Every Race is an Adventure!

Track work with Larry and Kent. I'd call it speed work, but it's not all that speedy. I think of it more as "focus on form" and "push the pace a little faster than a normal training run" and "maintain form and hold pace even when it becomes difficult" work.

We bumped up from 5 to 6 1/2 mile intervals today. My heel and hip were sore and stiff this morning so I was a little slower than last week: 3:44, 3:32, 3:36, 3:31, 3:35, 3:19.

It was only a few years ago I averaged about this pace for the entire St. George marathon. Sigh.

Wayne, Kent and I ran the 2000 N hill route. We held a pretty steady pace. Nobody felt much like pushing the pace, and that was fine by me. The morning was beautiful, the weather pleasant, and the conversation engaging. But we still missed Larry and Kevin.

Water tank hills with Larry, Wayne, and Kent. It was a beautiful (and a little bit warm) early morning.

As we took the sharp left turn up to the parking lot to begin hill #2 I noticed a runner coming up behind us at a pretty good clip. I realized I had been in talking mode instead of working mode. I wasn't about to just let him blow by so I switched to work mode and began to pull away. I later found out he turned off at the parking lot, but at least he got me moving. I climbed the 5 hills in 17:20...not a PR but pretty good for me.

I continued up to the 3 mile point then turned around and ran until I met up with the others. We took it easy back down until the last fast half mile from 400 E to Main on 1600 N. Kent was a little ahead and began to pick up the pace. Larry was just starting to say something. I said, "Talk fast or run fast", as I accelerated to cruising speed. I felt pretty smooth and fast (for a change). I felt a little pain in my hip and heel that kept me from going all out, but I was pleased to see that I averaged 6:39/mi for that half mile.

Today's run was enjoyable and encouraging.

2000 N hill route in reverse with Wayne and Kent. Gratefully, none of us felt like pushing up the hill very hard. I pushed yesterday kind of hard, so we'll call this a recovery run.

Kent and I ran the Wil's Pit Stop loop with 4 additional miles up Provo Canyon. We managed to avoid the heat until the last few miles home. Those miles were tough, but we endured.