Welcome

Woke up in The Woodlands at 5 am Utah time to get in a run. Already 78 degrees with 90% humidity. Tempo scheduled so I went out to try it out. The Woodlands is a maze of wooded forest and road. You never really know exactly where you are and it can turn you around in an instant. I am usually very good at knowing directions and where I am but not here.

So I studied a map and had an idea of where to go to run around "Lake Woodlands" which is a swamp with a wide opening I think. I got pretty good and lost and was lucky to get back to the hotel. I could not sustain sub 7 pace for any extended period of time. I was going to do two loops but I decided instead to go inside a finish a shorter run on the treadmill with some actual speed. 6.7 in 51:25 outside with 136 HR.

On the treadmill, I did 1.25 at 6 with a 156 HR and 1.25 at 5:44 at a 166 HR. So I am counting those as marathon and threshold.

Deposition today (not mine). Can't wait to get home tonight!

5:45 AM

From home up memory grove and city creek. At the turnaround, I got in some faster miles to make up for some of the missed turnover yesterday. Did 2.75 miles in 15:10 or about 5:31 a mile with maybe 400 ft down. HR when I slowed was in the mid 140s so maybe it got into the 150s. 65:03 with 800 ft of climb.

Lunch

Wear testing for Jake with Adam. We ran up and down the hill at my office thrice so that accounted for a total of only 3.2.

Easy out and back just past 39th S on the Jordan River Park Way. My watch died around 7.5 so I had to find some markers from there on to lead me. I found a 5 marker at a bend maybe a half mile after my watch died and ran two more from there. Looking on google maps, the turnaround was almost 10.1 miles so I am saying 20.1 total. I know I left at 6:34 and got home at 9:04 so pretty much just under 7:30 pace. Nice morning. The run was harder at the end but the effort overall will allow me to be productive today.

If ever I wished I could be dishonest about a run, today would be the day. I had a wonderful idea of getting dropped off at the Mueller Park trailhead and running down North Fork City Creek to City Creek and home. I was in South Ogden and I got dropped off around 2:15. 

This was my first time there and I missed the trail head, I went straight up the road to Mill Creek. I stubbornly assumed it would meet up with the trail at some point and kept following pink flags until it no longer became a good idea to do so. I could still see GPS on my phone so I tried to cut straight up the mountain side. That didn't get me anywhere, so I cut back down and returned to the start and had my wife come get me. A waste of two and a half hours, especially the 48 minute mile cutting up the mountain side. Oh well. Other than cuts on the legs, I still feel great. 

Left just after 11:10 when it was still low 80s. Emigration out and back. Went strong the way up and tied my shoe on the turn around. Then realized I had a stiff headwind all the way back and wasn't feeling quite as strong. 37:11 up and 35:24 back. The warm-up mile from work is 200 ft down and I did that in 7:43 down and 8:31 back up so the middle 8 were just under 7 average going 560 ft up and back down.

AM

8 miles. Woke up at 5 and took 15 minutes to get going. I warmed up for a bit and wasn't really feeling it. I went to west and did a few strides on straightaways and then did 2x1000 in 3:36 and 3:38. Since I wasn't really feeling it, I decided to cut the workout and left the track. Also, I arrived before sunrise and awoke at least ten people who are apparently making the track their homeless encampment. There were a few nestled by a wall and a family sleeping on the high jump mats. I just felt like getting out of there. I ran another couple and threw in four 30-40 second Murphys in mile 7.  60 minutes total. Then I came home and did Coach Jay's general strength routine.

Lunch

6.35 miles. 15 minutes easy, 15 at MP, 15 easy. Marathon pace was 6:12 for 2.42 miles on the rolling Wasatch blvd. Felt good but it was mid 80s and I was a bit tired/parched. Did some more general strength.

I am going to start working in doubles but slowly. I considered a double today but 5:45 am self decided against it telling me I shouldn't push my luck doing them three days in a row.. I also didn't want to run in the heat and lose speed for a ten miler, so I decided on a treadmill progression instead since those are so much fun. 

