Winning Back What I Lost

7PM: Started off the new year with what will pass as a decent run for me this winter. I guess you could call it a slow progressive run. Hopped on the scale today and learned what I already knew- I put on 10 lbs the last couple of months. Turns out that eating pretty much everything you want during the holidays leads to weight gain. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

625AM: 12 degrees. I was probably a little overdressed. Had some sweat roll down and freeze on my brow and headphones. Another slow progressive run. This should be the coldest run this week as temps are supposed to moderate each day. Going back to a low-carb approach and limiting myself to 1500 calories or less at least until I get my mileage up to 50 mpw and then I'll bump it up some. 

830PM: Easy run on TM. Finished with last .5M @ 8:00/mi pace.  First TM run at the IAC in quite some time. I've been reluctant to run inside, especially now that my wife got me a really nice Garmin watch for Christmas.  It was pretty nice not to have to run in the dark and wear multiple layers though. 

630AM: Easy run. Struggling with a sore throat. It's always puzzled me how much a sore throat can debilitate the entire body. Cold air probably isn't the best thing for it but I haven't been outside in a couple of days. Wore the wrong pants thinking that it would not be as cold this morning as it has been- it was. Temp in the high teens which was low enough to quite literally freeze my naughty bits. Is it spring yet?

9PM: Quick, easy TM run (5.3M) to boost the mileage.

Easy TM run. Fighting off the flu. Took some antibiotics which left me more than a little lethargic. But I got the run in so I guess that's what counts. 

5PM: Extended easy run. Was able to run the first half of the run in the sunlight for a change. Increased my weekly mileage by 10+ miles this week.  Looking to increase it by that much each week until I top out at 65 miles at the end of the month.

Early morning progressive run on TM. A dusting of new snow on the ground so I opted for the comfort of indoors. Started slow and topped out @ 8:19/mi for the last 1.5M.  

630AM: Another progressive TM run. Not quite as much life in my legs this morning.  Topped out at 8:27/mi this time. I blame it on my shoes. My Wave Riders weigh about 1.5 ounces more than any of my other shoes.  

635AM: Interval run: 2M warm; 1M @ 6:58; 1M jog; 1M @ 6:58; cool. First hard workout in over a month. Going back to the 2 "big" workouts (Long run + Speed-Interval or Tempo) per week program for next month or so then assess whether to step it up to 3.

635AM: Easy run. It was warmer this morning so I wanted to get back outside. Little did I know that we had some freezing rain last night. Made it difficult to get any push-off. Slippery enough to feel it in every stride but not so slippery that it made you fall down. It would be interesting to calculate the actual resistance benefit of running on ice. It's got to be similar to a 2-3% grade.

Easy TM run. Locked into a comfortable pace (8:41/mi) and didn't budge.

Legs felt better than they've felt in weeks. I've been using a new ankle brace on my long-injured left ankle it seems to be helping.  Easy long run in the fog. It was the proverbial pea soup out there this evening. Felt like I was running in a bad 70's slasher film. 8:21/mi pace. 

I knew this woud happen. Start running on the TM and I wouldn't want to put on the gear to run outside anymore. Well, fortunately running inside does have significant drawbacks that make me want to run inside too often. I made the mistake of heading to the club at 530PM and was reminded that a LOT of people take up running in January. I was forced to wait about 20 mins for an opening so I did some light upper body weight training to pass the time.  Another drawback is the heat w/ all those people packed in to such a small club. Had a horrible headache from dehydration by the time I left. 

Packed all my miles into one workout but I'll be doing 2 a day's the rest of the week to bump the mileage to the mid 50's.  Exiting the annua maintenance/lazy phase of my training. Marathon prep has officially begun. 

630AM: Stayed up too late last night watching Terminator Salvation. It wasn't because the movie was so entertaining (it wasn't) but for some reason I always feel like I have to squeeze every last second out of a 3 day weekend.

Got out of the house and had to hurry to meet Court on Cloverdale. I went out faster than usual so I was winded by the time I found him. We ran 3+ miles at what was conversational pace for him but I was really struggling to get my wind. Talked about our spring racing schedule and current events in BYU and BSU football.

I'm totally fixated on dropping weight right now. Not only because I think that is the single greatest obstacle to achieving a BQ in May but also because running is so much more fun when you're not carrying an extra 20-30 lbs. Nutrition is the obvious weak link in my training. 

I'm all about enjoying the journey because that is the only way I see to be able to increase my weekly mileage and keep it at 50-60 mpw minimum. Last year I was just going through the motions for the most part and trying not to backslide instead of working to improve. Running has become a chore, both mentally and physically.  I have to rediscover the love of running that I had in '08 and most of '09. The key to that is real tangible improvement in my running.

Pace: 8:35/mi

9PM: 4+ miles easy on TM. Re-reading (listening) Born to Run. Really struggling to find an edge or something to spark my training. Hopefully, the bump in mileage the rest of the month will get the ball rolling.

635AM: It took everything I had to get out of bed this morning.  My 4 year old was coughing all night and eventually ended up in our bed. My 7 year old heard the commotion and decided she would join the party. I put down 4 hours of sleep but it was probably closer to two hours.

I'm quite sure that I didn't make any fitness gains as a result of this slow run. I literally jogged 4 and a half miles. I felt like walking more than once but somehow kept my legs going. I guess I figured that if I'm up then I may as well get something done. I find that there are little inconveniences like this about once every couple of weeks. It would be easy to just write off the day but if you add up all of these "inconveniences" they amount to a couple dozen missed workouts per year. That's about a month's worth of training (assuming 6 day week schedule)- and that's something.

9PM: 4.6M slow on TM w/ 4 strides @ 8:00/mi pace. Worked on keeping my hips aligned and running tall. Re-learned an old trick (pretend that you have a rope tied to your waist and someone is pulling it while you're running). Feels awkward but it does seem to improve oxygen uptake. 

Noon: Opted to sleep in today in order to make up for last night's debacle. In the spirit of looking ahead towards Robie in April, I decided I'd do a short hill workout in the Ft. Boise WMA area behind our offices. I was really winded by the time I reached the top but its been quite awhile since I've done any hill training. Starting over is always daunting.

9PM: 5+ easy miles on the TM. Battling some nausea today.  Not sure if it was the low-carb six-dollar burger I ate for dinner or something else. Legs felt relatively good considering the earlier hill workout.

630AM: Short easy run. Temp around freezing and no wind. Could not muster any turnover until the last half mile (7:56 mi). I probably won't run tonight because I'm planning on a long (13-15 mi) run tomorrow. Starting to feel the stepup in mileage. I don't feel sore. Just a general fatigue that I'll have to work through. 

330PM: Beautiful sunny afternoon for a long run. Nicest weather we've seen in the Treasure Valley in weeks. Kept a slow steady pace just under 8:40/mi the whole way and picked it up for 8:00/mi pace the last half mile. Still suffering from nausea but I was able to keep it at bay, w/ the help of some pepto tablets, until the end of the run.

Registered for the UV Marathon last night. I waited too long for Ogden and my experience w/ last year's Great Potato Mara was not very good. Part of that was I went into it on the spur of the moment and severely undertrained. But a bigger part of it was the lack of organization and the haphazard nature of the course. It really isn't designed for a marathon.  UVM seems to have exploded in popularity in a relatively short time. The course layout looks to be fast w/ a more gradual downhill grade. It's got some uphill but nothing too steep or prolonged and the last 10k is, unlike TOU and Ogden, more or less a straight shot.

Dropped another lb. thanks to the step up in mileage. All in all a very good week of training. Excited for what next week will bring.

