Trying to improve my running

I have wanted to do this run for about 6 months. This was the first time I have been able to get enough time to do the run. Mt Wrightson is the highest peak you can see from Tucson. The trail I took starts at 5400 ft. The summit is at 9453. 

Here is a view of the peak (the highest peak to the left of the picture.) Jospehine Saddle is in the middle of the picture.

With how well the run up Wasson peak had been going this week. I thought this wouldn't be too bad. It was double the vertical feet and at almost double the elevation. I guess that had a big effect this was a ton harder than the wasson peak trail. I was able to run most of the way (only walking the more technical parts) up to Josephine saddle which was ~1700 vert over 2.4 miles (average 13% grade). I rested at the saddle took some pics and chatted with some other hikers. After this the trail seemed to get really steep. Looking at the numbers it was a little steeper 1620 vert over 1.7 miles to get to Baldy saddle (average 18% grade). I had multiple moments on that trek that I could really feel the altitude and was only able to run about 30% of that leg. The last leg was from the saddle to the summit. It didn't seem as steep, however the altitude, technical nature of the trail and the wear from the rest of the trail I was only able to run about about 50% of this there was a decent amount of snow up there. the views from the top were fantastic and made the run worth it.

This is the view from the top looking back towards Tucson. 

I felt pretty good at the top after a short rest and thought I was ready to really crank out the downhill. The first part was pretty technical and icy so I couldn't go very fast. After Baldy saddle I tried to go faster and by the time I got to Josephine saddle my legs were really feeling it. I thought I would take a little longer trail down from there and before I got to the bottom i was wishing I wouldn't have my legs were so tired. I think it is going to be key to get used to going up and downhills after having already done pretty steep hills if Iam going to be able to survive the speedgoat. I think if I could do this run 2 times in a row I will be as close to ready as I can get for speedgoat.

Recovery run up Wade road. AP: 8:24

Did a trail run today on the trail by the house. I still feel pretty tired from Mount Wrightson.

I did a run up Beacon hill today. This run may fit into the category of I planned this run and decided to do it despite not feeling up to it when I woke up this morning. It is hard to tell if those feelings are being lazy or are my body telling me to slow down. I erred on the side of lazy today and went and did the run. I was really tired I wasn't able to make it all the way up the hill the first time without a short break halfway. I had wanted to do at least 2 laps up the hill so I went up again and had to stop 3 times in less than a mile. I need to get my climbing legs in better shape. i guess the only way to do that is to do these climbs.

Normal run up wade road AP: 8:00.

I was going to run up Wasson peak today, but last night I decided to look at putting together a training schedule for the upcoming 50K and realized I was less than 20 weeks away. I felt like I needed to do something longer than 10 miles and my wife didn't want me to be gone too long so I decided not to do those miles on the trails. After making that decision and probably a mile or so into the run I decided to see how fast I could do a half marathon since the only one I have ever run was the Moab trail half. I must admit I didn't push this overly hard but tried to keep and 8:00 pace. I did great at that for the first 7 miles. At that point I went up Beacon hill (over 300 feet of vert in less than a mile 20% grade). This obviously slowed me down for the next mile but took more out of me than I thought and I could only manage to hold about 8:30 pace. I felt pretty good about the overall effort though. my time was 1:53:08. I think I could have done better at a real race, without the hill in the middle I would have been around 8:00-8:15 the whole way.