Turn your rut into a groove.

am--8 Zen Playground w/ Andy. Started out bitterly cold and ornery but concluded on a high note w/ discussion about 2016 and the future present. I struggled mightily climbing today. 

am--6.5 Short SC Parkway loop w/ neighborhood extension. Boy was I huffing and puffing this morning. Maybe the break was worse for me than I thought. But, I didn't die and enjoyed the warmer morning. Seems like a storm is pending. RHR--53. 

pm--7.5 Easy miles w/ 6x 100 striders. I'm feeling a bit off, maybe getting my annual illness, but finally worked into a semblance of goodness. 

pm--4 Some miles to knock off the dust after being sick. It was difficult but felt good. Maybe, my body was ensuring a break. RHR--53.

pm--5 Prospector from Maverick w/ the girls. It was a nice run. Thankfully, the kids ran a workout yesterday, so I was able to keep up. RHR--56. 

pm--6 Barrel Roll figure 8 (counterclockwise). Really nice run all by my lonesome. NOt sure why, but the last few times I've run in the SCRR it has been overcast. RHR--53. 

am--5 Truncated morning run. I wanted to get out and start my day w/ a run. It was pleasantly chill and thoroughly enjoyable. Maybe I'll hit another later. RHR--59. 

pm--6.75 River Trail w/ striders. It was a fun run w/ the girls, chatting about medical terminology and history vocab., among other nerdy things. I really love running w/ the girls--some of my favorite people in the world. RHR--58.

am--7.25 Lower Zen w/ water tank extension w/ Tom. Had some good running and good convo. The place was crawling w/ campers and RC truck folks. It's fun to see people out and about. 

pm--7.5 TM Tempo. I didn't get out w/ the high school kids because the fam went to PV. We haven't been up there in a long time. Nevertheless, I still feel like we're trying to find a way to really enjoy the place. Maybe we need to get up there with just our little family and not the cousins. Anyway, back to the run. I pushed the pace into the Tinman zone for 30 minutes, ~ 4 miles. It felt comfortably hard. I love getting a run like this. Maybe if I did something like this 2-3 times a week, I might really get faster. 

am--4.5 Fiddled around w/ a mutation of the morning route. It wasn't quote as long as I would've thought. So it goes. RHR--54. 

pm--3 A few miles in the evening, trying to break the mold developed from that sickness a few weeks back. It's funny how you can feel the ebbs and flows of fitness. 

pm--3 Had a busy afternoon and evening, so I didn't get to run until late. I roped my neighbor into a quick run. It was nice catching up. 

am--4 I haven't been able to get out in the afternoons this week. At some point, I have to decide I'm not taking a 0.

pm--5.5 Middleton and 8x Striders. Decent run in perfect weather. I'm thankful that PVHS has such great kids. RHR--55. 

pm--10 SC Mountain (Suicidal Tendencies). Nice end to the week w/ a space run in the desert. The temps couldn't have been more perfect. Cruised w/ Ed Sharpe and Panda, 2 groups that are really close to a definition of me. On another note, the lower abdomen is a bit sore, especially w/ the faster downhill running. Man, I'm getting old. 

pm--7.5 Anasazi from the cemetery to the homestead. Very joyful run. Had a breeze that was just cool enough to remind me that I was alive. I love the view of the river from the jeep trail on top. Often animals chase around the river bottom but not today. 

am--5 Looped through Serenity to Tuweap and back. Felt decent. It was good to enjoy some cold again. RHR--52.

pm--3 Ran numerous small laps around the neighborhood park while my 2 youngest swung & played on the playground. I felt weak. Not sure why.

am--6.5 What a clear, crisp morning. Waxing Wolf Moon standing sentinel over the earth. It must have been the moon. (There's no other explanation.) For nature was afoot in the neighborhood. I saw a coyote take to the gully from SCHS and smelled a skunk. Later in the run, my path converged w/ that of 2 women and a lab. They were a bit ahead of me, but I eventually caught up to them and heard, "Oh, there's an extra shadow!" I think I startled them. I can't help but wonder if, just for a split second, they thought I was one of the 3 Nephites, protecting them on their early morning run. The run was uneventful other than that. RHR--52. 

pm--8 Rim Circuit w/ extra mesa loop and short extension to even out the mileage. The afternoon was perfect. Over the last week or so, I have been worried that the current temperatures portend a face-melting summer and maybe let it grizzle my do a bit. But I decided to enjoy the weather right now and take what comes when it comes. That decision made today's run fabulous. Also saw an old mountain biking neighbor. RHR--54. 

Another great thing about today's run--my watch tracks climbing, both ascent and descent--was that the total descent for the run was 666 ft., the only thing that wasn't heavenly about the jaunt. 

pm--8 Foremaster Loop w/ 1, 2, 3, 2, 1 pickups w/ equal recovery. Striders after. Felt pretty good the whole time until the striders, then my groin/thigh started to twinge a little. On another note, Macey had a great run. Her watch was yelling all kinds of PR's at her. 

pm--4 It took 2 attempts, but I finally got a run in. My thigh/groin pain was too much the first attempt. The second, I was more determined & eased into it. Felt better as I got going. That's what I love about running, it makes most problems go away.

pm--5 Easy miles to get back the feeling. Interviewed some potential captains for xc. Great kids. RHR--50. 

am--6 Just some more miles. Went pretty well once I found my groove. Bruce Thomas rules. RHR--50.

pm--7 Progressive run w/ last 3.5 @ ~7:40. Nothing killer, but better than moderate for a guy in his 40th year.

am--4.25 Slighter shorter version of the morning run. It was good to feel the chill burn of a winter's morn. RHR--50. 

pm--4.75 Nice recovery style to get a dubizzle.

pm--5 Nice run up to the Sand Hill and back. Perfect weather, decent group. 

am--8 Rim Circuit w/ 2 mesa loops. Had a nice run and chat w/ Andy. We ran into the famous Logan while we we're out. Beautiful morning. RHR--60.

pm--8 Anasazi from the cemetery w/ a little extension beyond the homestead. Started heavy and weak; ended light and strong. 

