Turn your rut into a groove.

I finished The Last Battle and with it the entire series. It was a fun vacation project.

With my last bit of time before school was back in session, I read Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) by Jeff Tweedy. He’s the main singer and songwriter of Wilco, a band I’ve enjoyed over the years. He’s an engaging writer and shows some vulnerability in the book. It was a good read. I also got good news about my aging body.

The final bit of news I’ve anticipated came today. I’m pumped to get back to exercising, but it might take a few weeks to really get rolling. 

I finished The Tragedy of King Lear and gathered quotable quotes as I did.

I finally went running. It’s been 9 days, and I could feel it. Things that don’t normally hurt hurt, and things that normally hurt hurt. On top of that, I’m a mucus machine right now. I was sucking air.

pm--3.5 Basically Hot Nails and back. It was good to get out, but I'm not feeling much pep and am struggling a bit. 

pm--4.5 Ran the warm and cool w/ the kids, sandwiched around the 6-min. test. I felt a bit better today and added 10 minutes. Patience. 

pm--3.5 Mustang Pass, almost to the pass. Feeling a bit better everyday. 

pm--4 Green Springs for a nice run. I'm feeling. . . better(?). Going on a week of running. That's a win. The sickness is waning. That's exciting. Bouncing back in 2019!!!

pm—3.5 A few miles before heading up north to a drill competition. The body’s coming back.

am—4 Same route in Orem as last Saturday. Felt a bit better.

pm--6 Lin's and back. Went out w/ the big group and back w/ Brinley, Rayne, and Addi. Longest run in a few weeks for me, and I totally spaced the pickups. Felt good, though. 

pm--5 Rainy run w/ some tempo sections w/ some younger girls. 

pm--4.25 City Creek Trail. I really enjoyed the conversations. I'm lucky to work w/ such awesome kids. 

pm--5 Arctic Circle and back w/ some running around the track during the rootbeer mile. Fun stuff w/ some projectile vomiting at the finish line. 

pm--4.75 Ran over to the hill circuits and ran around while the kids did their thing. Fun group, fun times. Feeling better by the day. 

am--6 A good jaunt around The Canyons. It turned into a virtual tempo pace--for the current version of me--by the end. 

am—7 Ran out w/ the crew then flipped to find Kylee. We made it halfway up the Sand Hill and headed back. Decent pace on the return. This is my longest run in minutes and miles in about a month.

am—Some weights and body-weight exercises.

pm—5 River Trail to Sullivan and back w/ 6x striders. Things are coming back, but it still feels hard, especially chasing fit teens.

I finished Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig last night. It was a slow read. I enjoyed the talk of matters resembling the title but slogged through denser passages contrasting Aristotle and Plato. My reading is set up nicely for other books on DIY living.

pm—4 A quick run when I got home. Off to Region Drill.

pm—6 A relaxed run. The breathing was easy, but my heart rate suggests I’m still not 100%. It felt good to keep a steady pace and sweat a bit.

pm--5 Some running while the kids did hill circuits. Yay. 

am—7.75 I biked to my parents’s house and met Tom to run the Anasazi Trail. It was just what I needed, chatting and enjoying the scenery. A run like this has been missing from my arsenal lately. I biked home after. 

pm—8.25 Long Run w/ some pickups. I actually felt pretty decent. The girls are looking fit and strong. 

I also finished The Great Gatsby again. The real story of the American Dream told in fairly beautiful language.

pm--5.5 Did some running while the kids did their tempo work. Some miles were faster than others. 

pm--5.25 We ran the trails near Harrisburg. It was a good time. I choose Michael, I think. 

pm--6 I missed practice because of a dentist appointment, so I ended up jaunting around the barrio. It was a nice run w/ some good chat. The social aspect of running is one of many aspects I enjoy. 

pm—5.25 Some running during the hill circuits. Beautiful day today.

pm—7 Easy run to finish the week. My achilles is aching a bit, probably the little bouts of speed throughout the week. 

pm—4 Missed practice because of a meeting and ran a bit when I got home.

I finished Night by Elie Wiesel. What a heavy and difficult book.

pm—5.25 Run on the River Trail. Not much to say.

am—2.25 A nice run w/ Addi and Ry. Got to hear a story full of colorful language.

pm—5.25 Warm and cool and some running during the 6-minute test. Kids are showing improvement after a month of training.

