Rosswog Running Blog

Following a nice 14.95-mile bike ride to the University of Utah and back, I put on my new minimalist NB shoes and hit the trail at Big Cottonwood Park.  I completed a total of five-and-a-half miles and I was able to keep a nice pace despite yesterday’s long run and my sore right knee.  The best part was that I did not feeling any discomfort in my right shin, thus I’m hoping my right knee will be back to full strength shortly since it my right foot feels normal when hitting the ground.

For my non-running workout, I was only able to completed 300 sit-ups.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Challenge: a serving of vegetables and oatmeal

Another stormy day in the Salt Lake Valley; however, running and raining days always make me want to run.  As a result, after work I went out for a three-quarters loop (4.2 miles) around the International Center.  My right knee was pretty achy today, so just to be safe than sorry, I finished up my workout by completing 2.0 miles on the elliptical machine. 

My daily non-running workout consisted of 300 sit-ups.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Challenge: a serving of oatmeal

Just another raining morning in Salt Lake City!  However, I arrived at work early and did what is becoming my standard run on the Airport Bike Path to North Temple and 2400 West and back.  I was able to keep a relatively solid pace throughout this 7.6-mile run with the following splits: 7:44, 6:54, 7:07, 7:10, 7:02, 7:14, 7:15, and 3:58 (total time: 54:23; average pace: 7:09).  This is basically a minute per mile faster than three weeks ago!  If finished this run with a 0.2-mile cool-down jog.

Also, the best and almost the worst part was that on the way back I was cutting the tangents on the bike path and saw something ahead that looked like the size of big black bird scurrying to the other side of the path just as I turned the corner.  The creature stopped within arms-length to my left, which I thought was rather strange in that I was figuring as I ran toward it, it would take off.  Wrong!  As I ran by I noticed it was not a bird, but a skunk up on his front legs with is tail in the air.  Needless to say, a sub-5 pace for the next quarter of a mile!  Thankfully, the smell did not stick or I do not know what I would have done in that I needed to report to work after this run.

In regards to my non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups, a 2-minute wall-sit, and 60 (50 lbs) curls.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Challenge: a serving of oatmeal for breakfast

Today was very much a recovery day for me since I had to work late. After I got home, I headed out for a late evening run up to the Smith-Klin Chimney and back. The total distance of this run was 4.1 miles at an easy pace.

For my daily non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups, 60 (50 lbs) curls, and 40 (30 lbs) reverse curls.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Challenge: another serving of oatmeal

I arrived at work early this morning and headed out for my typical run from the International Center along the airport bike path.  For the first time in a while it was not raining this morning, so no windbreaker!  Also, for this run I met up with Dave, my stair climbing friend who is training for the TOU (his first marathon).  I extended the route a little bit by running all the way to 2200 West on North Temple in order to test out my leg by getting in a fast fourth mile; therefore, I ended up running and even 8.0 miles while Dave ran the typical 7.6 mile course (by the way, nearly 30 seconds per mile faster that he ran it three weeks ago).  It took us 59:28 to complete this run and my splits were as follows:  7:11, 7:25, 7:33, 5:55,7:38, 8:10, 8:02, and 7:31 (average pace: 7:25).  The 5:55 mile felt great (not too winded) and my right knee was not too sore afterwards.

In regards to my non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups and 60 (50 lbs) curls.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Challenge: another serving of oatmeal for breakfast

It was just a sluggish Friday for me.  In short, I went for a short 1.70-mile quarter lap around the International Center following work.  After I got home, I fought off the need to eat dinner and go to bed, by getting in an even 3.0-mile run at an easy pace over to the Murray-Holladay Road and back.

My daily non-running consisted of just 300 sit-ups.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Challenge: yep, another serving of oatmeal

Training for the Wasatch Back, which is just three weeks away, I decided to do a two-a-day this Saturday.  To start with I road my bike over to Sugar House Park and met up with my friends from another Wasatch Back team from work for a mid-morning run.  I wore my Vibram Five Fingers in order to give my calves and shins a good work out.  In total, the group knocked out 4 laps around the inter loop of the park (5.5 miles) while I did an extra lap for 6.9 miles.  Then I biked back home and spent the afternoon studying for the CFA.

I kept holding off on my evening run because due to another storm that had moved into the Valley.  I was so hoping the pouring rain would let up at least for a little bit.  No luck!  At 8:30 pm, I just gave up hope and threw on my windbreaker and headed out.  It was bad.  A nice a cool east-to-west wind hit me in the face as I started my journey back to Sugar House Park.  I was so cold and wet that for the first 3-4 miles I kept trying to make up a good excuse to turn back early and call it a day.  In addition, my legs were just heavy from the nearly seven-mile run earlier in the day in my Five Finger.  However, I just continued to slosh along (and I mean slosh, lots of standing water) until I neared the halfway point when it was better to make the extra effort to complete the workout instead of living with the disappointment of turning back just a little bit early.  Also, I figured that could not get any more soaked than I already was.  At the Park, I just sloshed around the inner loop twice.  I was planning another lap, but the river that flows through the Park jumped its banks as the rain continued to pleat down.  First, it jumped on the East side of the Park (north of the basketball courts) in a surreal scene of white caps from the river splashing on to road while two orange-vested, construction-hat-wearing city workers sped away in their truck after trying to increase the ability of the river to flow through underneath the road.  Debris was flowing across the street, so I took the long way around (i.e., up and around Highland High School).  On my second lap around the Park--it was very dark at this time--I realized that the Park’s pond had jumped not only its banks, but also the sandbag wall that was trying to contain it.  I was all of a sudden sloshing through ankle-high water that was rushing back to the river on the west side of the Park.  This is when I realized it was better to get out of the Park’s basin, so I dashed uphill for higher grounds on the Park’s trail where I completed the second loop before trudging home through overflowing gutters, along sidewalks with sizable puddles, and around the crazy Saturday night traffic that was even more reckless than normal due to the adverse weather.  I was in my glory.  In total, I was able to get in 13.5 miles at a slow pace, but I really worked for it.

Besides my 8.5-mile bike ride, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups for my non-running workout.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Challenge: a stack of whole-wheat pancakes