Fly me to the moon...

Just four easy miles along the trail in the afternoon.  It was pretty windy and cool, but not cool enough for a hat.  Total time was 29:36 for a 7:24/mile pace.  The first 2 were pretty slow, but I felt much better after that and the pace quickened.  Splits were 3:48, 3:52, 3:49, 3:51, 3:39, 3:32, 3:33, and 3:28.

Nice 5 mile run along the trail.  It was a nice day.  I tried going the other direction this time.  I used to live in some apartments over near the little wood and steel bridge that crosses the river just past Macey's.  I always ran towards the lake from there, and never ran the other direction.  I was curious to see what was past the bridge.  I'll have to go even farther some day.  I felt good during this run.  I decided to push the last mile a bit, and it felt pretty good.  Total time was 36:23 for around a 7:16/mile pace.  Splits were 7:38, 7:31, 7:26, 7:12, and 6:34.

It was windy and cloudy today, but the temperature wasn't that bad.  I just did 5 easy miles along the trail.  Total time was 36:36 for a 7:19/mile pace.  Splits were 7:33, 7:24, 7:15, 7:14, and 7:09.

Nice sunny day.  It was a little cooler, but it didn't feel like it without the strong wind of yesterday.  It was another 5 easy miles along the trail at 7:23/mile pace for a time of 36:55.  Splits were 7:42, 7:37, 7:18, 7:13, and 7:03.  It took a couple of miles to warm up and feel good, but the last three were nice.

Just 3 easy miles along the trail this morning because we have a basketball game tonight.  The pace was a little slower at around 7:41/mile for a time of 23:05.  The glutes were a little sore this morning and it took a little longer to get going.  I think the soreness had to do with my crazy dreams last night and not from running.  It happens every once in awhile.  I think I have dreams where I tense my muscles, and then they end up sore the next morning.  Splits were 7:53, 7:45, and 7:27.  I also saw a little beaver swimming down the river under the I-15 bridges.  I thought it was a leaf or something at first, but then it veared off towards the bank across the current.

Four easy miles along the trail.  The weather was nice and warm.  My legs felt tired though from running and playing basketball yesterday.  Total time was 30:03 for around 7:30/mile pace.  Splits were 7:40, 7:23, 7:24, and 7:35.  I tried adding a little extra to the last half mile since it is short, but I think I added about 8-10 seconds over.  I mapped out the route I take, and it shows that the first and last half mile are 0.03 miles short.  I mapped a slightly different route adding a little extra and it was right on.

It was another nice day.  There was more wind though.  I decided to do a 3 mile tempo run.  I started off with 1.47 miles in 11:34 (7:52/mile), and then started the tempo.  I wanted to go around 7:00/mile pace to get a little speed work but not fast enough to be uncomfortable.  The first mile was 6:35, followed by 6:45 (with a turnaround), and finally a 6:42.  It was a bit faster than I planned, but the pace felt good.  I finished with 1.5 in 11:16 (7:30/mile).  The legs are a little sore after this week, which is probably due to the increased mileage and the basketball game on Thursday.  I plan to do the same mileage next week with a 10K race on Saturday.

Early afternoon run along the trail in beautiful weather.  The pace was around 7:21/mile for a time of 36:45.  Splits were 7:41, 7:25, 7:13, 7:13, and 7:12.  My little extra for the first and last half mile seems to be right on considering my times.  The legs felt fine today.

Just 5 easy miles along the trail.  I felt good overall, but my knees were a little sore to begin with.  Total time was 37:04 with splits of 7:42, 7:31, 7:26, 7:13, and 7:12.

The legs still felt a bit tired and sore again today, but it just feels like normal training soreness when you increase your mileage and intensity.  I just did 4 along the trail this afternoon in a time of 29:55 for a 7:28/mile pace.  My splits were 7:52, 7:30, 7:24, and 7:08.  I didn't feel like I was going that fast for the last one, and it even included the extra 0.03.

Just 4 easy miles along the trail again.  The legs felt about the same as yesterday.  I always had similar aches and pains in college when I returned from summer vacation and increased my mileage.  I ran on grass a bit yesterday to give the legs a little break from pounding the pavement.  My total time for today was 29:34 for around a 7:23/mile pace.

I ran home from BYU today so my wife could have the car when she got off work.  I wound my way through campus and over to the trail and then followed it home.  I ended up with a time of 28:36 which I'm estimating at around 3.8 miles.  Tomorrow I'm doing the Rex Lee run here in Provo.  I'm not looking to set any records or anything.  I'm just going to enjoy the race and keep a decent pace throughout.

I started with about a 1.5 mile warm-up and then did some stretching.  The legs felt pretty good.  I did a few strides close to race time, and I was feeling pretty good.  I decided to go with just a t-shirt, shorts and a hat despite the cold temperature.  My plan for the race was to go out easy and pick it up the last few miles.  I wasn't trying to break any records or place high at all.  I just wanted to go out and have fun racing.  Given my mileage and training times recently, I thought 6:45-7 minute pace would be doable.

