On the road to BOSTON!

Ran to the Dixie Center then extended to River Road and over to Bloomington Hills trail and back home. 8:09 pace. Shoes felt pretty good, left foot felt sloppy in the toes, may need to go with thicker socks next time.

Quads are felling about 90% now, Hams were sore this morning when pushing up any hills or when I really pressed the pass hard. Still healing from the DownHill Dash. I am now on meds for the Viral infection, up all night,  every 45 minutes to pee. I have got to break this thing it really messes up the running.

1:15 went out for a bike ride. SunRiver loop 18.50 miles (6.20) 15mph average speed

Non run day.

Went out at 12:30 this afternoon and road the asme route as yesterday. 18.40 miles. Pushed it harder today because it was hot and I wanted to get it done. There was a fair amount of headwind most of the time so that slowed me down some. I ended up with 15.9mph, much faster than yesterday. Felt good!

Planning on a long run in the early morning down the course.

Got up early and got my long run in on the SGM course. I love running in the early morning there! I started at Diamond Valley and ran 4 miles towards Dammeron then turned back and ran down the course to the finish line. I felt great about everything through about 17 miles. I started to get un motivated and tired at that point. I did not use gu or anything this morning, I ran on water. The last mile in to the finish felt pretty strong. I ended up running a 7:51 pace for the run. Not fast by any means but that would be wonderful for me come the marathon. I never pushed anything very strong, just went with the body and tried to take it easy. I was determined to not walk up any hills this morning and made that goal!

Now I just want to stay healthy for the next month!

10:30am Just completed a 18.90 mile bike ride to the Running Center and back. 15.3mph (6.30)

Just noticed that I hit 1500 miles for the year. I would have never thought I would put those kind of miles on.........my thinking before last year was. why run when you can drive your car! LOL

Biked to get the legs loosened up. 13.12 miles 14.2 mph  (4.20)

Ran the Trails 5k this morning....HUMID! The race was .25 miles long so that messed up my time big time. (7:16 pace) Won 3rd place in the Sprint Series and age group.

Got home and decided I wasn't done running, ran the Tonaquint/Dixie Center loop (7:54 average pace) This run was good for me after not pushing the race as fast as I know I could.

Tacked on a 5 miles bike ride. (1.25)

Watching BYU on TV and working the stationary bike. 32 miles (10.00)

BYU over Oklahoma !!!!!

Got out late this morning 10am I warmed up by walking fast for 1/2 mile then got into a run. 7:46 first mile. break. 6:54 2nd mile. break. 7:50 3rd mile. break. walked for awhile to work out my sore hip and knee. finished with a 6:44 4th mile

Nice and crisp morning. Ran to the Dixie Center then extended towards the Post Office. Nothing special, just logging the miles. The knees are feeling a bit better this morning. I went out slow to get them warmed up then pushed a few miles and then ended with a strong 6:30 last mile. (8:07 pace)

PS It was good to see Clyde along the path.

Got out early and ran the SGM course with WildBull and Bigfoot. We started a couple mile from Diamond Valley and ran to the finish. Went out a little faster than I was hoping for and then never really slowed down for the next 10+ miles. Bill and Mike held back and I gradually pulled away from them, not really trying to just went with the body. I felt very strong and relaxed for the first 8 miles. Took a water break there. Started out again and about 3/4 mile later Bill passes me. I pushed the pace to stay with him through the twister and up the hill. I had to let him go there.....I was cooked by then. I should have stayed on my pace but it was fun trying to catch the bull. From that point in I was pretty tired and had nothing left in the tank. No GU or anything to replenish the stores. I did have half of a bottle of Gatorade at mile 8.

I should have taken a GU and could have finished stronger. Overall I am very pleased with the first 10 miles. My time for 13.1 miles was right on my PR for the half at HobbleCreek. (1:35) With that I am pleased.

