Relentless

morning - 11 Steve's toward Washington Dam and loop around through fields. A fun run with Steve and Mike. I am glad to get back into it. I figured I could come back from my break two ways: feeling refreshed and great, or feeling out of tune. I came back the latter. Legs felt like I was working to pick them up every step. Everything felt off from my toes to my head. But I enjoyed running. (Precision 206.25)

GOALS FOR 2008:

After having a successful year in 2007, I am looking forward to building on it in 2008.

Mileage: I would like to push up to 120 weeks in the summer. As a result, I think this will push my total mileage for the year up over 4000 to somewhere around 4200.

Health Goals: This is a little vague and not the best way to set goals, but I would like to eat healthier. So I am not going to give in to any caff. soda and ... what the heck I'll say soda at all, let's see how it goes.

Injuries: You can't really predict them, but you can help avoid them and take care of them when they happen. Keep myself as injury free as 2007.

Enjoyment: Run on the trails! Run in the rain! Outrun bikes! Find a few tortoises! Really, really enjoy at least 2 runs per week.

Racing: I have never set goals for a year, but here we go-

10K - Under 30 at Summer Games

and 31 at an unaided 10K

1/2's - 3 minute PR which would put me at 1:07:06, so let's say under 1:07

marathon - SLC equal SGM time even with the harder course

SGM top three finish with whatever time that takes - I am planning on it being sub 2:20, so there is the goal!

Final goal is to decided on which course I am going to go for Trials qualifier on in a couple years and get plans made and set to run that race in 2009, so I am ready for 2010.

afternoon - 12 River Trail. Solid run down and back the trail. Started with some of my runners and had a good run. Then they broke off and I just let it flow. Still felt a bit hurky-jerky, but the times weren't showing that as I hit most of the miles back up the run in low to mid 6's. Ave. 6:40. (Cumulus Silver 318.45)

AM - 5.25 Washington Loop. Set the reasonable of getting back on track with my morning runs by going 5. Got chased by a scary rottweiler and decided to take a different road as to avoid getting eaten. (Cumulus red 439.7)

afternoon - weights 2 x sets as I was trying to get home quick to taxi the girls around (added to the fact that I hadn't lifted for a couple weeks), but then the Jeep wouldn't start anyway.

Evening - 10.7 Club run on the Parkway Trail and down into Green Valley. Good run with Steve. Pushed the pace up the hill back toward Sunset and on the trail to the store with some solid 6:20 uphill miles. Ave. was 6:40. (Stratus 200.45)

AM - 5 Washington Loop. Wasn't so sure if I would drag myself out of bed when that alarm went off, but I did. Temps were very mild; took off hat and gloves. (Cumulus Orange 424.45)

afternoon - 12 GS/PL/Middleton to PVHS then home. Run was pretty good. I was a bit tired and happy that I had decided only to run the 9 instead of the 10.5 or 12. Then I took a wrong turn and added a little - only .25 so no big deal, but then I had to run home from school when my Jeep wouldn't start again and that about spent me. (Precision 218.25)

morning - 20.5 Store to Painter's course and back. I was the club this morning as I either missed the message about a change or was the only one brave enough to dare go outside in the rain. As I got going, however, the rain was very minimal, and I stayed dry. Waited for about 10 minutes at the store and then decided to run down to the Painter's course (which I thought would be about 2.5, but was actually 3.5). Ran the course - including the outside of the road on the Bloomington Loop which is a real pain - and then back up to the store. Didn't have my Garmin, because I didn't want it getting ruined in the rain. So I didn't have exact numbers on pace or miles, but I went okay not taking it too hard. I was pretty worn down by the time I was coming back up Bluff - it was a long and tiring stretch. But it turned out to be the longest run I have done since SGM. I will now be getting back into 20+ milers to get ready for SLC, so it turned out okay. (Cumulus Silver 338.95)

Good week except for Monday. But by midweek, I was back going strong and had a couple good runs.

