On the road to BOSTON!

I got a chance to get out for a short run this morning in Ogden. I ran from my parent's home in South Ogden down Harrison to the Walmart and looped around back home. Temp's not too bad 39 degrees and a slight breeze. Can't wait to get back to St. george for a warm run! 8:44 pace

I got up early...tired and headed off for mt Running Center Loop. I extended over to Middleton Drive then up past the Dixie and then around the hill on the Red Hills parkway. Turned down Bluff then on to Diagonal then over to Tabernacle and 2nd to see my wife at work. Then on down to the Dixe Center and then over Tonaquint Drive. I started to go around Bloomington Drive so that i could get a full 26.20 in and the wind was fierce and rain was starting to hit me in the face....screw this. Turned around and finished up. 9:22 pace slow but okay.

My goal was to get 70 miles in this week but things haven't gone as planned with traveling to Ogden for my dad. The weather didn't cooperate much up there either. I may still try to get another run in Saturday on the Marathon course...a nice and easy down hill run sounds real good right now. If things are feel ing good I may try to get to the 70 mark...time will tell.

Ran from Diamond Valley to home. Easy 7:30 pace felt pretty good, loved the down hill.......sure helps build the confidence!

An easy walk/jog to shake the legs out.

I dropped my car off at the Ledges and ran home. 7:30 pace for 12.25 miles. I then jumped on my bike and rode 8.50 miles to Sunset Blvd and died. I was attempting to make it back to the Ledges but the wind was in my face and I was spent. counted 3.50 miles from the uphill climb.

I took an easy run without my Garman. Ran my Tonaquint-Dixie Center run. The wind was whipping pretty good for the last half of the run....kind of like 2 steps forward one step back.

I decided to get in a longer run this morning since the weather is supposed to be bad Saturday. I wasn't really prepared for a long run mentally but it went well anyway. I started at the top of Snow Canyon at the parking lot and ran down the course to town square. I stopped at the Art's Festival to see my uncle who has a booth. We chatted for a bit and then on to home. 7:01 average pace.

7:00/6:52/7:39/7:03/6:45/6:45/6:49/6:50/6:59/6:50/7:10/7:29/7:19/7:14

I just noticed that I carried a very consistent pace for a good part of the run. This is a first for me! I definatley slowed down at the last bit of the run but I wasn't wanting to push anything too hard. One week to marathon, now I can take it real easy!!!!!

I am hoping to run at 8:00 pace for the marathon and I think I can do it.....praying for good weather and light, fast feet.....Bill can I borrow you legs for next saturday? LOL

I took it easy all weekend after my long run on Friday. I realized that I had pushed it way too hard for tapering for the marathon this Saturday. This morning I ran Bloomington Drive and tried to keep the pace down, nice and easy and decided to make this a confidence booster run. Typically I work several 20-30 second walks into my runs. I kept the pace slow, I thought, and steady and ran the distance without my typical walk breaks. I ended up very refreshed, the break re energized me, and the pace was 7:48.

I plan to make this same easy run the next 2 days and then take Thursday off while I drive to Salt Lake. Then Friday morning I plan on going out for a short 2-3 miles run at 7:00am to simulate the race start.

Same run as yesterday...not as fresh as yesterday but still feel good. 7:57 pace

I got antsy today not running so I got on my bike to ride around the block...then it extended down to the end of the road then to the bike path...yep before I knew it I was out to the post office on River Road. Then coming back the wind kicks up....hate that! I ended up with a 9 1/2 mile ride. More than I should have but oh well.

One mile jog in Ogden

The race that humbled me!

Short warm up jog before the race (1 mile)

I started out feeling very good about today's run. Started out perhaps a bit fast but not too bad. Cruising along and started to feel the hammy a little as well as the calves at about mile9 or so. Stopped and stretched and did okay. Hit the half way mark (1:48:30--8:16 pace) and was behind my goal but this was basically a run and not a race........

Mile 15 I was started to tire a bit but still okay just slower that I hoped for. Around 15 1/2 my calves started to cramp up. I cannot remember, or can't count high enough the amount of times I needed to stop and stretch. Long story short from that point the race was no longer a race, or a run, it was survive. 11 1/2 miles of cramping. I was eating anything that people were handing out. Oranges, pretzels gatorade, water etc. I limped my way to the top of State Street hoping that I could at least coast down the slight decline to the gateway...NOT. I ran with my left leg that was kind of cramping and stiff legged with the right leg. Rounding the last turn into the Gateway I spot the cobblestone road and when I hit that portion with the 90 degree turn the legs gave out. Major charlie horse with the right leg and my left calve looked like an alien was wanting to come out of my leg. I came just short of falling to the ground and caught myself on the gaurdrail and had to apply pressure to the charlie horse for about 2 minutes before it released.

Then the dreaded half walk, stifflegged, cramping through Gateway. The people were great cheering me on but I was MAD. Missed my goal by 35 minutes and I was hurting.