6AM: Woke up a little earlier than usual so I could hit my daily mileage goal in one run. I'm so glad I did. Felt really good throughout the run. No stomach/nausea problems thanks to a Pepto tablet I'd taken just before leaving the house. The day off helped me feel light and run strong. My breathing never seemed to get away from me even though I picked up the pace in the second half of the run, finishing the last half mile @ 7:38/mi. Best run I've had in weeks. Shooting for the 60 mile mark this week. 

6AM: Extremely foggy, wet & slippery outside so I hit the gym. Gradually increased the pace until I topped out @ 8:00/mi for the last half mile. 

830PM: I really struggled to get this second run in tonight. Fell asleep on the recliner for about 10 mins while I was watching the SOTU and, surprisingly, I felt refreshed when I woke. Did a little bit of core and leg work as a warmup then a nice easy run on the TM topped off w/ the last 3 mins @ 7:30/mi pace.

Checked out a copy of Advanced Marathoning from the Public Library. I think I'll start Pfizinger's 18 wk 70 mpw program on Monday.

630AM:  Very mild temp this morning (32F) w/ a slight breeze. Took me about 2 miles to wake up. I decided to keep it nice and easy. I'm trying to transition toward a workout regimen built around Pfitzinger's theory that easy runs should in fact be easy.  IOW, non-speed/tempo runs should be easy. I often fall into the trap of not really running hard when I don't have a specific workout/run planned but not exactly taking it easy either.  I don't know why. Maybe its because I'm worried that if I'm not breathing hard then I'm not improving my fitness. It sounds counterintuitive but sometimes it really does take a fair bit of discipline and will to run slow and easy so that, on another day, you can run fast.

10PM: Late evening TM run. Wanted to leave earlier but I couldn't pull myself away from watching the amazin' Jimmer & the Fredettes. So I've been doing a little research regarding proper running form. I've known for quite awhile that my form is seriously lacking. It just hit me after looking at some of my race photos that none of them show me in a position where my trail leg is any higher than a few inches off the ground. I have almost no toe-off or extension. My gait is more akin to a running shuffle than a running stride. Soooo, I've been consciously trying to bring my trail leg up to horizontal w/ the TM or the road. Right now it seems awkward and a little exhausting but I'm hoping I'll adjust to it and run stronger very soon.

640AM: Not enough sleep last night. I was actually going to skip this morning and then run a 10 miler this evening but my 4 yo son was already up and doing cartwheels so he kinda made my decision for me. Legs were tight and heavy. Still feeling those squats and lunges from a couple of days ago. Very slow pace. Wore my heart monitor for the first time in forever. Tried to keep my HR in the 140's and I was more or less successful.

6AM: I got a great night's sleep last night. Skipped the evening workout and went to bed at 9PM. First time that has happened in forever. I wish I could do that more often but that's probably not very realistic. Got a 1 hr massage yesterday too. I'm not sore like I usually am afterward. This particular massage therapist actually asked me if the pressure was too hard, a novel concept.

Interval run on the TM: 1M warm, 4 x 880 @ 7:03/mi pace; 2 x 440 @ 7:03/mi; cool.  I thought this would be a moderately tough interval session but the effort didn't seem to match the pace. I'd like to think that is because the TM isn't properly calibrated but the more likely reason is that I'm in worse shape then I thought.

830PM: Quick upper body weight session then an easy 3.6M on the TM to get my daily mileage to 10M.

3PM: Long slow, easy run. Weather was pretty decent. Temp around 40 w/ a little bit of wind out of the west. Like last Saturday, I was able to run in shorts w/ a long sleeve and gloves. So nice to be able to run in the daylight. Tried to keep my pace even throughout but fell off toward the end. Felt sluggish and heavy. In hindsight, probably not a good idea to do a speed workout + a double the day before a medium long run. Looking forward to a day off. 

Big workout on TM tonight. Day 1 of Pfitzinger's 70 MPW 18 week Marathon Plan. 2M warmup; 4M @ slightly faster than HM pace (7:27/mi); cooldown. Starting to see results after a couple of weeks of increased mileage and improved diet. Down 8 lbs this month. It would be nice to not have to lose the winter coat every year but at least I got an early start this year. Unlike the last 2 years, I should be in good racing shape by the time Robie Creek rolls around in April. 

6AM: 5+ mile recovery run slow, easy on TM. Felt pretty good considering last night's late workout. Get another 5+ miles in tonight, time permitting. 

9PM: 7M easy on TM. Stressful day of hearings at work. I was exhausted when I got home. Helped my 1st grader w/ some homework then promptly fell asleep for about 20 mins. Contemplated just getting up in the morning but I did the math in my head and came up with: Running a double today to get my daily mileage to 12M > having to run a medium long run tomorrow. 

10PM: Late night run thanks to a ton of conflicts this evening.  Got another horrible night's sleep.  The good news is that this was my short/recovery run day. First day running in my new Brooks Launch.  They feel light and responsive and might be a really good everyday trainer. But I think they're 1/2 size too big.  I'll send them back tomorrow and get a smaller pair.  More stomach problems/nausea. 

9PM: Medium-long run. I actually broke this one up in segments. 1.5M to the gym; 7M on the TM; 1.5M back home. My sleep debt keeps accumulating.  My 4 yo woke up at 4am last night.  He did go back down for a couple of hours but the damage was done. Despite all that, my legs didn't feel altogether dead but they did lack some of the spring I usually have after yesterday's shorter run.

8PM: Starting to rain outside so I did an easy recovery run on the TM. Kept it slow and short.  Got a long run tomorrow.

1PM: Long, slow run on the greenbelt.  Again, its so nice to be able to run in the sunlight this time of year. It really is rejuvenating. I'll have to check my history but I believe this is the longest run I've ever done this early in the year.  Continue to suffer from an generalized upset stomach.  I don't know if it's stress or the increase in protein but its getting to the point where I may have to do something about it. 

6:15AM: Went off the reservation yesterday for the Super Bowl. We had a nice spread for the game and I did partake. So I had to follow that up with a big workout on the TM this morning. Pfitzinger's LT workout- Warmup; 4M @ 7:27/mi avg pace; Cooldown. My running economy seems to have improved over the last week. My HR was definitely elevated but this workout was more comfortable than last week.

8PM: Medium-long general aerobic run. A pretty good run.  Legs and lungs felt really good but I have a really bad tootache. Concentrated on improving my knee lift and back leg extension. The running actually distracted me from the pain in my tooth. So I guess it served its purpose. Going to the dentist tomorrow so hopefully it'll get sorted out.  

Short recovery run on the TM. Got my shoes (Brooks Launch) back after I returned them last week for a smaller size. The fit and feel is awesome. Felt like I was running on air. Almost effortless. Part of it could have been that I went to the endodontist today after the tootache I had yesterday got worse. He numbed it up pretty good and sent me home w/ some narco and antibiotic. Gotta wait a couple of weeks for the infection to calm down in order to get in there and repair what looks to be a failing root canal.  Good times. 

Laid up the past two days with an infected root canal.  I decided that I was feeling good enough to get out there and knock out a long run.  That would give me 2 big workouts this week and make sure that this would not be a lost week.  I felt really good given the layoff and circumstances. Slowed down in the 2nd half of the run coming back uphill and against the wind. I'll take my normal day off tomorrow and hopefully I'll be 100% on Monday.

6AM: General aerobic + speed on TM: 8+ miles w/ 10x100m strides @ 6:48/mi pace. First run w/ my new Tangent 4's. I like the fit better than the Tangent 3's. A little bit wider than the Tangent 3's but still snug. If they're like their predecessor, they'll expand/widen after a few miles.   