I finished The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt. It’s a throwback western about brothers who are bounty hunters. Runs the gamut of emotions.

pm—3.5 After a long day, I did a short run.

pm—7.5 Run to the Sugar Loaf in nearly perfect weather. Fun run. What started as a bummer week has taken an upswing.

am--7.75 Same activity as 2 weeks ago. I biked to my parents' and ran Anasazi w/ Tom. I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Still need to remember 2 ears and 1 mouth. 

pm--10 Stayed at the school during practice to chat w/ the sprinters and watch a few throwers. I ran when I got home and did a loop around the Canyons and added to Dixie Drive w/ pickups. I felt okay. 

pm—4.5 Middleton Trail. I was still feeling yesterday’s run.

am--2.25 A good run w/ the light skeleton crew. These runs are great. 

pm--6 Ran around during the 400s, jumping in here and there but mostly some clockwise work. 

It happened last week, but I'm just blogging it now. I finished The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Knowing the backstory creates an ominous read. Nonetheless, there is some great advice in the book, and I can't help but tear up every time I read about leaving memories for his children, especially the fact that he was the first man to ever love his daughter. As a dad of 3 daughters, I concur. 

pm—5 Nice, rainy run into Green Springs. Lots of fun watching the kids do some puddle jumping.

am--2.25 Nice run w/ a bigger crew to the bank and back, basically. 

pm--6 I ran around here and there during the tempo work. Probably should've just jumped in w/ a group because running clockwise on a track gets me going. 

pm—4.25 Didn’t have much help w/ the little guy today, so this was the extent of my running. Highest week in a couple months.

pm—1.5 Stomach pains cut the run short. Perhaps, I should figure out my GI issues.

pm—5.25 Telegraph w/ Sandberg’s on the return trip. Added bonus was that we had the great Jacey Finch on the run.

am--2.25 A nice run w/ the senior crew.

pm--6 Some running while the kids did some repeats. It was chilly out. 

I also finished The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and noticed that the book moves forward nicely as long as Huck and Jim are moving. Once they hit Pikesville, everything stops. That being said, I still get a good laugh out of Tom's antics. 

pm—4.75 GreenSprings w/ snowballs instead of puddles. A fun run w/ the crew.

am—2 I’m loving the morning runs lately.

pm—5.5 Sone running while the kids did hill circuits. My legs are tight.

pm--5.5 Weekends are hard. But I did get a run in. There always seem to be some kind of time crunch. 

am—9 Loop around Foremaster on the long run w/ some pickups. It was a nice wintertime run.

I finished another book—The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. This is the first of 3 Hugo winners for this author, all from the same series. It was an okay read but not exceptionally memorable.

pm—3 Late run cut short because my body wasn’t loosening up.

am—2.25 The few crew to the bank and back.

pm—6 I did the warm and cool and some running while the kids did a time trial/workout.

pm--4.25 Run towards Sullivan and back w/ Brinley and Jenna. Most people did their longer run this morning, so they could go to the game. I erged 2k (8:50) after. It's been a while since I've rowed. 

am--2.5 Bank and back. Nice morning in the mid 40s. 

pm--6 20-minute tempo, mixing it up w/ a few groups. I wasn't going to jump in but am glad I decided in favor. My achilles will probably be angry later, but, oh well. 

pm—5 A shorter run because i’ve Been supah tight. I ran on the tready and watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s with no sound. The undertones really surface that way. Plus, those folks could smoke.

pm—5 Green Springs and some loops w/ some soccer in the middle.

am—2.5 Skeleton crew in a drizzle.

pm—3 Around the barrio w/ my neighbor. Phlegmatic and slow.

pm—5 Telegraph and back through Sandberg’s. Decent run w/ some call-and-response singing.

am—5.5 Hart’s/Bank/RC Loop. I got a few more miles this morning because of the track meet later.

pm—7 To the top of Springdale to the bottom w/ an extension to O.C. Tanner. It was good to get back running after a few days off. For some reason lunch from hours earlier was still heavy on the stomach. 

