Relentless

AM - 21.25 Pine Lake. Took the suburban out to the end of the run and then James and I ran back to camp and go the team for the long run route out around the lake and then back around toward the highway, it rained a lot during the night and some parts of the trail were very muddy, but nothing like in some years. The team was just rolling and ended up hitting 13 miles during the run, sneaking it just under 7 minute pace. Not too shabby for their longest run of the year, in the mud, at 8500 feet. (Kinvara Lime 526.25)

afternoon - 3.5 Pine Lake. Some of the team wanted to run the Treasure trail, so we headed out there and took some pics then dropped off the rim and down the trail. We just took it pretty easy and enjoyed it. Beautiful run with an amazing team. (VertK 334.5)

AM - 9 Pine Lake. Just an easy day to end a long week. Started off around the lake and then down the road toward the highway. (Kinvara Green 90.25)

What an up and down week. Camping was great, both with the fam and team. I am so blessed to be working with such great asst. coaches and a truly great group of kids. Glad I could get some solid aerobic running in this week. I feel in great shape; I just need to get faster and I should have a great set of races coming up.

Goals for next week: one last week to cram so e mileage in. But this is going to be more of a transition week - where I really want to work on marathon pace work through Tempo Tuesday and tempo incorporated into the long run.

AM - 17.25 Parkway/Dirt Mile. Went up onto the Dirt Mile to see how muddy it was for today's run and the went around the Parkway. For practice we went back up to the Dirt Mile and ran a 40 min tempo (which was a good solid Tinman pace for me). All groups did well and the team is looking strong from a solid summer. Finished up with 8xbarefoot striders. Great temps, albeit a bit humid, after the rain all day yesterday. (barefoot '14 43.75)(Ronin 428.25)

afternoon - 8.5 Sand Hill. I love running up on a beautiful mountain trail in the trees, but I am a Desert Rat at heart and today was absolutely amazing. I hoped it would rain today - the weather was pretty sure it would, so I planned on running up on the Sand Hill. The trail should have been perfect with yesterday's rain and hopefully no horses had been up there today to ruin it. Around 1:30, a slight sprinkle started, so I hit the road over to the trail up Millcreek. By the time I got off the road, the rain had really picked up and just poured down on me for the next 30 minutes. The trail was amazing. The sand was compacted and soft; very runnable. Climbing the hill I was able to summit above two slot canyons and watch the flash floods start forming off the slick rock. The desert seemed to come alive with color - greens and sage; and the smell was amazing. The only thing missing was some wildlife. I hoped to see a tortoise, but worried I might step on a rattlesnake (since it was raining so hard I wouldn't have been able to hear it) - didn't see either. Amazing experience in the desert. (Kinvara3 740.5)

AM - 22 Tempo Loop/Parkway. Had a better tempo today - best of the cycle for me, so far. Ave was 5:38 for 7. Started with a :43 when I checked at the top of the Chipman Hill, then :41 at the bridge, :43 leaving Mosquito, :35 at the car wash, and :38 at the end obviously. Since my enter button doesn't work, my watch is stuck without laps, so this is how I'll monitor my progress in future weeks with these check points. I had ups and downs, but felt pretty solid from then end of mosquito to the end. I just wasn't quite brave enough to catch Clyde all the way, but all three of us were pretty close. Then at practice we ran 3xParkway hills. I was absolutely spent and ran with some of the JV guys. Finished off kids club today, which is great to have over. I had to run a relay and the cool down in some high heels because I lost a bet with the 3rd/4th girls and couldn't touch my toes by the end of the summer. It wasn't easy and killed my feet. But they sure showed off my fine calves! (Mana 623.5)

afternoon - 5.5 PV. Got out and hit DI before practice. Then ran the time trial course and an extension into the neighborhood below the school. Weights after. (Boston 1112.25)

AM - 8 PV.  Ran over to school and then around the neighborhoods before practice.  Team did a time trial today and ran very well.  First day of work for me today.  The only thing about starting school so early is that we can get down to business for XC.  Today will be a much easier day than the last two - and the legs are happy about that.  (Lyte33 96)

AM - 8.25 Green Springs.  Ran over to school via GS.  I was slightly disappointed with the sunrise this morning; then I looked up and it was like suddenly one of the most amazing sunrises ever.  Very cool.  Temps were amazing this morning.  Legs not up to a lot right now.  (Kinvara silver 457)

morning - 12.25 River Trail.  90 minutes on the River Trail with the team.  Didn't get as far as last week when we were up in the mountains and mud, but we held together a lot better as a team.  Felt a lot better than the last two days.  Wore a sleeve for my right calf and achilles.  (Kinvara3 752.75)

