Run fast

Starting to wean myself off spin class so today I did .5 elliptical, 4 on TM (2 at 6:30 / 2 at 5:30)e, 45 min spin, and then 6.5 on TM at about 6:20 pace. Ice, ice, ice!

Ran through the neighborhoods, around the Circle of Hope at Huntsman, and back down 2100 East. One of these days I will run south of 2100 S to avoid the traffic.

PM: bootcamp- 100 stepovers and lunges each leg, situps, planks, dips, curls, dumbell rows, 1 circuit and several laps in the parking lot

Short run as a warm up for tomorrow. Finished with two at 5:16 and 4:54 down 1900 east.

This was my first race since CIM in December so I didn't really know what to expect. I drove up with Josh and did a 1.5 mile warm up with Seth and Bryant. During the warm up I also saw Scott, Ben, Jason, Jace and Nate so I knew it would be a competitive race. Started out in front with Scott and we ran together for about the first four miles until we came out of the canyon. Ben, Seth and Bryant then caught up to us and we worked together through about the half way point. I dropped back a bit because the legs were starting to fatigue and I still had 6 more miles. Thoughts of, "why am I doing this" started creaping in.  I took a gu at mile 8 and I started feeling a bit better. Jace passed me at about mile 11 and went on to pass Seth and Ben. He ran a great race but the story of the day, which I didn't get to see obviously, was Scott out sprinting Bryant to take the win in his FIRST race in the masters division. He showed us young guys how to get it done. Cooled down with Scott and Josh for another 6.5 then caught up with Spencer, Ben, et al. at the finish. Despite those dreary moments in the middle I think I will run again tomorrow.

It's my grandmas 93rd birthday today so I will need to write more later.

Splits: 5:13,5:19,5:09,5:09,5:14,5:18,5:30,5:35,5:30,5:41,5:35,5:35,0:30

Ran with Josh and Adam around Millcreek and Holladay. Felt a bit sore and tired from yesterday but nothing too serious. Fortunately the achilles and other tweaks held up fine. Finished with 3 on the stairmaster and stretching at the gym.

Ran from the gym through Millcreek and Holladay and back around Highland High. I worked out some of the calf soreness from Saturday.

Ran over to east high in a roundabout way for 2x1 mile (5:15,5:05) and back home on 1900 e.

PM: no bootcamp. Leisurely 4 mile run around my office after work.

Ran up to the 7-11 on 4500 s. and back.

PM: ran from work to the 7-11 at the base of the canyons

Looped around Highland Park and Millcreek.

Ever since the half on Saturday the top of my foot feels bruised and it hurts when I raise my toes.  Has anyone had that problem?  It felt like the pain was caused from tightening my shoe laces too tight..

Josh and I jogged to the race start from HHS and then I ran the kid's race with Nicolai. He placed a solid 3rd and the only two kids who beat him were at least two years old. He did take it out a little hard up the hill at the start but had enough left in the tank to finish in a sprint.  He went home with lots of burritos, a slap stick, a chocolate Creamy and a few tickets to the aquarium that he won in the raffle.

I think this is one of the most honest 5ks around and quite possibly the best swag to go with it. You definitely get your money's worth. In total Strava says there is 191 ft. of climbing with 77 in the first mile. Two years ago when I ran the race my splits were 5:25, 5:30 and 5:30 which indicates I went out to hard.

Splits this year were a bit more even and faster: 5:13, 5:19 and 5:15. I am happy with this because it was about 45 seconds faster than two years ago and possibly a course record. Josh ran a great race and came in right around 17:15 which was 2 minutes ahead of #3.

The best part of this race are the post-race festivities and the raffle. I left with a bag of burritos (I still have one from two years ago), car air fresheners with a picture of the Virgin Mary, a free night at the University Guest House, free yoga for week and a few other odds and ends. The race director does an amazing job every year.

Josh and I did a tempo back to HHS. Splits were 5:49, 5:31, 5:24. I am happy with week's training and look forward to racing again next week. 

12 from Liberty Park with Allie and Josh, James for a bit and even Rob joined us for the first lap.  Almost chilly.

Ran through Sugar House and did a 5K tempo at ~16 mins (5:18,5:08,5:05). For the tempo I ran south on Guardsman and 1500 E. so it was aided. Ended with two laps of SHP.

Up 15th and back on 19th.

Race warmup on TM. Did a couple of 800s and 400s at sub marathon pace. I wonder if everyone organizing easter egg hunts knows there is a race tomorrow.

I am happy with today's race. I didn't really know how I would hold up and how the new course would treat me. Considering the circumstances I think I ran a good race. I can't remember the last time I ran a 5:49 in the 2nd mile of a marathon. :) This course is definitely more challenging/slower than any other version. There are a few steep climbs early on plus the climbs through SHP, up 27th and up Keller Lane. That said, I did like hitting the downhill miles at 22 and 23 and not having to run up State Street.

