Relentless

Nothing for me today. Actually had to force myself not to run. I am trying to hold out until Wednesday; I may not make it. Feeling good. Still some soreness, with a little bruising and swelling. First day of XC practice. Had just shy of 60 there today, with 26 (I think) girls. Both very solid starting numbers. With the give and take of the summer and the season, I would be very happy if we end there.

RHR: 41

Thought about running today. Probably better that I didn't.

RHR: 41

morning - 5.75 Lower Grapevine. 1st run back. Obviously some soreness and such. Running wise I felt pretty flat. But no Achilles pain! (Barefoot '15 3.5)(Peg Black 22.5)

RHR: 48 - kinda high. Maybe I was just anxious to get back to running today!

morning - 7 DogTown. Just around town for an easy day at practice. Added a little in with the dogs after. Felt a little better today than yesterday. (Barefoot '15 4)((Kinvara grey 15)

RHR: 46

morning - 7 Fields. Warm up and then a nice run through the Fields with a few minutes of quicker finish. More improvement today, with just a little more discomfort when we picked up the pace. Feeling pretty confident I'll be ready to just be normal by Monday. Another good note, the right achilles has been pain free on runs for three straight days - for the first time since January! So nice. (Barefoot '15 4.5)(Peg 417)

noon - 10 Sullivan Loop. Went hiking with the scouts this morning to Kanaraville Falls. Pretty awesome - can't believe I live only 25 miles from it and have never been before; plan on taking the fam up this summer. So, when we got home I went out for my run. Was a little more sore going into the run because of the movements of hiking, but once I got going, I felt as good as the last couple days (maybe better). Without planning, I noticed my pace was pretty decent down on the river and saw the watch drop into the mid 6:00's and then mid 5:00's for a few miles. So that with the relative mildness of the pain leads me to believe I should. Be okay to do a bit more next week. (Peg Black 32.5)

Got back on my feet, at least, this week. That is about as much as could be asked for after getting sliced up last Friday. And the achilles really feels good.

Goals for next week: put as much mileage in as the body will let it.

AM - 12 Twix/Dirt Mile. Ran Twix's loop with her. Then at practice, I ran with the girls for 45 mins on the Dirt Mile. We got three progressive miles in at 8:00, 7:40, 7:20. Good mid-distance run with a little push for them. They will be a special group for the next few years. (Barefoot '15 5)(Peg Black 44)

RHR: 45

afternoon - 6 ND. Temps near 100 had me ready for a hot afternoon. Hat, water bottle and some sunscreen. Actually not quite as hot as I thought. Running in the desert is nice because it gets you off the hot streets. (Kinvara green 343.25)

AM - 16 Sullivan Loop. Ran the neighborhood with Twix on her easy day and then down to the river for an attempt at some sort of workout. It was one of those, that you are kind of embarrassed to post because it was so slow. But lie I have said before, it is a place to start. Averaged 6:19 for the 5.5 mile loop - nowhere to go but up, hopefully. I thought I was pushing hard, but looking back at it, I kind of think I was chilling out way too much. No big though; just happy to be running and enjoying the celestial sunrise this morning. Then barefoot and some striders for practice. Doubled my barefoot mileage for the yer just this morn. A little bit of achilles pain here and there in the workout - don't like that. And a good Kids Club day. (Barefoot '15 10)(Adios 364.75)

RHR: 46

afternoon - 4.5 Dirt Mile. A few miles on the extended DM. Weather was overcast as a bit breezy to make the run much more pleasant than the usual summer afternoon run. Wasn't sure if I should run this afternoon with the bigger mileage this morning and already this week. But I figured I might as well with the weather and Al and the older two girls are headed to camp the rest of the week, so who knows exactly how it will play out. (Ronin 520)

AM - 13 Twix/Parkway. Took the dog out, didn't do all the extensions because my mileage is too high this week. Then over to practice and we ran the Parkway with extensions to hit our 60 mins. Felt good - a bit tired, but not bad. Came home to find that Twix had chewed on the couch. Either that freakin dog is going to die or I am... I don't know what that means, but it may express some of my anger at this time. (Barefoot '15 10.5)(Riders 262.25)

RHR: 39 - way down from the last week, will see if that's back where it should be or something else.

