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Easy with Jake, Rob and Nate. They were nice enough to come out at 7:30 and it was pretty cold the entire run. Similar to my run with Fritz the other day up Murray Holladay and back on Wasatch but not all the way up the old mill road. 1:44:53.

Feeling really good lately.

Beginning of Boston Marathon training today. Workout was 12x400@5k pace with 1:00 recoveries. Again at the Gym at City Creek. They are freemotion treadmills and there are two kinds. One with "arm rests" and one without. Those with the arm rests are much more stable as I learned on this run and they also have the ability to go "downhill" up to 3% grade.

On the treadmill, I modified this to do even .25 intervals with .12 rest and .1 speed up. Warmed up 3 and cooled 2.2.

I did 3 at 11.3 (5:19), 3 at 11.4 (5:16), 3 at 11.5 (5:13) and then 11.6 (5:10) 11.7 (5:08) and then the treadmill stopped! I jumped off and went to a bouncy treadmill and did .25 at 5:00 pace. It felt pretty hard. Then I wiped down the two machines and went on another for the cooldown. I decided to do one more at 5:00 pace before cooling for 13x.25@5:19-5:00 all at a 1 incline.

The rests were generally less than a minute due to slowing to 7.5 mph. These intervals were hard but never felt impossible and I felt like I could keep going if needed. I am guessing they would have been harder outside but I do think these treadmills are more honest so it's more just the mental effort to stay on pace at such high speeds that I think is more difficult outside.

Treadmill run at a moderate pace. Felt good. That makes a nice even number for the year. about 52 minutes total at a 1 incline. The work treadmil is struggling and it quit on me twice. I had to do 1.6 on old rickety while it cooled off for a bit. My left foot toes are a bit mangled these days.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

New years day run with the Utah County Crew, Fritz and Collin. 12600 JRP meeting spot and a loop back along 1300 W. Pretty icy on the parkway but the air was better there than it is downtown. 1:41:23 or a 6:45 avg.

Day off more or less. With two medium long runs and a long run this week, I want to avoid getting too high too quickly with the mileage. I have been feeling great lately but one thing I've learned from the blog is that if you do too much because you are feeling good, an injury may be right around the corner.

I did a 10 minute cycle warm up and then a number of lunges, stretches, PT type things and core stuff. I tried the core routine Rob posted last week and it will be a long while before I can get the brest stroke scissor action going.

Also did 4x8-10 seconds at 12 mph and 15 incline on the mill for some hill blasts to put my legs on notice. Some intermittent 8:00 pace in between blasts that totalled about a mile.

Easy at lunch from work to HCI and down through Fed Heights, 11th Ave and to the amphitheatre above memory grove. I did one loop of the flattish surface in 11th ave park and I didn't love it. Turned out to be about .31 miles.

With a net 200 ft drop, I tried to keep the pace even on the way back so it was more moderate with a few fartlek type accelerations particularly on hills and quiet roads.

67:46 total.

Goal was 20 with a fast finish. Left at about 12:40 and ran from my house up around memory grove along 11th ave through fed heights up to HCI through research park up around the zoo down wasatch to 21st south cut down through the neighborhoods to guardsman and down university ave to 1st ave. Tempo started at about 9th E and 1st ave but I was already pretty tired. It was downhill than uphill for mile 1 and more uphill than down through N temple and back home on 200 west. I ended up with 18 and 19 at 6:15 each and then bonked in 20 with a 7:55. I haven't bonked like that in months so I'm kind of glad I did. 2:21:39 or 7:05 average for the run. Still a negative split with 7:22 out and 6:48 back.

No water or nutrition and it was quite cold coming back west with a minor but biting headwind. I will plan better next time I do this run with a better course and a truly easy day the day before.