Turn your rut into a groove.

pm--9 A nice, even-paced run after watching Melvin Gordon do his thing. I haven't made any goals, but I want to keep up the 8-10 mile runs. 

pm--5 Late progressive run on the middle girl's bday. It felt okay. I'll be glad to get back to a routine next week even though I've enjoyed some down time. 

pm--4 A few lazy days, and the running suffers. Isn't it ironic how being active makes you run more and running more makes you more active. I guess the second one is a real duh but anyway. RHR--57.

pm--5 A nice Dog Pound Loop w/ an extension around the PV block. It was good to run w/ the kids again. They are pumped to be back running as evidenced by the defacto tempo pace today. Well, got that out of the way for the week. RHR--54.

pm--7.25 Nice run up around the Canyons at a decent pace. Went after dark, but the temperatures felt good. I even wore a short-sleeve shirt. RHR--54.

pm--8.75 A nice, steady run to get in some aerobic work. RHR--57.

pm--5.5 Green Springs w/ Dixie Nutrition extension. It was a nice run today @ a pretty hardy pace. Good to catch up w/ some of the kiddos and Ryan. RHR--57. 

pm--4.5 Nice, easy run on a tender ankle. I rolled it like 4 times on yesterday's run. RHR--55.

pm--9 A good, steady run for 80ish minutes. I really enjoy these runs. Nothing heavy-duty, but I'm able to just kind of float into some kind of a groove. RHR--57. 

pm--5 Fartlek work--5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 min. bouts w/ 2 min. recovery. Felt pretty good. RHR--49.

pm--7 Just some miles. For some reason, I'm not super motivated right now, but running still does me good. RHR--52.

pm--6 Easy run w/ 8 x striders tacked on the end. RHR--56.

pm--5 Tinman tempo. The run felt decent. My motivation is still rolling around somewhere on the floor. RHR--54.

pm--9 Tready w/ the HRM. It was pretty nice and easy. HR was around 150, for what it's worth. RHR--55.

pm--6 Just another run. Kind of dumb week for running, but I got 38 miles in the week I turned 38. That's got to count for something. 

pm--6 A nice loop up through Lava Cove and down Tuweap w/ a little addition on my own. Felt good to get a run in outside. 

pm--8 The big Lava Cove/Canyons loop. I felt decent. I wore the HRM and am still trying to get a gauge for that and the feedback it gives. We'll see how long I'm motivated to wear that thing. RHR--52. 

pm--7 A nice shoe run w/ a bit of an extension followed by striders. The group stayed together pretty well today. It was fun. RHR--55.

pm--8 Nice slow burner. Pure aerobic goodness. It's been a pretty good running week for me. RHR--56.

am--6 Barrel Roll figure 8. I intended on going about twice this far, but it was work out there today. I'm not sure if it's because I haven't been on the trails for almost a month or because of the hectic nature of the last day or so. (I didn't get a run in yesterday because we had some water heater issues and minor water damage and other stuff.) I'm not very handy, but I figured it wasn't a great day to say, "See you later, Honey. I'm going running. You handle this."

On that note, I decided to set some goals for my running in the near future. Trails x 3 every week and a double-digit run. The other days  will find a way. 

pm--8 Canyons Kidney run or at least that's what I'm calling it. I had an enjoyable run in a short sleeve shirt on a January night. Go figure. I'm working on keeping these normal runs at a steady, aerobic pace. 

pm--4 Temple Quarry trail w/ the kiddos. This is a bit slow going once you hit the lave rock, but it's a fun trail if a tad on the short side. 

pm--8 Progressive run. Started nice and easy but spent a good chunk of time in the mid-7s. 

pm--4 Easy peasy. Not much else to say. Need to hit the trails. 

am--3.5 Ultimate miles. I'm counting them when the running week has been so . . . . Plus, we were champs. Thanks to all the old bucks who are younger than Dave and I. They made us look good. I will definitely get out later for some miles. 

pm--4.5 Easy miles. I was a bit sore from trying to play around like I'm half my age. Did some Tabata-style stuff w/ some weights after. 

pm--5 Light Tempo. I started with 2 slower building miles and then ran a 20-minute tempo, starting ~7:30 pace and finishing just below 7:00 pace. Amazingly, the legs were responsive. 

pm--7 Solo Trail Tuesday on the Rim Circuit. I tried really hard to keep the heart rate in a certain zone. I did much better today. It's difficult, though, on the trails with all of the ups and downs. But all of that is secondary when the day and the temperature are so beautiful. On another note, I'm thinking about really nerding out and giving all the SCRR trails Dune-themed names. RHR--52.

pm--10 My double-digit run for the week. Half of my goals for the week are done. I don't know how the rest of the week will go. I'll be travelling Friday and Saturday. RHR--54.

pm--8 Canyons Kidney Loop. The evening was perfect. I love running through the cold spots near the river. RHR--53.

pm--5+ Sidewinder w/ an extra loop on top. It was a nice day running on the trails while the dentists did their mountain biking. Quite a few people out in the middle of the day on a Friday. RHR--55.

am--3 Junky treadmill miles in a hotel before a funeral. Glad to get a run. 

pm--Easy 3 before reggae band practice. 

pm--7 Paradise Rim/Turtle Wall w/ the kiddos. I'm glad I got out w/ them. It was a beautiful day once the breeze came. RHR--53.

pm--7 Ran up and around Lava Flow and Tuweap w/ my bro-in-law and then added a few more down to the roundabout. RHR--55.

