weeks is plenty of time to recover, but I'm not sure - I'd hate to ruin my chance to BQ for a PR in a half... I might run the half course Friday, all out, to get an idea where I am.

From Paul on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 18:46:25 from 204.113.19.55

Time trials aren't great indicators (I can never run nearly as fast in a time trial as in a race). I think 3 weeks is plenty to recover. Given that TOU is a downhill half with a tailwind, I would guesstimate that around 1:24-ish equivalent to a sub-3. 1:26 is my flat-course estimate.

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 18:52:00 from 63.255.173.99

Hmm - I hadn't considered the race factor at all. I guess I won't gage my chances by my Friday run then, probably meaning I'll still have hope! Thanks.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.750.000.000.000.009.75

Ran from work, did the Providence Hill Loop. My garmin battery died during the run, but it was pretty slow anyway. Had some great cloud cover that kept things cool.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.250.000.000.000.0014.25

AM - Birch Creek. Bumped into Carson and ran with him for half of it. 7:34/mile average for 8.25 miles.

PM - 6 miles on the canal trail. Got some welcome cloud cover for part of it. Averaged 6:59/mile for 6 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Ran the Logan River Trail to Guineva Malibu campground with Jon before work. 7:57/mile average for about 10 miles. It was a nice morning, and the run felt good. Need to run out there more often.

Saucony Guide TR Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Burt on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 at 11:21:55 from 68.225.214.248

Nice job. How did Jon smell this morning?

From Rob Murphy on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 at 11:34:18 from 24.10.248.6

I hear you Paul. I call them my "why I moved to Utah runs". I need to do them more often to remind myself.When I first came here in 2002 I was constantly overwhelmed by the beauty of this state. It's amazing how you can get used to things. I have to remind myself to appreciate it now.

From Paul on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 at 12:03:56 from 65.103.252.214

Jon smelled like a scruffy bearded unemployed guy.

Rob, yeah this run was an old favorite when I lived in Logan, now I rarely do it now that I'm in Smithfield. My trails in Smtihfield are really nice, but not as "big" as Logan Canyon.

From Scott Ensign on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 at 12:07:46 from 129.123.3.31

when you go from spring hollow to guinavah, do you keep following the river trail, or use the highway? I tried running that section of trail once and it seemed kind of rough so was worried I might sprain an ankle. but I would like to extend my runs beyond spring hollow.

From Paul on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 at 12:13:58 from 65.103.252.214

trail. I think it's a really nice stretch, actually, really good shape.

From Jon on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:06:36 from 75.169.155.69

Scott- yeah, I run that portion all the time. It's not any worse then the singletrack just past second dam.

From Scott Ensign on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 22:37:05 from 65.100.220.129

thanks, I will give it a shot again. I only tried it once, a few years ago when nursing a sprained ankle, and turned back after a few hundred yards out of wimpy fear. But I am tougher now (I think...)

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.005.000.000.000.0020.00

Long run today, my first 20-miler of the season. I drove out to Hollow Rd to run on the TOU course. Ran up the canyon for 10 miles, then turned around and came back. Had a headwind for the first 5 miles, and a tailwind for the last 5 miles. Wasn't a huge wind today, but still decent. I got a bit of a late start 8AM, so it was a little warm, but tolerable.

I treated the run as a progression, and notched it up the run went on. Mile splits on the uphill with headwind were 6:26, 6:20, 6:26, 6:23, 6:17. After about 5 miles, the wind let up, and also I got some cloud cover. I got in a nice groove at that point. Next 5 uphill miles were 6:13, 6:02, 6:01, 6:08, 6:24. Had a 6:15/mile average for the 10 uphill miles.

I used the bathroom near the turnaround point (ToU 1/2 start line), then headed back down. The downhill felt pretty nice at this point. Next 5 miles were 5:52, 5:39, 5:40, 5:41, 5:39.

I started to wear down a bit, but also collected a tailwind for the last 5 miles. I was thinking the wind might die completely by the time I got back there, but it was still blowing a little, and it definitely made a difference. My last 5 miles were 5:26, 5:27, 5:25, 5:22, 5:21. Total time for 20 miles was 1:58:11, with a 5:55/mile average. The run felt pretty good, and I didn't have any fueling issues. I generally don't take water or calories during these long runs, and today was no exception. I feel fit, and that feels good.

Brooks Launch Miles: 20.00
Comments
From Cody on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 17:23:50 from 174.52.244.185

nice run - we actually discussed that were it not for the trail bug, we would have been running this same route today too. Kind of funny.

From Superfly on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 17:55:37 from 208.117.127.110

Great run. The downhill splits are nice but I think the uphill avg is more impressive with the wind too.

From Jon on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:05:34 from 75.169.155.69

Cody- we might have been on that same route, but we wouldn't be running with Paul! Just watching him pull away.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.500.000.000.000.0014.50

AM - Smithfield Canyon with Carson. 9 miles, 7:26/mile. Got a classic case of "the Mondays".

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 5.5 miles, 7:34/mile.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 5.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.007.003.000.000.0016.00

Big Workout today. Did 2 miles warmup @ 6:25/mile, then did a 4-3-2-1 "interval" workout. Did the run on the Bear River Ranch out-and-back route, which is flat with a few long inclines. First 4 miles were marathon pace (5:26, 5:25, 5:22, 5:29), then 2 minutes recovery. The next 3 miles were marathon pace (5:32, 5:19, 5:16), then 2 minutes recovery. The next 2 miles were threshold pace (5:04, 5:01), then 2 minutes recovery. Finally, one last mile at threshold pace (5:06). This last interval was a bear, since it was all on a slight incline. Woof. Lot of gravel on this route, which definitely slowed things down whenever I was on it. I hate to say it, but I prefer blacktop. 

Cooled down for 3 miles @ 7:00/mile. 16 miles total for the run, average pace of 5:52/mile.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Seth on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 11:33:58 from 199.188.28.8

Wow, that's some strength. How do you like the Kinvara's?

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 11:42:50 from 63.255.173.99

Besides your focus, dedication, and hard work, you must have also chosen your DNA wisely...

From Paul on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 12:07:15 from 65.103.252.214

Seth - I like the Kinvara's quite a bit. They are a fast shoe, but still feel pretty good for these longer runs.

Jason - thanks, but I wouldn't know. Neither of my parents run, nor does my sister. But I'm built more like my mom, so maybe she would have been a decent runner if she had tried it.

From Superfly on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 13:51:40 from 208.117.127.110

Dude that's what I call a workout. Wow! Good job nailing it.

From Nan on Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 14:44:05 from 24.8.144.22

Wow, that is a great workout, Paul!! I'm impressed that you were able to pick it up so much in the last couple of intervals. It blows my mind that your marathon pace is so fast.

From Paul on Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 15:07:09 from 65.103.252.214

Thanks Nan. The thing is, it will need to be faster! I think sub-2:19 is about 5:17/mile or so...for 26.2! Tough to think about. I spot myself about 5-10 seconds/mile for the altitude though, so try to keep "MP" around 5:20/5:25.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM1 - Canal Trail, 4 miles, 7:30/mile average.

AM2 - ran from work, Canyon Rd to the River Trail to 2nd Dam and back. 10 miles, 7:09/mile average.

**

I now have something in common with Phil Mickelson. We both take Enbrel. Except he has psoriatic arthritis, which is in the same family, but somewhat different. Same treatments though.

New Balance 790 Miles: 4.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 10.00
Comments
From David Nelson on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 00:48:16 from 24.22.229.1

Phil Mickelson also has relatives in Hyrum. And you've made fun of Hyrum (Stinkville). So you probably share that one too.

From Superfly on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 12:09:15 from 208.117.127.110

Paul you should take up golf? Maybe there is some other hidden talent you need to develop. Plus the training is easier. Not a bunch of slow miles in between big workouts:)

From Paul on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 12:25:00 from 174.27.160.216

I have tried golf. Trust me, there is nothing hidden there.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - Birch Creek with Carson. Slow. 7:49/mile for 8.25 miles. This is what I hate about marathon training: all of the slow recovery miles between workouts.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. It was cool and overcast, very nice for an August afternoon. I felt better than I did this morning. 5.75 miles, no watch.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM - canal trail, 7 miles, 6:48/mile average. Awesome morning.

noon - Planet Walk from work. No watch. 5 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 7.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 5.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
20.000.000.000.000.0020.00

Long run. Went from my house up Smithfield Canyon. 5.5 miles of paved road, followed by 2.5 miles of rugged dirt road, followed by 1 mile of nice singletrack, followed by 1 mile of not-so-nice single track (but very beautiful). And then back.

Kept it brisk on the paved part going up, about 6:20-6:30/mile until I got to the dirt, and then about 7:00/mile until the single track. Then it slowed down quite a bit, of course. The last mile was a bit of bush-whack in some places, but still pretty nice in other places. It was the furthest I've gone of Smithfield Canyon so far, and ended up about a mile past the wilderness boundary before I had to turn back. Had 4 creek crossings, and also nice views of the backside of Cherry Peak (where Jon and I ran a few weeks ago, and then also of the ridge into Cottonwood Canyon. Elevation at turnaround was 6800', so about 2200' of net climb.

Got my feet a little wet at a couple creek crossings on the way back, which bit me later on, and I got some blisters on the balls of my feet near the end of the run. I picked up the pace a little when I hit asphalt, and averaged 5:40-5:50 on the downhill for the rest of the way in, except for the last uphill mile to my house, which was still a respectable 6:15 or so. Total time was around 2:22:00, 7:08/mile for 20 miles. Although I didn't do any formal workout today, I think the total time on my feet was good to have, and it seems like it wore me out more than last week, despite being the same distance and quite a bit slower.

Brooks Launch Miles: 20.00
Comments
From Kory on Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 17:58:42 from 134.50.201.14

Great Run just being out there on your feet for that long is great endurance training which you already know. Nice workout and run.

Paul have you ever had piriformis hip syndrome. I've been fighting this since May where I've had it on both hips. Right first and went away for a month then left. I need to find a good running doctor to ask what I can do besides stretching and sports massages.

From Paul on Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 18:05:24 from 174.27.160.216

No, I have not had that issue.

From Superfly on Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 21:19:46 from 208.117.127.110

Fun run. But should you only call it like 18 or so. Because the trail stuff and bush-whacking aren't really running? j/k

Sometimes a long "time on feet" run is great for me. Your always working and plus your run today was done with some elevation.

I could use a nice 23-25 mile slower run out on the dirt trails just to log the time.

From Jon on Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 17:13:28 from 174.19.181.220

I'm so proud you voluntarily ran trail!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.750.000.000.000.0014.75

AM - ran with Carson, an out-and-back on the country roads going north out of Smithfield. Very interesting morning to run, as there were big thunderclouds, and we saw some nice streaks of lightening. And then, mid-run, we were treated to the most awesome sunrise I've ever seen. Due to the thunderheads over the Bear River Range, the clouds were just lit up an amazing orange. Never seen anything like it. 9 miles, 7:21/mile.

PM - Forrest Acres. No watch. 5.75 miles

Saucony Tangent Miles: 5.75Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.000.000.000.000.0016.00

Big Workout. Did an extended Bear River Loop, with about 12 miles of tinman tempo, or steady state, running. Definitely not marathon pace, but not easy either. Felt a little flat today, but that's alright as I am mainly interested in building miles at this point. Did 2 miles of warmup, then 6:01, 5:49, 5:35, 5:34, 5:38, 5:35, 5:36, 5:39, 5:37, 6:05. Then cooled down with a few miles between 6:20-6:30. Averaged 6:01/mile for 16 miles.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 16.00
Comments
From steve ash on Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 12:35:26 from 98.202.75.78

You call that flat?

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - canal trail, 5 miles, 7:16/mile average.

noon - River Trail from work. 10 miles, 6:58/mile average.

New Balance 790 Miles: 5.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Holt on Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 15:50:35 from 204.113.55.41

Obviously your workouts are awesome right now, but your mileage is higher than I ever remember for you. You must be feeling healthy and keeping everything in check?

From Paul on Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 16:59:40 from 65.103.252.214

Mileage is about the same as 2007, but workouts are better and much stronger. I could not tempo for 10 miles back in 2007, whereas now it's fun for me. However, I could do 2 big workouts plus a long run in 2007, whereas now recovery is not quite as good, so I go with Tuesday B.W., and Saturday long run (with workout incorporated), and call it good. I feel good, and am 100% healthy, but focus on recovery a lot more (hence dropping that second workout). I'm definitely in the best shape of my life. Wish the marathon was in a few weeks, so that I could just get it over with!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.750.000.000.000.0014.75

AM - Birch Creek with Carson and Todd (Carson's brother). 9 miles, 7:38/mile average. It rained a little bit.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 5.75 miles, no watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.00Brooks Launch Miles: 5.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.750.000.000.000.0012.75

AM - easy but surprisingly quick run on the canal trail this morning. We are kind of in "any minute mode" for the new baby, so I think that picked up my pace a little bit. 7.5 miles, averaged 6:37/mile.

PM - Planet Walk from work. 5.25 miles, 6:53/mile. No baby yet.

New Balance 790 Miles: 7.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 5.25
Comments
From allie on Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 11:14:06 from 174.23.182.80

exciting time. good luck.

From Holt on Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 15:16:27 from 204.113.55.41

Cool! Good luck to you guys.

From Jon on Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 15:50:28 from 75.169.157.53

Yes, good luck. We look forward to hearing the happy news.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
21.000.001.000.000.0022.00

Woof. Glad that one is done. I did a long run this morning. It was already pretty warm by the time I started, which didn't help, but it could have been worse too. Definitely looking forward to fall weather. I intended to begin the run with 6x1600m @ LT, and then cruise the rest of it, but after one mile on the Skyview track in 5:20, I decided that my legs felt like lead, and I wouldn't meet the goal of the workout, so why bother. So I bagged it and did my remainder of my long run at a steady but unspectacular pace, mile splits ranged from 6:00 to 6:30, and they were pretty consistent. Ran all over the countryside, kind of a farmland tour of northern Cache Valley. I did get pretty tired at the end, but still pushed it in pretty well, keeping the last few miles in the low-6s. 22 miles total, 2:22-ish. 6:22/mile average pace. 95 miles for the week, a high for this year (highest since Sept 2007).

Brooks Launch Miles: 22.00
Comments
From Superfly on Sat, Aug 21, 2010 at 15:12:48 from 208.117.127.110

Solid week man. Way to push on through.

From Jason McK on Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 00:55:33 from 97.117.40.237

Nice mileage!

From MichelleL on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 23:56:35 from 70.58.32.131

Did someone use your race number for hobblecreek? I saw your name with at 1:22ISH finish time.

From Paul on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 07:55:22 from 174.27.160.216

There is another Paul Petersen in Utah. I see his race results occasionally. There is also a Pete Petersen.

From Paul on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 07:55:57 from 174.27.160.216

Michelle - are you running the TOU 1/2? I saw your name on the entry list...

From MichelleL on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 09:38:39 from 70.58.32.131

Yeah I am! I am excited, but first I need to clear up this attack of the runs I am having. Are you doing it? Who's my competition (if you've seen the list :D)?

From Paul on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 11:12:24 from 65.103.252.214

Yes, I am running it, as long as our baby isn't born that morning or anything (we are hour-to-hour at this point). It's a good race, you'll like it.

Start list is here:

http://topofutahmarathon.com/whohalf.pdf

Just scanning through, it looks like you'll have to deal with Mary Ann S., Carol Rowe, and Emily Jameson. And whoever else.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.000.000.000.000.005.00

Did some really easy miles on Hillside and Summit with Seth. It was threatening to thunderstorm, so we turned back initially, but then went back out and finished the run. It was a nice day. Seth fell asleep during the run, and then Stacy and I could take naps, so mission accomplished.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 5.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Long night last night. Stacy had about 10 hours of light to moderate labor, which eventually petered out, so a lot of work for no results. Fortunately we stayed home, so she was comfortable. We played Yatzee to pass the time.

I was kind of a zombie this morning, but took Seth out in the stroller up Smithfield Canyon. Ran 8 miles, averaged 7:31/mile. It was a beautiful morning, and invigorating to get some cool, fresh air.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Nan on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:23:02 from 24.8.144.22

Oh the joys of pre-labor. You are wise to stay home as long as possible. Heck, why not stay home for the birth too and have the midwife come to you? Now we're talking. (I'm being serious...I stayed home with #2 and #3 and it was MUCH more comfortable than the hospital).

Good luck with the impending labor and birth!

From Paul on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:34:03 from 65.103.252.214

I like the idea of home-birth, but Stacy doesn't. I've been pretty suspicious of hospitals ever since watching "The Business of Being Born", and of course reading all the Bradley Method books. Our hospital here is pretty good actually, but they still facilitate very few natural births.

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:42:43 from 63.255.173.99

My wife isn't so big on hospitals either, though if they'll let her do it her way and be there just in case, it works pretty well. She has done hypno-birthing for our last 2, which has been a god-send, but some nurses just think they have to do whatever they've always done, like babies aren't born in nature almost every second of the day without nurses.

From Paul on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:52:00 from 65.103.252.214

Yes, they (the nurses) definitely have their own system, and like to do it their way. Not to say they're bad or anything, but that's just how it is. Protocol.

From Nan on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 13:11:42 from 24.8.144.22

Yeah protocol is annoying. That movie was interesting, huh? I decided to do home birth after a very low risk, natural hospital birth with #1 and lot of research and prayer going into my second pregnancy. Its not for everyone, but it sure was great for us! If you are there as a support your wife and if you communicate very clearly with the Dr and nurses to help your wife have the labor and birth experience she wants, everything should be fine. Good luck!

From Paul on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 13:21:35 from 65.103.252.214

We were able to do a natural birth with Seth in the hospital, and have the same doctor for this one, so I think they all know our expectations. I think we're done with kids after this one, so I'll probably never get to try the home birth.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.0011.000.000.000.0016.00

Got 9.5 glorious hours of sleep last night, and feel much better today. Did a Big Workout: 4-3-2-2-1 @ MP. But I ended up dropping the last interval, so it was just 4-3-2-2. I ran it on the Bear River Ranch out-and-back route.

Warmed up for two miles (6:22, 6:25), then did the 4-mile interval (5:22, 5:15, 5:19, 5:26). Two minutes recovery jog, then the 3-mile interval (5:18, 5:19, 5:13). Another two-minute recovery, then the 2-mile interval (5:15, 5:17). Two minutes recovery. The second two-mile interval was the toughest of the bunch, due to being on a steady uphill, plus my legs were shot by the last mile. (5:26, 5:34). I ended up throwing out the last interval, since I didn't feel up to another mile straight up a hill, and have a race on Saturday. Pretty good workout though. Cooled down very slowly, about 7:40/mile. Averaged 5:53/mile for 16 miles.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:31:54 from 63.255.173.99

Good luck at the race - though I suppose the only luck is who shows up to race - the rest is up to you (and the weather, health, sleep (kids)).

From Paul on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:35:27 from 65.103.252.214

I already know who is running, so no luck there. It should be a pretty good field. I just hope I am able to run it.

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:43:54 from 63.255.173.99

Oh, I forgot they publish a list, don't they? Are you really worried you can't run it or just worried you can't run it like you want to run it?

From Paul on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:51:00 from 65.103.252.214

Well, if the baby is born Saturday morning, I probably won't run it. Or if it's not born yet, I'll be running with a cell phone!

From Superfly on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:55:44 from 208.117.127.110

Another great one. Hopefully that baby gets here this week so we can see how your legs will kill the TOU half. I'm excited to see the results already.

From Jason McK on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 13:02:37 from 63.255.173.99

Wow - I didn't put yesterday and today together very well. Good luck guessing the arrival time of a baby (no offense intended to anyone, but scheduling these things seems to go against nature).

