Every Race is an Adventure!

4.35 miles  Neighborhood 5K trail route + warm up & cool down

I only managed 24:28 for the 5K (7:54/mi). I don't think it was race pace, but it felt harder than I wanted it to.

My blister from Saturday seems to be healing well. It didn't bother me at all this morning, but I don't know if it would hold out for a marathon distance yet.

3.1 miles @ 9:52/mi.  Easy 5K. Letting my legs recover a little.

6 miles @ 8:59/mi.  Murdock trail north with Kevin.

My Saucony Fastwitch 6 shoes should arrive today. I decided to try something new in a lighter weight shoe...and they were on sale. No risk, no reward.

3.1 miles @ 7:18/mi  Neighborhood 5K route on Murdock trail north and Northridge Park

Splits: 7:12, 7:15, 7:31, 0.1 @ 6:31/mi

This neighborhood race (ok, technically it's a Fun Run, but it's more of a race for some of us) has been going on for 26 years. I think I ran my first in 1993. I've not run it once or twice. This may have been my 20th time running it.

I have many great memories of this race. I've often been near the front. I've never won overall. I've finished 2nd a number of times, typically behind some upstart teenager from the neighborhood. Some of my favorite memories are competing with them until their young legs pull them ahead to win. I think I've found more joy in seeing them excel and achieve than I would have had I won.

Some memories that come to mind:

1. Catching up to Curt Gassman as he had stopped and just finished vomiting up bananas with about a mile to go. He said he was okay so I went on ahead...only to have him catch me and pass me and go on to win the race.

2. Running side by side with Taylor Allen. With a little less than a mile to go we were passing a young neighborhood girl on her bike. One of us accidentally bumped her handle bar as we passed and she crashed to the road. We both instantly stopped to help her. Taylor's dad Mark had been following us in his car taking pictures. He jumped out and said he'd take care of her and told us to keep going. By this time she was up seemed unhurt so we took off again. He pulled ahead and won the race.

3. Running with Taylor's younger sister Tiffanie Allen. She followed behind me listening to her music until about the same spot of the bike incident, an uphill section, where she passed me. I stayed fairly close but could never catch her again. Larry I think called her Pocahantas because she would run with her long blond hair flowing freely instead of in a pony tail. It was beautiful watching her hair float behind her just ahead of me, so I didn't mind finishing 2nd again. This was the first year a female runner won overall, and the only year I was the first male runner to finish. (We have two old running shoes painted gold on which the male and female winners write their name, year, and time. This got my name on the shoe.)

4. One year Christian Stewart (of BYU football quarterback fame) was a confident high school jock, but inexperienced runner, who started out too fast. I passed him walking about mile 2. He tried to catch me and finished pretty strong but didn't catch me. A few years later, when he was at BYU, he came and ran again. This time he held back the first 1/2 mile or so then left us all in the dust and went on to win easily.

Now to this year's race. It was cool and overcast with a light sprinkle of rain just before the race. I received my new Saucony Fastwitch 6 shoes yesterday. They felt so good I decided to race in them. I loved them. They are so light, yet so comfortable, with just enough support. (I'm tempted to wear them for the marathon next week, but that would be a huge risk, with so 23.1 more miles of pounding.)

Last year I was beaten by Breanna Andersen, Jeff McClellan, Aubrey Shaw, Jayson Andersen, and Tryggvi Christianson. The Andersen's don't live in our ward anymore so I don't see them, but throughout the year I would occasionally remind Jeff, Aubrey, and Tryggvi that I was training to beat them. Jeff was out of town with his family, and Breanna and Tryggvi didn't show up this year, but I did manage to finish ahead of Aubrey (not by far) and Jayson.

Kevin Jessop and I started out together with a group of young boy runners ahead of us, including Kevin's teenage son Alex. When I saw Alex show up I knew at least one runner would finish ahead of me. I knew he had run sub 5:30 pace for his 2 mile tryout run for the THS soccer team. The other 3-4 boys, however, I was confident were going out too quickly and would fade. (It happens every year.) I slowly pulled a little ahead of Kevin and passed the boys just before the 2000 N crossing. Just after, one of the boys pushed hard and passed me back. I admired his tenacity, but knew it wouldn't last. He faded after about 10-15 seconds.