am--7.5 My old running buddy is in town, so we did a modified version of the old morning route. I'm glad it was a little cooler this morning. RHR--54.

am--5.5 Truncated morning route w/ the old running buddy. Had a nice soccer chat. On another note, I took a late afternoon nap, and that about crippled my circadian rhythm. RHR--54.

am--11 Anasazi from home. I hit the trails early and actually did a bit of pre-dawn darkness, which was beautiful. This route has roughly 2 miles of pavement on the way to the trails. It's not bad on the way out, but the trail-to-road transition is a drag. Good to get this run in. I went and did some watch work for the Mr. PVHS 5K after. Lots of folks came. 

pm--6 Anasazi backwards w/ my neighbor. I didn't go all the way across the trail. I did see an old xc runner (on a date maybe) sitting on the rocks, looking at the river. It was a nice day today. We also did a little family hike earlier. 

pm--7 Usual evening route w/ possible variation. It was beautiful out, and I really felt smooth. That was good. Reggae practice after. RHR--51.

pm--6 Truncated Canyons w/ my neighbor. Had a good chat and enjoyed the stellar evening temps. RHR--50.

pm--5 Up and around Warrior Way w/ my neighbor. Decent run on a fullish stomach. RHR--53.

pm--3 Lower Graveyard loop. I haven't done this one for a long time. RHR--54.

am--12.5 Headed out this morning w/ my sweetheart to Page, AZ to run Ultra Endurance's first event of the year. I checked in and, just to get the full experience, used the Eco Comode. Lovely. 

The race started w/ about 30 of us gathered in a bunch around the campfire, and George said, "Go." So I went. The first mile was a slow trudge through dunish sand, ending up a steep incline. Subsequently, the Page Rim Trail was heavenly. I would recommend it to anyone looking to kill an hour or two in Page, AZ. There's nothing else to do near there. By the time I came out of the sand, I fell in w/ runners that were rocking a kind pace. So I trail stalked a few folks, trying to initiate awkward conversation and actually made a few trail buddies. 

At the halfway mark, Bobby, a Dakota from Minnesota, and I ran together for a few miles. It was his first race longer than a 5k. What a stud. He started to fall back about 8 miles in. 

I was feeling ok at this point, working hard to keep a good pace. The elevation profile for the course was something like a v, so the second half was a long, slow climb.

I could see the guy I thought was 3rd--I had lost the lead pack, bottlenecking through the sand, so I had no clue my place throughout the race--and kept sneaking up on him. I got to within 15 yards or so before he saw me and really started to push. I didn't drop off pace but couldn't match what he was doing. It stayed that way for the remainder. I ended up 5th. 

I haven't raced in a long time and went into this with a mindset to take what the day offered and have a good time. Accomplished both. I loved the distance and the atmosphere. Matt and his homies put on a great race. I hope they keep doing some of these shorter trail races. Much Grass, Mr. Matt. 

pm--6 Nice, slow recovery run w/ my neighbor after having a little fever and a bout of the chills last night. Hope I'm not coming down w/ something. 

pm--8 The Canyons Kidney loop, up Lava Cove and down Serenity. My body is still struggling a little from the fever, but oh well. On a side note, I saw the UPS guy for 4 straight miles. We must be on the same route. 

pm--4 To Jake's house and back w/ some neighbors. This week has been a slog runningwise. RHR--53.

pm--5.5 A run. Not much more.

pm--3 A few miles to get back on the horse after a busy end to the week last week. RHR--56.

pm--5 A nice run in the evening. Felt good. RHR--54.

pm--7 A nice run w/ neighbor up through Lava Cove and down Tuweap. I also added a few beforehand. RHR--53.

pm--7 Just some miles, getting back into an everyday habit. 

pm--3 Some quick miles before heading out to the theatre. 

am--7 A nice run from Kayenta w/ my neighbor. It felt ok today. My legs are a little slappy. Maybe the kettle bell stuff from earlier in the week. RHR--54.

pm--3 A rushed run before heading to Vegas to watch the cougs. It was a fun trip--ate Argentine and saw a triple-double. 

pm--5 Another rushed run before band practice. Maybe I just need to get up and get a run in before the day really gets rolling. All I know is that I'm not a fan of daylight savings, at all. 

pm--7 Rim Circuit. I couldn't help but get out on the trails today. It was a bit overcast, and the temperature was perfect. I love grinding up the hills and cruising through the brush. One of my favorite trails ever. 

pm--8 A nice, easy run after a sluggish day. Routine is my friend. AZ time is my friend. RHR--53.

am--5 I actually got a morning run in and decided to do a few tempo miles. It was hard. For some reason, I'm really beat. Old. Something. 

pm--6 Old Swiss Days loop. I got this week started off a little better than the last few weeks. That being said, I was really dragging out there today. It wasn't the heat, just an overall lethargy. 

pm--3 Relief Society birthday party or something. The little one and I were holding down the fort. All she would give me was 25-30 minutes on the tready. RHR--53.

pm--9 Barrel Roll w/ Sidewinder extension. Just what I needed today. The trail was perfect due to the "cooler" weather and the overcast day. Pure joy. RHR--53.

pm--3 Nothing fancy. Just a run.

pm--4 Just some more running at a peppier rate than yesterday. Looks like the kids ran well at the meet. Nick killed it. And the girls are as strong as ever. 

pm--6 Fartlek run. Warmed up for 3 then dropped 10 x 1 min. in the 6's w/ 1 min. recovery. RHR--54.

pm--5 Extended Sandberg's w/ the girls. It was good to run w/ them again. Decent pace, good times. RHR--53. 