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Ran from work. Did the River Trail / Canyon Rd out-and-back, 10 miles. Averaged 6:57/mile. Felt surprisingly good after yesterday. No baby yet.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 22:12:36 from 63.228.217.162

Paul, I am betting 3:30 AM Saturday morning due to Murphys law with the half Saturday. let me know if you want me to pick up your packet either way to save you a trip. hope to see you Saturday if no baby that night!

From Paul on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 07:55:50 from 174.27.160.216

Yes, that would be Murphy's Law! But I'd rather have my second child than run my 2000th road race, so I'd be cool with it. I'm planning on picking up my packet Friday evening after work, so it should be an issue.

From Scott Ensign on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 13:31:38 from 63.228.217.162

Paul, maybe I will see you down there. do you want to pick up some easy miles with me after the half? Key word being easy... but you might want to run faster than I will be able to.

From Paul on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 13:50:30 from 65.103.252.214

Yeah, I need 20-22 total on Saturday, so I'm planning on a fairly long cooldown.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

7 miles with Seth, out-and-back up Smithfield Canyon. 7:32/mile average.

We're having our baby tonight.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Lily on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 18:35:31 from 67.199.181.73

Baby 2night? Awesome and good luck!

From Jason McK on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 18:37:54 from 63.255.173.99

Good luck with the baby!

From allie on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 19:04:19 from 161.38.218.168

good luck!

From Cody on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 20:47:58 from 174.52.244.185

Cool!

Hope it goes well!

From Bonnie on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 21:06:40 from 128.196.228.134

Good luck and early congratulations Paul, it will be hard to imagine a baby cuter than the one you already have ;-).

From JamesH on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 21:08:56 from 74.211.22.194

Good luck to Mommy and Baby!

From Superfly on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 11:38:53 from 208.117.127.110

Hoping everything is going or has gone well.

From Dustin on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 11:44:52 from 204.113.48.77

Hope you had it on the 26th, that is my birthday!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

Zoe Beth Petersen was born at 9:44PM last night. Stacy did awesome. Zoe is 7lbs 1oz, 18.5 in, and has vertical leap of 36" and can run a 40 in 4.43.

Stayed at the hospital last night, and then went back to Smithfield to get Seth so that he could meet his sister. Then Seth and I ran about 4 miles, cemetery loops. It was pretty slow. I actually slept some last night, so feel decent. I think I'll probably do the race tomorrow.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 4.00
Comments
From Andy on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 14:11:26 from 199.190.170.22

Congratulations on the new arrival. Very cute name.

From Cody on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 14:36:39 from 69.9.58.17

Awesome!

Nice middle name too, I know a Beth. She's a hottie!

From Rob Murphy on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 14:38:32 from 205.127.70.66

Congratulations Paul. Good luck with the sleep.

From JamesH on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 15:24:56 from 74.211.22.194

Congratulations! Hope all is well with mom and baby.

From Dale on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 16:45:59 from 69.10.215.11

Congrats. Pretty impressive that she her vertical leap is nearly twice her height.

From Superfly on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 17:04:20 from 208.117.127.110

Congrats again Paul. Go get em' tomorrow. Good luck and best wishes to your family.

From Paul on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 17:05:52 from 174.27.160.216

Thanks everyone. Although I'm 90% sure I'll race tomorrow, it could be sketchy. I've got what Sasha would call "neural fatigue".

From Dan on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 21:08:07 from 24.209.83.20

Congrats Paul! Thanks for the inspiration and go get 'em!

From Barry on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 09:21:48 from 24.117.152.212

Congratulations and good luck with the race today!

From jtshad on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 14:50:45 from 69.20.183.178

Congratulations on the arrival of Zoe to your clan!

From Smooth on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 14:58:02 from 174.23.218.17

CONGRATZ on the new baby...love her name...and the win at TOU half!!!!

From Burt on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 15:44:31 from 68.225.214.248

Congratulations. Impressive stats. Are you sure you're the father?

JK (said in a bright cheery voice.)

Race: Top of Utah Half Marathon (13.107 Miles) 01:05:38, Place overall: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.900.0013.100.000.0019.00

Top of Utah Half Marathon today. I had been approaching this race wanting it to be a big effort, as it will be my last real race before the marathon in November, and also it's an excellent course with excellent competition with excellent weather. You don't want to pass that up. Training since Des News has been good. Lots of miles and lots of marathon-pace running. However, I knew that our baby due date was pretty close to this race, so I didn't want to get too wrapped up in thinking about it. But our baby came on Thursday night, we were all home on Friday night, and I was granted permission to run today, provided that I came straight home!

Not a ton of sleep the last two nights, but given the circumstance not terrible either. Probably about 5 hrs each night. But I was fairly fatigued from all the running around and from coaching Stacy through the delivery. Not really physically tired, but more of the nerves being shot. What Sasha calls "neural fatigue".

Got up around 5AM, and ate my breakfast of oatmeal with brown sugar, vanilla yogurt, and cut-up peaches. Orange juice and coffee for the road. Drove into Providence and got a sweet parking spot on the street that would give me a quick exit right after the race.

Got on one of the earlier buses, shuttled up, used the potty, and then warmed up about two miles up the canyon and back. Took another potty stop. No Narnia this year, but I did get in the fastest line. I considered using another set of hidden toilets, which are pit toilets about 300m down the canyon, but by doing so I'd be risking my life my running on a road with no shoulder with buses going in both directions. Decided it was too dangerous, and more of a Mordor than a Narnia, as far as hard-to-find magical places go.

They miraculously started the race very close to on time. I really don't know how they shuttled 2300 runners up the canyon, and then backed everyone up to the start line, and only started a few minutes behind schedule. My only guess is that Kris Sidoway (RD) is a taskmaster. She is wicked good with that megaphone.

I knew who my competition would be beforehand, from looking at the online start list. The favorite to win would be Patrick Rotich, the Kenyan who's been training in Provo this summer. Also there was Teren Jameson, two-time defending champ and course record holder. If I slipped up, then Steve Shepherd would be there to teach me a lesson. He's a former Weber State runner (I think), whose had some strong showings at the Hobbler Half and Des News 10K this year, among a few other races. But I had beaten him head-to-head at Des News. Patrick had beat Teren head-to-head at several races this summer, and Teren had beaten me head-to-head at a couple races this summer. So we seemed to have a pecking order, although I wanted to overthrow. I like the half marathon distance, and I like my home course, so I wanted to let it rip and see what happens. Although Teren is much speedier and more talented than me, I've been putting in a lot more miles, so I figured this longer distance was my only chance to beat him this year. Patrick seems to have been racing himself into better and better shape over the summer, but I'd be willing to spar with him here in Logan. So hopefully it would be an interesting and fast race. Weather was a little warm (high 50s), but a favorable canyon wind (although not very strong).

The race started, and as I expected, both Teren and Patrick got out hard. Patrick took the lead from the gun. I wanted to keep contact from the beginning, and caught up to Teren during the mile, with Patrick a few seconds ahead. Steve Shepherd joined our pack to make three. First mile split was 4:51. I wanted 4:55's down the canyon, so a little fast, but I'm willing to take some risks on this course.

Teren and I ran side-by-side for the next mile and eventually started closing the gap on Patrick, who was not running tangents very well (he actually got a lot better with tangents as the race went on). Steve remained on my trail-leg. Mile 2 was 5:00, the slowest split during the first 8 miles.

We caught Patrick near the end of the second mile, or maybe the beginning of the third mile. The pace felt hard to me up through now, and then it started getting really crazy. Kenyan runners are known for their crazy surging, and Patrick did nothing to dispel this notion. For the next 4 miles, we would catch him, pass him, and then he'd blitz and pull ahead with a gap. Teren made that worse by surging hard on all of the bigger downhills, and pass Patrick. Then Patrick would pass him back when it flattened, and eventually I would catch both of them. I'm not much of a surger. Steve Shepherd dropped pretty hard during the third mile.

Mile 3 was 4:56, Mile 4 was 4:51, Mile 5 was 4:45, Mile 6 was 4:49. 29:14 through 6 miles. Youtch! But I was feeling good, despite all the games. We had a tailwind for these miles. It was not a huge canyon wind, but it extended up the canyon more than usual, although it did not persist much on Hollow Rd. So definitely a helpful wind, but did not aid things as much as some other years. Probably worth 40s over the duration of the race.

After 6 miles, we near the end of the canyon, Patrick had gapped Teren, and Teren had gapped me by little. Eventually I worked my way up to Teren, and ran alongside him for a little while, but then surprisingly dropped him soon thereafter. Mile 7 was another 4:49.

After the 7-mile mark, we got onto Hollow Rd. Hollow Rd is still nice downhill, more gradual, but just as fast, perhaps faster due to the evenness of the gradient. Patrick had maybe 10-15s on me on Hollow Rd, but he was certainly not coming back. I was hoping he would slow on the hill at Mile 10, but in the back of my mind I remembered that it's usually me that dies on that hill. My pace slowed a little on Mile 8 to 4:54, but still where I wanted to be!

Mile 9 is still all on Hollow Rd. It's a speedy section, but I could feel my pace slowing. This mile was 5:04 for me. Patrick was running faster than that, evidently. I could feel my wheels starting to fall off. Too many sub-4:50 miles earlier, which was a bit out of the zone I'm trained to run in.

During Mile 10 we exit Hollow Rd and run on Hwy-165. Still a very mellow downhill, but close to flat. 5:05 for this mile. Well, if I can at least hold this pace, it will still average out to a huge PR. 49:09 for the 10-mile split, which is on pace for well under 1:05:00. I'm hoping that I will magically bound up the 1.5-mile long hill coming up in order to do this.

Miles 11 & 12 are the hardest in the race. The first half of 11 is still flat, but then we start going up. All of Mile 12 is uphill, and then it crests, and Mile 13 is a net downhill to the finish. As I feared, I slowed even more on Mile 11, to 5:14. But Patrick wasn't pulling ahead anymore, so he was evidently hurting too. I laid an egg on Mile 12, though, with a 5:31 split. We were on the grid system now, and I could see that Patrick was about 2/3 of a block up from me, which is about 25-30s.

We finally crested the painful hill (but not soon enough) right after Mile 12. I tried to get my legs under me, but there was nothing there. It looked like Patrick was pulling away again this last mile. When I looked at my watch at Mile 12, I also realized that I wasn't going to break 1:05, which was a bit of a kick in the pants, after thinking it was a certainty just a couple miles ago. But it's hard to pull out that kind of time while plunking a 5:14 and a 5:31 as successive splits. Those really threw it off. But I bore down and did the best I could. I finally got some turnover near the end. Hit Mile 13 with a 5:12. I've done it faster other years, but I'll have to take it. Again, too many too-fast miles early on.

Last 0.1 was 30s. Official time was 1:05:38, good for 2nd place overall. It would have been the course record, except I got beat. Patrick Rotich won with 1:05:10, Teren was 3rd with 1:07:35, Steve Shepherd was 4th with 1:08:37.

After I finished, I literally kept jogging, and grabbed my bag, and then headed to my car to take off back home in order to not be a deadbeat husband and father. I had arranged for Walter to pick up my prize money at the awards ceremony, so we'll all see how honest Walter is now with 150 bucks! (thanks Walter!). Hopefully he won something good with my bib number in the raffle. I stopped in Logan to get gas (almost empty), and then realized that I grabbed the wrong clothes bag when I opened it up to grab a dry shirt, and there was women's clothes inside! Turns out the bib number on the bag was one number different that mine, and the last name was Petersen. Bah. So I drove back to Providence, put the wrong bag back, and grabbed mine. Ended up bumping into a lot of people and chit-chatted too much, my quick exit and early return home was ruined. Still got home at 9:15AM, but I would have been 8:30AM had I not needed to turn back. Oh well. Stacy still loves me. Took Seth off her hands and cooled down with him in the stroller when I got home.

I'm happy with this race, especially given the what an eventful week it was. I felt sharp; although I paid for an aggressive early pace, sometimes it's worth it to give a hard pace a shot. This time is an aided half marathon PR for me, beating my UVM time by 27s, and beating my last year's TOU Half time by 64s. Moreover, I finally got my sub-1:06, which is a nice stepping stone. Now I just need to stick the last few miles and get a sub-1:05. But it was a nice race amongst other nice races for the year, and does not discourage me from thinking I can get the marathon qualifier.

I've had a nice string of half marathons over the span of 2009 and 2010:

  • Indy Mini, May 2009 - 1:08:35 (unaided PR)
  • Seattle RnR, June 2009 - 1:08:12 (unaided PR)
  • TOU Half, Aug 2009 - 1:06:42 (aided PR)
  • The Other Half, Oct 2009 - 1:09:50 (unaided, altitude PR)
  • Indy Mini, May 2010 - 1:08:05 (unaided PR)
  • UVM Half, June 2010 - 1:06:05 (aided PR)
  • TOU Half, Aug 2010 - 1:05:38 (aided PR)

These are all consecutive half marathons, so it's cool to PR every time I race (although I probably shouldn't count The Other Half...). I've also had two 15K PRs and a 10K PR during this time span. So it's been a great couple years, and I'm very thankful and blessed to be given this second lease on running, after thinking it was all over a couple years ago.

No more races until Indy in November. It's just a lot of miles and a lot of workouts for the next two months to prepare for the marathon.

Saucony Type A Miles: 16.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 2.50
Comments
From jtshad on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 15:58:16 from 69.20.183.178

Congrats on the very solid race and PR! NOW...get home to that family and enjoy the new exiting time!

You will rock in Indy!

From Burt on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 16:26:37 from 68.225.214.248

Very nice Paul! I hope you didn't see anything you didn't want to see in the woman's bag.

From Dave S on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 16:49:54 from 4.254.226.24

Great job! Looking good for Indy!

Congrats on the new addition.

From Steve on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 17:52:00 from 209.235.31.12

What a cool run, Paul

From JD on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 18:08:54 from 32.176.110.65

Nice job! Love reading your reports! Congrats also to you and your family with the new member!

From Sasha Pachev on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 18:18:33 from 192.168.1.1

Paul, congratulations on the baby, and a great race. Too bad for you that Patrick messed up the post-baby win, but given the time and beating Teren we should put it in the books. Interestingly enough, I won a race one day after my second child (Jenny) was born. It was Hobblecreek 2000. So you just have added to the tradition.

You do need to realize, though, that Patrick has 13:25 5000 on the track in Nairobi to his credit with the top 6 finish in the Kenyan trials in 1999. So he has a lot of potential, and is full of trouble. Last week he ran 5:00 pace average on my patented 5 mile tempo course on the Provo River Trail, except he missed the turnaround and ran more. Based on that I predicted 1:04:50 to 1:05:10 in TOU half with the adjustment for him not being a good downhill runner. Then on Thursday he ran 3200 in 9:13 on the track with the splits of 4:38 and 4:35. He said it felt sustainable for the 5000. Based on that I said it might be even faster than 1:04:50 if he gets pushed, but it was unlikely if he would get pushed that fast. But I believe it did help him to have you run that strong and maintain the threat of coming from behind.

So, in short, this is as good as a win, congratulations.

From Rob Murphy on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 18:39:25 from 24.10.248.6

Paul, you have to be really pleased with that effort. I think the type of race you were forced to run and the end result will really benefit you in your marathon.

Your confidence must be sky high right now.

From MichelleL on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 18:40:01 from 70.58.32.131

Nice job! And congrats on the birth of your son. Stacy is awesome to let you race.

From JamesH on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 20:48:36 from 74.211.22.194

Congrats Paul on another great performance. Your reports are always so detailed. How in the world do you remember all that? Its always just a blur to me during and after.

From Jon on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 20:57:00 from 65.207.165.18

First, and most importantly, congrats on the birth of Zoe. Tell Stacy congrats, too. And Seth, just for the heck of it.

And another PR, plus 60 seconds off last year's time? Wow- well done. I looked at Milliseconds first and was very happy to see you got your revenge on Teren, though I was hoping Patrick was a wheelchair that they mis-categorized. Nevertheless, well done. Be proud of what you have done. And now go get your OTQ!!!

From Jason McK on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 21:07:26 from 97.117.53.18

Awesome race and a great report. Congrats on the time and the baby as well. As I've read some of your other reports, I was pretty to see you had beat Teren. That and the PR have to help you feel pretty darn good! Oh, and the family too!

From Dan on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 21:31:12 from 24.209.83.20

Great Job Paul, and congrats again! You are running in Indy in November? Not the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon by chance?

From allie on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 22:48:16 from 174.23.163.253

congratulations on such a great race. the list showing your progression in the half over the last couple of years is very impressive and inspiring.

also, congrats on the new baby. i love the name.

From Aaron Kennard on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 23:08:40 from 24.8.144.22

Congrats on a solid PR and moreso on the new addition! What a great week!

From Paul on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 23:11:36 from 174.27.160.216

Thanks everyone.

Sasha - yes, Patrick messed up my post-baby run, but it was fun to try to race him a little bit. With Seth, I ran a 10K three days after he was born, and both Walter and Jon ruined my post-baby run!

Michelle - yes, Stacy is awesome, but not just for letting me race. I'm always inspired after watching her give birth, she's such a warrior.

James - I actually can't remember a lot of it; I make most of it up. ;-)

Dan - yes, the Monumental Marathon. There are several other bloggers running it too (Jeff and I think Sean).

Allie - I could make the list more interesting by throwing in the first 4 half marathon times, back from 2003-2004. Let's see, 1:16, 1:14, 1:17, 1:14. Sometimes it takes about 10 years of trying to get better at something.

From Superfly on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 23:32:51 from 208.117.127.110

I knew you were going to run a great race today. Too bad for the neural fatigue or maybe you could have even challenged harder or have won. But what a great end to a good week at the Peterson home. Congrats man. I'm living the dream vicariously through you.

From Scott Ensign on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 23:41:00 from 71.35.224.235

way to go Paul, you keep amazing and inspiring me with these achievements. well done, and big congrats on your new family addition.

From Kelli on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 10:35:06 from 71.219.102.155

CONGRATS ON THE BABY!!! And the great race capped off a marvelous week for you!

I knew that guy was a Kenyan when I saw him at the start. ;o) And look how well you did up against him. Amazing.

From Holt on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 11:20:43 from 75.169.90.161

Great way to end a great week! Excellent job Paul. You're really getting yourself set up for an awesome marathon. (By the way Steve Shepard is my cousin's husband, a real good guy.)

From Walter on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 13:56:06 from 24.10.169.110

Paul congrats on a great race, on a great new baby, and it was great talking to you and seeing you again. You have held off the nation from taking your home course away and barely missing another country from the same. Awesome run, Im in awe!

From Tom on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 22:00:15 from 67.199.180.90

Congrats on another great performance and the new baby! That progression of 1/2 marathons the last year is amazing, especially with all the AS stuff you've had to deal with.

From Adam RW on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 22:13:18 from 24.10.132.131

Paul, What a truly amazing week. Congratulations again on the new addition and nice race to boot.

From Mik'L on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 00:26:06 from 208.117.127.110

Congrats on baby Zoe! (We LOVE the name!) I hope she and Stacy are doing great. Awesome race as well! What a week!

From Seth on Wed, Sep 01, 2010 at 15:22:19 from 199.188.28.8

Congrats on the race and baby! You said you've been PR'ing a lot in the last few years. Is there an aspect of your training that has helped you run faster and stronger?(i.e. more mileage, more speedwork, better rest, etc.) Keep running, you are amazing!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
11.000.000.000.000.0011.00

AM - Forrester Acres loops with Seth. Recovery is going very well, and I feel better than I did after UVM and after Des News. It snowed in the mountains last night, and rained a lot in town this morning. The air smells like autumn leaves. I love it.