AM - 12.25 Parkway/ND. Took Twix around the Parkway with some extensions. Then an easy 30 for practice ending with striders. Pace today was pretty chill. Found a dead baby tortoise today, bummer.... Those boneheads developing near the fire station must have scared it onto the road. And then, death. (Barefoot '15 12)(Kinvara grey 25.75)

RHR: 40 - another lower rate. I think my body is just getting back to normal after the slice and dice.

No afternoon again. The only bummer is that temps are nice. But I have to be careful with the build up. Hopefully sound 80-85 this week and then around 100 next.

AM - 13.25 Townhomes/Prospector. Short run with the dog. Then practice at Coral Canyon. We looped up Highland and then onto Prospector and made a full loop to the Quail Industrial trail entrance and back to the park. Run was very good. We put in a little pick up for the last mile. Had a good chat about the team's focus as well as PED use. The young guys are doing amazing as well. And of course the girls are doing awesome. (Barefoot '15 12.5)(Peg 429.75)

RHR: 40 - settling in where it should be the last few days.

AM - 19.25 Southern Parkway. Stevey, Logan and I out for a jaunt. Nothing quick (ave 7:00); I just wanted to finish a long run at the end of the week. Felt totally fine and I feel my confidence growing as I start to get into shape a bit. (Peg black 63.25)

RHR: 43

Got more mileage than planned this week. But I only ran two doubles, so I don't think I was overburdening myself. Heart rate returned to normal and life is good.

Goals for next week: see how the body responds to the higher mileage and keep building from there.

AM - 15 Dirt Mile/Sand Hill. Twix and I got in around 4.5 this morning up in the dirt. Then for practice we went on our long run. Was a little worried about it with the quick turn around for the team (Many more people there on Mondays, so might as well put the most important run of the week when the most kiddos will be there), but they did great. They requested (Hell Raiser requested) Sand Hill from the City Wells side. First time up that beast for most of them. But it was a good run. Had a 10 minute pickup at the end and all survived. (Barefoot '15 13)(Riders 276.75)

RHR: 40 - after a 50 yesterday, I was glad to see it drop back down.

afternoon - 6 ND. Out a little earlier because I was just kind of sitting around bored. Timing was good, though, because a batch of clouds came in and kept over the sun for most of the run. Still over 100, but no direct sun really makes it so. Much more bearable. Wore the Gel Lyte's that I haven't worn in a long time. They felt pretty decent. It was different to be in a flatter shoe after wearing higher ones for so long with my achilles. (I guess the Kinvaras have a lower drop as well, but they have a little more to them than the Lyte33's.) (Lyte33 213)

AM - 17 Sullivan/Grass. Junk tempo this week. When I started off with Twix around the neighborhood for just a couple and on the way down to the loop, I felt yesterday and the last week in my legs and I was worried I wouldn't have anything. Starting off though, I actually was moving decent without much effort. Had a 6:09 ave at the corner (2 miles), which is an improvement from last week. But up the Dam Hill I totally sucked and I couldn't bring it back on the opposite side like last week. So I ended with a 6:23 ave. bummed that it was worse than last week, but I still think I am a better runner today than yesterday for having at least tried to tempo. Then to practice for some barefoot ing. It was a good recovery, but I was pretty slow on the striders. Probably will take the afternoon off; we'll see. (Barefoot '15 18.5)(Kinvara grey 37.25)

RHR: 40

AM - 14.5 Twix/Dirt Mile. Some miles with the dog and then practice. Hit the DM for a progressive pickup. We are really bumping our workouts back and focusing on different things this year. Guys and Girls stuck together very well all the way through 10-15 deep. Top guys went five as we went from 7:20-6:15. (Peg Black 77.25)(Barefoot '15 19)

RHR: 41

AM - 12 Lower Grapevine/ND. Just some easy running today. First with the dog and the. With the team up into the desert where connected onto Dino Tracks and then looped around back to the school. Finished up with some barefoot striders. (Barefoot '15 20.5)(Riders 287.25)