pm--6 Ran up and around the barrio w/ my neighbor. Picked it up towards the end, which was kind of fun. RHR--54.

pm--4.5 Another extended Sandberg's run w/ the girls. It felt nice out, and the pace was wonderful. RHR--52.

pm--3.5 Got a few miles in after the track meet. RHR--54.

pm--5 Slow burner w/ my neighbor up around the heights. It was my 1st week in 3, getting in 6 runs.

pm--3 Nothing more. Nothing less.

pm--5 Fartlek (1 min., 2 min., 3min. up and down w/ equal recovery). The shorter intervals were faster. I wasn't feeling peppy going into this but felt great ramping it up a bit. 

pm--7.5 A little around the golf course and then up Lava Cove and around w/ some neighbors. RHR--52.

pm--6.5 Anasazi by my lonesome. It was a beautiful sunny, yet cool, afternoon. Perfect. 

pm--4.5 After a little self-inflicted break, I got out for a few on a beautiful evening. Sad to see the Badgers go down. They had a great year. 

pm--3.5 A quick run before band practice.

pm--8 Cool evening run on the Canyons Kidney loop. I felt really good tonight and actually tapped into some kind of flowing essence once or twice. I think maybe it was the Yeasayer @ the 9:30 club. 

pm--5.5 Sandberg's again w/ the First Stop extension. I also ran a few warm-up laps before. Always fun to run w/ the kids. 

am--5.5 Playful morning route. We're going to be travelling this afternoon, so I thought I better get my rear out of bed. It was great as always to run in the "Bible black pre-dawn." RHR--54.

am--5 Ran around Orem w/ my Bro-in-Law. We found a cool park and did some laps there. 

pm--5.5 Rocking around the hood w/ my homie. RHR--53.

pm--6 Warm-up and cool-down w/ the kids sandwiched around their Coe Workout. I did some counter clockwise loops on the track during. The wind is really picking up this afternoon before what looks to be a cooler day or two. RHR--51.

pm--5.5 A decent run, watching the Dodgers, w/ 2 light tempo miles thrown in the mix. RHR--54.

pm--8 Canyons Kidney Loop. I felt great tonight. The breeze was chilly at first but settled down. This constitutes a long run for me right now. RHR--51.

pm--3 Simple, slow run after some tasty food. 

am--6 Barrel Roll (Figure 8). I was lucky enough to get out w/ Thomas this morning. Beautiful trail; perfect day. 

pm--6 Messed around in Green Valley all by my lonesome. The evenings are pleasant this time of year. 

pm--4.5 Ran the warm-up and some on the track while the kids did 200s and 400s. Great kids at PV. RHR--54.

pm--4.5 Just some miles on a slight incline. 

pm--5.5 A decent progressive run, building to a moderate pace. RHR--50.

am--Ran up and around SCHS to spectate the 2nd day of the track meet. It was a beautiful morning. I felt decent most of the run. 

pm--7 Nice windy run into Green Valley w/ a bit on the golf course. RHR--51.

pm--3.5 I thought I was in a crunch, so I jumped on the tready for a few and did some weights/strength training after. RHR--52.

pm--7.5 A nice jaunt to the roundabout and then up Lava Flow. Plus, I've been going for a walk every evening. It's been nice. Don't know if there is much of a physical benefit, but it builds some soul force. Tomight's walking bonud--I ran into an old buddy who knows a ton about VWs. The bus is happy. RHR--53.

pm--5 Decent little run w/ some push-ups, sit-ups, and kettle bell. 

pm--7 Rim Circuit. I hit the trails on what was supposedly the hottest day of the year so far. Mitigated by a light breeze and cloud cover, the ~90-degree heat wasn't nearly as oppressive as you might expect. The run was great, a truly sensory experience. Yellows and purples and greens go well w/ the eternal brown and gray.

And then--I was in a truly meditative mood--it dawned on me that the body becomes a defacto drum kit, keeping time on the trails. The lungs keep the basic frame w/ the in-and-out of the breath. The crunch and slap of the feet are something akin to the hi-hat. And with my hippy-dippy jumiper-berry bracelet, the armswing mimics the soft rattle of the snare. 

Despite the greatness of the run, there were some jumpy moments. I just missed a snake crossing. (Don't worry, not a rattler.) Rabbits dive in and out of the bushes. And lizards randomly transect the trail throughout. All-in-all a good day. RHR--52.

am--7.5 Moe's w/ Tom. Nice, warm day. It was a good day to be on the trails because all of the bike freaks seem to be enjoying the Ironman in some way, shape, or form. Always good to go dirt cruising. RHR--55.

pm--5 Tready Fartlek. I did 12 x 1 min. from ~7:00 to 6:40. The legs felt nice. Right now, I have a nice vision of myself, and it allows me to act as if I'm one heck of a runner. Did some push-ups, sit-ups, and kettlebell stuff after. Happy Star Wars Day. RHR--54. 

pm--3 Green Springs w/ Carli and Maryann. Not many miles, but it was enough for my legs today. RHR--53.

pm--7 Nice run around the barrio w/ my neighbor. I really had to get some stuff off of my chest. Glad he was willing to commiserate. RHR--56.

pm--5 A quick and draggy run before taking my girls to the PV Dance concert. It was fun. 

pm--8 Kidney Loop via Lava Cove and back through Serendipity. It was splendid out tonight. I felt peppier and peppier as I ran. Maybe I was channeling the spirit of Matthew Maton except I'm not in high school as was no where near sub-4:00. RHR--52.

