Rosswog Running Blog

Taking full advantage of the beautiful weather, I ran over to Murray Holladay Road, up to Holladay Boulevard, over to Kentucky Avenue, up to Olympus Hills Park, then up to Church Hill JHS before heading back home.  The total distance of the run was 10.1 miles at an easy pace.  This was also my second consecutive day of hill workouts; therefore, my legs (namely my quads) were a little tight and sore during the run.  Nevertheless, it was a good workout and I was able to enjoy the sunny afternoon along the Wasatch Front.

In addition, my lower back was still a little bit tight today; therefore, I was careful with my non-running workout and I kept it short.  With that said, I was able to accomplish 220 sit-ups and 25 metronomes

After work I took to the treadmill and ran a total of 2.8 miles before heading home.  Most of this workout (i.e., 2.7 miles) was done in my Vibram Five Fingers which gave my feet and legs a great workout.  After I got home, I ran an additional 3.4 miles outside in which I ran the neighborhood loop from my home to Saint Marks Hospital then back to Big Cottonwood Park.  As a result, I completed a total of 6.2 miles and with the exception of a half a mile at marathon pace, I ran these miles at an easy pace.

Today was my repeat of day seven (i.e., week 3, day 1) of the Push-Up Challenge and this time around I accomplished a total of 87 push-ups over five sets.  These sets included 14, 18, 14, 14, and a max out of 27 push-ups (i.e., a max-out set of three push-ups greater than last week).  I also completed 420 sit-ups, 20 metronomes, 150 (40, 30, 16 lbs) curls, and 40 (50 lbs) reverse curls.

On this fantastic St. Patrick’s Day, I felt like doing a speed workout. As a result, after work, I accomplished 5 miles of half-mile intervals (i.e., the slow halves at 8.5 miles per hour, while the fast halves at 10.5) on the treadmill. I completed the five miles in a time of 31:58. In addition, I did a 0.2-mile cool-down run at marathon pace and I ran an extra mile outside at an easy pace.

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed 200 sit-ups, 220 (40, 30, 16 lbs) curls, and 60 (60, 50 lbs) reverse curls.

After work, I ran for 3.4 miles on the treadmill that included 1.2 miles in my Vibram Five Fingers. The pace of this treadmill workout was 2.4 miles at marathon pace and 1 mile at an easy pace. Also, when I arrived at home I went out for a 3.1-mile easy-pace run that included three laps around the softball complex at Big Cottonwood Park.

Shortly after I woke up this morning, I repeated day eight (i.e., week 3, day 2) of the Push-up Challenge by completing a total of 100 push-ups over five sets.  These sets included 20, 25, 15, 15, and a max out of 25 push-ups (i.e., one less than the max-out set I did last week, but since I was in a rush to get to work I did not allow for much rest time between sets).  I also completed 250 sit-ups, 10 (100 lbs) bench presses, 160 (40, 30, 16 lbs) curls, and 20 (60, 50 lbs) reverse curls.

Due to an extra long day at work, I did not have time to hit the treadmill after my shift ended.  Consequently, when I got home I went out for a 6.6-mile run from Big Cottonwood Park to the Cottonwood Country Club before heading back home.  Since my legs were feeling heavy and my back still a little tight and sore, the entire run was at an easy pace.

My non-running workout consisted of 200 sit-ups, 70 (30 lbs) curls, and 20 (60, 50 lbs) reverse curls.

While watching the Running Utes lose to Arizona in the first round of the NCAA tournament, I ran a total of 4.6 miles on treadmill.  In regards to the pace of the run, 3.4 miles were at marathon pace, while 1.2 miles were at an easy pace in my Vibram Five Fingers.

For my non-running workout, I completed 220 sit-ups, 180 (40, 30, 16 lbs) curls, and 80 (60, 50 lbs) reverse curls.

Being a little less than a month away from the Salt Lake Marathon, I decidedto try running two half marathons today while pushing the pace. The goal of this workout is to keep a good pace through the first half-marathon and continue this pace through the first half of the second half-marathon before going all out on that last six-and-a-half miles. In the morning, I went on the first 13.1-mile run in which I ran to Big Cottonwood Park, two laps around the softball complex, to Sugarhouse Park by way of 2000 East (i.e., along the Salt Lake Marathon course), then one lap around the inter loop of the park before heading back home. It took me 1:35:48 (7:18 per-mile pace) to complete this first half-marathon. In the afternoon, I repeated this run in a time of 1:49:12 (8:18 per-mile pace). For the first-half of this repeat everything was going well and I was on pace to finish around 1:30; however, my body started giving out during the second half; that is, while running against the wind I started to have stomach problems, my right knee locked-up periodically, and my back became real sore. In short, that last six miles was a nightmare. This is only the fourth time and the first time since March 15, 2008 that I tried this type of workout. The keyword is “tried,” because the first two times I failed to even complete it due to becoming sick on my way back from Sugarhouse Park on the second half. In addition, I have never completed this workout with the second 13.1 miles being faster than the first, which is the ultimate objective.

Today was also the repeat of the brutal day nine (i.e., week 3, day 3) of the Push-up Challenge. I was able to accomplish 133 push-ups, but it again took over six sets to complete these push-ups. My sets consisted of 22, 29, 20, 20, a max out of 22, and an extra set of 20 push-ups. I was only a single push-up short on set two (compared to four push-ups short last week) and six push-ups short on the max set (compared to being four short on this max set last week). Consequently, I’m extremely disappointed with only improving by one push-up; therefore, I will three-peat week three of the Push-Up Challenge (looking ahead to week four, I’m not even close to being able to attempt 40 push-ups). In addition, I was able to get in 200 sit-ups and 5 metronomes.