I also finished Their Eyes Were Watching God again last week. I love that book. My daughter Zora is proof.

pm--5 Easy peasy miles w/ The Wall in the ears. Not my favorite Floyd but still good. It's almost so rock opera in parts that it borders on a musical. Perhaps, my wife would like it. 

On another note, I've been reading and thoroughly enjoying some David Foster Wallace essays. "String Theory" and "Consider the Lobster" are both topnotch. The one about Roger Federer is also great. I love DFW's footnote rantings. Maybe, I'll have to try my hand at essays. Seems like a fun genre. 

am--7.5 Some running while the kids did their workout. The hail was painful while we were running into the headwind. Nevertheless, we all survived. 

pm—5.5 A nice run w/ some Built to Spill as my companion.

am—5.5 Ran while the kids did hill circuits and helped fix the track after.

am--7.5 Nice desert cruiser w/ Tom, sandwiched between bike rides. Nice end to the exercise week. 

am--9.5 Long run on the Parkway w/ some fartlek segments. The kids look good. We had a nice group this morning. 

pm--5 Starbucks w/ some striders. It's getting warmer. 

I finished my 1st round of David Foster Wallace, Consider the Lobster. It's a collection of longform articles from various magazines. He's electric w/ some interesting insights. 

pm—7 Warm and cool w/ some track running. I felt pretty good. Super tired this morning, I accidentally missed morning practice, and my soleus felt tight throughout the day. I was pondering a 0 this afternoon. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

pm--4.5 Dog Pound toward Sullivan. My stomach was feeling heavy. Worked on some vectors after. 

am—6.5 Extended DI/bank/running center loop. I got a bit extra this morning because the  PV Invite is this week. Decent running in the drizzle.

pm--2.5 A short run after a late dinner. I didn't get out this morning because of the track meet last night. Finishing up took most of the day today, so I didn't get out until it was dark. Boy, was it perfect. If I lived in one of those sane states--AZ, IN—this perfect night would happen an hour earlier and, thus, last an hour longer. Why is the only traditional thing in our society nowadays the way we set our clock? 

am—10 Turkey Farm Road w/ some pickups. It was a great run.

am--4.5 Ran to the Trinity Lutheran Church and back, lifted, and added 15 more minutes w/ the girls. We had a meet in Cedar later, so I wasn't able to run in the afternoon. 

am--7 Warm and cool and some jumping in here and there on the workout w/ the kids. The kids are working hard. I'm excited to see what they'll be able to do later in the season. 

am--2 Some miles before weights on the DI loop. 

pm--4.5 Starbucks and striders. Bad carma day. We almost got hit 3-4 times. Not all our fault. 

am--7 Extended DI/Bank/Reverse DI. This morning was good. The meet went well this evening, as well. 

am—5 A trip around the neighborhood before heading to Hurricane for the track meet. I took a while to loosen up. Good stuff at the meet.

I finished Epictetus: a Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life by A.A. Long. This book takes an in-depth look at the Stoic philosopher and his context. It’s on the scholarly end of the nonfiction spectrum. I enjoyed learning about the Stoic who resonates the most with me.

am--9.25 River Trail loop w/ some tempo sections thrown in. It was a decent run. We had some trouble remembering and hitting paces. Now, I'm tired. 

pm--4.75 Starbucks w/ striders. Decent run. These short Tuesday afternoon runs are rough on the legs. Perhaps, I need to get in that Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning to flush the junk. Loved the feeling of striders today. 

I finished Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges. Lots of short stories and essays w/ mental gymastics and literary tricks. I found it interesting. 

am--8 Some decent running while some of the kids did their workout. 

pm--2.25 A few more in the afternoon toward Green Springs. 

pm--4.75 A run toward Sullivan. It was warm, and I'm feeling blah. 

am—6 Usual Friday-morning-meet run. I’m feeling beat down.

pm—5 Just a run. My RHR is up the last few days, so I’m guessing my less-than-stellar sleep this week is catching up with me. On a more positive note, I felt decent after about 3 miles.

am—8.25 Foremaster Power Run w/ some short hills. It was a pretty good Monday. Nice push from the aspiring crew.

am--2 DI before weights.

pm--4.25 Out toward Sullivan and back w/ 6x striders after. 

I also finished The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Crazy and sad and surreal. 

am—6.25 Some running around the track while the kids did their workout.

pm—2.25 An easy run towards the bank and back.

