Turn your rut into a groove.

am--7 Lower Zen w/ Andy. Deep discussion. At times, I was lost in concepts. Nonetheless, a good run. I wondered why so many people were running this morning, and then it dawned on me that it is a new year. Here's to making the resolution a lifestyle. RHR--50. 

Finished Gold in the Water by P. H. Mullen. It's about swimmers from Santa Clara Swimming Club and the pursuit of their 2000 Olympic dreams. Here are a couple great quotes: 

"It is a myth that greeat athletes outperform themselves under pressure. They access and unleash the potential they already possess. Wilkens was improvising his race, but he was accessing a lifetime of preparation. The best champions become the sum total of their parts" (315). 

"To make this team is going to be sweet, to fail is going to be very painful. Either way, the sun will come up the next day and life will go on. But those who strive, those who leave nothing on the table, those who will take the risk, will all be winners. Life is truly sweeter for those who truly live it. The world belongs, and will always belong, to the people who participate. Those who stand on the outside, who never risk, who never fail, cannot now, or will they ever, understand the beauty of each breath of life. So don't feel sorry for those who fail, feel sorry for the majority that never participate. They'll just never understand, let alone feel, all that life can and should be" (216). 

pm--10 Fit Farm out-and-back w/ 4x 1-min. pick-ups. I feel strong and beat. I don't consciously push the pace, but my body seems to crave a stout effort. Having no one to talk to surely adds to things. RHR--53.

I was reading 3 books the last few days. Finished the 2 today--Hamlet  and a book about Neutral Milk Hotel's last album, "The Aeroplane Over the Sea" from the 33 1/3 series. Over the last few days, I have immersed myself in the album. It is the height of vulnerability, beautiful and grotesque. If you have 40 minutes, take a listen. Books this year--3. 

am--4 Truncated morning run. Start work again today. It's been good to spend time w/ the family, but the routine always treats me well. RHR--54. 

pm--4 A few miles, w/ 8x striders, after a mostly unproductive day on the job. A teacher needs students. Plus, I'm just feeling ornery lately. 

pm--6.25 Green Springs via Quail Ridge. We had a nice group and a stout pace on the first official day back. The run felt great. RHR--54. 

am--5.75 Morning run w/ duck pond hill. It was cold this morning but not frozen at home. Near PVHS, it is a frozen tundra. RHR--53. 

pm--5 Some miles w/ the girls on the warm and cool of their 6-min. test. 6x striders after. It was sunny but cold this afternoon. The long-sleeve shirt and gloves were a good decision. 

am--9 Cemetery Loop via Harmons. Cosmic run w/ a gradual drop in the pace to make it a negative split. Good to get back to school and run w/ the kids again. Nice first week of the year. RHR--53.

Finished a couple books today: the inspiration for Blade Runner, Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, and If This Isn't Nice, What Is? by Kurt Vonnegut. Both were enjoyable. A quote from Vonnegut's book--it's a collection of graduation speeches: 

"And only well-informed, warm-hearted people can teach others things they'll always remember and love. Computers and TV don't do that. 

A computer teaches a child what a computer can become.

An educated human being teaches a child what a child can become" (28-29). 

5 books this year. 

pm--9.75 Long run in the Fields w/ 4x 1-min. pick-ups around halfway. It was a beautiful afternoon. We had a nice run w/ some girls stepping up a bit. Fun stuff. RHR--53. 

am--4.25 Morning run on the Serenity/Tuweap Loop. Rusty and rachety, at first. RHR--53. 

pm--3.5 Temple Quarry. With the big rocks through the middle, the trail runs slow. We took things at a chatty pace. 

pm--7 Some intervals today. Been reading up on some Igloi-style training, so we decided to run some time-based intervals to work on pace recognition and form. 6x 1-min. @ tempo and threshold pace (7:00-6:40), 2x (5x 30-sec. @ CV (6:20)), and 6x 1-min. @ threshold and tempo. The intervals never felt hard--often the equal recovery was when I noticed heavier breathing--but I felt fairly tired by the end. The kids did great. We have some girls pushing for better things. RHR--53. 

am--4.5 Westside Baptist out-and-back via Serenity. It wasn't raining, but it was moist out. The legs felt better this morning. RHR--53. 

pm--7 Target out-and-back w/ 4x striders after. The legs felt a little tired. My feet are tight but loosening up. The girls are running really well, right now. On another note, when it's overcast and windy 50 degrees feels a bit colder.

am--7 Light Track Tempo (7:15-7:30). I can feel the week in my legs, but the tempo was great, nonetheless. We were hovering right about 7:15 for the entire 20 minutes of the tempo. The group was nice and big today. I love the newfound belief that some girls are getting. We also had a few new kids come out today. That's always cool. RHR--52. 

am--7 Rim Circuit in reverse w/ Andy. We had some nice chatter today while the rain sprinkled. I'm thankful for the Santa Clara River Reserve and its trails. RHR--53. 

I also finished my 6th book of the year--When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. I had checked this out from the school library--our librarian is probably the best high school librarian in the world--before the Christmas break, intending to read it. I didn't, so I took it back to school with the intention of returning it. But my conscience got the best of me, and I thought I better give it one chapter before I severed ties. Well, once I started, I couldn't put it down. That coupled with the fact that it's a quick read made for a couple days of profound thoughts on mortality. Two quotes that I loved:

"Years ago, it had occurred to me that Darwin and Nietzsche agreed on one thing: the defining characteristic of the organism is striving" (143). 

"I woke up in pain, facing another day--no project beyond breakfast seemed tenable. I can't go on, I thought, and immediately, its antiphon responded, completing Samuel Beckett's seven words, words I had learned long ago as an undergraduate: I'll go on. I got out of bed and took a step forward, repeating the phrase over and over: 'I can't go on. I'll go on'" (149). 

am--7.5 A good chunk of the way up Suicidal Tendencies and back w/ the PV kids. It was a beautiful morning that ended w/ doughnuts and chocolate milk for my birthday. What a thoughtful group of awesome kids. RHR--52. 

pm--4.5 Some miles w/ 10 minutes on the erg and some kettle bell deadlifts.

am--4 Lutheran sign/Weights/Neighborhood. Cold but good morning. I only did bench, runners, and curls during weights, hoping that rowing most nights will strengthen my legs in a fashion similar to deadlifts/squats while engaging the core muscles that will keep my SI in place. RHR--50. 

pm--7.25 Pace and Form work. 3x 1 min. at tempo pace (7:00), 3x 1 min. at threshold pace (6:40), 2x (5x 30 sec. at CV (6:20)), 3x 1 min. at threshold, and 3x 1 min. at tempo. This work isn't hard but is tiring. We'll see how it works the system. We had a nice warm and a short cool. I'll have to remember that. 

pm--5.75 Telegraph out-and-back. Good run w/ some great singing. It was good to get an easy day. I feel sufficiently beat down. Erged 1k after. RHR--51. 

am--4 Lutheran sign/light weights/Harts+. Same thing as Tuesday--Bench and runners. The drizzle this morning was more welcoming than I would've imagined. Perhaps, I was more focused on loosening up the right heel. It took a few minutes this morning. RHR--50.

pm--7.25 Tempo in the rain. The pace was 7:20 down to 7:00 for 25 minutes. We had a great group. I've said this a few times since the new year, some girls are really stepping up. Good hard fun this afternoon. 

am--7 Canyons Kidney Loop w/ return via Tuweap. Lovely drizzly morning. I probably overdressed, but, oh well. All told, I finished in just under an hour (55 minutes). RHR--53. 

am--6.75 Cemetery Loop w/ out the Lava Ridge detour. We decided not to fight the weather up North, so I was home this morning. I set out through Santa Clara for a run around 8:00 am. Once I got up the cemetery hill--that was a bear, climbing into a cold headwind--the pace naturally picked up. I finished w/ a nice negative split. Erged 2k after. I felt spent in a good way after the work this morning. RHR--53. 

Finished my 7th and 8th books of the year--Shakespeare's King Lear and Chop Wood Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf. Lear is my favorite Shakspearean tragedy. Full of flattery, power, money, and suffering, it acts as a nice guide to navigating life. I love that the villains have some of the truest lines in some of the vilest times. A favorite line comes from Lear's madness: 

Gloucester: The trick of that voice I do well remember. Is 't not the King? 

Lear: Ay, every inch a king. When I do stare, see how the subject quakes. 

One lesson from the book is that we learn many of the greatest lessons when we're down and out, and we're down and out because of our pride. 

