Welcome

Got up at 6:15 and left just after 6:30. Idea was 8 easy, 8 moderate and 4 hard. Went to Liberty then up to Sugarhouse then up to 2000 E and 3900 S and back.

Averaged 7:31 for the first 8. Then averaged 6:47 for the next 5. I got drinks at Liberty and Sugarhouse but I was dying of thirst and it was getting hotter. Last five were 7:24 avg and I was really struggling at mile 18. I decided to have my wife come get me as I lay on some cool grass by Little America. We did our first (and hopefully last) visit to the cluster that was Dunkin Donuts. A novelty for kids. If Americans run on Dunkin, that explains a lot...2:10:56 with about 500 ft of climb.

In this heat, I need to prepare better to drink and get energy. Low to mid 70s when I started and mid 80s when I finished. I may do treadmill lunch runs for this short week to catch up on sleep and avoid the killer heat.

Treadmill at lunch. Suboptimal, but all choices are suboptimal right now. I wanted to do a light workout to ready for the 5k on Thursday. I warmed up 3 and then did 1600@5:27, 1200@3:58, 800@2:33 and 400@1:15. 2 minutes recovery including slowing down to 8:00 pace and speeding back up. All was at a 1 incline but the last 400 at 1.5. Cooled down about 2.75 with no incline. 60 minutes total. 

I felt much stronger today than last Thursday when I did the treadmill intervals. The shoes definitely made a difference as did the no lunch prior.

Another treadmill run at work. Plan was 8-9 easy but you know how it goes. I started at 8.6 mph and worked slowly up to 10 after 3 miles. Then I did 1 mile at 10, 1 at 10.2 and another at 10. Then worked my way back to 9. 60 minutes total all at a 1 incline.

I want to call my 6:00 miles and my 5:52 mile marathon pace, but my HR was in the low to mid 140s which isn't my marathon pace effort. So all easy. 

I have to get back out on the road tomorrow morning.  

AM

Met up with Sandy at 5:45 at Highland and did an easy loop up 2300 E to 500 S and back via Guardsman/1500 E. Did two laps of the park and some quicker sprints down and up the hills on the SW side. Easy pace for the race tomorrow. 1:12:57 with 400+ ft of climb.

My hamstring/glute pain is slowly coming back and I could really feel it sprinting uphill.

PM

Around 5:45 pm, I jogged slowly to the West High track and did three miles barefoot on the grass. I got stung twice but otherwise enjoyed it. Did a few striders on the straightaways including two fast ones on the track itself. 40:08 total with the barefoot laps at 7:20 avg. 

I am alone for the next 2-3 days so I expect to get in some big mileage. 

AM

The rain made it feel cooler, but when I warmed up running the course I got quite sweaty. So sort of hot and humid.  I saw my old pal Teren running the course to warm up and said hello to him for the first time in more than ten years. It was nice to see him and his dad, my old high school coach.

My goal was to run sub 5:30 miles, but it was not to be. I lined up with Sandy and Ashley and shot out not far behind the leaders. I ended up right behind Steve Anderson with Sasha and Benjamin 5-10 seconds ahead. I stayed that way the entire race but was able to catch Steve in the last mile. It was a fun race and a nice morning.

Splits 5:49, 5:39, 5:44 and 44 seconds to finish.

Saw a number of bloggers and folks at the end and it was kind of hard to talk to everyone so I ended up alone for my cool down. 

Lunch

Went to a flag ceremony and pancake breakfast in Taylorsville. My mom took me so I brought my shoes and ran back home. I had to carry water, phone, wallet, keys and I had sandals in my back pockets. I was also wearing some heavier patagonia hiking shorts, so certainly not ideal.

I left right before noon and ran from their house at about 6100 S and the canal road down Jordan River Parkway and home. At 10 miles, my pace slowed from 8:00 to 8:30. Heat and cumulative fatigue from the day I suppose. So, I stopped running at Pioneer Park and walked the last 1.8 miles including a stop at Maverick for some chocolate milk. Heat went from low 80s to high 80s but cool relative to other days. 13.1 miles at 1:47:02, 8:10 pace. Strava says 600 ft of climb, but I will say 250 or so.

Now for a nap! 

In Bear Lake drinking beer to pay for wireless. Ran from the cabin up a four wheeler road nearby. 42:30 up and 30:30 back down with 1200 ft of climb.

It's 1:30 Saturday and I've yet to do my long run. It might get pushed to tomorrow thus killing my chance for a 100 mile week.