550AM: General aerobic run; I was supposed to do 12M this morning but there just wasn't enough time; I need to get up earlier to get in these long mid-week runs but 530AM wakeup is probably my limit until the day I start getting to bed a lot earlier; I wasn't feeling it at all this morning; I don't know if its the antibiotic I'm on or all of the hydrocodone or if I'm just sick but I have this constant feeling of nausea; the good news is that my tooth is no longer bothering me; I guess I traded it in for something else; that's kind of how my training goes, if its not one nagging problem its another; I'm going to try to get a couple of miles in tonight to meet my goal for the day.

830PM: 2.6M on the TM to meet my daily mileage goal; did some light core work as well.

Easy recovery run on the TM.  Started slow and ended at current MP. 

Read about the new qualifying standards for Boston today. Looks like they'll be lowering the qualifying times for each age group by 5 mins beginning in 2013 and allowing faster runners to register first beginning in 2012. At first I was a little disappointed but then it kind of motivated me to do better than "just" 3:15 this year. Why not shoot for my best possible marathon? Why not decide to train harder and become as fit as possible so I can take advantage of the new system rather than fall victim to it? 

9:30PM, Denver, CO: Went from work to the airport.  By the time I got my rental and drove into the city it was past 9 o'clock. Being late and downtown I didn't want to run outside.  Immediately headed to the TM to get in my scheduled general aerobic run. TM was athletic club quality, a nice change from some the POS's I normally have to run on when travelling. FWIW, I didn't notice any difference in the higher altitude.  Also, the full length mirror gave me an excellent view of my form and it always surprises me just how little extensioin and push-off I get from my back leg. I've known from the many race photos that have captured my shuffle/form but its always shocking to see it in live action. 

Back home. Short recovery run outside on a cool but not cold evening.  Long run (17 mi) tomorrow that has me a bit nervous. The plan is to run 2/3 of it at current MP. It will be an interesting test to see where I'm at in my training.

Long run on the GB from Glenwood Bridge to WS Golf Course and back. 4m warmup; 8m @ marathon pace (8:00/mi); 4m cool. I was worried that I'd get rained/snowed on so I came prepared for everything. The precip didn't materialize until the last half hour which meant that I was a bit overdressed and overheated.  I'm so ready for t-shirt and shorts weather. I sorta cheated a bit on the tempo, taking a short break halfway thru to get a drink and a couple of bites of my powerbar. Otherwise, it went pretty well.

Great medium-long run. I always feel pretty good on Monday after my rest day and this week was no exception.  Starting to get back into decent shape, something I was never really in last year for very long- if at all.  

I was able to register for Robie Creek despite another year of their website melting down. It's probably my favorite race every year but they've really got to do something about their jacked up registration process. Take a few of those sponsorship dollars and invest it in some additional bandwidth. It really wouldn't be that expensive or difficult.   

630AM:  5+ easy recovery run after last night's medium-long run. Sore legs and a little bit dehydrated. Needed to get in a quick run because today is going to be a long workday.

530AM:  Another medium-long run.  I felt good but not great.  My training plan calls for a couple of mid-week 11-15 milers pretty much every week from here on out.  I feel great when I'm done but finding the time is somewhat of an obstacle, especially until we transition to longer days. 

615AM: Little bit of snow on the ground so I ran on the TM at the club.  I took yesterday off after getting a root canal on Wednesday and still feeling the effects of the hydrocodone and antibiotic.  Felt much better today after making the shift to extra strength tylenol.  2.5M warmup; 4+ miles @ 7:22/mi pace; cooldown.  This workout was scheduled for yesterday so I'm going to do a 5+ mile recovery run tonight.   

8PM: Hill workout/recovery run on TM. 3M of alternating 1 min hill repeats w/ 1 min rest; 2+ cooldown.  Nothing too strenuous. Just a little something to build strength and focus on uphill running form. 

Medium-long run on the GB.  Ran on the Bethine Church Trail for a couple of miles. I had heard about this trail on the south side of the Boise River opposite Warm Springs Golf Course but had never run on it. Very nice to have such a nice greenbelt and trail system in an urban area.  Took it easy but I was a bit dehydrated and hungry towards the end.  Didn't bring anything to eat or drink.  Still breaking in my new Tangents. They didn't hurt hurt my feet but they didn't feel good either.   

9PM: Didn't sleep very well so I put my run off until this evening. One of the nicest evenings in quite a while, temp near 40 w/ little to no wind. General aerobic run w/ 10 x 100m strides (6:50ish pace).  A pretty good workout and I felt like I could have gone much longer and run much harder- but that's pretty normal for a Monday. 

8PM: Another weekday half marathon in the dark.  I know I keep saying this but this running in the dark thing is really starting to wear on my psyche.  It's almost as bad as running on the TM.  I guess I could remedy this by running right after work but I'm really not brave enough to get home from work and then take off on a 13M run. 

Noon: Solved my phobia of running in the dark w/ a midday run near the office.  It was supposed to be a short recovery run after last night's medium long run but I got an itch to run up Shaw Mtn. Rd just to remind myself of what I'd be in for next month.  Ran it very slow on the way up and took it easy on the way down.  Message received- I need to a) shed more lbs; and b) do more hill/strength training.

545AM:  Got a really good night's sleep.  Planned on running outside but all of my outside gear was in the wash.  The training plan called for 11M general aerobic run but I could not hang.  Felt good but not great. 3 of my kids are fighting colds and I'm starting on one myself. Luckily, I'm still taking an antibiotic for my root canal and its helped me to ward off the worst of what would likely be a nasty sore throat and congestion. 

Funny anecdote: Told my dad that I wanted to drop 20 lbs before my marathon in June and he said that if I'm successful he'd buy me a nice dress to celebrate.  That's the funny thing about runners.  To the "layperson," we don't look overweight. But most of us non-elites constantly do battle with the feeling that we are.  We say, "If I could just drop another 5 or 10 lbs I would feel so much better when I run."  Then we reach that goal and realize that, big surprise, running is still taxing.  So we vow to drop some more weight and the cycle repeats itself.  I guess this could qualify as a type of psychosis.  But so long as I'm cognizant of that fact and its rooted in efficiency rather than vanity it's not as much of a problem, right?   

830PM:  Easy recovery run on the TM. Started slow and finished strong. Tomorrow's long run is going to require some logistical gymnastics. My wife is in the hospital and returning home tomorrow so it may be difficult to sneak away until the late evening. 

Been more than occupied w/ my wife's post-surgery recovery and taking care of the kiddos this weekend.  I finally got a moment to get away for my weekly long run. Unfortunately, it didn't come until late this evening.  Even then, it almost didn't happen due to an emergency involving my six year old and a very loose bottom tooth.  She wouldn't let me pull it and she wouldn't let me leave until it fell out. It's been a crazy weekend in the Price household but at least I got it done. 

830PM: Easy recovery run on the TM.  I'm not accustomed to running the day after a long run, but I'm also not accustomed to running on Sunday.  My legs were heavier than I would have thought at the beginning but they began to loosen up toward the end.  Finished strong w/ the last mile a little slower than current MP. 

2M easy warmup; 4M @ 7:24/mi; cooldown. I struggled a bit with this run.  I've been battling a head cold for about a week and the benadryl I've been taking has me kind of drowsy and out of it.  It didn't help that it was like 80 degrees inside the club.  I guess I could have run outside but I like that the TM helps keep me at my goal pace and doesn't allow you to slack off. 

830PM:  Easy aerobic run. Overloaded on pizza for dinner so I was really dragging for about the first 2/3 of the run.  Finished strong w/ my last mile being my quickest so I could make it home to the safety of my own bathroom. 

