Turn your rut into a groove.

am--21 Tried to talk myself out of a run this morning but thought that I should set a good precedent for the year. I looped out on the Rim trails by myself and then hit Barrel Roll w/ Sidewinder w/ Tom. We were both dragging the last few miles. Nevertheless, this all builds towards my goals this year:

• Hit some steady state/marathon miles every week.
• Hit a 90+ minute run every week.
• Hit a day (hopefully a run) each month that is 27+ miles. 

pm--9 Sick of the cold, so I hit the tready for a workout. Ran @ 1.5% w/ 4 x mile @ 7:19 followed by .25 rest. Warmed-up for 2 and cooled-down for 2. Legs felt surprisingly good. 

pm--5 An easy run around the neighborhood and Green Valley and back. 

pm--8 Tready miles @1.5% w/ 4 warm-up, 3 @ 7:30/mile, and 1 cool-down. The stomach was feeling a bit sketchy in the quicker section, but it ended fine. 

am--5.75 Nice morning run over into Dixie Downs and back home. 

pm--6.25 Feeling slightly unmotivated, but I hit the tready anyway. Warm-up and cool-down w/ 2 x 2 @ 7:30 w/ .5 rest. Felt pretty steady and smooth. 

am--6 Chilly-to-the-bone morning run through Dixie Downs. 

pm--4 tready miles w/ incline from 1.5%-4%.

pm--3.75 mile of drudgery on the tready. 

am--6 Morning miles w/ a running buddy. Went into Dixie Downs and back home. 

pm--5 Shoe run w/ the girls. Twas fun to get out w/ them again. I need to try to run w/ the kids more often. 

pm--6.25 A nice run on Anasazi Trail to the Homestead and back. Sockless. 

am--11 Explored, ran, and bushwhacked through Snow Canyon on the trails. The views were always amazing although the running, was at times, closer to a slogging hike. Twas a nice run. Thanks, Matt. 

am--9 Hit the Barrel Roll and Sidewinder. Lots of bikers out. They're pretty good about sharing the trails except for the (take-themselves-too) serious(ly) db's that wouldn't yield to anyone, going up or down. 

am--5.75 Early morning run into DD w/ a buddy. Not too cold this morning. 

pm--4.25 Fartlek on the tready. 1 min. @ 7:00 min. pace x 5 w/ 30 sec. rest. Then 2 minutes rest follwed by 1 min. @ 6:40 min. pace x 5 w/ 30 sec. rest.  I was testing out the leg speed and sustainability @ these paces. Neither felt grueling. That's good.

pm--6 Webb Hill and some adjacent trails w/ Tom. Lots of climbing and some decent running. 

pm--6 Tready miles @ 1.5% w/ 3 slightly rigorous miles thrown in the middle. 

pm--5 Shoe run w/ the kids. Nice run. 

am--14 Twas a good time this morning. I warmed up from Hilton Dr. because the traffic was horrible. Today's race was my second race since STG 2009. I really wasn't sure what to expect. So I just went out and ran. 

The course seemed pretty honest, and I was able to hold my pace in the mid-7s. Judging by those who were in my general area, I dropped off slightly after mile 9. Nevertheless, this is a ~5 min. PR @ the distance. Too bad my time is in absentia on the Stride Racing site. At least, there is a fitness baseline to operate with going forward. Congratulations to all who ran. 

pm--3 Easy recovery miles on the tready. Legs are a bit tight.

am--4.25 A short little run. The legs are loosening up a bit. 

pm--5.75 Fell back on the tready miles again. Hit a 7:30 mile sandwiched by 2 7:40s w/ .5 recovery jog. It does the legs some good to pick it up a bit.

pm--6.25 Anasazi trail to Homestead and back. The wind was whipping. 

am--6 Nice little morning run around the neighborhood. 

pm--5.75 Ran the shoe run backwards w/ the girls. Beautiful day. 

am--20 Hit the Rim trails, Barrel Roll w/ Sidewinder extension, and Black Brush w/ Matt. Twas a beautiful run but difficult the last 3 or 4 miles. In between each, trail we refueled at the trail head. A 20-mile run in the hills is so much better and harder than a road 20-miler. Over the next few months I'll be trying to extend these a bit. 

pm--7 Tready workout. 2 x 2 @ 7:30 w/ 1 mile in between, sandwiched by a warm-up and cool-down.