On another note, I'm not sure I'm ready for the 70-degree weather before Valentine's Day. The warmth today gave the skin a slight buzz. RHR--49

am--6.25 Slightly extended morning route around the Canyons w/ some Local Natives. Winter in the morning; Spring in the afternoon. RHR--52. 

am--5.75 Revision of the Usual Morning Route, snuggled up to Coral Cliffs. Another run w/ Local Natives. RHR--51. 

pm--3 To the roundabout w/ my neighbor. 

pm--7 Predator run, ending in the mid-7s. #ibelieveincoyotes. Felt decent. No lower abdomen/groin pain to mention. RHR--53.

pm--4.25 Telegraphish run. Like I said on the run, "This is the longest 40-min. run of my life, and it might last another hour." 

am--9.25 Figure-8 Barrel Roll w/ Sidewinder extension. I hit the Sidewinder climb out of the figure-8, so that makes for ~500 ft. of climbing in about 1.5 miles. It was a gutcheck for me at the end of things. Nice run though. Even the mornings are Springy now, mid-February. I'll enjoy it while we have it. RHR--55. 

am--6.25 Sidewinder w/ the kids. Added a bit at the end to get to 60 minutes. What a gorgeous morning. RHR--53.

pm--5.25 Some double miles. I was expecting a few more miles this morning, so that left me craving a run later. On another note, started some chile seeds this evening.

pm--6.5 Progression run. Felt nice and peppy. 

pm--6 D. K. Leavitt Morning Route, in the evening. Had another coyote sighting closer to home (near SCMS). He crossed about 50 feet in front of me and stopped on the other side of the road. I yelped, and he looked and moved a bit. As I kept on running, he continued to glance across the street, seemed to be looking for a buddy. I nearly got my run-with-a-coyote-on-Presidents'-Day dream. 

The weather was beautiful as well. If 70 degrees in the afternoon is tempting, then 66 degrees after sundown beckons with a serpentine index finger. The evening was made even more perfect with the accompaniment of one of the most beautiful albums ever, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. 

pm--6 Decent miles. I noticed that I'm more sluggish and tend to delay my runs on days when I've had too many treats. We'll see how I might remedy that. RHR--55. 

pm--4.5 Green Spring(s) w/ the skeleton crew. Warm but nice. 

pm--3.5 Some miles. If I don't get out first thing in the morning, the will dwindles.

pm--8.5 Lava Cove/Tuweap/Roundabout. Got out in the beautiful evening. Felt decent. The secend half of the run--around 4 miles--was ~7:45 pace. 

am--5.5 Serenity morning run, extended to the SC Parkway. It was beautifully quiet this morning--other than the construction dogs in their diesels. Perhaps one of our last Wintery mornings before Spring. RHR--50. 

pm--7 Good miles in the evening. Badgers keep winning. That's a big plus. RHR--51.

pm--9 Up past the new Harmons. Having a store on that part of the Heights changes the flow of traffic in that area. A runner has to be vigilant now. The busy road and dinner still clinging to the guts made the run slightly less than heavenly, but only slightly. When I got home, one of my daughters said, "You look like you worked hard." Not sure what that means. Compliment because I worked hard? Or insult because a 9-miler makes me look like death? 

am--5 Truncated Morning Route. Another coyote sighting this morning, about 20 yards in front of me. I called to it but to no avail. Those dogs--or maybe it's the same one every time--love the jog from SCHS to the gulley. RHR--53. 

am--5.75 A variation of the Orem/Provo loop I run when I'm at my wife's gma's. Decent run.

pm--5.25 Just some miles to take advantage of the extra day this month. A few nights of poor sleep are catching up with me. On another note, the dreams are more lucid w/ more shallow sleep. RHR--55.

am--5.5 Nice morning run in spectacular weather. (Where is it coming from?) I was hoping for another coyote crossing but no dice. Perhaps, I have a different spirit animal. Something grizzly? RHR--50. 

pm--4.5 Some miles, working out the sore legs. 

pm--7 Kidney Loop w/ Serenity on the out. I hit the last 1.5 in the 7:00s. That felt nice. Also had another coyote sighting. #spiritanimal I yelped and yelped, trying to communicate but got no audible response. A little more BRT and we'll be buddies. RHR--51. 

am--4.75 Trucatedly truncated morning run. The weather is Springy and oh so wonderful. RHR--52. 

pm--4.25 Firestation w/ the kiddoes. I need to get out w/ them more. The high-70's heat wasn't as daunting as expected. 

pm--4 Just some miles. 

am--8 SC Parkway out-and-back. Decent run. I started out tired but ended up taking the last 30 minutes progressively into the 7:00s. Nothing too macho, but fun to get things revving just a tad. On another note, the North London Derby was a thriller. 

am--7.5 Green Spring and warm and cool w/ the kids w/ some running in the middle. RHR--54.

pm--4.5 Some miles to top off the day. I was fairly active--walked to the elemetary school w/ my daughters, mowed the lawn, and did miscellaneous push-ups, planks, etc. Also, I'm about 1/3 of the way into All The Light We Cannot See. It's a good read so far. 

pm--6 Some miles as I ponder how fast I could run a mile w/ focused training or if I would rather just hit the trails. 

am--10 Green Spring and Macey tempo. The miles racked up quickly this morning. I was planning on a 2nd run today. Maybe. Maybe not. Did some weigths--bench press, dead lifts, and squats--after. Good morning, even w/ a skeleton crew. RHR--50.

pm--5 Watched the Badgers get worked by some Huskers while I ran. The run was uneventful except that lunch lingered. 

