Live till you die

CSI class

CSI Class

CSI class

In Cleveland

Back in Park City.  Snowboard for 3 hours.

CSI class

Snowboard 3 hrs.

AM

CSI class

PM

run

Snowboard 3 hrs

AM

race

PM

Snowshoe 1 hr

Snowshoe 2 hrs.

AM

Track

PM

Easy

AM 

Easy with 1 fast mile

Pm

Easy

Went snowboarding at Solitude.  It was fun!

AM  53:15

 Ran track at the gym today.  It's a little smaller than an eighth mile track, and it has nice views of the mountains.  I'm trying become more efficient at higher speeds, and I've never really been too consistent with repetition workouts, so for the past 3 weeks, I've been running 1.5 miles at about 4:40 pace.  Today I did a 1.5 mile warm-up, then 6 x 400 with 400 recovery(these were 3:30 each), then some drills before a 1.5 mile cool down.  My splits were:  1:09, 1:10, 1:10, 1:08, 1:10, 1:09.

PM 32:32

Ran a few laps thru my neighborhood totalling 4.34 miles.  Felt pretty relaxed, but a little springy from the sprints earlier.  Avg. 7:29 per mile.

AM

Did some stretching and core this morning along with a few lunges and posture poses.

PM  53:06

Ran after work.  Legs felt really stiff at first, probably from the speed work yesterday, but loosened up at about 5 miles.  Avg. 7:21 per mile.

AM  32.22

Did a recovery run today thru the neighborhood.  Legs still feel a little trashed so tried to keep the pace pretty chill.  After my run I did 60 push-ups along with some sit-ups, obligues, and lower back exercises.  Avg. 7:47 per mile.

PM  1:06:50

Ran the Old Ranch Rd. loop after work.  It's rolling hills and steadily gains elevation for the first 6 miles, then the last 3 are steady downhill to flat.  I didn't really wam up so the first few hills were a little brutal, but I loosened up nice after that.  I felt like I could have pushed the pace, but I running the SLCTC 15k this Saturday, so I want to feel fresh for that.  Avg. 7:26 per mile.

AM  32:49

 Did  a little run around my work.  Nice day to take a lunch break outside.  Ran with my regular watch, but the pace felt about 7:30 per mile, and I know the course is pretty well, so I think that mileage is correct.

AM   Total run time 1:37:57

I was hoping for 1:03, but my legs felt super heavy after running all week.  My first 3 miles were right around 6:50 with a little headwind, and I was feeling sluggish.  I was hoping after the turn around(the course was an out and back) I would be able to pick up the pace, but it didn't happen.  My legs just felt stiffer, and so my pace suffered.  

I'm a little bummed about missing my time, but i wasn't willing to push super hard since this is the highest mileage day I've had since last fall.  I wanted to give a solid effort on fatigued legs to help my endurance for the SLC half in April, and I feel like that goal was accomplished. 

What I learned from today:

1)  I need to build my long runs to increase endurance.

2)  I'm tapering down next week to let my legs rebuild.

3)  After this taper week, I am gong to incorporate some race pace running. 

Rest today.  Went to brunch in town, and now watching the USA vs. Canada hockey game.

AM  47:04

Ran a nice loop thru town.  I'm having some hip flexor pain from the higher mileage last week, so I took it pretty easy for the first few miles, but once the legs warmed up I was cruising like normal.  I'm gonna do this loop a couple more times this week, with a long run of about 10 miles on Friday.  Then some cross country skiing this weekend to mix it up.  Avg. 7:22 per mile.

AM  46:16

 Ran the same loop as yesterday.  I felt a little stiff today, but my legs wanted to go!  I had to tell my self to slow down a couple times in the first 2 miles because my breathing was labored. I may ran a few chill miles after work before a storm hits tonight thru tomorrow.  Avg. 7:14 per mile.

 PM  21:54

Stayed pretty warm out, so I swung a few small loops thru the neighborhood.  Strides felt really light and effortless which is always a great feeling!  Avg. 7:26 per mile.

AM

It was supposed to snow this morning and clear up this afternoon, so I'm waiting till after work to go for a run.  Did 60 push-ups, some core including abs, obliques, and lower back, then some squats.  Nothing too difficult, but a nice work out.

1PM  48:19

It cleared up a little after lunch time so I decided better get it while gettin's good.  Ran 2.88 easy around my work and stopped for about 1 minute to shake out my legs.  Did a 2 mile tempo at 6:25 per mile.  The headwinds were nasty at first, but then I got on the other side of the interstate to that blocked the wind.  Ran out of room by the end and ran the last .10 uphill into the wind...at least that was the end of hard effort.  i felt a little winded and unstable, but not too bad.  Ran another 1.78 back to the office.

AM  1:20..and some change

I was going to run easy today, but a storm is forecasted for tonight thru tomorrow, and it seems like each day I wanted to do a long run last month it snowed just enough to make it unenjoyable.  So I took advantage of the calm weather today and did my rest week long run today.  I felt really good this morning, so this wasn't a bad choice at all. 

 I ran for 2.36 miles up and down a frontage road by my house, then did 4 laps of 1.74 miles each thru the neighborhood across from my house.  These are pretty sweet loops, and I'm thinking of doing some tempo work on them.  The first 1/3 is slight downhill to flat, then the second 1/3 is flat and slight uphill right at the end, before turning onto the last 1/3 which is a gradual uphill back to the start.  I then ran 1.36 miles back to my house.  This was a great run because I felt a little fatigued starting out until about mile 4, then I got into a nice rythm, and by mile 10.4 felt like I could easily do another mile or so, but duty calls, and play time was over.  Avg. 7:30 per mile.

AM

 did some stretching, core, and planks.

 PM  34:05

Did some really easy miles after work.   Felt kind of crappy since I didn't really stech out, but I kept the pace super chill.  Av.g 7:45 per miile.

AM 

Went Cross Country skiing today with Lacy.  I fell more than I thought I would.

NOON  1:07:44

Ran the Old Ranch Rd. Loop by my work.  I wanted to run early today, but we got a few inches overnight, so I had to wait for it to melt off.  the first half of this route is pretty hilly and as luck would have it I had to battle headwinds for this section.  Once I got out of the wind I felt pretty good, and was able to keep a pretty decent pace (about 7:00 flat) for the last 3 miles.  Did 2 sets of 30 speed skate drills and skier drills, then did 2 x10 single leg squats at the end of my run.  Avg. 7:31 per mile.

AM  Total run time 56:56

Did some speed work today on the roads by my house.  There's a big shoulder, and a primarily flat section for about 1.25 miles.  So back & forth I went.  Ran 1.10 warm-up, then 2 x 1-mile at half marathon pace with 2:30 rest (splits were 6:18 & 6:23).   I felt a little worn down after the second split, which was most likely from my run yesterday, but I tried for 2 x .50 at 6:00 pace, but this was a bit too daunting a task, so I cut these short to .17 & .30 for each set.  I think this was more mental than physical.  I then was going to do 4 x .25 at 5:30 pace, but I knew this would be too fast, so I slowed these down to keep from total melt down (Splits were 89, 90, 87, 89 with 1:15 rest).  I then ran 1.94 for my cool down. 

AM  46:24

Ran the same loop as I did last week thru the neighborhood across the street.  I felt really good starting out, but the first uphill was kind of difficult, so I slowed the pace down.  Then felt really good thru the rest of the course, including the second uphill.  Weather was 27 degrees, and no wind....perfect day for a run!  Did 2 x 10 running poses and good mornings with an 8lb. vest, and some planks after my run.  Avg. 7:16 per mile.