pm--8 Longish run w/ a 21-min. Tinman thrown in. I'm happy about my 2 longest runs of the week being equal and back-to-back. The Tinman section was 7:45-7:15. Then I hit a 1/2 a mile a bit faster. Weights and kettlebell after. I'm feeling swole already. 

pm--7 Freeflowing Fartlek on an impromptu Canyons route. 10 pickups ~ 1 min. in duration w/ a bit more recovery in between. The speedy sections were faster than last week--low 6's--fast enough to get the legs cheering and the lungs yelping. RHR--48.

pm--5 Some easy miles, watching the Dodgers torch the Marlins. RHR--54.

pm--6 Around the hood w/ some neighbors. I was the only one w/ sleeves. Felt like I was at Crossfit or something. I love running. RHR--54.

pm--3 Easy peasy before a hot date. 

pm--6 Back at it w/ a run through the hood. The weather, in the wake of the rain, was beautiful. 

pm--4 Just a run.

pm--5 A nice solo run sans music. Dinner laid a little heavy on the gut. 

pm--5 Nice little jaunt up Sidewinder on a perfectly overcast day. Glad I got out. It pulled me out of the end-of-the-school-year doldrums. 

pm--4 Sluggish run w/ a belly full of Memorial Day BBQ. Hope to get back on the running track this week after 2 crumby weeks. 

pm--5.5 Chuckwalla w/ my buddy from ID. It was a nice push in the afternoon heat. The heat actually didn't feel that atrocious. 

pm--5 Anasazi Trail just past the summit w/ my bro from Idaho. Not bad at all as the sun was setting.

pm--3.5 Nothing special unless you're into the treadmill. Got going late. 

am--5 Some Zen Trail w/ my buddy from Idaho. 3 days on the trails this week and some good climbing. Feels good. 

am--9 Shorter Ivins loop. The run today felt okay. It took a while to get a groove going, and I have to consciously keep myself in check because my body is used to shorter runs. It just wants to go and be done. In the end the run was a good one--hard after some good, climbing trails runs--and I finally got in more than 4 runs in a week. Nice. 

am--3.25 Tortoise Road out-and-back w/ a nice group of kiddos. First day of xc practice. We had a great group of kids come out. There is a good feeling to this group. I'm excited to see who steps up this year. 

am--5.25 Barefoot grass loops w/ 8 x striders in the middle. 15 warm and 15 cool. The running was briskish, but a good group held together, and some decent chat happened. Proud moment of the day: a girl was talking about how she had to miss a bit of time at the beginning of summer practice for trek and family stuff. She was glad that if she was going to miss something, it would be the "easy" stuff and not workouts. Fearless. RHR--49.

am--4.5 A nice run up past Maverick into the desert. It's fun to run and chat w/ the kids. We need to work on letting everyone's goofiness out. RHR--56 (A little high. More sleep is the prescription.)

am--3.5 Dogtown stroll. We took it easy today. Finished w/ striders. The group of girls running together is bigger than ever. I love it. RHR--52.

am--5.5 Pine View Park neighborhood loop. It was the longer run for the week. We went and picked up Meskerem, which really cheered her up, and the girls looked at a goat or something. We finished briskly as we got back to the park. RHR--50.

pm--7 Default Tready Fartlek. I decided to watch Kershaw pitch while I ran. He was pitching a gem, but the Dodger bats were making Jaime Garcia look like Bumgarner. The 3-minute fartlek sections were in the mid-7s. 

pm--6 Simulated the progressive run that Holt did w/ the girls this morning. I had a department meeting today and will finish that up tomorrow. Felt pretty good on the 3 progressive miles--8:00, 7:40, and 7:20.

pm--4.5 A decent run w/ 8 x 100m striders in the middle. Nothing fancy. I'm excited to get back to practice tomorrow. 

am--6 Parkway Loop w/ Old Millcreek extension. It was good to be back to practice w/ the kiddos. We were light in numbers. The company was good nevertheless. Now I have to try pretzels dipped in ranch, brown sugar on a banana, and a scoop of jam in my cereal. RHR--51. 

am--4.5 Nice little run up into the desert w/ striders afterwards. We chatted about states' names are good names for pets. The numbers are slim right now. Hopefully, it's just summer stuff. RHR--52.

am--4 Coral Canyon Fartlek (3 x 3min. w/ equal recovery). I ran w/ the girls, and they rocked it, packed tight, and shared the load. The only time things broke up a bit were on the wicked undulations. 

pm--4 Anasazi to the gate w/ Tom. It's been a few weeks since we've been out in the hills together. The conversation was as cosmic as ever. I really enjoy his friendship. 

pm--4 Had a late night last night, so I didn't get out in the morning. Then we had a fun-filled day as a fam. I ended up running in the evening, and 4 was all my legs would give me. 

am--7 Towards Bracken's Loop. It was a nice, slow burner w/ some tired girls. For some reason, this run is always difficult for me. Today was better than it has been in the past. When we got back to the elementary, I added about 15 more minutes to get where we would have been without the girls' miles from the weekend. RHR--55 (a little high due to poor sleeping habits over the weekend).

am--4.5 Barefoot Grass Loops w/ striders. Nice pack today w/ nearly all the girls together for the last 10 minutes or so. Kids Club went pretty well. RHR--55 (still a little high).

am--6 Dirt-Mile Progression. We went up to the dirt mile and did 4 progressively faster laps, nothing crazy. The girls packed really well and are really showing growth from last year at this time. What a group. I actually had to hold a few of them back a time or two. RHR--55.

