The Dude Starts Running Again, AGAIN

That was more miles than I really needed today.  I got to City Creek Canyon, I was feeling good, I was training well, good on the hills, steady 8:00 minute pace, and some hill sprints.  City Creek showed up about  mile 7 or so, that's when I should have go home.  I decided to go to the top of City Creek instead.  That run up was all good, a little faster than average, insignificant, I stopped a few times.  I was pretty tired on the way down, down was unproductive in terms of training.  I stopped and talked to a friend about 1/2 way back down for about 20 minutes, and I was toast after that, just survival.  All is well that ends well.  I will sleep well tonight, and look at all the "mileage" unproductive for training purposes, some of it anyway, but fun sort-of.

Ran to the microwave tower then the trails to the water treatment plant.  Felt great.

It was billed as a fun run, and it was fun.  The course was relatively easy.  It was a loop with the first leg, a gentle downgrade, then flatish, then upgrade, then basically flat again, and a short downgrade to the finish.  I didn't sleep well, woke up late and rushed to the start. 

I can't remember if a 19:54 is a PR, I'm pretty certain it's not.  I'll have to look and see if I wrote it down.  The best this year anyway!!  I took a while off, and have wanted to break 20 minutes before the D-news, and I did that, YES!!

I think I need a nap. 

Took nap..... and ran another 13.3.  I was slow getting going, and stopped a few times, just relaxed a few sections, about 6 miles were hard running, the rest mostly lisetening to the radio, and checking out the July 4th action.... so I heard they post-dated the declaration, it's dated July 4, but wasn't signed until August 2, I guess they had 30 days right? 

Ran the canal trail with the Q.  It was hot, went out a little fast, but slowed down after the climb up the exposed road to the canal trail.  There was more climbing on that road  than I anticipated about 1400 vert.  The actual trail was relatively flat, a pleasant run.

Ran around the canyon trails, feeling pretty strong, did not push it too hard, was careful on the trails not to trip or twist an ankle, stopped to "smell the roses" as as it were, tinkered around with the Garmin, should have brought the camera.  Watched the sunset, it was beautiful.

Ran to the water treatment plant, base miles, time on the road.  I felt good concentrated on form and breathing over speed.  I spent a lot of time think about my various shoes and the pros and cons of each pair.

Ran some base miles on 11th Ave, 7:44 pace average.

Completely unmotivated run today.  I was listening to Master & Commander on the POD that's about all that kept me going.  The book is better than the movie (you are suppose to say that).

I like that 1/2 marathon.  I have run it a few times.  It's not really the easiest, it's got a series of rollers, some of them are kind-of steep.  It basically leaves from East Canyon Resort, you run up the road about a mile, hit the cut off to Parley's Canyon (a dirt road), go out past Mormon flat into Summit County, hit a turn-around somewhere in Summit County, then come back down to East Canyon to finish.  I was pretty slow on the uphills.  I felt solid on anything that was a reasonably flat grade.  It was a good run. 

Took the last couple of days off.  I always regret that.  Ran to the microwave tower, stopped a lot, felt okay, but was un-focused.  I have a new book on my pod, maybe it was that.  The new book is not as good as the antics of Lucky Jack Aubrey and Maturine.  

Ran hills today.  Felt Great, much better than yesterday.  They graded the road to the microwave tower.  I know I can knock some time off my king of the king of the hill with the improvement in the surface.

The sun really took it out of me today.  I ran pretty slow, got bitten by a horse fly, at least I made it.

That is a fast course.  It's worth a try if you haven't done it.  I kind-of pooped out at about mile 12 or so.  I'm not sure I really needed to do that race, but it was a last minute thing and it was fun.  I'm sure you could PR at that race.  I went faster than I intended, hard to stop yourself at the start.  I didn't really know what I was getting myself into.  It turns into a regular race about mile 8 or so, it was fun.  That was right around a PR for me, I have to start writing those things down.  I distinctly remember breaking 1:30 before, it was never by a lot, so we'll call 1:27 a PR, good enough.  

Mostly jogged really slow or walked.  Shaking out the lactic acid from yesterday.

Lactic acid gone.  It took a few miles to warm up.  Jogged easy the rest of the way, was not tired at all at the end, felt better in fact, could have gone twice as far but held back.  

Jogged slow and steady, worked on form, felt good.

Fun race.  I was running well until about 1300 south on Foothill Blvd., that was about mile 20 or so.  I pooped out.  I was just plain tired.  I considered stopping in Marie Calendar's for breakfast, going into the bagel shop on South Temple. I wanted to sit down at one of the aid stations.  I cursed myself for not bringing my music.  When you start having thoughts like that it's a bad sign.  I had plenty of time to finish, my 1/2M split was a 1:32.  So it basically took me 2 hours to finish the second half.  I ran inconsistent for the last 6 to 7 miles.  I would speed up for a little while, then slow way down.  Frankly I got sick of the whole thing at about mile 25 and just decided to get it over with as quickly as possible.  I got in a sprint finish with this guy who also kept stopping, slowing down as well.  I'd pass him, he'd pass me, etc.  I think I went out a little too early in the sprint and was edged at the finish.  Overall it was fun.  I won my bet, the dude can still run a marathon....  even after all the time off. 

Ran to the microwave tower slow, very slow.  My right leg was sore from the marathon.  I could tell my form was suffering, I think I tweaked my shin.  I need to adjust the insert in my shoe.  It will go away.  Once it starts to hurt I compensate and it makes it worse.  Some flat surface running.  

Well I recovered from the marathon at least pain-wise.  I am still really low energy.  Need more sleep I think.  I haven't slept well in 5 nights.  It was a good run stopped and chated with some tourists along the way, listened to Steven Pressfield's book on Alexander's invasion of Afganistan (that's some tough duty).  

General maintenance run.  Felt good.