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December 25, 2024

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Location:

Orem,UT,USA

Member Since:

Apr 03, 2006

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Age Division Winner

Running Accomplishments:

HS/COLLEGE:
mile: 4:56, 2 mile: 10:21 (1978)
marathon: 2:52 (St. George 1982)
OLD MAN (20+ years later):
5K: 19:53 (Nestle/Art City Days 5K 2007)
10K: 39:55 (Spectrum 10K 2008)
half marathon: 1:26 (Hobble Creek 2008)
marathon: 3:07 (St. George 2007)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Get back to a BQ marathon time (currently 3:40).

Long-Term Running Goals:

Have fun running, keep fit, and fight middle age spread. Run consistently and injury free. Maintain a healthy balance between running and other life priorities. Encourage my ever-aging running buddies to keep running so we can continue to share runs on the trail instead of rocking chairs.

Personal:

Blessed to be married to Karen for 30 years. We have six children (4 daughters/2 sons) ages 16 to 30, and one wonderful granddaughter.

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Altra Instinct 1.5 Lifetime Miles: 83.50
Altra Lone Peak 1.5 Lifetime Miles: 21.80
Saucony Guide 7 Blue 2 Lifetime Miles: 376.95
Saucony Fastwitch 6 Lifetime Miles: 200.05
Saucony Guide 7 Black 1 Lifetime Miles: 271.15
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

I ran what we call the Tri-City route solo this morning. It loops through Lindon, into Pleasant Grove, and back through Lindon to Orem. It's a 6 mile loop but I added an extra mile on the end. I ran an easy pace and averaged 8:49/mi., a little slower on the hilly miles, faster on the flatter miles. I felt like I held a pretty steady effort throughout and ran the last (flat) mile in 8:17. It's encouraging to see my pace for easy runs gradually getting faster. I think the improving weather has a lot to do with that.

I have a couple of difficult decisions to make on my running calendar this year.

I'm registered for the Spectrum 10K in St. George on March 15, but now I've found out that Karen can't make it and I'd have to make the trip alone. I started doing the St. George Runners Series when it started a couple of years ago to 1) get the guaranteed entry into the St. George marathon, and 2) so Karen and I could have some weekend getaways.

If I don't do the Spectrum 10K I could still try to do the Run 4 Kids 10K on April 12, or the Hurricane 1/2 Marathon on May 3. They are both Runners Series qualifiers.

Our wedding anniversary is on May 4, so that might be a good weekend for a getaway to St. George and get in the Hurricane Half while we're there. Karen's making this difficult by saying that she is okay with whatever I decide, and this time I really think she means it. I don't think it's one of those husband tests (you husbands out there know what I mean...and I think so do you wives). Since I'm already registered for the Spectrum 10K, I may not decide until the day before the race whether I'm going. If I don't go, I'll plan on the Hurricane 1/2 on May 3.

I'm not really considering the Run 4 Kids 10K on April12 because I've kind of decided in the last day or two that I want to support the 1st Annual Utah Valley Marathon that is on that same day. I've been considering doing the Striders 1/2 on May 3, and maybe even the Ogden Marathon on May 17, but I think I'm going to pass on those and insert the Utah Valley Marathon into my running calendar instead. You don't get too many opportunities for a "1st Annual" marathon right in your own backyard. I won't be in any sort of fast marathon condition by then, but I think I'll be able to finish okay.

Comments
From Kim on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 12:00:01

What are you talking about????? Wives don't do silly little things like husband tests! It's all just in your mind and the minds of all those other husbands out there who think we do. :) OK, so you are on to us....and we thought we were so sneaky! Anyway, good luck on the decisions, it's hard to decide on some things.

From Tom on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 12:04:13

Decisions, decisions..... tough call on what races to run Paul. But I'm sure you'll make wise choices.

Ah yes...I think I know about those "husband tests", as in the 'don't-take-what-I-say-literally-you-nincompoop-but-read-my-mind-instead' type of tests :) Good luck I'm sure you'll ace the tests. Maybe you can be my tutor.

From Tom on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 12:04:54

Dang Kim must have posted while I was typing my comment. Hope I'm not in trouble :)

From Tom on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 12:09:12

Oh Paul I forgot to ask.... are you done running for the day or are you going out a lunch?

From Paul T on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 12:16:36

Sorry, I think I'm done running for the day. Only you would ask me if I was planning on another run after I ran 7 miles in the morning. Actually, I am a little tempted, but I'd better not.

Don't worry, Tom. If you're in trouble Kim will simply say, "Tom, your comment made me sad." You'll say, "I'm sorry, Kim. I was just kidding. I love you. Please forgive me." She'll say, "I know you do. I love you, too. I forgive you." You'll warmly embrace. It's always that easy, right?

From Kim on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 12:24:43

It might take chocolate!

From Paul T on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 12:36:51

With Karen, it would be chocolate-covered cinnamon bears, but you're right, I left out the chocolate.

From Kerry on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 14:21:02

On Saturday's run with my wife, I floated the idea of going down to the Spectrum 10K and was a bit surprised that she seemed OK with it. I'm not close to being in race shape, but I could probably jog that far :) The problem is that we just started remodeling one of the upstairs bathrooms and since I only have weekends to work on it, I'm not sure whether we'd be done by then or whether there are other projects on the near horizon. It's sometimes hard to distinguish between permission in the abstract, philosophical sense and permission when there are still items on the "honey-do" list (see above discussion). So, there's at least the possibility that I could go down with you.

From Paul T on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 15:06:08

That would be awesome, Kerry! (Kim, you may want to stop reading now, or at least please don't quote me to Karen - sometimes it's good she doesn't read my blog much.) You know, I think it's good to occasionally take our wives at their word...especially when it's what we want anyway. There's the odd chance they actually meant what they said. If not, we can always fall back to the "I love you, I'm sorry, here's some chocolate" approach to repairing the relationship. I was going to say it also teaches them a lesson about meaning what they say, but that's like believing that a man will ever learn to just listen to his wife talk about her problems and not try to fix them. :)

Seriously now, I'd love to have you go down with me, but you decide whatever is best for you and your family. They are definitely your first priority.

I'm afraid you might not have long to make a decision, though. The race caps at 600 and usually fills up. I just called. They couldn't check the online numbers, but they estimated they have about 300 so far and that it will fill up quickly in the next couple of weeks.

Let me know when you know.

By the way, I think it's important to say "I love you, I'm sorry" in that order instead of "I'm sorry, I love you". If the pause isn't well marked it comes across as "I'm sorry I love you" and then you've got a whole new problem to deal with. Something similar to this happened to me with a girl I dated for a few years in high school. I said "I'm sorry for the last three years" and it took me a while to figure out why she suddenly burst into tears when I was just trying to apologize. :)

From Tom on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 15:10:15

Paul I do believe you are the blog marriage/relationship sage. You may want to start charging for this sound advice.

From Paul T on Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 15:10:21

The link for the race is http://www.sgcity.org/recreation/sgrunning.php

which has a link to active.com.

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