am--5 Run Into the Desert w/ striders. We had a sparse group today--darn you, trek. The run was ok. My legs are a bit tired from yesterday. Also had to deliver some bad news. RHR--54.

am--6.5 Dam Road via Hell's Hole. We had a smaller group, but we had fun. Felt pretty easy today. Must've been in the flow. RHR--53.

pm--6 Anasazi to the Homestead w/ Tom. I can't pass up these Friday afternoon runs w/ my cosmic chum. It was hot, and, I'm not going to lie, we walked a bit on some inclines. It was a joyous run. 

am--8 Ran down the marathon course from SC to accompany my neighbor. I probably wouldn't have gone quite that far if I was on my own, after yesterday, but it is what it is. Good week. RHR--54.

am--8 Dino Tracks w/ striders after. The run was good and difficult at the same time. Actually, the beginning--the climb up to the trail--was hard. I ended up doubling back for a few girls. It was awesome to see the girls packed up and running together. What great kids. RHR--53.

am--4 Grass loops. Nice pack and fun discussion about t-rexes. We have a great group of kids this year. RHR--52.

am--7 Dirt-Mile Progressive Run. We had a good pack today--minus 2-3 girls--and stuck together pretty well. 4 laps were ~8:00, 7:50, 7:40 and 7:30. It's fun to see people continue to believe in themselves when things get shaky. Days like this require some visualization to really prime the pump. RHR--54.

am--5 Middleton w/ some cave exploring on the way back. Good run today. The girls had fun acting goofy. RHR--53.

am--6 Chuckwalla Loop. It was a great morning to be running. As usual on the trails, we had some people take some wrong turns. (I'm sure it was the faulty instructions from yours truly.) Also had the privilege of running w/ Kaylee B. A. That was nice. I hope she has a wonderful xc season. RHR--52.

pm--7 Another 60-minute run w/ 7 x 1 min. pickups in the middle. They were anywhere between 7:15 and 7:30 w/ 3 min. recovery. Just something to get the legs moving a bit. RHR--52.

am--9 Nice long run into the fields. We had a pretty good group for most of the run, but separation came as we climbed the interminable hill. Striders after. Good day. RHR--52.

am--4 Grass loops and little running at Kids Camp. Hot mutha today. Yet we'll adapt. RHR--50.

pm--2.75 Out-and-Back to the roundabout. Tough run because of the heat. It's this time of day, this time of year, that I think moving to Montana sounds like a good idea. 

am--6.25 Dirt-Mile Progression run w/ striders after. I really like the striders after. Although, today, I was beat. I had the privelege of running w/ a great group of girls. It was nice glimpse of what these girls can accomplish. RHR--58 (I knew before it told me).

am--5 Parkwayish loop. I felt better than I thought I would, but out group wasn't quite as cohesive as could be for an easy run. RHR--53

pm--3.5 Serenity loop. I got out a bit later because a buddy came to town, and he wanted to get out. We went at dusk. It was nice to catch up a bit. 

am--7 Bloomington Hills Park loops and some exploring on and around the river trail. It was a sweater out there, but I felt decent. It was also nice to catch up w/ Ryan. The real highlight, though, was Meskerem and her crazy Cuban personality. RHR--58.

am--5.5 A decent run w/ 5 x 1 min. pickups every 4 minutes w/ a strong 10-minute finish. I felt good this morning. Nice week overall. 

am--5 Hotel in Bountiful, watching the depressing news. 

am--5 Up to the Bountiful Temple, almost, and back to the hotel. Once you get near the temple the incline is heinous. 

am--5.5 Nice loop through Bountiful. There are some interesting homes up here. 

am--5.5 Same loop as yesterday. The morning was beautiful after a crazy rainstorm last night. 

pm--6 A nice run w/ 6 x 1 min. pickups every 4 minutes. It's been a good week, even w/ the lower miles. 

pm--4.25 Truncated run around the neighborhood. I've been Mr. Mom the last few days, so it's harder to get out. Nevertheless, the week has treated me well. 

am--8.25 Long Run w/ 4 x striders. We looped up on the Highland Mesa and looped back around to the school. I felt decent until we came up Telegraph, then my legs really flattened out. I was reduced to a few bouts of walking. Then I tapped out at the minimum on striders. It seems like something like this happens every year. I'm not sure if it's dehydration or the low-mileage week last week. We had some good discussions about visualization and mindset prior to my collapse. Now I feel like I need more than anyone else. 

pm--2.25 A nice short run. The legs felt better but not profoundly better. I picked up a Gatorade that I've been nursing all day. 

am--3.5 Grass Loops w/ kid's club. Felt decent. The girls really do have a little quicker pace on the easy days than they have in the past. Didn't get in an afternoon run because I drove to Vegas to pick up my wife at the airport. 

am--6.5 Dirt-Mile Progression w/ 8x Striders. We had a smaller group today, but the girls stuck together really well. We had some girls really fight to get back w/ the pack, and others who led strongly for the duration. That being said, they were toasted and cut after 3 today. RHR--54. 

pm--3.5 Got back later from the lake and got a little run in. Another tough week for me, running-wise. I've had trouble getting my head in the game. We did do some hiking at the lake--Rainbow Bridge--totally beautiful--and the giant sand hill. Good to be back home. 

am--9 Long Run w/ Striders. It was a nice, rainy run. We had a great group today, lots of girls pushing themselves, running w/ each other and having fun. On a personal note, I felt much better than last week's long run. RHR--48.