RHR: 39

afternoon - 6 ND. Just a hot run up through the desert. I actually feel pretty good. (Kinvara Green 349.25)

AM - 18 Parkway/BV/Sullivan. Got a longer run in today since the girls and I are going camping today. Hit the Parkway and extended it into Buena Vista and back around all the way to Kings Row - Twix's longest run ever and she totally owned it. Then for practice we went up from Sullivan and Hells Hole to the dump and down the Dam Rd. Not a bad morning of running. Temps at 70 are some much nicer than near 80 (or 105+ in the afternoon). (Peg 447.75)

RHR: 44 - went up a bit because I was thinking too much as I sat there trying to wake up a bit.

AM - 14.25 Mt. Logan. Took the girls camping out into my old fire fighting stomping grounds on th AZ Strip. We had a ton of fun; stopped off at the Trumbull Schoolhouse and Ice Caves yesterday and had a nice camp last night. I actually couldn't fall asleep for some reason until well after midnight and then Twix was antsy in the morning and got me up earlier than planned. So I just went out and ran. I took it pretty easy on a road (two track) that I hadn't ever been on before. Dropped off the front-side of Mt. Logan down toward Bundy Ranch. Saw a bunch of deer, an old-dead snag full of turkey vultures and about 20 turkeys walking around a meadow. Came back and got Rylee and did her 35 minute run with some fartleks with her and we saw more deer. Then when we got back, Laney didn't feel like going out with Pyper, so I ran 2 more with her and we saw some more deer and the bluest blue birds ever! Ended up 14.25 and Twix did all of it +, since she was unleashed the last section and was chasing everything through the forest. Probably 15 miles for her today! (Kinvara3 834.75). After cleaning up camp, we headed down to Nampaweap and hiked to the petroglyphs and then drove down to Toroweap. The girls hadn't ever been to the Grand Canyon and this is the grandest part of it all - 1 mile of sheer red rock canyon walls; it is intense. They weren't even scared, but we also very good about not messing around at the cliff. We also saw a condor fly right by us! Super cool.

Good week. Miles were solid. Got a long run in. Ran while camping. Not a very good tempo, however.

Goals for next week: may drop the miles just a touch as a recovery week (but I am not really sure where; I'm not hitting many double and the morning just kind of add up); definitely have a better tempo; and I had better get to see The Essence (my boy Mike Finch is home from his mission!)

AM - 16 Twix/Mustang Pass. Took the dog out for around 4.5 and then ran Mustang Pass at a very leisurely pace - a few guys were struggling today with the heat - ending with some striders. Pretty warm out, but I felt pretty good. (Barefoot '15 22)(Peg black 91.75)

RHR: 39

AM - 16.25 Sullivan Tempo/Grass. Ran a few with Twix around the neighborhood and then went and got James and we headed down Hells Hole for a tempo. Did much better this week because James was there. Got off to a better start and then settled into 6:04 at both corners. Then coming up the Dam Rd. I could feel James not too far back, so that me pushing instead of relaxing. Got to the top with 6:11. Then down to 6:04 at the bridge and finished with 6:02. Would liked to have finished with a five in front, but it's coming - a 20+ second improvement over the last two weeks and the last two miles under 6:00 show progress, and that's all you can ask for - keep progressing. Then barefooting for practice and a long day of running club races followed by a big hike up Pine Valley on Browns Point Trail that took pretty much all day. (Barefoot '15 26.25)(Kinvara grey 49.25)

RHR: 41

AM - 17.25 BV/Dirt Mile. Twix and I went out into Buena Vista and loops back through Washington. Then onto the Dirt Mile for practice with a progression run of just over 5.5 miles. The pace dropped from 7:20 to 6:25'ish by the 5th mile and under 6 for the next half. Very solid work from the boys. ?-could they do it without me there keeping track of them? Finished up with some striders. I've actually like the transition of our strider days; it helps me open up the legs and work out some of the stiffness at the end of a harder effort. (Barefoot '15 27.75)(Ronin 303)