At the start it became was apparent that the half would be fast as Smythe, Macios from Colorado, Hales, Matt, Mike, Ben, and Justin were all racing. For the full there was BJ, Bret Ferrier, Nate Hornok and a few other guys I didn't know. BJ had mentioned he wasn't in great shape but I knew Bret or Nate could beat if I didn't run a smart race.  The race started at a fast but not blistering pace through Federal Heights (first mile 5:25) then it climbed up to 11th avenue (2nd mile 5:49).  Miles 3 through 5 are the fastest as they go down 11th Ave., Memory Grove and stretch on State St. (5:06,5:06,5:03). I didn't feel like I was working too hard to hit those splits so I went with it. Mile 6 went up South Temple (5:33) which actually wasn't too bad then the course took a right on 9th south. After about a mile on 9th east we took a left up a steep hill for at least a quarter mile that took us up to 11th east. That hill along with the hill up to 15th after we split from the half marathoners weren't fun. Miles 8,9,10 (5:37,5:28,5:54). Mile 10 turned out to be my slowest mile of the race. After we got to 15th the course does the standard SHP loop (Riley sighting), south on 17th, up 27th to 20th, up Keller to 23rd then we turn around at the new Holladay Center. Coming out of SHP when I saw Riley was one of the low points of the race but by the time I hit Keller Lane I regained some energy. Once I hit 23rd I was able to put in some decent splits (5:30,5:25,5:28) for miles 16 to 18.  At that point I had no sense for where Bret was but I figured he was still within striking distance. The next mile went down 45th then looped past my sister's house on 15th east then climbed up Highland Drive right past Jake's house.  Needless to say, I wasn't getting lost. Right before the turn down 27th south the biker guy said that Bret was within a quarter mile which was a surprise but motivated me to push the pace down the hill. We then turned right on 6th east and then reconnected with the half marathoners. Catching up with them was also helpful for the moral. We looped around Liberty Park and ~1.5 miles later, including a James sighting, I was done. This is the last time I attempt a mile by mile recap :), you're welcome. The rest of the splits are below. After the race I was escorted in circles for a few interviews then they quickly held the awards ceremony. I appreciated that.

Overall a good day and my fingers are crossed that the body is still in one piece. Congrats to all of the other runners out there, Allie for winning the half, and to Bret for a very solid marathon debut only two weeks out from winning a trail 30k.

Casual ride on my bike to Little Mountain. Felt better than expected.

Good luck to everyone running Boston tomorrow!

30 minutes on bike

30 minutes on bike, 6x 2 off 3 on. 3.5 miles on stairmaster and .5 miles on TM. Oddly my legs are less sore (specifically my calves) than they were after the Striders Half. That's a good sign.

Up 15th east and back down 21st. Felt relatively good.

PM: bootcamp. Included planks, pushups and a couple of rounds of cone drills and circuit

I contemplated doing nothing today because I am extra tired for some reason. Compromised and just did 30 minutes on the bike at the gym. 2 off/8 on then 4 x 2 off/3 on. The last four reps of 3 on were at threshold.

Went through the U, up to research park, past the zoo and back. I was jealous of the early morning golfers at Bonneville.

Ran in the rain with Collin from Memory Grove, 5 up and down City Creek, up 11th east and back. I was cold by the end.

Ran from Liberty Park with Allie, Rob, Collin and Adam. We went through Sugar House and did a serious 1/2 mile trail then looped back to the park for two more laps with Rob. Legs were tired. Perfect day for running.

Track workout with Nate at East High. I think this was my first track workout since November so I really just wanted to dust off the cobwebs.  We switched off every other mile and did a lap in between. Didn't feel great but it was bearable.

5x1 in 5:16,5:14,5:14,5:10,5:04

I did the Highland Park grand tour today by running down every road between Alden and 21st east. Alden, Beverly, Chadwick, Dearborn, 15th, Filmore, Glenmare, Hartford, Imperial, 17th, Kenwood, 18th, Melbourne, Wellington, 19th and Preston St. I don't know why they stopped going in alphabetical order. Partly the reason for sticking close to home was because I wore the Altra Olympus shoes for the first time today and I didn't know if they would aggravate my achilles. To help prevent that I made the zero drop a 5 mm drop for the left foot and about 2 mm for the right foot by adding pads. Take that Altra. The shoes took a few miles to get used to but I really like the extra cushion. They might come in handy on revocery days.

PM: bootcamp. Included some jogging back and forth, planks, push ups and some others I didn't enjoy.