pm--3 Front loop of Barrel Roll. It felt great out. Had a nice little chat about Steinbeck and soccer w/ a buddy.

am--4 Grass Loops and course set-up for the kids' club races. Nice races from many kids. I am really proud of my girls; they ran hard. We'll see about a double today. RHR--50.

am--7 Dirt-Mile Progression run w/ 8x striders. The group--basically the kids who weren't here last week--ran well together. After 2 miles, I jumped out to see how the kids would work together. They held strong, the boys and girls working together. I latched back on to the kids their last .5 and then helped Josie on another .5. These kids keep me hanging on. RHR--52.

pm--3 Frontside of Barrel Roll, counter clockwise. Another nice run in the dirt at a chatty pace. Talked quite a bit about Sacred Hoops w/ my buddy before he heads back home. 

am--7.25 We ran from VW Park up the highway, past chuckwalla. Jo's & I had a nice chat on the way back. RHR--53.

pm--5.75 Stayed up late, hanging w/ the family, so I didn't get a run in until afternoon. I threw in  1 min. pickups every 4 minutes. I felt ok. Pumped to see how well the kids ran today all over the county. 

pm--3 Easy run to round out the week. Good mileage for me, considering that my last 2 weeks have been in the 30s. RHR--60.

am--5.5 Parkway Run via Maverick w/ 8x striders after. Felt good to get back w/ the kids and run a bit before we head off to camp. Camp is always an opportunity to get to know kids better, and usually a personality or 2 really rises to the top. RHR--56.

pm--3.5 A nice little jaunt down the road from the our camp ground at Pine Lake. 

am--7.5 Long run on the Great American Trail from our camp ground in Pine Lake w/ a pretty good group of girls, pushing hard in the high altitude. 

pm--3.5 Afternoon run around Pine Lake and out on some random trail. We had some good discussions about the binder pages and a team identity. 

am--6 Long Hill Run. I was dreading this one going into it because I know how tough some of our kids are. Josie and Meskerem made it farther up the hill than any PVXC girl ever, and 4 more--Ellie, Alli, Jacey, and Caroline made it to the previous spot, which was Josie's from last year. Tough kids. 

pm--4.75 We took some team pictures near Powell Point and ran out toward the trail head. We were gasping like it was a tempo run because of the elevation. But by the end, we had a great group of girls together, singing and chanting and having the time of their lives. 

am--4.75 Last run at Pine Lake. It was a good run to cap off a great week. Our team feels closer than any I've exeprienced. I'm excited for the season. 

am--5 Nice, early tready run while my younger girls slept. My wife and oldest daughter are camping, so it's tough for me to get out on the roads or in the hills. Nonetheless, the run felt good this morning. Maybe it's that 6500' cushion after coming off the mountain. RHR--60.

am--7.5 Still the sole parent of the weekend, so I hit some tready Fartleks--3x (3 min., 2 min., 1 min. w/ 2 min. recovery). All of the pick-ups were from mid-7s to low-7s. Felt pretty comfortable. 

am--7 Grapevine out-and-back w/ 8x Striders. It was a nice relaxed run today. Most of the girls could feel last week in their legs. RHR--55.

am--3.5 Grass Loops on the alternate field. Overall, the girls team had fun being goofy. Love it when they let themselves have a little fun and do some good running at the same time. RHR--50. 

pm--3.5 Just a few miles on my own. 

am--5.5 Time Trial #1 for the kids. I got in a couple miles setting up the course w/ Holt, warmed and cooled w/ the girls, got 4 loops of rolling hills, and a nice set of barefoot striders. Super pleased w/ the kids. They are really taking in the training this summer, and it shows. I love the feeling on the team. RHR--56.

pm--3.5 Just some miles by myself to try to keep up on my doubles. 

am--4.25 City Creek Trail. I have never actually been on this trail before. It was a fun run. The kids were beat enough to take it easy on me this morning. RHR--55.

pm--5 Moe's w/ Bro. Thomas. We had a nice run in the heat w/ some great chatter. Runs like these bring me joy. Sans socks btw. 

am--3.5 Temple Quarry Trail. We had a fun run in the rain, and a few more girls joined the front group. Off to baseball games. RHR--55.

am--4.25 treaty run with a 18-minute progressive tempo.

pm--8.5 Longer run w/ a quick finish and 8x striders. I felt pretty good on the run, despite the fact that I missed morning practice. (It was a late, late night getting home from Cali.) Back to school and back to meets tomorrow. Here we go. 

am--5 Grass Run at Sandstone. Had a rough time getting all the kids registered for the season, but most of them pulled through. Many of them had a great meet at the Cedar All-Comers. 

am--4.5 Long Hill Repeats (2x) on the Old Man Hills at 75%. The girls ran stuck together well. Last day of summer (for the kids). 

pm--3.5 Sunrise Run in the sneaky heat. Had fun chatting w/ the crew. 

am--4.75 Firestation Run backwards. It was toasty out, but the ac in the school seemed to be on the fritz. That surely helped this afternoon. Nice start to the school year as well. I'm excited about my classes.

am--7 DI/AC+/DI Reverse Adapted. Had a nice run this morning. I love getting in a few miles before practice and then running w/ the kids, and then adding a couple more miles. This morning was everything it promised to be but was a tad humid. RHR--51.

pm--2 I'l say 2 miles, setting up the course for our Desert Relays. Ended up calling it due to lightning. Lightning didn't seem to be such a big deal "back in the day."