Started at 7:30 and dropped it 10-12 seconds per mile down to 6:09 for mile 9 then a 7:05 cool. Miles 1-6 were at 1.5 grade, mile 7 at 2.5 (6:27 pace), mile 8 at 3.5 (6:18 pace), mile 9 at 2.5 (6:09 pace) and mile 10 flat. 68:30 total. Miles 8 and 9 were pushing 160 HR so I'm going with marathon pace for those. 

6 am

9 miles. Ran to liberty park and around once. Entered at 600 E. Did six murphys on the way back. Great morning. I didn't look at my watch and took it very easy. 1:12:09 total. 

Lunch

5 miles. BST and Red Butte wandering. 39:37. 

5:00 am

Longish run before the vacation drive tonight. Ran up city creek via memory grove. Once again, I failed to power my watch and it died just after mile 9. I averaged 8 minutes on the way up and got home about 117 minutes after I left so the way back was about 53 minutes. Maybe a 7:18 average. 1500 ft up.

Easy at Squaw Valley during lunch time. 46:13

To from the parked car at Muir Woods.

Got home from vacation late last night. After running at Squaw Valley on our drive into California, I decided I wanted a break from running. A vacation from everything. No running but a lot of walking through Berkeley, San Francisco, along the Pacific Coast Highway, at Santa Cruz and in Marin. Nice trip and great weather while we were there.

This morning, I left at 8:45 and did a 2nd ave, Virginia St, 11th ave, City Creek, Memory Grove loop. Ran two faster miles from 7-9 in 6 a piece going down hill. 1:19:47 total with 850 ft up.

Mid to high 70s and warmed up a bit during the run. Felt good.

Didn't wake up for a double like I wanted. Got to bed at 12:40 last night and didn't want to get up 5 hours later.

To get good miles in at lunch, I decided to run on the treadmill. Did a 1 incline and ran 6:58 pace for .5 mile, 6:40 pace for .5, 6:18 pace for .5, 6:00 pace for .5, 5:56 for 3 miles, 5:49 pace for 3 miles, 5:46 pace for 1 mile, then 5:42 pace and down for the last mile and change. Was running the last quarter at 5:00 pace when it died on me at 59:46. Felt strong like I could keep the 5:50 pace for a long time.

HR checks were in the 150s and hit 160 toward the end so a good marathon pace effort. 

I have been off since the vacation. I was getting up pretty early right before but now I can't get to bed before midnight and I've been trying to get decent sleep. So, another treadmill run at work.

Since yesterday's effort felt good and I felt I could keep going, I did another run targeting 10 miles within an hour. This time it was 6:40 pace for .5 mile, 6:18 pace for .5 mile, then miles in 5:56, 5:52, 5:49, 5:52, 5:49, 5:52, 5:49, 5:40 and 5:50. I decided to round to the 11th mile after hitting 60. 64:55 total at a 1 incline.

I started to labor in the 11th mile so it was good to feel that. The HR was slower to increase and didn't hit 150 until the 5th mile so I am saying marathon pace effort for the last 6.

I might just do this same workout tomorrow.

SSDD. Pretty much the same run as yesterday but I felt more sluggish. HR increased more quickly into the 150s in the fourth mile. Died on me at 9.75 as I was ramping up to 11 mph so less total mileage in the 60 minute window. 60 minutes total at 1 incline.

I was thinking about doing this four days in a row, but that sucked a lot and I think I need to get outside. 6am or bust!

AM

Alarm at 5:40 - got up at 6:20. Did a 40 minute recovery run. Was not feeling swift but I still may do another lunch treadmill run. Kind of humid with some overnight showers.

Forgot that I turned 36 today until my son sung me happy birthday while I was blogging. I will do 36 lunges in honor. Or perhaps 36 half kms. 

Lunch

I decided to do the fourth and final installment of the treadmill 10 in sub 60. This time, I accelerated a bit quicker and miles 4-10.2 were all "sub 5:50". I was careful to accelerate during the last mile and it didn't die on me, though I really like to finish these runs at top speed. 60 minutes total at a 1 incline. Heart rate checks were in the 150s starting in mile 2 and the legs felt fine. I've also noticed my breathing is getting easier.