RHR: 41

AM - 17.25 Parkway/Middleton. I thought I was going to get to sleep in today, but last night Ry reminded me she needed to run early to head out on the trek. So Miles and Rylee and I got out early and got 6 in on the Parkway. Then Twix and I got in 4.5 more around her loop. Then headed over to practice where we hit an easy 45 minutes out and back into Middleton with a good group of the guys. Hopefully the girls got back... I didn't know where they were and I needed to get home to send a couple of my girls off to their Grandma's. But the team was in the capable hands of Vis, so they probably are alive somewhere. (Barefoot '15 28.25)(Kinvara white 437)

AM - 10 DM/Chuckwalla. Slept in a bit and just got a bit over 3 in with Twix. Then a good trail run with the team out at Chuckwalla. The guys I was with made it all the way to Scout Cave where I spun a yarn and told the boys it was called that because back in the '40's a scoutmaster killed 5 scouts in their sleep in what we would now called an incident of PTSD... It was great stuff; they totally believed me and would have still if I wouldn't have told the story to Vis when we got back and they overheard me. But I had to brag about my good story! Bad news though, Skylar out kicked me in a freshman race up the hill to the trailhead in a true unplanned "he made a move and I went with him from the back of the pack uphill kicker"... But Andrew did NOT catch me! (VertK 463)

AM - 19.5 Santa Clara. Met up with Logan and James at the DC and ran out through Green Valley, Santa Clara and Ivins. Really good run except Logan bawling that we ran 1 block from his house and he could have slept in. Nothing killer, but we did pick up the pace the last few miles and I felt decent, but also pleasantly tired for the week and run by the end. (Peg black 110.25)

Pretty pleased with the week. Goal was a recovery week, and although the the miles were moderately high for that, it was all on singles. So that's the recovery. And I am feeling like I can take it up to 110 without much trouble.

Goals for next week: so that's where I will go... Will be in Sandy for the 4th, so I may run their race as well and see how I stack up to last year on such little training.

AM - 19 Twix/Fields. Got 5.5 with the dog before practice. Then for practice we ran into the Fields out to Treasure Valley and through PV Estates. It was a good solid run for the most part. Two things the team still really needs to work on 1) stronger runners helping those who are struggling stay in the group 2) those falling off the group pushing harder to get in the middle of the group. If we could really learn/implement this we would be well on our way to great things, but wouldn't we all. Ended with 8xbarefoot striders. (Barefoot '15 29.75)(Peg 465.25)

RHR: 42

afternoon - 6 ND. Very hot afternoon run; hottest of the year. A couple weeks ago the ice would last a little bit all 6 in my hat until the end; today, it was melted before 3. But... It is what it is. (Lyte33 219)

AM - 15.5 Sullivan Tempo/Grass. What a tough day to get going. My first couple of miles with Twix were probably around 9 min pace. Yesterday's mileage and heat really got to me - so I'll take it a it easier tomorrow. Picked up James for our tempo. It was way tough to try and get a positive attitude going (and I never really got there). Tried to get out just a little quicker hoping it would get the body and mind going. So hit 5:58 and :59 at the corners. The hill was pretty tough for me today, but I really wasn't too far off of last week. The difference was last week I attacked the end of the hill, this week I was in survival mode and couldn't regroup anything when James came by me. Overall the age was 6:04, so only 2 seconds slower than last week. However, it felt like I should have been 10-15 seconds off. So the bad is that the overall thing was slower and I'm not seeing the improvement I want. The good, when feeling totally crappy and after a very long day yesterday I was still with last week. It'll come around; I just need to keep working. Then barefooting for practice and finished off the long morning with Kids Club. I would prefer an afternoon off, but it is our first practice today, so I had better get out there - since its at my house! (Barefoot '15 33.75)(Kinvara lime 633.25)

RHR: 42

afternoon - 4.75 DM/Turf Farm. Got out for a little over 2 before our first afternoon practice. Then ran 20 (actuall 21 - overtraining) minutes around the Turf Farm loop. Pretty hot out, but some very cool thunderheads around - that aren't going to do anything. (Ronin 524.75)