Goals for next week: Get miles to 100 again. Keep getting mentally prepared to run a race again. Have a good set of mile repeats on Monday.

AM - 7.15 GreenSprings. It is so easy to stay in bed, and so much harder to get out of bed, when you have let yourself fall into that - so I am struggling to break back through. Temps still pretty darn nice for January at 5:30 in the morning. (Cumulus red 446.85)

afternoon - 10.4 5xmiles on cemetery loop. Not the best set of repeats. I think I may move this workout to Tuesdays. I've noticed that I have often been lethargic and not to "in to it" on Monday's. A bit chilly and windy out which had some play on the run, but not as much as my tight legs and struggle to push. 1-5:30 not bad considering I felt way tight and the wind was holding me back on the downhill section where I usually gain some time. Family drove by during 1 minute recovery jog, so I welcomed the opportunity to stop and talk to them, but the longer break kind of threw me off. 2-5:31 Kept a decent effort on this - again the wind. 3-5:37 A big slip on time here, but most of it was caused by a Pit Bull that came out of a house after me (lucky he didn't eat me!) but I did stop to clap and yell at him and my watch kept going, so maybe about a 5 second loss. 4-5:42 Here's where it got ugly. From this point on the legs felt like the end of a race. 5-5:40 I thought about not running this one, but decided that wouldn't do me much good, so I gave it as strong a push as I could. Then finished by running around Washington a bit as a cool down. (Precision 228.65)

AM - 5 Washington Loop. I tried to stay in bed, but couldn't let myself. Kind of cooled off again last night. (Cumulus red 451.85)

afternoon - 11.75 Shnobe Kibe.  Started off with a few of the boys and as they went up Staheli's Hill, I extended around the mountain.  Only got chased by a few dogs - some friendly, others foes.  Back at PVHS I tried to start up the Jeep (it wouldn't), did my abs workout quickly as to not cool off too much and then ran the 2.75 home.  (Stratus 212.2) 

afternoon - 14 River Trail into Bloomington Hills and back.  Started off with Kimzey and Austin.  Wind was blowing hard against us.  Decided to take a detour off my normal route and extend a little.  Couldn't loop around the 1/2 course because it still has a giant hole in the trail and tractors all around it, so I just made it an out and back.  Nothing too quick as my hips still had a little soreness and weakness in it.  (Cumulus silver 352.95)

evening - 3 Treadmill @1%.  Put the kids to bed and grabbed a few extra to try and work my kinks out a bit.  Didn't really feel like going any more than this though.  Now I'll just run once a day until the 1/2.  (Cumulus orange 427.45)
 

evening - 10.8 Club run.  The normal club run route is going to be the one we have done the last two/three weeks, up onto Parkway Trail, under to Ball Fields, down by Snow Canyon HS, then extended down to the Golf Course and back up toward Sunset and then on the trail back to the store.  Today I doubled back looking for Steve, Allen, and Mike, but they headed out up Sunset.  Good run with a enjoyably easy start with a good social hour and then some pickup in a few place toward 6:20-6:40 miles.  (Cumulus Silver 363.75)

afternoon - 12.6 Junction and over top of Coral Canyon down Highland. Solid run. Did 4 x 100 barefoot grass striders on the Coral Canyon Elem. grass.  The effort was good and for three miles down Highland and back toward home I really pushed it - using the hills I got 6:10, 5:27, 5:50. (Precision 241.25)

morning - 1/2 course and extended up trail.  Club run with a lot of people starting.  Ran the first 7 with James and then by myself around the loop as Steve took off.  I thought I was really poking 'cause he was pulling away so easy, but I still was hitting a few around 6:30.  Then we took it pretty easy back up the trail.  Finally Mike and I finished with a couple up the trail and back.  (Stratus 229.4)

afternoon - 13.65 Bank run reverse and Nisson's.  Ran the bank run a little before practice started to get a few extra miles in as this afternoon was going to be busy.  Then as team warmed up, I kept going and added a few big loops.  Then Ruth, Kimz, Austin and I ran Nisson's with a detour into the desert above the Fire Station and a lap around Sandberg's Pond to add a few more miles.  Nice easy pace run into a little different area than usual.  (Precision 254.3)