I finished Kafka’s The Trial. The main character spends the entirety of the novel trying to prove he’s innocent of a unknown crime. It doesn’t turn out well.

pm--4.5 Green Springs. It's been too long. Run was good, and I felt great. I'm also noticing things that make striders faster and easier. 

am--5.5 Little more for the premeet morning. I was sweaty. 

am--8.5 Sugar Loaf w/ some light tempo and a power run, followed by some hills. Surprisingly, the run was great for me. 

I also finished The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri over the weekend. I love these detective/crime novels w/ some culture thrown in for good measure. 

am--4 A nice little run around the neighborhood in a drizzle. 

pm—4.5 Another runnin the rain w/ some real old man striders. My back is tight.

am—5 Ran around the track during the workout. My back is feeling a bit better.

pm—3 Finished up an achey week w/ a few miles and some erg. Last night was a late one, but I got to take in the musical stylings of John Vanderslice. 

am—8.5 Confluence to the church on Dixie Dr. and back w/ some pickups. The back is feeling better, so that’s a plus. Happy Earth Day.

pm--2k on the erg w/ JV in the ears. 

pm—5.5 Starbucks and back. ‘Twas a bit toasty. I had a nice chat w/ the girls about their daddy-daughter conversations.

am--7 Miles w/ the kids before and during the workout. It was a grinder today. 

pm—3k Lazy erging in the evening to strengthen my core.

pm—5.5 it was a scorcher this afternoon, but Green Springs always treats us well.

am--5 DI w/ TL extension, followed by the bank and back. Nice little run this morning. 

am—4.75 A nice cruise w/ Holt along the shore of Utah Lake. Not sure why Garmin and Suunto GPS is .25 off within 5 miles.

am—7 Truncated Parkway. Nice run w/ some sister chat from the Holts.

pm—2.75 Some miles w/ a bit of erg after.

am—1.5 Hart’s after weights.

pm—3.5 Sunrise our-and-back. Youngster meet today.

am--7 Warmup w/ the girls and then some running around the track. It was a bit faster than I've done in a while. Felt good. 

pm--4 Green Springs w/ a good group. We have a new girl coming out, and she's working hard. Form-focused striders after. 

am—Hart’s and the bank. I did add anymore. Calling it a down week.

I finished Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut. He’s one of my favorite authors. This is his first novel, so it lacks the succinct style of later novels. The whole man vs. machines theme feels relevant.

pm—Tready w/ attention to a smooth stride through the gait cycle. Relaxing.

am--7 Warmup and track running while the team did their workout. Good chat w/ Holt and Carson. 

pm--2 A nice jaunt around the block and some on the field. 

pm—5 Dog pound out-and-back w/ a nice group. 

am—6 A few different loops to hit mileage. AP test was today. The kids seemed in good spirits.

am--5.5 To the sign/neighborhood/Mini Costco. A good morning before the final day of region. 

pm—6 Green Springs w/ striders. I had a nice sleep-in this morning and took down some hearty treats during the day, but the run still turned out well. On another note, our girls have some real foot speed.

am—5.5 Sullivan Trail w/ 5x CV pickups called out in an order foreordained by the mighty Virgin River.

am--4 A few miles before joining the kids for a short run. 

pm--5 Quicker miles, mostly w/ Carson, in the hot, hot sun. 'Twas like 93 degrees today. XC Parent meeting this evening. 

am--5 Reverse DI/Costco/Neighborhood. I felt flat and sweated like crazy this morning. Also, I need more sleep. We'll see what we can do about that tonight. 

pm--5 Green Springs. Last trip up for a few of the girls. They move on to bigger and better things, and we get new faces. Every year, it's hard, and some of the kids are unforgettable, but it's part of the circle. 

am--5 Through the neighborhood and reverse DI and then some w/ the kids. I was a sweaty mess by the end. I'm frontloading this week because of state track. 

pm--3.5 Ran around the Panorama area and checked out Kylee's puppy, Max. 

am--5.5 DI+/Neighborhood/Running Center Loop w/ Walmart extension. Nice little run. Ran the last 15 or 20 minutes w/ Kylee and chatted about xc ideas. She's awesome. 

am—4.5 MTC loop w/ Decker before the first day of state track. The day gave us a variety of weather.