The other book is a fictitious analogy of a young man, who aspires to be a samurai archer, and the relationship w/ his sensei. It's a simple read and a great book on the power of process. This book clarified and confirmed many of the powerful concepts I've learned the last few years. 

pm--11 Long run w/ pick-ups (1-, 1-, 2-, 1-, 2-min. @ 6:50-7:00). I didn't get to run w/ the kiddos today because of department meetings--we solve all the world's problems in these meetings--so I ran when I got home. The run was nice. It left the legs sufficiently spent. RHR--52. 

am--Lutheran sign/Weights/Harts +. Chilly morning, but it was probably good for the lungs. I did some squats and dead lifts w/ the bar today, trying to ease back into things. RHR--49. 

pm--4.75 Dino Tracks. I felt beat today. Don't know what gives. Maybe it's the sickness that is knocking on my door. 

pm--7 Timed Fartlek Pace and Form work. I wasn't sure how I would do today w/ the approaching gamboo. But, as is usually the case, I jumped in and felt good. We're starting to get a handle on the feel of the different paces. RHR--52. 

am--4 Same as usual w/ squats and dead lifts, using the bar, getting back into it. Felt, if not better, the same as I have been this morning. RHR--54. 

pm--6.25 Green Springs hilly run w/ 6x striders on the track after. Good run w/ good pace and good people. 

pm--7.25 Track Tempo (28 min.) Another nice tempo w/ a good group. I love seeing kids keep fighting when the running becomes more difficult. Lots are answering the call. RHR--56. 

pm--7.25 Negative-split run. Nothing fancy. Felt good the whole run. A bit tight in the calves after. 

I finished another book--The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen. My buddy gifted me the book for Christmas. It's award-winning fiction, meant to rattle the reader and make him "uncomfortable in a good way," according to the author. The book read slower than I would've thought but provided perspective of the conflict in Vietnam and events in the aftermath. Here's a quote from the book:

"We remain that most hopeful of creatures, a revolutionary in search of a revoution, although we will not dispute being called a dreamer doped by an illusion" (382). 

pm--9.5 Parkway Loop w/ extension to Turtle Rd. w/ pick-ups. Good run w/ a dwindling group. The climes were perfect. RHR--56. 

am--4 Lutheran sign/Weights/Harts +. Tired morning. Cold morning. RHR--52. 

pm--4 Mustang Pass. Dragging this afternoon. I erged 1k after. 

pm--7.25 Pace and Form work. This was the same as last week w/ 5x 1-min. at 8k pace in the middle. Felt nice and strong w/ a good group, once again. RHR--52. 

am--4.25 Lutheran Sign/Weights/Harts +. Nice morning. It looks to be the last of the cold ones for the next week or so. My legs were still a little tight from yesterday's work when I started this morning. RHR--53. 

pm--5.5 Green Springs w/ barefoot striders after. Nice run. I had a good chat w/ Sarah. 

pm--7.75 Track Tempo. It was harder work today, and I never felt truly fluid. But, despite feeling tired this afternoon, the body responded well. Kids are doing awesome things. RHR--50. 

am--8 Santa Clara Loop via the cemetery. Decent, steady progress on the run. It was warmer this morning than it has been in a while, beautiful, actually. RHR--53. 

pm--9.5 Turkey Road Long Run w/ 1, 1, 2, 1, 2 pick-ups. The run was great, overcast, and stout. I really wasn't in the greatest mood heading up. The cold that I never had remains in my chest or so it feels. But, once we got going, everything went well. RHR--56. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Harts+. I didn't get in as much before weights this morning. Bummer. The weather was beautiful on the run. The gloves were probably overkill. RHR--53. 

pm--3 Some miles before and after the rootbeer mile. I was manning the Instagram Live camera. Fun stuff. 

am--4.25 DI/Neighborhood Bushes. Another fine morning. By the time we finished, I was feeling decent. I'm not sure if it's age or mileage, but I need a few miles before I feel like my breathing and gait and everything else are all in sync. RHR--52. 

pm--5.75 Pace and Form work. My left calf was a little twingy as we jumped into things--the CV work was at the beginning and end--but I decided to go and see how it would feel. Actually, I didn't think much of it when I started. Made it through the first set and the second set but couldn't keep on through the third set. I awkwardly jogged around the track until the girls were done and then called it quits for the day. Icing and rolling are in order. I'm bummed because I was feeling good today. 

Also finished my 10th book of the year, Testimony by Robbie Robertson. Over the years, particularly the last few that I've been dabbling w/ the bass guitar, I've gained a great appreciation for The Band, a group that really felt their way through songs in an organic, unified way. I enjoyed the book for its protrayal of their prime years, even though it's fairly one-sided, and the early '60s-'70s in rock culture. A quote at the end, written about the few hours in the wake of "The Last Waltz," their final show together, reminded me of the end of  an xc season: 

"Many of our guests had hardly got warmed up. They'd just had a taste and needed to play more music. Impromptu sessions were starting up in hotel suites and various locations, but for me, my cup had runneth over. I couldn't play another note. I found myself sitting on the floor against the wall of the hotel banquet room as people came and went in party spirit. Marty joined me  on the floor. We didn't need to talk; we just had to remember to breathe" (491). 

I really enjoyed spending time w/ this book over the last week or so. 

pm--7.5 Light Tempo day. I took yesterday off because my calf got crazy gnarly during our CV stuff on Wednesday. I wore a compression sleeve the last few days and took it easy. Today, I planned on doing the warm-up and cool-down. During the warm-up, I felt pretty good so decided to jump into the tempo for a few minutes. I was jettisoned after 10 minutes, did a few laps, and got back in for another 10 minutes. There was some lingering soreness but no exacerbation. Nice day of running. RHR--53. 

pm--8 SC Parkway out-and-back. Things felt pretty good until I was about 5 miles out. I felt a pull in my calf and was forced to walk for a while. Getting sick of that and dreading the long, slow trek home, I tried jogging. My leg loosened up a bit, and I was able to get in a few more miles before the tightness came again. The rest tomorrow will do me good. Time to research this pain in the leg. RHR--53. 

pm--7.75 Fields Long Run. I wasn't sure what I would run today, but Josie was going to shoot for 60 or 70 minutes. I thought I would give that a shot. My calf--I'm sure I have a soleus strain--felt the same throughout the run. And I feel pretty decent getting around on it after. That's a plus. I'm not going to jump into any quicker stuff and will try to avoid hills as much as possible this week. See how that works. RHR--51. 

pm--5 Prospector from under the freeway. I felt surprisingly good today. The soleus was a bit twitchy during the stretch after, but nothing big. RHR--49. 

am--2.5 Nearly to the bank and back. Leg feels a bit better. RHR--49.

pm--7 Ran laps around the track while the kids rocked their 8k-pace workout. Boy, they looked awesome today. 

Finished another book this evening: Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut. He's one of my favorites. I learned something about Armenia and Abstract Expressionism. Vonnegut mixes history and humor in a most palatable way. 

pm--5 Out-and-back on Telegraph. We had a big group most of the run. RHR--52. 

am--3.5 Neighborhood bushes and STG Running Center Loop. Nice drizzly morning, but, boy, was I tired. The weekend can't come soon enough. RHR--56.

pm--5 To and from the hill workout. Kids look strong. The leg feels a lot better. Next week should be a real week again. 

pm--8 Progressive Run for ~65 minutes. The leg felt decent. Upping the speed towards the end made it a bit tight. I erged for 10 minutes after. Good week. I seem to be on the up-and-up. 

am--8 Hurricane Rim Trail. I've never run this trail before, but today was a great day for. I had a blast, talking and talking and talking the whole time. Happy birthday to Jacey. RHR--53.

I also did some reading today and finished 2 books. The first is a classic--Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I've read it once before but liked it even more the second time. It took  my mind to Huck Finn. Huck and Pip are very similar. Joe and Jim, as well. My AP Lit kids complained that it was long--it comes in at 497 pages--but it reads quickly. 

The second book I finished was The Team Captain's Leadership Manual by Jeff Janssen. The book outlines a 10-week plan to train team leaders. Once I got in the groove with the book, it flew by. Lots of great info that could be applicable in XC and the classroom. I want to put together outlines of each chapter. That's my next project. 

am--1.5 Weights and Harts+. Perfect weather this morning. I felt decent lifting. RHR--50.

pm--5.5 Green Springs. I love this run. Some hate it. We kept the run pretty chill today. I was feeling antsy in the back. 

I finished a short book this morning--Together is Better by Simon Sinek. The book is basically a quote book with illustrations. I love this author. He has a great interview about millenials in the workplace and has written one of the best books I've read in the past year or so--Start with Why. The latter was very helpful as we put together a mission for PVXC. 

am--2.5 Wells Fargo and back. Lovely morning weather again. Jacey taught us some self defense. RHR--52. 

pm--8.25 8k-pace work 2x(4x 400 and 1x 800) w/ 4x barefoot striders. Nice workout. The 400s feel like something we could do all day. The 800s take a little more focus. My soleus feels a lot better. The striders get to the calf some, but, overall, today was a good day. 

am--1.75 Weights and Harts+. Feeling good w/ the lifting, and the weather is coold again. We could use a few more days of that. RHR--54. 

pm--5.25 Middleton through the new underpass. Nice run w/ some people doing some nice things. Most people seemed pretty peppy after the work yesterday. 

am--2.5 Cold morning run to Wells Fargo and back. There was a headwind on the way out that made the first few minutes miserable. The wind settled down after that. RHR--53. 

pm--5 Telegraph Church run. We had some new faces and others starting to step up. Good stuff.

am--9.25 Southgate out-and-back w/ 1-, 2-, 1-, 2-, 1-min. pick-ups. Sufficiently tired after this one. The elevation profile shows that it's a slight downhill on the way out and a little climb on the way back. It did feel harder on the way back. The pace overall was strong. Even though the soleus feels good, I would've been rumbling, stumbling by the end of 13 miles. Guess I'm saying not running Dogtown was a good choice. RHR--53. 

am--3.75 Wells Fargo w/ StG Running Center Loop to add. Felt good this morning. The girls were peppy even after their awesome half-marathon efforts on Saturday. RHR--53.

pm--4.75 Some Miles when I got home from practice, a date w/ my daughter, and a choir concert. My calf still has some tightness.

am--4 DI/Weights/Harts+. Fine morning. I'm lifting more each week, which feels good but also makes me anxious about my SI joint. I didn't run in the afternoon because we were timing kids. 

