The Dude Starts Running Again, AGAIN

Ran my hill route, up to the microwave tower, then down into City Creek.  I ran pretty fast up to the tower, about 60 slower than my best time, which surprised me.  The downhill felt unusually good as well.  I should time that one day.  It did not take long today.  I cruised out of the canyon and up 11th Ave, felt good, good pace.  At Virginia, I got water, and saw that the SLTC speed work out was in about 20 minutes.  I was close enough I could make it.  I was tired by the time I got there, and sort-of regretted the decision to go for it.  I did 6 -200s and felt good, but I was pooped and new it was about 4 miles or so home, I bailed out early.  I slogged home.  I was beat on the way home.

That was a wet 4 miles, but what better way to break in some new shoes.  Yes new shoes are now less new or officially not new, and wet.  They felt great, the shoes.  I got so wet my shorts started falling off, they just got so heavy.  I needed to take it easy after yesterday.  I was so tired. It started raining almost the second I hit the road, and just got harder and harder, but I was planning 4 miles and did four miles.  I ran kind of slow for about a mile there, but most because I couldn't see through the sheets of rain.  The lightning missed me, and a was moving on the downhill.  Maybe I'll sign up for a race.

Ran hills up to the 1st microwave tower.  New fastest time 33:48.  Felt good.

Started to feel a little more like I'm getting toward marathon fitness, maybe I'll start training.  First I got a flat tire.  That delayed my run, but after the delay. Hit my 1/2M route.  There are a lot of hills on this route.  It was overcast and not too hot.  I felt good stopped to enjoy the view a few times, took it easy on the downhill trail sections as I was not wearing trail shoes, not a big deal uphill, but down, they make a big difference.  

Four miles 8:20 pace.

Felt good today.  My fingers were cold at the start, at least it was not raining.  It rained on me yesterday.   They started the race on time, hooray, no bathroom issues, hooray.  I started to tighten up at about mile 8, and slowed down a little.  There was group of 3  to 5 of us together for most of the race.  Two dropped off somewhere around mile six.  Three of us stayed together, until mile nine, pace was about 6:30.  I was a little surprised with the results.  I was faster than I expected to run.  I've run that course before, and that first little hill always sucks the life out of me.  I like the course, it's mostly a gentle downhill.  Too bad the field was not larger than it was.  That's a good course seems like more people would want to run it.

Ran some base miles.  I did not feel all that great, but I ran fast enough. I was little surprised when I checked my times.  I thought I might escape without getting rained on, but alas it was not to be, and took a shower the last mile and half.  I had some residual soreness from Saturday's run, and that went away after today's run.

I thought for sure I would get rained on today, and prepared, baggie for the ipod, warm when wet shirt, right shoes, and no rain.....    It was even sunny.  It's raining now though.  I ran to rotary park up City Creek Canyon. I was doing well the first six miles of uphill, until I got passed by a runner, a few bikes had been by, no runners, not many runners above the water treatment plant typically.  This guy passes me, asks if I am going to the top, yes of course, and he slowly takes off.  I keep up for a while, he gets maybe 50-100 yards ahead over about a 1/4 -1/2 mile, and turns around.   I think he just wanted to pass me.  The hard part, is of course, at the top.  He waved on his way down, and I was alone.  I slowed down after that and listened to the book that is on the pod.  The Germans are slaughtering the Canadians, the allies are just about to take Rome, I think, I know they do eventually.  I cruised on the downhill and just tried to keep my form.

I was intending to run further, but...  at least I made it as far as I did.  It started drizzling the second I left, and had I not already committed to going I would have bagged it.  I ran up one of my favorite hills, at the first major fork I ran about 100 yards, and it got so muddy, and it was evident that I was going to get into a mess, and turned around.  I was pretty wet by the time I got back.  Bring a jacket next time.  I though I could sneak around the rain like yesterday, but not today....  There's always next time....

Squeezed in a workout.  I sort-of made myself go, after a mile or so I was in the zone, and I just zoned out, listened to the pod.  I'm not liking this weather.  It was generally pleasant, didn't push myself too hard.  Felt good, better for going not skipping a day for weather.  There were a lot of worms on the road, it is saturated out there.  

Just passing time, hoping the rain goes away.  Did run a few 6:30 miles, then lost motivation and slowed down to a jog. 

Wahsatch Steeplechase....  What a little slice of heaven.  There are hills, steep hills, and this is sick and wrong.... FUBAR.   It was fun overall.  I knew the sick and wrong section was coming and would be over soon enough, not really my favorite.  I went for the work-out, it had that in spades.  I like hills, but the section up to Black Mountain, you would really have to practice that, you could barely walk up it.  There were lots of spots where is was slippery, steep, up and down.  A fall would have had serious consequences.  I mostly just took it easy.  The rock climbing section had one individual who was terrified.  If you made it that far you are not going to fall.  I don't know, I wasn't really that tired there, I had basically been walking for the hour before the rocks.  You could bushwack around the rocks if you really wanted, but that looked harder than not falling.  The lower section was run-able.

Not really sore from yesterday, which isn't really all that surprising considering how slow I went.  Ran about a 3 mile warm-up 9:00 - 9:30 pace, then ran about 3 more at 7:30 - 8:30 pace, then cooled off, then it started raining, then I speed up, made it home before it really started coming down.  My pod has been re-born, Credence once more....  

Okay I finally got serious about training.  Did six hard as I could hill sprints with an actual goal.  Did another 4 miles average 8:00/mi, averaged about 9:00 - 9:15/mi between efforts.  Started re-reading some of my training books.  