AM - 26.25 Gunlock. Had to start around Brookside and then we turned at Veyo and dropped down to Gunlock and down around to Ivins. Felt pretty crappy throughout the whole run. Hoped that the easy end to the week would liven the legs up, and it seemed to a bit yesterday. My achilles (right) really gave me a lot of trouble and hurt the whole time. Had one good section up around Kayenta, but that faded quickly as we climbed into Ivins. Happy to get a long run in though and have an enjoyable run with my buddies. Ave was 6:29 for a 2:50, so really not too shabby with nothing really quick. (Kinvara green 116.5)

Last big mileage week for me. I just don't see them happening with school starting and XC in full swing. Sometimes (often) I wonder how much I can keep balancing all of this. But I've done it in the past, and I'll probably keep doing it in the future.

Goals for next week: everything now will be to try and turn this base into some sort of marathon pace. So tempos and if I can ever feel strong enough some intervals. Mileage goals will be around 100. And, get the achilles feeling back to what it was at the beginning of the week.

AM - 10.25 Foremaster/Starbucks.  Started what will be the usual routine now.  Ran Foremaster.  Didn't feel too bad, but it took a minute to warm up.  Then sith the team on a 30 minute morning run.  (Lyte33 106.25)

AM - 15.25 Tempo.  Bummer workout.  Just kind of a perfect storm of crappiness today.  I actually started off feeling pretty good, but then it all added up.  The humidity was way high - no good.  Ran a lot of mileage last week - no good.  Hard mileage/long run Saturday - no good.  Been starting to get sick - no good.  Ran harder than I should have yesterday - no good.  So after The Circle had long since left me I was still trying to plug along, but slowing.  5:50 at Nicholl's.  5:55 at the bride.  As I came to the end of Mosquito, I heard the guys talking.  They had called the workout and were waiting for me.  I tried to keep going, but the body and mind were very week and I called it just after Mosquito where I had dropped over 6:00.  Really struggled even just jogging it in.  Glad it is over and I need a nap.  I need to really make myself understand what my focus needs to be.  I can't do mileage and pace work at the same time (especially during the school year).  So I need to let the mileage go and just get my workouts in where they are supposed to be.  I am going to let the rest of the week be pretty chill and get feeling better for next week's rebooting.  (Mana 638.75)

AM - 3.75 Sunrise.  Slept in today until practice.  Head cold is still setting in pretty strong.  Will use a few more days of easy and recovery to get centered body and mind.  (Lyte33 110)

afternoon - 6 GS.  5 very easy miles up into Green Springs today.  Had a workout scheduled for the team, but I could tell they were tired - and they ran like it today.  Finished with 8xbarefoot striders.  (Barefoot '14 44.75)

Fell behind in blogging, so I don't remember my shoes for most of the rest of the week.  

AM - 3.75 Sunrise.  Just easy out with the team this morning.

afternoon - 7 Grass loops.  Ran around with the team as they did their workout.  Tried to run with as many different groups as possible and ended up running something with most of them.

AM - 4 Sunrise.  Tried to get the group moving a little more this morning.  Really working on team packing in every run.  

afternoon - 4 Bloomington Hills.  Ran around the park marking and measuring the course.  Had a great time at the innagural Desert Relays - although I think I'll petition to change the name to the Desert Eikiden (sp?).  (Zero 293.75)

AM - 12 track.  12 miles at the run-a-thon at about 3 in the morning.  All on the track.  Actually felt pretty good and probably maintained about a 6:15-6:30 pace throughout.  Hit the 10th mile with a 5:01, just kind of pushed it a bit and let the legs flow.  If I would have been wearing a watch I would have made sure I broke 5!  Then finished with 2 cool down.  Glad to have the run-a-thon over.  (Kinvara lime 544.25)

Glad to have the week over too.  What a busy, hectic and not feeling good week.

Goals for next week:  get back on the horse.

AM - 10.25 Foremaster/Sunrise.  Nice to get going a bit more.  I guess I am a little nervous for tomorrow's tempo.  I want to get rolling again, but I am a bit worried about how I will do.  (Kinvara Green 125.75)

afternoon - 9 School.  Just a guess on the mileage.  As we got ready for practice, a big storm moved in and we had to come inside.  It is always a pain, but it was a good move.  Besides the huge amounts of rain that shut down streets and flooded places, the lightning was popping.  So we ran 10x3 mins w/ 1 min recovery throught the halls.  The novelty wore off very quickly for me!  Did a 15+ min warm and a 10 min cool.  While the team lifted I did 10 mins of eliptical.  (Connect 753.5)

