Summit junkie!

12 ounce steak and potato 90 minutes before your run = BAD move.

I just wanted to get out and stretch my legs, so I took off for the Alpine Hwy, which is becoming my new track since I have been only trying to do flat miles. Right from the start I knew I should have run before dinner. Ugh! Eating a big steak is just not wise before a run, even if it is only 4 miles. It felt like I had a ferret lodged into my throat the entire time and it was tough just to keep the pace under 9.

My legs felt incredible. Not even a hint of soreness from my 15 mile run yesterday, so that is encouraging.

AP 8:44

Weights at the gym for an hour. The last few weeks have been nice because it seems like only the hardcore folks come in the summer, so it isn't as hot and not very stinky. I worked my upper body and core and had a really good session.

I need to get in a long run this weekend, so if anyone wants to do anything let me know. My tentative plans are to run from my house up AF canyon, around the Alpine loop, down Provo Canyon and then back home (about 41 miles). Let me know if you are at all interested. I would rather not go alone. Right now I am thinking Sun or Mon.

After the sun went down I got out for a good quick run. I felt a lot better today, so after warming up for the first mile I kept it around an 8:00 pace for the rest of the run. I ran the Alpine Hwy again.

I did not want to get up when my alarm went off at 4:40, but I am glad I did. I met Matt in Millcreek Canyon and we ran the Pipeline trail, which is one of my favorite runs in the Wasatch. Matt started out FAST but after about a half mile we settled into a comfortable 8:40 pace.

We stopped to take the usual one mile break and the mosquitoes were horrible, but once we got moving again they weren't an issue. There was a pretty good wind that would really blow whenever we rounded a corner on the outsides of the canyon. At times it was really strong, but luckily it wasn't bad once we rounded the corners and ran back to the inside of the canyon.

We stopped at the lookout point to have a gel and then both of us put the headphones on and had a nice cruise back to the car. my legs felt a bit heavy today and my achilles was a touch tight, but no pain. Matt also took a little tumble at about mile 7. Nothing serious, just some hamburger hand. 9.3 miles 1:24 total time.

Mt. Wire this morning with MatthewVB (WARNING Kelli please stop reading here)

I wanted to test out my achilles since it has been feeling a lot better the last few weeks, but I have been staying away from any elevation, so I wanted to see where I am at. I climbed my last peak exactly 4 weeks ago today.

I took it slow the whole way. The weather was perfect and I just got a nice steady pace and kept it. I only ran the flatter sections and hiked everything that was steep. Just before the summit ridge Matt passed me and pushed hard to the top summitting in exactly 51 minutes. I was a little more than a minute behind. We decided that we wanted to keep running on the other side of the mountain on the ridge that heads east. The trail is kind of rocky and overgrown, but I was taking it slow.

Matt was out in front just running in his zone and just before we reached the highpoint on the ridge I saw a Great Basin rattle snake right in the middle of the trail. Matt had brushed right by it and didn't even notice and I was able to put the brakes on before I ran right into it. I called to Matt to come back and we checked it out and the snake did not look happy. It was moving its head and Matt's leg was literally inches from it. It sent a chill down my spine and we decided to turn back.

We went back up to the summit of Wire and then ran back down. The run down was fun, but I kept wanting to look off the trail to see if I saw anything move. We definitely dodged a bullet out there, but it was really cool to see. That is the second time I have been with Matt in that area and seen a rattler and he didn't see the last one either. Haha!

My achilles felt a little tight the first mile, but I didn't have any pain and it isn't sore now (two hours later) so I am very happy about that. I'll still take it easy, but now I can start adding some hills again.

I went to the gym with my wife and lifted for 50 minutes (core upper body). She lifted for 30 with me and then ran 2 on the TM while I finished.