I took a day off yesterday and it took every ounce of energy to get out the door. I had a lot of excuses.  Most notably, the POD (not really and iPod, the dude would never have an iPod).  My player (the not-iPod) is only sort-of working after Saturday's shower.  Electronics and water don't mix.  It's not that I'm tired of CCR, who could be, the dude doesn't really listen to CCR.  It's stuck on Collective Soul, really.  I can't take Collective Soul anymore.... where the river flows, I don't care anymore, find yourself another soul !!!  I have one book on MP3 ( The Day of Battle, Rick Atkinson) and I'm done with that, and the radio reception sucks.  Thankfully the POD won't hold a charge after the drenching either, so it quickly becomes a moot point.  Anyway I talked my self into getting a new POD, if I get a real job, stop being lazy and get out and run like I should, kick booty in D-news, and qualify for Boston (although I would rather qualify for NYC).  What kind of pod should I get?  Waterproof right?  Don't say iPod..... 

I ran with the track club.  Felt really good once I got out there.  I ran about 3 miles betwen 6:45 and 7:15/ mile, then slowed to about 7:45 - 8:00/ mi. 

knocked a few minutes off my climb to Rotary Park.  I usually don't take the road, but the trails are so muddy.  I need to let them dry out for a while.

With the exception of the first 1.5 miles to the gate, I shaved about 90 seconds off my king of the hill time to Rotary Park. Coming up to the water treatment plant I was going fast and I did stop and rest there for about 2 or 3 minutes, but I paused my watch.  I was way tired when I got there.  I felt a little empty.  I could have, and have run faster, but I was just empty, no wheaties for breakfest I guess.  I had oatmeal.  Maybe that was the 90 second difference, maybe it was the POD.  Since my pod is broken, I found a new interest in my watch, and the time, and the lap time.  I always use to run faster without tunes, with tunes, I seem to want to linger longer, no tunes faster, tunes and the time means less..... who cares what time it is....     I've been using a Garmin, but I have all the distances measured on my fave routes, maybe I'll switch back to the IRONMAN, that watch is more comfortable.  Beautiful day today, perfect running weather.

Well that was fun.  The course looked a lot flatter on paper.  I should have known, it climbed up to the I-215 frontage, went north, back down into the neighborhood, then back up to the I-215 frontage, and down to the finish.  My legs just felt dead on the uphill back up to I-215.  I sucked wind hard on the uphill returning to the I-215 frontage Rd about (1.6 to 2.25).  I think I backed off a little, I could see 1st place in front of me and I knew there was not enough race left to catch up or those behind to catch me.  The last couple of days the uphills have not been fast for me,  I don't know what it is, downhills great, uphills just empty in my legs, just lacking quickness.   I know I can be faster on the uphill because I have before, and felt better at the same time.  Anyway it was a good race. I  recommend that race.  The tee-shirt is one that you can actually wear, big raffle at the end.

Just tired today. Got in some base miles.  It took about 5 or 6 miles to get warmed-up.  The first 3 miles were tough.  I need better sleep I think. 

Took a few days off, way too tired last few days, zombie tired.  I should have went anyway even if I was crawling, zombie tired.  I exercised just not running (treadmill, and moving, and lifting, and hammering, etc. is not running).  Everyday you miss seems to make it that much harder to go, and that much easier not to go.  Anyway is was great run.  I got soaked to the bone!!  I got caught in a major downpour.  I must have looked pretty pathetic because somebody pulled over and offered my a ride to get me out of the rain...  sheets of rain thunder lightning.

Ran the Salt Lake Arts Festival 5K in the morning.  The 5K is a pleasant enough course.  Part of it is on the park, the grassy part of Sugarhouse Park. It was weird running part on the road and part on the grass. The grass was wet from watering, you just have to be more careful on the grass.  The grass just kind-of slowed you down.  According to the Garmin the course was about 200 - 300 yards short of a 5K.  It probably was the grass section.   The grass section was sort-of open, and you could trim the distance a little on every corner.  It was fun.  There were some fast times.  The course is pretty fast generally, basically the same as Beat the New Year.  I could have broke 20 minutes on this course.  I should have looked at my watch sooner, by the time I realized I was going to be close to 20 minutes it was too late.    The best part about the race was the sponsorship by the Dodo Resturant.  They served breakfest to the participants after the race, and it was good.  They had some Micheal Jackson playing at the finish. ....

I ran the canyon after the race and relaxed.

Ran up to the microwave tower then down to the canyon, then up to Rotary Park, then back down. I was tired after about 14, but was so close to the top.  That last mile to the top was about 11:30 miles, a had to stop and walk a few times.  Cruised on the way down about 8:15s, I was still tired.  My feet started hurting the last few miles.  I was in my trail shoes and they are not as cushionie, as the road shoes.   

Ran up to the microwave tower.  What a pretty day, but it's hard to sustain a fast pace in the heat.  The heat slowly sucks any hope for a good time out of you.  9 minute miles and some good tunes, that is sustainable, 6:30 - 7:30 minute miles, I'm good for about a half mile.  Ran to the tower, then around in the foothills for a while, went home, and decided to go to the track, did 3 x 800 at about 3:20ish, then jogged around the track, until I just had enough. 

Ran to the microwave tower, was pretty slow uphill, stopped a few times.  I thought for sure I would be caught in the rain, but only felt a few drops, a lot of dust, and gusty gusty wind.  I was much faster then usual on the downhill, take it easy on the uphill, and the downhill is much easier.  I was feeling like days gone by on the downhill...