pm--8 Long Run in the Hot Sun. It was a scorcher out today, but we made it. I ended up doing most of the run w/ Josie, Ellie, and Meskerem. Good to have that out of the way this week. On to the meet tomorrow. 

am--6 DI/AC+/Costco Loop. Today was draggy. My legs and body are still feeling yesterday afternoon. We had a small group this morning w/ decent discussion. 

pm--3 Coning and Deconing the Desert Relays course. It was a sweaty, fun experience. The Relays, I mean. 

pm--4 Grass Run @ Sandstone. I slept in a little this morning. The body told me to do it. We had a nice run w/ a decent group. I added just a bit after. RHR--56. 

am--4.5 PH and AC+. Nice morning run w/ a smattering of Robertsese. RHR--60. Won't I ever bounce back this week?

pm--3.75 Drove the cooler to the sandhill to do 5 x 1 min. hill intervals and ran down main to meet the kids. After, I ran the cooler back to the school and ran up to Harts(?) to meet the kids. Still pretty hot out. 

am--5.5 DI/AC+. Nice fun run w/ the girls. We are getting pretty good w/ our ball skills and sharing the rock among the team. I'm excited to watch them run together tomorrow.

pm--3 Traditional Sandberg's prerace run. The kids seem to enjoy being together and are having a ton of fun. 

pm--4.25 Airport Desert run w/ Thomas. A nice balmy jaunt, snakeless but not joyless. Fun day w/ the way the PV kids represented today. Proud of them and their effort. Keep it rolling. 

pm--9 Long Run w/ 2x (1 min. and 2 min. pick-ups w/ 4 min. recovery) and 4x Striders. Same route as last week w/ far better results. For one thing, we had a much bigger group. We have a great group of girls. RHR--55. 

am--5 DI/AC (almost). Decent run w/ the level 3 girls. We kicked the ball a bit, but it ended up being too flat. Bummer. 

pm--3 AC w/ Neon Spider fun at the turnaround. I, of course, didn't go into the tunnel. What can I say? I hate fun.

am--5 DI/AC. Good run w/ a large group this morning. We had some girls running w/ us that we usually don't. It's fun to see kids believe a little bit more. 

pm--2 Setting up and taking down the time trial course. The kids packed very well and cut chunks of time off of the last time trial. The kids are really responding to the program this year. It's fun to be a part of this. RHR--52.

am--7 DI/AC+/Alt DI. I got a few more miles in this morning because I have a dentist appointment after school. The temps were nice this morning, but I still sweat like a mutha. RHR--55. 

pm--7 Grass loops and a bit after I got home. I had every intention of going to morning practice this morning but was congested and thought the extra hour would do me good. Nevertheless, I felt like a turd all day. 

am--6.75 Hilly Run from Sullivan Park up the Washington Parkway. We made right to the roundabout and flipped. We had the Maceys w/ us today. That was cool. Striders after. RHR--54.

pm--9 Long Run w/ 8x striders. We ran up Main Street and up through Green Springs. The temperature was measurably better than the last 2 weeks. Once again, we had a good group. There is a great feeling w/ these girls (and boys) this year. RHR--52. 

am--5 DI in reverse/AC+. Good run on tired legs this morning. Although yesterday afternoon was cooler than we've seen for a while, this morning was still pretty warm. Good news is the 60-degree mornings are coming. RHR--50. 

pm--3 Setting up and taking down the course for the Dixie Meet. It was fun to see our kids run well and have the focus on some other kids today. 

am--5 DI/AC. Standard morning run w/ a decent group. Although, we did end up becoming multiple groups this morning. RHR--54. 

pm--3 Grass Loops at Sandstone. My legs are feeling it this week. 

am--5 DI/AC. A decent run w/ some scaries stories to boot. Of course, they are "true" stories. The past day or two, I feel like I just can't get enough sleep. I'm feeling beat down. We'll see how that plays out. RHR--54.

pm--4.5 Sandhill workout for the kids. I drove the ice chest up and ran down to meet them. After, I dropped the box off and ran up to meet them. I love how well these kids get along. 

am--5.5 DI/End of the wall. Decent run. The legs are in some kind  of no man's land, not quite tired but not peppy either. We have the run-a-thon tonight. I hope this old man can handle staying up. RHR--52.

pm(late)--3 Some miles around the track at the run-a-thon. Kids seemed to have fun. 

pm--7 Mid-distance run w/ 6x 1 min. pick-ups and 8x striders. I wasn't sure how far my legs would take me, but after 5 miles I was still feeling good. Decided to go for the 50-mile week. The pick-ups and striders felt great. The long weekend will be good. 

am--10 PV Campground w/ Baggs. Nice slow burner on a beautiful mountain morn.

am--5 Out-and-back to Sunrise Tire via Harts. Decent morning run. I am ready for the autumnal mornings, but, apparently, they're not ready for me. RHR--50.

pm--2 A couple miles setting up and taking down the course for the time trial. The kids ran well. I think they're chomping at the bit to race again. I know I'm excited to watch them run.

pm--4 Grass Loops at Sandstone. Nice run even w/ the bump again in weather. Still loving how the team is jiving. RHR--48.

am--6.25 DI/AC/Costco Loop. It was a nicer morning. We had a lot of girls out. I can't say enough about how much I enjoy running w/ this group. They make me a better person. RHR--50.

pm--3.75 Adventure Run through the neighborhoods w/ 4x 200 after. Decent run w/ a decent pace on somewhat tired legs. 

am--7 Usual morning route in SC. It was nice out, but I was dragging. My body never got into the groove. Nevertheless, what felt like a slog ended up being a decent clip. RHR--56. 