I did finish another book during a long day of ACT stuff. Why Die? is Graem Sims' bio of Percy "Only the fit are fearless" Cerutty. What an interesting guy. He was curious and crazy and innovative and egotistical. Bill Aris claims that Cerutty's work  is the foundation of what he does with his FM kids. That's what initially intrigued me about Percy, but his vision of athletics and life keeps me digging for more: 

"Many of their talks focused on the development of the Christ Consciousness in Elliott. Cerutty believed that the pain experienced in training and competition acted as a purifier, and that by accepting it and using it, rather than resisting it, a man might come to understand Christ's sacrifice, and develop more compassion as a result. The subsequent miracles would be wrought on the race track. Athletics, while requiring a degree of selfishness in an individual, would ultimately uplift mankind" (190). 

Good stuff. The thinkers that influenced Cerutty--Alexis Carrel and his book Man the Unknown, George Hackenschmidt and his book Physical Strength and How I Acquired It, Arthur Newton and his book Running, and, finally, Jiddu Krishnamurti--give me some more rabbit holes to explore. If you can get your hands on the book, it's worth the read. 

am--5.25 Harts/Wells Fargo/StG RC Loop. Felt purty good this morning. For some reason, I was all-around beat down yesterday. My heart rate this morning showed that. RHR--56. 

pm--4.5 A run when I got home. It was the last day of decath events today. I thoroughly enjoyed watching kids do well, some in events they had never tried and others in their signature event. Most of all, I love seeing kids latch on to an event and really find ways to own the event. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Harts. Weights weren't as successful because my SI joint felt like it was going to be mad at me if I did anything resembling serious lifting. I did do some bench and bar-only squatting. Cold morning. RHR--52. 

pm--5 Warm and cool w/ the girls. We had some cool things happening w/ our 800/1500m time trials. Back is progressively tightening throughout the day. 

am--4.25 A little around the school/Wells Fargo/StG RC Loop. I had to loosed up my back before the kids came to run. Things loosened up pretty quickly. Just a word for running; no matter how I feel, a run in the morning makes the day better. RHR--56. 

pm--5.75 Green Springs via the double churches. It was warm, but no adverse effects. My back feels a lot better. (Last night my wife helped me realign my back.)

am--10.75 Cemetery Loop. I saw some runners from the Dirty Hurty and from Lake-to-Lake but no one I knew, except Decker in the event truck. About then, I had started into my tempo. The pace was hovering around 7:00 for most of the 35 minutes of the sesh. Nothing like stretching the legs w/ a little Genius on the earbuds. Felt nice and beat by the end. I love these runs. RHR--50. 

I finished another book today, Herman Melville's posthumous novella Billy Budd. The titular character is a innocent sacrifice in a time of mutiny paranoia. I would say he's Christlike if it weren't for the fatal forehead punch he delivers to a misguided soul.

am--9.5 Long run from hospital to Sunrise w/ pick-ups. Pretty much all of our pick-ups were uphill and felt awesome. Golden crew. RHR--52.

pm--2.25 Grass loops at Sandstone. Nothing major. 

I finished another book yesterday. George Saunders wrote Lincoln in the Bardo when he learned that Lincoln went to the sepulchre where his son was laid to rest and pulled him out of his coffin to hold him. This was the night of the funeral, more tender than crazy. Most of the novel takes place in between this life and the next, in limbo.

One of the best parts of the book is watching the disembodied spirits enter Lincoln to try and influence his thoughts. In the end they become aware of his innermost thoughts. A particularly moving scene happens when most of the spirits jump into Lincoln to turn him around. The unity of purpose they share brings great things to pass. It's a nice passage on the effects of teamwork. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who could navigate the structure and can stomach some of the dark underbelly of mortal existence. 

am--3.75 DI/Weights (Lite)/Harts+. Nice run this morning. RHR--49. 

pm--6 Middleton. Really good group in the beautiful weather. At times, the pace was brisk, but, overall, things were right where they should be. I'm getting excited to see the kids race this weekend. 

am--7.75 Morning Workout (2x 1200, 2x (2x 400 and 600) w/ 4x race-pace striders) All of the repeats were at 8k pace. The workout felt good. We had a tight group that really pushes together. This is a good way to start a day--faster, fitter, stronger. RHR--56. 

pm--2.25 DI+. Easy run, and I needed it after this morning. 

am--3.75 DI/Weights (Lite)/Harts+. Beautiful morning. I love the sunrises the last few days. Too bad we have to shift back to darkness on Sunday. RHR--51. 

pm--5.25 Green Springs. I could do this run everyday. It was nice and warm out, and with the first meet coming tomorrow, I couldn't stop talking. I'm sure some wish I would just chill once in a while. Oh well. 

am--6.5 DI/Neighborhood Bushes/Extended StG Running Center Loop. Nice morning. I could feel the week in my legs by the end of the run. First meet today. Hooray. RHR--51. 

am--9 Canyons/Huntington meandering. I felt pretty good on the run. I love to finish these Saturday runs feeling spent, and I did. The morning was beautiful. The track meet was great. It gave kids a chance to get their feet wet in competition again. RHR--52. 

pm--5 Just some miles on the Tready. I figured I wanted to stay out of the sun after being in it all day and because it's nothing but sidewalk around the most magical place on earth. The treadmill didn't feel any softer than I imagine the sidewalk would. 

On another note, I finished 2 more books: The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John C. Maxwell and Lennon Remembers by Jann S. Wenner. The first is great. I can't wait to use some of the ideas. The second is raw Lennon, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes despicable, sometimes just what I thought he was. 

pm--7 Nothing fancy. I can't wait to get back to my routine. I'm a creature of habit.

am--3 Heading back to the promised land today. This run is me hoping for a double. RHR--55.

am--11 Big 8k (in more than one way) workout. I did this on the grass at the SC Rugby field. The field isn't flat like a track, but I needed a softer surface today. The workout went well. Although, it took some real focus on the 1ks and the last few repeats. (The workout was 4x (1000, 400, and 600 at 8k pace w/ equal recovery).) What a workout. I'm beat. Finished up w/ 4x striders. It's good to be back to the routine. Happy St. Patrick's Day. RHR--50. 

pm--4 Of all the days to double. I did anyway and erged 1k after. I also realized that the workout this morning was a misreading. Only the 1000s were supposed to be repeated. That made for an extra 3k. Maybe, I'll chalk it up as a big boy workout. 

I finished another book--The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday. It's a book based heavily on Stoicism. (There is a great video on YouTube about this book.) There are a lot of concepts that really resonate with me in the book and stories about Lincoln, Washington, Grant, Gandhi, Steve Jobs, etc. On the other hand, I cringe when there's a mention of a hedge fund manager or the author refers to Stoicism as an "operating system." Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book even though Holiday seems to be still developing the skills to communicate his message. These young authors, like Holiday, who proclaim a way to live life leave me curious. How do they gain so much wisdom so quickly? Perhaps, I need to read his more recent book, Ego is the Enemy, because my ego seems to be prowling. 

am--7 Some progressive miles w/ 2k on the erg. The week started out badly, as far as running goes, but being back in the routine salvaged things. Rowing might be the salvation for my aging body. I think I'll hit it up 3-5 times a week. RHR--50.

am--9.5 Long Run mostly on the Sullivan Trail w/ pick-ups. The run came early, but it was fantastic. It was good to be back w/ the group. High RHR (61) this morning. 

pm--2.25 Grass loops at Sandstone. I felt a little dead in the legs this afternoon. 

am--3 Harts/Weights-/Harts. Nice morning. I love the darker mornings. Temps are getting warmer. RHR--50. 

pm--7.75 8k-pace workout (4x 1200 w/ 4:15-4:30 recovery). Nice, hard workout. I love working w/ these brave PV Track kids. They're ready to run greatly. Also erged 2k when I got home. 

am--4.5 DI/Neighborhood Bushes+. Warm morning, beat legs, and good company makes for a decent start to the day. RHR--54. 

pm--5.75 Green Springs w/ 6x striders. Felt pretty flat and fatigued still, but the legs still move. 

am--3 Harts/Weight/Harts. Good morning run w/ only a threat of a drizzle. RHR--50. 

pm--5.75 Starbucks w/ 4x 200 accelerations. It was windy but nice w/ some sprinkles. Erged 1k when I got home. 

am--5 Ran up near The Canyons. My heel took a while longer to loosen up this morning. Invite today. Here's to hoping it's a great one. RHR--59. 

pm--5.5 Ran a bit when I got home from the PV Invite. Nothing special. My achilles/PF (not sure which at the moment, but it probably doesn't matter since they're all part of the same chain of action) is bugging. I'll do some rehabbing. Erged for 3k after. RHR--59. 

am--9.5 Foremaster/Hospital/River Trail Long Run w/ 1, 2, 1, 2, 1 pickups. The morning felt pretty good. The girls were in great spirits. RHR--49. 

pm--2.25 Usual Sandstone barefoot stuff. It was a little chilly out. 

am--3 Harts/Bench/Harts. Chilly but nice. RHR--49.

pm--7.5 Combo Workout (3x 85-sec. hills and 4x 800 at 8k pace). It was tough in a fun way today. The group rocked it together. Erged 1k after.

am--5.5 Telegraph out-and-back. Chill recovery run this morning. RHR--56. 

am--3.75 DI/Weights/Harts+. Really hammered it w/ the Trilogy dudes and Josh. RHR--52.

pm--5.5 Target out-and-back w/ 6x fast striders after. Windy but fun. Erged 3k when I got home. 

