Rosswog Running Blog

Since I was unable to get in some speed play on the treadmill this past week, I decided to do some Yasso 800s at the Olympus High School track.  However, since I was trying to catch up on my sleep (i.e., I slept in this morning) then having to jog 0.6 of a mile over to Smith’s to pick up some groceries, I did not head up to Olympus until early this afternoon.  Once I made it up to the track, I commenced running Yasso 800s (i.e., a fast 800 followed by a slow 400).  Without rounding up, I ran each of my first 800s in the exact same of time of 2:42.  My fifth and what turned to be my final 800, I completed in a time of 2:46.  Even though I was only a few seconds off my consistent pace, I was really feeling it after this fifth 800.  As a result, I disappointedly put an end to my 800-interval workout after completing half of a full Yasso workout (i.e., ten 800s).  When I try my next Yasso workout, I’ll make sure to get it in before breakfast.  Nevertheless, I continued on with my track workout by completing 12 more laps before heading back home.  The total distance of this run was 13.2 miles (all at an easy pace with the exception of ten laps of the track at a threshold pace).

Finally, while watching my Broncos go to 5-0 on the season with a hard fought overtime win over the Patriots, I got in 200 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

Happy Columbus Day!  This morning I ran down to Liberty Park to attend a two-hour Chi Running workshop.  As I stated before on this blog, I’m a big believer in Chi Running (i.e., I have read the book and watched the video) and I have found it to be the most effective program for improving my running form.  Consequently, I was extremely excited to attend this workshop.  Some of the many takeaways I had from this very informative workshop include the techniques of getting into the Wu-Chi stance by bring your forearms together (the “C” image), having various degrees (at least four) to your forward running lean, pealing your foot off the ground, lifting your foot up so it clears the opposite ankle, experiencing the y-chi sensation being pulled forward on the run, keeping your arms at a 90-degree angle and wrists straight, relaxing your shoulders and imagining they are headlights while running straight forward, and performing various T’ai-chi stretching exercises.  After the workshop, I took the long way home and ran by Westminster College in order to practice the Chi-Running concepts that I just learned.  The total distance of this run was 12.2 miles at an easy pace.

This afternoon, in order to get a couple of hours in studying for the CFA, I went on a second set of runs by jogging up to Westminster’s Library and back.  The total distance of these two easy-pace runs was 1.8 miles.

For my non-running workout, I completed 200 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and 10 metronomes.

Having to finish packing for my business trip to Saint Louis, I did not have time to get in my sub-6:00 am run.  However, I did manage to get in 200 sit-ups and 30 push-ups before heading off to work.

Following my afternoon flight to Saint Louis, I could not wait to get out for an evening run.  Consequently, after checking into my hotel, I started my run from Union Station (this site is famous for the photograph of President Harry Truman holding up the Chicago Tribune with that headlined, “Dewey Defeats Truman” on November 4, 1948) down Main Street.  As I proceeded down Main toward the famous Gateway Arch, I ran by the old City Hall building which had a statue of General Ulysses S. Grant overlooking the grounds.

Before reaching the Old Court House building which is across the street from the Arch, I turned south and ran down a few side streets until I arrived at the new Busch Stadium which is the home of the Cardinals and hosted this year’s All-Star Game.  In short, what an amazing ballpark!  Due to the freeway, you could not run a lap around the stadium, but I ran around three sides of it and by the status of such legends as Dizzy Dean, Rodger Hornsby, Ozzie Smith, broadcaster Jack Buck (i.e., “The Voice of Summer”), and Stan “The Man” Musial.  The latter baseball legend had a second and an enormous statue towering over the ballpark’s west entrance.

After enjoy the scenery of Busch Stadium, I ran down past the old Saint Louis Cathedral (the first Catholic cathedral west of the Mississippi) to the Gateway Arch where I took a lap around the colossus structure before running down to the banks of the cobble stone shoreline of the Mississippi River.  For about a hundred yards I ran over the stony shoreline as the small waves from the Mississippi soaked through my Adidas running shoes.

