Every Race is an Adventure!

Week starting Jun 11, 2006

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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.

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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
7.006.100.002.002.5017.60
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
2.500.000.002.000.004.50

Kent, Larry, and I went to the track for speed work again. We stuck to four 1/2 mile repeats again, with 1 lap rest in between. I ran 3:14, 3:07, 3:13, and 3:00. I felt pretty good. The first three I tried to run fast but not overdo it. The 2nd repeat was a little faster because we passed the entire THS football team on the first lap (adrenaline I guess). The final repeat I pushed hard.

The left ankle I injured last Thursday morning didn't bother me at all. It is still a little stiff, with a little soreness, but the tenderness seems to be gone. I'm hopeful it will hold up well through tomorrow's longer run.

Comments(2)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
3.500.000.000.002.506.00

I ran the normal Tuesday morning run with Kevin, Kent, and Larry. I was very tempted to go out early with Kevin and put in a couple of extra miles, but I decided I'd better not abuse my ankle. The pace was steady but not too hard (about 8:50). The ankle held up pretty well, but I could feel a little stiffness and soreness.

I noticed this morning that yesterday's speed work had tightened up my calves, expecially the left one. I massaged them well with "The Stick" before this morning's run and plan to do so a few more times today.

Add Comment
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
0.003.000.000.000.003.00

After the speed work on Monday and the longer run on Tuesday I found that my left ankle was still sore (from rolling it last Thursday) and my left calf was tight and a little sore where there seemed to be knot in it. I received some wise counsel (thanks Kerry) to maybe consider taking some time to let things heal. It was hard, but I decided to take Wednesday off. I ended up deciding to take Thursday off, too.

Today I went out at lunch time to put in a few miles and see how things felt. I ran 3 miles at about 7:40/mi. My calves feel great (knock on wood). The ankle is still just a little stiff and sore, but it feels strong and doesn't seem to affect my running. My plan is to run the Strawberry Days 5K tomorrow, rest Sunday, and only do some short easy runs next Mon-Wed as I taper for the Wasatch Back Relay on Friday.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
1.003.100.000.000.004.10

Wow! What a great morning!

I got up at my normal 5am and prepared to go to the Strawberry Days 5K in Pleasant Grove, which was scheduled to start at 8am. By 6-ish I was ready to go so I decided to go early and see if the Harpers could use some help setting up for the race. They accepted my offer and let me do a few things, including measuring the half mile kids race backwards from the finish line with the distance wheel to determine where the starting line should be.

I was surprised to see Larry, Kent, Kevin, and Wayne running up the street. They apparently decided to run from home to the 5K (7 miles) as part of their long run for the day. Only Kevin stayed to run the race, but it was good to see them.

Kevin and I also met up with Verdon and Kerry. It was great hanging out with them before and after the race.

There is a long downhill at the beginning of the race and I decided to run fast but under control. I left the others behind shortly after the start, so I was afraid I had started out too fast. Kevin had joked before the race that you know you've started too fast if you look around and everyone else is speaking Swahili. I looked around and saw a little 10 year old girl, and a guy running backwards to look for someone behind us, and other old people like me, so I figured I must be okay. I was shocked to look down at my split after the first mile and see 5:49.

I decided there wasn't much I could do about that now, and I was feeling pretty good, so I just decided to try and hang on.

I ran the second mile in 7:08, which had a long gradual uphill section. I ran the third mile in 6:52, which had some flat then a shorter uphill followed by the gradual downhill to the finish.

I feel like I ran within myself the whole race but still pushed hard and managed to set a new "old man" PR of 20:29. To my surprise, this was good enough to finish 1st in the Male 45-49 division. I've never won my division before so this was a cool new experience.

The highlight of the morning, however, was winning the drawing for the free entry into the 2006 St. George Marathon. The chance of winning my way into St. George was the main reason I had decided to run this race.

I left before the prize drawings were over because I was afraid of winning something else. I felt like I had already received far more than my share of blessings for one morning.

What made all of this special was being able to share it with Verdon, Kerry, and Kevin, who all seemed to be as happy for me as I was for myself. It was also cool to come home and have my family share in my happiness, too. Karen was especially excited because she now gets to go to St. George again, and because I brought home some beautiful hanging flowers I bought at the fair near where the race was held.

And I still have the Wasatch Back Relay to look forward to next weekend. Life is good right now.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.006.100.002.002.5017.60
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