PM - 4.5 miles after dinner with Seth. Summit-Hillside Loop. Slow.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.50Brooks Launch Miles: 4.50
Comments
From Superfly on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 14:39:30 from 208.117.127.110

SNOW?

From Paul on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 14:56:53 from 174.27.160.216

Yup. Surprisingly I'm actually glad that summer is winding down. Now my afternoon runs can actually be decent, rather than suffer-fests.

From jtshad on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 15:07:47 from 204.134.132.225

Best time of year in these parts...wish fall would last longer and makes the long winters worthwhile!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon, with Seth, 8 miles, 7:25/mile. 41 degrees out when I got up this morning, so I waited for a few hours...then it was 48 degrees, much better. Beautiful morning, inspiring for running. This is just what I need for the final stretch of training...some inspiration. I do like to train, but I also hate it, so the weather helps.

PM - running around Smithfield with Seth. 6 miles. I forget the pace.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Dan on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 19:21:03 from 24.209.83.20

I hear ya about the weather - It was 55 last week a few mornings here and made the run.

Let's talk when Indy gets close, I am running that marathon too (although not near the pace you guys are at), so i would love to meet up with some FRB'ers even for a minute or two!

From Superfly on Wed, Sep 01, 2010 at 17:14:30 from 208.117.127.110

It can be over 41 here in the middle of January some mornings.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.250.000.000.000.0015.25

AM - Forrester Acres loops with Seth. 10.5 miles, averaging 7:03/mile.

PM - Smithfield north loop with Seth. 4.75 miles, averaged 7:02/mile. Lots of stroller miles this week.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 10.50
Comments
From Jason McK on Wed, Sep 01, 2010 at 19:26:33 from 63.255.173.99

Are the stroller miles the secret to the progressively faster half times?

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

Big Workout. Ran up Smithfield Canyon, 15 miles total. Kept the pace at a brisk to Tinman Tempo effort. Not too intense (being a recovery week from TOU), but it was a long effort. Averaged 6:16/mile for the run. Hit sub-6 for the last 6 miles. Uphill part of the canyon was 6:15-6:30, and the dirt was a bit slower.

Brooks Launch Miles: 15.00
Comments
From MichelleL on Thu, Sep 02, 2010 at 20:41:49 from 70.58.32.131

How's the babe? You need to update your side bar, 2 kiddies now.

From Paul on Thu, Sep 02, 2010 at 21:33:25 from 174.27.160.216

Mmm, yeah I guess I do need to make the update. Not much as been updated this week, pretty busy! Zoe is doing great! She and Stacy came home after only 24 hrs. Zoe has gained back to her birth weight, plus an extra 5 ounces. She likes to eat.

From MichelleL on Thu, Sep 02, 2010 at 22:22:05 from 70.58.32.131

Trying to earn back some equity, eh?

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.750.000.000.000.0014.75

AM - out-and-back on Saddleback Rd, with Seth. 9 miles, 7:45/mile average.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 5.75 miles, no watch

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 5.75
Comments
From Rob on Sat, Sep 04, 2010 at 11:52:55 from 204.15.86.95

Hey, Paul. What time are you pacing TOU for? I'm trying for a 2:40 so if you don't mind I may try and tag along.

From Paul on Sat, Sep 04, 2010 at 15:51:15 from 174.27.187.235

You're too fast Rob! We've going for sub-3hr

From Rob on Sat, Sep 04, 2010 at 16:07:28 from 204.15.86.95

Oh, OK. For some reason I thought you where shooting for 2:40. Well, I'll try and say Hi at the start line at least. I would like to meet you.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
20.000.000.000.000.0020.00

Long run. I kept the pace brisk and steady, but nothing intense, as I'm trying this as a "recovery week", but not necessarily a low-mileage week. Thus, keep the volume, but everything is slower than MP. Did an out-and-back from my house to the canal trail to 1600 E to USU to Logan Canyon, to the River Trail. Was a little suprised to hit the River Trail before 8 miles, so I actually got up on the single track before it was time to turn around. Had a good run, and felt good, although tired at the end. Averaged 6:18/mile for 20 miles. Nothing faster than 6:00 and nothing slower than 6:30, so it was pretty even.

Brooks Launch Miles: 20.00
Comments
From Jason McK on Sat, Sep 04, 2010 at 16:10:33 from 97.117.50.224

Way to take it slow! I had a mile under 7:00 and I wasn't taking it easy...

From Scott Ensign on Sat, Sep 04, 2010 at 22:04:57 from 67.41.171.223

with the shape you are in maybe you should defend your TOU title..... but I guess the qualifier in November is too important to risk injury?

From Paul on Sun, Sep 05, 2010 at 16:13:42 from 174.27.187.235

Scott - I thought about it, but decided to pass. TOU will be there next year. I would always advise someone NOT to run two marathons in 7 weeks, so I need to practice what I preach. One marathon a year is plenty for me.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon with Seth. 9 miles, 7:25/mile.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 6 miles, 7:22/mile. Beautiful day, upper 60s for the high and sunny. So glad that summer is over. Sad that winter is coming. Better enjoy the moment.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Jon on Mon, Sep 06, 2010 at 20:48:25 from 98.71.139.73

Or move to South Carolina. My running weather is just getting nice for the next 9 months!

From Superfly on Tue, Sep 07, 2010 at 18:14:32 from 208.117.127.110

Or St. George. From now until May is our "pay day".

From Paul on Tue, Sep 07, 2010 at 18:32:40 from 65.103.252.214

If I ski a little bit this winter, it will make it go faster. I love Cache Valley, and am willing to put up with 3 months of really harsh weather for those other 9 months. March through November is pretty nice.

Interesting Cache Valley stat: it snowed every month this year except for July. We got snow in the mountains in June, and also in late August.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.006.002.000.000.0017.00

Big Workout. Did a 12-mile progression on the Bear River Range out-and-back. Warmed up one mile (6:46), then started at brisk pace, then went to tinman pace, then went to MP, and then the last couple miles at LT. It was tough. Splits were 6:12, 5:55, 5:41, 5:40, 5:29, 5:19, 5:23, 5:19, 5:12, 5:19, 5:07, 5:06. Legs were burning on those last two, as it was mostly on gravel, which made it tougher. Hit 13.1 miles in 1:13:15. Cooled down the last 4 miles at about 6:50 pace. Averaged 5:53/mile for 17 miles. 

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 17.00
Comments
From JohnR on Tue, Sep 07, 2010 at 23:32:04 from 97.48.56.57

Wow, a 1:13 half marathon as part of a workout...on gravel....at altitude...that is taking it to another level.

From Adam RW on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 09:18:19 from 155.101.152.123

For some reason just reading your splits is exciting. I know I need to get out more...

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - Forrester Acres loops with Seth. 10 miles, 7:25/mile average. Very humid this morning.

PM - north Smithfield out-and-back with Seth. 5 miles, 7:20/mile average. A high school kid yelled at me from a moving vehicle to "put a shirt on". That makes twice for this week. I take great comfort that some things never change.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 10.00Brooks Launch Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Jon on Wed, Sep 08, 2010 at 21:12:31 from 98.71.139.73

They're just jealous of your rippling pecs and tan body.

From Bob on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 09:49:19 from 70.58.141.75

Just yell back "It's for the ladies!", but I always think of the remark way too late.

From Paul on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 10:02:31 from 174.27.187.235

I always think of the remarks too late as well. Plus it's best to just turn the other cheek in these cases. Nothing good ever comes from sparring words with idiots.

From Bob on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 10:24:59 from 70.58.141.75

Amen to that!

From Jon on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 21:29:37 from 74.177.96.10

Someone yelled "get off the road" the other day to me. I figured they wouldn't hear me if I yelled "I am running home from the airport cause I just returned a rental car and this darn town doesn't have ANY sidewalks or bike paths", so instead I yelled the very ungentlemanly "Screw you!"

Probably didn't endear runners to them.

From Bob on Fri, Sep 10, 2010 at 12:57:12 from 70.58.141.75

Another reason to run trails!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.000.000.000.000.0016.00

AM - ran with Seth. It was threatening rain, so we did a little short out-and-back around town. Lo and behold, it began raining right at we got back to the house. Took a hiatus until the shower ended, then we did our second segment. Again, the rain started up once more when we were almost home. Saw an awesome double rainbow. The rainbow ended right at the Birch Creek Golf Course clubhouse, so that must be where the pot of gold is. 6 miles total, 7:35/mile average.

PM - caught a break in the rain. I took Seth for a few miles, then he nodded off, so I dumped him into bed and did the last 7 miles on my own. Felt good to be baby jogger free. Ran up Birch Creek Canyon a ways. The smell of the fresh, post-rain air was awesome along the trail. Good afternoon to be out, although I'm a bit tired. 10 miles, averaged 7:16/mile.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Bob on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 18:33:47 from 70.58.141.75

Hey Paul. Just curious, how tall are you and what is your racing weight? I think I'm your height, but not near the weight given the new photo. Great photo by the way. It's good to have both feet in the air, right?

From Paul on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 20:16:25 from 174.27.187.235

Bob - I'm 5'9", and currently weigh 127.

From Bob on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 20:59:37 from 70.58.141.75

Yeah, I'm bigger on all accounts :( Comes in handy on moving day I guess!

From Nan on Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 16:38:06 from 24.8.144.22

Nice rain dodging. I bet Seth wanted you to go back out and find that pot of gold? Do you guys have the They Might Be Giant's Here Comes Science album for Seth? If not, you ought to pick it up. We saw a rainbow last week and my 6yo son started singing this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf33ueRXMzQ

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon with Seth. Sluggish this morning, but it was nice out at least. 8 miles, averaged 7:47/mile.

PM - canal trail. 7 miles, no watch.

This is the last day of my 2-week paternity leave. I'll be sad to go back to work. I kind of like being a stay-at-home dad.

New Balance 790 Miles: 7.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.007.000.000.000.0022.00

Long run. Described by one word: woof. Got up early today to pick my parents up at the airport (90 minute drive each way). Then went over to help a friend move for a couple hours. Then went home and ate kind of a lame lunch. Digested for an hour, then started by long run at about 3PM. Fortunately it was not too hot out today. But I was probably undernourished and underhydrated before starting the run today.

I needed some tempo miles, and originally intended to do some sort of downward ladder. I was not in the mood, though, and didn't have a lot of spunk today, so I had to trick myself. I made a deal with myself: I'd do 5 miles at Tinman pace, and then take it from there. If it was terrible, I'd stop and just jog the rest. If it was okay, then I'd extend the workout to another 4 mile MP after 2 minutes recovery. If that was terrible, I'd stop, but if it was okay, I'd do 3 miles at MP. Then 2 miles. Then 1 mile. So a 5-4-3-2-1 ladder, with an "opt-out" at any desired increment.

The first 5-mile segment wasn't so bad (6:15, 5:57, 6:15, 5:54, 5:48). Felt like I definitely had some marathon pace running in me, and decided to do more. Recovered for two minutes then did the 4-mile MP segment (5:30, 5:27, 5:30, 5:29).

Decided that wasn't so bad, and continued with the next segment: MP for 3 miles (5:25, 5:26, 5:45). This went decent, although the last mile was slower due to getting a little bit lost and having to backtrack (new route today), and also starting an epic bonk. 

During most of the 3-mile segment I was confident that I would extend the workout to the next segment of 2 miles @ MP, but went I started by 2-minute recovery jog, I soon realized that I was completely done. Legs were gone, and I was in bonk mode, something I haven't dealt with in a few years. The bad news was that I still had 7.5 miles until the run was over, but I just tried to keep a decent pace home. Somehow hung around 6:50-7:10/mile for most of the rest of the way in (22 miles total), but it was a terrible feeling. Averaged 6:20/mile for 22 miles.

Today's route was very flat, except for the last 2 miles back home, so that helped. Stopped at Mack Park to rehydrate, and that helped a bit. I generally don't take water or gel during these long runs, but it would have made today less painful. Glad it's done. First 100-mile week since September of 2007.


Brooks Launch Miles: 22.00
Comments
From jtshad on Sat, Sep 11, 2010 at 20:14:24 from 69.20.183.178

Just...wow! Great run!

From Bob on Sat, Sep 11, 2010 at 21:30:04 from 70.58.141.75

Great run and week Paul!

From Kory on Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 00:57:21 from 24.116.159.75

Even though you felt bonked it was a great run because you finished it out. Nice work Paul. If you make it back to your destination I always have thought in my training that it's a successful run.

From Paul on Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 12:25:41 from 65.103.252.214

Good perspective Kory.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - Birch Creek Canyon. 9 miles, no watch.

PM - Canal Trail. About 7:20/mile. 6 miles.

New Balance 790 Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon, 9 miles. 7:25/mile average.

PM - Forrester Acres. No watch. 6 miles.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Kory on Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 23:30:23 from 24.116.159.75

Great run and Paul I pray your health continues to stay strong. Your doing all the extra running for me that I can't do. I know success will happen for you this year. Well, it already has and will continue.

From Paul on Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 11:18:58 from 65.103.252.214

Thanks Kory.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.250.000.000.000.0015.25

noon - ran the Fairgrounds/Planet Walk from work. 5.75 miles, averaged 7:29/mile.

PM - ran home from work. Did a few strides and a couple faster miles near the end. 9.5 miles, averaged 7:10/mile

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 15.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.750.005.000.000.0015.75

Big Workout. Warmed up by running Hillshade to Summit, and then down to the cemetery. Not feeling very snappy today (likely due to mileage of the last couple weeks), but I knew if I let myself ease into the workout, I would feel better as it went on.

Did 8x1000m @ CV on the cemetery loop, 1-minute recovery jog between intervals. A rare interval workout for me, but I figured I'm due, and don't want to get slow from too many long tempo runs. Interval splits were 3:20, 3:18, 3:14, 3:13, 3:06, 3:10, 3:06, 3:03.

So the first half of the workout was pretty slow, but I finally got things humming on the second half. Felt pretty decent, thanks to not trying to overdo it and be a superhero. Sometimes you just have to take what your body gives you.

Cooled down for about 6 miles. Ran back to the canal trail so that I could run on dirt and flat topography. Kept the pace honest, about 6:30-6:40. 15.75 miles total for the run, averaged 6:29/mile.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 15.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - camped with Seth and my dad up Smithfield Canyon last night. After breakfast and breaking camp, I send Seth back down with my dad in the car, and then I ran home. It's nice to do a downhill run without having to invest in the uphill. A preview for tomorrow, I suppose. 7:05/mile for 6 miles.

PM - Birch Canyon. 9 miles, 7:18/mile average pace.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Jeff L on Fri, Sep 17, 2010 at 15:35:30 from 76.164.29.58

I may hitch on to your pace tomorrow in the race and let you and the guy you are pacing bring me in just under 3 hrs.....hopefully.

From Paul on Fri, Sep 17, 2010 at 16:53:39 from 174.27.187.235

Sounds good!

Race: Top of Utah Marathon (26.2 Miles) 02:53:12, Place overall: 18, Place in age division: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
27.000.000.000.000.0027.00

Ran the Top of Utah Marathon today. Did it as a combined long run and also (more importantly) pace my buddy (and sometimes brother) David to his first sub-3hr marathon. Great morning to run, perfect temps.

We planned to run at 2:55 pace, using my pace chart, but we were bleeding about 5s/mile on all of our splits...but bleeding in a good direction, as each split was faster than it should have been. Hit the half in about 1:25:10, and then did the second half in about 1:28:02.

So running faster than we were supposed to worked out for good, as Dave "stuck" the pace, and pulled out a huge 9-minute PR or so. 2:53:12 for the official time, and we were 18th and 19th overall, beating our seeds of 37 and 38. And we were also 2nd and 3rd in the age division, which is cool.

Had a lot of fun this morning, and Dave ran tough and really deserved the PR. Also enjoyed running with the big sub-3 pack, with folks including Allie, Scott, Jason Mc, Keith Anderson, and meeting other folks at various points of the race. Had a lot of support along the course from bikers and people watching the race, something that I think has improved about TOU over the years.

27 miles for the day, rounding out the week's mileage to an even 103. Will post splits tomorrow.

Here are splits:

First Half: 6:26, 6:29, 12:55 (2 miles), 6:33, 6:31, 12:52 (2 miles), 12:55 (2 miles), 12:48 (2 miles), 6:48 (1:25:10 for half marathon)

Second Half: 6:16, 6:13, 6:27, 6:23, 6:32, 7:00, 7:03 (2:10:18 for 20 miles), 6:38, 7:05, 7:00, 6:43, 7:15, 6:56, 1:15.

Brooks Launch Miles: 27.00
Comments
From RAD on Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 23:31:20 from 67.172.229.125

In my simple opinion, I think that is simply amazing! Nice work on the hardware, pace job and successful run on both parts.

From Steve Piccolo on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 03:07:05 from 71.195.220.74

Nice job pacing. And way to beat him in the end by a tenth of a second. :)

From Superfly on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 10:03:26 from 208.117.127.110

Sweet. Glad Dave smashed his goal and had a great race. Pacing is a lot of fun when your guys makes it. Good job to you on the big mileage the last couple weeks. Hope your feeling good and things continue to roll.

From jtshad on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 10:17:34 from 69.20.183.178

Helping others to achieve their goals is a great joy in running, nice job and congrats to Dave.

From Scott Ensign on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 10:55:14 from 65.100.218.2

did you see the picture of you, me, Dave and Allie running together in the marathon section of the HJ news?

wish I could have hung with you when you passed me on Hollow road. I had the chance to join your pace group but something was wrong. If you have any ideas let me know. Anyway, I had a great time in the canyon with you guys.

From Kelli on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 12:02:43 from 71.219.65.246

AWESOME!!!! I like the "bleeding" terminology, never heard that one before.

From Jon on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 13:26:18 from 98.84.70.166

Nice job pacing. But I have to give you grief that you edged out David in the standings. It's one thing to beat Logan when you both paced me, but at least you didn't try to pass me at the end! :)

From Paul on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 15:13:46 from 174.27.187.235

I was keeping Dave a little ahead of me, and then he pulled up at the last second. Kind of a dirtbag maneuver if you ask me.

Usually splits "bleed" the other way. We were bleeding into the black, rather than into the red. :-)

From Jason McK on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 19:57:27 from 97.126.182.184

It was nice running with you fast people for a few miles anyway. As i hung on the back of the pack, checking out everyone's form, I noticed they all ran the same, except you. You looked like were just doing an easy warm-up jog, at 9 mph.

From allie on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 23:06:11 from 174.19.51.35

great job with the pacing. you helped a lot of people in this race; i know you certainly helped me. thanks for the encouragement along the way.

i see you have photographic evidence that dave was in fact slighty ahead of you near the finish. great pic.

From josse on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 00:14:51 from 69.98.150.168

So happy that Dave got under that 3 hour mark and you were their to help him do that:)

From Paul on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 09:16:20 from 174.27.187.235

Yes, indisputable evidence.

From Adam RW on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 09:40:11 from 155.101.152.123

Paul, You are by far one of the best racers and pacers I have ever met. Congrats to you and David!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon, 9 miles, 6:59/mile. Felt surprisingly good. I guess my body has adjusted to the mileage.

PM - Forrester Acres with Dave and Seth. 6 miles, no watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Harris on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 16:05:47 from 205.125.36.103

So what happens when you run 2:18 in Indy and get the OTQ? Is the Nov. 7th plan a joke or what?

From Paul on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 16:32:36 from 65.103.252.214

think "Brett Favre". I may periodically come out of retirement when I "get the itch".

