Every Race is an Adventure!

6 miles @ 9:28/mi  Murdock trail north with Kevin.

6.1 miles @ 8:55/mi  Murdock trail north solo.

I pushed at marathon pace today. There was a light covering of snow in some areas but the trail was mostly just wet with the temps just above freezing.

I pushed the last 0.2 miles @ 6:53/mi. It feels good to see that 6, even if it's only for 0.2 miles.

6 miles @ 9:55/mi  Murdock trail north solo. Easy day easy.

I tried out my new running pants and shoes with success.

I feel like I got a good deal from Running Warehouse (http://www.runningwarehouse.com). I got two new pairs of Saucony Guide 7's for $64 each, and $80 Asics running pants for $40...plus 15% off using coupon code FB15D...and free shipping.

One of the pockets in the pants wasn't stitched all the way across. It was easier to slip stitch it myself than to return them. Both my mother and my wife have worked in sewing factories in the past. It's hard/boring/tedious work. I have compassion and can forgive a mistake here and there.

6 miles @ 9:06/mi  Murdock trail north with Kevin.

A little colder this morning.

6 miles @ 8:44/mi  Murdock trail north solo.

I found myself alone this morning. I didn't really feel like running fast, but I decided to throw in some random ~20 sec uptempo fartlek intervals throughout the run. That resulted in me running the slower portion of the run faster as well.

The first warmup mile was 9:57. Then I started inserting the fartleks and ran the next 3 miles in 8:44.43, 8:45.83, and 8:44.01 (all within 1 sec of each other). The next mile I chased a runner ahead that I was slowly gaining on and ran that mile in 8:21. I continued the next 0.4 miles to the steps where I leave the trail by Kevin's house @ 8:15/mi. I rolled the next 0.4 miles down to the 4-way stop @ 7:45/mi, then pushed the last 0.2 miles level @ 7:13/mi.

Those little fartlek pushes at the beginning really got/kept my tempo up. As I passed that runner late in the run I thought this was good training for passing competitors in a race. I always like to pick up the tempo a bit as I pass so they don't try to come with me.

10 miles @ 9:25/mi.  Murdock trail north with Wayne.

Very enjoyable run with Wayne on a cold, sunny morning. Wayne's been recovering from an injury but has managed to do a little running, and basketball cross training. I was pleased to see him hold sub-9:30 pace for these 10 miles. I think it's been a while since he's run that far. 

Thanks to Kevin and Wayne this was my first 40 mile week since St. George last October. Kevin wanted to run Friday so I got out for 6 miles when I normally haven't been running on Fridays, and this morning I was prepared to only go 8 with Wayne but he chose to go 10.

If we can stave off injury, I think Wayne (3:55), Kevin (3:30), and I (3:40) all have a chance at BQ times at St. George this year. I finished in 3:47 last year, and Wayne and Kevin were both in better shape than I was until they got injured.

Looking forwrd to the adventure of a new running season.