Turn your rut into a groove.

pm--3 Some running. I've been taking it easy this week, trying to hold off the summertime blues. 

am--3 First day of xc practice for the season. I jumped from group to group, trying to get to know kids. This might be a transitional season as a coach. My focus is changing a bit. 

pm—2k on the erg (8:53). Decent effort, and it works the body in a pretty physical way. I’m going to try to double w/ some cross training—erg or bike—weekdays this summer.

am--4 Mostly grass running w/ some striders. Nice feeling w/ the kids we have out, but we're slim in numbers. 

pm--3.25 My neighbor texted to see if I wanted to run to Albertson's in a circuitous manner, and I went. It was nice to move my sore body a bit. These lunges will be the end of me. 

am--4.5 Turtle Road w/ a good crew. We have more girls in the top group, thanks to Sophomores getting older, and some great young kids, as well. 

Erged a bit this evening w/ some Dylan's "Desire" on the headphones. He's great. 

am—4 Run up the FL training hill and back w/ striders after. I’m loving our group this year.

am—5.25 A wonderfully paced run w/a fine group of people. XC has been a real pick me up this week. Nice negative split.

pm—4.25 A decent run w/ some 3-minute pickups. Nice first week of practice.

I finished Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon. It’s about race and family and friendship and vinyl and midwifery and blaxploitation films, among other things. Chabon is a great writer. This is the 3rd or 4th book by him I’ve read. 

am—6 Some Fartlek tempo work to begin building stamina. I wa able to work w/ a few different groups today. I like that.

am—4.5 Urie and Grass w/ striders. I got a bit more during kids club. Then we went to the school and did some weights and AIS. 

am--5 Dogpound Loop to Sullivan and back. We had a nice group until we started climbing back to the school. I flipped to run w/ a nice crew. 

I finished Championship Team Building by Jeff Janssen. It's chock-full of good stuff for organizing and leading a team. My interest over the last year or two has been waning w/ this type of book, but this one hit at the right time. 

am--7.5 Highland out-and-back w/ some pickups. I felt okay. It was fun to chat w/ some folks on the run today. Weights and AIS after. 

am—4.5 Middleton Trail w/ some kiddos.

pm--5.5 Some running in the evening because life sometimes gets in the way. 

am--8 Grapevine out-and-back. Good run where I got to jump in w/ a few different groups. I'm trying this out, knowing that my greatest accomplishment as a runner is helping others get better. 

I finished Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon. It's a book of essays about being a husband, father, and son. Timely reading, and, lately, I can't get enough Chabon. 

am--5 Half-road/Half-grass run w/ striders after. We also had kids club and some weights and stretching. 

am--6 Tour-de-Washington. We looped around firestation but had to add through Washington. 

am--5.5 Hilly run down into Hell's Hole and back. Some of the freshies were grossly intimidated by the hill out, but they made it. People are doing good things. 

pm—20 minutes of biking. 

am--6 A negative split run on the river trail into Green Valley. We were moving pretty well on the way back. Great things from unexpected folks. Striders after. 

pm--30 minutes on the bike. Happy Summer!

pm—7 A nice slow burner. Man, am I a sweater. My weeks are building, and I’m feeling stronger. Just need to move more during the day and watch my sweets.

I finished a good book about training: Marty Liquori’s Guide for the Elite Runner. It’s simple straightforward training book written w/ John L. Parker. And just so we know this Liquori guy is legit, here’s a vid of him taking Jim Ryun in a mile foot race: https://youtu.be/Sup-ZmlhAPc

am—8.5 Sandhill. I played caboose, helping kids to keep on keeping on. Pace was whatever, but I’m happy to get some longer minutes. Getting stronger everyday.

am—5 Warm and grass loops w/ kids club after. 

pm—1.5 First afternoon run of the season after weights and AIS.

am—7 Good run w/ a nice group into the fields and back.

am—7 Tempo fartlek on the new dirt mile. People are battling. I like it.

pm—1.5 Weights, AIS and a run. After, I rode to the top of the West Canyon Trail w/ Adam. Some good climbing up and cruising down. Biking brings some new aches and pains, but it’s fun.

am—7 Ran out to Walmart Distribution from Heritage Park w/ barefoot striders after. I was surprised that there was no residual ache from yesterday’s bike ride.

pm—5.5 Nice progressive run. 

I finished Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut. It’s fairly postmodern, and the plot is whatever, but I loved it. Vonnegut is good for literary homeostasis.