AM - 15.25 Tempo.  Worried a bit about being worn down from yesterday's run (I hadn't planned on running it with the boys, but that is what evolved).  In fact I worried a lot about this workout.  I know I need to get hitting better on these tempos and I am really struggling with them.  Did a little before The Circle formed and then warmed up and got into the tempo.  Was able to watch an intense lightning storm move in from the Strip and Utah Hill.  Getting into the tempo, I fell back a little from Clyde and Logan going by Staheli and told myself that I could (and had to) stay in there longer, so I pushed back to them.  That is what made my run decent because later when I fell off them it went bad.  Was 5:39 at Nicholl's, 5:37 at the bridge, slipped to 5:42 off Mosquito, then 5:47 at the car wash (which is suprising, because that isn't a tough section - but there was a strong headwind and I felt pretty tired by this point), then 5:49 at the end.  The trail was slippery from the rain that started to fall and all the mud from yesterday so that affected me at the end, but I was also wimping out a bit.  Some work done, more to do.  (Hyper Speed 2 540.25)

AM - 7.5 Washington/Sunrise. Got a little extra sleep this morning.  Super slow pace.  Feet felt fine this morning on the run, but now my shoes are rubbing on the back of heels where the sores from yesterday are.  (Lyte33 117.5)

AM - 7.5 Washington/Sunrise. Same run as yesterday. Felt a little better and the ankle didn't feel too bad. (Oregon 802.75)

afternoon - 8.75 Parkway. Steady-state run at the team's SS pace. Felt pretty good about it all. I enjoy the pace and how the run just moves along. Ankle was quite a bit more swollen and bruised this afternoon but wasn't too stiff. (Ronin 437)

AM - 7.75 Wash/Sunrise.  Same as the last couple days.  I've decided I like running back through DogTown in the early morning - nice and peaceful.  Mornings (and afternoons for that matter) have been just awesome the last couple days.  We are getting spoiled.  Sores on my heals really hurt this morning - didn't have them bandaged up.  And the ankle seemed pretty sore as well.  A lot of fun.  (Kinvara3 780.5)

AM - 17.25 DC Trails. Up early with The Circle and Steve to get the workout in before heading up tomCedar for the SUU meet. Warmed three up the trail, then back to DC at 5:28 for three, into a Tinman at 6:01 for 7.3 and finished with 2 (because I had to get going, and it was already tough enough) at attempted AT - was able to push out 5:49 back up the trail, but was hammered - and finished back down to the DC for a cool. Super tough workout on the AT sections. The first seemed very tough to get any rhythm and it all seemed forced. Didn't help that they all went out like beasts. The Tinman wasn't bad at all - I just didn't push up to the front because whenever I was there they seemed to push the pace a little too quick. But felt confident about my effort and pace there. The last AT was just very difficult, but the pace wasn't too far off what I had been doing on Tuesdays, so hopefully I can improve that this week. (Kinvara Green 144). Team ran very well up at SUU: JV girls ran tough! JV boys really battled the Hell's. Varsity boys made some strides and Nick took home the title! varsity Girls were CHAMPS!

Not a bad week. Better than last week, so that's a plus.

Goals for next week: focus on tempo again... Get it better!

AM - 7.75 Washington/Sunrise.  Kind of the usual morning stuff now.  Didn't have the energy to get up and do the extra early stuff.  But run was decent.  Both feet are healing well and now just some tightness/weakness in the ankle.  (Lyte33 125.25)

afternoon - 6.25 grass loops.  Just ran around while the team was doing their workout.  Moved some cones around for their intervals/surge sections and yelled at them a bit.  10 minutes of elipitical as they did weights.  (Kinvara 992.15)

AM - 15.5 Tempo.  Pretty decent tempo this morning; I feel good about today.  Had some good convo with The Circle as we warmed.  Then we got going and I hanged in there until the Nicholl's Hill, which just kills me.  Was at 5:32 there.  Tried to close up the gap a bit on the next section, but it basically held.  5:34 at the bridge.  On Mosquito I could tell I was gaining on Clyde and I felt pretty decent.  5:34 there as well.  Don't know that I have ever held the time through this section, so that was nice.  On Riverside, started gaining on Logan and by the dino tracks, I stepped on the base for a barrier cone and totally renched my left ankle.  The right was already feeling a bit gimpy this morning, so that was a lot of fun.  I had to fight the urge to use this as an excuse and tried to keep pushing.  (It is now really hurting a lot, so that make me super happy.)  Just before getting on the trail I caught Logan as he had to slow to puke.  Hit this section at 5:35 as well.  Then on the trail I was in new territory.  I hadn't led a workout in years and it felt kind of wierd.  I wanted to really push, but wasn't sure; I wanted to slow down, but knew I shouldn't.  So, I just tried to keep it even.  Ended up at 5:35 at the finish.  It was nice to have some energy when I wanted to push and be able to fight the demons a bit.  The biggest help was that I didn't run the workout with the team yesterday.  I am also working to be at peace with a decision I have made.  I think I will be okay with it.  (Kinvara green 159.5)

afternoon - 5 school.  Another lightning storm, so in the school again.  Threw off my planned hills, so we will just go out there on Thursday.  I really dislike running around the school.  It is hot, boring, hard on the legs, no rythm.  I just really don't like it.  Quite a storm through the evening though.  (Stratus black 1155.45)