From Jeff L on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 18:15:38 from 76.164.29.58

Thanks, for pacing me through the first 7-8 miles of the race the other day eventhough you probably didn't realize it. Nice to talk/meet you after as well for a minute. You have a very good perspective on running.

From Scott Ensign on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 18:19:47 from 65.100.218.2

you're just taunting old broken down pathetic guys like me aren't you?

gotta love brents performance on Sunday. now we just have to hope he keeps up the same form for the two big showdowns. I can't take a repeat of last year.

From Paul on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 18:25:59 from 65.103.252.214

I'm focused only on the Bears right now. Big MNF coming up.

From Jon on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 20:12:05 from 98.71.188.109

At least you don't have a team waiting on you, hoping you unretire. It affects no one but you! Unlike "Farve", who skips training camp and then is surprised he's rusty and says everyone needs to give as much effort as him!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.250.000.000.000.0015.25

AM - Birch Creek with Dave. 9 miles, averaged about 8:10/mile.

PM - Willow Park / Planet Walk from work. No watch. 6.25 miles.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 6.25
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.000.000.000.000.0016.00

Big Workout today. Ran from work, and did the classic Millville Hill Loop, with 10 miles of tinman tempo. Cooled down on grass at Logan High for a few miles. Averaged 6:12/mile for the 16-mile run. Tempo splits were 5:52, 5:49, 5:46, 6:02 (the hill, new PR), 5:52, 5:54, 5:48, 5:39, 5:53, 5:39. Kept things pretty steady and didn't gas myself early, so the hill went pretty well, then I just cruised the downhill. Good run, and a nice day for it. Got rained on a little bit.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 16.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

AM - canal trail. 9 miles, 7:09/mile.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 6 miles, no watch.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 6.00New Balance 790 Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

Helped out at the Leatham Hollow aid station for the Bear 100 this morning. Dave and I went out and watched the start to cheer Jon on. Then we got breakfast and headed up to Leatham. Set up the aid station, and then I decided to get a few miles by running up the trail. I did that a few other times, and got about 6 misc miles that way. After we shut down the aid station, I rounded out my mileage by running down Lefthand Fork, and then up Blacksmith Fork. Got a big tailwind going uphill, and then fought the headwind going down hill. Got 9 miles for that run, and 15 miles total for the day. Averaged 6:56/mile for the 9-mile run.

Saucony Guide TR Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.0012.000.000.000.0020.00

Long Run / Big Workout. Warmed up for 2-miles, then did 4x3-miles @ MP, with 3-min recovery jog. Ran on the Bear River Ranch out-and-back. It went pretty terrible. The first few miles were okay, but the last half was a death-march. My legs had nothing to offer today, so I just completed the workout and didn't worry about pace. It was an MP effort, but my MP on race-day better be a lot faster! Splits were (5:28, 5:20, 5:24), (5:20, 5:34, 5:39), (5:30, 5:45, 5:42), (5:38, 5:56, 5:52).

There was a post on therunzone.com, where Tinman responded to someone else about a workout during high-mileage weeks:

Remember to not race the intervals. You are running high mileage, which is good, and there is never a need to run super-hero workouts while doing high mileage. You need lots of weeks of steady training, moderate workouts, and over time your body will continue to transform. Let the pace come to you, and never push your body to achieve a pace. Keep going strong!

Although this was not directed to me, it may as well have been, so I've been keeping the phrase "let the pace come to you" in my head this past week.

6:18/mile average pace for 20 miles today. 96 miles for the week. Next week is an easy week, hurrah! Only 60 miles during this "recovery" week, and then a couple more hard week before my taper. Starting the smell the barn...

One other note: today I passed up my total mileage from last year. Always a good benchmark to achieve in September.

Brooks Launch Miles: 20.00
Comments
From Jason McK on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 13:36:34 from 75.169.47.133

Nice Mileage. I hope your retirement party is postponed due to success, then you'll have to keep going for the full year...

From Bob on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 15:21:32 from 70.58.141.75

Congrats on the mileage. You could also try running without a watch and then you'll never be disappointed!

From Steve Piccolo on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 15:54:42 from 155.101.243.223

Good quote. And great mileage.

From Jon on Sun, Sep 26, 2010 at 10:03:22 from 75.169.138.34

That's the key to preventing a lot of injuries, right there. Nice quote.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Smithfield Canyon, 8 miles, averaged 6:52/mile. Did some strides at the end. Felt quite good this morning, temps were perfect, upper 40s.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.007.000.000.000.0013.00

Medium Workout today. Ran the Bear River Loop, and 8 tempo miles. Warmed up with 6:23, 6:29, and then did a tinman tempo mile in 5:50. Then did 7 miles at MP (5:25, 5:24, 5:29, 5:18, 5:20, 5:24, 5:27). Cooled down for 3 miles at about 6:55/mile. Felt decent today.5:56/mile average for 13 miles.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 13.00
Comments
From Harris on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 13:47:55 from 205.125.36.103

Paul, I've got a question for you. I have heard of taking "step back" weeks like you are doing this week. I understand the purpose of them, but how can you keep yourself from peaking too soon? It seems like the body might be fooled into thinking it was a taper.

From Paul on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 14:16:41 from 65.103.252.214

Harris - I had a college teammate who used to say that peaking is 90% mental. Probably an exaggeration, but some truth to it. Anyway, since I'm not in a peaking/tapering mindset, it's probably not going to happen.

And physically-speaking, the "crash" that happens post-peak is due to losing fitness from running lower mileage over SEVERAL weeks, plus the body being brutalized by a race. Since this "step-back" is only one week (to be followed by three weeks or high to normal mileage), there won't be any loss of fitness during that short time.

The other way to "step back" is to keep the training volume the same, but cut out all quality (ie keep it really slow).

I generally race once/month or once every 6 weeks or so. Rather than "training through" races, I almost always taper during race-week. This ensures that I have a positive race experience (why race if you're going to suck?), but it also gives me a step-back week, where my mileage on race-week is quite a bit lower than normal. The third thing this does is that it gives me a nice, full racing season, rather than putting all my eggs into one basket. If the weather is bad in Indy, or if the marathon is simply an epic failure, it's still been a great year!

Anyway, the point is, I do this every 6 weeks or so, with similar cuts in volume, with only good consequences coming out of it. The only difference with this week is that there is no race at the end of it! (don't want to waste time recovering)

From Harris on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 14:34:03 from 205.125.36.103

Well said Paul. I knew that I would get a good answer. Thanks for your time and response.

From Nan on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 17:42:14 from 24.8.144.22

Hey if this is a medium workout on a rest week, I wouldn't be too worried about losing fitness. Keep it up!

From Paul on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 18:14:34 from 65.103.252.214

"Medium" is for duration, not intensity! Has to be >90 minutes to be classified as "Big".

From Nan on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 18:20:26 from 24.8.144.22

Oh, haha. I see. Well, great run!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Landfill Loop (from work). 8 miles, averaged 7:07/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Birch Creek Canyon, 10 miles, 7:48/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Adam RW on Fri, Oct 01, 2010 at 08:50:58 from 155.101.152.123

Noticed on your racing plans that this is your month off (Oct that is) here's a toast to a perfect build up to Indianapolis. Not sure if I like the plan for Nov 7. Has that been posted there for a while?

From Paul on Fri, Oct 01, 2010 at 09:15:03 from 174.27.187.235

Adam - yeah, I had considered running the Layton Half Marathon this month, but decided that I don't want to bother driving to Layton to do a race that may not be any good, plus have to recover from the race. So I'm just doing a really hard race-simulation workout that day instead.

I hope that the buildup to Indy continues to go well. Most of the hay is in the barn at this point, so it's a matter of not screwing it up.

Retirement means different things to different people at different times. Take Brett Favre, for instance. It's a vague term.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Canal Trail, 8 miles, 7:10/mile. Feelin' fine.

New Balance 790 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Steve on Sun, Oct 03, 2010 at 14:23:14 from 70.151.12.66

Where do you catch the canal trail. I can't find the old canal trail we used for high school workouts, there are too many homes built along it.

From Paul on Sun, Oct 03, 2010 at 15:35:16 from 174.27.187.235

I get on it at 300 S and 900 E in Smithfield. Or you can do 3100 N 1600 E in North Logan to go the other way.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

Ran Smithfield Canyon this morning. 14 miles. It was a beautiful morning, lots of fall colors and a nice temperature. The workout was brisk, but slower than MP. Averaged 6:30-6:40/mile on the 7-mile uphill stretch, and then about 5:40/mile on the downhill. Felt pretty good and snappy. 6:16/mile for the entire run.

Thus ends my "easy" week. Big Week starts tomorrow.

Brooks Launch Miles: 14.00
Comments
From Jon on Sat, Oct 02, 2010 at 12:58:18 from 74.177.84.76

My easy week was a lot easier than your "easy" week. 0 miles :)

Is next week your last big week?

From Paul on Sat, Oct 02, 2010 at 16:22:38 from 174.27.187.235

I will do 105 next week, and then a couple weeks in the low 90s. Then taper.

From Cody on Sat, Oct 02, 2010 at 16:39:48 from 174.52.244.185

Paul - Joe and I are running Jardine (no Jon it wont be a speed record attempt) Tues evening if you are interested in a fun run to break up all the fast stuff. Meet at First Dam at 5:15. Jon you are not invited.

From Paul on Sat, Oct 02, 2010 at 16:57:48 from 174.27.187.235

Cody - I'll be in Denver that day (actually will be flying back), so no-go. Thanks for the invite though.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

Got a 2-hr massage yesterday. Hit the spot.

Ran an easy 6 miles this afternoon on the canal trail. No watch.

New Balance 790 Miles: 6.00
Comments
From Jon on Sun, Oct 03, 2010 at 19:23:58 from 74.177.99.190

Hope you appreciate Sarah. She's unusually affordable- all the massage places here charge $60 for 50 min, $90 for 80 min. Don't do longer than that. Oh well.

From Scott Ensign on Sun, Oct 03, 2010 at 19:36:46 from 67.41.176.32

glad you enjoyed the massage. but next time I am charging you.

the pack squeaked one out today.. now we just have to hope da bears get beat tonight. I am confident they will. but I won't watch the game. just out of principle.

From Jon on Sun, Oct 03, 2010 at 19:52:06 from 74.177.99.190

Ahh, Scott, that's a mental picture I don't want!

From Paul on Sun, Oct 03, 2010 at 21:40:32 from 174.27.187.235

Yeah, she's a gem.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.300.006.200.000.0020.50

AM - Big Workout. Turned out to be a beautiful morning, as the change in weather appears to be holding off at least for a few more hours. I warmed up for about 3 miles, including a potty stop at Mack Park. Did some brisk pace stuff and a few strides to try to prime the engine.

The workout was 10x1000m at CV pace, 60s recovery jog between reps. CV is slower than 10K pace, but faster than half marathon pace. The workout went quite well. I had a bit of a slower start (as usual), but got in a groove for the majority of it. Just tried to let the workout come to me and not force things, and waited until the final rep to open things up a bit, and that felt great.

Interval splits were 3:12, 3:12, 3:11, 3:07, 3:07, 3:07, 3:06, 3:07, 3:05, 2:59.

Cooled down for 5 miles afterward. 15.5 miles total, averaged 6:21/mile.

noon - Planet Walk from work. 5 miles, no watch. Got rained on, but then it quit, so it was actually fairly nice out. Fly to Denver this afternoon for work.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 5.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 15.50
Comments
From Adam RW on Mon, Oct 04, 2010 at 22:09:13 from 155.101.152.123

Tight splits. Way to finish strong.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.500.000.000.000.0012.50

Ran in Westminster, CO this morning. We have a client here, so I make this trip once or twice a year. Usually I just plod my race through some random run, but this year I asked Nan for a little bit of direction, and she referred me to the Big Dry Creek Trail, which I was able to find just a couple miles from my hotel. Did an out and back on the trail, and ran about a mile past City Park. Very nice trail for running, and it was nice to avoid traffic, and also get some dirt. The creek, by the way, is neither big nor dry. Saw a coyote and about 300 prairie dogs. Averaged 7:00/mile for 12.5. Beautiful morning for running.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 12.50
Comments
From Nan on Wed, Oct 06, 2010 at 18:50:17 from 24.8.144.22

Glad you enjoyed it! Its definitely prairie dog-rific. If I were a coyote I'd hang out there too; potential breakfast pops up every three feet. City Park is my five mile turn around point where I often use the POPs and get a drink at the one functional drinking fountain (by the playground).

From Paul on Wed, Oct 06, 2010 at 18:58:34 from 65.103.252.214

That's funny, I hit City Park right around 5 miles too. I managed to find the porta-lets on the way back (thank goodness).

From Jon on Wed, Oct 06, 2010 at 21:06:03 from 98.71.139.173

It's hard to beat Denver for miles and miles of bike paths.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.250.000.000.000.0015.25

AM - canal trail, 7 miles, 7:22/mile average.

PM - ran home from work. It was a little stormy, but I had a sweet tailwind the whole way. 8.25 miles, 6:50/mile average.

New Balance 790 Miles: 7.00Brooks Launch Miles: 8.25
Comments
From Kory on Thu, Oct 07, 2010 at 01:01:15 from 24.116.159.75

Sounds like a fun trail. Nice average for a trail run. I took 50 steps today on our office carpet trail down the hall :-). Shoot! I can't count it as running because I could only limp.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.250.000.000.000.0016.25

AM - Birch Creek Canyon. 8 miles, averaged 7:20/mile.

PM - ran home from work. 8.25 miles, averaged 7:30/mile.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 8.25Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.500.000.000.000.0015.50

AM - out-and-back on the county roads north of Smithfield. 9.5 miles, averaged 7:15/mile. Did a few strides in the middle.

PM - canal trail, 6 miles, 7:30/mile average

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.00Brooks Launch Miles: 9.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.0015.000.000.000.0021.00

Big Workout / Long Run / Race Simulation. Caps off a Big Week. Et cetera.

Drove down to Forrester Acres and parked. Warmed up for a couple miles, then changed into my racing flats. I've been doing most workouts in the Saucony Kinvara's, but wanted to do this workout in my Type A's, to get a better feel for them. Plus, the Type A is a much faster shoe. The Kinvara's are great for workouts, but they are rather "squishy", like running on a gym mat, as someone else put it. The Type A's are a true flat, and I was curious to find the difference.

I set out a squeeze water bottle with Emergen-C mixed with water, and 2 Hammergels attached via rubber band. One Hammergel was caffeinated, the other "tropical". I intend to use all of these things (water bottled, emergen-c, h-gel) at Indy, so want to make sure they will work okay, not upset my stomach, etc. I set up the mini aid station on my car.

The workout was 3x5-miles at MP, with 1-mile recovery jog between intervals. The last interval could be a little faster than MP if I felt okay. I had sketched out a perfect 5-mile loop on the county roads from Forrester Acres. At the end of each interval, I would hit my "aid station", take a full gel, and a fair amount of liquid.

The route itself is kinda-sorta flat, but not really. Long gradual downhill toward the Bear River for the first 2 miles, then flat for about half a mile, then uphill for 2 miles, then flat for the last half miles. The long gradual climb is kind of a grinder when you're tired, although not really noticeable if you're just jogging. It's about as flat as you get around here, and the closest I could get to the Indy course.

I dialed in 5:20/mile as "MP". Yes, I will need to run faster than that at Indy, but given that I'm at 4600' altitude and at the tail end of a 107-mile week, I thought 5:20 would be pretty ambitious.

The workout itself went really great. I love how the Type A's felt (other than on the 1.5-mile gravel stretch...uggh! hate gravel!). There is a reason they are a racer and the Kinvara's are trainers.

Interval splits were: 

  • 26:38 (5:15, 5:20, 5:22, 5:24, 5:17)
  • 26:35 (5:17, 5:20, 5:19, 5:22, 5:17)
  • 26:14 (5:08, 5:13, 5:19, 5:19, 5:15)

The first two set felt pretty easy and controlled (relatively speaking). Breathing was really good all the way to the end. Mile splits generally followed the topography, although the gravel tended to slow down Mile 2. The last set I let it out a bit on the first couple miles, and probably paid for it on the last 3 miles, but I survived, and was happy to keep all 5 splits under 5:20. It was hard though, but I guess since I substituted this workout for a race, hard is good.

All my accessories (drinks, bottles, gu) worked out pretty well.

Changed shoes after the last set, and cooled down for 2 miles. 21 miles total for the day, averaged 5:52/mile for the entire run. 107 miles total for this week, my most ever. The next 2 weeks are just maintenance (mid-90s), then a two-week taper, so I've seen the worst of things at this point.

Saucony Type A Miles: 17.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 3.50
Comments
From Cody on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 16:48:08 from 174.52.244.185

Very solid!

From Jon on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 20:26:20 from 75.169.144.211

Highest week ever? Wow. And you also are on top of the running board by 30+ miles!!! (must be the week after SGM) Although I thought you had pushed 120 before- apparently the only running area I beat you is highest weekly mileage (two weeks above 110 for me).

I can tell you're really back when mid-90 weeks are "maintenance". A year or two ago, you probably would not have ever run that high.

From Kory on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 22:52:12 from 24.116.159.75

Dialing in on the pace you wanted was a big success and the consistent splits will help your body feel that same speed but faster in Indy. It's seems when you get in a groove the last set your mindset switches to I can go a little faster now to end.

Great workout and knowing the elevation is going to be better in Indy has you going in with confidence. run a couple of those hard race miles in Indy for me.

From Jason McK on Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 03:41:30 from 64.75.252.115

I would comment intelligently if you weren't so far out of my league.

From David Nelson on Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 21:13:04 from 67.182.128.74

I don't think I've even called a workout bruger-worthy, but given the week it just capped off that one might be worth it.

From Stew on Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 12:23:21 from 134.250.91.104

Love reading about the workouts Paul. Keep it up. You're an inspiration.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon, 8 miles, 7:15/mile average.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth, 6 miles, no watch. Bumped into Carson halfway, and ran the rest of the way with him, which was nice. Seth saw a lot of dogs. Doggeee! Doggeee!

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Comments
From James on Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 12:31:22 from 205.127.241.18

That was quite an impressive workout you did on Saturday! What is the goal for this next marathon, 2:17?

From Paul on Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 12:37:11 from 65.103.252.214

I'll be happy with 2:18:59.9

From Harris on Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 12:52:21 from 205.125.36.103

Hey I have a question about your workout fuel from Saturday. What is the purpose of the Emergen-C? I have seen a couple of other people use it as well. Is it just for the B-vitamins and other electrolytes? I have noticed that it does not have a lot of carbs, so are you taking Gatorade as well?

From Paul on Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 13:23:45 from 65.103.252.214

Harris - I like Emergen-C primarily for the Vit C. You can google "Vitamin C" to see the loads of potential benefits it has, from immune system to muscle growth/recovery. Same thing with B-vitamins: wide range of benefits. And it also has electrolytes, which is a need for marathons. My primary goal for the workout is to recover well and not get sick.

Only a few carbs in emergen-c, but keep in mind I'm taking the drink with a gel. I plan to take regular gatorade through other aids stations, but will take the Emergen-C with my 2 gels during the race.

Lastly, I use it because I think it tastes good, and I supplement with it on almost a daily basis, just around the house. I figure if I'm that comfortable with it during daily life, it should work out okay during a race.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - canal trail, 8 miles, 7:20/mile. Passed a rouge horse, and then an old farmer carrying a rope and a fistful of hay in a hand about 50 meters later. 

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth, 6 miles, no watch.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 6.00New Balance 790 Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 01:01:05 from 65.100.210.69

a rouge horse. as in he was wearing makeup?

nice job by brent last night I see. I guess he had a nice comeback until that untimely interception.