9PM:  Short recovery run on the TM.  Progressed to a decent pace but didn't push it in anticipation of tomorrow's long run. 

Easy long run.  Out and back from barber park to Veterans Memorial Park. Lots of people out on the greenbelt getting ready from the racing season including those racing in the Basic 5 from Julia Davis Park. I was supposed to run a tempo in the middle of the run but I developed some soreness in the groin area and decided not to push it.  Don't know what I am going to do about it other than stretch.  May need to start seeing the chiro again to get me lined up.  Hope its not a form flaw thats causing it.

8PM: Beautiful weather this evening. I was actually able to run in shorts and a long sleeve shirt. I've been struggling w/ a horrible cough all weekend but it abated during the run for the most part.  As soon as I finished I broke out into a horrible coughing fit for the next 20 mins. Don't really feel all that bad, no fever, I just can't stop hacking.  Easy pace w/ 10 x 100m @ 7 min/mi pace.

8PM:  Loooooong TM workout. It wasn't raining but it had rained all day and I really didn't want to be out there in it in case it changed its mind.  Took the day off from work and training yesterday.  Been bothered by a horrible cough that I can't seem to totally get rid of.  It was especially bad the night before last.  Luckily, I had some leftover antibiotic that finally kicked in late last night. 

Tried some new compression sleeves for my calves.  Didn't notice any difference during the run but they're meant for recovery.  I plan on sleeping in them tonight and hopefully I'll notice a difference in the morning.

830PM:  A nice progressive run.  Started slow against the wind and finished really strong w/ the last 2 miles at just under current MP.  Felt pretty good about this run, especially since I was running in my Wave Riders which are my last pair of non-ultra light trainers. 

8PM: Easy recovery run on the TM.  Broke in a new pair of shoes tonight. I order all of my shoes online now so I didn't want to run outside so as to avoid any scuffing or damage that would preclude me from being able to return them if they didn't fit right.  Right out of the box I loved the look of these shoes- very sleek.  If nothing else, they have that going for them.  Like all of the other shoes I've been purchasing, they are of the minimalist variety.  They feel kind of similar to the Nike LunaRacer's, particularly the narrow toe box.  I'm hoping that, like the LunaRacer's, they'lll stretch out as I put a few miles in them.  As it is I ended up gouging a piece of skin out of my toe w/ the toenail from my pinky toe.  Aside from that inconvenience, I liked their lightweight feel and the softness of the upper. 

8PM: A good medium-long run. Waited until after the BYU v. Gonzaga game so I had to run most of it in the dark. Still, it was fairly mild temp wise w/ little to no wind. Only 28 days til Robie so I'm gonna have to crank up the hill/strength training. I feel like I have a decent base now so if I'm going to set a PR there this year will be entirely dependent on whether I can run all the way to the top.  Not a whole lot of time to be saved on the downhill- maybe 2 to 4 mins tops.  OTOH, I figure I can save anywhere from 10-15 mins on the uphill, which makes up 2/3 of the course, if I just keep a steady pace on the uphill w/ no walking. 

Tempo run on the TM. 2M warmup, 5M @ 7:27/mi pace; 1.5M cooldown. Got a horrible night's sleep last night. Up all night with a sick little boy. I really wanted to just hit the sack early this evening but once I got into the run I felt pretty good.  Now its time to take some melatonin and crash. 

830PM:  Medium-long run.  Very mild this evening. I was able to wear shorts, long sleeve and a light jacket. Still have some soreness in the hip/groin area, especially on the right side. Might have to visit the masseuse tomorrow, and maybe the chiro later on if that doesn't alleviate it.   

9PM: My regular Wednesday evening church commitments made me delay this run until late. The wife made some delicious chocolate-chip, pumpkin bread which, while extremely tasty, is not considered a "light" snack nor is it helping me in my quest to drop weight.  I guess I shouldn't complain that my wife likes to bake and is such a great cook, but I will.

Easy progressive run on the TM that topped out at 8:00/mi pace for the last mile. 

1230PM:  A really good midday run on the GB. The wind died down today. Temp in the 50's w/ the sun poking through here and there.  It know its technically springtime but it still feels like its right on the cusp between winter and spring.  

Out and back from Municipal Park headed east. Didn't push it but I did get some decent miles w/ an avg pace at just slower than current MP.  Looking forward to another run this evening after watching some NCAA tourney basketball.

830PM: Easy aerobic run, 7.35M, on the TM. Nothing special, just something to get my weekly mileage up.

630AM: Short, easy aerobic TM run.  I'll be snowboarding w/ my son and nephew after work so I wanted to get in a quick workout before work.  The legs were slow to wake up after the morning and evening workouts yesterday.  Big long-run workout planned for tomorrow- weather permitting.

2PM: Well this is a first, 20+ miles on a TM. Not really by choice, it was rainy and windy, but it really wasn't as bad as I feared.  I was able to watch the entire Butler v. Florida Regional Final, including the OT. It was a great game made only better by the greatest play by play announcer in the business, Gus Johnson. Did get some weird looks from the folks at the club. I guess that's to be expected when you spend that much time on a TM drenched in sweat.  I feel really good about this run precisely because I feel really good after this run- like I could have gone a bit longer. Maybe I'll decide to run an entire marathon on a TM someday? 

630AM: 6M recovery run. Started easy and finished last mile @ current MP. It was light out by the time I finished. Can't wait til its light out when I start. Planning on doing a little hill work on the TM this evening.

9PM: 5M of hill work; 1 min intervals of incline varying from 2 to 6.5%.  Legs felt good and my breathing was controlled. Planning on a longer hill session on Saturday, weather permitting, on the Robie Creek course.

9PM:  Medium long aerobic run.  I was worried that I'd have to do another long TM workout but the rain subsided and it was actually a pretty nice evening for a run.  Battled a stomach ache most of the time but felt good otherwise, breathing was easy and my leg strength was adequate.  Finished listening to True Grit by Charles Portis.  Never read this book growing up but now I know what all the hoopla was about.  Easily one of the best pieces of American fiction that I've ever read.  Portis is right up there w/ Twain, London and McCarthy. 

830PM: Easy recovery run on the TM. Legs were really heavy and sore today.  I needed an easy day.  Haven't been getting very good rest lately.  Hopefully, that will change w/ the family headed to my mother-in-laws til Sunday. 

830PM: Great run on a gorgeous evening.  Warmest day of the year to date.  Able to run in shorts w/ no gloves or hat for the first time.  Got home from work, watched the Cards opener on the DVR and went for a run.  The only thing that would have made it better was if Ryan Franklin would've held the lead w/ 2 outs in the 9th. 

Warm, 6M @ 7:38/mi avg, cool. 

9PM:  Easy recovery run on another beautiful and mild evening.  Weather is supposed to be crappy tomorrow so we'll see if I can do a long hilly run  on the Robie course or if I'm forced to run inside again.

Back to back 20 milers. The way the weather looked this morning, I was worried that I'd have to run inside again.  But things started clearing up around noon and the sun even came out.  Not as nice as yesterday but not bad.  Kept up a pretty good pace the first half but the wind and fatigue made me about 30 secs per mile slower the 2nd half.  Still, I feel like I put in some pretty good work today and that my endurance training is coming along.  Now I just need to develop some speed to go with it. 

AM:  Hill workout on the TM; 1M intervals of inclines up to 6.5.  I felt pretty strong but my left heel was really bothering me.  It got better as the run continued, leading me to believe that my ankle problem has morphed into a plantar fasciitis problem.  From the web-based research I've done it seems to be rather common that the symptoms of PF are most acute in the morning and alleviate as the fascii stretches out.  It's a little painful at the outset but bearable. From everything I've read though it seems that the only way to get rid of PF involves either surgery or prolonged rest. I've done some little things like wrapping it at night, icing it and stretching it but I guess its just something I'll have to deal with.  Now that most of my footwear is of the minimalist variety w/ comparatively little cushioning, I've attempted to transition to more of a forefoot strike in order to avoid putting too much stress/impact on the heels. I'm hoping that change in form will make it at least more manageable.

