"I don't really need a duck"

5:00 am - 10.0 miles on the Jordan River Trail with Dan Varga. This was my first run in relatively deep snow in my Crocs and it turns out that there are some issues. Due to the fact that the snow was a wet packing snow I kept getting snow chunks in my shoes for the first mile+. Once the snow depth lowered that issue went away. However, after the 5 mile turn around a new issue arose. Most likely a combination of icy socks and slick heal strap I couldn't keep my right Croc from sliding off. After several meters of this I decided a change needed to be made so I bagged the Crocs and ran the rest in my socks (a synthetic wool sock). The socks did their magic (I could feel and move my toes the entire time) and the terrain was mostly soft with the snow (my face half froze from the wind coming back). I did have to scrape off some snow/ice build up on the bottom of my socks a couple of times but otherwise it was all good.

Noon - 4.0 miles @ 7:04 pace - 28:15 - A nicely cousioned run on the parkway in fresh clean snow.  This time I got to keep my Crocs on. 

8:00 am - 18.80 miles @ 6:59 pace - 2:11:37

I had a great long run with a great group including Jake, Andrea, Mark P, Emily, Paul, Rachel, and Toby. We left from Sugarhouse Park and headed up Emigration Canyon to the hairpin turn and made the return trip. I ran with Jake and Mark (until Mark turned around) to the hairpin. We managed to average 7:33 pace on the way up to finish in 71 minutes. There were a couple of times when the pace got tough (especially the last half mile) but I was really pleased with the effort I was able to put in. At the turn-around Jake turned on the afterburners and took off down the canyon. About a mile down the canyon I started spotting Emily up ahead and finally reeled her in after 3 or so miles. She asked me to run with her and I gladly obliged. We finished the rest of the run together cruising at low 6 minute pace the rest of the way. Total time for the return trip was 60 minutes for an average pace of 6:23.

I was very encouraged by this run. I have struggled the last few runs long runs (18 miles+) to keep a good pace going through the end. Even though the second half was a nice steady downhill I worked hard to earn the ride down and hung on well through the end. Thanks Jake (and Mark) for the run up and thanks Emily for keeping me going through the end. And last but not least thanks Toby and Rachel for the carpool and conversation (Nice running out there guys.).

Noon - 4.0 miles @ 6:50 pace - 27:23.59 - Fantastic T-shirt and short miles on the parkway.  I guess March is starting off as a lamb.  My left calf was a little sore/tight (I would assume from Saturdays run) but nothing to worrisome.

6:30 am - 7.25 miles @ 7:17 pace - 52:47.75 - A little bit windy but nice run.

Noon - 4.0 miles @ 7:11 pace - 28:46.68 - Not as nice as yesterday but still t-shirt and shorts. Left calf is still buggin a bit.

6:30 am - 7.25 miles @ 7:35 pace - 55:02.74 - Crunchy, slippery, slow and chilly morning run.  The left calf is just about done (just in time to run Emigration again on Saturday with Sasha).

Noon - 4.0 miles @ 6:59 pace - 27:55.33 - Windy from the north but nice comming back south.

5:00 am - 7.75 miles with Kimberly Hunt and Christine Scott at a nice leasure pace on several trails in the South Jordan/Daybreak area.  I think we averaged around 9 minute pace and the run just flew by (nice conversation).  The weather was fantastic with only a little bit of wind out of the west. 

Noon - 4.0 miles @ 6:59 pace - 27:57.48 - Nice and warm.

5:00 am - 10.0 miles @ 6:54 pace - 1:09:00 - Met up with Dan, Matt and Reed for a nice run on the Lehi Parkway.  We had three or so miles in the 6:30 range.  My left calf is feeling fantastic (or rather isn't feeling).

6:20 am - 7.25 miles @ 7:23 pace - 53:31.75 - It was a windy one today. Fortunately my loop is mostly east-west so I only had a mile or so of direct wind.

5:20 am - 7.0 miles @ 7:07 pace - 49:54.22 - A nice early morning run with James Barnes out and about in the Herriman area.  The weather was absolutely perfect and the conversation made it go by fast.  I am officially calling this a step back week (sounds better than pure lazyness).  I should settle in the low 50's but be back in the mid to upper 60's next week (kind of sounds like the weather).

Noon - 4.0 miles @ 6:55 pace - 27:39.43 - It was down right hot on the parkway today.  The wind was nice.

5 am - 10.0 miles @ 7:00 pace - 1:09:55 - A nice run on the Parkway in Lehi with Dan and Reed.  I didn't get to sleep until close to 11pm last night and I could tell.  Looking for more sleep tonight for a good run tomorrow.

7:30 am - 19.5 miles - Met up with Sasha, Gary and Gary's brother and found out that we were pacing Gary through the Provo River Half course for a finish time of 1:30 (this should be good practive for me for the American Fork Half in June).  After a little under a mile warm up we got it going.  It turns out that Utah County and specifically Provo Canyon was rather void of wind.  The weather was absolutely fantastic! (shorts and tech-t).  Pacing Gary went rather well, the pace felt pretty easy and he did a good job of hanging on for the most part.  He was right on target until the last mile or so when his IT-band started acting up.  He ended up about 30 seconds past the 1:30 mark.  We finished our way back to Sasha's, dropped of Gary and headed back out for another 4.5 miles.  I was definately glad to be done and greatful for a banana and some water back at Sasha's.  My quads are still a bit sore (Monday) from the whole adventure. 

Noon - 4.0 miles - No watch - The weather was cool but nice with my favorite wind (for this course) from the north.

5:45 am - 10.4 miles @ 8:26 pace - 1:27:51 - I met up with Rachel, George and the other guy at the north end of the Daybreak lake to help pace them through their 10 mile run (I actually picked up with them about a half mile into their run since I was running a bit late).   The idea was to keep them going at about 8:45 pace which we managed for the most part.  Alot of the roads were rather icey, slippery and crunchy that slowed our pace a bit but once we hit the clean patches we cruised along nicely.  At one point we logging in a 8:19 pace mile and a half (I have my auto lap set to 1.5 miles) to which George responded as being the fastest mile he had run.  Overall the adventure was a success and the conversation was fantastic (as it always is with Rachel). 

Noon - 4.0 miles @ 7:08 pace - 28:34:28 - Another crisp day on the parkway.  The sun was nice.

Due to low sleep through the week and head ache and stomach ache issues on Friday I was not 100% for this race.  I did give it what I had and I will attempt to tackle it again next year.  Outside of the race I really had a fantistic time talking with several bloggers, American Flyer pacers, and other friends.  In retrospect the one good thing about not being 100% is that minus a few blisters my body has no clue that I race a half marathon.  I plan to do a time trial along the Provo River half course late April to get a fast half under my belt before Odgen.