am--6 Barrel Roll. Got up when I got up and headed out on the trails. It was a nice morning even though an ominous cloud hung over the SCRR--there is a 100-mile bike race tomorrow, so the trails are closed to public use. (I'm not sure that a BLM permit allows an RD to shut down an area to the public. Research needed.) RHR--56. 

am--7.5 Anasazi Trail w/ Jesse from ID. Nice morning w/ a little mud. RHR--54.

am--5 Harts + AC. Nice morning run. RHR--52.

pm--7.5 Fields Loop w/ pick-ups (1 min., 2 min., 1 min., 2 min., 1 min.). Fun group. My lower abdomen/groin felt decent in the pick-ups. We'll see how it feels after some sleep. Weights after (Bench, Squats, and Deads). 

pm--4.5 Some miles after the PV Relays. RHR--53.

am--5.5 Hart's/AC/Costco Loop. Fun run w/ the kids. The morning was wonderful. RHR--53. 

pm--5.5 Track Tempo. I ran w/ Macey to keep her company. She worked hard today. Awesome. Weights after. 

am--6 Old, usual morning route w/ OG morning group. Nice chat about life and all of its foibles. RHR--50. 

pm--5 Telegraph to the storage units and back. Hot run on tired legs, but we did get some chatting done. Good to be back w/ the kids. 

am--5 PH/AC+/Costco Loop. Nice, easy run. My legs feel tired/trashed. On the upside, I got to hear about a crazy zombie dream. RHR--53. 

pm--3 Miles after the track meet. Mostly to avoid the zero & finish off my biggest week for a while.

am--5 Harts/AC/Costco. Same morning route. If I could drag myself out of bed earlier, I might get a few more miles. RHR--53.

pm--3.25 Washington to Nisson's. I went w/ the girls who are racing tomorrow on their pre-race jaunt. 

am--5.75 Same as yesterday w/ a jaunt past St. George Running Center thrown in. 

am--7 Usual morning run at school w/ Harts at the end, accompanying Ellie and Caroline. RHR--57. 

Pm--3 Got home from the church Easter party & decided to run. Phife Dawg "dropped the mic" today, so I had to listen to ATCQ while I was at it.

am--4.5 AC/STG Running Center Loop. Brisk morning run. My legs felt somewhat peppy this morning. Dentist this afternoon, so no afternoon practice for me. RHR--52. 

am--7 Old Man Hills. I jumped in on 5 of them. Some rocking w/ the varsity girls. Others trying to help other girls. The kids work hard. RHR--53. 

pm--5.5 Light Tempo 2x 10 min. w/ 5 min. recovery. I felt pretty good once I got warm. My hips are a little tight. Maybe from yesterday's foray into what for me is faster running. 

pm--7 Some good miles after a productive day. Got to Pine Valley this weekend as well.

am--5 Pizza/AC/Costco Loop. A little chilly this morning, but we got rain last night. All is well. RHR--52.

pm--3 Miles after the youngster meet. Boy, was I cold this afternoon.

am--5 DI/AC. A good 'un. My legs, particularly the lower legs, are a bit tight. Perhaps Monday got them all Altraed. RHR--50. 

am--5 DI/AC. Another chilly morning. Finished up running a nice pace and building goofy stories, 2 words at a time. RHR--51. 

pm--3.25 Sandberg's. I skipped out on the 200s because of the leg/groin/hip thing. 

am--6.75 DI/AC/DI. Good run this morning. I even felt peppy at times. I'm excited to see how the kids will run this weekend. RHR--51. 

pm--5 Some miles after the meet. What a nice weekend for the team. Lots to be positive about. 

am--6.5 DI/AC+/Costco Loop. Nice morning. C. Baller came and ran w/ the kids. What a positive, hard-working kid he is. 

pm--6 Fartlek. 2x 3-2-1 w/ equal recovery. All the pick-ups were in the upper 6's, which is speedy for me right now. I wanted to do some faster running & test the leg/groin. It seemed to hold up. Opening day was purty rad.

am--5.5 Harts/AC/Costco Loop. Good chat about fam and life and the ACT. RHR--49. 

pm--4.5 Sunrise Hills 8x 20 sec. It felt hard today. My legs were flag. Like Josie said, "It feels like running tar."

am--5 DI/AC. Nice run on sore legs. RHR--47

pm--3 Sandberg's. I think I'm getting ornery in my old age because the 30-min. recovery runs are my least favorite. Run seems like a fluid word on these days. 

am--6.5 DI/AC/Running Center Loop. Good morning. My legs felt peppy once I got going. I'm just enjoying the time of year w/ baseball beginning and the beautiful mornings. RHR--50. 

am--5.5 Harts/AC/Costco Loop. Warm morning. I slept well and deeply last night. Weekend naps, however, will be required during the track season. RHR--50. 

am--4 Got a few decent miles in before I rowed 5k. Let's where I'm feeling that in the next few days. Rowing is something I could do more often. 

pm--5 Some ok miles in the evening after a subnormal day. I did get 2k on the erg in 8:40. What a workout! RHR--49.

am--5.25 Harts/AC/Costco Loop. Good run this morning. I found a decent mini soccer ball near Costco, so we had a good time kicking that around. RHR--52. 

pm--3.25 Lutheran Loop w/ the Senior girls. Lots of good conversation. 

am--6.5 DI/AC/Running Center Loop. Had a nice chat w/ Ryno about the periodic table. RHR--49. 

pm--3 Just some running w/ 10-sec. hills thrown on the end. Bench, dead, squat after. 

am--5.5 Harts/AC/Costco Loop. Not much to say about the run except that every other truck was a white truck, and my quads are sore. RHR--51. 

pm--3.5 Miles to double. I'm liking some of the throwback country of the last few years.

am--5.75 Pizza/AC/Sandstone Loop. The funk in my legs is dissipating. RHR--56. 

