Relentless

AM - 7 Twix/Sunrise.  A little slower out on both parts of the run this morning.  Wore my new Pegasus 32's.  Pretty decent shoe and the higher heel has seemed to help out the achilles a bit.  This is probably the longest I have had an injury that just kept bugging.  (Peg Blue 7)

afternoon - 4 Dirt Mile.  Went over to the Dirt Mile for the PVXC Autumn Classic.  Did some warm with the team and some cool.  Team ran pretty well today.  Some a little stronger than always.  As usual, the boys aren't making it much easier to decide who is headed down to Nike.  Really four spots are set, and today some guys that had faded a little at the end of the season really stepped back into it.  It great; but it's tough.  The wind was really killing (27 mph according to the Internet - right into them for nearly half the oval mile) and it was super warm for November (82), which really made the girls' times impressive.  (Pace 163.25)

AM - 8.24 Twix/Sunrise.  Got up just 5 minutes earlier and was able to get a little more in.  Felt decent today and pace was a bit quicker.  (Peg Black 388)

afternoon - 5.75 Shoe Run.  Felt pretty spent today, so I cancelled my plans to add a bit of a workout on to the run after getting home.  Super busy right now and starting to get a cold, so that is no fun.  (Kinvara green 372.25)

AM - 8 Twix/Sunrise.  Legs felt a little more lively than yesterday afternoon.  Not as cold as the weather said it would be.  (Peg blue 15)

AM - 8 Twix/Sunrise.  First winter style morning.  It was cold and icy.  I guess it is all downhill from here.  Bumma.  (Peg 669.75)

afternoon - 4 Grass.  Some cold barefooting over at Sandstone.  (Barefoot '15 83.75)

AM - 8 Twix/Sunrise.  The dog and I ran around DogTown a bit and up into Bella Vista.  The a very pertinent discussion on the evils of video games with the boys on the usual morning run.  And, of course, most don't quite see them the same way that I do.  (Peg Blue 23)

morning - 8 Dirt Mile. Twix and I went up to the DM and did the 30/30 workout from my 6 min test a couple weeks ago. Warmed up for three and then did 30 sets. Was on the whole time getting between .9 and .10 hovering around high 4 and low 5 pace. The dog was tired as we went into the twentieth, but I wanted to finish all 30. So she was a trooper and pushed on through. Cooled only back home, because I had some Church stuff to do. Still a lot of junk in my lungs, but felt I had better energy than I had the rest of the week. Sometimes you just need to run a little faster to break out of a funk. (Pace 171.25)

Not a bad week. I seem at peace to just run.

Goals for next week: keep taking care of the achilles and get my energy up a bit.

AM - 8 Twix/Sunrise.  Pretty much the usual this morning. Heard a lot about the boys' Sadies dates - pretty cool that so many kids (girls) are seeing the coolness of the dudes and kinda diggin' them. (Peg Blue 31)

afternoon - 6.25 track.  Warmed and cooled 10'ish mins each.  Did some 200's and legs were feeling the 30/30 from Sat.  It's fun to get out and see how slow I am nowadays, though.  (Adios 390)

AM - 8 Twix/Sunrise.  A bit sore after the 200's yesterday.  (Riders 479.75)

afternoon - 4 Panorama.  Just easy around the PV area.  (Peg 673.75)

AM - 7.5 Twix/Sunrise.  A bit slower today on the first part.  Just tired.  Achilles isn't feeling great.  (Peg blue 38.5)

AM - 4.25 Twix. No team practice ice this morning, so just the initial mileage with the dog. (Peg Black 392.25)

afternoon - 4.25 Shoe. Kinda the shoe run. Was planning on doing a workout after getting home, but sprained my ankle jumping over th fence outside of Sandburgs and it was pretty tender to even finish the last .5 back to school. I ain't no spring chicken any more. (Pace 175.5)

AM - 4.25 Twix. Took the dog on a shortened version of the Parkway reverse. Ankle felt pretty decent. (Peg blue 42.75)

afternoon - 7.25 Track. Since I didn't do my workout yesterday, I decided to jump in with the team this afternoon. Did about 10 warm and cool around a ten min tempo at 5:45 pace, 5 min rec, 3x800's at progressive 3k pace with 3 min rec. went 2:33, :28 and :18. Good workout. Went better than I expected. (Kinvara green 379.5)

morning - 11.75 Mustang Pass. Beautiful late morning run into the desert. The fall is he best in Southern Utah - temps have just a little chill to them, the air is crisp and clean, the desert is fresh... All good. Took Twix up to Mustang to check Not ck's progress on his project for my Current Issues class. Ran into him finishing up today's work up at the top of the pass - it is looking good; very needed, where he hasn't gone yet the trail is sometimes impossible to even follow. Finished up the run by extending back home via the North Desert and the Dirt Mile. Enjoyable to say the least. Dog did well; she lov s the desert . (VertK 566.25)

Good week. Kids made me run hard twice.

Goals for next week: one I can't control, make the championship race for both teams at NXR. Have a fun week, enjoying all that it is.

