Rosswog Running Blog

This Sunday early afternoon, I jogged down to my old stomping grounds, Granite High School and attempted a Yasso 400 speed workout. I was able to complete this workout, but my splits took a beating (worst Yasso 400 ever): I’m contributing this wall I hit on split #4 to the afternoon heat and my sore right knee acting up (it just seemed to lose its range of motion). Not even posting my splits on this one, but the after of the 400s was just north of 1:30.

After this brutal track workout, I jogged up to OfficeMax to pick up a few binders before jogging back to home. The total distance of this work out was 10.1 miles.

I was able to get in a second workout in the evening by heading over to Big Cottonwood park in my NB minimalist shoes and completing 7 laps before returning to home. In total, I was able to get in 8.7 miles at a 7:52 pace.

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: another serving of oatmeal for breakfast

Following a busy day at work, I headed home and out for an evening run.  For this workout, I ran 4.2 miles up the Smith-Kiln Chimney and back at an easy pace.

In regards to my daily non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

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

This Tuesday, I was able to get in a nice 6.3 mile run into Sugar House and back.  My right knee still feeling a little stiff and sore from Sunday’s attempt at an interval workout, I kept it an easy pace (8:55 minutes per mile).

For my daily non-running workout, I was just able to get in 300 sit-ups.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

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

Following a busy Wednesday at work, I was able to get in 3.2 miles on the treadmill before heading home.  In order to get in a little extra mileage, I went out for a 0.9 mile easy pace run around the neighborhood before calling it a day.

In regards to my daily non-running workout, I was able to get in 300 sit-ups.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

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

Due to a long day at work and me right knee still being sore from Sunday, it was definitely a recovery day as I just hit the treadmill after work for 2.1 miles at a very slow pace before calling it a day. 

My daily non-running workout just 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

Another recovery and taper day (at least that is what I’m calling it) for the Steeple Chase, so I just got in 2.1 miles by running over to Big Cottonwood Park and completing three laps around the softball complex before heading back.   By the way, my right knee is feeling better.

For my daily non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

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

Completely outside my comfort zone, I ran the Wahsatch Steeple Chase today.  I really had no idea how brutal this race was going to be beforehand (i.e., I knew it was going to be challenging, but no idea).  Thankfully, due to our enormous snowpack, they altered the course cutting it from sixteen miles to what was supposed to be thirteen miles, but ended up being fourteen miles.  This alteration was called the “Dude Peak Route” which eliminated the extremely difficult terrain that caused runners to be airlifted to safety two out of the last three years.  Arriving at the Memory Grove starting line (after a 0.9 mile jog down from the mouth of City Creek Canyon) five minutes the 6:00 am start (I know, cutting it close as always), I’m glad I did not have that much time to think about the race ahead of time.

After the starting gun sounded, the first three miles I cursed; that is, one mile up the Memory Grove road then two miles up a solid, but pretty steep trail on the west side of City Creek Canyon.  I actually held back knowing that it was going to get much more difficult and I would be no match for the experienced trail runners.  Looking back on it, I should have held back even more because it seemed like over the next ten miles everyone passed me until we returned to the City Creek Canyon road for the final mile in which I was able to cruse back down to Memory Grove.

I have never walked during a race until now because the steepness was way too steep at times.  These extremely steep inclines were like a roller coaster, straight up, straight down, then up again, and so on.  The worst part is that after I got all the way to the top, I did not have the opportunity to enjoy all the hard work that I put into climbing on the way down.  I was breaking it all way down in order not to spill out like some of the very brave runners that flew by me.  Due to the technical terrain, it really seemed like I was going at the same speed down course as I did going up.  The chopping sound of the life flight helicopter above served as a good reminder that I just needed to be in survival mode.  However, it was different having so many runners pass me on a downhill run.  To sum it up, it was like a solid road cyclist entering an extremely difficult mountain bike race with very little experience off of the road.

With all of this said, trail runners are a neat crowd and it was really cool to hang out with them for a few hours at the post-race festivities and just enjoy the beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Before catch the Trax back home, I did recover from this beyond challenging trail race with a 2.20-mile jog to the Gateway Mall to pick up a Rag Mag for the Wasatch Back.

Finally, for my daily non-running workout, I was able to get in 300 sit-ups.

Five-Minute Plank Challenge: 2:00

Trying-To-Go-Out-Of-My-Way-To-Eat-Healthy Challenge: a blueberry smoothie