pm--4.25 Light Progressive run. After a long day at a meet, I got home, chilled a bit, and mowed the lawn. Finally, I got a few miles in and some erging (2k in 8:25). Rowing intensely is a really steady, hard workout. 

am--6.25 DI/AC/COstco Loop. Chillier morning, but that's ok. Feeling good about the week. 

pm--4.25 Warm and Cool and recoveries w/ the kids in between their intervals. Man, they are running well right now. 

am--5.5 Harts/AC/Costco Loop. Dallen startled the goodness out of us. 

pm--3 Water Wheel Park w/ 5x 10 sec. hills after, yoga before. I suck at yoga. An area for improvement, I guess. 

pm--5.5 Took the morning off to catch up on z's. I've taken a 1.5 hour nap the last few days, and that has thrown off the circadian rhythm. Hopefully, today will get me back on schedule. Did a little tempo w/ Macey today w/ weights after--dead, bench, squat, curls, and runners. 

am--5 Pizza/AC/Costco Loop. What a beautiful morning. Been thinking a lot about gait and running form and how it relates to speed and efficiency. RHR--50. 

pm--4 Hot run, delivering neighborhood notices for a race this weekend. I'm just overall beat today. 

am--6.5 Harts/AC/Reverse DI. Beautiful morning--nice temps and a full moon. RHR--52. 

pm--4 Some good miles w/ 2k on the erg (8:26) after. The track meet was better today.

am--6.25 DI/AC+/Costco Loop. Nice morning, practicing breathing and driving the knees. RHR--52. 

pm--3.75 Some running, followed by the erg, interspersed w/ various weights.

am--5 Harts/AC+. Nice chat this morning and a beautiful run. It was cool to see Pine Valley covered in snow. RHR--49. 

pm--3.25 Green Springs, my unbirthday present. Yoga after. I could use some practice at that.

am--4 2x Harts and Pizza. Kids did a Coe workout today. They are speedy. RHR--52. 

pm--3.25 Hot Nails (It's actually something different now.) w/ 5x 10 -ec. hills and weights--bench, dead lifts, squats, curls, and dumbbell swings. 

am--5.5 Harts/AC/Costco Loop. Nice morning run in the rain. I'm already feeling a nap coming on. RHR--49. 

pm--7 Long(er) run over Foremaster. The legs are tired, but it felt good to struggle a bit. What a great group of kids at PVHS. 

am--4.75 Truncated SC morning run. The pace felt strong and difficult. That's good, I guess. RHR--54. 

am--4 Fast miles-- ~7-min. pace--in Provo w/ Holt. 

am--5.5 Pizza/AC/Running Center Loop. Good morning, brighter than usual. Felt a little cluncky. RHR--48. 

am--6.75 DI/AC+/Harts. The sun's coming out earlier. It gives a run a whole different feel. Maybe anxiety because I feel like I'm going to be late. Had a nice chat w/ Josie this morning. That's always fun. I learned some new jokes that aren't Warbeast-approved. :(

am--6.5 DI (2x) and a track tempo. I ran w/ Macey to keep her company. She dropped nearly 20 seconds off of her average pace and pushed well on the surges. Fun but stressful morning w/ the AP Lit. test today. I hope those kids do well. RHR--53. 

am--5.75 Pizza/AC/DI Reverse. Good, warm run. 

am--6 Harts/AC/Running Center Loop. Nice morning. Lately, it takes about 1/4 mile to loosen up my lower legs, but them they feel awesome. Maybe more stretching in the future. 

pm--3 Nice little run into Washington w/ some of the girls. Nice weather. 

pm--7.25 Progressive Run. Just kept getting stronger and faster as I ran for an hour. Erged after for 2k (8:23--a new record!). 

am--4 Harts (2x)/Costco Loop. Did some running around the team's workout this morning. 

pm--5 Nice, little aerobic run. Coach and I thought it was time to get 45-50 minutes. Weights after w/ the tough Addi. 

am--5 GS Clubhouse/Bushes past the neighborhood. Decent run on a warmer morning. RHR--50. 

pm--3.5 Loops around the stadium. It was actually fun chatting and listening to Mesekerem let loose. 

am--6 A Smorgasborg of little loops, here and there. Good news is we found the ball. RHR--52. 

am--6.5 Green Springs/Neighborhood bushes/RC Loop. It was a beautiful morning, made even more so by the great performances yesterday afternoon. RHR--49. 

am--5 DI/Neighborhood/Costco Loop. Another beautiful morning. The last two evenings have been awesome for the PV track team. Lots of athletes doing cool things. RHR--52. 

pm--5 River Trail from Sullivan's w/ barefoot on the grass after. It was hot but didn't feel too bad. Getting antsy for a little break then xc. 

am--9 Green Springs via Quail Ridge. The kids had a workout this morning, so I drove over early and hit some miles in the mid-to-high 7:00s--roughly 40 minutes worth--before warming up and cooling down w/ the girls. Boy, they are looking fast and strong. I, on the other hand, feel bored out after the run. RHR--56

pm--2k on the erg (8:31).

am--5.5 DI + T/L Church/Neighborhood bushes/Costco Loop. Warm morning, but good to work out the funk. RHR--52. 

pm--3.5 Sandberg's w/ 4x striders after. Man, the girls are speedy. I couldn't keep up on the striders. 

am--5.5 DI/Neighborhood bushes/Reverse DI. Felt sluggish this morning. Perhaps it's time for a down week. RHR--52. 

am--5.5 Same route(s) as Monday morning. Decent run. I'm working on more explosion. RHR--49. 

pm--6 Ran around the track while people did some handoffs, followed by some running through the 'hood. 

am--5 Old morning route on my own. I was huffing and puffing. Chugga chugga choo choo. RHR--53. 

am--6 From the hotel to the BYU track and back w/ Ryno. Nice morning, decent pace. After, we watched hours and hours of track and field.