am—3 Some quick miles in Springville w/ Holt and Decker before the coaches’ race at state.

pm--4 Out-and-back on Warrior Way w/ my neighbor. We had a good chat and enjoyed the light sprinkle. 

pm—5 Some running before the faculty party. We have some good people leaving.

pm--6 Pretty much the old Swiss Days route from my house and back. It's taking me a while to warm into a run these days. My problem is I don't see myself as stronger. I need to change that. 

am--5 Part of the old morning route in the spectacularly beautiful chill of our current weather pattern. I felt better than yesterday. Graduation today, and I'm really going to miss these kiddos. 

I finished a book of essays by David Foster Wallace, A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again. I love his voice and perspective. If you’re interested, search out his essay “String Theory” and enjoy. It’s a good example of his voice and style.

am—6 A run around Santa Clara. It felt harder than it should have because I have trouble pacing when I’m on my own.

am—7 Gma’s to the Orem Cemetery and back. I felt much better today. The snow-covered peaks made for a nice view. 

I finished my first foray into manga—Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 1-3 by Hiromu Arakawa. The stories in many of the Japanese comics and cartoons are superior to the MCU. I said it, and I mean it.

pm—6 Slow burner w/ Old 97’s in the ears. They can really write raucous country.

I finished Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. It was compelling even though it runs counter to most everything I believe. Favorite quote: “Nothing is static. Everything is evolving. Everything is falling apart.” Seems about right.

pm—4 Some miles between things. Just happy to get a run in.

pm--5.5 Some more miles, sweating away the summer. 

pm--5 To Grass Valleyish and back from my parents' cabin. I love running up there even if it's hard the first few minutes. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

am—4.5 Middleton Trail w/ some kiddos.

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

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

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

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

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

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

pm—20 minutes of biking. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

pm—5.5 Nice progressive run. 

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

am--5 Ran w/ my bro-in-law on PEI from the homestead to York. Great spot for most everything. The weather was mid-60s w/ a slight drizzle. 

I also finished The Late Monsieur Gallet by Georges Simenon. I'm a sucker for detective fiction, and Maigret is one of the best detectives around. 

am--5.25 Another run w/ the bro-in-law. The other direction this time. To the drive-in and back. 

am--7 Solo this morning. I ran to York and a mile or 2 on the oldest road on Prince Edward Island. Lots of cool looking clapboard houses out here. The place reminds me of the island from Moonrise Kingdom. 

am--4.5 Ran w/ bro-in-law and my nephew. The kid was on his bike. We basically ran to the ocean and back. 

am--5 We ran on the BLT in Halifax. I'm not sure what BLT stands for. The run this morning was a bit tougher. Bro-in-law was getting his running groove on and started a bit peppy. Overall, this week has been okay runningwise. Not all of the assigned minutes. But I ran and fit it in around other activities so as not to put a strain on the family vacay. 

am--4.75 Road and grass w/ striders before kids club. We had a killer game of capture (steal) the flag. I overextended myself a bit. 

pm--2 Basically, reverse DI after weights and stretching. This afternoon felt hard. 

am—7 Green Springs. Today felt hot and hard for me. The kids are running into shape.

am--7 Tempo segments on the new dirt mile. The crew looked good. People won some battles and saw glimpses of their capabilities. 

pm--1.5 Harts+ after weights and AIS. A scorcher today. 

am--6 I slept in a bit and then ran on the old Swiss Days route. I eased into it and was moving decently well by the end. The muggy, warm morning bogged me down. I was tired by the end. 

pm—6 A slow burner to finish off the week.

am—8.5 Another trek up and over the sand hill. Good work from the kids. 