I am humbled! I am hoping that I can get my attitude back to where it needs to be for the Ogden Marathon in 4 weeks.

I have not had problems with my calves like this before and hope to figure it all out soon.

Sunday------Looking over my splits now that the pain of the race is over, I ran a personal best for the first 5k (21:10-- 6:48 pace) ....this has to certainly be part of my problem, starting too fast. I really didn't think I was going that fast because I was not pushing, I was just running with a relaxed effort, hind sight, slow down at the beginning.....

I went for a 1/2 mile walk and then jogged 1/2 mile. The jog felt really good after I got going. Calves are a little tight today but not too sore. As much as anything I am sore like after any normal long run Saturday. I am doing a lot of reading on cramping today....I am reading that perhaps I was low on calcium and magnesium. I know I have plenty of potassium and sodium  becaue I was loading on the roctaine and getting plenty of gatorade and water at each aid station. I will continue to read.............

Went out for another walk/jog for 1 1/4 miles.....sore quads calfs feeling not so bad, just tight.

Probably will try to get in some bicking in the morning to loosen the legs and give the calves another break day then get back to running some miles Tuesday.

A very easy mile walk/jog and then got on the bike and worked on keeping the legs moving and trying to use upper leg and very little calf. Biked for just short of 9 miles.

This morning I was feeling very tired...can't seem to get my butt out of the bed. I finally decided that I better go out and get in some sort of a run. The calves are still very tight, can't seem to get them to relax. I went out not knowing what to expect on this run. Hoping to get a mile in. I went up Bloomington Drive and diverted to the top of Tonaquint...decision time. Turn around and go back home for a total of 3 miles....go down the hill and hope to enjoy the extra miles. Extra miles it was. I ran down to the DC trail head and took a small break trying to stretch the calves out. Then I realized that the trail had been posted closed for today...crap! I didn't want to go back up Tonaquint. I took my chances and went on the trail and crossed over the river and went over to Flying J. Then continued on home. The last 3 miles felt really good. I had gone out very slow trying to get the body warmed up properly. Then I pushed it a little harder and more consistent on those last miles trying to run the distance and not take small walk breaks.

I really needed this run to gain some of my confidence back. SL really took it out of me.......but it is only temporary. Ended up with an overall pace of 8:36

Went out today not really knowing where to run. I just wanted something new. I ran from home to the new trail leading to Sun River. Dropped off the trail at the Calvary Chapel and went out to the new overpass and tried to run out on the road they are building...got kicked out so I ran into Sun River. I found the trail head for the Ranger Bart trail. Ran out into the desert for a 7 miles. looping back I ran into a swarm of bees.....crap!!!!! I turned back real fast running away and then ran into the sage brush and hillside and looped around them. Man did I run fast through that area. Like "Fast running waters" LOL That totally freaked me out.  I got around them.... That almost sucked big time. I am worn out from the heat and pounding but the calves feel great!

I took Thursday off and most of today. I am heading out for Provo so my daughter can audition for a movie. Then it is get back ASAP and go over to the Relay for Life. I am going to be walking and running from midnight to 5am and maybe some other blocks of time. We will see how the track running goes. I am hoping to get in at least 25 miles on the track...if everything goes well maybe more.

This technicaly was not a race but it was an organized run/walk. I drove to Provo and then back friday afternoon and then went over to Dixie College for the night. I started running at 10:15pm and finished up at 4:45. I put in 32 miles and then took a break for 1 1/2 hours then did 1 mile shake out to make 33 miles.

My fuel and liquid intact were terrible but I liked it. I had half a banana,1/2 snickers and 2 20oz pepsi's and one bottle of water. After running 26.2 I was just trying to keep going..walking with some runs mixed in. I got feeling pretty good and would run 3/4 mile with 7:10-7:40 pace then take a walk break and at time would sprint for 200 meters at mid 5:00's and felt strong.

May need to adjust to pepsi instead of gatorade...just kidding.

Calves feel great and the rest of the body too.

I decided that my foot was feeling good enough to run today. I ran on the bike path to the bridge by I-15 crossed over to Flying 'J' and then back to Bloomington along the frontage road down Man of War to home. Nice easy run 8:24 pace. Legs felt very heavy today. Foot was feeling okay, I really tried not to put too much pressure on the toes....now for some ice. I am hoping to be feeling good enough to run the SGM course saturday and get in a full 26.2. We will see if the foot will let me. I decide that I was going to train a little differant for th up coming Ogden Marathon. I am taking it easy during the week and put in a marathon distance on the weekend. So far I have the SLC marathon and the 33 miles last saturday. I just need the next two saturday's then the Ogden M to have 5 in a row.

Got out late this morning and took a run from the house to the end of navajo drive. Then  ran out the dirt road till I hit about 5.8 miles turned around and ran back home. Legs are very tired and heavy.