AM - 4.25 Twix. Run around the town a bit. (Peg blue 47)

afternoon - 5 DI. Ran around as a warm and cool with the team and a bit during the team's time trial. (Kinvara blue 301)

AM - 7 Twix/AC. A bit with the dog and then short mornings with the team. (Peg 680.75)

afternoon - 9.5 30/30. Ran easy 30 mins with the team and then a 30/30 up on the Dirt Mile. Didn't have much pop at all, but actually hit pretty decent distances/paces throughout the workout. (Pace 185)

AM - 7 Twix/AC. Morning with the dog then the boys. (Peg blue 54)

afternoon - 7 track/Turf. Ran around with the with their warm/cool and between their reps. Got home and ran with Pyper and the dogs around our neighborhood. Dang Twix tripped me and beat up my knee a bit. I am too old to be falling down. (Kinvara silver 525.5)

AM - 5 Twix/AC.  Slept in a little to catch a few more winks before the drive down to Flag tonight.  So Twix and I only went just over 2.  My knee was pretty sore and tight, especially at first.  At practice we hit our tapering 20 while sharing last night's dreams.  Now get through the day and drive the 1st leg safely.  (Peg blue 59)

PM - 4 Flagstaff.  Kind of a guess on mileage (don't remember what it was).  Went around NAU a bit; found an open gate to break into the track; visited the lumberjack; saw what we would all look like if we were zombies.  Good times... makin' memories.  (Peg black 396.25)

morning - 4.5 Buffalo Park.  Around the park in Flag and extended down on to the Arizona Trail.  Just a fun time hanging out with the team.  They keep me young.  

afternoon - 3 Casa Grande.  Down on the NXR Southwest course.  If this stinking town wasn't so far away life would be much better.  Had a good time with the team though.  (Peg black 403.75)

morning - 7 Casa Grande.  Chose to just run with the team on their warm and around cheering for everyone.  We had some ups and downs.  Boys team ran pretty well, but a big struggle from Hell Raiser really hammered our points - bummer to see him struggle so much in this race; he deserved to be in the mix.  The girls ran pretty solid; still a lot of room for growth with better coaching/preparation and mental toughness as well - but we are learning and things are going to continue to improve.  Very fun to watch such awesome teams and individuals.  (Peg Black 410.75)

Enjoyable week.  And we traveled safely.

Goals for next week: more safe travel to SLC and get some workouts in.  Keep trying to get a little faster.

AM - 6 Twix/AC.  Didn't get quite as much with the dog again.  A bit tired from the long weekend.  And morning is still just 20 mins, so that limits the mileage.  But in reality, waking up and running at all is always a victory.  (Peg 686.75)

AM - 7.25 Twix/2xAC. A little with the dog and then to practice earlier than usual with some of the girls; fun to run with them; and then normal 20 mins with the boys. (Peg blue 66.25)

afternoon - 9 track/dirt mile. I get so bugged by people, ahh... Parents just need to shut up and realize that sometimes coaching a team requires a view of things bigger than what might be best for Little Johnny! The passive aggressive ones are the worst - just shut up; there is a reason you're not a coach, you know nothing! But today's workout was good. Warmed and cooled with 3x1600's. I ran with next year's Varsity crew, and they did awesome. We are going to give it all a solid shot through track and into XC next year. Plan was 10-20 secs slower than 5K pace, then on, and finish with 10-20 faster all with 3 min recovery. We went 5:50, 5:30 and 5:10. Totally nailed it. Got home and added a bit with Pyper. (Kinvara green 388.5)

morning - 11 Wasatch. Good little jaunt with Twix. Having not run a lot of mileage lately, I forgot how long it takes to run 10+ miles. Wasn't nearly as cold as predicted, and the dang storm that we drove through the the night to beat never happened - good times at the in-laws. But did give ample ready time to read new book Vis got me (he is such a good fella) "The Animal Keepers" about a cross team in Wisconsn, Solinsky and Suzy Favors school. A totally great read. All runners should read it; all XC runners and coaches should read it; all administrators should read it to get a sense of this sport that they have no clue about; all parents of runners should read it and see what really happens on a team and not just how coach must hate their cute Little Johnny! (Peg Black 421.75)

morning - 13 Granite. Ran up to park and extended a bit then looped the park to plan my workout loop for a warm of 3.5. Then got into my workout of 15x60/60 at .19 or 5:12 pace. Hit them all at 5:00-:15 pace and it was tough. Hardest workout I've done in awhile. So much harder than a 30/30, you can bs for 30 secs, but that extra is tough to hold onto especially in the grass. But it is a good price for workouts. Then cooled back to grab Rylee and Pyper and Twix and we ran back up to the park to get on the trails where we ran for a bit and then did our striders at the park. I really enjoy running with those girls, they are fun. I'm grateful that hey are developing a joy of running - the greatest activity in the world. (Peg Blue 79.25)

morning - 10 Sego Lily/Granite. Took Twix on the Sego Lily loop. Went a little later,but it was breezy and that made it pretty chilly. Then grabbed Ry and Py and went up to Granite Park for their workout. Ry had a pretty rotten attitude and wasn't even working hard at all; I sent her home and finished up with Pyper. (Peg Black 431.75)

AM - 10.25 Sego Lily/Waterford. Up a bit earlier to get the run in and head back home. Had a surprise of a little more than an inch of snow and continued light snow throughout the run. First five were with Twix and. Ran pretty quick. Then grabbed the girls and we ran around for another 5+. It was Pyper's first snow run, but she didn't mind other than her cold. She had her gloves off because she was too hot. I needed another pair because my hands were freezing by the end. People were freaking out that I was running in shorts, but that is the only way to run. (Peg blue 89.5)

Not a bad week. Seeing the mileage increase a little and workouts increase.

Goals for next week: one last XC week. Headed down to FootLocker. So hope that all goes well.

AM - 4 Twix.  Our usual route out and around Pine Valley Townhomes.  Low 20's today.  Wintery.  

afternoon - 8.5 Sand Hills.  Over to the Sand Hill and some up and down practice.  Then went with Pyper over to our rollers in the desert below Maverick and ran a little hill workout with her.  (Kinvara blue 309.5)