Relentless

AM - 6 Parkway.  Ran the Parkway in reverse with Twix before heading out to Cali.  Abs.  (Boston 226.5)

evening - 3 Mt. SAC. Ran the course with Ry and Py.  Don't like the change, but it is what it is.  (Peg green 205.75)

morning - 5 Mt. SAC. Ran a bit during the races.  (Peg green 210.75)

AM - 4 Twix.  Abs. Twix has been acting weird since we got back from Cali, so I wasn't sure how she'd run this morning.  She did well, however, and it was a good and chilly run.  All the leaves have finally fallen with the cold and winds last night.  She didn't want to step in them and would jump over all of them.  (Peg blue 563.25)

afternoon - 10.75 Sullivan River.  Ran home from school via the Trail to Nowhere and linked up to the River Trail, past Sullivan and home.  This is a long run for me nowdays.  The pace was solid throughout.  Nothing over 7:00 and averaged 6:35.  Cadence was 169.  Goal will be to hit 170 on a 10+ miler and bring the shorter runs above 170.  (Boston 237.25)

AM - abs and walk with Twix.

afternoon - 6 Parkway.  Ran home via the Parkway.  Prety tired, so I kept it at 6.  Have kind of developed a plan for myself and my running.  Pretty much will be less mileage on days like this (usually singles) and try and hit a couple decent workouts (longer run, tempo, intervals) per week.  Even not feeling zippy, ave was just under 7:00 and STP was at 168.  The good sign of that is that my running is transitioning - if on a tired, worn down day I can still be near my 170 goal, I actually am making that my normal strider rate, not just something I can only do when feeling quick.  (Peg grey 525.5)

AM - 4 Twix. Abs and run with the dog.  A little better than yesterday.  (Pace blue 187)

afternoon - 7.75 Track/home.  Warmed up on DI and then planned on doing some mile reps and running home.  The repeats were tougher than I imagined.  Not a pain tough ('cause I wasn't going fast enough), but more of a mental toughness that I don't have.  It was hard to try and run fast on a track lap after lap and keep in it mentally.  I only did two at 5:46 and then :39 with 3 minute recovery.  Next time I'll build on it.  Run home was good and the pace was solid.  (Peg green 218.5)

AM - abs and walk with both dogs. 

afternoon - 6 PV.  Ran grass loops on the back field while the jav throwers did their thing.  Right hammy was a bit more painful than the last couple weeks, probably from yesterday.  (Cumulus 372)

AM - 4 Twix.  Abs and then run with Twix.  Hammy felt no worse for the wear this morning.  (Pace blue 191)

afternoon - 8.25 Sullivan. Ran home from school via the Sullivan loop. For how tired I feel, and how blah the runs feel lately, the paces have beennslick.  6:35 today. (Boston 246)

morning - 10 Sand Hill in reverse. Got out a bit later this morning and enjoyed a nice run in the desert. Longest run for Twix in quite some time.  She felt it at the end and we finished the last two around 6:20. Was able to run sans a shirt. Got back in time to watch the boys race at Foot Locker (will go watch the girls replay now). I’ll say this - although here will always be enough good people to make FL a great race, NXN is where the true champs go now (yes, I know Claudia is amazing, but the best are at Nike, especially on the boys side). (Sense 344.75)

Good first week without the team. Sometimes it’s hard to run w/o them. They inspire me. 

Goals for next week: keep on trying to push my limits. Keep working on cadence. 

AM - 3 Twix.  Abs and then a little shorter run with the dog.  I need to get up just 5 minutes earlier to get everything I want to do in - I've started an attempt to learn Spanish and while I don't have practice in the morning, I've been using some time there to practice.  Some of the basic stuff I learned back in school is coming back, but other stuff is a lot harder and will take time.  The goal is to have enough vocab that by the summer, I can find some way to start working on conversational stuff.  We'll see how it goes.  I don't know why the urge hit, but hopefully I'll stick with it.  I kind of like the challenge of learning.  Run was good, a little slower than usual lately, but a 172 cadence.  (Pace blue 194)

afternoon - 11.25 River Trail. Ran the same route home as last Monday on the Trail to Nowhere, Mosquito, then Sullivan and home. Another solid paced run at sub 6:45 and a solid 168 cadence. My own zing for running is coming along as well. Temps are off the wall; not to brag, but I ran shirtless again. (Peg black33 461.75)

AM - abs and walk with both dogs.

afternoon - 8.75 Parkway.  Ran the home via the Parkway.  Extended a bit around the Dirt Mile (better enjoy it before it is buldozed for businesses and townhomes).  (Boston 252.75) 