From Paul on Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 11:12:47 from 65.103.252.214

That's a typo. It was a "rogue" horse. As in "Going Rogue", by Sarah Palin.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.7510.000.000.000.0015.75

Big Workout. Ran from work and did an extended Young Ward Loop. 2 mile warmup (6:50, 6:26), then did a 10-mile tempo at marathon pace. I figured I'd be a bit tired from last week, and indeed the first couple miles were a bit off, but I just took what my body would give me. After the first few miles, it actually started going really well, and I ended up with a nice overall workout.

Splits were 5:35, 5:31, 5:21, 5:15, 5:18, 5:24, 5:22, 5:19, 5:15, 5:14. Time for 10 miles was 53:38 (5:21/mile).

Cooled down for 4 miles at about 7:30/mile. 15.75 miles for the entire run.

 

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 15.75
Comments
From cdViking on Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 23:40:59 from 76.121.186.160

Just curious why you chose the Monumental Marathon; looking at last year's times, it would appear that the field isn't all that quick?

Anyways, love following your log, you speedy guys are great motivation.

From Paul on Thu, Oct 14, 2010 at 07:45:04 from 174.27.187.235

cdViking - initially I wanted to run Chicago, but eventually decided not to because it would be very expensive and logistically difficult for me to do so. I dislike huge cities, and I don't know anyone in Chicago. Plus they don't really do anything for athletes of my caliber. Seemed like a pain in the butt with a high risk of warm weather.

Another blogger told me that Indy would be a good race, and that he was thinking of doing it (Jeff Mc), so I started looking at it. Course is pancake-flat and "Chicago-like". Much smaller race, so get the advantages of something low-key, but still big enough to be good. It's only the 3rd year of the race, so previous times don't mean much. Reputation for being well-organized already, and put on by the same people who do the Indy Mini, which I've ran twice and is stellar. Money is 10-deep with $2000 for first, and it's actually a winnable race for me. They offer a few accommodations for a runner of my caliber, and at least pretended to me happy to have me there. Most importantly, perhaps, November in Indianapolis has a very small chance of being hot, whereas October in Chicago has a very high probably of being hot. (REALLY glad I didn't run Chicago this year, would have been a waste for sure). To top it off, I'm from Indiana, my parents still live near Terre Haute, and my sister lives in Indianapolis, so I've got support there and know the town a little bit. It's a bit more "comfortable" for me.

Like I said, lots of reasons!

Jeff and I are planning on pacing together at 2:18:00 pace. Sean Sundwall from Seattle is also running and could be in the low- or sub-2:20 range.

From Rob Murphy on Thu, Oct 14, 2010 at 07:51:06 from 24.10.248.6

Paul, I've really enjoyed your blog as you approach the Indy Marathon. When I begin my marathon build-up early next year I'm going to basically steal all your workouts. Adjusting for my much slower pace of course!

Good luck as you put it all together in the next three weeks.

From Paul on Thu, Oct 14, 2010 at 10:54:45 from 174.27.187.235

Thanks Rob, I'll need a little luck. I think the training has been good, but it's a lot of trial and error, and you right don't know if you're "right" until around Mile 18 or 20.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.250.000.000.000.0014.25

AM - Birch Creek Canyon, 8.25 miles, 7:50/mile. Tired from yesterday.

PM - ran around. 6 miles, 7:30/mile average.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.25Brooks Launch Miles: 6.00
Comments
From Jon on Thu, Oct 14, 2010 at 13:47:04 from 75.169.141.44

Sorry I never called you back last night- no run for me today, cleaning all day.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - out-and-back route to the north side of Smithfield. 8 miles, 7:12/mile average. Legs felt a bit better today.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. No watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
20.000.000.000.000.0020.00

Blah, last 20-miler before the marathon, and I'm glad it over. Was feeling kind of worn down from the last two weeks, so just jogged my way through it. Ran from my house out to the Logan River Trail. Got to do about a quarter-mile on the single-track before it was time to turn around. Did 10x150m strides on the way back, which felt okay, but I was ready to be done. I've had a great string of workouts, so didn't mind taking it easy today. 20 miles, averaged 6:59/mile.

Brooks Launch Miles: 20.00
Comments
From MichelleL on Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 14:43:16 from 67.41.166.190

I saw the Indianapolis Marathon was Saturday, but you weren't on the results. In fact the winner was 2:3something.

Looking forward to your marathon.

From Paul on Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 15:13:46 from 174.27.187.235

Yeah, kind of confusing that there are two Indianapolis Marathons within three weeks. It was in the 80s this week; hopefully my week will be better.

From Steve on Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 17:02:08 from 209.235.31.12

Good luck! The few weeks before a marathon are always the hardest for me.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.500.000.000.000.005.50

Easy run on the Upper Smithfield Canyon Loop. 5.5 miles, averaged 7:15/mile. Fall colors in town are peaked, and everything is beautiful.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 5.50
Comments
From Kory on Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 19:57:25 from 24.116.159.75

When you mean retire from running on November 7th is that just from racing?

Good easy run for you today. You really look by your mileage that your hitting your peak/prime level just right for the upcoming marathon.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - Smithfield Canyon, 8 miles, 7:05/mile average. Felt good.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 6 miles, no watch.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.007.003.000.000.0016.00

Big Workout. Not too many more of these things, thank goodness. Today I did a 4-3-2-1 long interval workout (4 miles at marathon pace, 4-minute recovery jog, 3 miles at marathon pace, 3-minute recovery jog, 2 miles at threshold pace, 2-minute recovery jog, 1 mile at threshold pace).

It was about 35 degrees and sunny this morning, with no wind, perfect for a hard workout. Temps warmed to the 40s by the end.

I warmed up briskly for 2 miles (6:34, 6:29), then started the workout.

  • 4-mile: 21:04 (5:18, 5:15, 5:15, 5:16) - MP
  • 3-mile: 15:46 (5:16, 5:17, 5:13) - MP
  • 2-mile: 10:15 (5:06, 5:09) - LT
  • 1-mile: 5:13 - LT

Good workout, felt good except for the last mile, which is all uphill. Bleh. But the rest felt pretty snappy.

Cooled down for 2.5 miles, about 7-minute pace. Averaged 5:53/mile for 16 miles.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Rob on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 12:22:00 from 208.54.4.24

I get queezy just looking at that workout. Man, I have a long ways to go.

From Stew on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 13:17:12 from 134.250.91.104

That was sick. Keep it up Paul. We're all pulling for ya.

From Paul on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 14:15:15 from 65.103.252.214

Sorry I'm so nauseating.

From JohnR on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 18:44:09 from 66.193.131.66

Great looking workout at altitude. Would you say your preparation for this marathon has been stronger than for the trials in 08?

From Paul on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 18:48:07 from 65.103.252.214

Yes, much stronger, it's like night and day.

From Dave S on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 19:06:36 from 4.254.226.18

Nice workout. Can't wait to see how you do.

From Stew on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 20:38:04 from 205.125.168.175

Sick is good. ;)

From Kory on Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 02:56:46 from 134.50.201.10

Very impressive. Your strong for this race is definitely at a peak level. Your going to have a very confident feeling going into the race.

All you have to do is trust in God, because he will use your body to the fullest and honor your training.

From Superfly on Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 11:45:40 from 208.117.127.110

You make it look easy.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Ran from work. Did the Providence Hill Loop. Averaged 7:19/mile for 10 miles. Lovely afternoon to run.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Rob on Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 15:50:45 from 204.15.86.95

I had a spare airline vomit bag on hand before I opened your post today. Turns out I didn't need it. Nice run.

From Lily on Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 16:19:50 from 67.199.181.73

I just read yesterdays post and I see why Rob thought he may need a vomit bag. Eeek!

You run fast Paul! :)

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

I woke up around 2AM, with some stomach discomfort. Escalated into some true nastiness when I tried to change Seth's diaper at 7:30AM, and realized that I couldn't stand up properly, and was having waves of nausea. Ended up on the bathroom floor, pretty much incoherent. This major stuff passed a few minutes later, but I was wiped out. Temperature was 94 degrees. Stayed in bed until 4PM. I feel better after a shower, eating a banana, and hopefully the ibuprofen will kick in to ease my headache, my sore lower back from being in bed all day, and a bruised shoulder from pitching myself into the floor earlier in the morning. My best guess is some sort of food poisoning, based on the GI distress.

So...I didn't run today. Or really do anything. At least I feel well enough to type, so that's an improvement. Hoping for a better day tomorrow

Comments
From Jon on Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 19:27:34 from 74.177.117.232

Temp was 94, or 104? Sorry you're sick.

From Paul on Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 08:52:57 from 174.27.187.235

94

From Jon on Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 22:38:06 from 74.177.117.232

94? So were you shivering and everything? Of course, you ran 14 miles the next day...

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.000.000.000.000.0014.00

AM - feeling about 90% better, although stomach is still little raw and achy. Did an out-and-back to Hyde Park. 7:14/mile average pace for 8 miles.

PM - Forrester Acres with Seth. 6 miles, no watch. Stomach is still not feeling well. Had to stop once at a park bathroom. Legs feel okay though. The last time I had something like this, it took a few days to go away.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 6.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 22:15:04 from 67.40.104.41

glad you are feeling better. I have some brats in case you want to come over for the packer game Sunday. you are welcome to bring the family as well. I don't have any huge plans for a dinner or entertainment or anything, but will grill some brats for us as good karma if you can make it!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.003.000.000.000.0018.00

Big Workout (last one). Picked up our Bountiful Basket at 8:45AM, and was able to head out the door to Hollow Rd by 9:15AM. I was concerned about rain, but it held off for the most part during my run.

Circumnavigated the stupid USU homecoming parade, and eventually parked at the start of Hollow Rd and ran up the TOU course for 9 miles, turned around and came back the same way. First half was all uphill, last half all downhill. Very weak canyon wind on the way up, but didn't see the leaves moving on the way down (think it died out due to the rain).

The workout was moderate/brisk pace on the way up, and then progressed into tinman tempo on the way down, with the last few miles at marathon pace or better. I was a little skeptical on how I would feel, since I hadn't eaten much since Wednesday, due to food poisoning (or whatever it was). But I was feeling back to normal when I woke up this morning, which was a great relief. I hate the feeling of not feeling well.

Felt okay on the way up. The uphill splits were 6:23, 6:18, 6:30, 6:46, 6:38, 6:26, 6:14, 6:16, 6:16. 6:26/mile average at the turnaround. Looking at those splits, it's pretty obvious where the canyon wind died out!

I was looking forward to going down, and feeling pretty decent. Hit mile splits of 5:54, 5:46, 5:43, 5:40, 5:32, 5:31, 5:21, 5:08, 5:08. So a nice progression. Averaged 5:32/mile for the downhill part. Once I hit Hollow Rd, I popped into into a higher gear to finish the run. This felt really good.

Averaged 5:58/mile for the 18-mile run. Passed the 6-minute guy on the last mile. This was a nice workout to start my taper with. Not incredibly hard, but this out-and-back tempo up Blacksmith Fork is always good for my confidence. I think I enjoy the uphill more than the downhill. It's a very nice gradient to run up.

Brooks Launch Miles: 18.00
Comments
From Mike Kirk on Sun, Oct 24, 2010 at 20:31:27 from 68.53.219.208

Paul,

The Other Half was beautiful! We spent all week in Moab for the kids' fall break. The Other Half was run as a progressive MP workout in preparation for the Richmond Marathon. Your description of the course helped a lot especially on the hills!

Good luck Nov 6!

From Adam RW on Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 09:08:00 from 24.10.132.131

Very nice progression. I love the double 5:08 to finish things off. Shows that the whole run was under control and you are raring to go!

From Paul on Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 10:14:59 from 174.27.187.235

Best wishes with Richmond, Mike. I'll be sure to look for you in the results.

Adam - I didn't realize each mile was faster until I looked at the splits afterward. Once of those subconscious things, I guess.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.250.000.000.000.0010.25

AM - Smithfield Canyon, 6 miles, 7:00/mile average pace. Did few strides coming back down. It was a beautiful morning. Snow line was down to about 6000', so the mountains were quite striking. Cold enough this morning to wear running pants, long sleeves, gloves, and a headband, and I enjoyed the change in wardrobe. Glad I'm getting to run through the nicest part of fall, and then turn it off by the time things get dark and nasty.

PM - easy 4 miles, Summit Dr.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 6.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 4.25
Comments
From Superfly on Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 12:00:05 from 208.117.127.110

Glad your feeling better this week. Whatever you had last week seemed pretty ugly.

From Scott Ensign on Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 14:11:43 from 129.123.3.31

Clyde, the surefire remedy for what ailed Paul last week was a SWEET PACKER VICTORY LAST NIGHT!! The virus was just caused by nerves as we got ready for the game. It was more of a nail biter than I wanted though. probably drove Paul nuts with my whining....

From Jon on Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 00:10:08 from 98.71.189.78

I love those crisp fall runs, with a dusting of snow on the mountains.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

AM - canal trail, 6 miles, 7:15/mile average.

PM - random route. 4 miles, 6:55/mile average.

New Balance 790 Miles: 6.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.006.000.000.0014.00

Medium Workout today. Last real workout before Indy. Warmed up for 5 miles, then put on my flats and went to the Logan High track. Fortunately I had the oval to myself today.

The workout was 6x1600m @ LT pace, with 2 minutes recovery jog (1 lap). Interval splits were

  • 4:59
  • 5:04
  • 5:01
  • 5:02
  • 5:03
  • 4:53

The first one was a bit fast, then I settled in for the next four intervals, and then opened it up a bit on the last one. Everything felt good and well-controlled, and this is pretty much the kind of workout I like to pop off at the beginning of a taper.

Cooled down for a  couple miles. Average pace for the entire run of 14 miles was 6:14/mile.

Saucony Type A Miles: 9.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 4.50
Comments
From Adam RW on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 08:47:12 from 155.101.152.123

Enjoy the taper. How soon do you get to head out there?

From Holt on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 09:40:27 from 204.113.55.41

ummm - sick!

You are going to race great - best of luck.

From Paul on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 10:17:53 from 174.27.187.235

Adam - head out one week from today.

Dave - thanks.

From Jason McK on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 13:06:35 from 63.255.173.99

I'm just curious what you run on the Logan High track that you call a mile. I've looked on various websites and think I have a good idea, but usually just call 4 laps in the second lane a mile, even though it isn't...

From Paul on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 13:14:49 from 65.103.252.214

Jason - nowhere do I call it a "mile". I call it 6x1600m.

From Paul on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 13:17:04 from 65.103.252.214

If you want to convert a 1600m time to a mile time (1609m), add about 2 sec. Close enough. I guess I've never cared enough to split hairs, but I'm not a very "exact" person either. I actually ran 13.93 miles yesterday, but that's "close enough" to 14.

From Superfly on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 13:29:33 from 208.117.127.110

Looking good man. Hopefully your feeling the flow going into Indy.

From Jason McK on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 14:03:00 from 63.255.173.99

Paul - thanks, I was just curious. I might have some hints of OCD when it comes to tracking numbers. I know your workouts are amazing, but sometimes I have to split hairs to see the improvements in myself...

From Paul on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 14:08:51 from 65.103.252.214

Jason - You must be an engineer for a computer scientist.

From Jason McK on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 14:17:26 from 63.255.173.99

Paul - college major - Computer Engineering, minor - Computer Science...

From Paul on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 14:31:38 from 65.103.252.214

+1 for me.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

AM - Upper Smithfield Canyon route. 6 miles, 7:05/mile. 25 degrees this morning.

PM - easy run with Seth. 4 miles, 7:45/mile average.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 4.00Brooks Launch Miles: 6.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
11.000.000.000.000.0011.00

AM1 - canal trail, 6 miles, 6:58/mile.

AM2 - Zoe had her two-month appointment, so I took Seth out for another run while Stacy was out. Kind of lame to do my two runs so close together, but I call it good time management. We ran to Forrester Acres and back. 5 miles, 7:48/mile average.

New Balance 790 Miles: 6.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Superfly on Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 14:30:25 from 208.117.127.110

It's always nice to get that second run off your chest early and free up the afternoon/evening.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.000.000.000.000.0015.00

Ran with Cody this morning. We discussed it, and we're pretty sure we haven't ran together since February or March. So we were due. We ran from my house and up Smithfield Canyon and back. 15 miles total. Kept it pretty easy for the most part, until the downhill, where Cody started getting frisky, and we did a couple sub-6s. Ended up averaged 6:58/mile. Felt okay, but not great. But since my race isn't for another week, I don't necessary want to feel great yet. Have a 90-minute massage later this afternoon. The hay is in the barn.

Brooks Launch Miles: 15.00
Comments
From jtshad on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 12:10:46 from 69.20.183.178

Looking good! I love that expression, keep the barn door closed then let it open up wide next weekend!!

From Jon on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 12:44:16 from 98.71.130.239

Ok, so I was bored and went and looked. On April 10, Cody, Paul, Carson, and myself ran 20 miles together. Since then, I have run 27 times with Cody totaling almost 500 miles, while I have run 2 times with Paul totaling 29.5 miles.

For the record, I think this is the 4th time you and Cody ran together this year- today, April 10, Feb 6 (in Texas), and Jan 16. That's a lot less than last year when you lived near us.

For the year, I ran 5 times with you for 77.5 miles, and 33 times with Cody for 573 miles (minus a few during races where we were apart). You and Cody ran together 4 times for 47 miles (so far).

Yes, I was bored.

From Cody on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 15:51:36 from 174.52.244.185

Jon - so how many hours is that with you this year? That is just wrong!

From Cody on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 15:52:16 from 174.52.244.185

Oh, and thanks for the run Paul, it was way more fun than running with Jon!

From Jon on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:18:34 from 98.71.130.239

Boy, Cody, you sure are being nice to me. First you talk about how much you enjoyed not being "forced" to run 12 min miles up a mountain, then you mention how much more you enjoy Paul. That's it, I'm not running with you ever again! Or at least for a while.

From Jon on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:21:47 from 98.71.130.239

Cody- assuming 9 min miles, that would be about 86 hours. 11 min miles would be 105 hours. Add in driving, plus pacing, time spent in Texas, bathroom time... probably about a month. More time than we spent with our wives.

From Cody on Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 13:51:45 from 174.52.244.185

I am sorry jon, you know I miss you badly! Please come back!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

Beautiful day to run today. Did an easy 4 miles on the canal trail, no watch.

New Balance 790 Miles: 4.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.001.001.000.000.0010.00

Did a Little Workout today. Put on my flats, then ran down to the Skyview track to do 2x1600m at 10K pace. However, the track had a nice layer of frost on it, and was a little slick, especially with my rather bald road flats. Skyview track has very narrow turns to boot, and I ran rather tentatively. The first 1600m was 5:20, way too slow. So I ditched the track and did the second repeat on the road, a full mile in 5:02. This was a bit better, but I was not feeling snappy for whatever reason. Oh well, the best part of the taper is Wed through Fri, so I don't really need to be feeling good until Friday anyway. Ran back home, changed into my Adrenalines, and finished the run with an out-and-back on Summit Dr. 6:54/mile for 10 miles.

Comments
From Dale on Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 11:22:03 from 69.10.215.11

You're running so fast you got a week ahead.

From Paul on Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 11:46:31 from 65.103.252.214

Oops. Time to work the power of cut and paste.

From Nan on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 12:29:27 from 24.8.144.22

Taper week!!! I'm getting excited for you. You're not really going to retire forever after this race though, right? Especially once you qualify for the trials...can't retire then. :)

From Paul on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 12:32:31 from 65.103.252.214

I dunno. It would be nice to go out on a high note. I'd probably still show up for trials for the free food.