I spent the rest of the race watching Alex run up ahead of me. I try to avoid looking behind me in a race, so I didn't know what was going on behind me. Just before the mid-point turn around Alex took a wrong turn off the path into the park. He stopped, confused. I yelled, "No! Keep going!" and he quickly recovered, stayin well ahead of me.

After the turn around I was able to see who was behind me. Kevin wasn't far back, nor was Aubrey. Last year she passed me just after the turn around then disappeared far ahead of me, and Kevin's been running really well, so I was nervous as I was beginning to tire. I just focused on Alex ahead of me (I was a bit surprised I could still see him) and on keeping my feet turnng over (which was noticably easier with my new lighter shoes).

I was just entering the 1/3 mile path at the park as I saw Alex sprinting for the finish line across the grass. Kevin and Aubrey finished not too far behind me.

So the tradition continues...or is renewed. I finished 2nd behind an upstart teenager, hanging close enough to see them finish, and being very happy for their achievement. Kevin told me later that when he asked Alex yesterday if he wanted to run a 5K today he said no, until he told him it was the Northridge 3rd Ward Fun Run. He switch his answer to yes. Apparently he has had a dream since he was a small boy of winning that race, and thought he had a chance this year. He was right. I'm glad he achieved his goal. Even more, I'm glad that we have this great tradition that has inspired so many more than just Alex...me included.

Breakfast was as delicious as always. It was fun visiting and eating. Every neighborhood needs a Fun Run and Breakfast tradition.

4.9 miles @ 9:34/mi.  Murdock trail north with Kevin.

Marathon week. Shorter distance. Easy pace. 

I wore my new Saucony Fastwitch 6 shoes again. They felt so good in the 5K on Saturday that I'm leaning towards wearing them for the marathon. I read some reviews and a number of people had worn them and recommended them as a marathon racing shoe. I think I'll try my normal Saucony Guides again tomorrow and see how they feel. I'm afraid they are going to feel like lead weights now.

4.5 miles @ 10:12/mi.  Murdock trail south.

Ran in my normal Saucony Guide 7 shoes. They didn't feel as heavy as I thought they might after running in the Fastwitch 6 the last couple of runs. I'm still leaning towards wearing the Fastwitch for the marathon Saturday. I know it's risky not having done a long run in them, but I have raced a 5K and done a 5 mile run in them and they felt so wonderful, maybe the most comfortable shoes I've ever run in. I sure wish I would have bought them a few weeks earlier.

3 miles @ 9:13/mi.  Neighborhood loop solo.

I think I'll skip running tomorrow and maybe do a couple of miles on Friday morning to shake out my legs one last time before Saturday's marathon.

Last year about this time our daughter returned from her mission to Tacoma, Washington. This year, our next daughter is preparing to leave to her mission in Sau Paulo, Brazil next Monday. From having served a 24 month mission to Barcelona, Spain 35 years ago myself, I know it was far more of a challenge and an adventure than running 24 marathons (which this will be for me). She's excited and scared. So am I. Her mom is mostly just scared. I'm confident she'll work hard, and struggle, and learn, and grow, and find great peace and joy in serving God and her brothers and sisters in Brazil. She will be a wonderful blessing to them, as she is to us. Maybe we should start giving missionaries medals when they come home...nah, the treaures in heaven, and in their hearts, are a much better reward.

1.5 miles easy.  Short neighborhood loop.

Just stretching the legs out. I feel like I'm in about the shape I hoped I'd be in for the Utah Valley marathon tomorrow...maybe a few pounds heavier than I hoped...but overall I feel strong and ready, far more so than in the past 4-5 years. I'm looking forward to see what adventure tomorrow brings.

It looks like the weather might be a little on the warm side tomorrow (high of 87). I guess I'll just have to run fast so I finish before it gets too hot.

