Welcome

Long run with Jake, Kotter, Kramer and Fritz. Murph for a couple Sugarhouse laps. Nice until it snowed hard for the last bit. Ran about 5 with just Jake. I had my phone in my pocket but no watch so I didn't know what our pace was. Was surprised it was 649 because it felt like an easy stroll.

Liberty park run with Jake, Nate, Allie, James and Collin. Up to memory grove and down B which everyone loved. Ended up at 10.2.

After the run, I went to my tempo loop to check it out in the light of day and assure myself I could run sub 6 on the course. I was carrying my phone to monitor pace and it killed out just after the mile mark.First mile was 5:33 and the second was a similar effort. Felt strong throughout. Phone revived after it warmed up. I need to average 5:28 for next weekend's 10k barring bad weather.

Moderate emigration out and back. I wasn't feeling quite as good as I thought I was feeling. 6:24 avg for first 9 with the downhill miles in 5:50 or so. Then an 8:45 back up to the office. My Kinvara 4s now have a big strip of duct tape on the inside left foot to keep my foot from falling out. It is working better than expected.

Modified plan this week is moderate run today then 3x3 miles @ MP Wednesday and race on Saturday.

AM

5:30 wake up. 5 miles in the snow and ice up to memory grove. The road is plowed all the way up which is great. A really peaceful morning. 8:06 average

Lunch

7.1 more easy down S Temple to 7th E and back up. Through the U each way. 8:00 pace. Some stretching, core and PT thereafter.

AM 5:30 wake up and 45 mts core/cardio with the wife

Lunch

3x3 miles at marathon pace with .5 mile rests. I wanted to do this yesterday morning but following Jake's smart planning for not running in snow, I decided to modify to today. This morning was cold and dark and I didn't want the fear of slipping so I made time to do it during the work day.

This meant using my Wasatch tempo out and back. From 1300 S to just before it ends at about 2250 S is 1.5 miles. A tempo on this road is pretty nice traffic wise mid day but it does have miles as follows: 1 - 45 up and 22 down for net 23 up; 2 - 50 up and 50 down for net 0 (and a 180 turn); 3 - 22 up and 45 down. So it is not flat but not hilly either. Did the three sets in 5:58.8, 5:57.4 and 5:59.7 average.  5:58.6 total avg with miles between 5:53.6 (2nd mile) and 6:04.4 (1st mile) - evened otu after that. It wasn't hard until the last set and it was tough hanging on at the end there.

A great work out that left me spent. 2 up 2 down.

AM

5:30 - 45 minutes easy up memory grove. Hips feeling a bit tender. 5.5 total

Lunch

Another 9 with Adam going along 11th ave. About an 8:00 avg.

Easy treadmill miles. 4x20 SECONDS at "5:00" pace. 30:00 total. Not sure what to expect for tomorrow but the goal is sub 5:30 each mile.

I wanted this race to mean something but it is hard to put your hopes into a winter series race. What's most important to me when I race is being satisfied with my effort and that didn't happen today. Upon arriving at Saltair, there was some noticeable wind. I had a nice warm up primarily with James and the wind got stronger as we returned to Saltair. After I changed and did a few accelerations, I felt good and 5:30 felt comfortable.

Right before the race started, I had an unusual negative though of something like, "Why do I have to do this. Doing well is hard." The race started and I settled in at about 5:25 pace after a bit of a quick start. I felt very comfortable and the first three flew by uneventfully. I chased Nate and Benjamin who made up the "chase pack" to the lead five (I think there were 5). First three were 5:23, 5:28, 5:26. As the leaders passed after the turn, Jake said something like, "Go get them." I thought that was a nice idea, but it didn't have the needed effect of increasing my determination. 5k was about 16:50. After the turn, I realized just how bad the wind had gotten as it was blowing hard from the west. Mile 4 was 6:08. It got slightly better after turning southwest but I had no determination. I continued to coast at a comfortable pace. Miles 5 and 6 were 6:01 and 5:53. I sped up for the last bit and got a 1:24 for the last .25 on my Garmin. My mile splits were right on for the first couple but there was an 11 second gap by mile 6. So splits are a bit fast.

6:00-6:15 is now my giving up coasting pace. Perhaps that's good because that is getting faster but I haven't learned how to dig in and will myself to go faster. I fought the wind but I didn't really fight to stay on pace. In fact, I decided to not even look at my watch after the turn because I didn't really have a plan B for the wind. I fell off from Nate and Benjamin a bit on the second half and made no effort to close the gap. I didn't really care.