AM  Total run time 57:03

 Ran in the neighborhood across the street.  I wanted to do a 4 mile tempo on a pretty hilly loop over there, but totally fudged the workout settings on my Garmin.  It's a 1.74 mile loop with a total vertical rise of 140 ft.  I ended up doing 4 x 1 mile intervals with a 2:30 recovery between sets.  I didn't get my exact splits, but I averaged about 6:38 for each mile, so I was pretty happy with that.  After these I did 4 x .15 mile with 1 minute rests inbetween.  Splits were 54, 55, 54, 53, so a little under 6:00 pace.  Then ran 1.5 home.  

 One other thing I did was wear my regular trainers instead of flats.  Even though they were heavier, I felt more stable in them, probably because of the wider toe box.  Maybe I need wider flats?

PM  21:41

Ran thru the hood....it was nice.  Avg. 7:23 per mile.

AM  46:09

Ran thru the neighborhood across the street.  I over dressed a little, but felt pretty decent.  I did 40 push-ups, some core, and legs exercises after my run.  Avg. 7:13 per mile.

 I had a thought today about how to specify my training mileage(i.e. easy, VO2, etc.) and decided I am no longer going to log 'Marathon pace' miles.  Even though I have run marathons, I don't believe that I have the strength or endurance to put in a truly solid performance.  I tend to crash towards the end, and therefore have never really been prepared to keep a consistent pace, therefore how can I have a marathon pace?  Also, I am not currently training for a marathon, so it makes sense to nix this category.  When I start training for another marathon, then I will decide what pace I want to have during the race, and will log those as my 'Marathon pace' miles. 

Overall, my current training for the SLC half has been a breakthru for me.  I'm learning a lot, and am having some of the most enjoyable and fullfilling runs I have ever had!

AM  1:33:43

Wanted to run 12 miles today, and what a great morning for a run....30 degrees and sunshine!  I pretty much just made a bunch of loops thru my neighborhood, city park and lower Main street, and then the hood across the street from my house.  It was a pretty brutal course, with lots of climbing(over 400 vert in the first 6 miles), but I wanted that for good strength training.  After the main climbing part it was steady downhills and flats until mile 9, then it's a good climb for the next mile before turning onto Kearns and taking that down to my house.  I felt like I could have gone farther, but I ditched my water bottle after mile 7 and didn't have any gels or anything, so I decided I had gone far enough.  Avg. 7:33 per mile.

Just stretching today.  Gonna go see Alice in Wonderland at the IMAX in 3D!

Good luck to my buddy Jim.  He's running the Catalina marathon today.  GOOD LUCK JIM!!!

AM  1:08:04

Ran the Old Ranch Rd. loop by my work.  My legs felt really bouncy from having the day off yesterday, so I was rocking Pretty good thru the hills in the first section.  I ran into JP at mile 5.25 and ran a 9:00 mile with him just to chat it up.  I left him at 6.25 and turned it up again until the end.  Did 2 sets of Carioca, Butt-kicks, and High-knees after I was done running.  Av.g 7:31 per mile. 

AM   Total run time 53:06

Did a cut down run at the gym.  Thanks to daylight savings, my 7am runs have gone from 25 degrees and sunny to 10 degrees and dark, so the track sounded more fun today.

Did a mile warm-up and saw a friend, so talked for a little bit, then it was time to get serious.  Did 2 x 1 mile with 3:00 recovery(splits were 6:26 & 6:19), then 2 x .50 with 1:30 recovery(splits were 3:00 & 3:02), then did 4 x .25 with 1:00 recovery(splits were 86, 87, 85, & 84).  I ran a 7:02 mile to cool down, which was a lot faster than it should be for a cool down, but I was feeling good, and pressed for time.

I ran in my racing flats today, and discovered that I feel more stable in these than my tangents, and so I think my mystery is solved.  The toe box on my Tangents are narrower than my regular trainers, which was making me feel off balance.  I feel more comfortable in my flats than my Tangeents, even thought the tow box is the same size, which seems wierd, but the reasoning is my flats are lower to the gournd, eliminating the higher center of gravity produced by the Tangents.  So even though my Tangents are only 2 oz. heavier (9.4 vs. 7.6 for flats) all that weight is cut from eliminating cushoining which makes them higher off the ground.  I think I'm gonna ditch the Tangents.

PM

Did some core along with 4 x 10 dips, and 2 x 10 squats, lunge squats, good mornings, and running pose.

AM  47:15

Ran my loop thru the hood across the street.  I felt a little beat up today, which I think is from not recovering correctly after my track workout yesterday.  I only ate a banana in the hour after my run.  Then I posted my bike on craigslist this morning which cut into my stretch time, so I felt pretty stiff starting out, but over all a good easy day run.  I then did some planks and side planks, bird dog pose, and 1 x 10 single leg squats right after my run.  Avg. 7:22 per mile. 

AM  Total run time 1:04:24

Did a 5 mile tempo thru the neighborhood across the street.  I felt pretty sluggish during my warm-up, so decided to run off of how I felt instead of matching half-marathon pace.  There's also 2 decent climbs of about 100ft each during the course, which definitely slowed me down.  Did a 1.34 mile warm-up, then 5- mile tempo with 5 minute rest afterward (splits were 6:53, 7:03, 6:47, 6:52, and 6:44 for a 6:52 avg.).  I then did 4 x 200 meters with 45 second recovery between sets (splits were 42, 41, 41, 39).  Ran 1.04 to cool down.

AM  46:15

Ran the loop across the street.  I felt kind of sluggish again, probably because I haven't been sleeping well, but after the first few miles things picked up.  I picked up the pace to just over 6:00 per mile for the last 400 meters.  Did some core along with 30 push-ups and 2 x :20 of chair pose.  Avg. 7:15 per mile.

AM  1:45:55

Did a nice long run today.  I looped thru town for 5 miles, and then did an out and back to Home Depot along the frontage roads.  I was trying to keep things relaxed and just cruise.  There's a big hill for 1.5 miles when the course first heads out of town, so the last 1.5 of the run on the way back is uphill.  This is pretty brutal, but I was able to keep good form, so it didn't too bad.  I was was a little sore at the end of my run, but felt like I could have kept going, so I think I'm definitely strong enough to run the half at a decent pace.  Now I just need to bump up the speed training over the next 3 weeks.  Avg. 7:32 per mile.

Just chillin today.  Looking at condos to buy....we'll see.

NOON  1:05:18

What a beautiful day to run!  Ran the Old Ranch loop by my work, and felt pretty good the whole time.  I was a little stiff starting out, and I could tell I was working a little too hard on the hills, but I felt good enough to drop my pace down between 6:40 to 7:00 per mile for the last 2.69 miles.  Did 2 sets of Carioca, Butt-kicks, and Bounding after the run.  Avg. 7:14 per mile.

AM  Total run time 1:07:28

Did a cut down run today a main road outside my house.  It's kinda busy with traffic, but there's really big shoulder's and it's virtually flat, so it's good for speedwork.  I was hoping I culd wear shorts today, but it's still a little too chilly.

Ran 1.04 warm-up and definitely feeling those final miles from yesterday.  Did 2 x 1.25 miles with 3:30 rest between(splits were 7:57, a 6:20 avg., and 8:07, a 6:30 avg.), then 2 x 1 mile with 3:30 rest(splits were 6:26, 6:30), and last was 4 x .25 with 1:30 rest to finish the workout(splits were 86, 85, 86, 86).  Ran .61 back to my house for a cool down.  Overall I'm happy that I hit my half marathon pace for for the long intervals considering I felt pretty sluggish to start out, and ran hard in tights and my regular trainers. 

PM

Did some core with 1 set of running pose , and chair pose

AM  47:47

Did my loop across the street.  We got some wet snow last night, which made conditions pretty icy, so I slowed the pace to keep a sure footing.  Did some core and 30 push-ups after run.  Av.g 7:27 per mile.