From Scott Ensign on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:34:55 from 129.123.3.31

so much drama.... did you see this?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/How-Randy-Moss-quitting-on-a-play-indirectly-led?urn=nfl-281576

From Paul on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:57:24 from 65.103.252.214

Yeah, that's awesome. So glad I'm not a Vikings fan.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

Smithfield Canyon, 6 miles, 6:47/mile average.

Brooks Launch Miles: 6.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Day off.

Comments
From Superfly on Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 12:53:05 from 208.117.127.110

Hope your taper is treating you well. When do you travel?

From Paul on Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 12:58:05 from 65.103.252.214

I fly out tomorrow evening.

From Superfly on Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 13:08:59 from 208.117.127.110

Have a safe trip and good luck! I'll be getting the email updates so looking forward to it. Your ready for something special.

From Rob on Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 13:16:21 from 206.71.84.68

Paul, your short term goals and long term goals don't seem to line up.

Good Luck!

From Paul on Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 13:25:57 from 65.103.252.214

Rob - they look pretty much the same to me: run as long as I'm able. Make the best of things.

From Aaron Kennard on Thu, Nov 04, 2010 at 18:07:08 from 24.8.144.22

I think Rob was referring to lower down in your goal where it mentions 'retire from running forever." on Nov 7. :)

Good luck out there this weekend, I'm pretty sure I speak for us all in saying we're stoked for you and looking forward to hearing how it goes!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.500.500.000.000.005.00

Ran the Planet Walk from work. Finally feel tapered. Ran 6:30/mile pace for the run, plus about a half mile at MP, just to get a feel for the pace and move the legs a little. Beautiful day here, wish I could move the Utah weather to Indianapolis, where it is expected to be cold. Fly out in a few hours.

Brooks Launch Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Adam RW on Thu, Nov 04, 2010 at 19:26:01 from 155.101.152.123

Paul, Safe travels. You have put in the training now go and reap the benefits. But most importantly have fun doing so!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
2.500.000.000.000.002.50

Ran a few miles from my sister's house, with Jeff. Pretty nice day today. Tomorrow is expected to be cold (upper 20s), and most of the race will be below freezing temps. But no wind and no rain is forecasted.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 2.50
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 13:26:43 from 129.123.120.16

no wind and rain is good! get some good sleep tonight, good luck,have fun, look forward to reading your report.

From jtshad on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 15:44:52 from 69.20.183.178

Have run tomorrow!

From Jon on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 18:53:33 from 98.71.130.239

Cold with no wind and no rain = nothing some gloves and ear warmers can't handle...

From Kory on Sat, Nov 06, 2010 at 20:19:01 from 24.116.159.75

Did you miss qualifying by 48 seconds. Any event that's a nice time and nice run Paul. My God Bless your recovery and whatever your future holds.

It's nice to know a celebrity Olympic Trials Runner. Great training and work went into this performance.

Race: Indianpolis Monumental Marathon (26.21 Miles) 02:19:48, Place overall: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.8026.200.000.000.0027.00

Executive Summary

2:19:48, 2nd place overall. Missed qualifier by 48 seconds, but close to a 3-minute PR, plus breaking the 2:20 barrier felt good. First half perfect in 1:09:18, struggled the last 8 miles, second half in 1:10:30. Fought hard to take 2nd in the final miles,and that was the beauty of the race. Feel quite pleased right now. Exhausted from the race and travel back to Utah, so will write a report sometime Sunday.

BTW - chip time original reported a minute fast, so sorry to those who got all excited thinking that I broke 2:19. They have since fixed it.

Okay, full report. I realize that my race reports tend to be oppressively long. I try to make up for it with one-line blog entries for regular training runs. When you put that in perspective, my total Blog word-count is actually quite low. For the race reports I try to record all the details I can think of before they leak out of my head. Since I'm writing this one the day after, I think I've already forgotten half the race already, but I'll fill in the blanks with fabrications and perhaps some random 'Simpsons' quotes.

If you want to skip all of the boring, lead-up "journal" stuff, scroll down to the bold "The Race" heading. I actually recommend it.

The Lead-In

I flew into Indy on Thursday evening, on a direct flight. I met my brother-in-law at the airport, and then triangulated with Jeff McClellan, who was staying with us too. Found Jeff, and we headed to my sister's house. Chatted with my sister until midnight, and chatted with Jeff until past 1AM (very much like a runner slumber party). But I still wasn't tired, so it took a while to fall asleep. My niece Lauryn woke up in the middle of the night too, crying, which broke my sleep (although I'm pretty used to that with Seth). Slept about 6 hours total.

On Friday, Jeff and I went for a short run, then I pretty much hung out most of the day with my sister & brother-in-law. Went out for lunch, etc. Around 3:30PM, my sister took Jeff and I downtown, and dropped us off at our hotel, the Omni Severin. This hotel was about 1 block from the expo, and maybe three blocks from the start and finish line. Very convenient, which I'm all about. It would come in handy on the cold race morning.

Jeff and I checked in, then went to the expo. Decent-sized expo, although about 1/10th the size of the Indy Mini. Met the elite coordinator, Jon Little, who was very enthusiastic, and I suspect had been going on coffee and Red Bull for the last 72 hours (a trait common to most race directors on race-week). Had a very short athlete meeting, and dropped off water bottles. Then I went out to eat with my parents and my sister's family. Came back to the hotel after dinner, watched the weather a little bit, and then went to bed, after some more slumber-party conversation with Jeff. I was actually quite tired, and slept about the best I've ever slept before a marathon. I was completely out, and didn't wake up much. Got about 8.5 hours of sleep total.

Finally, race-day arrived: it was Saturday morning. I've been counting down to this morning for literally months. Especially the last two weeks. Now it was finally here. All I wanted was an opportunity to validate my training, and an opportunity to make a legitimate Trials attempt. For that I would need:

  • no lingering injuries
  • no hint of sickness
  • good training cycles/buildup
  • no/little wind
  • no precipitation
  • no heat or humidity
  • fast course
  • competition and people to run with
  • good race/course organization (no distractions)
  • crowd support

This is essentially a checklist that Kevin Hanson rattled off on a letsrun.com thread about the Chicago marathon, while debating the heat issue. Hanson's big quote: "Races are not run in a bubble and to ask for more than 90% is ridiculous."

Well, I've been perfectly healthy all year, without even a hint of an owie. What a blessing. I managed to stave off any colds (thanks to 4 packets of Emergen-C per day). My training had gone very well, and I accomplished everything I wanted to in terms of mileage and workouts. Wind was 4-5mph, wow, how much better than the Mini is that?? Clear sky. Temperature at the start was 27 degrees, and never got much above freezing. But cold is fine, hot is not. I can dress for cold. So temperature: check. The course was to be flat and fast, good reputation. Check. Competition was to be deep: about 10 or 12 Kenyans, plus some good regional American runners. Plus Jeff, who I have run with before and who would be an ally. Check. Race organization: same people who put on the Mini. Top Notch. Check. Crowd support...turned out to be non-existent.

Okay, so the only thing missing was crowd support, and I suppose 10 degrees warmer would have been ideal. But we're shooting 90%, and as Hanson said, to expect more is absurd. This was a perfect setup to race. No excuses today, and I got what I wanted: an opportunity. What more could I ask for? I was already grateful, and was certainly excited on race-day.

Got up at 6AM. Race start would be 8AM. Ran hot water through the coffee machine for oatmeal, then repeated for coffee. Had oatmeal, a banana, and a small pot of coffee. The coffee was pedestrian at best. Watched the morning news. Temperature was 31 degrees, but still falling since the sun was not up yet. Would be 27 degrees by race start at 8AM.

At about 7AM, Jeff and I went for a little jog, to check out the air and get some blood moving. I thought the air actually felt really good, did not seem excessively cold. Did about half a mile, then went back up to the hotel room. Earned 3 stars in the comfort of the hotel.

We hung out in the room until 7:40AM, then headed down. We jogged over to the start, and then I ran into the State building for one more potty stop. Got to the start line about 5 minutes before the gun. Did a few strides, said hi to Sean. Temps felt okay with my warmups off. I was wearing compression shorts, compression socks, singlet, arm sleeves, an ear band, gloves, and a throw-away top. I ended up throwing away the long-sleeve shirt before the race even started, as I realized I wouldn't need it.

One good thing about hanging out in the hotel room so long was that I didn't have to worry about the temptation of scoping out the competition. It's almost never fruitful to do so, and just psyches me out. But as promised, there were plenty of Kenyans at the line. I rarely get nervous before races, and this was no exception. Just excited, and full of anticipation.

The half marathon and the marathon was combined for the first 6.5 miles, so all 9000 people were lined up at the start. 3000 in the marathon, the rest in the half. The wheelers started at 7:59, and then they started us right at 8:00AM. Awesome. Months of waiting and training was finally...going. Running. Whatever. It was good though.

The Race

At last I was finally running my Trials attempt. This was about 3 years in the making, and in terms of this year, I've been training with this in mind it since January, and doing marathon-specific training since late July. It's been a long grind. I believe you really have to love training in order to do this, otherwise it's just gambling, with no fruit if you come up short. But if you actually enjoy the process and the journey, then there is no way to lose. While training is grinding at times for me, I do love the journey. I enjoy the process of getting in shape, the smaller races I do along the way, and especially the people I meet along the way. At this race alone, I met several new very cool people, reconnected with some older contacts, and met one or two "virtual" (blog) contacts. It's the kind of stuff that keeps me going, and makes my life richer.

Due to the cold, I planned to go out a little slower, maybe 5:25 the first mile, then 5:20, and then hopefully get into my goal pace of 5:15/mile.

During the first mile, which was all downtown, a big pack just took off, and they were way the heck up there. A second pack, including myself, Jeff, Sean, and about 10 others, formed behind. It was great running with that many people. It turned out to be the only part of the course with any wind (probably due to the buildings funneling the wind), but I could just tuck in behind people.

We hit Mile 1 in 5:14. So much for the need to "warm up", but it actually felt really good, and my muscles felt warm. Maybe all of the compression stuff (which made me feel silly) actually works for circulation?? The lead pack must have been 4:55 or 5:00. They were really that far ahead. Turn outs that some of the Kenyans didn't know about the half marathoners, so the half guys took some of the marathoners out too hard (good for me later on). Chip times showed the lead marathon pack going through 10K in 31:14, which is just barely over 5:00/mile!

The second mile was 5:26. It was feeling incredibly easy, but I guess that's because we slowed down. I think this was partially because we were still looping around downtown, and there were lots of turns. I wasn't worried about hitting a 5:25, since I was planning on a slower start anyway. Still had the big pack here, including Jeff and Sean.

I picked it up some during the 3rd mile, and took the head of the pack. As we headed out of downtown, the wind died too, so leading the pack was no big deal. I wanted to get the pace back under 5:20 and get into a groove for the race. Sean dropped back this mile, but Jeff ran alongside me, and there was still a big pack behind/with us. Turns out most of these people were half marathoners, but it was good to have extra bodies in the mix. Mile 3 was 5:16, so a great pace. Now just to lock in...

The course thus far was perfectly flat, although got kind of ugly (un-scenic) after we left downtown. My muscles were feeling good, and sub-5:20 pace felt easy on the breathing. I could hold a conversation (gotta love sea level). Our pack was breaking up some, but there were people coming back from up front (half marathoners). Mile 4 was 5:17, perfect.

Mile 5 was a little fast, 5:10. Not sure why this was so fast, maybe I got sucked into catching people drifting back? But this was the fastest split of the race, and not outlandish or anything.

Mile 6 was 5:16, perfect. Hit 10K in about 32:47. At this point, it was just me, Jeff, a Kenyan (whose name was also Jeff), a bunch of guys right behind us, and then a couple guys right ahead of us that we had been reeling in. I suspected from their erratic pace that the guys ahead of us were half marathoners.

Our first bottle-drop was at 10K. However, there was a media van parked right in front of the table! I was a bit ticked, bypassed the table (I would have had to stop to actually get the bottle), and rapped on the van as I passed. The driver was trying to get in and move, to his credit. Bummer. But fortunately I was taking Gatorade at every "regular" aid station, as I can never seem to bank on bottles.

At Mile 6.5, the course partitioned: half marathoners on left, full marathoners on the right. Good organization here, as it was coned and well-marked. Then the two races split off, and suddenly Vegas Jeff, Kenyan Jeff, and myself were all alone. So much for the pack. I could not see any runners ahead of us (as they had gone out so fast and were gone), and I had no idea what place we were in. I was pretty sure Top 10, maybe 7th or so (turns out we were 4th, 5th, and 6th, so my estimate was slightly pessimistic, but not too far off). But I wasn't really thinking about place at all, and could care less if I took home $0, as long as I hit that sub-2:19. This attitude would flip-flop by the end.

We made a turn into a really cool neighborhood, with beautiful old mansions. This was a long straight-shot for a few miles, and I enjoyed it. Chatted with Kenyan Jeff a little bit. Mile 7 was 5:20. A little slow, but I could afford 5:20 once in a while, as long as the 5:15s were more frequent.

Vegas Jeff dropped around Mile 7, so now it was just Kenyan Jeff and myself. We worked well together, chatted a little bit. Still no wind to worry about. It was his marathon debut, but he had run 1:05-flat, and a high-1:04 in the half marathon this year. I said that this pace should feel easy to him, and he agreed that it did feel easy.

Mile 8 was 5:21. With this second "slow" split in a row, I made a conscious effort to pick it up. Mile 9 was 5:14. Much better.

Around Mile 9, I noticed that...we could actually see runners ahead of us! I pointed this out to Kenyan Jeff, and told them that we could catch them. He agreed that perhaps after 10 miles some of them would start dropping back. Looked like 3 or 4 runners, but couldn't tell because of the distance and there were also bikers (course officials) in there muddying up the view.

Mile 10 was 5:18. Mile 11 was 5:15. I then noticed that the runners ahead of us seemed quite a bit closer. Jeff agreed. I was still feeling pretty good, although the first 10 miles had taken their toll on my calves, and I could feel fatigue setting in. I figured that should be expected for running 10 miles under 53 minutes, but at the same time I was hoping that the first half would be "absolutely effortless". Don't we always want that? Breathing was effortless though, so that was good, but I was a little worried about the state of my legs.

Tried to take a Cliff Shot gel at an aid station, but muffed it. My right hand was almost completely numb from cold. My left hand was okay, which is typical. The rest of my body felt just fine, and was not feeling the cold. Just my fingers. No big deal about missing the gel, since I had one attached to my bottle coming up at 20K (12.5 miles).

I tried to keep the pace going. Mile 12 was 5:16. Kenyan Jeff dropped somewhere in here (despite saying the pace was "really easy" a couple miles ago...), so now I was all alone, but chasing an unknown number of runners ahead of me. The were still getting closer. I had no idea what place they were, but I was assuming that it was not the lead pack. Bad assumption, as it turned out that I was looking at 1-3. (based on some post-race timing chip detective work).

I realized that I missed my 20K water bottle, after the fact, just from not paying attention. I was now really distracted about missing two gels in a row. Would my head explode? No probably not, so I kept going. But I kept taking Gatorade at every aid station, and was hoping I'd get adequate fuel from that.

Mile 13 was 5:13, and the half marathon was 1:09:18, as we turned into the cool Broad Ripple neighborhood. The pack ahead of me went through the half in 1:08:47 (again, based on chip times), and I could now see them even on short, curvy sections, as well as the straight-shots. They were definitely coming back, and it was just a matter of time before I caught them, probably in the next three miles.

At this point, my watch data filled up. (forgot to clear everything before the race). Although it kept taking splits, it did not save them, so all I have is my own memory (bad) and a few chip splits. So I'll do the best I can.

The course had more turns during the next mile or two. I kept the pace right where I wanted it, hitting sub-5:20 every time. However, the pack ahead me, which so assuredly was coming back to me...was now farther away! Given that I was sticking to my 5:15/mile pace, how was that happening? From recreating events from chip times, it looks like the eventual winner threw monster surge right after the half. Between the half marathon and 30K, he averaged 4:59/mile. The other two tried to go with him, but eventually couldn't match the pace, and ended up dropping back, becoming road-kill for me to clean up in the last 10K. The eventual winner ended up biting it pretty hard during the last few miles (based on chip and eyewitness accounts), but he had done enough damage to win the race. I suppose if I had a few extra miles and a extra set of legs, I would have caught him.

So although I didn't get much positive feedback from chasing this pack, my pace was still good, and I was well on pace for sub-2:19. On the second half of the course we went through some cool areas, such as the Governor's residence, Butler University, and a row of museums. And we also picked up some rolling hills, more than I expected, yet not too bad either. Nothing was very long or steep, but it kind of hit me at a bad time. My legs were starting to get really fatigued by 30K, and I was wondering if "this was it" for me. Breathing was harder too.  My legs had a rather "numb" feeling, could have been from the cold, but probably more due to keeping 5:17/mile pace for 30K.

Yet, despite this "feeling" of fatigue, I kept rattling off the splits. Average pace between half marathon and 30K was 5:14/mile. I was picking up time during this stretch. Between 20K and 30K was my fastest portion at TOU last year too. There's just something about that segment of a marathon, I guess.

So I just needed 8 more miles at this pace, or even a little slower was fine. My legs were numb and somewhat trashed, but hey, if I can keep hitting the splits, who cares?

But things went south during mile 19 and 20. First off, I missed yet another bottle at 30K. My bottle was bunched together with the other bottles, and I ended up knocking it down with my numb, useless hand. I've decided I hate bottle drops; they're a waste of time. But this bottle had another gel on it, which I missed. I had picked up at gel at Mile 15 (half frozen though, hard to eat), so at least I had that. Missing the bottle at 30K was a distraction more than anything. This mile was in the low 5:20s, I remember, my first split over 5:20 since early in the race.

During mile 20 I managed to get a gel at an aid station. But due to opening it poorly with my teeth (again, hands were useless), and the gel being very viscous from the cold, it took two hands to eat the stupid thing, which slowed me down some. So Mile 20 was also about 5:25.

But I got the gel in me, the second gel of the race, and now I had no reason to be distracted. It was crunch-time, time to put my head down and run. Fueling and hydration are "in the barn" so to speak. My legs were starting to tell me that they were done though. I almost believed them, until I split a 5:15 for Mile 21. Although I had bled some time during the last few miles, I was still on pace through Mile 21, provided I didn't drop too many more 5:25's.

In addition, the runners that had eluded me after the half point, due to their surge, were coming back again. This was a big boost. Not only was I still viable for the Trials qualifier, but I was in the thick of quite a race against my competition. There were two guys in striking range, but the third was not to be seen. I still didn't know what place I was in, but knew I wanted to take those spots from the guys ahead of me!

I pushed hard. Legs were protesting, lungs were working hard too. I was wanting another 5:15, but Mile 22 was well over 5:20, probably 5:25 or so. The Kenyan ahead of me was close now, and I finally passed him somewhere in here, before we hit downtown again.

With 4 miles to go, I still had a chance at the Trials time, if I could just get the pace back on track. But my pace was going the other way. Mile 23 was 5:30. My legs had gone south, and I knew I could not get the pace back. I was running as hard as I could. At this point the marathon route rejoined the half marathon route. The course was nicely partitioned, with marathons on the right of the cones and half marathoners on the left. Well organized, in terms of having to share a course.

I got to half marathon mile marker 10, which meant that I had 5K to go. Doing the math, if I could run 16:00 for the last 5K, I would still get sub-2:19. This pace would have been fine just a few mile ago, but the train to Trials had left the station, and I was no longer on it. While I had (thankfully) not hit "The Wall", my legs were beat up and fatigued, and were giving up 10-15s per mile from what I needed. My race had no room for error, but the the last 10K I was being shown that my legs had some error in them.