PM - 12 on Treadmill.  Sick family meant heading home right after school so my wife could go to the doctor.  Her and my youngest have strep.  Eventually I was able to get my run in - on the treadmill so I could help out if needed.  Turned on some tunes and a b-ball game and set off.  Eventually I turned it up to 6:40 and started a climb, from 1%-5% for each mile and then back down, finishing with a 1% mile at 6:00 and a cooldowner at back at 6:40.  It was a good workout, the best I have had on the treadmill in some time.  (Cumulus orange 439.45)

afternoon - 9 Shnobe Kibe.  Good run if I wouldn't have been frozen.  Of all the days to forget a long sleeve shirt!  The temps were in the low 30's, but the wind chill was a bit on the cold side.  It was so windy that not only did it nearly blow me over running into it - literally - but going with it, I could feel it pushing me along with quite a force  (I was hitting 6:00 with about a 7:30 effort).  Then I woke to find half of my fence blown over, that will be a fun one to fix. (Cumulus silver 372.75)

Planned on running about 5-6 more in the evening, but I was feeling pretty sick to my stomach, so I passed.
 

evening - 7.25 Club run, SCHS loop.  For the most part took it pretty easy and tried to get ready to race.  Hit 2 miles in the middle at 4:58 and 5:20.  The hard pace really got me feeling and thinking about racing - and ready mentally.  I think all should go well.  I am in better shape than last year, and last year I was pretty sick for a week up to race day.  All I can do is go run strong and set myself up for a good time.  (Precision 261.55)

afternoon - 8.5 Grapevine and to Highland Park for 4x75 barefoot grass striders and then another .6 barefoot on the grass. Then back home. Scared the big owl out of his tree out at Grapevine - pretty cool. Ready to go for tomorrow. (Stratus 237.3)

Got to the race and did a warmup of just over 2 miles in my Stratus and got ready to run. Wished Ally good luck on her 5K (30:50 5K PR!) and did a few run outs and got ready to go. Cool, but not really too bad. New the race would be tough with 2 Oly Trials Qualifiers (Logan and Nick M.), plus Sasha and a few others. But I planned on going out a solid, but not killer pace and hit a good solid time. Here's the race report:

Was very happy with how it all turned out - with only one regret! - But felt better pretty quickly after as I relaxed and went on a cool down (2 miles) with Logan. It was the first race of the year and I ran strong, kept my head in the race for the most part and ran 4 minutes faster than last year (on the same - short - course). A great way to start the year and it got me pretty pumped up to get going strong for SLC.

Great races everyone!

(Stratus 239.4)

(Ohana

morning - 10 Grapevine Springs to Coral Canyon. Slow easy pace with a bit of fatigue in the legs, but no real soreness. Ran 4x100 barefoot grass striders and .4 or so more for a mile barefoot. (Cumulus silver 381.75)

AM - 5 Washington Loop. Need to get back into the morning running even though it is a recovery week. So I'll make myself get up and run 5's this week to kind of get going again, and then just run a little shorter (8-9) in the afternoon - to hit around 80 for the week. Then next week I'll go back to 100. Legs a little tender this morning. (Cumulus red 456.85)

afternoon - 8 Washington Parkway.  Ran with Kimz, Austin and Ruthie.  They had to slow down for me on numerous occasions as apparently I am the only one in the world feeling any fatigue from the 1/2.  (Precision 269.53) 

AM - 5 Washington Loop. Same old - a little bit cooler than yesterday. (Cumulus orange 444.45)

afternoon - 8.4 Foremaster.  Ran with the distance crew again at a nice easy pace.  Trying to show the kids how to go hard and recover by example!  I extended up and around the DI Loop and stopped at Sandstone to do 4x100 barefoot grass striders and 1 1/2 laps that came back as a mile barefoot.  (Cumulus silver 389.15) 

