Turn your rut into a groove.

am--4 First day of summer practice. 3s this week, but I added a bit after, running in w/ some kids. 

am--4.5 A few extra grass loops before the run to Maverick. Kids club after. The numbers are crazy big this year. 

am--4 A few grass loops and run out-and-back on Telegraph. We have a nice group of girls developing. I expect the group to grow. 

am--4.5 Lots of running on grass. I actually really love the loops. It was also good to chat w/ Kaelie and Taylor. 

am--4 Nice miles out on the Shinob Kibe trail and through the adjacent neighborhood w/ Kaelie and Nicole. The numbers dwindled at the end of the week w/ church things going on for many of the kids. Good first week of practice. 

am--6 Ran up around SCHS. I thought about maybe trying to bust out a 1600 on the track for funsies, but I need some physical and mental work before I try that in earnest. Decent run at the end of a decent week. Patient work for consistent growth. 

am--4.5 Nice start to the week. We hit up the tortoise road, nearly to the gate, w/ a large group much of the way. I would love to see the girls pack up. Maybe I need to just fall into the pack instead of dictating the pace. 

am--4.5 A few extra grass loops and then a run to Maverick and back. The girls are packing. It's wonderful. Kids club was awesome today. Magnificent numbers. 

am--4.5 We ran over to Sandberg's, up by Costco, and back along Telegraph. Grouped fairly nicely again until the cemetery incline. I was feeling it in the gut by then, not digestive stuff but fatigue in the abs from breathing. What can I say? I had to work to keep up w/ Liz. 

am--5.5 A few extra laps before practice. We ran barefoot on grass today, followed by striders. The kids are shaping up and, consequently, running easier and faster. They're nearly breaking me on easy runs. Man, I'm getting old and maintaining a decent lack of fitness. Guess I'll see if I can do anything about either. Summer practice has been great. 

am--5.25 I had a dentist appointment this morning, so no practice for me. I got out on my own and hit my truncated morning run. I felt pretty blah and tired. I did notice that a keep a moderate pace when I run on my own, for what it's worth. 

am--6.25 Old Swiss Days loop extended. I shadowed some dude for a mile or so--hope I didn't creep him out--then picked it up a bit. Probably hit a few miles sub-8, which feels pretty tough to me right now. I can feel my fitness coming back slowly but surely. Next week I'll shoot for another 10% increase. I also hope to turn Saturdays into long run day w/ double-digit runs. 

am--4 Ran around a bit to set up a 400-meter loop for a vVo2 test. 6 Minutes to run as far as possible. After we measured the total in meters for everybody. The test was on grass, so it added an element of strength. The kids pushed well for an early summer test. I did a solo effort after and hit 1452. You're only as good as you are in the present. 

am--4.5 Dirt mile loops @ an easy pace. Kids' club after. It went smoothly because our xc kids are so great. 

am--4.5 Lots of running barefoot on grass. 

am--7.5 We did the Parkway double loop today w/ a sturdier each time we went up the parkway. It felt good. The hill was a lung-buster at the eat of the sturdy pace each time. The girls did well. I added a small amount when I went back to find Ali. 

am--4.5 First day of summer, right? Nice little run on the path out in CC. We ended up making it up the mesa and nearly down to the park before the 2-mile turnaround. Good week w/ the team. 

am--10 SC mountain w/ Matt and George. My quads could definitely feel the climbing by the end. 

am--5 Nice morning for a run. We did a 15-minute VO2 test. I made it 3554 meters. Feel OK about that. Feel better about the fact that it's my little girl's bday. Happy birthday, little Z. 

am--6 Did some VO2 fartlekish stuff--30 on, 30 off. I thought 20 reps would be pretty decent, but we kept hitting our distances and feeling pretty good. We did 40. These workouts @ a faster, specific pace but not redlining are encouraging. They're hard, but the benefits are perceptible. 

am--4.5 Nice and easy grass miles. My legs needed that. 

am--7.25 Parkway loops again. We had a nice pack of girls on the first loop. The pick-up was nice until Stoner left everyone in the dust on the hill. But, oh well. We regrouped at the top and hit a second loop w/ the level 3 girls. They all pushed out of the comfort zone. Ali really hung in there today. It's pretty fun watching these girls run and enjoy it. 

am--4.25 A little shorter warm-up and a smaller group today. We ran Mustang Pass to the savanna and flipped it. Nice run, but it was already pretty hot. 

am--6.5 Nice, warm run out in Moe's w/ Tom. It was good to get out w/ him today. I'm a little tired overall from the week of slightly intense running.