I finished another book--Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. I love the book so much I talked my wife into naming our youngest daughter Zora. I like the female perspective, the poetic prose, and the raw Eatonville dialect. A winner in my book even though it took me two tries to finsh it initially. 

am--5.75 All around PV in the threatening weather. It was a nice run. Probably no run later due to the Hurricane meet. RHR--57. 

am--7.25 Canyons Kidney Loop before the meet. I felt good, and the morning was beautiful. The meet went well. Some cool things happened.RHR--56.

I finished another book--Ego is the Enemy. Ryan Holiday has cool ideas to share, and I need some humility. This book came at a good time. It's full of interesting anecdotes about famous and not so famous people and is a quick read.

am--10 Long Run w/ 2x 15-min. tempo sections. We did a big loop onto the River Trail. I wasn't sure how this was going to go, but it went well. I felt strong. We got progressively stronger, and the group split a bit. RHR--57. 

pm--2.5 Ran in the school because of lightning. Should be the worst of runs, but hearing a big group of girls sing High School Musical songs brings joy to the soul. I have the coolest job ever. Erged 2k (8:45.1) after.

I also finished another small book--Speed Work for Distance Training by Bob Schul. He offers a training method based off Mihaly Igloi's interval/effort workouts. I'm intrigued by the idea of many short reps to stave off any anaerobic detriment while keeping the heart rate up. This is something to look into more. Schul, an Olympic champion in the 5k, also wrote a biography that is in my queue. 

am--3.5 DI/weights/Harts. Nearly freezing morning but a good run. RHR--49.

pm--1.5 We had Panther Relays today. I didn't get much running but did throw down a 2:42 anchor 800. I've never raced an 800, but that time feels about right for the shape I'm in. Brianna held me off and cost me doughnuts.

am--4.25 Reverse Costco Loop via Biolife/Zions/Costco Loop w/ Sportsman's parking lot extension. Nice morning to run. My heel was stiff and hurting this morning, but once it loosened, I felt good at a steady pace. RHR--51. 

pm--5.75 Green Springs. I was dragging a bit on the way out but felt peppy on the way back. Beautiful afternoon. Erged 3k when I got home. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Harts. Good morning. Working on my back kick while running on my lonesome gets me moving. RHR--52. 

pm--6 Reverse Middleton w/ Sandburg's extension w/ 6x barefoot striders. Felt decent throughout.

am--6 DI/Bank/Reverse DI. I woke up gunky in the nose but felt ok otherwise. No afternoon run because of the meet at DH. RHR--52.

pm--7 Nice, easy progressive run. I woke up sick, full of off-colored mucus, and went so far as to dress in my running clothes for an early run but decided to cash in and get another hour of sleep. Meet went well. Things seem to be turning a corner for the team. I got home, took a nap, and then ran. Erged a hard 1k after (4:05). 

am--9 Long run w/ LT work and 5x hills. The workout pushed into a zone that requires mental focus. I did love the hills though. RHR--53.

pm--2.25 Usual Monday w/ some barefooting at Sandstone. 

am--3 Harts x 2 and weights. Nice run this morning. RHR--51.

pm--6 Hospital out-and-back. Felt flat at the beginning but loosened up by the time we flipped. Love running with the crew.

am--5.75 Reverse fire station w/ 6x fast striders. The striders felt awesome, strong and fast, other than the cold, damp grass. RHR--53.

pm--2 Nice run with some of the girls I don't get to run with as much. It was fun to chat with them.

am--4 Lutheran sign/Weights/Harts. I got a tiny bit more this morning because I won't be running tonight with the meet. This morning's run was nice. I went with some push. That always feels good. RHR--53. 

am--7.5 Kidney Loop at a progressive place. I felt good after I got going. The meet went well, also. RHR--53. 

I also finished another book--No Bugles No Drums by Peter Snell and Garth Gilmour. This is an autobiography of the famous NZ 800m and 1500m runner. I was hoping to get some kind of insight into the practices of Arthur Lydiard--it did mention him a bit--but learned more about the tenacity and confidence of Peter Snell. Over and over in the book, he runs time trials and races in the 1:4xs and low 1:5xs and miles under 4:00. He makes it seem so easy. This guy had grit. I mean he was mostly an 800 runner--880 actually--running upwards of 100 miles a week. Here's my favorite quote:

"I treasure a great deal the background I received as a youth in many sports, coupled with the knowledge I have of training in one particular sport and the confidence stemming from success in achieving the very pinnacle therein. I know now that this confidence can be applied to just about any other phase of life. The principles of anything you do are basically the same. It now makes sense to me when someone sets out with the decision that he is going to be, say, a great painter. I know that, if he has required the ability to begin with, he can achieve that ambition. Once you have acquired the knowledge of what a human being can make himself do, it becomes a powerful force in anything you aim to accomplish" (233-234). 

Speaking truth. 

am--10 Big loop around the cemetery and back into Green Valley. I just tried to keep calm and smooth. And, although I was a bit beat from being in the sun yesterday, the run was a cleanser. RHR--54. 

am--10 Suicidal Tendencies. I figured I better hit this trail sometime over the weekend because I may not have the chance for a while. The run was good. Hit my best time on the out-and-back, not saying much. RHR--53.

Finished another book, an AP text, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. From what I gather, this is the easiest of Joyce's books. That being said, I wouldn't have got as much out of the book without the copious end notes. He claims that his purpose in life is "to discover the mode of life or of art whereby your spirit could express itself in unfettered freedom." Sounds like a description of running to me.

pm--6 Green Springs w/ striders. I missed the morning run because my wife thought the little guy was on his way, but things settled down. I had fun running w/ the girls. What a crew. RHR--53. 

am--5 Ran around before, during, and after the girls' workout. They rocked it in the perfect morning temps. RHR--53. 

pm--2.5 DI+. Had a a good chat w/ Alli. 

am--3 Harts (2x). Good run w/ sprinkler fun. RHR--53

pm--5.5 2450 w/ 6x striders. We had to canvas a neighborhood w/ info sheets for a race this weekend. Felt tired but good. I also erged 2k. It's been a few days.

am--6 Weird Loop/Wells Fargo/Reverse Lutheran Loop. It was a beautiful morning, and, although my achilles was hurting at the beginning, the run was just as beautiful. No run later w/ the track meet going on. RHR--50. 

am--7.5 Progression Run before the meet. Once the Achilles gets warm, everything is good. I love runs like this where, regardless of ups or downs, the pace continually gets stronger. Put the 2 days of the meet together, the kids performed pretty well. RHR--49.

am--9.75 Parkway w/ pick-ups around 8k pace. Really nice run this morning. The pick-ups felt great. My body feels like it was meant to run smooth and fast. We had a slight crew this morning w/ student-body posters going up in the a.m. I did get to run about 10 minutes w/ Addi and Ellie at the end. RHR--50. 

pm--2.25 Grass run at Sandstone. My achilles is pretty tender. I erged 3k when I got home. 