On the cool down, James wanted to do 5 by 60 seconds hard. I went with him and by the third rep my legs were feeling it and I was working in the latter half of the minute (4:50-5:15 pace w/general slowing over the minute but faster each rep). I haven't replicated that effort and pain in a race and I think that is where my opportunity lies. Decent speed, a good aerobic house, now I just need to learn how to push the limit and run hard when my will weakens (or even better, maintain a strong will).

While running, I feel like, "How much does it matter if I push right now?" But returning home, I am angry with myself for not giving it my best.  This is my challenge going forward.

Overall, still in a good place. 5:45 pace so a nice workout and no worse for the wear (good positive spin from Coach K). 80 mile week with a good mid-week tempo. Averaging 80 for the year thus far. I was feeling a bit beat up midweek (dealing with a new bout of hip bursitis on the right side) but I am fresh and motivated now.

Congrats to Riley for breaking the course record on a tougher day than last year and showing what it means to fight the elements and continue to push hard. He ran something like 16:25 on the second half which to me shows a lot of toughness. I believe this shows I had 15-20 seconds per mile in me on the way back if I had his determination.

AM

Went out at 10am after my mom came and got the kids for church. Wasn't sure how the rain would be so I looped close to home. My right hip was quite tender and wasn't warming up much. I ended up circling the West High track after a couple miles and that's when the rain hit.

I had my phone with me because Colin was crying when he left and I was getting nice and wet so I hurried back home. If it lets up this afternoon, I may try again. Thank goodness for precip but I am not a happy rain runner. 8 avg

PM

8.5 in West Weber at 7 pm after a big roast and potatoes dinner. Along 2800 W and w to plain city on Pioneet Road. 7:28 avg

Decided on a day off. First in three weeks. Did 20 minutes on the bike and some stretching/PT stuff. This is a good week in the schedule to have some flexibility and maybe back off mileage to see if that reduces inflammation in the hip. I've had this before once on both sides. It just sticks around for a few weeks and then goes away. I am a master of the hope for the best approach.

Workouts and long run will be a priority but indecision rules the rest.

AM

5 am wake up. 4x2 miles at MP. Felt ok on the warm up of 3 miles but not peppy. I thought I would have a better session than two weeks ago on the Rose Park tempo loop. After struggling through a 6:06 mile, I hoped I was just warming up. Next miles were 6:11 and 6:12 and all I could think about was stopping. After slugging through a 6:26 mile, I stopped. I didn't want to run anymore. I just stood there for a minute wondering what to do and than walked a bit. I then started a jog toward home and had a 9:35 mile which was more or less flat. The right hip was omnipresent but I don't think it affects pace. I am not sure what to make of this so I will continue to mull it over. I think some changes will be made but I don't want to overreact to a down week.

Emigration out and back in the rain at lunch. I came in and the rain stopped.

From work down the U track. It was actually open so I went in and saw the track team warming up so I left after a lap. Went across to Sunnyside and up emigration. When I turned around, I did a downhill mile in 5:15 to see how everything was feeling. I am old but I felt prety good.

AM

From HHS with Jake, Kotter, Murphy, Collin and some high schoolers. After a big Tanner Park Wasatch loop, I did three lapsA of the park with Jake and Kotter then a 5k on the track at marathon pace. A regressive tempo of 543, 555 and 606 for 1822 total. The south curve was still icy and a bit treacherous. I was going to keep going but hips were tight. Maybe a shakeout tonight. Four new blisters on my left foot. Goodbye Kinvara 4s!

PM

Four mile shake out to memory grove and back. Left hip felt ginger; migrating inward.

I broke out the blue crocs for the first time in a bit to embarass the crew and let my blisters breathe. Nice morning but I felt kind of blah. Liberty park wanderings with Jake, Nate, James and a variable ensembel cast.

I decided to do some hill stuff today based on a Jake inspired idea (though I don't know that he'd have me do it today). I ran up memory grove to city creek about 3.25 miles and then started the work out. I didn't have a pace in mind but the idea was to go hard but not laboring hard. I did 4x1/2 mile uphill and they were all 3:09-3:11. For the rests I went back downhill a 1/4 mile other than the fourth rest where I kept going uphill. Then I turned around after the fourth and did 4x1/2 mile downhill in 2:35 other than the third when I did half uphill and half downhill so it was 2:59 (that way I wasn't running hard through the gate going out of city creek). Rests were 1/4 mile uphill. Intervals were about 85-135 ft elevation change which is about 3.25-5%. Fun workout without being overly taxing on a beautiful day with lots of folks out.

Easy across to HCI and down 4th ave via fed heights. I felt sluggish going down so I decided to pick up the effort on the way back and that felt a bit better.