AM  Total run time 1:15:36

Did a 7 mile tempo in my racing flats by my house with some 200 meter strides at the end.  Mile 2 and 4 are uphill gaining over 100 ft. of vert, and the last mile drops about 100 ft, everything inbetween is relatively flat.  I did a .95 warm-up, then walked around for about 5 minutes to make sure the blood was moving. Did 7 miles in 47:22 for a 6:46 avg. pace (splits were 6:48, 7:00, 6:46, 7:06, 6:40, 6:39, & 6:23).  I took a 5 minute walk break, then ran for another 5 minutes before doing 4 x 200 meters with 40 second rest (splits were 40, 40, 40, & 39)  Ran .72 for a cool down.  Overall pretty happy with how I felt during the run.

AM 46:19

Ran the loop across the street.  Pretty windy headwinds, but made for nice tailwinds.  Did 30 push-ups, some core and light leg exercises after my run.  Avg. 7:13 per mile.

AM  1:49:14

Ran a few loops thru the neighborhoods.  My legs felt a little tired, so I didn't really push the pace at all.  There's also about 4 good climbs, so I wanted to be able to hold a steady pace up them.  The end of this course was really good because it mimics the end of the SLC half.  The last .8 miles are uphill, then it's 1.1 miles of steady downhill back to my house.  There was a squall of heavy snow and strong winds from miles 6 thru 12, but then it died out.  Avg. 7:29 per mile.

Got a message for really cheap.

NOON  1:05:42

Ran Old Ranch Rd. loop.  I just washed my tights, and they felt really constrictive, so my form felt a little off.  Still pulled a pretty decent time without pushing very hard.  My legs aren't as refreshed as I had hoped they would be after yesterday's message.  Oh well, still a nice day to go for a run.  Did 2 sets of carioca, butt-kicks, and lunges after run.  Avg. 7:16 per mile.

2:30pm  approx. 10:00

Lacy is also running the SLC half, and today is her long run.  I met her at mile 5.9 to give her some water support and we ran together for 1 mile.  She then went on to finish her run solo.  I think she's goin for 10 miles today?  That'll be the farthest run she's done since June of last year!  She looked great when I left her, so I don't think she'll have any problems finishing.

AM  Total run time 1:04:32

Did the same cut down run as last week on the frontage road outside my house in my regular trainers.  I was really sluggish and heavy feeling this morning, which I think is from the message on Saturday?  It was also pretty windy from the west which I think affected my times a little.  Started out with 1.11 mile warm up, then 2 x 1.25 with 2:40 recovery(forgot to write down actual time, but avg. pace per split was 6:21-tailwind & 6:42-headwind).  Next was 2 x 1 mile with 2:40 rest(splits were 6:20-tailwind & 6:34 headwind).  last I did 4 x .25 with 85 rest (splits were 87, 86, 86-all tailwind, & 88-headwind).  Ran .59 cool down.  I tried not to look at my GPS during the workout and just feel out the pace.  I happy that I was this consistent without staring at my watch the whole time.  

PM

Did some yoga stretches and poses.

AM  37:35

Today was one of those days when everything feels wrong.  I felt kind of tired when I woke up, then I had gnarly headwinds right off the start that I battled most of the run, I was also overdressed and pouring sweat, and then at about 35 minutes I had to go #2 really bad.  I think the accumulated efforts of building mileage over the past 3 weeks is taking it's toll, so I'm gonna back off for the next few days.  Hopefully the weather settles out over the next few days so I can do a good tempo on Friday.  Did some core and 60 push-ups after my run.  Av.g 7:24 per mile.

AM  33:46

Decided to take it really easy again today, plus it had snowed about 2 inches and was still coming down super heavy.  did some planks and bird dog poses after run.  Avg. 7:50 per mile.

AM  48:48

It's officially winter again.  Super snowy and slushy conditions, so kept the pace really chill.  I'm feeling more rested after the easier days, and hopefully tomorrow the weather will ease up a bit so I can get do some faster running.  Did some core and light leg exercises after run.  Avg. 7:39 per mile.

AM  1:30:53

 Did my rest week long run today.  I wanted to add in some threshold miles, but we got some more snow over night, so it was a little too slippery to feel comfortable pushing the pace.  Still a pretty nice morning for a run.  I'm feeling better than earlier in the week, which I think was just from being fatigued.  Hopefully I'll feel rejuvenated after I take the next few days off.  Avg. 7:39 per mile.

Squirely tree lines and fresh snow made it a fun day on the mountain today! 

Chillin out today.  Gonna give the legs a full day off and wait for some of these storms to pass thru.

AM  Total workout time 52:30

Really windy outside and snowing pellets, so I ran on a treadmill for the first time this winter and it sucked!  My form felt totally off and I started to feel some shin splints on my right side, so I made it 2.25 miles and decided to go bike for a little bit.  Did 30 minutes on the bike keeping my heart rate around 120, then bumped up to 150 for the last 12 minutes.  Did 2 sets of carioca, butt-kicks, and bounding during my cool down.

PM

Did some core with leg and light shoulder exercises.

AM  Approximate total run time 1:03:00

Still super snowy and unbelievably windy outside, so hit the track today for a ladder workout and it went something like this:

1.5 - warm up, 200 in 41, 400 in 88, 800 in 2:58, 1200 in 4:30, 1600 in 6:12, 1200 in 4:36, 800 in 3:02, then felt a little randy so ran 3 x 400 in 85, 84, 85, then 200 in 33, 1.5 - cool down.  Rests for each set was half the time of the interval.

I'm really happy with how I felt.  I was worried I would feel like total crap since I haven't done any fast running for the past week, and yesterday wasn't really the best.  I could have pushed harder today, but I want to save it for a tempo on Thursday.....weather permitting.

PM  32:06

Ran thru my neighborhood a little while the weather was nice.  Hit a few snowy patches, but overall a nice run.  Avg. 7:25 per mile.

AM

Did 40 push-ups with some planks and side planks.  Gonna wait for the temps to warm up and run during lunch.

NOON  43:19

Ran the frontage roads by my work.  there's a few big hills, but mainly just gradual climbs and descents.  I felt kind of beat up from yesterday, and my breathing was a little labored, but my legs wanted to go, so I went with it.  stopped by subway at 5.72 miles, got a sandwich, then ran .34 back to my office.  Prefect weather for running!  Avg. 7:19 per mile.

Here it is....I was too busy to run today.  Lamest excuse ever.......

AM

Did some core this morning.  I feel like a total slouch after not running yesterday, and had a pretty big dinner.

1PM  Total run time 1:11:22

Did a tempo during the day because I wanted to wear shorts.  I was pretty warm, but HOLY WINDS!  Good thing I was ready for a hard effort or this would have been just brutal.  I did a 2.05 warm-up, which was mostly uphill, then shook my legs out for about 5 minutes.  I then did a 6 mile tempo.  The course was slight downhill and flat for the first 2.5, then turns into hills for about 1.5, then turns into flat to slight downhill for the last 2 miles.  I had about 15 to 20 mph headwinds from mile 2.5 thru the rest of the run.  I was able to avg. 6:51 per mile though, so I am super happy about that!  Splits were 6:28, 6:41, 6:57, 6:55, 7:04, and 6:58.  Ran a 1.84 back to the office for a cool down.

AM  1:07:21

Dis an out and back on the frontage roads by my house.  Still nasty headwinds after the turn around and the whole way back, which has a few rough climbs.  This was a little harder than I wanted it to be.  Avg. 7:24 per mile.

PM  31:45

Ran thru the neighborhood across the street.  Winds dies down a little, so this was a nice cruiser.  Avg. 7:14 per mile.