One more book to the list--Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek. I really find myself nodding as I read this guy's ideas. This book is more varied than Start With Why and extrapolates the ideas he shares in the "Millenials in the Workplace" video you can find on YouTube. The book is a quick read that sheds some light on building culture in an organization. 

am--3.5 DI/Weights/Harts. Beautiful morning after the wind died down. My heel took a second to get going, but, once again, it really loosens up nicely. RHR--46.

pm--5.5 Middleton to the secret park. We found out who that J. Rog is not the shortest on the team, and word on the street is she's still growing. 6x striders to end things. I kept my shoes on because of the gnarly stickers and my achilles. 

am--5 Not totally sure about the mileage, but I ran everything but the intervals w/ the girls. They had another great workout. RHR--50

pm--2.5 Lutheran Loop. Felt decent this afternoon. Folks are in pretty good spirits. Also, it looks like I'll be going to Cedar instead of Orem. I was excited about Orem, but kids will be doing great things in Cedar, as well. Erged 1k (4:15) w/ some Fartlek. 

am--3.5 DI/Wieghts/Harts. Really nice morning. RHR--49.

pm--5.5 Green Springs w/ 6x barefoot striders. The run was pretty chill. Everybody's legs are coming back to them. Note: avoid barefoot striders for a few days. My lower leg felt pretty good most of the day until striders. 

am--6 Harts/Wells Fargo w/ Lutheran Loop. Seeing some improvement in the Achilles after icing--boy, that hurt--and eccentric calf drops. The weather was perfect this morning. I've decided that I could deal w/ the monotony of 50-degree days everyday. RHR--51. 

pm--6.5 Easy, progressive run. I worked into things and got to a decent pace. I'm noticing that my lungs handle this kind of running better than they ever have. I'd like to think that's because of some fitness gains. Who knows? Erged 2k (8:28). Other than that, another track weekend checked off. This meet, although cold to the bone, ended w/ the team wtinessing a thrower hit her state-qualifying jav mark. RHR--50.

am--7.5 Foremaster Loop w/ Wendy's Extension and 6x Track Striders. Nice run this morning. Later in the day, our first boy, Arthur Walt, was born. Great day. RHR--48.

am--7.5 Got the kids off to school and ran a little before I went to get Mama and baby. The achilles feels ok, especially after I get going. Erged 3k after. RHR--50.

am--5 Same as the other morning workouts. I did the warm and cool w/ the girls and did some running here and there for times and the recovery in between reps. RHR--49.

pm--3.5 Old morning route in the afternoon. It's getting warmer, and my darn window winder broke. 

am--1.5 Morning run w/ weights. It was beautiful out. I didn't get any miles in before because the kid had a resless night. RHR--50

pm--5.75 Middleton w/ the secret park and a few minutes on the Middleton Trail. We did striders on the field at the end. Although it was a scorcher, I loved every minute of the run. I'm falling in love w/ the tough things. 

am--7.5 Kidney Loop via Serenity. It took me a while to get going this morning, but the juice finally flowed. I love runs like this because the pace gets stronger and stronger. Generally, I work down to a tempo pace. Hollows one out. RHR--50. 

am--5.25 Trail run near the Draper Temple (Coyote Gulch or Springs?). Twice in the run, there were 300 ft. climbs in just over a mile. So the pace was a little slower than normal. I think the girls appreciated that. Pretty jealous of those trails. 

Finished The Princess Bride on the bus ride home from SLC. It's different than the movie; I won't say better. The reader gets a bit more backstory but has to have the movie to fill his/her head with those character quirks that make it such a classic. As with Ender's Game, I found something useful for real life in this book. Westley's stoic attitude, in particular, his unflinching resolve while strapped to the machine, is exemplary. I'll see if there is a way to transfer that from the pages. 

am--5 Running during the kids' workout. Another good workout for the kids. RHR--50.

pm--2.25 Loops on the softball field after a nice heart-to-heart with the kiddos.

Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko is done. I've read it before but saw it in a new light. The book is about a young man, white father and Laguna mother, and his struggle to deal with his heritage and PTSD after WWII. My favortie line comes from his gma: "It seems like I already heard these stories before . . . only thing is, the names sound different" (260). Preach, grandma!

am--3.5 DI w/ Dallen/Weights/Harts. Nice push w/ Dallen and good run after w/ the girls. I love my job. RHR--50. 

pm--4.5 Outback out-and-back w/ striders. We ran in some beautiful weather, hit a nice pace, and got back to a lightning warning. Thus, we did striders in the hall. The explosiveness of striders aggravates the achilles. Other than that, it felt better today. Erged 2k.

am--6.25 DI/Almost Stop Sign/Lutheran LED. We got some rain last night. How lovely! The entire run this morning was at a strong pace, especially the last few minutes w/ Julien. Excited for Region this afternoon and tomorrow. RHR--51. 

am--5.5 DI/Wieghts/Harts/Reverse DI. Good morning running. I felt peppy, due, perhaps, to the good showing we had yesterday at day 1 of region. I was sweating up a storm by the end of the run. Some heel drops made my life a little better. RHR--50. 

am--4.25 Tuweap Loop via Serenity. I slept in a bit before I got out. Hit a decent pace and loved it. RHR--48. 

pm--4.75 Mustang Pass w/ 6x striders. It was hot out, and the stickers were attacking. Learning to love the tough things. 

am--10.5 Reverse Firestation w/ Quail Ridge and some running w/ the girls before and after their workout. By the end of my initial run, I was working down to the mid-6s. The run was hard but good. The girls looked great in the workout. Good things are coming this weekend. RHR--50. 

am--4 Lutheran LED/Out on Panorama. OK morning. I slept in a few minutes and still got in a couple miles before the kids came. RHR--47.

pm--4.5 Telegraph out-and-back. Achilles is feeling decent. I opted out of striders to see if that would mitigate things. 

am--3.5 DI/Harts. The achilles is annoying right now. Not terribly painful but never absent for long. On a lighter note, the weather was perfect this morning. RHR--51.

pm--6.75 River Trail w/ CV pick-ups. The pick-ups and recovery between always totalled 5 minutes--1 on, 4 off, 2 on, 3 off, 3 on, 2 off, and 4 on, 1 off. Really nice group working together, getting stronger together. Had a little meeting after about Bob Firman. 

am--5.5 A little loop to warm up the achilles, then a decent run w/ the girls w/ 6x striders after. Other than a little soreness in the quads, I didn't have any ill effects from yesterday's work. RHR--50. 

pm--2.25 A small group of us ran around the softball field in the rain. Refer 3k after.

am--5.75 A variation of my old morning route. It was almost chilly this morning, but everything warmed up nicely. I ended up hitting a decent pace and wanting to push the hills. RHR--50. 

am--4 A quick run around BYU. RHR--56.

am--5.5 Utah Lake shoreline run. Good convo, good pace, good times. Kids are doing cool things at state. RHR--54.

pm--2.5 Ran on the treadmill until it broke. Erged 2k in 8:12.6 after. I'll run up to the end of this month then take few days off before xc starts.

am--7.5 Kidney Loop w/ a progressive effort. It took me a few miles to warm-up and get my breathing settled. By the end, things went smoothly. RHR--50. 

am--5 Easy run into Green Valley. I took it a bit easier than yesterday. RHR--56. 

pm--3 A short, chill neighborhood run w/ my buddy, Clint. He's getting into running and was nice enough to take it easy on me. I also picked up some shoes w/ a little more support to see if a little variation will help my achilles. I've had success w/ mild stability shoes in the past. So here goes nothing. 

am--7 SC Parkway out-and-back via Serenity. I started out to start out and end up gradually increasing the pace. (This happens when I don't have anyone to talk w/ me.) Ultimately, the run turns into light tempo pace, tempo pace, and down near CV pace. Comfortably hard work. 4x 30 sec. on the erg after. RHR--53. 

pm--7.25 Grass loops at the SC Rugby grounds. I decided to make this an afternoon run, and, truly, it was pleasant. The best preemptive strike for a warm afternoon run is constant hydration throughout the day. Granted, it wasn't exceptionally hot today. I've also noticed over the last few weeks that the pace of my runs is about 45-60 seconds faster than last year. The training we've been doing over the last year really does build a nice aerobic engine. RHR--50. 

On the book front, I finished another one--Reach for the Summit by Pat Summitt. It's a great book for teachers and coaches. A few things I like about the book: 

1) She was successful in helping female student athletes grow as athletes and people. Any coach worth a grain of salt would hope to do something similar. 

2) Success, although defined differently by different people, is hard-fought and takes a commitment. Pat talks about success at Tennessee being a national championship, while success for her son is sleeping in a bunk bed. 

3) Attention to the mental aspect of life and competition is just as important to team building as the physical, perhaps even more important. Pat had some great coaches to help her with this. 

4) The anecdotes were scary, sad, and funny but all contributed to the lessons. We learn through stories. 

5) Pat was an in-your-face disciplinarian. I grew up with one of those. He is my dad. It wasn't always easy being the only son of a sergeant and coach, but I'm thankful for the lessons he has taught me. I continue to realize he was right most of the time. 

am--7 Near Zen w/ Tom. Took our time, enjoying the weather and nature. Most of the conversation centered on Jordan Peterson. He sounds like an interesting mythological thinker. I'll have to check him out a bit more. RHR--53. 

pm--5 Green Valley Loop. Chill run in the gloaming. RHR--49.

I read an angsty young-adult novel over the weekend--You Don't Know Me by David Klass. The voice was charismatic and the story engaging. I don't read books like this often, but it was a nice detour. 

pm--6.5 4x 5-min. intervals @ 8k pace. The on section starts at 1 minute and increases by a minute each interval w/ the rest shrinking. I did this at the SC Rugby ground. I'm loving the grass for its strengthening and softening qualities. 

I'm not sure why I'm running in the 97-degree afternoon--actually, I have a tough time waking up when no one is counting on me--but it definitely calluses me for difficult workouts in the future. Surprisingly, I didn't have an elapsed time, so I had to work off distance. I was nearly right on w/ .75 for each 5-minute section. Good work today. RHR--49. 

am--8 Ivins out-and-back via the SC Parkway. I got up. Yay! My legs feel a little beat from yesterday still gave a little push at the end. I'll probably take a small break until xc practice starts on Monday to see if I can heal up my heel. RHR--51. 

pm--2k on the erg w/ progressive splits (2:15-2:05) and stroke rate (24-28). No run for a few days. RHR--49.