That said, I was not discouraged. In fact I was borderline euphoric. I had just made a pass into 3rd place (and a spectator informed me of my placing, for the first time all day), and I was barreling down hard on 2nd place! No matter how bad I was hurting, this guy ahead of me was hurting worse. After mile 23, I took no more watch splits. I just raced, and raced my heart out. I was praising God for a great race, for the opportunity to go for the Trials, and for the fact that I held the pace for so long. And time was no longer a big factor, but I knew that I could still break 2:20, and that was exciting to me.

Pushing as hard as I could, wheezing and making pitiful noises, I managed another 5:30 for Mile 24. 2nd place Kenyan was still coming back to me. The course was crowded with half marathoners, but we had the right lane to ourselves, on the long straight-away into downtown. Very flat during the whole final stretch, thankfully.

Close to Mile 25, I blew by the Kenyan at an aid station, and pushed hard to discourage him from trying to go with me. I was hanging by a thread, and wanted to make the pass a final one. Mile 25 was 5:28, I remember, based on the course clock at the mile marker.

Out of the corner of my eye, though, I thought I saw another runner coming up behind me, with a different singlet than the Kenyan I just passed! This freaked me out, made me press harder, and I was now running scared for 2nd place, the whole last 1.2 miles. (later I realized that this phantom runner was probably a bicyclist/course official).

Exhausted, scared, and holding dearly for second, I careened around Monument Circle and the last few corners. There was nothing more to give. Despite the extra effort of trying to hold of the "phantom runner", I think Mile 26 was in the low 5:30s, slower than the previous mile.

Finally I got to the home stretch, turned the last corner and saw the finish only one block ahead. I poured it, leaving no doubt that anyone behind me would catch me, nearly stumbling several times. It felt like the ground was out of sync with my feet, and that I would pitch forward into the road. Fortunately, I didn't, and crossed the finish line at 2:19:48, 2nd place overall, $1200.


 

The Aftermath

After I finished, Jon Little wisked me away into the elite staging area (or drunk tank), where I was able to keep warm and sit amongst the other race victims. Chatted with a few people, including Sean and Jeff when they returned, but mostly sat there feeling utterly exhausted. It's the most tired I've been after a marathon. After TOU last year, I felt great (probably because I was mostly just messing around), but after this race every muscle hurt. I couldn't believe how much my shoulders and arms hurt. It was all-encompassing.

It is true, I fell short of the Trials standard by a fairly small amount of time. Even as close as 5K to go, I still was "on pace" (although my pace had been going the wrong way since 10K to go).

But I was not, am not disappointed. Sasha would call this a "bummer", but I reject his bummer, he can keep it and give to someone else.

I am proud of my first-ever sub-2:20. I am now a "2:19 guy". I am proud of how I raced down the stretch, on how I ran my own race, didn't force things, kept mentally in it, and beat everyone within reach. This finish was especially significant because in almost every race this year I got beat down the stretch, either out-kicked, out-worked, or didn't say in it mentally. But not this race. It was a great way to end the season, in terms of being competitive the whole way in.

Moreover, this is a PR of 2:44 for me, going from 2:22:32 to 2:19:48. That is big. Going from a mid-2:22 (and a few good downhill half marathons) to a sub-2:19 is a huge leap, perhaps one that I have no business making. Although I believed in my training, I really had no races indicating that I could break 2:19. The goal was very high. I leaped and fell short, but landed on a rock much closer to that goal than where I was earlier. Going from 2:19:48 to 2:19:00 is reasonable, tangible, and achievable.

Why did I fall short? I think the weather was perfect, or at least good enough. I think I'm just missing some fitness. The decay from 5:15 to 5:25-5:30 is not huge, but I need to either move that drop-off back a few miles, or reduce the amount of it. This Indy race was very similar to my Trials race in 2007, where I split 1:10:00 & 1:12:30. I did not hit the wall, there was just drop-off due to fatigue and pounding. The same thing happen here in Indy, but the drop-off was less pronounced: it came later in the race, and was a smaller amount of time per mile compared to Trials. So this is a positive trend. If I can just make one more "jump" in marathon fitness, I think I will be there.

I am taking some time off now, about three weeks with no running. From there I will regroup, re-build a base, and figure out what I want to do, and how much effort I will put into it. It's likely I will find a spring marathon, but I'm not going to really get into that thinking for a little while.

At this point in time, though, I'm going to enjoy my time off. I praise God and give Him glory for the simple pleasure of being able to run a race. About two years ago, merely walking gave me pain and difficulty; I thought I would never run again. I run by the grace of God, just as I live and do all things under the grace of God, and in the comfort of His salvation. This is liberating, and brings me joy.

Saucony Type A Miles: 27.00
Comments
From Jason McK on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 00:53:07 from 97.126.188.165

Sorry you didn't break 2:19, but breaking 2:20 is amazing!

From Rob Murphy on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 00:56:03 from 24.10.248.6

Congrats Paul. I know you put a lot into this race and I'm glad it turned out well. You're an inspiration.

From Aaron Kennard on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 01:13:54 from 24.8.144.22

Congrats on gutting it out for 2nd place and breaking 2:20. Look forward to hearing about the race.

From saamijeff on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 02:12:21 from 24.237.119.1

Your ability, dedication, drive and of course humor are an inpiration to all of us. Great job on the PR....hope you continue to go for the gold.

From David Nelson on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 02:14:22 from 24.16.250.234

Good job Paul, even without 2:18 it's an incredible accomplishment. Have a safe trip home.

From dutterman on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 08:37:16 from 71.114.183.90

Hey, excellent work Paul! I ran the half yesterday. I'm from Terre Haute, Indiana. It was cool watching the end of the marathon. I've never witnessed a sub 2:20 in person.

From JamesH on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 09:41:26 from 74.211.22.194

Paul, you are the man. Congrats on such an amazing time. Not that anyone expected less. Waiting for that full report.

From Walter on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 09:42:35 from 24.10.169.110

Paul, you simply amaze me with your training and fast turn around and bringing your times down. Keep up the great work and I hope to be up in your neck of the woods for a run soon.

From Burt on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 09:43:47 from 68.225.214.248

Great job Paul. Can't wait for the full report. It's gonna be a good one.

From jtshad on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 10:03:02 from 69.20.183.178

Congrats on a great race and high finish. Bummer about the 48 seconds, but that is still a spectacular time! You are an amazing runner and example of dedication for all of us.

From Oreo on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 10:13:20 from 174.27.218.88

Awesome! I mean seriously a sub 2:20. That's amazing. Look forward to the report.

From Adam RW on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 10:16:11 from 24.10.132.131

Paul, You continue to be an inspiration. I look forward to reading the full report. In the meantime I am sorry about those 48 seconds but thrilled with the near 3 minute PR and coming in under 2:20! Truly an amazing feat that most of us will never even be able to dream about much less achieve.

From crockett on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 11:51:43 from 208.53.57.47

Wow, way to go. Great inspiration in reaching goals and working hard to do it.

From JD on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 21:01:38 from 67.186.212.213

Congratulations Paul on such a great performance and pay off for the outstanding training and commitment you brought to this race, and an incredible PR! Thanks for giving this mid-pack runner so much inspiration. I really enjoy following your impressive training schedule/workouts and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this race report.

From Sean Sundwall on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 21:34:26 from 74.36.162.225

As I said in my report, I am so happy for you. Great run. It was great to see you and shat with you for a while. Being so close to OTQ, now you are commited for another year of hard training. Maybe we will see each other again in Indy next year.

From JamesH on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 21:38:06 from 74.211.22.194

I believe there was mention of Simpsons quotes. Please dont lead me on like that. All joking aside, all I can say is AWESOME!!!

From Dan on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 21:53:35 from 24.209.83.20

So impressive man. 2:19 guys rock. Thanks for the inspiration!

From Scott Ensign on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 22:15:24 from 70.58.47.122

great report, great job, great attitude, great memories you will have forever! big congrats on the PR and strong second place!

writing this at halftime..pack 28 cowpies 7. but you are probably watching it too (still in Indy?)

From MichelleL on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 22:27:39 from 67.41.178.22

Nice job Paul. 2:19 is such a hard standard. I agree--it's hard to see it as a bummer when it's your best race ever, and when just walking, bending, sneezing without pain is a blessing.

From Superfly on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 22:45:39 from 208.117.127.110

I can't really follow that report up with anything good enough to do it justice. Literally left a tear in my eye. Dude you "Raced" amazing. Your such a great example to the rest of us on the blog. In everything... not just running fast. I'm so glad you kept hammering after the legs were gone. Hitting a true sub 2:20 is just awesome. You'll always have that and no one can take it away. I read something that Ryan Hall said in an interview last month... he said "treasure every little bit of success you get". Sometimes we over look what we did today as we try to get to the next bench mark. The progress you've made in the last 2 years is remarkable. Hope your proud of yourself because we are all proud of you. Not even close to a bummer.

P.S.

I'm glad your chewing on running a spring marathon and not walking away from the sport.

From Fritz on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 22:58:31 from 67.186.240.83

Nice job on the PR and breaking 2:20. You might want to check our the Napa Valley Marathon for next spring, although it is lacking crowd support.

Nevermind. Napa Valley is a point to point with 300 ft. drop.

"Race courses can no longer have a net elevation loss of more than 1 meter per kilometer (or 42.195 meters over the course of a marathon) and the finish line can not be located farther than 30% of the race distance from the starting line. "

From Paul on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 23:07:28 from 174.27.187.235

Thanks everyone.

Fritz - I've looked at Napa a few times. It's a bit too early for a Cache Valley guy. I usually don't get in decent shape until May.

Clyde - good Hall quote. Very true. We're not guaranteed anything in life. Treasure the good things.

Michelle - yes, sneezing without pain is good, as is turning over in bed. It's easy to forget the dark times when things are good; not a place I want to go back to.

Scott - 35 to 7 now. Cowboys are more embarrassing than the Viqueens.

James - it's my first day.

Dutterman - my parents live in Brazil, so I'm in Terre Haute once or tw when I visit.

Dave - thanks, but the Bear still stink. Just wanted to mention that.

Sean - yeah, good seeing you. I suppose that another year is in order, although I'll definitely periodize my training to avoid burnout and ease my way into it. Possible I may be in Indy at some point for a race. It's very convenient.

All others - sorry for lack of a personal reply, but it's hard to scroll up, and I lost my spot

From Jon on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 23:08:24 from 98.71.130.239

Paul- the only thing more well-thought out and well-done than your race report is your actual race. Except I have to strongly disagree that you have no business jumping to a sub-2:19. You have all the business in the world doing that, since you do it the right way. Impressive work, Paul. Congrats and enjoy your 3-week (dare I say "Favre-ish"?) retirement!

From Paul on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 23:09:15 from 174.27.187.235

Fritz - Napa is eligible, as it is less than 450' drop, and there is no restriction for pt-to-pt. The requirement you cited is for record-eligibility, not Trials eligibility. Otherwise, Boston, NY, of CIM would not qualify.

From Adam RW on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 23:15:23 from 24.10.132.131

Paul, Worth the return trip. Please NEVER loose the "oppressively long" version of your race reports. Your effort, attitude, and everything else are nothing less than AMAZING!

From allie on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 23:36:06 from 174.23.195.124

congratulations on the PR and the outstanding race. i always enjoy reading your reports; this has to be the best one yet. truly inspiring.

From SlowJoe on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 02:15:10 from 195.39.154.10

Congrats on running such an awesome race and thanks for putting the time in for a detailed write-up, best RR I've read so far.

From Jeff on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 09:15:38 from 207.17.186.3

Paul,

That's an incredible accomplishment. Wow. Very very well done.

-Jeff

From Dave S on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 10:21:43 from 4.254.230.187

congrats on such a great race. Getting that sub 2:20 and so close to the OTQ is awesome. I checked the website Sat morning and saw they had you at 1:18:48. Wow thought you had it by 12 sec. I'm always amazed at how consistent you are at reaching or exceeding your goals. You never seem to have a bad race.

From Calvin on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 13:11:26 from 66.133.117.3

Excellent performance Paul, that's an amazing time! Thanks for sharing all the details with us on the blog.

From RivertonPaul on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 14:13:30 from 67.42.27.114

Adding my feeble kudos.

From Holt on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 16:35:44 from 204.113.55.41

Paul, what a great job! Your training, your racing, your attitude - all of it is so inspiring to all of us!

From Chad Robinson on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 18:58:45 from 67.136.62.186

Fantastic race! I just read your blog post about your melancholy feeling leading up to this race and the notion of running being purely self indulgent. On the surface I think that is true, but I have found that my most enjoyable/rewarding experiences in my life have drawn from the success of my loved ones (I would say a lot of that is displayed on this running blog). BTW, it was through browsing for information of the TOU half that I linked into your blog and (shortly after) this fantastic running blog. Thanks.

From Paul on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 19:10:43 from 65.103.252.214

Thanks Chad. I think the taper was messing with the chemicals in my brain when I was blogging last week. Running is often bigger-picture and can interact with a lot of different people on different levels. I'd say this interaction with other people is the best reason to keep running and racing.

From Kory on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 19:32:58 from 134.50.89.33

Paul what a humbling experience and to give God the Glory is what it's all about. You left everything out there so your joy is of triumph.

Whatever you do in the future will be what God want for you.

From Little Bad Legs on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 19:53:54 from 67.170.153.203

Paul-- What an inspiring post on so many levels. As displayed in these comments, there are plenty of people who admire you for multiple reasons. Thanks for sharing your journey with us all and good luck moving forward!

From James on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 21:59:24 from 174.52.98.185

Amazing report and race! Inspirational is a huge understatement! You will get that trials qualifier again.

From Steve on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 23:05:29 from 209.180.92.241

That's one of the neatest race reports I have ever read, Paul. I learned so much out of that, Thanks! You are one of the few elite runners I have ever met who truly love the sport and sharing it.

From Burt on Tue, Nov 09, 2010 at 09:42:03 from 68.225.214.248

Paul, is there a link to the results that you know of where we can actually see the times in a list rather than search for individual names?

From Paul on Tue, Nov 09, 2010 at 10:12:51 from 174.27.187.235

Burt - try marathonguide.com

http://www.marathonguide.com/results/browse.cfm?MIDD=2953101106

From dutterman on Tue, Nov 09, 2010 at 10:57:03 from 137.112.13.203

You can also go to the event management's site:

http://www.tuxbro.com/results/2010/IMM2010ResultsPage.html

From Scott Ensign on Tue, Nov 09, 2010 at 12:49:40 from 70.58.47.122

who is Leonard Mucheru? His home town is listed as Sun Prairie Wisconsin, which is a suburb of Madison.

From Burt on Tue, Nov 09, 2010 at 14:20:16 from 206.19.214.144

I see Sammy Nyamongo did well. Was he on pace to win until he got stopped by traffic near I-15?

From josse on Tue, Nov 09, 2010 at 19:00:45 from 75.220.44.199

Ah I have finally finish the novel, and it was good! What a great race and I alway love reading your race reports. It's like I am there with you experiencing the whole thing. Wow what a thrill, and as always I love your attitude about the whole thing and life in general. Great job!

From Seth on Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 12:01:44 from 199.188.28.8

Very good run! You still have great things to show the running world. Your blog is a great motivator!

From Tom on Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 12:38:24 from 137.65.56.16

Great race and report, I enjoyed the entire thing. Huge congrats and you are correct in rejecting anyone's "bummer".

From Bob on Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 19:11:59 from 99.148.151.184

Terrific job and wonderful report.

From Tyler on Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 23:05:06 from 74.61.54.112

Loved every word of your report. Congrats on such a phenomenal race!!!!

From Andy on Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 11:56:03 from 159.212.71.200

Wow! By far the best race and report on the blog - ever!

From PRE on Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 15:43:48 from 99.50.214.225

Congratulations on the PR. Enjoyed your race report. Looks like it should be published in Running Times!!!

From DonGardinero on Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 00:03:48 from 152.216.11.5

Very inspiring, Paul. I love reading race reports and this one was excellent. You have an incredible attitude. Keep it up.

By the way, was this the last year to qualify for the trials?

From Tyler on Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 00:16:27 from 74.61.54.112

I hope you don't mind, but I printed out your report and had my runners read it as they don't get much exposure to great marathon running like this. They ate it up. They're wondering what your high school times were?

From Paul on Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 08:34:31 from 174.27.187.235

Don - no, there are 13 months left to qualify, so I can take more shots if I choose.

Tyler - I was okay in high school, but not great. 2:06 - 800m, 4:41 - 1600m, 10:16 - 3200m, 16:22 - 5k xc. I never qualified for a state meet.

From Maurine/Miles on Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 09:03:32 from 63.255.172.2

Awesome race, Paul, and loved the race report. I can only imagine the kind of suffering you went through, but that is a huge leap into a new category. Congratulations on being a 2:19 guy in addition to being a skinny, white guy.

From Clay on Sat, Nov 20, 2010 at 19:26:38 from 76.27.46.68

Paul- Considering where you were and where you have come its a freaking miracle! I have to echo what Clyde said just a great and inspiring race! WOW!

From Benny's on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 20:08:26 from 24.170.84.44

YOU ARE A BEAST!! Congratulations bro!!! Nice to see that you are still at it!! :P

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

Canal Trail

New Balance 790 Miles: 4.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
3.750.000.000.000.003.75

First real run back from the marathon (if I can call 4 miles a "real" run). It's been a good break, but I was missing the discipline and routine of training, not to mention the running itself. Took it easy today, about 8min/mile. Hip flexors didn't like the return to running, but I'll ease them back into it.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 3.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.000.000.000.000.005.00

Ran up Smithfield Canyon. Snowed on the way down. It was quite pretty out. Nice quiet Sunday afternoon to be running. My body is still protesting after the two-week layoff, but it feels kind of good to have hit a hard "reset" and starting over.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 5.00
Comments
From David Nelson on Sun, Nov 21, 2010 at 20:35:41 from 67.182.129.147

I've loved hitting reset, especially because it essentially has lasted two months. I think I'm ready to go again.

From Jason McK on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 11:25:59 from 63.255.173.99

So you're starting over, not stopping? That's good to hear.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.250.000.000.000.005.25

Ran from work around noon. It was still snowing a little, but the roads weren't too bad. Ended up doing a Planet Walk route, and averaged about 7:32/mile.

The worst is yet to come for weather. We are supposed to have sub-zero temps in a couple days, which is absurd for November. I used prize money from the marathon to order a pretty nice treadmill (Nordic Track Commercial 7500), but it probably won't arrive until next week. The big news is that I am running Boston this spring (just got my registration done), which I'm extremely excited about, but it also means I need to stay in shape over the winter and actually do some decent mileage. But the treadmill will help with that, and the thought of going for the Trials standard at the venue of Boston gives me plenty of motivation.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 5.25
Comments
From Steve Piccolo on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 17:30:57 from 67.161.249.226

Congrats! That is exciting. I hope you enjoy the treadmill.

I didn't sign up for Boston in time, so I guess my only way to get in now is to run a 2:20 before then. :)

From Dale on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 18:28:26 from 69.10.215.11

Boy, now that someone blog-famous is running Boston, I really can't afford to slack off on my training. 4+ inches of snow on the roads before Thanksgiving does not bode well for an "easy" winter here either. Good luck.

From Kory on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 18:49:40 from 134.50.89.3

That's not a treadmill that's an entertainment system. Very nice Treadmill Paul and you deserve it. I hope Boston offers great weather and a wonderful experience for you. First time you've ran it?

From Paul on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 19:12:22 from 65.103.252.214

Kory - lol, yes, I need to be entertained! I also considered a Sole F-85, but the bass isn't as good!

Yes, will be the first time for Boston.

From Dale on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 19:18:53 from 69.10.215.11

So exactly how long did forever last?