I finished a detective novel by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, Off Side. I’m a sucker for these books. Holt and I also partook of some K food w/ Mr. Fielding.

am—4.25 Barefoot Grass w/ striders after a few minutes in the road.

pm—1.75 BK and back. We have a pretty solid core of kids despite fewer kids than previous seasons.

am—6.5 Good run up to Grapevine and back. Some folks are figuring out how to pace a run throughout. I had a good conversation w/ Addie(?).

am--7.25 Pacework at the elementary school. This is one of my favorite workouts. It's a chance to get the legs moving in small doses at the beginning of a season. 

pm--1.5 Run into the neighborhood after weights and AIS. 

am--6 Ran from Vernon Worthern out and back on the marathon course. Hit a negative split and some barefoot striders after. 

am—6.5 Some running in and out during the pace work.

am—5 half-road/half-grass w/ some barefoot striders after. Last kids club of the summer.

pm—1.5 Weights and Harts+. Had a Mitch sighting today.

am--6.5 Time Trial. I wasn't expecting to jump in, but, when we had an injured runner man the timer, I decided to see if I could help some kids. It was fun to push a bit and see that I had some strength to move forward. Seeing kids push and believe in themselves pleases me. 

am—6.75 Truncated Dino Tracks w/ quite the skeleton crew. I’m old and ornery.

pm—1.75 Neighborhood after weights and AIS. Pace was tasty.

am—8 Fields our-and-back. I ran w/ Kyanne and got to know her a bit better. She’s buying in a bit more. That’s fun. On another note, the Summer doldrums are here.

pm—4 An easy run to finish the week. My first week of the month with 6 days of running. Although, running has been a challenge for me recently, today’s run was a confidence-booster.

am—6 Ran around while kids did their workout. 

am—5 Nice run on a portion of the Kolob Rim Trail. I had a nice chat w/ Chad about karate. 

pm—2.5 Another jaunt on the same portion of the KRT.

am—8.5 Nice trail miles from camp to Navajo Lake on the KRT w/ a great group.

am—5.5 Killer hill work w/ a great group. Last day of camp. This is a fun group of kids.

I finished The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey. It deals with a unique concept that could be useful in many aspects of life.

am—5.5 A good progressive run w/ 6x striders at the end. I tried to listen to body cues to run smoothly. A good, sweaty run.

pm—6.5 A nice slow burner w/ a faster finish. My heart rate says I’m getting fit. That’s a positive.

am—6.5 Some Miles around BHNP before and after the time trial.

pm—2.5 I ran from my house to SC rugby field for some laps. Warmish.

am—4.25 Chuckawalla w/ the kiddos. Had fun chatting and trail running. I need to get on the trails more often.

pm—1.75 Weights, AIS and a neighborhood cruise.

am—4.25 Some running during the workout before going back to work.

pm—2.25 A slow, short one before spike night.

am—2.5 Short run into Green Springs. Early meetings cut the run in half.

pm—1.5 Hart’s and back. It felt hot. The heart rate is coming down, or I’m taking it pretty easy lately.

am—4.5 Starbucks and back. My leg is tight and bugging, something in the upper/inner calf or lower hamstring.

pm—2.5 Ran around during our dual practice. Leg felt worse than this morning.

am—4 Wasn’t sure I was going to run, so decided to cut the minutes and take it easy. Silver lining is that I got to run w/ kids I don’t w/ much.

am—7 Warmup and easy tempo w/ the girls and some running during their workout. The kids looked good today.

am—1.5 Weights/AIS/Hart’s. Decent morning. We had a ton of kids out this morning. That was nice.

pm—4 Meandering run through the middle of Washington. It felt hot. Guess I should be used to that by now.

am--2 Bank-and-back. Fun run w/ the skeleton crew, a slightly bigger crew than last year. The morning's are nice this week. 

pm--3.5 PVMS and back. Another warm day. We'll adapt, and the stress of school will become more bearable. 

am--3 Hart's/Weights/Hart's. I got a little extra running this morning--the day will still be small--because we have a meet this evening in Cedar. I'm excited to see how the kids run. 

am—2.5 Bank and back. Nothing more. This week’s been physically and emotionally exhausting. Whoever said teaching is easy has never done it.

pm—2 Scavenger Hunt. It’s so hard to be a winner.;)

I finished On Writing by Stephen King. Really an enjoyable book. It makes me want to read more of his work. So far, I’ve only read a few novellas and The Gunslinger.

am—7.75 My fav Pine Valley route to finish Renegade Camp. The kids had a lot of fun and enjoy each other’s company. Beautiful weekend.

am--9 Sugar Loaf long run w/ some 5-min. + pickups at progressively faster paces. I flipped w/ the freshies--it was fun to push w/ them--then ran back to meet the others. My leg really started feeling the pace and push, but I can't really pinpoint what's causing the pain. It almost feels like something at the lower insertion of the hamstring. I may have to take a few days off. I was limping most of the day. Also, had a chance to push the kids on the idea of a personal theme song. 