I know the treadmill is not outside equivalent, but I learned a lot the past few days. Perhaps one of the advantages the treadmill has is a softer foot fall. Thus less beating on the legs. Never at any point during these runs did my legs cramp up or tire meaningfully.

I warmed up with Coach Jay's lunges and leg swings today and Tuesday and those were my two best runs.

As others have said, if you can shut your brain off and comply with the speed of the treadmill, essentially submit to it, I think that can be very liberating and me being a compliant type of person, perhaps I can get more bang out of a treadmill workout.

Finally, my recovery continues to be very fast. I may be good at recovering, but this may also be indicative of these efforts not being as hard as they could be. I feel like I am getting the lungs of a fast runner but my body, which I believe is still at least 15 pounds overweight, has yet to catch up.

Instead of the lunch run, I ran after work and went to an Indian buffet for lunch instead. I took the run very easy and ran from work to my brother's house in millcreek via the zoo, wasatch and tanner park. Felt a bit sluggish with some indegestion but I made it alright. 60 minutes precisely.

Easy run at 8 with Fritz and Kevin. Started at the zoo and ran up to little mountain and back. Went a bit farther with Fritz until we reached 16.5 and then I did a wasatch extension to make it 21 flat. We did about a 7:40 pace going up and something like 6:15 going down. Did the first four steeper miles in just over 6 per and then backed off a bit. I average 7:01 for the run or 2:27:26. Felt pretty strong until the climb behind the zoo in mile 21. Also, I think Fritz and Kevin are super fun.

A good return to running week!

Easy with Fritz and Nate from HIghland at 8. Nice morning in the 60s. Run was just over 1:30 so we successfully ran slower than 7:30 pace. I wasn't really feeling it this morning.

AM

6 in 45 minutes at 5:45. From home up memory grove and back. Felt ok. First day of kindergarten for my oldest so now 6:30 is the new 7.

Lunch

5.05 in 40 minutes of BST wandering. I have a mammoth blister on one of my toes and I just killed it on Saturday's long run so I was hobbling around this morning before the run. It worked itself out after the first mile.

U of U track workout. Left just after 11 and did 5x1600 in 5:36, 5:51, 6:08, 6:11, 5:55 with 400 recoveries. Wasn't really feeling it. The wokout I based it on would have had me do 6x1600 at 5:51 (T), but I thought I could go a bit faster with 5. I wanted to quit after two but pushed through. My toe is still quite painful which causes me to limp when walking but I don't think it affects me much.

Sweet relief. The pain in my toe nail was bad enough that I visited a doc yesterday afternoon. It had a pretty good sized blister underneath the nail and he pulled it off and gave me antibiotics. The reason I have six really bad toe nails, according to him, is because of tight calves. They are not able to lift my feet off the ground entirely so I curl my toe nails under to lift off. The beating on the nails is exacerbated by downhill running which has caused the last two nail injuries (timp half and emigration last weekend).

He told me to give it about a day so I decided to not do a morning run and do the treadmill at lunch in case there were any issues. I wore my crocs on the treadmill for the first time to make sure the toes had space. The toe felt fine but the crocs were really getting hot and burning up so I hopped off at 3 miles and put on my old Brooks. Finished the workout in 59:52 for 10 miles with a 1.5 incline vs. the 1 I did last week. Hopefully the last treadmill run for 8 days or so.

Easy miles at lunch going through the U and down Guardsman/1500E. Mid to upper 80s and I was slower going back up the hill. 28:12 out and 32:06 back.

Very frustrated with my continued inability to wake up early and get a run in. Two mornings in a row I've gotten up and out of bed and then talked myself out of it. Toe feels good as new :)

Easy up Emigration during lunch. 59:38 total. Felt much better today than yesterday in the heat. Upper 80s but the canyon is cooler and has some ventilating wind.

Bear Lake. No long run because of Bear Lake Monster Half on Monday. I ran 7 miles at noon to meet my family at Rendezvous Beach. Appropriate name. 6:56 per mile out or 48:24 total with temp in the mid 70s. Then 7 miles back. 7:29 back or 52:19 total in the low 80s. Last mile back was 6:45 uphill with 81 degree weather. Felt strong.