From Paul on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 19:24:10 from 65.103.252.214

Forever? Goes through the end of the year. You're looking at the 2010 racing schedule, not the 2011 racing schedule. One year at a time, man.

From Dale on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 19:32:11 from 69.10.215.11

Hmmm....It does say retire from "running", not racing, right? I did just turn 40, so I could be hallucinating. I hear that happens when you get old. Or when they give you the "old person" flu vaccine. What am I talking about?

Glad you're giving the OTQ another shot.

From Scott Ensign on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 22:38:28 from 207.224.194.35

Paul, you picked a great time to come out of retirement with this awesome weather. hey- how about those packers? I really enjoyed watching the beat down, much less stressful than the last one. The pack is really starting to come on at the right time. getting excited for a playoff run... but maybe it will go through Philly and Vick? He is awful good.

From Benny's on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 23:28:23 from 166.205.15.118

ill be 10 min behind ya at boston lol looking at 2:29 see u in april and stay in shape i want to hear at the end of boston that you qualified for the trials!!

From Cody on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 23:47:20 from 174.52.244.185

Very nice treadmill. Very similar to mine. I have a love/hate relationship with it.

I am excited about boston already!

From Jon on Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 00:34:06 from 24.172.238.230

I don't think I want to know about how you got into Boston... That would be awesome if you get a top time at it. And the treadmill will definitely help, and with the whole "2 kids at home" thing, too.

Let's see: Weather.com-

Logan- Blizzard Warning. High of 11, low of -8 on Wednesday.

Myrtle Beach, SC- High of 76, low of 52. Maybe I don't miss the mountains quite as much...

From Paul on Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 07:52:44 from 174.27.246.50

Scott - Philly does look good, but since Green Bay beat them in Week 1, the road will go to Lambeau in the event of a tie record at least.

Dale - running IS racing. Going out and doing 5 leisurely miles with no purpose is jogging.

Benny - good to see you back around here.

Jon - you have to take the bad with the good. Winter is necessary in order for summer to exist. And summer is worth it.

From Adam RW on Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 11:14:51 from 155.101.152.123

That is GREAT!

From rockness18 on Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 09:39:00 from 69.183.232.138

Paul, thrilled to see you'll be in Boston! Favre had his best year statistically after retirement and he was much older than you. :)

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

Did a loop around Smithfield. Snowy, but somewhat warm. That is supposed to change later today. Averaged about 7:50/mile, although I felt better than I have in previous days.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 4.00
Comments
From Kory on Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 16:36:11 from 24.116.159.75

Great run Paul in the weather. Recovery runs (if this was) are the best and give you time to reflex.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and God Bless you. Boston is going to be wonderful for you. What a great goal to look forward too.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Day off. Pretty good day to take one. I'll get some cross-training in by shoveling my driveway. It appears that the 2010 Snowpocalypse is done for now.

Comments
From Rob Murphy on Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 21:26:52 from 24.10.248.6

Snowpocalypse - I like that. I have to say that I was pretty disappointed with the relative wimpiness of this storm given the dire warnings. The kids and I were all hunkered down with flashlights, extra firewood etc.And then just a regular little storm with some wind.

Congrats on Boston. Steve Anderson and I are heading down to the Austin Half Marathon at the end of January. Might be a good one for you?

From Paul on Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 08:39:27 from 174.27.246.50

Rob - It was a bit worst up north. The northern parts of I-84 and I-15 were completely shut down due to zero visibility. We only got about 8" up here in Smithfield, but it was the 50 mph wind guts that made it bad.

I am running the St George Half at the end of January. It's a little bit closer than Austin. :-)

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.500.000.000.000.005.50

Roads were icy, but I found good traction on the cemetery loops. Since cars don't drive much on the paths, the plow actually got to the asphalt. Came back on Summit & Hillside. 5.5 miles, averaged 7:10/mile. 3.7 degrees F went I left the house, but it didn't feel too bad after the initial shock. Appropriate clothing helps a lot. Finished up the day with some extra cross training by shoveling the second half of my driveway.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 5.50
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 14:23:16 from 67.40.112.12

geez you are tough. what are you doing for a run tomorrow? want any company?

From Jon on Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 15:36:08 from 75.117.112.17

Happy Thanksgiving to you, also, Paul. And your family.

From Holt on Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 21:12:36 from 97.126.200.53

Just read about your plans for Boston - that will be awesome! Happy T-day. Don't freeze up there. It was in the teens down here this morning and I just about died!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.500.000.000.000.005.50

Roads are still very icy, so I did cemetery loops again. 5.5 miles, averaged 7:09/mile. 10 degrees F this morning, felt nice and warm compared to yesterday.

Brooks Launch Miles: 5.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.500.000.000.000.005.50

Cemetery loops. 5.5 miles, averaged 7:31/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 5.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

cross-training

AM - shoveled the driveway

PM - shoveled the driveway

Not sure how I should feel about being in doubles this early in the training cycle

Comments
From Nan on Sat, Dec 04, 2010 at 15:51:34 from 98.245.117.176

LOL Nice double!

Sorry you've had such crappy weather this week.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.500.000.000.000.006.50

shoveled the driveway (yes, third time in 24 hours). I almost went cross-country skiing, but decided that running sounded more appealing. Wore the NB 790s, which do the best on snow. The roads actually weren't too bad, and I had a decent run. It helped that it was very nice out too. Cold, but lots of direct sun. Went up Smithfield Canyon and back, about 6.5 miles or so. No watch.

New Balance 790 Miles: 6.50
Comments
From Jon on Mon, Nov 29, 2010 at 20:43:47 from 98.71.131.129

So how much has it snowed in the past few days, anyways? The past week?

I have to agree- 790's are the best snow shoe. Only time I wear them, in fact.

From nevels on Mon, Nov 29, 2010 at 20:47:02 from 64.134.180.194

do you know of somewhere that the 790's are still available? i've been looking around and can't seem to find them in stock anywhere since they were discontinued...

From Jon on Mon, Nov 29, 2010 at 23:26:19 from 98.71.131.129

Nevels- what size do you wear? I'd part with mine for a small fee (plus shipping).

From Paul on Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 07:49:04 from 174.27.246.50

Jon - a lot. The snow banks by my driveway are up to my head, that's all I know. Easily 18"-20" or so for a 1 week total.

Nevels - I got mine in 2007, so I have no idea if they are still sold, or some sort of equivalent. I only put a few miles/week on them, so they've lasted three years so far.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

4 degrees F at the start of my run, although it was zero degrees at the bottom of the hill, in the fog. Sadly, I'm getting used to it, and it didn't feel too bad. Roads were so-so. Did a random loop to the west side of the Smithfield. 6 miles, 7:02/mile average pace.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 6.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

Ran from work, Planet Walk. The snow stopped early in my run, which was nice, and roads were in decent shape, although the PW was a little slick. Averaged 7:08/mile for 6 miles.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 6.00
Comments
From Superfly on Wed, Dec 01, 2010 at 17:33:11 from 208.117.127.110

How much snow is on the ground... like backyard? I'm guessing all the resorts are already open. Is this early or am I just getting old?

From Paul on Wed, Dec 01, 2010 at 17:39:55 from 65.103.252.214

We have well over a foot accumulated in our back yard. The snow banks on my driveway are up to my chin. It's definitely early. My treadmill should arrive on Friday. Can't wait.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.250.000.000.000.006.25

Hillside to Summit to Smithfield Canyon, then looped back. Roads were not good. 6 miles, averaged 7:34/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 6.25
Comments
From Kory on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 at 21:06:14 from 24.116.159.75

Nice work running. Can you run an extra 1 mile for me for 6 more weeks since the doctor told me I still can't jog, and also maintain my fitness. :-)

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

Out-and-back to the north side of Smithfield. Warmer today, but roads were a little sloppy and slow. Fortunately my treadmill arrives tomorrow (finally). 6 miles, averaged 7:32/mile.

Brooks Launch Miles: 6.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Fri, Dec 03, 2010 at 17:16:46 from 207.224.194.157

gee, a treadmill. lucky you. treadmills are so... fun.

From Paul on Fri, Dec 03, 2010 at 17:35:38 from 65.103.252.214

Funner than snow and cold and bad air. Plus I can watch TV. And sweat. I'm really looking forward to sweating. I miss it.

From Scott Ensign on Fri, Dec 03, 2010 at 21:55:22 from 207.224.194.157

do you have any plans for a Saturday run?

From Jon on Fri, Dec 03, 2010 at 23:08:49 from 74.177.127.12

You've never sweated in the winter? It's so fun, especially when you finish and your clothes instantly freeze and hypothermia sets in within 6 seconds unless you immediately go inside!

From Paul on Sat, Dec 04, 2010 at 18:27:54 from 174.27.246.50

Scott - did the treadmill today. There was only room for one.

Jon - that doesn't sound fun. No, I usually don't sweat during the winter.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

Finally got the long awaited treadmill. It's a NordicTrack Commercial 1750, and it's pretty nice. I ended up running on it today, because it was raining, and that was a good enough excuse. Hanging out with my wife and kids, watching Veggie Tales while running is infinitely better than slogging through the fog. Did 7 miles at 1% incline, started at 7:00/mile and worked up to 6:00/mile by the end.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Jon on Sat, Dec 04, 2010 at 23:17:17 from 98.71.144.213

Here's a "Kenyan cutdown" workout for you to try on your treadmill. Except I think you need to add 2 mph. This is for a blog post of someone I know:

I resorted to the treadmill, specifically the dreaded Kenyan cutdown with a little twist. The Kenyan cutdown is basically starting at 7 MPH and increasing 0.1 MPH every lap or 1/4 mile, going up to 10 MPH. The twist was increasing the incline to 4% on every 4th lap. I'm happy to say I made it all the way through to 10 MPH! The last 4% @ 9.7 MPH was very hurtful but even more-so was trying to recover flat @ 9.8 MPH. I'm sure people around me thought I was going to die. This workout is all about recovering with a fast pace. What an ingenious workout Paul crafted for me last year!

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

Treadmill. 7 miles at 1%, stepped down from 7:00 down to 6:05 every half mile.

Brooks Launch Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Kory on Mon, Dec 06, 2010 at 17:55:40 from 134.50.89.33

Does your treadmill come with a lifetime warranty on the belt? Do you have to do regular maintenance on lubricating the belt?

From Paul on Mon, Dec 06, 2010 at 18:13:23 from 204.113.19.55

No. Yes.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

Smithfield Canyon, 7 miles. Averaged 6:35/mile.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 7.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

Ran from work, did the First Dam Run 10K course. Averaged 6:17/mile for 7 miles.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 7.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

Out-and-back to the northwest side of Smithfield. 7 miles, averaged 6:20/mile. A steamy 42 degrees this morning.

Comments
From Aaron Kennard on Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 12:47:13 from 98.245.117.176

I'm curious...is that pace really easy for you, like a nice recovery pace? It seems to be pretty much your pace much of the week and I just wonder what kind of exertion level that is in your case.

From Paul on Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 13:00:07 from 65.103.252.214

It's pretty easy, although I classify it as "moderate". It's not recovery, because I have nothing to recover from. I run whatever pace feels good. But when I'm doing low mileage, and I can run low-6 pace every day, and it feels great. When I go into marathon-specific training, bump the mileage over 70, start Big Workouts, start doubles, etc, then I really can't do that, so I make my easy days very easy (slower than 7/mile) and hard days very hard.

But right now I have no workouts or long runs or mileage to recover from, so I can cruise every day. It's working and easy at the same time.

From Paul on Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 13:01:04 from 65.103.252.214

Also, I'm really impatient, and don't like to spend lots of time running. If I can do 7 miles in under 45 minutes, that's less time out of my day wasted running.

From Aaron Kennard on Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 13:10:50 from 98.245.117.176

Cool...interesting info, and it makes a lot of sense.

Kind of funny for me to read your 2nd comment because I'm in an opposite camp in that mind set, because I really enjoy spending as much time as possible out running. I often find myself trying to stay out running as long as possible using up every minute available to me that day. But I can understand your viewpoint from a training/mileage/efficiency viewpoint.

From Paul on Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 13:23:25 from 65.103.252.214

It's why I don't run trails much anymore. The pace is way too slow. Time running = time away from family. I view running as kind of a self-indulgent activity, so try to put a throttle on it. Running fast lets me train more without a corresponding hit in time.

From Aaron Kennard on Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 13:54:30 from 98.245.117.176

I like how you keep running in its proper place in the priority chain. Like any hobby/activity it can definitely be done to an extreme to the detriment of other more important things if not kept in check.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

Smithfield Canyon, 7 miles, 6:22/mile average

Brooks Launch Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Lily on Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 12:13:10 from 67.199.179.188

Nice work. you never cease to amaze -even on your training runs.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Out-and-back to Hyde Park, 8 miles, averaged 5:56/mile. Beautiful day today, sunny, clear skies, warm (upper 30s), and no inversion. Actually, the whole week has been pretty nice.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Smithfield Canyon, 8 miles, 6:38/mile average.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 8.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Saddleback Rd out-and-back, 8 miles, 6:26/mile average.

Brooks Launch Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Tue, Dec 14, 2010 at 18:55:27 from 129.123.3.84

are you interested in going x-country skiing sometime?

From Paul on Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 07:31:21 from 174.27.246.50

Yeah, probably. I've got all the gear, but I never take the initiative to go.

From Scott Ensign on Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 10:54:22 from 129.123.120.12

I just bought some skate skis, so I have both classic and skate skis now so can do either. I have never skate skiied before so am excited to try it. maybe we can get out after christmas sometime?

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.500.000.000.000.008.50

Ran from work, and did the Providence Hill Loop. 8.5 miles, averaged 6:39/mile. 

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 8.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

Treadmill, 7 miles, brisk.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Burt on Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 00:11:53 from 72.223.84.236

Nice adjective. Unless you were talking about the ice tea.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

Summit Dr to Smithfield Canyon. 8 miles, 6:24/mile. Cold out, but I actually got hot at the end from my face warmer. It's best for temps under 5 degrees, and it was 10 degrees by the time I finished, so I was way overdressed.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Logan Fielding on Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 01:20:49 from 74.211.3.53

Paul,

I will be in Logan Monday through next Saturday if you want to get out and run together. I could use the help gettting out with the warm weather (5 degrees = Yikes!) Hope all is well with you and the family.

From Paul on Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 10:18:16 from 174.27.246.50

Logan, that sounds great. I'm up for any day, unless it's snowing. Definitely Friday and Saturday, since I am off those days. Wednesdays I usually run during the afternoon from work. The other days I run around 8AM or so.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

didn't feel like running

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

Since I didn't run yesterday, I did a good run today. It was warm (about 40 degrees) and raining, and tights, underarmour top, and a hat was perfect dress. Did and out-and-back into North Logan, and felt great. 9 miles, averaged 6:08/mile.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

Smithfield Canyon, 9 miles, 6:51/mile average. Roads were a little bit snowy.

New Balance 790 Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Burt on Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 13:11:37 from 206.19.214.144

I guess most Utahans are going to have to head up your way to have a white Christmas.

From Paul on Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 13:49:15 from 65.103.252.214

I wasn't aware that there is an outside world beyond Cache Valley.

From Burt on Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 13:51:23 from 206.19.214.144

Well, mostly it's all frontier land for miles. Few inhabitants. The ones you find are savages.

From Paul on Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 14:03:15 from 65.103.252.214

I'll take your word for it. Whoever you are.

From Jon on Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 21:22:35 from 74.177.125.243

Paul, there is no world outside Cache Valley. The Herald Journal told me so, and now I believe.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

I didn't feel like running today, so I didn't run.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Ran with the one-and-only Logan Fielding today from work. We did the North Logan-USU Loop. It was longer than I remember, so I ended up at 10 miles for the day. Logan kept pushing the pace, and I didn't feel great, but good to run with him. 6:47/mile for the run.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Paul on Thu, Dec 23, 2010 at 08:40:03 from 174.27.246.50

I've edited my blog, so now you look stupid. Yeah, see how it feels?

From Jon on Thu, Dec 23, 2010 at 20:22:18 from 98.71.131.202

And I deleted my comment, so now it looks like you're talking to yourself. Back at ya!

From Rob Murphy on Thu, Dec 23, 2010 at 20:50:13 from 24.10.248.6

And I have no idea what either of you is talking about - and yet I'm still laughing.

From Paul on Fri, Dec 24, 2010 at 10:18:10 from 174.27.246.50

checkMATE: Jon. Good for laugh.

From Jon on Fri, Dec 24, 2010 at 12:43:10 from 98.71.131.202

Yup. Merry Christmas to you.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.750.000.000.000.006.75

Forrester Acres, then back up Summit. 6.75 miles, averaged 6:47/mile. Foggy, but relatively warm.

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 6.75
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
10.000.000.000.000.0010.00

Ran with Logan today. We drove up to the TOU Half start line, up Blacksmith Fork Canyon. Ran up the canyon 5 miles, and then back down. It was a little bit cold going up, due to shade and a light headwind, but going down was very comfortable, and it was a beautiful, sunny day. Averaged 6:07/mile for the entire run of 10 miles.

Brooks Launch Miles: 10.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
11.250.000.000.000.0011.25

Beautiful Christmas morning, sunny and warm. I wore shorts for my run. Did the Bear River Loop, and ran it pretty hard. 11.25 miles, averaged 5:55/mile. Merry Christmas everyone!

Saucony Kinvara Miles: 11.25
Comments
From Superfly on Sat, Dec 25, 2010 at 17:30:26 from 208.117.127.110

Good run.

From Predog on Sat, Dec 25, 2010 at 17:56:22 from 24.10.160.80

Merry Christmas Paul! Today was a fantastic day for a run. Fitting for Christmas.

From Jon on Sat, Dec 25, 2010 at 20:20:53 from 98.71.131.202

Merry Christmas, Paul.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

Roads were a little snowy & icy, which slowed things down a little bit, plus I'm still tired from last week. Did Smithfield Canyon, 9 miles, 7:20/mile

New Balance 790 Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
11.000.000.000.000.0011.00

Saddleback out-and-back. Brisk. 11 miles, averaged 6:17/mile.

Brooks Launch Miles: 11.00
Comments
From Logan Fielding on Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 15:20:20 from 174.23.23.219

It was good seeing you and the family again. Thanks for the runs together and I will see you in a couple weeks. We need to plan a party with everyone when you come down.

From Paul on Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 15:24:38 from 65.103.252.214

Agreed on all counts.

Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

AM - treadmill, 4 miles. 6:40/mile, 1% incline.

PM - treadmill, 5 miles 6:40-6:35-6:31-6:26, 1% incline.

Saucony Tangent Miles: 4.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 5.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

Snowy today. I decided to try out some "show chains" that someone gave me -- basically works like chains for tires, except for shoes. I've been using them for shoveling, and they definitely add a lot of grip without adding weight. They worked reasonable well for running. They were best on really hard-packed snow and ice. Less good in the sloppy stuff. Ran Smithfield Canyon, 9 miles, 7:06/mile average.

Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

9 miles on the treadmill, brisk.

Brooks Launch Miles: 9.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
3051.05190.70123.0514.450.003379.25
New Balance 790 Miles: 269.75Brooks Adrenaline 9 Miles: 353.75Brooks Launch Miles: 412.25Brooks Adrenaline 8 Blue Miles: 24.50Brooks Adrenaline 8, #2 Miles: 4.00Saucony Guide TR Miles: 115.00Brooks Axiom Miles: 74.75Saucony Tangent Miles: 285.50Brooks Adrenaline 10 Miles: 510.25Saucony Type A Miles: 157.50Jogging Stroller Miles: 59.00Saucony Kinvara Miles: 348.00Brooks Adrenaline 10 Green Miles: 436.50Brooks Launch Miles: 321.50
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