am--6 Same run as yesterday. Holt came along this morning. Excited to see the kids rock it today.

pm--6 Progressive run w/ 20 minutes in the high 7s. Erged for 5 minutes after (1200m). Always kicks my rear. Getting ready to lay out the xc plan w/ Davíd.

pm--3 Just some miles. I didn't have much time for anything more. Plus, I tweaked my groin/lower abdomen playing ultimate. So it's a little tender. 

am--6 Morning route around the Canyons. Slept in a little before I got in a run. My breathing was all out of whack, going into things, but my groin/lower abdomen felt ok. I need to get serious about a core routine. RHR--52. 

am--6.25 Green Valley Loop. I didn't run yesterday even though it was the first day I didn't have anything to do, and there were no set plans for a run this morning. Nevertheless, I got up and headed out the door. Once I moved around a bit, I felt good. Ended up hitting a good pace--high 7's--for this run. The goal this summer will be to gradually bring down the easy pace. That only happens w/ improved aerobic fitness. We'll see what we can do. 

pm--3.75 A nice run w/ erg after. I hit 2k in 8:16--an 8- or 9-second PR. That's a workout.

am--5 Cosmic Jaunt near the Zen Trail w/ Tom. It's been a while. Low-intensity, high-engagement running. RHR--56. 

am--9 Out-and-back on SC Parkway. The run felt sufficiently draining. I like that. Wore the HRM. I'm not sure how I feel about the feedback or how exactly to use the feedback. The stress of the monitor seems to lift the heart rate. RHR--52. 

am--5 Recovery miles followed by some erging (3x 500m w/ 1 min. rest). Felt good to get the body moving.

am--7 Some progressive miles. Today felt sufficiently hard.

pm--5 Tready w/ the HRM. Just to see what kind of HR I had going during some cheese miles. It stayed under 150 pretty easily. After, I erged--4x 500m w/ 1-min. rest (2:07, 2:04, 2:01, and 1:57). I feel pretty awesome about that pulling. Thinking a lot about XC. 

pm--7 Aerobic run w/ 6x 1-min. pick-ups, ranging from low 7's to high 6's, w/ 4-min. recovery between each. Felt really good. Developing a certain calm picking up speed helps me. Prepping for a good summer. 

pm--4 Easy miles w/ 2k erging after. Felt nice to just run. On the row, I hit 2k in 8:11.3, a new record. That's pretty close to better pace than the cumulative pace from the 500m intervals. Don't sweat the swole. 

am--3.75 Barefoot warm & Tortoise Road. First day of practice. We had quite a few kids come out. Awesome.

am--5.5 Barefoot warm w/ a nice neighborhood run & some grass loops. Finished w/ striders, which felt good. 

pm--4x 500 on the erg (2:00, 1:57, 1:57, 1:57). I'm pulling like a crossfitter. ;)

am--4.5 Out towards Grapevine and back. Skeleton crew today. Hopefully, just a lull. 

pm--4.25 Thought I would double today. Felt nice and strong. Nothing crazy. 

am--4.25 Out-and-back on Telegraph w/ 8x barefoot striders after. A few more of the crew were back today. That's always a good thing. It will be good to get them all back, working hard together. 

pm--Erged for 10 minutes. Reading Bill Walton's autobiography. It's interesting so far.

am--5.5 Trail from Sullivan's w/ negative split. Good group of girls most of the way out. On the way back, it was me and the varsity girls at practice. We got moving at a nice clip the last 10 minutes or so. I could feel it in the abs. 

pm--5.25 Some slow burning miles to offset the stouter running this morning. On another note, I found a way to move a little more during the day. Life is difficult without a routine. 

am--6 Barrel Roll. I have been trying to get out on the trails w/ my bros for quite a while. Today, Andy and I finally got out. It was a beautiful morning, even w/ the humidity. Good week. On another note, my resting heart rate has been up the last few weeks, yet I feel like I'm in a pretty fit. Some investigation in order. 

am--8 Dirt Mile Stamina Work. The weather was perfect w/ a side of thunder and lightning. We hit 25 minutes, working from 7:35-7:05. Strong work from the group. RHR--53. 

am--5 Urie Loop w/ some grass after. No striders for me after. Coach and I had a nice chat and partook of more grass. RHR--54.

pm--Hardcore weights and a team meeting. 

am--5 Out-and-back to Lower Grapevine. We had a really nice group for most of the way out. I'm excited to see which of these girls will have the desire to test their potential this season. I may try to get a few miles in this evening. RHR--56. 

pm--3 Some miles to try to bring the body to homeostasis. 

am--7 Hell's Hole Loop w/ 4x 1-min. pickups. Decent run today. The pickups felt nice, and we had a few girls stick w/ us for the run. Nice work from Carli, Maycee, and Heather. RHR--60 (Yikes). 

pm--3 Some easy miles to get back into things. I reaggravated something in my lower back yesterday trying to do too much in the weight room. It seems to be an si joint issue. I found some stretches that help. This is good knowledge going forward. We'll see how the rest of the week goes.

am--8.25 Highland Park loop w/ some pickups. I didn't hit all the pickups, & when I did, it was all I could do to keep up w/ those girls. The back is improving. Felt good most of the run. RHR--51.

am--5.25 Normal Tuesday run, around the neighborhood and loops on grass w/ striders. The body is feeling better. Now, we'll see how much progress I can make in Crime and Punishment. RHR--49. 

am--6 Good mid-distance run. We're still trying to figure out loop routes so had to add a bit at the end. RHR--52. 

am--5.5 Hilly Run towards Dino Tracks. Maycee stuck right w/ us. It was a little warmer this morning. RHR--53. 

am--5.75 Mayor's Loop w/ 6x barefoot striders. Decent Friday group. The weather was beautiful, and I get the feeling that we have some kids who are ready to make the jump to greater things. RHR--53. 