I scratched another book off the list and finished Children of the Mind and the Ender Quartet by Orson Scott Card.

One of my old mission buddies recommended Ender's Game eons ago. It took me a while to finally give it a chance. Sure glad I did. Card builds fascinating worlds and has an interesting mind when it comes to diplomacy and power.

Interesting side note, I finished Ender's Game for the 2nd time on the eve of the PVXC girls becoming state champs. There is a real me-against-the-world perspective in that book. If you have any room in your heart for sci-fi, Orson Scott Card is up there with Frank Herbert in my mind.

pm--Erged for 15 minutes (3.4k). Went from 2:20 to 2:00 with a stroke rate of 24 to 30.

pm--8x :30 on and :30 rest on the erg. Most of these I was pulling sub-1:50 w/ a high stroke rate. I can't wait to run w/ the xc kiddos on Monday.

am--3.5 Grapevine out-and-back. First day of xc practice. We had a good tunrout. Hope that the new folks will find something to love and keep at it. RHR--51. 

pm--5 Reverse Loops on the SC Rugby grounds. I think I might double a couple days this week to give me some buffer fitness and stave off the fitness onslaught that is surely coming from the PVXC kids. My achilles, really back of the heel, bugged a bit at the first.  Something in my gut tells me a good workover or two every day w/ the foam roller on my calves would help. 

am--4.25 Obligatory Urie route w/ barefoot grass loops and 6x striders. Decent run w/ a good group. Kids Club after. RHR--49. Easy k on the erg later in the day. 

It took me a few days, but I finished The Animal Keepers by Donn Behnke. It made me laugh and cry. I'm thankful to have put in a few years w/ the xc team. I could see different kids slotting into the Animal's role and others supplying his voice. You never know what you're going to get from another human being. I enjoyed the following quote because it's true that the relationships that are built are far greater than any of the awards: 

"Turning in my seat, I noticed Rob standing quietly in the aisle staring down at the gold trophy in the second row right where Scott had left it. There it was, the object we'd worked so hard to obtain, sitting by itself, alone, sad, and neglected. No one dared touch it, that was Scott's job, and with our teammate now gone the trophy was more a symbol of loss than of victory" (254). 

am--4.75 Tortoise Road out-and-back. I love a decent climb. My body was beat this morning, feeling a bit off--the RHR reflects that--but once we got going, I was golden. It's great getting to know new kids and see the regulars again, but the feel of the team is still nebulous. It takes a few weeks. RHR--59. 

am--4.5 Telegraph to the Parkway and back w/ 8x barefoot striders after. Felt good, and the group hung together. We have some younger girls working hard to be a part of varsity group. I love it. RHR--53. 

am--5.25 Roller coasters around Shinob Kibe w/ a nice pick-up in the pace for the last 15 minutes. We had a good group for a Friday, even Josie came. I love how the girls are showing a willingness to push beyond the comfort zone. 8x :30 w/ equal rest on the erg after. RHR--50. 

pm--5.25 Green Valley Loop w/ 3x 3:00 pick-ups. I got home in the wee hours of the morn, so I slept in and didn't get out until this evening. Starting out, I felt pretty good. 10 minutes in, my throat got to itching, and I coughed and coughed and coughed, almost to the point of puking. Luckily, there was a water cooler in the area. Things settled down, and I was able to run again. The pick-ups were maxed out around 7-min. pace tonight. I coudn't muster any more. Overall, nothing felt very good tonight. Oh well. RHR--46. 

am--7.5 First sesh (20-25 minutes) of dirt-mile tempo for the season. It felt nice despite the wind. We had a decent pack that held for about 13-14 minutes before regrouping. It was cool to see girls battle. The majority of the group finished at 20 minutes. Jacey, J-Rog, and I went to 25. Our tempo pace went from 7:20 down to 7:10. RHR--49. 

am--7.75 A loop around my hood w/ Jesse and practice w/ grass loops after. It was a beautiful morning this morning. I enjoyed running w/ a big group and had a chance to chat for a minute w/ some awesome kids. RHR--54. 

pm--Weights & 2k (8:09.4) on the erg. I think that's a pr for 2k.

am--5.5 Up the road to Dino Tracks. I felt blah starting out but got going as we pushed up the hills. We picked up the pace a bit for the last 10 minutes. Lots of kids are coming out to practice. It's awesome. RHR--55. 

am--8 Church Rocks/Prospector w/ 4x 1-min. pick-ups. I woke up w/ a little headache, and my legs were feeling tired as I went to practice. Nonetheless, if the mind is willing, the body answers the call. We had a small group that was willing to push some today. Fun run. RHR--53.

pm--Weights and 15 minutes on the erg (3482 meters). I like the subsequent soreness of lifting.

am--5 Middleton Trail w/ 6x striders. Nice run w/ some storytelling by Gracie. Apparently, she's one of the many who loves a scary movie. I'm having a lot of fun w/ this crew. RHR--55. 

am--8.25 Old Swiss Days course in reverse w/ an extension into Green Valley. It feels good to get the legs going a little bit. By the end, I was hitting some CV stuff for about 5 minutes. RHR--50. 

am--9 Hell's Hole Loop w/ some pick-ups and a little addition in the dog-pound direction. It was toasty this morning, but we had a pretty good group through the first 3 pick-ups. After that, we pushed to the minutes. Not everyone was feeling great today, but finishing each run, especially long runs, more aggressivley will reap rewards. RHR--51. 

am--4.75 Grass Loops via Urie Cir. w/ 6x barefoot striders. Nice chill run, chatting w/ different folks. RHR--49. 

pm--8x :30 w/ equal rest on the erg. Averaged 130m. 

am--6 Tortoise Road w/ some Parkway added. Kids are starting to group up more on runs. That's good stuff. I also learned some great things last night. RHR--53. 

am--6.25 Out-and-back on the Dino Tracks road. I never know how I'm going to feel when we get going--the achilles is morning-tight, and I'm old--but once we started, I felt great. We had a nice little group, including Josie. Good climb and good finish. We also tried some guided visualization. Hope to get some feedback as we do that throughout the season. RHR--53. 

pm--Erg and weights. I did 15 minutes (3.5k) on the erg and then lifted. 

I also finished another book, Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima. It's a story of star-crossed lovers in early 20th-Century Japan. It took a little longer than expected because my reading habits are lax in the summer. Nevertheless, books like this make up about 97% of my travelling. Books are a great way to travel through time and space and get a firsthand account of a culture. 

am--6 River Trail from Confluence Park towards Green Valley. Not too far into the run, we took a wrong turn and got bigmanned by a lawn mower--not Alli, she works at a different golf course. But we got back on course and had a good run. I'm proud of how the girls sing and have fun and then push the last few minutes of every run. 6x striders after (not barefoot today). RHR--54. 

am--8 Moe's and Zen w/ the Cosmic Cruisers. It was a slow burner, but we got to chat about lots of things. This run was also my first run w/ sunglasses. They actually augment the trailrunning experience. We'll see how integral they become. RHR--53. 

am--10.25 A big improvised loop through Green Springs and Washington w/ 5x 1-min. pickups. The run felt pretty good. I'm not sure if it's the duration of exposure to the sun or the compounding effects of the heat that make runs like this a little tougher. We had a bigger pack today because most everybody is back. After, my heel junk has been pretty tight. I'm trying to be vigilant and not seeing much improvement, but I'll wake up in the morning, and it will feel runnable. Repeat struggles and suffering. RHR--54.

I also finished another book--Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness. I enjoyed the book and found that it is a good synthesis of other books I have read over the last year or so--Start With Why, Give and Take, Running Within, The Talent Code, Ego is the Enemy, and Mindset. This is a book for anyone interested in performance, athletic or otherwise. The authors have made it a user-friendly tool for frequent reference. And it was a quick read. 

am--5 Grass loops w/ barefoot striders. Kids' races were fun today. I love seeing people get after it. Oh, and Alli P. came, hopefully, not for the last time. RHR--52. 

pm--1.75 Weights/Heat Acclimation/Erg. The heat really wasn't too bad. (I've been diligent about hydrating this summer.) Erged 2k in 8:34. It's a bit pedestrian, but I started easy. 

am--6.75 Hilly run in north desert. It's fun to do some dirt running w/ silly hills and daring folks. We had some folks pushing themselves today. I always love that. RHR--52. 

am--7.75 Dirt-Mile Progressive Tempo. We had a nice group of athletes today. I wasn't sure how I was going to run because I was tossing and turning all through the night. But, I've found that good things happen when you say "yes" to life. We started about 1:20 off  5k pace and dropped 5-10 seconds each mile, ending in the 6:40s. Great work from the girls and the boys in the group. A day like today is a lot of fun. Maybe, I'm old, but working hard feels good. RHR--54. 

pm--1.5 Weights and a shakeout run. Erged for 15 minutes after (3.4k). Today was a good day. (I think Ice Cube said that.)

am--7 Nice run from Coral Canyon towards Quail Creek. We had a nice group for the first part of the run. Then girls flipped for their minutes. 6x striders after. RHR--51. 

am--6.5 A version of the old Swiss Days course w/ a negative split. I find when I try to chill and focus on running naturally I go a bit faster. Saw Coach Bentley on the run. It sounds like SC has a nice turn-out again. RHR--53. 

