Relentless

AM - 10.25 Clyde's. Logan and I ran the loop around Clyde's and put in 2x2 mile. Felt okay on them. Pace was 5:25-5:30. Things are fine I guess. (Adios 97.5)

AM - 5 AC/DI.  Easy cheesy.  (Ronin 115.5)

AM - 3 AC.  Toned it down a little more today even.  Did some mental stuff with the team, so I figured it would be better to sleep than wake up earlier to get a few more miles in.  Got a whole new batch of allergy meds to try and control my head - seemed to work a little better last night; we'll see how they are through today.  (F50 559.75)

AM - 3 AC.  Another easy 3.  I could live this life for a little while.  (Hyper Speed 407)

St. George Marathon. 2:26:53

Will update place later... Not sure.

AM - up early as usual and to the line with a good group on our bus. The weather, the crew, and pretty much everything else seemed to be falling into place. Was a little worried about the hammy as it seemed a bit tight (and stayed pretty close to the edge the whole race). Warmed a bit around the corral and worked to stay warm as well. Said hi to a lot of people and felt pretty good about my goal of sub 2:30.

1-5:42, running Logan and Ben and watched the super stars take it out and thought how fun it would be to watch this was unveil - turns out it was pretty I eventful other than the fact that they all smoked it! Temps were very cool and wind was at our backs with a some cross wind sometimes, but very favorable. 2-5:41, our main focus was just keeping calm. I kind of worried that I really didn't feel great, just working a little hard for this early and at this pace. 3-5:27, Logan was getting a little antsy and pulled away from Ben and I like 3 seconds. I yelled out to him that we would catch up if he promised not to run away. 4-5:31, staying smooth and quick. 5-5:35, another strong one as we drop toward Veyo. 6-5:25, I liked going strong through here, but I still felt like I wasn't really in a groove. I kept thinking how it seemed so bright already. It kind of weirded me out. 7-5:19, grabbed my first water/gu mix here. Drank pretty much all of it trying to stay ready for later in the race. 8-5:55, up Veyo. We really tried to relax and let the wind gusts push us up the hill. Ben had to depart just before this mile and that was a bummer. 9-5:50, goal for the next few... keep it cool through Dameron. 10-5:44, we picked off a few people through the last few miles. 11-5:57, on these miles before, I have stressed about the slower miles. But today Logan helped me keep me head. 12-5:44, finally topping out of Dameron and working to Mike Nielson. 13-5:27, Mike joins in with us and regroups - nice job. Hit the half in like 1:14 low (maybe teens). 14-5:34, right at the half it felt like Logan wanted to go a little and I thought he might take off. I really worried about how the 2nd half would go if I was on my own. 15-5:27, this and the next are often the fastest for me. Trevor joined up with us here. He helped a ton from here on out, even though I had to tell him not to talk so much! 16-5:20, maybe I had more at the end because we didn't kill these miles like I might have tried to in the past. 17-5:30, just plugging along. Once or twice in the next mile or two I started to slip off the back a second. But I just kept calm and took a step or two quicker and regrouped. 18-5:26, didn't want to think about how a decent finish could turn into a good time since there was so long to go, but I did notice that consistent 5:30 kept ticking off the miles. 19-5:41, pretty sure I haven't ever run Winchester this strong. Even if I have had as good a time, I've never felt this smooth and I blame it on Quadsi; Logan just kept it so smooth and even when I started to slip off again I didn't freak and just pushed a second to stay on it. 20-5:28, went through my ward's aide station during this mile (they were a little off the mile 19 marker which was kind of weird), but it was a lot of fun to see Rylee here. I gave my hand a quick kiss to plant it on her cheek, but either she didn't know what I was doing and tried to give me five or was trying to block it - since she's 12 I'm guessing it was the latter, but I'll say it was the former to make me feel better. 21-5:11, my watch had started beeping just a few feet early from early on, so I relapsed it here (so a total of 17 seconds spread throughout the first 20+ miles). I thought Logan again might just take off here, but as I started to go a bit after Mike (who had totally regrouped and was now flying down the hill) I noticed Logan not coming with me. I was hoping he would regroup so we could keep pushing together. There was plenty of race left and we had pushed so well together. 22-5:27, pushed up the little hill out of the twist better than I ever have and saw the team at the aide station. I remember thinking again not to start trying to do math about finishing time, but i was crossing my fingers. But at the same time, from here on out my mind started to really become a fog. All I could think keep pushing, but it was all a haze. 23-5:28, tried to figure out 5k to the finish and time. But I didn't have a clue. I just knew I would be somewhere. So I kept repeating, PR, PR, PR. 24-5:31, into town and trying to dig. Please end. My end is coming soon. 25-5:41, it's slipping down Diagonal, but for most of the mile my average was in the :30's and I thought I'll have a little more when I make the turn toward the Blvd. But after turning I really started to slow. I heard some feet moving quick. It was Ben... He had worked all the way back up and was flying. 26-5:59, so very, very tired. I really can't look back at this mile and remember even doing it. .2-1:19, for the finish. Another dramatic type finish. The second I enter the last two blocks and the fenced off area my body thinks its time to shut down. Legs jello, lift them up, I should look for my family but I can't. Legs gone right at the line.