PM: Watched the NCAA NC game and had to go out for a run to so as to rid myself of the horrible memory of Butler's remarkable ineptitude.  What a stinker! It may have put mens collegiate basketball back on par with the ladies.  Easy 5M progressive run topping out @ 8:05/mi for the last 2M.  

Medium-long run. This one was tough. I didn't get out the door until late, legs were heavy, and I just wasn't into it.  Kept up a decent pace anyway, which I suppose is a good sign.  Slept in a protective boot last night to see if I could alleviate some of the PF I've been experiencing.  It did feel better this morning.  I'll keep using it this week and see if I can't substantially reverse the symptoms. 

PM: Easy recovery run on the TM. Woke up late last night because I had fastened the straps to my boot/splint too tight and it cut of my circulation. Got so frustrated that I just ripped it off and went back to bed.  Consequently, I'm right back where I started w/ the PF. Hopefully, tonight will go better but I'm not optimistic. 

PM: Medium-long run.  Strong progressive run topping out at 5 secs faster than current MP for the last 2M. PF is still bothering me. I think the boot is gonna get the boot.  The only thing it is accomplishing is making me sleep uncomfortably. 

PM:  Interval session on TM: 6 x 300 meters @ just a little slower than 10k race pace (7:14/mi).  Felt pretty good but I'm still searching for a consistency to my stride. Sometimes I feel like I have good extension and push off and then I lose focus and it goes to crap.  Running a 5k tomorrow w/ my son which I'm approaching as a speed workout. 

I ran the Beat Coach Pete 5k w/ my son this morning.  I'm not counting it as a race because I had to pull up after two miles w/ a horrible muscle cramp/pull in my lower hamstring just above the back of my knee.

I did a half mile warmup. Weather was cool and with a slight drizzle but not too horrible.  I actually started pretty well w/ the first couple of miles @ 6:58 and 6:52.  Unfortunately, I spent a lot of energy early in the race. This race is fun but there are a lot of runners for the size of the course which funnels more than 2k runners onto the narrow greenbelt. Did a lot of dodging, braking and zig zagging the first mile or so but then I thought I was settling into a good rhythmn until I went down a slight decline coming through a tunnel underneath Capitol Blvd. 

That's when my hammie seized.  I sat down for a little while and contemplated whether I would just head back to my car but then I remembered that my son would be waiting for me at the finish. So I got up and walked for about a 1/4 mile and then jogged to the finish. It's pretty sore right now. I've got Robie coming up in a week and, more importantly, I'm knee deep in my marathon training. Hopefully, its just a bad cramp and not an actual tear.

PM: Got a massage this afternoon to see if I could speed the recovery of my cranky hamstring. Early results are promising but inconclusive.  The pain is gone but its still tight. 

Started really slow and apprehensive but eventually found a rhythmn.  I didn't know what to expect and I was a little disappointed that the tightness was still there and noticeable.  Kept thinking that if I stepped wrong or accelerated too quickly it would just pop like a piano wire.  About 3 or 4 miles of this uneasiness gave way to indifference. I've got a race on Saturday and its either going to hold up or its not.   

PM:  Interval run: 2M warm; 6x800m @ 10k race pace w/ 800m jog in between; cool.  I started out this run incredibly stiff. My right leg wouldn't fully extend for the first mile or so. It was kinda similar to how my legs feel after I start a weight training program after a long layoff, only on one leg.  It wasn't painful but more than a little disconcerting.  After 2 miles of warmup I decided to test it and it more or less responded.  My form didn't feel easy or smooth but that's nothing new. I was able to generate enough turnover to reach 10k pace but try as I might I couldn't go any faster- not even for a measly hundred yards.  Aerobically I feel fine but I don't feel like I can generate any power or pushoff.  I think it will be fine for Saturday so long as I don't attack the downhill too hard.  I won't have to hold back on the uphill, the hill will make me. 

PM: Easy medium-long run.  Hamstring feeling a little better after a day off and some stretching.  Also purchased some compression shorts.  Don't know if they helped the hammie but they are comfortable. 

Noon: Short progression run during lunch as a tune-up for Robie tomorrow.  7:45/mi avg pace, topping out @ 7:25/mi for last mile +.  Hammie feeling better every day.  It's still noticeable but not nearly as tight as it was earlier in the week. 

Third time's a charm.  I was finally able to crack 2 hours.  I knew I was in better shape this year than years past in terms of base mileage but I really was just doing this as a fun training workout for my 'A' goal which is a BQ in Utah Valley in two months. 

I did almost no hill work leading up to the race and consequently I was not as strong as I'd hoped to the summit.  Had to walk for brief periods, employing a modified Galloway run/walk strategy for the last 1.5 miles to the summit.  2k elevation gain is a lot but a disproportionate amount of that elevation is gained from mile 7 to the 8.5 mile mark.  I did knock a few minutes off my summit time from years past but there's still a lot of minutes to be saved by being in better hill shape.

I felt like I was going a bit faster on the downhill but my splits didn't reveal much of an advantage over year's past (avg. 7:00/mi).  Splits and course profile here. (Note: I had the course short). 

No issues with my hamstring and aside from some stomach queeziness it was pretty uneventful in terms of injuries or aches/pains.  It was fun to run this one w/ a couple of friends, Brian and fellow FRBer Court.  Although I didn't see much of either of them during the race.  Court took off and just killed it w/ a 1:38.  Awesome to see how much improvement he's experienced in such a relatively short time. 

AM: Raining this morning so I took the workout inside to the TM.  Quads are very sore from Saturday's race.  Slow and easy to get all of that lactic acid out.  Another short, easy workout tonight. 

PM: Another short, easy TM run to get the mileage quota for the day.  My quads are toast. Had an extremely hard time w/ the stairs at home and work today. I felt so good after the race on Saturday that I'm more than a little surprised to be so sore right now.  I'm going to stretch and ice tonight and hopefully most of it will work its way out of my muscles tonight. 

PM: Another slow and easy run on a cool evening.  We're getting some sunshine now but the temp still dips into the 30's at night.  My quads are better than yesterday but still thrashed. Going upstairs is tolerable now but going downstairs is still excruciating. Took me a couple of miles just to loosen up and I decided just to keep it slow and steady.  I've got a 20+ miler planned for the weekend and I'm just trying to get some mileage and allow the body to recover at the same time.  Those two goals may be incompatible. 

PM:  Raining again.  Easy progressive run on the TM.  Started very slow and ended @ 8:00/mi pace for last 1.5M.  Quads and calves feeling better but now my hamstring tightness has returned. 

PM: 3M warmup; 7M @ 7:45/mi avg pace; cool.  Wanted to run this tempo closer to 7:30/mi pace but just didn't have it in me. Overall pace was right @ current marathon pace.  Very cool evening w/ a stiff breeze.  Major stomach ache didn't help my flow.  On the upside, my leg soreness is pretty much gone. 

Noon: Beautiful sunshiny day.  Ran an out and back on the GB from the Firefighter's Memorial to Municipal Park. Suffering from some tired legs after last night's workout.  My heart-rate started out elevated and I could never get it under control even though my pace was relaxed.  Need get some quality rest tonight for tomorrow's long run. 