AM - 5 Washington Loop. Ran into some neighborhood runners and ran/chatted with them for about a 1/2 mile than continued on my own with some flurries coming down. I thought it might actually turn into something, but it died down. (Cumulus red 466.85)

evening - 7 Club Run.  I was happy to go run with the club, but my enthusiasm for the run died out pretty quick because I really didn't feel like running.  But I made it through it no big deal.  I thin that it is mostly coming from my slow recovery.  I kind of want to be out hitting some bigger mileage and harder workouts, but my body isn't ready for it yet, so it is kind of blah.  (Stratus 246.4) 

AM - 5 Washington Loop.  Well I did it!  Up each morning this week.  Next week I'll extend it to 7 milers.  (Cumulus orange 449.45)

afternoon - 8 River Run.  Hadn't done this section of the run in awhile.  Didn't wear my watch, so I had no pressure to run faster than my legs wanted to take me.  Had a new pair of Stratus on which is always nice.  (Stratus red 8)

morning - 15.2 Club run from top of Veyo Hill to Store. Had a good enjoyable run with Mike. I was glad he wanted to run at the pace we did, because I couldn't have gone any faster. Still in the recovery mode. When I got home, I ran down to my parents to help my dad move some stuff (.8 miles). (Stratus red 24)

Goal for the week was to recovery.  Hopefully I'll feel that way by Monday - but it is not there yet.

Goals for next week:  I would like to hit between 90-100 all depending on my legs and if they feel fresh at all.  Tuesday will be mile repeats, and hills on Friday.  So I hope I am ready. 

AM - 7.15 Green Springs Loop.  Up a little earlier than last week.  Wasn't too hard to get up since I was up every few minutes with my daughter anyway.  It was staying up that was tough.  (Precision 276.7)

afternoon - 8 River Run.  Snowy and cold, cold, cold.  Ran with Ruth and Austin.  We about turned back after a mile because the wind was blasting the cold and snow right into us.  But we made it around to Foremaster and the wind started going with us and the run turned out to be pretty fun.  Pace was pretty decent, but no watches to back it up.  Probably about 6:45 throughout and they held it well.  (Stratus red 32)

AM - 7.15 Green Springs Loop. Cold out this morning (18 degrees when I got home). Two mornings in a row I've been up, and the silver lining, I can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel for the week. (Cumulus red 473.7)

afternoon - 3 x cemetery mile. Ran over with the team and had them do some tempo work as I ran my miles. My goal was 5:20 for three, with 1 minute jog recovery, but I went out way to quick on the first and blew the whole workout. It was very disappointing. Finished with 4x100 barefoot grass striders and then the run back to PVHS - 8.5 total. 1-5:10, It felt so smooth and easy I didn't have any idea that I had gone so quick. 2-5:26, legs really started to lose it. 3-5:32, I noticed that I was not running too hard half way through and when I tried to push it nothing was there. (Precision 284.7)

afternoon - 14 River Trail into Bloomington Hills and back. Started off with a few kids and sent them back at 3.5. I kept it going, but nothing too quick would turn out. Ave. just above 7 for the whole run. A little tired, but glad to be back moving into the longer runs. (Stratus red 46)

evening - 5 Treadmill @1%. Set off at 7:30 for an easy recovery run. Started to feel a little better by the end and thought about grabbing a few more miles, but logic got the better of me as I need to live to run another day (or morning!). Good solid bag of miles today though. (Cumulus red 478.7)

AM - 7.15 Green Springs. A bit slow to work today as I spent extra time defrosting after the run. I wish winter was over. (Cumulus orange 456.6)

evening - 10.05 Club Run.  Same route as usual.  Took it at a solid easy pace; my body wouldn't have let me go faster if I had wanted.  I felt some solid fatigue from Tuesday's miles and Wednesday's 14.  (Stratus 256.45)