am--6 Fartlek Work on the new State Course. We ran the course w/ a map, trying to find our way, flipped it, and hit 1, 2, 3 min. fartleks at just faster than race pace. The first few felt good. Needless to say, the girls kicked my butt on the last few. They really pushed. I'm so pleased by their effort the last 2 days. 

am--5 Harts/AC++. Nice run in the rain this morning. I was a little tentative for sure--yesterday, I passed out at a light, traumatizing a slew of high school kids--but ended up feeling pretty good.

pm--3 Setting up and running around the course before the Duel in the Desert. The temperature was perfect. 

am--5 Nice morning run into Green Springs, due to some shady business in the vicinity of our AC run. The weather is approaching autumnal. RHR--52. 

pm--3 Grass loops at Sandstone. The girls are in good spirits, especially those who raced well yesterday. 

am--4.5 Harts/Green Springs. This morning was absolutely beautiful. I felt great too. I could feel the power coming back to me. RHR--50.

pm--5 Sandhills. OK, I didn't do any sandhills, but I ran up there w/ the kiddos and watched as they rocked those hills. It's workouts like these that make champions. 

am--6.5 Harts/AC+/Sandstone Loop. It was another perfect morning. The pace was nice, the body is feeling good, and the team is having fun. RHR--49.

pm--4 Sandberg's w/ 4x 200m on the track after. Decent run. The kids seem to be feeling peppy. Although I'm slow, I do like 200s on the track. 

pm--7.5 Moe's w/ Tom. We did the Moe's loop without the water tower extension. It was warm out, and I could feel the rest of the week in the climbs. I'm out of trail running shape. Good meet from the kids this morning. Many folks w/ breakthrough races. 

am--8.5 Long run w/ 2x 1 min. and 2 min. pick-ups and striders. It was such a pleasant morning for a long run. We went down by the hospital and just enjoyed the weather and the company. The girls are excited for the week. RHR--50. 

pm--3.5 Some easy miles in the afternoon, after a much needed nap. Weight training to finish. 

am--5 DI/AC+. Decent run w/ the skeleton crew. It was good to have Mesekerem back running w/ us. RHR--53.

pm--3.75 Ran around a bit while the kids did their workout. They're working hard and are tough cookies. 

am--4.5 Harts/AC. Good run w/ a new ball to kick around on the way. RHR--50.

pm--3 Easy grass run. Excited to head north for the weekend. 

am--5.5 Morning run in my neck of the woods, via Serenity. I felt pretty good this morning. The temperature was nice. The pace was moderate. And we're off. Here's to some excellent races this weekend. RHR--52.

am--3.5 Miles on a trail near a gulley in Sandy. A quick run in a beautiful setting. 

pm--3.5 Miles at Eagle Island State Park. It was warm, even up here in the North. 

am--3.5 Hit some trails in the Boise Foothills w/ Jesse. What a beautiful place. Apparently, there are miles and miles of groomed trails up there. This would be a great place to have in close proximity. After, the girls ran well at Bob Firman. They finished 5th in the elite race. Fun trip even though it was a long trip. 

am--5.75 Harts/AC/Weird Costco Loop. Decent morning. It's warming up again for some reason. The run was decent. Everyone was in good spirits. RHR--52.

pm--4.25 A nice steady run after the dentist, before band practice. 

am--5 DI/AC+. A nice run this morning w/ some good chat. I really love these skeleton crew/level 3 runs. It makes for a nice, small group. RHR--52.

pm--5 DI/Grass Loops. We did a little more before we got to the grass. Someone found a bouncy ball that didn't have the truest bounce. It was nearly a casualty 2 or 3 times. 

am--5 DI/AC. Good run w/ some nice chat. Really have fun w/ this group. RHR--49.

pm--3 Grass miles while the kids did their workout. Even though it was a tough workout and a hot, hot day, the kids pushed well. 

am--6 Harts/AC/Truncated DI. A little cooler this morning. The kids were running on tired legs. Good recovery run for them. RHR--49. 

pm--3.5 Hot Nails +. Good run w/ the crew. Felt cooler at 98 degrees today. Thank goodness for October. 

am--3 AC. I went easy this morning because I woke up TIRED. Nice run this morning w/ a discussion and interpretation of dreams. RHR--52.

pm--3 Frontside loop of Barrel Roll. A nice trail jaunt before heading to Cedar for the meet. Had a desert tortoise sighting. 

pm--6.5 Tready miles @ a hotel in Orem after a long day making pure cider & spending time with the in-laws. I'm thinking a lot about xc right now & the phenomenal kids we have. Purty lucky.

am--5.75 Harts/AC/Sandstone-Costco Loop. Good weather and an antsy pace. RHR--49. 

pm--3.25 Did the warm and cool w/ the girls. They ran a mile time trial today, followed by a fast 200. Awesome. 

pm--3 Grass Loops at Sandstone. Just the varsity girls. We had a nice chat today about goals. 

am--5 DI/AC. Good group. Good weather. Good run. RHR--49.

pm--5 Ran around Bloomington Hills Park while the varsity kids did a workout. I even jumped into the tempo a few times, which felt pretty good. 

am--5 DI/Scary Bushes/Mini-Costco Loop. Had a good time listening to the girls yell, "Slow down" at each other for 20 minutes. RHR--50. 

pm--7 Green Springs to Alli J's house w/ 8x striders. On the way back, Caroline jumped in the fake blue pond. The girls have a ton of fun together.