am--9 Wasatch Blvd. I spent the night w/ my wife's family in SLC for a reunion. I started on the Blvd near the elbow of 215 & just enjoyed the view up to the Millcreek Township, then flipped. The pace was a little quicker because I didn't have anyone to listen to me jabber. Perhaps, the cooler temps negated the higher elevation.

am--10 Green Springs long run w/ 5x pick-ups in the middle. Very nice run w/ the group for the 1st time this summer. I enjoy these wonderful human beings who make room in their schedules for awesomeness. RHR--51. 

am--6 Half Bitumen/Half Grass w/ 8x striders after. I got some other running while setting up the race course for the kids. It was hot this morn. RHR--51. 

pm--1.5 Shakeout run followed by 4K (17:30) on the erg. Rowing is an approximation of deadlift w/out the heavy lifting on the way down. This will be a good way to strengthen my legs & back.

am--7 Dirt Mile Loops to build stamina--mid-7's for 25 min. Another good run w/ the top group of girls. They stick together well and encourage each other. Great kids. I'm lucky to work w/ them. I felt surprisingly good running on tired legs. RHR--51.

am--6.5 Hilly run into the north desert. We just explored. Everyone was feeling pretty beat from the week so far but pushed on regardless. That's what I love about these kids; they continue to work hard. RHR--51. 

pm--1.75 Shakeout after weights. I erged instead of lifting. The workout today was 4x 500 (2:03, 2:02, 2:00, and 1:57) w/ 1 min. rest. Hard but good. 

am--6.5 Coral Canyon exploration. Some of the group didn't want to follow the traditional route, so we went exploring. It turned out well. Got in some road, some trail. Finished w/ 6x barefoot striders at the park. RHR--51.

am--7 The Rim Circuit w/ Andy. Good run, but my legs were feeling the week. The trails were beautiful after the rain the last few days. 

pm--9.5 Longer run w/ 8x 1-min. pick-ups. I added a few extra pick-ups when I had done the requisite amount and was only 1/2 way done. Felt good. I love running and sweating. Happy birthday, big A. In your honor, I will read 1-2 sections of Whitman's "Song of Myself," out loud, every day, until completion. 

am--5.25 Some rolling hills. For whatever reason, I was really sweating today. Decent run other than that. It'll be good to run w/ the kiddos again. RHR--52. 

pm--2.75 Barefoot striders at SCHS softball field. After did some kettlebell swings, ab work, and rowing (1, 2, and 3-min. intervals). 

am--6.5 Jem Trail w/ my buddy from Kansas City. Nice trail, beautiful morning. RHR--51. 

am--7 Some miles. I felt pretty strong today, even though I've been fairly tired. I love it when I can feel myself getting strong as I run.

pm--14x 1 min. w/ 30-sec. rest on the erg. I tried to keep the stroke rate about 26 w/ the intensity going up and down every 3-4 intervals. Rowing is fun. 

am--10 Out-and-back to Snow Canyon State Park w/ my neighbor. He's signed up for the marathon and needed some company on a longer run, so I said, "Yes." It was a good steady run. My legs feel like jello, baby. RHR--53. 

pm--6 Progressive run. I got home late last night because I went to the Vegas Summer League w/ some dudes. Lots of fun. So I ran a little later and decided to switch minutes w/ yesterday. I felt pretty good despite yesterday's long run. 

am--10.5 Meandering long run in Pine Valley w/ some pick-ups. Nice run once I got warmed up. (For some reason, what feels good for the legs doesn't for the lungs in PV.) The weather was almost chilly at the beginning, and smoke was hanging in the valley--the fire is supposedly 45% contained. I love how the legs get to go during the pick-ups. Every pick-up was refreshing except the last one, which was uphill. Good start to the week.

am--5 Back to practice w/ grass loops and 6x striders. It's good to be back w/ the kiddos. La Limpia told me that it was quiet without me. Not sure how to take that. RHR--48. 

pm--1.5 Harts+ after weights. It's great to see kids work hard in the summer. I got home and erged (5x 500m of varying intentsities w/ 2:00 rest between). 

am--6.75 Tortoise Road out-and-back. Of course, I added a Urie loop. I felt ok today. The body is a bit fatigued after the swoldier work yesterday. On another note, it's good to have some girls pushing to stay w/ the varsity girls. RHR--51. 

am--7.25 Dirt-mile Tempo. Today was a good day. In the warm-up, it seemed like girls were struggling a little, but once we got going, the group tightened up. Girls stepped up and did really well. Maycee, Carli, and Brianna did really well. There is some real desire among this group. They are doing cool things. RHR--55. 

pm--1.5 Shakeout after weights. When I got home, I hit the erg for 30 minutes (2:15 pace). Now, I'm all bored out.

am--5.5 BHNP Loops/River Trail and 8x barefoot striders. I could really feel the accumulation of the week, especially yesterday's work, in my legs this morning. And the heart rate tells me I need to be better about recovery. RHR--56. 

pm--8 Fast-finish distance run. Felt pretty good after feeling pretty cruddy yesterday. I ran later because the kids were up a few times in the middle of the night. Also, I went to the wedding of a pvxc alum. It's one of the blessings of coaching that these wonderful young people involve us old guys in some of their major life events. 

am--9.5 Long run to Caroline's house, but we found her on the way. We had a nice, big group today, including Frida from Sweden. The pick-ups (1, 1, 2, 1, 2) went really well. Good start to the week. RHR--50.

am--5 Grass loops w/ striders. Skeleton crew this morning, but kids club still worked out. RHR--51. 

pm--1.75 Shakeout run after weights. Lifting is starting to come back to me a little. Erged 2k when I got home. The pace was pedestrian, 2:08ish.

am--5.5 Middleton/Telegraph loop w/ a small group. RHR--54. 

am--7 Hell's Hole Loop. Small group of kids today. It must be the end of summer upon us. The pace was a bit better than yesterday, and the legs felt almost peppy. RHR--52. 