10AM:  Easy long run.  That is if you can ever consider 20+ miles "easy."  Beautiful conditions, sunny and temp in the 50's w/ 10mph breeze.  Ran a 12M loop to start so that I could stop by the house and get some agua.  I sort of figured that it would be hard to start up again and it was.  The advantage is not having to carry any water w/ me. The second loop was 8+ miles. Did the whole 20 miler pretty much w/o fuel. Had half of a granola bar that I got in last weeks race.  After 19 miles I was spent and sort of limped home against a mild headwind.  This makes two 20 milers and a hard trail half marathon race in the last 4 weeks. 

PM: More rain and wind forced me inside for a really good interval workout: 3M warm; 7 x 600m @ 6:53/mi pace w/ 400m jog in between; cool.  This felt really easy and smooth. I probably could have done the intervals a bit faster but my hamstring was tightening up so I didn't push it.  I know that I didn't hit V02 max. I'll try this workout again next week and maybe run them closer to 6:30/mi pace to see if I can max out. 

PM: Back to back outstanding workouts.  Finally feeling like I'm making some tangible progress in my training. Ran 5M at a moderate to easy pace then 9M @ 7:45/mi pace (7:55/mi pace overall).  Not really a tempo run because the pace never felt uncomfortable. Felt relatively effortless and smooth. Its probably no coincidence that my base mileage is up and my body weight is down.  I expect to see more gains as I get closer to the 170 lb range, new territory for me.  Getting some good turnover and pushoff. The increased leg strength is likely a dividend of the hill workout/race at Robie 10 days ago.

PM: Quick and easy recovery run. Pretty windy tonight but I ran strong. Picked up a new ipod shuffle. Beats the heck out of carrying my ipod touch. It clips right onto my shirt and I hardly know its there.  Should have gotten one for running a long time ago. 

PM: Moderately easy run w/ 7 x 1/10mi strides & fast finish mile (7:28/mi pace).  Not a bad run considering that it took some real willpower to get out the door this evening. I've felt really lethargic and achy all day. I may be fighting off a flu bug. 

PM: Easy run on the TM to build the base mileage. Still feeling below average but I eased into a nice 8:00/mi pace after about 3M. It snowed this morning and was unseasonably chilly w/ a lot of wind.  Weather is supposed to turn for the better starting tomorrow. I certainly hope so. 

PM: Easy long run @ 8:18/mi pace overall. Weather is starting to turn. Mostly sunny w/ a temp near 60 this afternoon- but there was a LOT of wind. I benefitted from it for half of the run but it always seems like a headwind slows you down and wears you out more than a tailwind speeds you up. 

PM:  Speedwork on the TM. It was nasty outside but I would have gone inside anyway for this workout. I find it much easier to hit an appointed pace on the TM than on my own. Did a couple fewer intervals than last week but they were 200m longer and 14 secs per mile faster: 1M warm then 5 x 1000m @ 6:39/mi pace w/ 600m jog in between. 9M in 71 min. overall followed by a cooldown mile. 

Noon: Nice midday run on the GB. Sunny w/ temp in 50's w/ a cool breeze. Had a few detours due to the high water raging over the GB in places. Parks and Rec will have some work to do once the water recedes- at this rate it will probably be in August.

Warm; 5M @ 7:55/mi; Cool. Last 2M @ goal marathon pace. Hamstring started to act up right away but then subsided.  I'm gonna have to stretch it out real good after work and take it easy on this evening's run.

PM: 8.53M on a cool evening. Didn't push too hard. Kept it comfortable w/ an even effort throughout. Headwind on the way out which made me slow down a bit but the last half, w/ a tailwind, was right at or just slower than current MP. Took several readings of my resting heart rate at work today and it was 40 bpm. Don't remember it ever being that low. 

PM: Beautiful evening. Temp in the mid 60's w/ no wind for a change. Started out kind of stiff and a little winded.  I was able to recover on the second half of the run. Ran the last 4.5M @ goal marathon pace (7:28/mi) and just under current MP overall.  I was able to use my Ipod shuffle tonight which doesn't sound like a big deal but considering that it went through an entire wash and dry cycle while clipped to my shorts it might qualify as a minor miracle.  I bought the thing because its so lightweight and barely noticeable. Turns out that it was virtually invisible. 

PM: Moderate to easy run (current MP plus :08/mi) at dusk on the nicest day of the year to date. Temp in the mid 70's this afternoon w/ a light wind. Love being able to run in t-shirt and shorts again.

PM:  Easy recovery run on the TM.  Looks like the nice weather is done for a couple of days, just in time for the weekend.  I was last night w/ a sick kid so what little sleep I got was interrupted.  I did get to watch and listen to the Mavs take a 3-0 series lead on the Lakers though- which was more than a little enjoyable. 

Noon: It rained this morning but cleared up nicely by midday w/ temp near 70. Pretty good long training run. Easy pace for first 9M then I progressively increased the pace by :05 sec/mi the last half of the run.  Last mile @ 7:40/mi pace.  Ran down Locust Grove from Overland to Spy Glass Golf Course and back.  The out is a gradual downhill which means that my progression run the last 9M was a gradual uphill.  Felt pretty strong, especially since this training run came at the culmination of my greatest mileage week ever. 

AM:  Speed interval workout on the TM; warmup; 6x600m @ 6:39/mi w/ 1000m jog in between; cool.  Tweaked my left calf. It started hurting during Saturday's long run but got even tighter today. Surprisingly, it hurt more during the jog portion than the intervals.  I was able to get through it but I'll take it easy the rest of the week.  Running a half on Saturday as a long tempo run. Goal is to run it 20 secs faster than goal marathon pace.   

PM:  Medium-long run. Ran the first 9M right at current MP then I had to back it off because my left calf started to become too painful.  It's now painful to the touch.  I'm sure this is a byproduct of the above avg (for me) mileage I've been logging this year.  Crossed the 1k mile threshhold tonight which is a couple of months ahead of my typical workload.

Noon: Tried to run at lunch but quickly turned around and shut it down. Left calf is super tight and painful. Walking is ok but the impact of running is just too much.  More than a little dismayed right now. I'll do some intense therapy tonight and see where I'm at. 

PM: Took yesterday off to rest my ailing left calf. Massaged it, rolled it out good on a foam roller, iced it, used a heating pad and dang near threw the kitchen sink at it. It feels better. Still a little tight but not painful like it was yesterday.

Took me a bit to warm up but I was able to run the last 4.5M @ 7:35/mi pace. Another beautiful evening for a run and it looks like the race on Saturday will be the warmest day of the year so far. I'm a little worried because that was the scenario last year and it didn't turn out so well. Granted, I'm only running the half this year so I should be done before it gets too warm.

PM:  Easy run on the TM to keep the legs tuned. 4M in 33 min w/ 6 x .1M strides @ goal HM pace (7:10/mi); cool.   

Today was really nice but the evening looked like it would storm at any minute. The wind just ended up blowing real hard and a light sprinkle.  Probably just as well that I ran inside and kept the impact on my calf to a minimum.  It's feeling better but not all the way back yet.  I'm hopeful that it will hold together for tomorrow's race.  I guess we'll find out soon enough. 

Ran this race as part of my training w/ no real taper.  Took Wednesday off this week but that was due to calf tightness and not any conscious effort to decrease mileage.  

The course is mostly flat to gradual downhill course.  A good crosswind was blowing from the Lucky Peak Canyon until we reached Barber Park. It then seemed to turn around and hit us in the face once we were in town until the finish at Ann Morrisson Park. 

