Rosswog Running Blog

After a really long run yesterday, my plan was to keep this run short compared to my other Sunday morning workouts.  As a result, I headed out into the cold morning air and tried running off the soreness in my legs by going up to Olympus High School.  I then ran miles 10-16 on the Salt Lake Marathon Course before retuning to home.  In total, I was able to get in 10.9 miles at a 7:55 pace (the good news is that my last three full miles were the fastest with the following splits: 6:58, 6:53, and 7:17).  By the way, I run this route all the time and today every incline seem brutally steep. 

With this shorter run, I was able to watch the Sunday-morning news shows while getting in my non-running routine of 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, 10 metronomes, and a 100-second wall sit.  In addition, I was able to get in a short 3.5-mile bike ride in the afternoon to the store and back.

5-minute Plank Challenge:  2:00 (building up to another run at 2:40)

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge:  banana, oatmeal mush (terrible), and a salad

It was short 1.35-mile morning run over to Big Cottonwood Park where I completed a single lap around the softball complex before heading back. For this run, I brought my metronome along for entertainment purposes. I was able to get in synch with an 83-strides-per-minute pace. For me, this is a pretty fast turnover; that is, I still have to concentrate to get 83, so my natural turnover must be around 82 (maybe this year I can get up to 84).

After work I decided that I needed a recovery day, so I jogged 2.75 miles to and from the library before calling it day. 

My daily non-running routine consisted of 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and a 100-second wall sit.

5-minute Plank Challenge:  2:20

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge:  banana, salad, and tuna sandwiches

I completely wimped out and did not go on my morning run today (too cold and too tired).  However, I did get in some nice speed play on the treadmill after work.  Following a 0.3 of a mile warm-up, I completed four miles of half-mile intervals (i.e., the slow halves at 9.2 miles per hour, while the fast halves at 11.2) in a time of 23:38.  I then cooled down with a 0.7 of a mile at marathon pace.  Overall a 6:10 pace and I felt pretty good.

In regards to my daily non-running workout, I completed 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and a 100-second wall sit.

5-minute Plank Challenge:  2:20 and 1:00 side planks both left and right

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge:  apple, 2 salads, a bowl of mixed veggies, and a lean chicken sandwich

After jogging 1.2 miles between several breaks from work, I did a stair workout with some of my colleagues following our shift.  While wearing a twelve-pound weight vest, I knocked out 60 stair repeats for a total of 3.0 miles.  By the way, I have found that wearing my Nike Frees goes well with stair racing.  Also, this is just a brutal workout that I’m sure I’ll be feeling for the next several days.

In regards to my non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and a 100-second wall sit.

5-minute Plank Challenge:  2:00 and 1:00 side planks both left and right

Ttying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge:  banana, oatmeal mush (the gruel tasted better this time around), a salad, and whole-wheat pancakes.

Another day with no morning run (i.e., the air is just too smoggy); therefore, I hit the treadmill after work and for a relaxing 7.2-mile run.   The average pace for this run was 7:23 minutes per mile.

For my non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, two 100-second wall sits, and 20 (50 lbs) curls.

5-minute Plank Challenge:  2:00 and 1:00 side planks both left and right

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge:  a salad, tomato juice, and two whole-wheat tuna fish sandwiches

Following a busy and long workweek, I tried to knock out some mileage on the treadmill. However, after 4.3 miles, I was just done. I figured that it was more beneficial to call it a day, have a decent dinner, and get some sleep.

My daily non-running workout consisted of 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and a 100-second wall sit.

5-minute Plank Challenge: 2:00 and 1:00 side planks both left and right (the typical routine for the week)

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge: salad, banana, and two bowls of whole-wheat rice.

Following a short night of sleep, soon after I got up, I headed out the door with the aim of catching up on my weekly mileage. The air quality was terrible (in fact, before I left I read in the Tribune that Logan, Salt Lake, Provo, and Ogden were ranked yesterday as 4 of the top 5 locations for worst air quality in the nation); therefore, I wore my Techno mask. These masks are a little expensive, it takes awhile to get use to running with it, and you look sort of like Hannibal Lecter. However, now that I’m learning about all the awful lung diseases (scaring of the lungs does not sound good) through my volunteer work with the American Lung Association, I purchased one and have been trying to get use to wearing it anytime I run outside on a red-burn day. Anyway, I jogged 2.3 miles over to catch the bus out to the west end of the Valley, then I jogged another 2 miles to the Utah Olympic Oval where I met up with a few members our SLRC group.

With the clean, indoor air of the Oval, I was able to get in a total of 73 laps (a PR topping my last record of 66). With just over 36 laps being 10 miles, this was a solid 20 miles by my Garmin at a 7:25 pace. I’m not in the same league as Burt, but I was able to almost double the amount of FRBers that I have met in person with this run. It was great to meet and talk with Allie and RAD who were both putting in a long run on the track. Consequently, they join the short, but prestigious FRB-runners-that-Rossy-has-met-in-person, which includes Cheryl, Mogli, and Bonnie.  Okay, I’m counting the latter even though it was just a friendly head nod and waive in Sugar House Park this past summer. For the record, my defense for my shyness on this occasion is that having disappointed a handful of random people who have stopped me during a run to ask me if I was Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko, I did not want to stop this potential Bonnie lookalike to ask her if she was in fact The All-Star FRB Bonnie from Arizona. Just my luck, it was actually The Bonnie.

Back to my workout, after eating a quick breakfast to refuel while pedaling a slow mile on the stationary bike, I jogged the 4.3 miles back to the bus stop then to home. Overall, it was a nice running workout on a day where the outside air was filthy.

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and a 100 second wall-sit.

5-minute Plank Challenge: 2:00 and 1:00 side planks both left and right (the typical routine for the week)

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge: banana, bowl of whole-wheat rice, and a serving of peas.