AM - abs and walk with Twix.  Not feeling great, coming down with a cold and sore throat, so I just stuck to walking this morning.  We'll see about the afternoon.  

afternoon - 3 home. Just ran home after school. A bit blah. (Peg black33 464.75) 

AM - abs and walk with big dogs. Still not super good, especially in the mornings. 

afternoon - 7.75 GS. Ran up into GS and then across the desert and home. Felt a little better than yesterday. (Cumulus 379.75)

AM - abs and walk again. 

afternoon - 4.75 DogPound. Ran home via the DogPound and extended up King’s Row. Did not want to be out. End of the quarter is draining when you’re already drained. Wasn’t a good pacenor SPM. (Peg green 223.25)

morning - 10 Prospector. Went around the block with Elin and Molly. Then Twix and I went in the desert. It was a good run and just what I needed. Ran in a new pair of Hoka Speedgoats. I got them for free, or I would never have tried them - especially Speedgoats since they are named after Karl Meltzer. My only interaction with him is from my first Squaw Peak 50 (greatest comment forum on this blog ever, by the way; if you want to see what the “good old days” of the blog were like, go check it out in my races); anyway, Melzer was at an aid station, and when I came by in the lead he talked crap me. Screw that guy! I don’t care if you are some ultra superhero; we’ve never met, why you talking smack? So I still to this day I’m not super fond of him and it was tough to wear his shoes even if they were free. But hey, they were actually really good shoes, so whatevs!  And, of course, it was a beautiful morning in the desert. (Speedgoat 10)

Not an amazing week with being sick and cutting down mileage. 

Goal for next week: get feeling better and cruising with the team a bit. 

AM - 4 Twix. Abs and a good start to the week with Twix. Cadence was a solid 172. (Peg grey 529.5)

afternoon - 12.5 GS/River Trail. Fun being back with the team. Finished by running home on the River Trail. Ran well and was surprised that the cadence was only 167 because the run was quick and I was focusing on a good turnover. Cramping up a bit now. Got dehydrated through the day as I got some food stuck in my throat and it took some time and a lot of throwing up to get it out. I’ve been looking into getting my esophagus stretched. I guess it is very helpful for the problem I have. (Boston 266.25)

AM - 4 Twix.  Abs.  Very slow and painful miles up into Bella Vista and back with Twix.  Pace was way off this morning.  Both achilles hurt a lot and continued to hurt almost the whole run.  Left calf that tightened up so bad yesterday hurt a lot.  Somehow cadence was still at 168, so I must be making progress on that to keep it decent on such a slow run.  Really want to make 170 the usual, though.  Glad I got out to work some of this out of my system.  (Cumulus 383.75)

afternoon - 5 PV. Ran a bit on the turf and then home. Felt a bit better than this morning. (Peg blue 568.25)

AM - 6 Parkway.  Abs and then Twix and I went out on a nice cool morning run around the Parkway.  Saw a few shooting stars and then the sunrise on the way to school was epic.  Great start to the morning.  Right achilles is really hurting right now.  Hit a good cadence; 171 for the full run.  (Peg green 229.25)

afternoon - 6.5 Target. Good run with the team and then up to get the car from Ry’s work at the St. George Running Center. It is fun running with the crew; they are in good spirits. Caught a few minutes with the girls, too. They are a great group of kids. Plus, the quarter is over, so you can’t beat that. (Pace blue 200.5)

morning - 9 City Wells. Awesome run. Snowed a little last night and a snowy desert is the most beautiful thing in the world. Up around the Wells there was 2-3 inches of snow - I know it isn’t a lot, but it was really cool.  Abs after. (Speedgoat 19)

morning - 9.75 Sullivan. Good run with Twix down along the river. A little tired, but the dog and I kept a solid pace and cadence - 170 for 10 miles, best yet. Abs after. (Peg black33 474.5)

noon - 9.25 Desert Canyons. Went out by the airport to try Gia new trail system (Pushing Tin). It is a nice trail, but short. I was going to run it a couple times, but just went out into the desert instead. Both Twix and I were a bit tired and slow. (Speedgoat 28.25)

Decent week. Felt pretty good for the most part, other than he achilles pain. 

Goals for next week: mileage will be off with Christmas, but will shoot to get a good run or two in. 

morning - 12.25 Dimple Dell. Nice, cold and snowy run in the Gully with Twix. Ran all the way down to 3rd and back up. Pace wasn’t wonderful, nor were the steps. But we survived. Abs after. (Speedgoat 40.5)

morning - 5.5 Sego Lily. Not enough time for a long run. Abs. (Peg black33 480)

Finished off the rest of the week sick. Not a great way to end the week, month, or year. Oh well.