pm--1.75 Weights and shakeout. I even threw in some light deadlifts today. Thus, no erging. Maybe Saturday. 

am--7 Vernon Worthen. A few miles up the marathon course and back. The girls chose the low end of the window today and turned sooner than I wanted. Fortunately, a stop light allowed me to catch Michael, Kaylee, and Frida. I ended up running back to the park w/ Kaylee and Frida. We kept it pretty strong, and I got to catch up w/ some of our great runners from the past. 

am--8 Reverse Clary Loop. I was beat this morning, but, nonetheless, the pace was moderate. I was able to pick it up at the end with the exception of an incline that really smacked me around. Good week. RHR--53. 

am--10.25 Highland long run w/ 5x 1-2 min. pickups. We had the crew back and Frida. That was a joy in itself. Caroline shared her wisdom, and we had a great time. These kids are working hard. RHR--53. 

am--5.5 Grass loops and 8x barefoot striders. I also got some running in while setting up the course for the ultimate youngster race. RHR--52. 

pm--1.75 Shakeout run after a decent set of weights. Was a broiler today.

am--7 A few miles at the park while setting up and cooling down w/ the girls. I didn't get nearly as many miles as I thought I would, so I ran for about 45 minutes when I got home. RHR--53.

pm--2.5 Peak-hour shakeout run. Felt decent in the heat, but what made me proudest was the fact that I exactly even split the run. 

am--8.25 Hilly run up towards Dino Tracks w/ barefoot striders after. Pretty good run. Had Kaylee and Frida w/ us. I felt pretty drained by the end. RHR--52.

pm--1.75 Shakeout and lifting. I'm back into it but felt weak today. 1k erg after (4:05). I need to get to the rowing again. 

am--6 Ran in the fields this morning. We had a good group--it was Frida's last run before heading back to Sweden--and kept a pretty solid pace. For some reason, I was in a pretty good mood. RHR--55.

am--8 SC Parkway out-and-back. I woke up feeling cruddy but got out anyway. Running has a way of making one feel better. I tried to relax a bit on the way out and ended up gradually increasing the pace throughout the run, finishing w/ some sub-threshold work. RHR--50. 

pm--3.5 Cosmic Tom called me for a slow scorcher in the desert by the airport. I couldn't turn him down. 

am--5 Bloomington Hills North Park. I'm guesstimating miles, but 5 should be close. The kids did some pace work today--1200s and 1600s. Off to camp and off-line. RHR--52. 

pm--2.5 Short double at Deer Haven Campground--9,500+ ft. 

am--5 Brutal Hill run from Deer Haven Campground. Macey really did well today, and Alli J has decided that hills are her new favorite thing. 

pm--2.5 Some miles at Navajo Lake after team pics in our camp shirts. Heard some great thoughts and experiences from some cool kids tonight. The team is coming together and looks to be something special. 

am--8 Long Run on the Virgin River Rim Trail. The trail is an undulating single-track that runs through the trees. We had a good group of girls running together today. 

pm--2.5 Short run on the road out from camp. Nerd wars after. Something about a styrofoam sword brings out the intensity. 

am--5.5 Hill workout--2 sets of 3x 80-sec. hill climbs. This was hard, especially at this elevation, but the girls pushed together. After the workout, we cleaned up, watched some gut-busting skits, and headed home. Great camp. Yet, it's always good to come back home. That elevation has a way of humbling me. 

am--5 Sullivan Park out-and-back w/ barefoot striders after. We had a small but strong PV contingent at the park this morning. It was nice to be running in familiar places again. RHR--51. 

am--7.5 Harmon's + out-and-back w/ 15-min. fast finish. It took me a long while to feel any semblance of goodness this morning. In fact, I felt best when I took the pace down during the fast finish. I ended up drenched in sweat. Nevertheless, it was a decent finish to a tough week. RHR--52. 

am--7 River Trail w/ 5x 1-min. pick-ups. I felt pretty good today. We had a nice group w/ some great packing on the pick-ups. RHR--49.

pm--3.5 Easy run. I did a little more than the afternoon shakeout because we have a race tomorrow evening. 2k on the erg after--8:20. 

am--3.5 Lutheran Loop. I wanted to get some extra running in this morning. Lucky, I did. Maybe 1/4 mile into the run a girl slipped off of a wall and landed on her wrist. I walked her around the block and back to school, eventually learning that she had broken her wrist, before I had to be at the welcome-back breakfast. RHR--56.

am--5.5 Green Springs. Nice distance run. RHR--54.

pm--Weights. No run due to the lightning in the area. 

am--3 Old, old morning route. Felt decent. RHR--56.

pm--5.5 Old Man hills w/ some striders. It was our first real afternoon workout. It went pretty well. . . like  a fist. It's good to be back at school. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Harts +. Got a few miles in before practice, got swole, a bit more running, and the second day of school. RHR--52.

pm--5 Road to Baker. After we had some pizza and two great discussions about individual strengths and weknesses. I love the group I'm blessed to work with. 

am--11 Forsyth Trail to the top(?). Pretty steady running w/ a bit of power hiking mixed in. We gained about 3,500 ft. in 5.5 miles then turned around and ran back down. The view at the top was amazing, and I loved every minute of it. Wild raspberries are tasy, maybe only because they're wild. 

am--9 Early morning long run on the Washington Parkway Loop. Good great. It was nice to run in slightly cooler weather, and I love dark morning runs. RHR--51.

pm--2.5 Short shakeout run after an inspiring lesson from Coach Holt. The legs are mush after the weekend. 

am--3.5 DI/Harts w/ weights in the middle. Legs felt better after rolling last night. RHR--51.

pm--5.75 Shoe Run (Mosquito Trail for everyone else). It was warm out, things went well. You can really tell if you've drunk enough during the day when it's hot out. 

