Rosswog Running Blog

A little strange, but as a life-long resident of Salt Lake, I have always wanted to try runing from the City to the Great Salt Lake and back.  With needing a big mileage day to achieve my weekly minimum and having a running colleague from work that is visiting from Arizona and staying out at the International Center, today presented a great opportunity to make my daydream goal a reality.  Consequently, I took the mid-morning Trax to downtown then I commenced my run out to the International Center.  Then Julie joined me for the next twenty miles where we ran out to Saltair Beach, dipping our running shoes (I know, total dorkiness) in the Great Salt Lake before heading back.  I then tried to push myself as hard as possible on my run back into the City.  Overall, it turned out to be 36.3 mile run (PR in distance) at a 9:02 minutes-per-mile pace (total time: 5:28:08).  Thanks Julie for the company!  It was a beautiful day and it was entertaining to hear about all of your running stories (e.g., growing up along the course of the Comrades Marathon, now this race is on my lengthy Need-To-Run List) and I hope to be in comparable shape twenty years from now (i.e., Julie really pushed me through the long parts of this run).

Following work, I was just beyond tired and a little bit under the weather; that is, absolutely feeling yesterday’s run.  As a result, I jumped on the treadmill and jogged for 1.5 miles before heading to home.  On the bus commute home, I stopped by the library to drop off some material before jogging 2.6 mile across town to catch anther bus to get home.  In total, I was able to get in 4.1 miles at a slow pace.

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

5-minute Plank Challenge:  2 x 1:00 (my aim on this one was just to get in two minutes no matter how many reps this required)

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge: serving of oatmeal, serving of fruit, vegetable/tomato soup, and a whole-wheat lean turkey and chicken sandwich

Feeling more rested today, I received happy news in regards to the NYC Marathon in that the New York Road Runners sent me an e-mail informing me that I was now an official member!  They are even mailing me an official membership card so I can totally be a geek.  Anyway, I headed home after work then after becoming disgusted with the Jazz-Laker game, I grabbed my iPod instead of my handheld radio and went out for a late-evening run.  For this workout, I ran over to Big Cottonwood Park and completed nine laps around the softball complex before heading back.  The total distance of this run was 4.4 miles at an easy pace.

While listening to President Obama’s State of the Union Address, I completed my non-running workout of 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and a 100-second wall-sit.

5-minute Plank Challenge:  2:50 (a PR and after over a week with being sluggish at my planks, this really felt great! Over the last few months, I have almost doubled my plank time!)

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge: a serving of fruit and a whole-wheat lean turkey and chicken sandwich

Another Wednesday night, another fun night of stair training with the gang!  This time the aim was to run as many three-story stair repeats in an hour as possible.  This was the best that I have ever felt running the stairs in my office building.  I was able to complete a total of 83 repeats (4.15 miles) in a time of 59:55 (average repeat was 0:43).  Also, I was completely drenched in sweat (that is, vertical climbing and the 12lbs weight vest completely drains me) and for the last 15 minutes, my sight was impaired big time due to the sweat stinging my eyes.   Consequently, I'll need to bring along a towel along for the Fight for Air Climb.  Also, my fellow stair climbers did a tremendous job of really pushing me during the last twenty minutes of this workout.  Only one month to go until it’s Stair Time!  Hopefully I can continue to make improvements and stay healthy.

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, a 1:40 wall-sit, 60 (50 lbs) curls, and 20 reverse curls.

Following work and a nice dinner with colleagues, I headed outside into the evening smog in order to get some miles in. Wearing my running mask that filters the air, I ran 10.6 miles over to Sugar House and back. This run was at an easy pace and my right shin became particularly sore over the last four miles. I believe this soreness is from probably running on the balls of my feet during yesterday’s stair workout.

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, a 1:40 wall-sit, and 30 (50 lbs) curls.

5-minute Plank Challenge: 2:10

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge: a serving of fruit, half of an apple, and a salad

After limping around work all day due to some right shin soreness leftover from last night’s run, I hit the treadmill and knocked out a 10k at an easy pace.  It seemed like my shin would be good for a mile or so then there would be some pain for a little bit then it would be good again.  I was hoping to get in some more miles today, but did not want to push it too much before tomorrow’s race.

For my non-running workout, I completed 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, a 1:40 wall-sit, and 60 (50 lbs) curls.

5-minute Plank Challenge:  2:10

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge: a lean turkey and chicken whole wheat sandwich and a serving of fruit

My first race of 2011 was an eventful one for sure.  First of all, even though they always give out sweet t-shirts, I have never participated in the Salt Lake City Track Club Winter Series because I did not want to run in the smog for one or two of the races.  However, in past years, my friends would always run it and every weekend when they raced it was just blue skies.  Of course, since I signed up, it was beyond smoggy this morning; that is, just plain gross (in other words, Beijing air quality).  With that said, the long-sleeve, burnt-orange race t-shirts for this year’s Series are pretty styling.

When I got out of bed this morning, my right shin was sorer than sore.  Before heading out, I taped it up and jogged a total of 8.3 miles down to Liberty Park, took one lap around the park, and then to the Salt Lake Running Company to meet up with one of my friends who was nice enough to give me a ride out to Saltair.  During this warm-up run, my lower right shin just became sorer and sorer.  In fact, over the last mile I was hobbling and started thinking that maybe I broke a bone or blew out a tendon.  My threshold for pain is not that great, but I have never felt much pain while running.  In fact, my friend asked me several times if I was up to running and I felt like saying no; that it, I felt like packing my right ankle in ice, felling sorry for myself, and calling it a day.  However, it was thirty minutes before the start of the race and I did not want to ruin my friend’s race.  Consequently, I said I would un-tape my leg (it was feeling like it was going to explode and I could hardly put any weight on it) and give it a try.

Once at The-Great-Salt-Lake starting line, I was able to gingerly walk on it and started thinking that I could at least run a sub-30 5k on it (my shin wanted to swell up, so removing the tape alleviated the pressure).  At 10:00 am the race started and from the back of the pack, I kept it nice and slow.  After a half of a mile, I started to feel better and just continued to pick up the pace all the way to the finish line.  I ended up running a 0:20:47 (official time was probably closer twenty-one because I did not start my watch until crossing the starting line) with the following splits: 7:33, 6:35, 6:00, and 0:39.  Before the smog (I raced wearing my running mask) and my right-shin injury, I was hoping to run a sub-17:40 for this race.  With that said, I was able to see many of my friends and I’m happy with my time.  Consequently, I’m really glad I ran this race.

My friend then dropped me off at work then I noticed that the lower part of my right shin was really swollen.  As a result, before reporting to work, I completed 5.6 miles on the elliptical.  I dislike the elliptical, but it was better than running in the smog or putting any more pressure on my right shin.

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed just 300 sit-ups.

5-minute Plank Challenge:  even this is too much pressure on my right shin

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Daily Challenge: a serving of mixed fruit