I was supposed to do a 14M goal marathon pace run last weekend but I figured that running a Half at greater than goal MP might be even more effective.  My A goal going into the race was 7:10/mi pace and the B goal was 7:15/mi pace- so I fell right in the middle of both goals.  I was on pace for the A goal through 10M but I started to fade in miles 10-12 due to multiple factors including a horrible stomach ache, a slight headwind, dodging 10kers and slow marathoners, etc. I also walked through at least 3 aid stations to make sure I got enough fluids down later in the race. It wasn't super warm but probably a little warmer than ideal.  Despite all that, I was able to recover and finish the last mile @ 7:15, so evidently I did have something left in the tank.

Pretty happy with the result- a 3 1/2 minute PR.  I always feel like I could have done better but I suspect I'm not alone in that regard, especially amongst runners.  Now its time for a great couple of weeks of training and focusing on dropping some more weight before the taper for UVM in 4 weeks. 

AM: Easy recovery run on the TM. Absolutely no soreness or ill effects from Saturday's race which was a pleasant change from my post-Robie Creek recovery. It was snowing this morning. It didn't stick, but that's really not the point when its May 16th!!  6M in 50 mins then a cooldown.  Another short run this evening.

PM:  Short progression run. Just short of 5M in 38 mins. Last mile @ goal MP. I felt really tight, not tight as in sore but tight as in strong and springy.

PM:  Ran over to the gym for a speed workout on the TM.  5 x 1200m @ 6:39/mi w/ 800m jog in between; cool.  These were the longest intervals I've done so far in this training cycle.  I'm pleased that I was able to complete these w/o too much strain and w/in a few days of racing a half marathon. I feel stronger then in any previous training cycle. Now if I can just get my diet squared away I'll be set. 

Noon: Easy run (current MP) at lunch on the GB. Out and back from Ann Morrison Park to Willow Lane. Legs were a bit heavy and my hips were sore after last night's speed session. UVM announced via Twitter/FB that "The Original Creamies" will be an official sponsor. This made me very happy. 

930PM: Another 6.14 easy miles on the TM.

Noon: Easy out and back run on GB from Municipal Park. Bright sunshine and temp near 70 but breezy. The headwind occurred on the way back but I was still able to pick up the pace on the last half. 7:58/mi overall w/ last mile @ goal MP. Last 20 miler planned for tomorrow.

AM:  20 miles on the 20th of May. Mostly even splits with miles 19 & 20 being my quickest.  Last 20 miler before UVM 3 wks from tomorrow.  Took the day off so my dad, the boys and I could go fish the Duck Valley Res.  Now its time to hop in the car and drive 3 hours. 

930PM: Sunday is usually a rest day for me but I wasn't able to run yesterday due to travel and I didn't want to go 2 days in a row w/o any training. This is my last hard week of training before I begin to taper for UVM and the last week where I have any hope of making any fitness gains that may have an impact on my performance.  Making a conscious effort to be smart about my diet, substitute water for my habitual diet mt. dew and get more sleep if possible. 

PM: Recovery + speed: 1.42M to the club; weather was perfect for running outside but I wanted to catch as much of the Dallas v. OKC game as I could; 4.42M in 37 mins. on TM w/ 8 x 100m strides; 1.34M back home.

PM:  Slow, easy medium long run; got a late start because I wanted to see the end of the Chicago v. Miami, Game 4; felt really sluggish tonight; hip flexors were sore for some reason and I just couldn't get any turnover; saw a really weird scene about a block from my house as I was finishing my run: 3 cats sitting in the middle of the street evenly spaced about 5 feet apart from one another just staring in the same direction off in the distance; looked like something out of a Hitchcock movie. 

PM: Hard driving rainstorm tonight so I headed inside again; Not exactly a bad thing because it allowed me to catch the Mavs close out the Thunder in a pretty good game.  Easy run; 6M in 50 mins + cooldown.  Still experiencing some mild pain in the hip flexors and a flare up in my PF.  Nothing too painful but I'll need to stretch and ice good before it gets much worse.

Noon: Lunchtime run on the GB from Ann Morrison to Vets Pkwy and back.  Started raining and hailing halfway through the run.  Bad weather just in time for the 3 day holiday weekend.  It happens every year.  5+ miles in 40 mins w/ 6 x 100m strides. 

830PM: Rained pretty hard this evening and then it cleared up rather nicely.  Temp in upper 50's w/ no wind. Progression run starting out at current MP and finishing the last 5.5M at goal MP (7:30ish).  Felt really good despite eating a really big dinner and running on a full stomach. 

5PM:  Little bit of everything on today's run: sun, wind, rain.  Temp in the 50's, perfect for running but certainly doesn't feel like the unofficial beginning of summer.  Last long run before UVM.  Start a 2 week taper next week. Aside from a rogue toenail that was digging into another toe (always seems to happen w/ the Kinvaras due to the narrow toe box), felt pretty good.  Started easy and finished strong.  Overall pace was 2 secs faster than current MP.  Last 10k was around 7:48/mi pace.  Didn't take in any fluids or stop for bathroom breaks.  Felt relaxed and easy. I'm hopeful that my current MP will now become my slowdown marathon pace.  We'll see in a couple of weeks.

830PM:  Another beautiful evening for a run.  Temp in the mid 60's w/ no wind.  Gen aerobic + speed: Forgot to charge my garmin so I got the mileage from Google maps. Finished in just under an hour so overall pace was excellent, somewhere around 7:45/mi.  Mixed in 8 x 100m strides.

PM: Recovery run- easy 4M then last mile + @ goal MP (7:27/mi).  Closed out another month w/ 250+ miles.  Prior to this yr I'd only run that many mile in a month once, now I've done it 3 straight months. This is undoubtedly the best mileage base I've ever had going into a marathon. 

Aerobic + speed workout: 1M + warm to the club, 3 x 1600m @ 6:28/mi pace w/ 800m jogs, easy run back home.  I was really feeling it on the last mile repeat. I more or less guessed that 6:30ish is closer to my true 5k pace than my current 5k PR.  The last 5k that I ran in decent shape was over 2 yrs ago.  I'll have to run, and finish, a 5k this summer to get a better sense of what my real 5k pace is at my current weight. 

PM: Short easy recovery run on a cool & windless evening. Ran it nice and easy- 7:52/mi avg pace.  The run was fantastic but I was a little bit annoyed by all of the auto sprinklers that are once again watering the sidewalks and a delinquent dog owner who neglected to keep his rabid dog on a leash and was then in no real hurry to restrain his animal. 

AM: Aerobic + speed- Easy, relaxed pace w/ 5 x 100m strides.  Really tired this morning after getting to bed late after last night's workout.  Had to get up and run early because I'm heading to Idaho City after work for a Boy Scout campout and won't be back until tomorrow afternoon. 

Easy medium-long run.  Broke out the HR monitor for the first time in forever.  Kept the pace really comfortable: Avg HR was 139 but I never got any higher than 150, even on a couple of the mini-hills on my route. I got zero sleep last night at the Scout campout.  Thought about just skipping tonight's run and catching up on rest but I'm glad I finished the week strong and stuck to my training plan. Only a few more shorter workouts left and we'll see what sort of dividend is paid from this training cycle. 

PM: Tonight was supposed to be an easy recovery run. And it was, until it intersected w/ a deranged psychotic farmer lady from hell. Apparently, I picked the wrong canal bank to run down and this self-appointed guardian of the canal was going to make damn sure that I paid for it.  She raced to the end of the canal bank to block me from leaving and broke out her cellphone to take my picture and record our exchange.

I tried to get past her and she kept trying to block me.  I didn't want to touch her for fear that she would say I battered her. At first I was pissed and then it got downright comical. Eventually she let me pass but she followed me in her truck for a couple of miles, all the while demanding my name, rank and serial number. I didn't give it to her of course and she thought she would just tail me to my residence. I ran alongside her and recommended that she seek professional help and maybe try some medication, lithium or prozac might do the trick.  I let her vent and curse for awhile but then I grew tired of her act.  A few MP miles and fartleks later I was able to shake her and arrive home, none the worse for wear. What an effing psycho!