I also finished another book--The Gunslinger by Stephen King. I haven't read much King because horror isn't my thing. This book, however, is more sci-fi, fantasy, western, etc. It's the first book in The Dark Tower series. I intend on reading the whole series but not sure if it will be one book after the other. 

am--9.25 SC Parkway via Serenity out-and-back w/ 5x 1-min. pickups. I felt decent today. By the end of the week, my heel is just a bugger. But it shows improvement at the beginning of the week. I was able to negative split this run. Of course, the incline out and decline back helps that. RHR--53. 

pm--3.25 A crummy day for running but good for most everything else. I ended up defaulting to a has-been treadmill for 30 minutes.

am--8 Nice hilly run from mi casa to Chuckwalla and back. I feel like I'm coming out of the fourth funk but also realizing that I need the kids as much if not more than they need me. RHR--52.

pm--3.5 Callousing run in the 110-degree heat. I went to the SC Rugby grounds and did a few loops and 6x barefoot striders. The '80s mix on shuffle, coupled w/ the sunglasses, kept me "cool." Strider song of the day: "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel. 

am--5 Sidewinder w/ a buddy. A nice jaunt through the desert, chatting about lots of things. One of my favorite ways to catch up w/ someone is on a trail run. Too bad more people don't trail run. RHR--49.

am--6.5 Kidney Loop via Serenity. I got out a little later, so it felt warm. Or, maybe, that was just my mind playing tricks on me. I love looking at the data on runs like this because the pace gets stronger progressively throughout the run. RHR--47. 

I also finished two more books: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman and Coach Wooden and Me by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 

Gaiman has taken the "Prose Edda" and the "Poetic Edda," digested them, and turned them into stories for the modern-day reader. It was fun to see the Norse gods rumble, bumble, and stumble through problems. The parallels between this mythology and the Judeo-Christian mythology is interesting--Loki as the devil, Odin as Jehovah/Christ. I'm not really sure who Thor would be. . . Elisha, maybe. 

Kareem's book kept me reading for other reasons. He tries to tell the story of his relationship with John Wooden without getting in the way too much. He succeeds. I really felt like I got a great glimpse of who Wooden was from the time he began recruiting Lew Alcindor. What a wise man Wooden was. He is probably near the top of my list of historical figures to meet. I found myself crying near the end as Kareem talked of Coach's failing health, yet the wisdom kept rolling. I would recommend this book highly. 

am--10 Coral Canyon out-and-back w/ pick-ups (1,1, 2,1,2). The run today was diffcult. Most folks were dragging. It was warmer. Nice to be back w/ the kids and get the week started. RHR--53. 

am--5 Grass loops w/ 6x barefoot striders. Good to get up and get going this morning. RHR--53.

pm--1.5 Afternoon callousing after weights. Finished off the day w/ 1k on the erg. 

am--7 Turtle Road out-and-back. We had some of the fabulous super seniors out today. That was fun. It was also fun to see Jenessa and Alli B. running w/ us. My body is feeling sore. Not sure why. Maybe, it's from getting back at the weights yesterday. Oh well, the pain of growth. RHR--52. 

am--7.75 Dirt-mile Tempo. Great things happened today. Some of the younger girls jumped in and held pace for 15-20 minutes. Caroline had a rocking tempo, and the boys looked good as well. RHR--53.

pm--1.5 Weights and a shakeout through the neighborhood. I erged for 15 min. (3.3k) after. Lots of sweating this afternoon. 

am--5.75 BHNP and River Trail w/ 6x barefoot striders. It was a good run w/ a nice group. Still, it was muggy, and my legs are feeling the tempo and erging from yesterday. I love seeing some of the younger girls strive to get better. RHR--48. 

am--8.25 Foremaster w/ Lutheran extension. Nice run this morning w/ an awesome group. I love seeing these younger girls push themselves. Addi, Brianna, and I finshed quicker, which was hard but good. RHR--52. 

am--11 Gma Cokey's to Lindon via 800 E. & the MCT w/ 5 pickups (1,1,2,1,2). It took me a while to get moving but felt good once I was going. The pickups were great. I tried to ease into them and cruised. The 15-degree difference in temperature is magnificent.

On another note, my oldest is 14. Happy Birthday, Sadie. RHR--52.

am--4.5 Scera Park grass loops w/ 6x strikers. The heel was hurting at the beginning.

pm--1.5 Weights/Voltron/Run. Felt good to be back with the teamsters. Erged 2k in 8:16.8 after.

am--8 Hell-Hole loop. Nice and humid run w/ some chafing and a decent push at the end. RHR--52. 

am--7 Pace-work Fartleks on the grass. We worked from tempo to threshold to CV and back. I really enjoy this workout. The legs love it, real speed play. We had lots of folks doing good things today. RHR--53. 

pm--1.5 Weights and run into the neighborhood. Erged for 15 minutes after (3.2k).

am--6 Out-and-back from the finish line of the marathon w/ 8x barefoot striders. Pretty good crew for a Friday. Things started well, dodging sprinklers and looking for dry grass. My legs felt tired still from the work yesterday, and Jacey was feeling good, so I went with her. We had a nice chat. She will do greater things this year. RHR--50. 

am--5.5 To Harmons and back. I didn't go full minutes this morning because I intended on running tonight while we looked over a new course for region. The evening running didn't happen. Nonetheless, I was dragging this morning, so, perhaps, it was for the best. RHR--49. 

I finished two more books. The first, My Turn: A Life of Total Football by Johan Cruyff, was an intriguing read. I've been an avid football fan for the last 10 years or so, and Cruyff is one of my favorites. Here's a YouTube sampling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMPflZoIkio. He is definitely a confident man. Here are some quotes I enjoyed: "I'm used to criticism, because criticism is intended to make you better" (204). It seems to me that criticism isn't viewed this way very often. This is my favorite quote: "I've taken things as they've come since I was a boy, including beautiful moments and setbacks, which I've learned are not always caused by mistakes. A setback is probably a sign that you need to make some adjustments. If you learn to think that way, all experiences are translated into something positive. It enriches you as a person." Good stuff. 

The second book was Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card. I thorougly enjoy the Ender-related books. Card has a keen mind for the machinations of power and politics. And, I'm turning into a sci-fi guy. 

am--8 SC Rugby tempo. I love doing my faster work at the rugby ground when I'm on my own. The tempo went well, expecially considering that I was mentally trying to bail on running this morning. I'm not sure why, but this part of the summer always requires more focus. Anyway, despite the long grass, I was able to hit times comparable to the dirt mile and remembered that showing up is 90% of the battle. RHR--50.

am--4.25 Grass loops w/ 6x barefoot strikers. Lots of rain and fun. RHR--49.

pm--1.75 Weights and running and a game of fish on the erg.

I finished George Orwell's Animal Farm. Perhaps, this is the second time. Sometimes, Orwell is overbearing with his analogies, but this book was interesting in regards to our current political situation.

am--7.25 Fartlek work on the grass. The paces were variable w/ equal rest. We had some great groups going today. Kids are starting to see the power of a pack. It'll be skeleton crew on the girls' side for the rest of the week. RHR--53. 

pm--2.5 Out-and-back to the edge of Sunbrook. I wore my Altras, being curious about how the achilles would feel in them, and they felt surprisingly good. That being said, I need to be more vigilant about maintenance after runs. 

am--6.5 North Desert. We explored, and I had a good chat w/ Josie. RHR--51.

pm--1.5 Weights/neighborhood/erg (1k in 4:06).

am--10.5 Washington Fields Loops w/ a fast finish. We had a smaller group, but we stuck together pretty well. It was fun chatting w/ Josie again and pushing at the end w/ Caroline and Rylee. We have a fun group. Side note: the freshwomen went crazy w/ their minutes today. RHR--52. 

am--5 Running around BHNP before, during, and after the time trial. The kids ran pretty well. My thoughts on time trials have changed a bit. Rather than all-out race efforts, they serve training better as benchmark tests and training tools. 

pm--2.5 Dirt-road miles at Deer Haven. The altitude (9,200+) hits me pretty hard. It was fun to take this week as it presented itself and get to know some of the kids I don't normally run with a bit better. Not sure on most of the miles from this week. 

I finished another book, an interesting one, The Golden Mile by Herb Elliott. The '50s and '60s are slowly becoming my favorite era in running history. This book is a frank recounting of Elliott's short career, culminating w/ his gold medal in the Rome Olympics. Here are a few of my favorite quotes: 

Quoting Percy Cerutty, his nutty coach, "Thrust against pain. Pain is the purifier. Walk towards suffering. Love suffering. Embrace it" (38). 

"Most athletes imagine themselves at the end of their tether before they're even seventy-five percent exhausted. I was so determined to avoid this pitfall that if at any time I thought I was surrendering too soon to superficial pain I'd deliberately try to hurt myself more" (50). 