am--5 DI/Neighborhood/Costco. Got in some miles because I know this afternoon will be fewer miles. RHR--47.

pm--3 BHNP. Ran around to set up the cones and little more during the kids' workout. Hot in the jungle today. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Running Center Loop. Decent morning. It was a bit cooler. RHR--53.

pm--5.5 Reverse Fire Station w/ Wash. Elementary extension. It was hot again, and everyone opted for the lower part of the window. 

am--5.5 DI/Bank/Running Center Loop. Good morning to run and be alive. RHR--50.

pm--2.75 Some running around the BHNP setting up and taking down the course. The teams did well. 

pm--5 Easy miles to cap off a bigger week. Didn't run any laps at the run-a-thon but got to chat w/ some kids and get to know them a little better. It was also good to reflect on some success at the Desert Relays.

am--9.25 Sunrise w/ some pick-ups on the river trail. I felt good once we got started. Lot of us were dragging after the long weekend. RHR--49.

pm--2.25 Green Springs. A nice little run before a team chat. 

am--3.75 DI/Weights/BK. Feeling peppy due to the sub-70 degree temperature. RHR--49.

pm--7.25 Looped out to Hell Hole. It was a fun run despite the afternoon sun. Fun group of girls. Lucky we didn't go to the pond. Would've caught giardia. 

am--5.5 DI/Neighborhood/Running Center. Another cooler morning. That's one thing I look for ward to the most with the coming of fall. Group ended up running in classes--seniors, juniors, sophomores. Just worked out that way. RHR--50. 

pm--3(?) set up the course for the workout and hit the home stretch on each repeat. The kids were hammering in the heat. It was fun to watch.

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Harts. Felt a little rusty at the beginning of the run, but weights seemed to perk up my body. Imagine that. RHR--48.

pm--5.25 Out-and-back towards Target. Fun group. I've noticed my legs go about one speed, regardless of the fatigue level. 

am--4 DI/Neighborhood. Not much to say other than I'm dragging a little because my sleep was restless last night. RHR--52.

pm--5.25 Reverse fire station. The run didn't go as planned w/ multiple lightning breaks. Our administration takes weather warnings very seriously. 

pm--5.5 Some Tready. I didn't run until later, after the SUU Invite and a ward party. The meet went well. Our kids really battled. I see better days. RHR--49.

am--8.5 Sunrise Loop w/ 2450 hills (10x). Great run this morning, once we got going. The weather was beautiful. The girls were rocking. RHR--49.

pm--2.25 Almost Green Springs after a nice lesson by Coach Holt. Also got some exciting/interesting news today. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Harts. Nice morning w/ some good lifting. Sad thing is, some of the varsity girls are lifting as much as me. I like to think that they are strong, not that I am weak. RHR--47. 

pm--6.25 Looped down by the middle school and then up the trail by AC. Seemed like a lot of incline and heat, but, nevertheless, we made it. Time to visualize the fist.

am--5.5 DI/Neighborhood/Running Center. Good morning after a hot one yesterday. RHR--46.

pm--3 Standard BHNP workout mileage. Kids had a great workout today, hitting paces in the hot sun. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Harts. Had to hustle in the morning. Lightning was on the horizon. This weather complicates the daily grind. RHR--49.

pm--5.75 Telegraph out-and-back. A little cooler this afternoon. Maybe we'll be double-digits for the rest of the year. 

am--4 DI/Neighborhood. Decent run w/ a fairly big group for a Friday, still at least one short though. RHR--49.

pm--7.75 Hard tempo at the dirt mile. Probably one of the last of our hot days. I hung w/ the big girls for the first 10 minutes and then jumped in w/ the rising JV group until they finished. Good work from many. 

pm--5 Scera park laps in Orem. It's cool park with nice grass and shade. The legs are a bit tired but felt good once they got going. 

On a side note, disc golfers would be fertile ground for a sociological study. RHR--53.

am--8.25 Rim Circuit w/ the girls. Beautiful morning for a run. We added some pick-ups at the end on the dirt road. RHR--53. I have been getting congested the last few nights. My heart rate was up quite a bit on Sunday morning but is coming down again. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Neighborhood. Beautiful autumnal morning. I felt surprisingly good this morning, despite the evening congestion yesterday. RHR--46.

pm--3 BHNP Course set-up and general running around.

am--4 DI/Neighborhood/Plyos. Another wonderful morning temperature-wise. Girls seemed in good spirits. Me, I'm feeling beat and can already feel the need for a nap later. RHR--49. 

pm--5.5 Ran to the Dirt Mile to watch the youngsters race then ran back to our summer stomping grounds--Washington Elementary--to do some barefoot striders. The kids were in good spirits. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Harts. I had fun lifting and running and chatting. For some reason, the legs feel kind of peppy after a good weights sesh. RHR--48.

pm--6.5 Green Springs and 4x 200. Felt good all around. Excited for Murray tomorrow. 

am--5.75 A version of the old morning route. I felt ok. Certainly things will get rickety during the all-day bus ride. But the Murray Invite promises to be awesome. RHR--46.

am--6.75 State Course (2x) w/ pick-ups. Beautiful Fall weather w/ a tight pack on the uptempo stuff. Really good spirit among the group after the showing at Murray. RHR--54.

am--8.5 Long(er) run w/ 10x 100m hills. Beautiful morning even though I felt sluggish. RHR--45. 

pm--2.25 Grass loops on the ball field. Heard some funny stories from JMH and Jacey. 

am--DI/Weights/To the neighborhood. Talked to cousin Rich this morning. That was cool. RHR--49. 

am--4 DI/Neighborhood Bushes w/ plyos after. The weather was beautiful this morning. I would have liked to get a bit more, but I wanted to get some plyos in. RHR--45. 

pm--10.25 Middleton. I like this run. It seems like we do it more often this time of year. Pretty good group and good feeling in the cooler (less hot) afternoon.