No running today.  Feel a little fatigued from the past 2 days.

AM  44:14

Felt really stiff when I woke up today, plus it is still windy outside.  It felt like I had headwinds every direction I turned and pretty much felt like crap the whole time.  Did 2 sets of carioca, high-knees, and bounding after the run.  Avg. 7:19 per mile.

PM

Did some core exercises.

AM  Total run time 55:32

Did a cut down at the gym today.  I felt kind of winded to start out, and I felt like I was giving more effort than I should have to to maintain those speeds.  Things started to feel better the more I ran, so maybe I just had to get things moving.

 Did 1.25 warm-up then ran 1.37 in 8:50(about 6:30 pace.  This was supposed to be 1.25 miles, but I lost count and ran an extra lap..oops!), 1 mile in 6:15, .75 in 4:35 (about 6:05 pace), .50 in 2:58, .25 in 1:24, and .12 in :35.  I then did 2 x 60 meters at :08 each.  ran 1.25 cool down.

 I read an article in the latest Running Times talking about all out sprinting, which is what gave me the idea to run the last 2 x 60 meters.  I am definitley going to incorporate some of this type of running in my summer workouts and see if it will truly help develop my speed.

AM  16:56

AM  34:28

Well this is it.  My last run before the half this Saturday.  I feel pretty good and didn't check my pace or time my entire run, until I did a fast quarter mile at the end.  Last quarter was in 84.  Did some light core and leg exercises after my run.  Avg. 7:11 per mile. 

Stretching today, burrito dinner tonight, and racing tomorrow!

AM  Total run time 2:15-ish

Got off to kind of a late start today.  Lacy ran the race today too and this was her first half!  My warm-up run consisted of running from the parking lot to the Trax, then from the Trax to a tree so Lacy and I could pee, then from the tree to the start.  Lacy was going to wait for the crowd to spread out, so she dropped off the gear bag.  Lacy asked to run with my Garmin today, so I was wearing my regular watch, which tracks splits during the run, but doesn't log them. I missed a bunch of mile markers, so my report is kind of amateur.

The gun went off and I felt great!  My rythm felt smooth and breathing was controlled.  My 3 mile split was 18:28(6:09 average)  My breathing started to get a little labored by around mile 5, so I backed off a little, but was trying to keep a strong stride.  I was having a real problem getting any water in my mouth at the aid stations thruout the race, and at mile 8.5(the aid station on 1700 South) I actually dropped the cup!  I wasn't about to turn around and get it, so I hammered on seriously wanting some liquid refreshment.  Coming into Liberty park my legs were seizing a little and I just wanted a drink super bad.  Mile 10 split was 1:04:14(about 6:25 average, and a 10 mile PR for me : ) )  I finally had relief at the next 2 aid stations and knew the end was near.  The hill up to South Temple was brutal, and my legs were pretty jello going up it, but after turning onto South Temple it was all systems go.  I tried to open my stride as much as possible, and at the turn onto 200 East I kicked until the end.  Today was a great day, and this is a huge PR for me.  I think the main reason this race was so good is not only my PR, but I felt like I was really running, and not just trying to hang on until the end. 

I hung out for about 10 minutes and then went back out to get Lacy.  She came in at 2:01:16, just 1:16 over her projected time.  She looked great and I know she's just gonna get better and better.

Resting today.  I feel pretty good.

Rest day #2.  Legs feel a little more stiff today.  May try a few easy miles tomorrow....very easy.

AM

Just stretching this morning.  Calves are still a little sore.  Some of the dirt trails are drying up, so I may check them out for a few miles after work. 

PM  28:43

Ran the Rail Trail with Lacy.  She had to stop and stretch her hamstring a few times because it's pretty tight from the race.  I told her she should do some light non-impact exercises the rest of this week, and try running next week.  Avg. 11:15 per mile.

AM  30:51

Ran the Rail Trail to Round Valley, but trails there are still muddy.  I felt a little stiff and fatigued from the race, but not too bad.  Did planks, side planks, 30 push-ups, and 2 sets of chair pose and squats after run.  Avg. 7:33 per mile.

AM

It's winter again today and since I'm takin it easy this week, I didn't go for a run.  Did some core along with 60 dips(I use my door gym and leave my feet on the floor), and lots of different leg exercises.

AM

Cold, wet, and rainy/snowy/somthing wet falling from the sky?  Uninspired to run today so I did a decent workout at home.  Ran in place for 10 minutes with some high-knees and butt-kicks, then did 2 sets of jumping jacks, jumping lunges, skier hops(I'm not really sure what they're called), speed skater, and jump squats @ 1 minute intervals.  I went thru the 1st set, then ran in place for 2 minutes did planks, side planks, 40 push-ups, and bird dog pose, then finished the second set.  I was sweating by the end.

AM  31:14

I'm a little sore from yesterday, so just a little binger today.  I updated my blog with my previosu miles for the year form my calendar, so now my mileage is up to date for the year.  Avg. 7:28 per mile

Calves are really sore today.  Went for a 30 minute walk.

AM  47:07

Ran up Kearns to the start of the Rail Trail, then out and back.  I felt pretty stiff legged and my legs were super sore afterwards.  I ran clod water on them for about 3 minutes in the shower.  Hopefully that does the trick.  Did some core after run.  Avg. 7:28 per mile.

AM  Total run time 49:10

Did some speedwork at the track today.  This is the fastest I've ran since the race a week ago and it felt pretty good.  Ran a 2 mile warm-up, then 12 x 200 @ 5:20 pace with recovery of the same time as the interval (splits were 42, 41, 39, 40, 40, 40, 39, 40, 40, 39, 40, 37)  I picked it up for the last 60 meters on the last lap.  Ran a 2 mile cool-down with 2 sets of carioca, butt-kicks, and no-arm running.

PM  28:13

Holy wind!!  I wanted just an easy run, but turned into a battle of life and death!  Avg. 7:41 per mile

AM

Winter just doesn't want to quit, so I'm waiting until this evening to see if at least the winds will die down.  Did 40 push-ups, core, and 2 sets of 15 lunges, hamstring curls, and running pose.

PM  40:40

The winds died and snow stopped, so it was perfect conditions for a run.  I felt pretty stiff the entire time I think due to my leg exercises this morning.  Avg. 7:27 per mile.

AM  total run time approx. 54:00

Snowed 3 inches last night so hit the gym for some chill intervals.  I felt pretty lazy for each, which I'm attributing to dual workouts over the past few days coming off of hardly anything last week.  I've been doing speedwork in my trainers for more cushion, and they have more room.  I'll probably do a run in my flats next week.  Ran 1.5 warm-up, then 6 x 800 with 2 minute recovery (splits were 3:04, 3:03, 3:02, 3:01, 3:02, and 3:02), ran 1.5 cool-down.

AM  32:31

Just a sort run today.  My legs are feeling pretty good so pace was peppy.  Avg. 7:15 per mile.

AM  1:14:18

Ran the Kilby frontage road by my work.  It's got some decent hills, and since I did an out and back I got to hit them all twice.  It was also pretty windy on the way out which made for a nice tail wind on my way back.  I tried to keep a good pace up the hills for some extra strength training.  Avg. 7:20 per mile.

I woke up today with a knot on the inside of my left leg.  Not quite in the groin area, but pretty close to it.  I rubbed some Wintercrest on it and I'm gonna rest for the day.  Hopefully will be ok tomorrow.

AM  58:41

My leg felt good when I woke up.  I did some stretching and started my run a little slow, but after a quarter mile everything felt fine, so I ran like normal.  It was a little sore after the run so I iced.  gonna keep watching it.  Avg. 7:23 per mile.

