Turn your rut into a groove.

pm--4.5 I took a little break to see if anything would heal or if I would mentally want to get back at it. The aches seemed to slumber for a few days, but they are tossing and turning now. I went up the big hill on the way to the turkey farm and flipped to make the run 35 minutes. Wanted to go farther, but it felt like I forgot how to run, and my legs never really loosened up. RHR--49. 

Last year, I kept track of the books I read and ended up with 62, a mixture of fiction and nonfiction. Since the turn of the new year, I've finished 4 more. 

Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi was a pretty quick read about a curious, fun-loving girl who gets expelled from school and the fantastic experience she had subsequently at a nontraditional school. Helped me see what can happen when we seek to understand others. 

Beartown by Fredrik Backman tells the tale of a desolate hockey-loving town and how people choose to handle a criminal act by the star player of the junior team. Made me think a lot about how we are more willing to make concessions for those we see as extraordinary. 

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare an Elizabethan hit. Proof that those who seem insane often have the sanest perspective. 

The Self-Made Olympian by Ron Daws recounts a self-admitted average runner's pursuit of Olympic glory. My favorite quote:

No runner is so untalented that he cannot improve vastly enough to beat the more talented ones whose approach is less intense. I'm not claiming that any runner with club feet and asthma can, by scheming and whipping himself in training, beat those of world-record caliber who combine great natural talent with stone-hard discipline, but that in fully extracting his innate capabilities he may venture into worlds never dreamed of. (9)

pm--4.25 Dino Tracks. I really got the sparkling new Christmas shoes dirty. But the trail is nice when some rain has fallen. I felt rough when we started but perked up a bit and really felt handsomely good when we finished. That's good. The frustration was high throughout the day. I even thought about things that go w/ spandex and zip shirts. Shame. RHR--58. 

pm—5.25 Varied pace work on the track. I went light with those coming back from injury. I felt better today, and the pick-ups were nice. RHR—57.

pm--6 Foremaster w/ the return on 2450. Nice run except for the fact that it felt like everyday before today was leg day. That's okay. I'm getting back into it. On another note, I'm excited to do some learning this weekend. RHR--57. (Sickness is hanging out in my head.)

pm—5.25 Some running around Boulder to see the sights before the 1st day of a sweet conference. My legs and lungs are still coming back.

am—4 Some miles along the Boulder Creek, followed by a big day of cool info. We had lunch with Doug Soles. That was pretty cool.

pm--5.25 Ran around the neighborhood w/ my neighbor. I missed the run this morning due to a weird crick in the back and the makings of a chest cold. Hope someone got an extra doughnut. Other than the labored breathing, I felt good tonight. 

I finished Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. It's a book about two young folks falling in love in a war-torn country and finding a way out through a mysterious dark doorway. Decent contemporary fiction w/ some magic thrown in. 

am--1.5 Harts. I didn't lift but did try to talk to every kid during weights. RHR--53.

pm--6 Hell Hole and back. Decent run. I'm working through the funk. Rylee and Jenessa ran really well today. Erged 1k when I got home.

pm--7 Pace work on the track. I got to run w/ the future again. Always a good time. Things feel like they're starting to come back. RHR--54. 

am--1.5 Light weights and a run into the neighborhood. Had a sister race between the Holts to finish off the run. RHR--53. 

pm--6 Jada's Choice. Felt crummy and beat on the way out and for a minute on the way back, but we were able to hit a steady, solid pace by the end. Freshman girls are stepping up. Also found out that roughly 1 in 4 people in St. George knows me. :) Erged 2k in 9:04 when I got home. 

pm--6.25 Tempo Intervals at PVMS w/ 30-sec. recovery. Decent workout. Something about a steady effort is difficult for younger runners, but they're working hard and doing great things. RHR--58. (Still kind of sick.)

pm—1.75 Just a few miles due to the tendinitis and sickness. I’m really at a nadir physically. Must’ve done too much too quickly. 

pm—3 A few miles to keep something rolling. The chest cold and a dire need to renew my driver’s license combined to snuff out a run w/ the kids. 

am--1.5 Harts + after a mini session of weights. This was probably one of the colder mornings all winter. RHR--53.

pm--4.5 Mustang Pass. Nothing to report other than feeling old and out of shape. Wheezing is an obstacle at the moment. 

pm--7 Pace work w/ the Future. I felt better on most fronts today. Yay for the win. RHR--51.

am--1.5 The nieghborhood whale and back after some light weights. RHR--51. 

pm--6 A nice run w/ one hill circuit thrown in. The crew was antsy on the pace. #highlights

pm—5.75 Ran around the grass while the kids did tempo at PV middle. RHR—54.

am—4.25 Chuckawalla w/ shorn Adam. Nice run to finish the week. I’m feeling a lot better than I did last Saturday. Perhaps a little perspective was gained.

No run. Doc-in-law says I have walking pneumonia, so I decided that I would play it safe and get better. I've been wheezing and having trouble feeling any fitness gain over the last 2 weeks. Perhaps there's a reason for that. 

I finished The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It's a top candidate for Great American Novel. I wonder what percentage of my AP Lit kids have an educated opinion on that. Quiz? Should I? 

I biked around the 'hood a few times. The heart was pumping pretty hard after a so-so effort. The lungs are not firing on all cylinders. 

I also finished a book that was highly rated on Amazon. It's a graphic novel by Eleanor Davis called You & A Bike & A Road. The book chronicles the author's bike trip from Tucson, AZ to Athens, GA. She's on the road for around 2 months before her knees say uncle and force her to forgo the last 10 days and hitch a ride from her husband. It was a quick read and an interesting topic. If Spandex is optional, some bike tripping might be cool one day.