I lined up a little ways back from the starting line as I didn't want to go out too quick and get sucked into a sub-6 first mile or anything.  It was a bit crowded for the first half mile or so, but it thinned out after that, and the crowd kept my pace reasonable.  The pace felt comfortable and perhaps even a little slow, so I was waiting for the mile marker to see where I was at.  I passed 7 minutes and then 7:30 and no marker!  Finally I crossed it at 8:45!  I hate it when the first mile marker is off.  It throws off your entire focus.  I picked it up the second mile and hit it in 5:56 according to the marker, but I think it was a little short.  The next mile was in 6:27, which I think was correct.  Somewhere between 2.5 and 4 I developed a killer side stitch.  I finally got it loosened up a bit and picked it up between 3 and 4.  I passed most of the guys who passed me when I slowed down with the side stitch.  Miles 4, 5, and 6 felt pretty good.  I was just cruising.  I hit number 4 in 6:41 and number 5 in 6:54, and then the fun began.  Shortly after the 5th mile the 5K runners came down the hill on the south end of campus and merged with the 10K course into the finish.  They started the 5K 15 minutes after the 10K which meant that I met the bulk of the 5K pack filled with recreational runners and moms with strollers.  I spent the next mile weaving in and out of slower runners and finished the last 1.2 in 7:04.  My total time was 41:49 according to my watch or 41:46 according to the finish clock.  Both are right around 6:45/mile pace, but I'll have to wait for the official results to really tell.

Overall I was pleased with my race and the organization of the event.  The traffic control was superb and the course was clearly marked.  I didn't like the poorly marked miles and the merging of the two courses, but it was okay.  I enjoyed my race and didn't feel like I pushed it too hard.  I probably could have gone faster, but it gives me a good start to the year and the idea was not to kill myself.  It was my first race since October 2006, so I was pleased with the results.

Mile 1:  8:45 (long)

Mile 2:  5:56 (short)

Mile 3:  6:27

Mile 4:  6:41

Mile 5:  6:54 (maybe a little long)

Last 1.2:  7:04 (a little short?)

Just 5 easy miles along the trail in the early evening.  My total time was 36:05 for 7:13/mile pace.  Splits were 7:33, 7:17, 7:08, 7:09, and 6:56.  The legs were a little sore still from the race on Saturday, but overall felt good.

Just 5 easy miles along the trail at around 7:29/mile pace.  The legs felt a little tight still.  Total time was 37:27 with splits of 7:49, 7:43, 7:29, 7:12, and 7:12.

The legs felt better today.  I went 5 miles along the trail again.  The time was faster at 36:02 with splits of 7:31, 7:17, 7:09, 7:04, and 6:59 for a 7:12/mile pace.  I picked it up on the last one with about 100 meters to go to see if I could get under 7.

I had less time today, and I thought fewer miles would do the legs some good.  I just did 4 along the trail in a time of 28:55 for about a 7:13/mile pace.  Splits were 7:26, 7:13, 7:12, and 7:03.  The legs felt pretty good, and the soreness in the hips is almost gone.

The legs felt great today.  I did my usual 5 miles along the trail in a time of 35:52.  That translates to around 7:10/mile pace.  I did 6x100m strides in the middle with 100m rest in between.  Splits were 7:25, 7:21, 6:56, 7:11, and 6:56.

I decided to do a longer run today and ran 8 miles along the trail in 58:04.  That is just over 7:15/mile pace.  I felt good and strong until about the last mile to 1.5.  My legs were feeling a little fatigued at that point, but it wasn't bad.  It has probably been about 8 years since I ran that far at one time so I was pleased.  That makes 32 miles for the week, and I'm feeling great.  I'm slowly building my miles up.  I'm dreading the 100 degree weather of summer though.  I'm not a fan of hot weather and find it harder to run in the summer than in the winter.  My splits for today were 7:25, 7:19, 7:13, 7:20, 7:07, 7:11, 7:16, and 7:10.

Five easy miles along the trail in 36:08.  The legs felt good today.  Splits were 7:19, 7:13, 7:08, 7:13, and 7:12.

Six easy miles along the trail in a time of 43:22.  I ran towards Macey's today, and went farther along the trail than I ever have in that direction.  I didn't realize that the trail goes along the road on the sidewalk for awhile.  My splits were 7:26, 7:26, 7:23, 7:06, 7:06, and realizing that I could catch the 7:15 guy, the last split was 6:51.  It felt good for about 7:13/mile pace overall.

I ran towards Macey's again because I can run in the grass along the trail.  I find it relieving after pounding the pavement day after day.  The top of my foot was bothering me today a little as well.  It feels like the same thing I had in Nov/Dec.  It loosened up really nice after a couple of miles though.  I did 6x100m strides in the middle with 100m rest in between.  My total time for the 5 miles was 35:36 for a pace of 7:07/mile.  Splits were 7:22, 7:25, 6:58, 6:50, and 7:00.  I plan to take it easy tomorrow.

The foot still felt a little sore today.  I really didn't feel like running, but I got myself out the door.  I just did 4 easy miles along the trail in 29:19 for a 7:19/mile pace.  The splits were 7:25, 7:22, 7:21, and 7:09.

Nothing today.

Seven easy miles along the trail.  It was a lonely run today.  Recently on Saturdays there have been many people on the trail.  I guess they got scared away by the cold, windy weather.  I felt good overall, but my foot was still bothering me.  Total time was 51:05 for 7:17/mile pace.

Met Sasha and Hyrum in the morning and ran 4 miles along the trail with them in 36:55 for 9:13/mile pace.  Then ran another mile with Sasha in 8:43.  The extra half was from running to and from Sasha's house.  The foot felt surprisingly well.  I guess the easier pace helped.