I forgot socks today and went sockless. The Ride 5s have an edge for the lacing structure that caused both toes to bleed but otherwise they actually felt better. I sometimes get some numbness in these shoes and none of that today.

Lunch

Plan was 6x1 mile progressing from MP to 15k pace. I went outside around 11 when the wind was already picking up just to see how bad it was. Within two miles, the snow started coming down pretty good and I headed back to the office. I didn't want the possibility of a big workout in the evening hanging over me with the bad weather so I opted for treadmill.

On the treadmill, I did 4x1 mile at 5:36-5:27 with a 1.5 incline. I ran past the mile mark by 20 seconds each time since the treadmill is slow and I consider these to be 15-20 seconds slower than stated pace. Since I wasn't really locking in 5:40 pace for Saturday, I decided to stop at 4 and hope to go out and do another 2x5:40 this evening to get a feel for the pace. I have started understating treadmill mileage but I know that's a tricky game. I just go .2 over on each run and call it fair. 10 miles total

PM

5 miles right after work. Commuted mostly home then ran 1.5 to the west high track and did 2x1600 in 5:38 and 5:42. It was cold with a strong wind but I didn't feel labored. Felt surprisingly strong.

AM

50 minutes of Biggest Loser weight loss yoga. It's more of a core and stability routine.

Lunch

8 easy most of it with Adam from work to Wasatch. Feeling good not great.

Dry creek with James and Nate. Forgot my watch at home but 8 is a pretty precise guess.

Goal tomorrow is to run 5:35s as long as I can and try to stay below 5:40s throughout. There is some wind in the forecast (10 mph WSW) so we shall see.

Forgot to mention. I felt spry today for the first time in two weeks. My minor hip issues are on the mend but not mended but it really was a spring in the legs and a positive attitutde that had been lacking.

Now I need to understand if this is a bad thing. Some may say that you should never feel that great during marathon training. Maybe I need 80+ mpw for adaption? I am mulling it all over but I have run 84 miles in the past 7 days...

Finally met a goal for this series of sub 53. This was a less agressive goal but it is a good benchmark for where I want to be. Translates into a 2:39 marathon. 5k splits are my favorite, 17:35, 17:39, 17:34. 26:30 out and 26:19 back. Even effort throughout and no let down at the end. Splits 5:36, 5:40, 5:37, 5:46, 5:44, 5:40, 5:38, 5:45, 5:41, 1:40 (garmin had the last part as .34.). 

I felt like I was going to slow during mile 8 when I struggled to hold 5:45 pace but there were a few times like this throughout the race where I felt like letting up but refused to do so. I kept looking at the 5:40 average pace on my watch and when it slipped to 5:41 in mile 8, I was determined to get it back down.

Felt good today and enjoyed the warm up and cool with a bunch of folks. About 3.5 up and 4.2 down. Perfect weather.

AM 8 easy with Nate up memory grove down 11th around fed heights and down s temple. Gorgeous morning. Legs feel good but my right hip hurt for about 6 miles so its a little angry at me.

PM 5 more easy in West Weber.

Wasatch out and back at lunch. Didn't bring shoes so I wore the back up to the back up because I took the back up home last week. Felt ok.

8-10@MP was the workout. I've struggled with these early in the morning on a flat loop I made in Rose Park so the plan was to go right after work and do a loop on the east side. I settled on a hilly loop with a net drop of about 250 ft. Went from work over to Wasatch and started on the downhill behind the zoo. Went along to BST through Tanner Park up 2700 E to 3160 S (Lambourne) down to 1700 E and across the freeway and back up on 1900 E. The tempo ended just after 1300 S and I cooled down to my office. The effort felt consistent and I felt good but not great. A bit banged up by the end. 60:51 for the tempo with miles of 5:54, 5:59, 6:06, 5:59, 6:15, 5:46, 5:52, 6:02, 6:19 and 6:29. Total of 500 ft up and 750 ft down. Grade adjusted per strava shows 6:15, 5:57, 5:51, 5:52, 5:48, 6:19, 6:19, 6:09, 6:01, 5:55. Strava 

Broke in the new Skechers and the verdict is still out. They are nice and comfy but they bothered the ball of my right foot big toe more than usual and I wonder if they are perhaps a bit unforgiving. We shall see.

Lunch run with Adam. Wasatch out and back. Didn't bring my watch. Beautiful day. A bit warm and I was thirsty at the end!

Felt beat up from yesterday's effort. Starting to wonder if I need to cross train this hip for a bit.

Lunch run with Nate and Adam along the BST and in the neighborhood above Hogle Zoo. Legs felt great today and I'm glad I gave them a rest yesterday. Shoes also felt very good. Beautiful day but windy.