AM  Total run time 1:03:47

Windy and rainy today so I took my speed workout to the gym.  My leg feels fine now, but I don't want to take a chance so kept the speed very manageable for the distance. 

2 mile warm-up, then 12 x 400 with 100 recovery.  Recovery time was the same as the interval time.  Splits were 88, 88, 87, 87, 86, 87, 87, 86, 88, 87, 86, 87.  Ran a 2 mile cool down.

PM

Did some planks, side planks, running, and chair pose.

AM  54:30

Felt pretty crappy today, inner left leg was sore starting out, and both legs felt heavy the entire run.  At least it wasn't windy!  Did some core and light leg exercises after run.  Avg. 7:37 per mile

AM  35:29

Went down to check out the Round Valley trails today and they're dry, HOORAY!  These are my favorite trails to run because they have a more of a XC feel than aggressive steeps and decents like most of the other trails in town.  Those are better for biking. : )  It's still really windy out and I felt a little fatigued, so just did a short one today.  Did 40 push-ups with the door gym, core, and 2 sets of 15 good mornings and squats after run.  Avg. 7:22 per mile.

NOON 

I bought some XC shoes for sprints in the grass.  They're super light and the flexion plate on the bottom is really tough, so I don't even feel the rocks on the dirt trail.  They are super narrow at mid-foot which is kind of weird, but it puts me up on my toes more which I think will help my form and make me stronger.  I ran my warm-up and cool-down in them too. 

Ran up to Willow Creek, then did 5 x sets of 5 seconds all out, then 10 seconds trying to keep my stride strong, but relaxed.  Felt really good and it was beautiful outside!

Moving to my new place in Midway!

Wow, my arms and shoulders took a beating from the move yesterday.  Chillin today.

Slackin again today.  Work is super busy, and lots to do at both places to finish the move.  Will check out my new surroundings tomorrow morning before work.  I also just signed up for Utah's Toughest 10k since the course is pretty much my backyard now! 

AM  32:27

First run at the new place was a success!  I just went down 100S to 40 and back.  Didn't have much time before I had to go to work.  Seems like there will be a lot of cool soute options, and there's tons of grass parks and soccer fields for repeats.  I think I'm gonna like it here.  Did some core after my run.  Avg. 7:24 per mile.

AM  46:12

Good run today.  I'm finding some new terrain in my new town, but have tons to explore!  The lower elevation of Midway allowed me to stay below the snow line of last night's storm.  A run in Park City this morning would have had about an inch of snow on the ground!  Did 4 strides during the middle miles.  Did 40 push-ups, planks, side-planks, bird-dog, and running pose after my run.  Avg. 7:20 per mile.

AM  1:00:49

Run an out and back by Wasatch State Park with a nice loop around some wetlands.  Perfect conditions out today!  Decided to tackle Memorial hill on the way back.  Not the hard climb I had anticipated, but slowed me down a little.  I felt good on the way down and knew it was a little over a mile from the bottom to my house, so I let the terrain guide my pace and added some kick.  Did the last 2.17 miles at 6:45 pace.  Did 15 over hand pull-ups, some core and light hamstring exercises after the run.  Avg. 7:14 per mile for entire run.

AM  34:26

Pressed for time because of a meeting at work.  Did 15 under hand pull-ups, core, and 20 lunges after run.  Ran 4.71 miles, avg. 7:19 per mile.

PM  42:40

Ran an out and back on a dirt trail by my work with a loop around some soccer fields in the middle.  Did 2 x half mile intervals at the 3.20 mark with a 1:20 rest between.  Splits were .51 miles in 3:07(6:11 avg.) and .49 miles in 3:01(6:08 avg.).  Total run was 5.81 miles, avg. 7:21 per mile.

Taking care of house stuff today.  Did a long stretch n the morning.

AM  1:10:34

Ran 1.19 in 19:10(av.g 10:02 per mile) around the new neighborhood with Lacy.  She's had some leg pain so took it a little easier than normal.  I dropped heroff at River Rd. and continued up to Wasatch State Park and back to my house for another 6.98 in 51:24(avg. 7:22 per mile).  Did 40 push-ups, planks, side planks, light lower back, and light quad exercises after run.

AM  Total run time 53:13

Did a slow 1.44 to get things moving, then 2 all out sprints of about 8 seconds each.  After the second sprint I went right into the rest of my easy run of about 5.82 miles.  Did a couple big climbs and picked up the pace for roughly the last 2 miles.  Not sure of the pacing, but it felt pretty fast. Did some light coure and legs after my run.  Avg. 7:10 per mile for the 5.82 miles. 

AM  56:03

Did some sprints at the soccer fields to get my turnover movin.  After warm-up, did 2 sets of 8 x just over 100 meters.  Each sprint was at 18 to 20 seconds, so about 4:40 to 4:55 per mile pace.  I did a mile run in the middle of the 2 sets, then a cool-down back to the house. 

AM  1:09:00

Did a longer chill run today.  My lower back feels a little tweaked from yesterdays hard effort, so I tried to keep the pace nice and steady.  Avg.  7:22 per mile.

AM

Gonna do a run later today.  This will be my last run before the race this weekend, and I didn't want a full 48 hours between this run and the race.  Did some core, 30 push-ups with the door gym, and 2 sets of 10 good mornings, lunges, dead lift, deep squats, and a chair pose/lateral row type thing.

PM  37:56

Did an easy run on a newly discovered dirt road by my house.  The wind was pretty rough, but nice scenery. Avg. 7:36 per mile.

Stretching and chilling today.  My inner thighs are a little worked from all the squat variations yesterday, but I should feel good for tomorrow.

AM

Ran the PCEF relay with some people from my work.  We were an open male team for Backcountry.com.  Everyone is in pretty good shape(runners, triathletes, mountain bikers) so we figured we could place in the top 5 at least....depending on who showed up of course.  Lacy was also recruited onto team "The 4th R".  I think she was the fastest on her team, but she didn't wear a watch, so not sure of her pace.  Not sure how they placed either.  This was hrist time running hard since Arpil and she looked great.  I know she's gonna be in awesome shape by the ned of the summer!

Woke up to snow and 35 degree temps along with semi sore legs from my workout on Thursday.  Good news is the weather cleared up and warmed p for most of the race, and my leg soreness didn't seem to affect me very much.  

We started out great and were pacing about 6:20 per mile in the first 6 miles, but then we started to hit the nasty climbs.  The first 1.20 miles of my run climbed about 480 feet and switch backed up out of the Utah Olympic Park.  The next 2 miles were a screaming decent of 700 feet.  I would have hit my lap button for splits, but I was delirious upon reaching the top.  The pace on my Garmin consistently read 5:20 to 5:40 on this part, which was an awesome feeling.  My shins are gonna feel it in the morning!

 Everyone was charging and looking good to my next leg.  A storm started to move in now and when i got the handoff for my last leg there were really strong headwinds.  My second leg was flat for the first mile, and I rocked a 6:00 flat time, super stoked!  After that was 1.5 miles of crazy up hill(500 foot vert) into the wind and part of the climb was on a utility road that wasn't the greatest surface for road flats.  Then was 3.5 miles of cruiser down hill on trail, with the last mile on paved trail.  This would have been great, but I got a horrible cramp towards the end of the climb, and was just trying to get it under control for the first 5 minutes of the decent.  Plus the winds were kickin and it was a head on battle till the end of the leg.  I felt super slow during this and was getting bummed, but I just kept thinking that everybody else is dealing with the same thing.

We were passed by one team around the halfway point, but they were in the mixed group, so not in our division.  They had 2 recreational runners, 2 decently fast, and 1 amazingly fast guy.  He ran 3 legs in a row totaling about 15 miles.  I got to speak with him before my second leg started and his GPS read an average 5:40 pace.  This dude was quick!  We were also being chased down by the Wasatch High School track team who started 5 minutes after us.  We were able to fend them off during the race, but their total time was 3 minutes faster than us, so they took first in our division.  