One of my favorite parts of the marathon is cheering for friends and family as they finish; and there were tons of great efforts and finishes today. Super proud of Logan in his first marathon back, Clyde for sticking it in there as a gimp, James for getting a solid race in after not even being able to run 6 months ago, Allyson for pushing through her 2nd marathon with a great effort, and many others.

As I finally finishing this at 8:30 it is finally starting to sink it that I did so well. During the Spring this was going to be my goal, PR sub 2:25. But after the hammy injury at Provo and subsequent struggle to train over the summer, a sub 2:30 was a reasonable goal, but was going to be a tough push. So I am pleased and grateful. And i think iam really going to be jacked up for a bit, but it was worth it. (Adios 151.5)

Went on a few walks this weekend and then walked again this morning while the girls did their workout.  I am feeling pretty hammered - just as much in the legs as with my allergies/cold.  My head is just absolutely plugged and congested.  Blah.

AM - 3 AC.  Doubled the mileage today!  Wasn't easy though.  Because of all the tightness there was pain everywhere, but especially in the left calf.  Pleased with how the hammy is holding up; there is pain and it is tight, but nothing really worse than what it was before the race.  (Kinvara3 483.5)

AM - 3 AC.  I felt much better as I woke up today; noticeably better.  But once I started running my left calf and right hammy (the injured one) really put out some major pain - in fact I thought about stopping.  But we just kept it very easy and I kind of struggled through it.  Everywhere else, though, I feel pretty good.  (Kinvara 895.9)

AM - 3 AC.  Another 3 just trying to get feeling better.  Really other than my calf (which really improved today) and my hammy (minor improvement today), I feel pretty good now.  (Ronin 118.5)

afternoon - 3 Hot Nails. Enjoyed an easy 3 with the team and Trevor and Austin (some good reminiscing there). (Kinvara lime 274.75)

morning - 5.5 Parkway. Slept in and relaxed with my girls and then got out a little later. Hammy seemed to hold up a little better than the last couple days. (Kinvara Silver 183.75)

Enjoyed the recovery week.

Goals for next week: basically just keep it relaxed again. Busy week with Region and then end of the quarter, but then we have Thursday and Friday off - which I will spend working on the basement.

afternoon - 4 Lutheran/Park.  Ran a nice easy 3 with the team and then over to the park to set up the XC meet and ran one over there.  (Connect 631.5)

Noon - 5 Bloomington Hills Park. Ran around the course numerous times as I spent 4 hours setting up the Region course. (Ronin 132.5)

afternoon - 6.5 Foremaster. Very easy team run with all sorts of guys. I've got a great team to be around. (Oregon 691.75)

morning - 9.5 PV/AC. Ran over to practice and then AC warm up with the team. Then home by way of AC. (Ronin 128)

morning - 8 PV/Harts. Over to practice and then a warm and cool with them again and then home. (Kinvara Silver 191.75)

0 - stepped on a nail last night... Seriously - again? I was very lucky that I w airing flip flops because it allowed my foot to slip out when the nail first hit. The nail (actually two, the second one just missed the side of my foot) stuck over an inch through my sandal. Had I had a shoe on that sucker would have gone straight through my foot!

afternoon - 3. Don't remember the run or the shoes. Must have been eventful.

evening - 5 Sandy. Ran around the mall and some striders. Hip is really jacked right now and I feel like a pile of crap from not running much and eating a ton of junk. (Connect 636.5)

morning - 5 Sandy. A few with the team in the morning before and then a little more with Trevor. (Connect 641.5)

afternoon - 5 PV. Just ran loops around the grass while the team took a chill day and played frisbee. Ten ran some more with Py and Ry. My hip is really hurting right now. (Ronin 138)

afternoon - 3.5 PVXC Scavenger Hunt. Our first of what looks to be a new tradition after state. Had fun; my team came in 2nd! (F50 563.25)

AM - 13 Barrel Roll. Great run with Logan and Steve. Glad I got out and joined them. Longest run since the marathon; hopefully it kicks things off for me. (VertK 230)

Glad the week is done... It was a long and emotional one.

Goals for next week: time to actually run some again. I need it to feel better physically and mentally.

AM - 5 AC/DI.  Back to the morning runs with the team.  Hip hurt a lot today and my foot still hurts where the nail went in.  (Kinvara 488.5)

afternoon - 2xHarts.  Harts warm and cool with the team around a bit during their workout.  Then a mile and 5xhills with Pyper.  Running with my girls is a lot of fun.  (Ronin 143)

AM - 5 AC/DI.  Foot hurt a little again and so did the hip, but both seem to be working out some of the kinks.  I still don't think I am ready (mentally or physically) for any types of workouts.  (Kinvara 900.9)

AM - 10.25 Clyde's. Good morning run. Waiting for the body to decide it can actually handle running a bit. King of wanted to push some of the sections of this afternoon's run, but i am not there yet. (Kinvara lime 285)

afternoon - 3 2xHarts. Just warm and cool with the team. (Hyper speed 410)

AM - 5 AC/DI.  Felt a little better this morning, but a little cooler too.  (?)

afternoon - 3 AC.  Our first of what will become and annual event - Halloween Ice Cream Run.  Some great costumes... I was Coach Mostert of AF (and I must say, I killed it!).  (Boston 1029.25)