7:34/ 7:14/ 6:48/ 6:23/ 6:49/ 7:02/ 7:43(Winchester hill) 7:13/ 7:23/ 6:59/ 7:59/ 8:25/ 8:13/ 9:07/ 8:05 ( 7:30 average pace)

Finished off the run with a 16.90 mile bike ride. (5.65)

NO RUN DAY

I did my 18.50 mile bike loop 1:11:00 15.3mph  (6.15)

Going in to have my feet looked at. Getting more pain in the toes...... that is my only concern with the marathon. The last 2 marathons I have struggled because of severe pain in the toes towards the end of the race. My goal over the next 3 weeks is to maintain my fitness levels and keep the mileage down, more biking. I need to figure out how to work through the toe issue so that I can finish strong. If I cannot get it figured out this may be one of my last full marathons. I may go to halfs to save the feet and just go out and have fun!

Just got back from seeing Craig Peterson Chiropractic Doctor. He looked at my feet and I don't have Neuromas. He worked over the feet and did some scrapping and worked out some bad spots. I then had a massage. Hope it all works!

Wednesday mornings run really took it out of me. This morning I could barely get my legs to move. It may be partially the work over I had on my feet and calves and the massage. Nothing at all to want to write about the run because it was sick.

Hoping I get the body feeling better for my last long run before St. George.

19.60 miles on the bike, fairly easy miles today. (6.50)

This morning started off not so well. I could not sleep...didn't feel good. Almost rolled over and went back to sleep.

I was dropped of at the top of Veyo hill. I planned on running a very conservative run this morning, 8:30 pace. Started out 8:19/ 9:37/ 8:48/ 8:25/ 8:01/ 7:52. Stopped and had a drink and a roctain. fixed my insole and off I go down from Diamond Valley. Kept everything calm and controlled. I never really looked at my Garmin until I was at the park. I ended up with an average pace of 7:58. The final 13 miles were at 7:40 pace. I fueled with Roctain at each 6 miles and one to start. I had an extra one that I ate half of with 3 miles to go. With 2 to go a guy passed me as I was taking a walk break......motivation. I decided to try and stay with him. I did and about a mile to go I passed him and ended out finishing strong.

Such a great morning, perfect temps.

Time to start bringing the mileage down. I just want to maintain the fitness level I have right now. Will hold back on running mileage and keep the bike mileage up. Save the feet for the Marathon!

Not feeling too great this weekend. Decided to sleep in this morning and get a bike ride in. Did my normal bike loop. Head winds about 25 mph or so. This made a nice easy paced ride more difficult. How can a person have a headwind going out on a loop ride and finishe with a headwind coming in home?....

Can't wait to get this marathon over. The past several months are starting to grind on me. Just trying to maintain the fitness level for the next 3 weeks.

Got up and just wanted to go for a long run with no speed in mind, just put in 2 1/2- 3 hours. I ran from home up to Sunset then over to Bluff to Diagonal to the finish line of SGM. I ran, jogged and walked til I hit Diagonal then I dropped the pace and simulated marathon finish. I held a 7:12 pace for those 2.25 miles. Then on to home by way of the Dixie Center etc. I ended up with a 9:00 pace for the easy run which included any walking. (15.50 miles)It just felt good to go out and enjoy a run and have no expectations. Went out with no fuel and only had water breaks...trying to burn off some fat......

18.50 mile loop bike ride. (6.20)

NO RUN DAY

I biked 28.50 miles late morning. The temps were too perfect to pass up. Good ride on the normal loop then pushed on over to St. George Running Center then returned back. 14.8mph average.

Easy run to the Dixie Center and back. (7:46 pace)(5.40 miles)

Completed a 35 mile bike ride. 14.8mph (11.50)

Another morning not knowing where or how far I was going to go. I started off up Tonaquint to the Dixie Center. Then decided to go run on Riverside Drive to the Post office. After that my brain must have malfunctioned and decided to run up River Road to Deseret Hills High and then home. I turned in for the heck of it and ran to Clyde's home. Just as I get there Clyde and Logan were completing their run. Chatted for a few then finished the run. I am so depleted. No carbs for the past couple days and I could tell the difference! Very slow and sluggish (9:25 pace)13.25 miles

Late morning very easy bike ride 10.5 miles (3.50)

NO RUN OR BIKE DAY:

 I took the weekend off. I had to go over an clean out church this morning so it was a great way to be a wimp and not run. Looking back on the week I feel alright not running today. I only ran 3 days for 34.15 miles, 2 good longer runs. I biked 5 days for 111 miles, that is an average of 22 miles per day.

I plan on doing about the same next week...maybe a little less biking. Trying to let the body recover from a hard year of training.