AM - 8 Lutheran/Sunrise.  Looked at all the damage done from last night's storm.  A lot of mud and rocks all over the roads.  Crazy weather lately.  Only run for today since the team has a time trial and I'll be busy with that.  Ankle felt fine running, but hurts a bit when I am not.  (Kinvara lime 542.25)

AM - 7.5 DI/Washington. Team had a little longer run this morning, so I didn't go as far, but we got further into DogTown. (Connect 761)

afternoon - 8.5 Fire Station desert. A new workout today - Sandy hills. Super tough 200 Meyer sand dune hillx5. Very good workout for the team; I was just along for the ride. Then into the desert for what became quite quite the adventure run through Millcreek canyon. Hotter today; we aren't used to this right now. Ended with 8xbarefoot striders. (Barefoot '14 51.75)(HyperSpeed 483.5)

AM - 4 Sunrise.  Just as I got to sleep last night, Laney came in needing me to put her earring back in, so then I couldn't get back to sleep.  Stayed up and read for quite awhile before finally falling back to sleep.  So I slept in a few more minutes and just joined the team for their run this morning.  It was a nice morning out, and I hope it is at least that cool tomorrow (or maybe a little more!).  (F50 717.75)

Southern Utah 1/2 1:12:42

Not too shabby / not too great. That was basically my day here. Home town course on the roads and paved trails The Circle runs every week for workouts, so that was fun. Warmed up 3+ with Clyde up on Highland. My mind and body both kind of wondered what I was doing racing... What does this racing even mean? I have struggled even keeping my head into running lately - not that it seems like a chore (because i love it); it just seems like a lot of work. In retrospect I wish I would have had another half this summer to remind me a bit how to race, but I am definitely glad I ran this as to get some of that going before the marathon. It was nice that no one was really here, because it was nice to get some money for what was really a tempo run. But this was a great race, nice course which was quick but not blazing by any means, put on very well, etc... So Clyde and I started off and I felt great. But you should feel good during the easy part of a race - at first and downhill. Climbing out of the gully, Clyde gapped me a little, but I was closing it up when we took an unexpected (but welcome) turn which Clyde missed and I yelled at him to get to. Then down 300 we stayed together some more. Getting onto Mosquito just over mile 4, we had an average of 5:09. Then on Mosquito Clyde took off - or really I struggled. Getting off the trail, my average had dropped to 5:18 and Clyde put at least 20 seconds on me. So I probably ran like 5:40's for that 1.5 mile section. I tried to close up a bit on the road and the beginning of the next section of the River Trail, but Clyde was gone. Through Mosquito and on, I had a very hard time getting out of marathon pace and pretty much failed at doing so. Probably 535's from here on out, since slowly the overall ave just kept sneaking up a sec or two per mile. Tried to battle and tell myself that a sub 1:13 would make me feel like I still have a chance at sub 2:30 with a solid month left to go. But, like I said, I really couldn't do much to go quicker - no quicker stuff at all in my training this year... That will probably end up being my downfall. Getting to 12 at just over 1:07, I knew I had 6 minutes for 1.1 to hit my improve goal. I kind of dug finally and got moving. Heard the crowd cheer for Clyde and thought, "Dang! He killed it!" Figuring I finished at 1:12:42, I must have had a decent last 1.1 - probably about where I should have been the whole race. Cooled for 4 with Clyde at the end. Good to see him run so well, and good to see Logan's team do so well up north - even though I still hate them. So, cool for my bros. and James ran solid and seems to be prepped for a decent marathon after all he has been through. Also Al hit her a new PR, and saw good friends and such. As for myself, I feel a little antsy now. Maybe this will give the drive to finish up the last microcycle and end it all with another sub 2:30. But I have work to do. Do Work! (Adios 208)

The week was what it was... Better tempo, not as good race. Also decided that need something different than my adios for St. George. Talking with Clyde, I think I will get a new pair of Kinvara 5's to race in. It is a little weird because I train in them all the time. I like them a lot, however, and a new pair with a few workouts in them will still make them feel like a race shoe and get me that mental sharpness hat putting on a race shoe does.

Goals for next week: keep the focus on the marathon. So that means tempo good, running hard workouts with my team bad.