am--5 Cafe Rio and back. After a few days off to rest what I think is irritation to the pes anserine, I got to run w/ the kiddos again. The run was nearly perfect. The girls worked to stay w/ each other, and we built the pace through the run. Plus, I was able to talk to Stoner, JP, Kaylee, Frida, and Mia. What a great group! Overall, good morning even though I felt the leg on the last half of the run. 

am—5 Ran while the kids worked out. My leg is feeling okay. I need to get after my hamstring w/ the foam roller everyday.

pm--5 Middleton Trail via the goldfish park. I had a nice chat w/ Addie T. and was able to encourage a few kiddos. Fun in the hot, hot sun. Leg is blah. 

am—3.5 Singles this week. Did PH and then bank-and-back. We had the legend Kaylee B.A. w/ us this morning. The leg is regressing.

pm—4.75 A run where I was high on life. It’s fun to see some of the other girls stepping up. Daily leg report: better?

am—3.25 Costco loop and bank-and-back. Ho hum on the leg. Decent meet for the varsity kiddos in Ogden.

am--5.75 The obligatory state-course run w/ some other running while the girls did some hill circuits. They're looking strong and bonding fairly well. 

am—7.5 SC Reserve trails. We hit Black Brush and the front side of Barrel Roll. It’s been a while since I’ve been out there. Could make it a daily habit.

I finished Amazing Racers by Marc Bloom over the weekend. Quite a fascinating look at Bill Aris and FM cross-country. I wasn’t sure I was in the right headspace for a running/coaching book, but I’m glad I read it.

pm—3 Some running at the Dixie meet. Still pretty durn hot.

am--5 T. Lutheran w/ bank-and-back. Nice run w/ some good kiddos. Kept it pretty solid the whole time. 

pm--5.5 A scorcher today. We went to Target and back. I'm excited for Murray tomorrow. 

am—5 Same as Wednesday—Lutheran + Bank. I love these morning runs. They’re the perfect combo of moving meditation and then fun w/ the crew. Kaylee and I had a nice chat today.

am—5.5 State Course w/ some hill work and strides. The girls were digging. I think they were happy w/ how they ran at Murray. The early season work is showing, but there’s more to do.

am--8 Truncated Parkway w/ 1-, 2-, 3-, 2-, 1-, and 1-min pickups. I got to chat w/ Brook and watch Sadie rock it. 

pm--6.5 River Trail w/ a good crew. I feel really blah lately, not fully healthy, a bit creaky, who knows. 

am--4.5 DI/Bank. Trudged through a few miles because I won't be able to run this evening. We have a meet. 

pm—5.5 Green Springs. My fav route even though today was a grind. Solid work, regardless.

am—2.5 Bank and back. Felt okay. The morning was beautiful.

pm—5 Some running while the kids did their hill circuits. My leg was hurting, especially up and down the hills. I took it pretty easy and salt soaked when I got home.

pm—3 A short and slow run to try and maintain the achy leg. 

am—8 Turkey Farm w/ pickups. I always love this run even though the hill doesn’t get easier. I was able to run w/ a different crew today. It’s fun to see new people buying in and enjoying improvement.

pm—5.5 Snozberry or something like that. I had some fun times with banter and eventually felt okay.

am—2.5 A nice little push to the bank and back.

pm—6 Warmup and some running around the grass while the kids did their workout. Good, hard work today.

pm--5 Middleton to the hidden fish park and back. The way back turned into a stouter pace than was necessary. We need to work on that. 

I enjoyed an Infinite Summer of David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest and finished the book last night. What an interesting read. Learned enough about AA and tennis to make me look into things a bit more. I really enjoy DFW's prose and essays, but this tome won't be a reread anytime soon. Really glad I took the time to read it. 

pm—5 Loops at Scera Park. It was a run to help me remember why I love running. The weather was beautiful, and, for some reason, I love to run in the grass. Grass makes you stronger, driving and lifting.

am—5.5 Looped fro Gma Cokey’s into Provo and back. As much as yesterday’s run was a beaut, this was a struggle.