Following the run along the great Mississippi I headed back up and through the Arch and over to the Old Courthouse where I discovered the infamous Dread Scott case was held.  Having taken both a Slavery and Civil Rights course in college, it was a neat experience to run around such an historical site.

From the Old Courthouse, I ran north over to the Four Seasons hotel and did a lap around the Edward Jones Dome (home of the Rams) before running back to my hotel room.  The total distance of the site-seeing workout was 6.3 miles.

This morning I scheduled a 5:00-am wakeup call in order to get in my sub-6:00-am run before work.  It was raining (i.e., a steady drizzle) and a little bit chilly in Saint Louis; however, after a mile or two I was able to get my body temperature up to a non-shivering level.  Starting out from Union Station, I ran eastward on Mark Street turning up on Jefferson Avenue.  I ran a couple blocks up to Olive Street then just headed east.  I ran by the University of Saint Louis, which has a really neat looking campus (i.e., old architecture--for example, the Saint Xavier of Francis church constructed in the 1840s--combined with new designs) in a nice area of town.

After passing the University, I ran down to northwest corner of Forest Park (this park hosted many of the athletic events during the 1904 Olympic Games) then ran up and past the Chase Park Plaza Hotel to Maryland Avenue.  Heading back by way of Maryland, I circled around the new Saint Louis Cathedral, which is a massive Basilica similar in design to the one that I have run by in Baltimore a few times.  I headed back to Union Station to complete my easy-pace morning run that equated to a total distance of 8.0 miles.

Following the completion of my workday, I headed out for a couple of short evening runs. For the first one, I jogged from Union Station over to the Central City Library to have a look around.  The Saint Louis Library has a classical Greek design to it with its expansive marble staircase and enormous white columns.  Also, the inside is pretty old looking; therefore, a big contrast to our main and modernly designed Salt Lake City Library.  From the library, I headed back to Union Station to pick up a few things before jogging down near the Mississippi River to the Burger Bar for diner.  The combined distance of these two runs was 2.5 miles.

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed 200 sit-ups and 40 push-ups (i.e., two sets of twenty).

For my final day in Saint Louis, I headed out for another sub-6:00-am run.  Again, it was an overcast, chilly, and raining morning.  However, after a mile or so of running, I warmed up and the weather conditions did not bother me.  Once again I started off my run from the historic Union Station.  My objective for this run was to find the Eads Bridge (the first bridge built across the Mississippi River) and run across it into East Saint Louis, which is in Illinois.  Consequently, I headed west down Market Street to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Park (which is home to the Gateway Arch) and headed along the parameter walkway of the park which took me directly to the bike path that goes across the south side of the Eads Bridge.  Running through a number of puddles left behind by the continuous rain, I crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois.  In this particular part of the East Saint Louis shoreline there was not much to see but the Casino Queen which I ran around before heading back over the Eads Bridge and enjoyed the spectacular view of the Arch (i.e., the morning fog was just settling in around it).  I ran by a handful of other morning runners as I ran through the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Park (and around the Arch before heading back home.  The total mileage of this wakeup run was 6.5 at an easy pace.

Before heading off to work then flying back to home to Salt Lake in the evening, I also completed 200 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

Since I did not get back until the early morning hours from Saint Louis, it was a short night of sleep.  As a result, I took a recovery day by going out on a late evening run up to the Smith-Klin Chimney and back. My right ankle was a little sore; therefore, I kept this 4.1 mile run at an easy and cautious pace.

Due to my sleep debt, I just got in 200 sit-ups and 30 push-ups before calling it day.

It sure felt great to be back in my own bed and sleep in this morning.  Also, I had a big breakfast this morning; therefore, I decided to break up my normal Saturday morning run into an afternoon and evening run.  For my first run, I jogged up to Harmon’s to pick up some groceries before heading back home for a total distance of 4.1 miles.

My second run consisted of running down 900 East to Fort Union Blvd where I watched the Utah football game (Utes 35, UNLV 15) before retuning to home by way of Smith’s to pick up some groceries.  The total distance of this second workout was 8.5 miles at an easy pace.

Lastly, in regards to my non-running workout, I was able to get in 200 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and 10 metronomes.