Overall it was a fun day and felt great to race!

AM  30:33

Went for a chiller today to keep things moving.  My quads really took a beating form the downhill yesterday, but will hopefully feel better tomorrow.  Avg. 7:43 per mile.

Quads and calves are super sore today, so no running.  Did a lot of stretching with some planks, side planks, and bird dog pose.

AM  Bike 40:00

My legs still feel pretty damaged today so did some cross training on the stationary bike.  Did 60 dips along with some core exercises before spinning.  Kept my heart rate around 132 to 144 for the 40 minutes.

Am  44:55

Ran a new loop thru the neighborhoods.  Felt pretty good, but my shins and calves still need some mending.  Did 15 over-hand and 15 neutral pull-ups, and some core after my run.  Avg. 7:11 per mile.

AM  56:58

Did 7 x 30 second strides in the middle of the run today to try and get the legs bouncing before Saturday.  Kept the pace hard, but tried to stay as relaxed as possible.  Did 3 sets of 15 good mornings and chair pose/lateral row.  Avg. 7:28 for the run.

PM  27:08

Ran Willow Creek after work to get in some miles.  3.8 miles easy.

AM  31:33

Did an easy run today, but felt really fatigued.  I think it's mainly life stresses gettin to me.  Did 2 set of carioca, high-knees, butt-kicks, and bounding after run.  Avg. 7:24 per mile.

AM

 Ran a local race in Midway today, just a few miles from my house.  I'm still feeling kind of beat up from the race last week, so didn't push super hard.  A big group of like 40 people went out swinging at the gun, but there was only about 10 left after the first .5 miles which is uphill.  I tried to stay relaxed and controlled which worked for the most part.  Fun low key race and the weather was beautiful!

AM  road bike 14 miles, time 1:06:00 = 3.75 recovery miles

Biked around Midway trying to find new running routes.  found a potential hilly tempo run, and some single track that needs some more exploring. 

AM  58:35

Explored the Dutch Hollow trail system today.  There's lots of turn offs and loops and great views of the Heber Valley.  Plus the weather was perfect!  This will be a cool place for chill trail runs with options for some decent climbs and fast downhills.  It reminded me a lot of the Round Vally trails in Park City.  Did 2 sets of carioca, butt-kicks- high-knees, and squat jumps after run.  Avg. 8:59 per mile.

PM

Did 40 push-ups, planks, side-planks, and bird-dog.

AM  total run time 1:05:25

Ran some track this morning.  1.5 mile warm-up, then did 4 x 4 x 400 with 45 seconds between each repeat and 2:30 between each set.  Kept splits right around 88 seconds per lap, had about 5/87's and 2/89's.  Got ancy for the final lap and did that in 76.  Ran 1.75 mile cool-down with some drills mixed in.  Did 2 sets of no arms running, carioca, butt-kicks, power skips, and box jumps during my cool down. 

AM  45:46

AM  58:40

Ran a new section of paved trails thru a neighborhood down the street.  Lots of exploring still to do over there.  I wanted to throw in some tempo miles, but wasn't felling it, so just cruised.  I'm surprised of the pace considering how I felt.  Avg. 7:16 per mile.

Driving to Washington.

Made it to Washington.  It's a little too humid, but nice to be by the ocean.

Was going to stay in BC for a few days, but plans have changed so back on the road.

Stayed in Oregon last night, so driving all day to get home.

Made it in @ 1am last night.  Tired and busy at work.  

AM

Planks, side-planks, and bird-dog.

PM  1:02:27

Ran Glenwild trails after work.  Just wanted to get things moving after not running for FIVE DAYS!  That's the longest I have gone in a while, but it's good to take a break.  Climbed 1,000 ft in the first 3 miles and avg. 8:22 per mile for the run.  Played some softball later on which equaled about a mile of running.

AM  48:19

Ran down to the soccer fields for some turnover practice.  Did 8 X approx. 100 meters.  The grass was a little slippery, but was able to keep the pace around 5:15.  Avg. 7:56 per mile for the entire run.

AM  Stoationary bike for 30:00 = 2 easy miles.

Really sore quads and hip flexors today.  Must be from 2 days of decent workouts after 5 days of hardly any activity.  Did some core with my stretching and then spun the stationary bike to get the blood movin.

Spent most of the day looking for couches and checking out dogs.  We may be rescuing a Brittany and should know if we can get him Monday!

AM  37:17

AM  52:05

Felt pretty stiff today, but things are coming back after the down time last week.  Did 6 x 1:00 strides in the middle miles of my run.  Pace was around 5:45 for each interval.  Avg. 7:30 per mile for entire run.

AM

Lacy and I took the new addition to the family out this morning.  He's a 4 year old Brittany we got from the American Brittany Rescue and we named him Griffin.  He's a little over weight, so today was a test to see how fit he is and he did great!  Did planks, side-planks, and 21 push-ups, then we did a 2.75 mile loop around the house and he didn't pull or want to stop very much.  The pace definitely slowed by the end which was expected.  I think he'll shed the pounds quick and be trail ready in no time!  I went back out for another 2.5 miles at a very chill pace.  No watch today.

AM  total run time 40:58

Took Griffin out for 1.24 miles avg. 9:30 pace.  I'm not gonna include this in my run average because I'm not really trying, just getting the blood moving.  Then went back out for 4.07 on my own with a .14 mile pick-up  at the end.  Did some core after the run.  Avg. 7:10 per mile.

Just stretching today to get ready for RAGNAR tomorrow!  I'm runner# 10!

Pretty tired and so much happens during this event, so will keep it simple since I really just want to log my miles.

AM

Went out for 1.62 to get the blood movin.  I'm in Van 2 for team Chainlove.com and we wont actually start our part of the course until 6:30 pm.

PM  Leg 10  24:07

Leg 10 is a flat 3.6 miles around Pineview resevoir.  Lacy was on another team this year and I let her borrow my Garmin since this is sort of a low key event for me.  Just a good time with friends and co-workers.  So I ran with a regular watch to track my total time.  No splits because they only put up a mile marker when there's one mile of your section left to run.  I started out really fast, but felt strong so went with it.  Then got some headwinds, and felt pretty crappy around mile 2 till the finish.  I passed about 10 teams and battled with a young track guy with less than .25 miles to go, but he out kicked me at the end.  Avg. 6:42 per mile for the leg.

AM  Leg 22  53:30

Leg 22 is a 7.7 mile section of rolling hills that climbs about 550 feet in elevation.  I felt pretty fatigued from lack of sleep and driving the van all night.  This race really takes a toll on your nervous system, but is so fun!  I warmed up after a few miles in to it, and then just concentrated on running as efficiently as possible.  I passed a ton of people and was passed by one guy in the beginning that I was not willing to chase down.  Avg. 6:57 per mile.

PM  Leg 34  41:23

The RAGNAR as Leg 34 is affectionately named is a 4 mile climb up a dirt road from Midway to the top of Deer Valley in Park City.  This section gains over 1,600 feet in elevation, averaging over 400 feet of vertical per mile!  I've never ran up this thing before and have much respect for it now that I have.  I hiked for about 1 minute up 3 separate hills because they were SO steep it seemed just as fast as running, and it didn't take as much of a toll on my cardio.  Passed about 15 people on this leg.  Much respect for this part of the course.....  Avg. 10:21 per mile.

Lazy day hanging out with my girl and our dog.

Feel pretty tired again today so just stretching.  Will probably do a few very slow miles tomorrow.