"We cannot hope to win races without the kind of aggressiveness that enables us to accept a challenge from which the timid shy. . . It is important that we become confident in ourselves as men before we can even hope of being a success, not only in athletics, but any walk of life. Confidence grows if we overcome our tired bodies, running harder when we want to slow down. With confidence comes character and strength of body, will and soul" (143). 

"The pain in a mile race extends over one-and-a-half to two minutes. It starts in your chest, sweeps down through the arms, stomach and legs until your whole body is distressed and you feel like stopping. It is a mental, rather than physical, torture. In my case, concentration and the emotional content of a race carry me through the pain in much the same way, I imagine, as an Indian fakir walks through fire or sleeps on a bed of nails. Invariably, all distress vanishes within thirty seconds of the finish of the race" (144-145). 

"I rarely go into a race with any preconceived tactics. If I do, it means I'm not particularly hopeful of my chances. Athletes who resort to tactics have no real confidence  in themselves and lose as many races as they win" (145). 

I really enjoyed this book and a look into the makings of a world champion. 

am--2.5 A nice out-and-back on the Virgin Rim Trail. It was cool to see a long single-file line of our kids enjoying life in the mountains. 

pm--4.5 A decent run on the roads around Navajo Lake. I got to chat quite a bit w/ Haley and Jason. I love getting to know what makes kids tick and trying to help them enjoy running. 

am--8 Long run on the Virgin River Trail. Lots of climbing and gasping for air. 

pm--2.5 Another out-and-back on the Virgin River Trail. Had a nice chat w/ Jada and cursed her to trip by complimenting her fleet feet over the rocks. 

am--6 Hellacious out-and-back on the back road to somewhere. It was awesome to see the top girls push back up the hill. It is a relentless hill and the breath goes quickly. It's hard to stay calm. I had a nice time chatting w/ Addi. 

am--8.5 Kidney Loop w/ Lava Cove extension w/ 8x barefoot striders. It is good to be at home elevation again even if I'm drenched in sweat by the end. It is also good to hit a smoother stride again. The striders felt great. RHR--52. 

am--7.5 Loop around Santa Clara w/ a fast finish. My achilles/heel felt ok most of the week, but when I got back to running a little faster, it started to bark at me a bit. Don't know how to handle the stiffness. It really gets me down. RHR--48. 

The next book: The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich. This is a book of connected essays from a writer who went to Wyoming to make a documentary and stayed. She is able to make the common engaging and the uncommon universal. I haven't had enough reading about the West in my life recently, and this was refreshing. A few quotes: 

"So much of in American life has had a corrupting influence on our requirements for social order. We live in a culture that has lost its memory. Very little in the specific shapes and traditions of our grandparents' pasts instructs us how to live today, or tells us who we are or what demands will be made on us as members of society . . . With our burgeoning careers and families, we want to join up, but it's difficult to know how or where. The changing conditions of life are no longer assimilated back into a common watering trough" (103). 

"Incongruity delights him as much as tradition. 'We assimilate a little this way, and a little that way. Life is only mutation'" (120). 

The book makes me want to move somewhere like Beaver. 

am--8.5 Hell Hole w/ 2x 10-min. tempo, 5-min. rest between. I felt decent on the tempo. My stomach muscles really work with the steady breathing. People were spread out, probably due to the crazy week last week. Things will normalize. RHR--53.

pm--2 Mathis Park loops w/ my buddy. He rocks on his "home" course.

am--4.5 Grass loops w/ 8x barefoot striders. Nice to chat with Heather and run through the sprinklers. RHR--49.

pm--2 Harts+ w/ weights and some chat about Elliott quotes. Erged 10 minutes (2.26k) after.

am--4.75 Nice out-and-back to Sullivan w/ some emergency drama. RHR--51. 

Decent stuff from the kids at the Cedar meet this evening.

am--5.75 Nice run, wandering around Green Springs. The girls were in good spirits, and Jenna ran with us.

pm--1.75 Weights and a run into the neighborhood. It felt toasty, and I was beat. After, we had team night at the St. George Running Center. The Hoopers are great folks.

am--9.5 Foremaster/River Trail Loop w/ some steady pace for the last half. I enjoyed the run this morning. Someone is always willing to push w/ me. Today, it was Jacey, and then Ellie came w/ us. RHR--52.

pm--2.25 2450 Park and back after the grass on the ball field was too soggy. 

am--1.5 Weights and Harts run. Nice morning. RHR--51. 

pm--5.75 Hell Hole Trailhead and back. It wasn't too hot, but this was really our first 30+ minute run of the season. We have some new kids out. That's fun. Plus, Decker loaned me some Hokas that don't work for him. I'm excited to try them. Erged 1k. 

I finished The Scarlet Letter for probably the 8th time. It still requires much focus, but the intro chapter was more rewarding this time around. We'll see how well the AP students did with their summer reading. 

am--5.5 Harts/Bank/Backwards DI. I knew I wasn't going to jump into the workout, so I wanted to get some mileage in this morning. RHR--49.

pm--4 Warm-up and Cool-down w/ the kiddos and the recoveries between intervals. Working on getting the pack back. 

am--1.5 Weights and Harts. We've had some beautiful mornings this week. RHR--54.

pm--6 Hospital out-and-back. We kept a solid pace. There is always someone willing to keep things honest. Stuck to the lower end of the minutes this afternoon. The Hokas worked pretty well even though my heel is beat up. Erged 2k.

am--4.5 Pizza Hut/Bank/Running Center. My heel was really cranky this morning, but once I got going, things loosened up. I added a few miles because who knows how many I'll get this afternoon. RHR--54. 

pm--2 I probably ran about that much at the Desert Relays. Another good showing from the kids.

am--8 Miles around the track during the run-a-thon. What a good time to see the kids having fun together. I had some nice chats. 

pm--10 Ivins out-and-back via Harmon's. I didn't make it to morning practice because a bad mix of Nyquil and an itchy trigger finger on the alarm. It sounds like everyone had one of those days at PVXC. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. The run tonight was guided by Wilco. I wasn't sure I had much pep, but when the heart asks, the body responds. 

am--3 Harts/Weights/Harts. Decent morning. My legs were tired from last night. RHR--52. 

pm--7 Green Springs. Although I was fatigued and it was hot out, I was able to get a pretty good push through the run. It was good to see that the girls realize they need to buckle down even more if they want to accomplish big, big things this year. 

I finished an interesting book tonight--The Captain Class by Sam Walker. This is a nonfiction book that reads pretty quickly and has some useful information about dynasty organizations and what they have in common. I also learned about social loafing.

Walker outlines 7 characteristics of elite leaders and uses awesome examples. (Search Mireya Luis on YouTube.) If you're into sports and familiar with some of the great teams, this might interest you. 

am--6 Lutheran out-and-back/Bank/STG Running Center Loop. I ran a little more this morning because I knew I would get fewer miles this afternoon while the kids do their workout. RHR--52. 

pm--4 Just some chill miles around the Dirt Mile w/ Rylee. I was impressed w/ the pack and the Senior leadership. This weekend will be interesting. 

am--3 Harts x 2 w/ weights. We have had a nice crew to weights the last few sessions. It's awesome. Seeing kids work hard and improve makes coaching worth it. RHR--51. 

pm--5.25 Run to the hidden Forest Park via the underpass. It still feels hot, and my body is sore, but the crew is still fun. I got to write a little note to Mitch. What a great kid. Light erg for 10 minutes when I got home.

am--2.5 Neighborhood bushes w/ yoga after. The stretching part of yoga feels good, but the twisting scares me. RHR--50. 

pm--6.5 Quail Ridge Loop w/ 6x barefoot striders. I'm pretty tight and sore. This has been a sneaky big week for me. Time to roll. 

am--5.5 A nice run into Green Valley that induced mucha perspiracion. The SUU Invite was fun. We had some kids run well and others that learned something for the future. 

am--8.5 Foremaster and River Trail w/ 8x 100m hills. The kids pushed nicely on the hills, and Jacey and I were able to push the pace a bit on the way back. RHR--51. 

pm--1.5 A real scorcher. We hit some grass loops on the baseball field. Had a decent chat w/ Ellie. 

am--1.5 Harts +. I didn't lift this morning. My back is twinging. RHR--49.

pm--6.5 Turkey Road out-and-back. It was a scorcher today, and the run is a hill of a run, but I used some tips I got from the Pike Place Fish Market dudes to really enjoy my run today. Addi and I picked it up on the way back. Erged for 15 minutes w/ "Beast Epic."

am--6.5 DI/Bank/DI w/ Lutheran extension. I ran a bit more this morning because I'll be missing practice this afternoon. I'm bummed that I won't be able to watch the kids pack and push together. This evening may be a good time for another run. RHR--49. 

am--3.5 DI/Harts. No weights again. I'll row when I get home. It was warm this morning, but we did have a nice group. RHR--50. 

pm--6.25 Sullivan out-and-back. I wasn't feeling peppy, but I'm trying to keep things honest even when I'm tired. People take turns running w/ me. I hope the girls know I'm doing what I can to help them reach their goals. Erged for 10 minutes after.