Everything Counts

12 miles easy @ 6:46 avg pace.  I ran a loop around the base before work.  My quads were a little sore/tender still from Saturday's run, so I just kept the pace nice and easy.

AM: 8.26 miles at 6:44 avg pace.  My legs felt quite fatigued today.  Yesterday they were sore but still had some spring; today they weren't really sore just tired.  First two miles were substantially slower than the rest of the run.  I picked up for 400 Meters on the hill again into the wind in 74 seconds.  I also did an 800 Meter pickup going on a slight downhill with a tailwind in 2:17. 

I had a hard time waking up this morning and planned on getting some abs and light lifting in after my run, but had to cut that part of the workout to get to work on time.

PM: 4.42 miles at 6:48 avg pace.  I got in a quick, easy run after we layed Evelyn down for bed.  I ran to the park and did a mile barefoot on the grass, during which I did four 20-second pickups at about 200 meter speed. 

After I got back I got my 10.5 minute ab workout in.

7.33 miles @ 6:37 avg pace.  This morning was rough.  This is the worst I've felt on a run in quite sometime.  My resting heart rate this morning was about 6 beats higher than normal, meaning I'm fatigued and may be headed for sickness.  I planned a 4-mile tempo this morning and still tried to do it.  The first mile was 5:47 uphill into a very strong headwind.  The effort felt sub-5:00, it was a brutal mile.  Mile two was 5:15, this was substantially easier than the first mile (1/4 of it was still uphill into wind, then flat with crosswind).  After the second mile I felt so fatigued that I called off the other two miles of the tempo.  On the way back, I felt so tired that I was struggling to hit 7:15.  I guess I need some rest. 

Afterward I did 6-minute ab workout.

4.03 miles @ 7:02 avg pace.  I am definitely coming down with a bit of a cold or something.  I thought about resting today, but decided to give it a try running and see how I feel.  I felt pretty wasted so I turned around after two miles and headed back.  I am pumping in the vitamin C and hopefully this illness won't last long. 

No run today.  I am still getting over this bit of sickness I've had.  I am registered for a race tomorrow and figured I could use the rest given my fatigue and sickness as of late.

This morning I ran the Run through the Lavender Half Marathon.  It well organized and was a really fun time.  They also had great prizes, both overall and age group.

I slept in Lindon at Amy's Grandma's house.  Got up early and met the Talley's just off I-15 and rode with them down to the race.  Before the race even started I was quite certain I was going to place 5th.  There was quite a fast field today and my fitness isn't very high right now.  The field included Jon Kotter, Jake Krong, Brett Hales, and Alden Bahr.

I only got a very short warmup in of one mile, but the race went out slower, so it wasn't a problem.  There was a group of 6 at the start and the first two miles were 5:41 and 5:44.  Jon Rosswog fell off the pace somewhere around mile 2 and then there were five of us.  I knew I couldn't hang with these guys once they got moving, but as long as they were running slower I may as well have someone to run with.  Mile 3 was 5:31.  The pace quickened after mile 3 and I knew I couldn't hold it so I backed off and let the four of them go.  Mile 4 was 5:25 (They must've been around 5:15).  The uphill started at this point and didn't really let up untill 11.5 miles.  But it was only gradual and gentle for most of it.  When we turned to head East I glanced back to see where 6th place was and I couldn't see anyone at all anywhere close.  So, I was quite a ways behind the top four and way out in front of 6th in no man's land.  I figured, well heck why kill myself if I'm not going to improve my place, so I let up a tad.  I wanted to keep a still somewhat honest pace, but not kill myself.  Miles 5-10 were 5:36 5:42 5:55 5:46 5:52 and 5:49. 

At this point we turned into the lavender fields and we had quite the uphill from 10.5 to 11.5 and the last mile was mostly downhill to the finish.  I glanced back a few times to make sure no one was coming up on me and sure enough no one was in sight, so I coasted to the finish.  Final miles were 6:02 6:00 5:33 and 1:12 for final .23.  The final time was 1:15:54.

Alden was first followed by Brett, Jon, and Jake.  The 5k was also super competitive.  I won $100 for 5th place, which is pretty good for 5th!  I finished with about the time I estimated I could run on this uphill course.  It wasn't fancy by any means, but it was a good workout and I had fun.  Even if I had pushed harder I wouldn't have been more than a minute faster and Jake in 4th beat me by like three minutes, so I'm glad I cut back the effort a bit in the middle and save the legs a bit.

It was fun to see some old teammates in Corbin (7th in half), Brett (2nd), and Jace (3rd in 5k).  I ran three miles slowly and not all at once for a cooldown.