AM  total run time 40:21

Feeling a lot better today, so took Griffin for a 2.07 chiller.  Dropped him off at home, then went for 3.19 on my own, avg. 7:07 per mile.   Did 2 x 6 forward and reverse lunges, 2 x 5 deep squats, planks, side-planks, and 40 push-ups before my run.

AM  total run time 51:56

Took Griffin for 2.08 warm-up.  Then went 4.34 miles solo with 9 x 30 second strides thrown in.

AM  total run time 42:08

Did 2 x 6 forward and reverse lunges, and deep squats along with some light core.  Then took Griffin for 1.43 mile trail run.  Dropped him off and did 4.04 with a .22 mile pick-up at the end.  Did 40 push-ups with the door gym, 200 sit-ups,and 40 reverse sit-ups after run.  Avg. 7:02 per mile.

Since I'm already adding a different dynamic to my daily runs(the warm-ups with Griffin), I figured I may as well try some other new tactics, so I am going to do some leg exercises before my easy runs. 

Also, the new Running Times has a great article on running efficiency that I've been putting into practice over the past couple days, and I think it is working.  My easy run pace is at least 10 seconds faster than it has been since consciously thinking about these cues.  This may be because I am warming up better, or I'm subconsciously more stimulated after reading the article...I'm not really sure.  I guess I'll just have to wait to see if it is actually working.

AM  total run time  48:45

Took Griffin out for 2.68 miles.  The goal was to run a fast mile after my warm-up, but ended up running about .50 miles at sub-7:00 pace before starting it, which definitely fatigued me a bit.  So ended up doing .71 miles in 4:25(6:13 pace), then went back to easy pace.  I think I'm still feeling it from the relay this last weekend too. Avg. 7:08 for 3.56.

AM  1:04:10

Ran the round Valley trails for the first time the year and it was AWESOME!  These trails are a combination of single track and utility roads and there's all kinds of great climbs and descents.  What I like most about Round Valley compared to other trail systems in Park City is they have a much more cross country feel, than just big steeps.  Plus the views are spectacular! Avg. 8:04 per mile.

1:30 PM

2 x 10 deep squats, 40 push-ups, planks and side-planks.

Noon  Mountain Bike 16.33 miles in 1:59:41 = 6 miles easy

I feel more like after a 10 mile run than 6, but I think some of it may be from the sun.  I just got new tires for my bike and they rocked it!

AM  33.53

Took it really easy today after yesterday's ride.  Did planks, side-planks, 40 push-ups, 2 x 6 forward and reverse lunges, and 2 x 10 deep squats before my run.  Decided Griffin was ready to tackle Memorial Hill after not running for the past 3 days and he did great!  He slowed a bit in the last 1.5 miles, but still kept up with me.  Beautiful morning for a run!  Avg. 8:08 per mile.

AM  Total run time  1:01:01

Took Griffin out on the trail by Provo river for 1.58, then did 12 x :30 second strides pretty much all out with full recoveries.  I was trying to get my turnover moving as fast as I could.  Did 2 sets of carioca, butt-kicks, 2 x 10 jump squats and single-leg squats after my run.

AM  Total run time  50:54

Did some core, then 2 x 6 forward & reverse lunges, then 2 x 10 deep squats holding a 10 lb. weight.  Then took Griffin out for a 2.46 chiller.  Next I did 4.03 in 29:23, avg. 7:17 per mile.  Did 2 x 5 neutral and under hand pull-ups after my run.

My hamstrings felt pretty worked today.  It's amazing how much of  a toll a few 30 second bursts of speed can take on the body.

AM  Total run time  50:23

Did some speedwork on the dirt trails at Willow Creek today.  It was super windy, so I did my rest periods into the wind and sprints with the wind.  this is kind of cheating, but my hamstrings were still pretty sore today, so I was just glad to be running fast.  

Ran 1.20 wamr-up, then 4 x 800 with 2 minute rest. Splits were 3:00(this had a slight uphill over the last .05), 3:04(this had .12 mile of uphill), 2:54(slight dowmhill), 2:55(flat), then did 4 x 400 with 82 second recoveries.  Splits were 82, 84, 85, and 84 all on a pretty flat grade.  It was super windy during my cool down, so I did 3 sets of running backwards.

AM  total run time 46:24

Did planks, side-planks and 40 push-ups along with 2 x 6 forward and reverse lunges, and 2 x 6 deep squats before my run.  Then too Griffin for a 1.67 chiller.  Dropped Griffin off and did 4.4 in 31:52 for avg. 7:08 per mile. 

PM  Mtn. biking 12.57 miles in 1:23:38 = 4.25 miles

All over the Prospector and Solamere trails in Park City.  Fun ride and saw the sunset from a mountain top! 

Easy day today.  Took Griffin on a little hike at Dutch, then grilled up some food and watched the fireworks.  It was a good day.  : )

NOON  59:12

Did some core then 2 x 6 forward and reverse lunges, 2 x 10 deep squats with 10 lb weight, and 40 dips before going to Dutch Hollow for a trail run.  I tried to find some decent climbs and ended up getting a total of 981 feet of vert by the end.  I'm starting to figure out some loops, so hopefully next time I won't have to stop at all the intersections to look at the trail signs.  Lots of birds out today and saw 2 huge badgers!  Avg. 8:14 per mile.

AM  Total run time 1:00:04

Did a very unstructured interval session today at Soldier Hollow.  I wanted to run some of the trails there to see what I'm getting into for the 10k in 4 weeks and to my dismay found that a lot of the trails are paved.  Not sure if the course is gonna be on these so am e-mailing the race director to find out.  Turned into a pretty fun run once I got on the single track. 

Ran a 1.51 mile warm-up, then did 15 repeats of .10 to .21 miles each with about :45 second to 1:30 rests.  The intervals were up, down and all around as far as terrain go, which I figured is good training since that's how the race course will be, plus it was fun to run in my XC flats.  I'm starting to love running in these shoes more and more!  Ran 1.61 mile cool down, then did 2 sets of carioca, butt-kicks, high-knees, and speed skater along with 2 x 6 running pose after my run.

PM  22:18

Lacy & I took Griffin on a little binger.  Pretty warm out even at 6:30pm. 

AM

Rushin this morning so gonna run later.  Did some core, 2 x 6 forward and reverse lunges, 2 x 10 deep squats with 10lb. weight, 2 x 15 chair pose lateral row and good mornings, 220 sit-ups, and 5 x 10 push-ups.

NOON  39:01

Ran the Willow Creek trail.  A bit windy, but it kept me cool.  : )  Avg. 7:15 per mile.

AM  Total run time  1:06:41

Took Griffin out for 2.51 warm-up.  I've gotta start working more on his pacing because he is going out way too fast.  He keeps up thru the run, but definitely struggles for the last .75 miles.  Did a cut-down run on the Provo river trail after dropping him off.  It was pretty windy which made it a little harder than I had expected.  Did 2 x 1 miles(splits were 6:14 & 6:18), then 2 x .50 miles(splits were 3:03 % 3:04), then 4 x .25(splits were 87, 87, 91, & 85).  Did .97 cool-down.

Unplanned rest day today.  i felt something tweak in my neck and shoulder blades yesterday towards the end of my run and today it's sore enough that I can't turn my head without it hurting.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Another rest day.  Still feeling sore, and leaving for Cape Cod tonight. 

Overnight flight into Boston and running around picking up family.  No time for a workout.

AM  41:36

Felt great today!  Very humid though.  Avg. 7:08 per mile.

AM  44:14

Ran .34 with Lacy, then ran the rail trail.  Very humid again today, but feel good.  Avg. 7:17 per mile.

PM  Bike 6 miles = 1 easy mile

Went on a very chill ride with the family on Martha's Vineyard, just taking in the scenery.