Easy 10 mile run from home on the trail to River Road and then on the trail through Bloomington Hills to home. 8:37 pace. Didn't push at all just went with the flow......

21 MILE BIKE RIDE TODAY. (7.00)  14.8 mph

Got a late start but it so nice out still at 8am. Went out over Tonaquint Loop. Tried for a very controlled steady pace. Went out 8:22 warm up, slight uphills. Next 8:26 larger climb up Tonaquint then tapers down the hill. 3rd mile 7:54, just a steady easy fall down hill. 4th 7:35, trying to put on a little speed past St. George Ford and then over the bridge. 5th 8:11 easing off just wanting to keep the legs going. 6th  7:54, just remaining in a steady mode. last .20 7:03, down my street pushing towards the finish...not trying to bust it wide open just wanted to finish strong. Overall pace 8:02. This run felt very good and the legs feel fresh.

My main concern for the marathon is still the feet. I am going in Tuesday to have cortizone shoots in my feet to help with the Neuromas. I hope that is the magic solution.

I got 2 injections of cortizone in my left foot yesterday afternoon. Decided to not run today. Went on a nice bike ride for 33.20 miles, 15.1mph, 2:11 hours. Feel great other than the left foot. It is somewhat tender after the ride. I will take it easy today and hopfully will be able to get a good 6-8 mile run in friday.

Mike Warren and I went up on the course for a short run this morning. We started at Wells Fargo Road at Brookside. Just looking for a good average run, nothing hard. Went out just feeling what the body wanted. 1st mile 7:51. 2nd mile 7:19 probably a bit fast but was not labored. 3rd mile 7:21 just kept it steady......felt very comfortable. 4th mile is Veyo hill. This is the first time I have run this hill since last years marathon. We just went up and tried to keep the effort steady. ended up with an 8:36 average for the mile. 5th mile still had a bit of hill but then comes back down towards Dammeron Valley. 7:26 pace the last part of this mile I was pushing 6:40's and that is too fast for marathon. I could feel myself pushing the threshold. 6th mile was 7:46 gently slowing down to the Steak House in Dammeron. Overall pace ended up 7:43. This helps me feel that BQ is well within sight. Hoping for some great weather and a tailwind would be very nice!

Overall a very good run. Great to run with Mike because no matter what he thinks or says he still likes to push things at times. It is good for me to be pushed and always great to run with someone that can put some pressure on me.

The plan right now for St. George is to try and come in at the half at 1:45-1:48. This the pace for 3:30-3:35. I feel this is very obtainable and then hope to even split at worst case on the bottom half. If all is looking great when I get to the last 10K I plan on pushing the pace down some and see what that can get me.

Ran the Swiss Days 5k to have fun. Ended up with a 1 minute PR. 6:50 pace

After checking out the Garmin I found that this is by far the most consistent paced race I have run. I never looked at the Garmin during the run. 6:54/ 6:49/ 6:55 and the last .10 was 6:00

One week to go. Hoping that I have done all that I can to get the BQ. Going in for a good massage on monday and most likely get injections in the right foot. Then chill the rest of the week.

Easy run to the Dixie Center and back. 7:58 pace

Stayed off the feet this morning. Had 2 injections on the right foot yesterday afternoon as well as a deep tissue massage on the legs. Did go biking (21 miles) to keep the legs fresh. Biked over to Mike Warren's office and chatted then he got on his bike and we road back out to Bloomington. Got to talk about the marathon and how to succeed on the race.

Met up with Bill, Mike and Art for a very easy wake the legs up run. Started at the Rec Center and ran up to Sunset and then back on the course to the finish line. Very windy on the way out. Splits: 9:59/ 9:16/ 8:27/ 7:09/ 6:41 8:23 average. It felt real good to go out so slow just talking away. On the way back after turning down from Diagonal I decided to hammer a few blocks. Dropped to 5:10 pace for 3 blocks and it felt sooooo good! After that slowed back down to 7:45 pace for awhile then I thought I heard Bill coming up on me the las few blocks so I dropped it down again to 5:20 pace to the finish line. I look back and it was just the wind that I heard.

Based on this morning and my last few runs I don't think that I could be any more prepared....now hoping that Saturday morning the planets are all in alignment and my body says that that is the day!