Race goals (updated from 2014 plan):

More details:

2015: 3:57:56, 453 of 1145 finishers (39.5%), and 16 of 46 in the M 55-59 division (34%).
2014: 4:13:16, 718 of 1409 (51%), 40 of 71 (56%) in my division.
2013: 5;01:36, 1233 of 1471 (84%), 79 of 87 (91%) in my division.

I finished 15 minutes faster than last year, and improved my average pace from 9:40/mi to 9:05/mi.

I'm moving in the right direction. I still think I have a shot at a 3:40 BQ at St. George in October and intend to train to that end as long as my old body holds out.

The highlights for this year's marathon for me didn't happen during the marathon itself. I very much enjoyed listening to Ryan Hall speak at 4pm. I have great respect for his running and his faith, and his commitment to use the running gift God has given him to bless others. I was also blessed to meet some awesome people from around the country. I probably talked too much, but I really enjoyed the conversations on the bus ride to the start. They were kind and humored the old guy.

I spent most of the day after the marathon helping Karen and the family get things ready (home projects, weed pulling, grass mowing, errand running) for some family and friends that will be visiting tomorrow. My 19 year old daughter Emily leaves on Tuesday on her 18 month mission to serve the people in the Brazil Sau Paulo Interlagos mission, and invite them to come unto Jesus Christ and receive the blessings he so graciously offers to all of us.

It's late. I'm very tired. I have leadership meetings at church tomorrow from 6:30-10:30am following by church, where Emily is speaking and I'm singing with the choir, followed by family and friends visiting at the house. I hope I can stay awake.

Marathon 
Paul Thomas
Bib No. 5265
Orem, UTAH
Division:Male 55 to 59

2 miles @ 10;51/mi.  Neighborhood loop solo.

First run since the marathon, to shake out my legs. Mostly I feel pretty good except for some lingering pain in my right hip. It appears I need to figure out a routine to stretch and strengthen that area if I'm to continue improving.

3 miles @ 9:44/mi.  Neighborhood loop solo.

I was planning to play basketball with my son this morning but he wasn't up. When I asked him if he was going he said a lot of the guys were out of town so he wasn't going. It's all good. I just decided to run a few easy miles instead. No real pains, even in my hip, but then it doesn't usually hurt unless I go long and/or hard.

Based on some reading I did yesterday, it sounds like my hip pain could be trochanteric (outside point of the hip) bursitis. It is more common in older people, distance runners, and people with leg length discrepancies (strike three), and typically occurs in the hip of the longer leg (bingo). It doesn't sound too serious...rest, ice, anti-inflammatories, strengthen surrounding muscles. Maybe a steroid shot if it doesn't go away.

6 miles @ 9:29/mi.  The old tri-city loop (Orem, Lindon, PG) solo.

Cross training: Basketball with Andrew & the old morning gang.

I should probably establish some sort of formal training plan to get ready for the St. George marathon in October, but I just don't feel like it right now, and it seems so far off. I may just play it by ear for the next week or two, and mix in some basketball.

6.5 miles @ 10:44/mi.  Water tank hills solo.

I don't know if this was an easy hard run or a hard easy run. I tried to run easy pace throughout, but there's not much easy about running up the water tank hills.

I don't think my legs have fully recovered from the marathon 1.5 weeks ago, but they're feeling pretty good.

Basketball

6.9 miles @ 15:08/mi.  Water tank foothills with Wayne, Larry & Jo.

Very enjoyable easy run with good friends I haven't been able to run with for a while. It got a little hot, but there was a good breeze for most of the run. We're all getting old but we're not dead yet. We ran into Gary and Lynne near the end of our run. They are both older than all of us. Gary is 75. He's had hip replacement and she's had knee replacement. They were 10 miles into a 20 mile run, and had done 20 miles last Saturday also. I guess there's hope for a few more years of running for us youngsters (I'm the baby at 55.)

5.1 miles @ 8:19/mi

Bball