AM  47:33

Ran 4 sets of 4 intervals of 400 meters on a local dirt track.  Was pretty fun, but very hot out, so I kept my splits around 88 seconds with 45 second rests.

AM  25:27

Ran to a local bakery with Lacy, my brother, and his wife for breakfast before hitting the beach.  Really chill social run.

Traveled all day to get home.

AM 

Slept n a little this morning so will run later.  Did planks, side-planks, 20 push-ups, 2 sets of deep squats, brid dog, and running pose.

PM  43:48

  Took Griffin out for 1.57, then ran to the top of Memorial hill and back.  My stomach was a little sick from the chips and guacamole I ate before I ran, but it was worth it.  Ran 4.23 miles avg. 7:12 per mile for my solo run.

AM  53:18

Ran around Wasatch State park today.  It was a little warm out, and my legs were tired from yesterday, so tried to just relax and enjoy the run.  I ended up getting nipped by a dog about 2 miles from my house.  It didn't hurt really, but when I got home noticed I was bleeding, so got a tetnus shot just to be on the safe side.  Avg. 7:17 per mile.

PM  Mountain Biking  1:21:08  13.97 miles = 4 miles easy

Road biked to Dutch Hollow and spun a few laps there.  The terrain is better suited for running, but it was still fun.  Really warm out.  Climbed Memorial Hill on my way back home.

AM

 Planks, side-planks, and other core exercises.  Chilling at the lake this afternoon which is gonna make for a nice rest day.  : )

AM  Total run time  1:03:46

Ran Griffin for 1.61.  Felt really sluggish, maybe too much sun yesterday?  Wanted to do a cut-down run of 2 x1 mile, then some 800's and 400's, but after the second mile just didn;t have the strength or motivation, so turned it in to a really easy paced run.  Did the 2 x 1 miles in 6:12 & 6:13 with a 3 minute rest in the middle.  Gonna do a very easy pace tomorrow as well.

AM  total run time  46:20

Took Griffin for 2.5 miles.  He was super excited this morning, so we went a little farther than usual.  Went back out for 3.51 miles, avg. 7:18 per mile.

Did some planks, side-planks, bird-dog, and some core before heading out.  I'm gonna cut down on the strength training over the next 2 weeks in an attempt to freshen up the legs before the 10k on 7/31.

AM  47:33

Ran sort of a fartlek today.  Starting at 3.6 miles did 4 x 1:00 minute hard with 1:00 minute rest.  I did a hard interval pace for the first 50 seconds, then tried to push all out for the last 10 seconds.  It was fun and got the legs moving.  Avg. 7:21 per mile.

PM

Wanted to bike after work, but the rain was off and on, so did a great 25 minute workout at home.  I jogged in place for about 7 minutes with some high-knees thrown in, then did a bunch of plyometrics and upper body followed by some core.  I was sweatin by the end.

AM  33:13

Did some core then took Griffin for his "long run".  He was thirsty by the end, but help up great...with the exception of about 20 bathroom breaks.

AM  total run time  1:10:03

Felt really sore today, but once I stretched a little and got moving I felt very relaxed and strong.  I think this is form my PM workout on Wednesday.  Took Griffin out for 1.71 warm-up, then did 7.41 miles solo avg. 7:18 per mile.

AM  total run time  1:09:25

No coffee this morning...AAHHH!  Ran 2.38 to the store with Griffin to get some.  Made some brew when i got home and did some planks, side-planks, and light core exercises before heading to Round Valley.  Ran 6.53 at Round Valley, mainly staying on the nordic trails, but jumped on some singletrack just for fun.  I was feeling pretty good and the terrain I was on is similar to the race next weekend, plus I was in the shoes I'm gonna race in, so decided to do a hilly tempo mile.  Did 1.02 in 6:25 (6:18 pace) and was very suprised how easy it felt.  Gotta love days like this!  Avg. 7:24 per mile.

PM  Road bike  1:06:39 for 9.06 miles = 2.25 easy miles.

Did a cruiser thru town and Wasatch State Park with my girl.

AM  total run time  52:42

Did some core before heading out.  Took Griffin for 1.65 miles, then did 5.50 avg. 7:17 per mile.  

AM  51:07

Ran at Willow Creek trails this morning for my last speed workout before Saturday.  I wanted to get the legs ready to run fast uphill, and then faster downhill, so ran a ladder workout all with the first interval going uphill, and then the second interval going down.  Grade is about 1% to 1.5%, so not as dramatic as Soldier Hollow will be, but speed was the main goal today.  Ran based on time and pace.  2 x 1:00 (5:48 up, 5:32 down), 2 x 2:00 (6:09 up, 5:45 down), 2 x 3:00 (6:21 up, 5:54 down), 2 x 2:00 (6:20 up, 5:58 down), 2 x 1:00 (5:56 up, 5:39 down) with 1:00 minute recovery between each interval.  I then did 2 x 10 second all out sprints before a .81 mile cool-down.  Beautiful morning to run in the mountains! 

AM  13:34

Easin back a bit for the next few days.  Took Griffin out for a little stroll, then did some core with plyometrics and upper body.

AM  31:02

Did a cruiser to keep the blood movin.  I have a little calf soreness in my left calf, probably form yesterday's workout.  Hopefully this will go away by Saturday.  Avg. 7:23 per mile.

Just some stretching this morning.  Helped a friend move last night, but don't feel too worked from the heavy lifting.  hopefully it all comes together tomorrow.

AM  Total run time  1:16:56 (includes warm-up & cool-down)

Woke up 2.5 hrs before race time, so I had time to brew some coffee, stretch, eat a little breakfast, take care of business, take Griffin on a 1.65 jog, take a shower, and off to the race....all in that order.

No calf pain, which might be from the adrenaline of race day, as it feels pretty sore now....but everything feels kinda sore now.  This course is tough!  I had expected a big climb, and then just rolling hills back down the mountain, but there were decent hills the entire way thru the course.  The trail is also pockmarked with horse tracks making it really uneven, and other parts of the trail is covered in soft grass.  I felt a little off balance on my XC flats once I started to fatigue, but I really liked running in them!  I manually tagged my splits so they're a little off, but no big deal.

Mile-1  7:27  A group went out swingin and i was in about 10th place from the line, but once we started climbing I slowly got up to 4th and the group had spread out.  Total gain was 293 feet.

Mile-2  6:31 Feeling pretty decent and began a very steep and uneven decent.  3rd place was about 5 seconds in front of me.

Mile-3  7:21 Things started to come apart here.  He were hitting steep ascents that I powered up thinking I would recover on the downhill, but the downhill was taking a lot of effort just to not wipe out!  3rd place had gapped me a little more.

Mile-4  7:01  Got passed here.  My breathing was labored, and the heat was starting to affect me.  I started thinking that I should have ran a few tempos before the race, because my endurance based strength was not there.  Started to really pump my arms on the climbs and keep good form.

Mile-5  7:22  Another big descent, but I was feeling exhausted so could not take advantage of it.  got passed by the 5th place guy towards the end of this mile.  I tried to hang on, but wasn't happening.

Mile-6 & last .28  9:47  This last section was a steady climb until a .15 downhill to the finish.  I just tried not to blow up here.  This was the hardest section of the course in my opinion.  My legs were super tired, but I just kept telling my self to stay efficient as possible because the end is near.  ended up finishing about 5 seconds off of 5th place.

Went back out to run Lacy in as she did this race too.  She tweaked her knee around mile 3.5 on a downhill so was hurting, but hung on till the end.  She's one tough chick!

Overall I'm pretty happy with the results, and it has taught me a few things I need to work on for the future.  I have also decided to do the Skyline 10k next weekend, and I think this was good practice for that.