Noon: Lunchtime run on the GB. Dress rehearsal for Saturday: 2M warm; 1M @ just under goal MP (7:23/mi); 1M @ HM pace (7:12/mi); 2M cool. 7:48/mi overall avg pace. Tried out the new racing shorts (Brooks Rogue) I purchased at Running Warehouse.com. Very comfortable fit and very light.  Hips are kind of achy. I don't know if its phantom taper pains or what but I'm thinking of visiting the chiro to get aligned. 

630AM: Easy 5.23M in 41 mins. Hips feel a little better. Current MP has now become my easy pace.

If anyone happens to be near the 22 mi. mark on Univ. Ave. in the next couple of days and happens to stumble across my dignity and self-respect I'd appreciate it if they'd drop me a message so I can forward my home address so they can mail it back to me, COD of course. K, thanks in advance. 

This was my sixth marathon and while I'm no expert by any means, far from it, I'd like to think that I've acquired some general knowledge regarding these sufferfests.  That's what I'd like to think. In the end, I feel like the only thing I really know about marathoning is it ALWAYS exposes your weaknesses. It's like that schoolyard bully who points and laughs and then tries to get others to join in the mocking and public shaming.

It is well-known, to those who know me, that my goal was a BQ (3:15).  As was the case in St. George, it looked as if that goal was within reach until I suffered my customary GI distress.  This time it hit me at mile 20- where I went into the POP 44 secs ahead of pace and left the POP 2:30 behind goal pace. 

More than that, it knocked me off my rhythmn and forced me to play catch-up. I came out firing w/ a really good mile at 21 (7:19) but in hindsight I think I worked a little too hard during the remainder of mile 20 and the next to try to get it back all at once.  That really cost me as the downhill became less pronounced and I was forced to generate more speed from quicker turnover.  When I hit mile 22 at 7:47 and mile 23 at 7:44 I was quite literally devastated.  I mean it really destroyed me mentally.  Never felt more despair during a marathon.  Looking back, that's really an interesting point to me because the last 10k of my first marathon in '08 I was running much slower, walking more and not quite sure that I would even finish.  I guess it's all a matter of perspective. As we begin to demand more out of ourselves, the disappointments become more heightened. I guess the hope is that the other side of that coin is that the eventual success will offer a commensurate amount of joy and excitement.  However, I think I posses enough self-awareness to acknowledge that this is decidedly not the case.

Back to the race: Miles 24 and 25 I walked a fair bit, beating myself up for lacking the fortitude and will to fight for my goal. That's what this cruel, contemptible mistress does to you. Wallowing in this existential pit of self-loathing, I came across my family in the middle of mile 25.  That helped pick my spirits up a little bit. Not enough to push for sub 3:20 but enough to avoid a total meltdown at the end. Got back under 8:00 for the last 1/3 mile (I had the course .1 long).  A new PR by 9+ mins but it wasn't it all like I had imagined.

Note: I loved the race itself.  Only 3 yrs old and it ranks right up there w/ Ogden and St. George, IMO.  Definitely a lot more uphill packed into this course than I had estimated from the course profile.  The hills aren't huge but they seemed to keep comin', at altitude, in the middle miles (9-17). As many better-conditioned runners showed today, it really is set up for negative splitting. 

Race stats: 1:37+ 1st half; 1:42+ 2nd half. Not too bad considering the POP stop at mile 20 cost me 3 mins + an unquantifiable mental penalty. 

Splits:

1- 7:31 (gradual uphill to start the race; ran strong but was mindful of holding back)

2- 6:58 (tried to stay ahead of 3:20 pacer)

3- 7:28 (short pee stop on the side of the road to burn off the pre-game jitters)

4- 7:13 (saw a girl pull of the side of the road (10 ft) in plain view and do her business; 200 commando pts!!)

5- 7:17 (making a conscious effort to stay between the 3:10 and 3:20 pace group)

6- 7:22 (began to realize that the 3:20 guy was going way too fast)

7- 7:18

8- 7:57 (1st gu stop and the first significant uphill; tried to relax and not burn too much glycogen)

9- 7:42

10- 7:07 (strong mile; leaned forward and began to cruise w/ the hills behind me, for now)

11- 7:09 (actually a decent hill here but the downhill was even bigger)

12- 7:44 (course flattened out)

13- 7:12 (pushing hard to get to the half in the 1:37's)

14- 7:56 (2nd gu stop and more uphill)

15- 7:18 (Garmin shows the most total elev gain & elev loss in this mile)

16- 7:51 (I think this is where I started walking through the aid stations every other mile to make sure I got enough fluid)

17- 7:28

18- 7:24 (big downhill here but the little roller offset it and then some)

19- 7:07 (some decent downhill and, more importantly, no uphill)

20- 8:55 (last gu stop) (emptied the chamber in the POP) (kicked it in gear to get pace under 9 for the mile)

21- 7:19 (last of the downhill; worked too hard to get it back on track)

22- 7:47 (this is where self-doubt crept in)

23- 7:44 (more of the same)

24- 8:21 (this is where it took over)

25- 8:21 (this is where I began to curse like a sailor w/ Tourette's Syndrome)

26- 8:18 (would have been 9+ if I hadn't seen my family here) (not sure if they could read my lips; to their credit they didn't say anything)

26.3- 7:41 (finished solid but nothing left for a kick)

9PM:  First post-marathon workout. 4.72M in 39 mins. Felt pretty good other than a pain on the top of my right foot. I think I tied my shoe too tight on that foot on Saturday. The funny thing is that I don't recall it being an issue on Saturday.  Gonna take it slow this week and shoot for 25-30 miles of easy running before I start ramping the marathon training up again next week for the Pocatello Marathon on Sept 3rd.

9PM: 2nd easy post-marathon recovery run. Feel much better. No soreness in the quads or calves anymore. Right foot is still sore but a couple of days of icing it and it is coming around too.  Off of work all week and I've been getting some long naps in the past 3 days.  Midday naps rule!

2.8M really slow w/ the kids. Wife is in AZ and I took them to the park. They rode their bikes and I trailed along. My girls can keep up a good pace but my 5 yr. old gets tired pretty quick. Had to stop numerous times but its all good. They had fun.

3M late this evening. 7:45/mi pace overall.

630AM: Back to the grind on the eve of the official 1st day of summer. Stretched it out another mile this morning. Hoping to get back to 10M/day next week. Easy pace just under 8:00/mi pace. Foot pain wasn't a probem during the run but it is noticeable when I wiggle my toes and when I put on my shoes. Dive bombed by a couple of small birds along the canal path I usually run on near my house. This is the 3rd day in a row they've done that. I'm thinking of bring a tennis racquet w/ me tomorrow.

630AM: Easy run on dead legs. Breathing was a little labored as well. Didn't get good sleep last night and this is my first back to back runs since the marathon.  Still, it was a beautiful morning for a run. Summer is finally here, both in spirit and reality. Temp supposed to rise to the mid '80's today.  

630AM: Another easy run w/ 6 x 100m strides @ 5k pace. Seeing lots of runners & walkers out in the morning too.  I know summer has arrived when I'm capable of breaking into a full sweat this early in the morning. Glad I got the workout out of the way early because the temp is supposed rise to the mid 90's today. 

630AM: Easy run was not easy this morning. I've been struggling w/ a sore right foot since the marathon but now that soreness has started to alleviate but it seems to be migrating to my lower leg. It's more of a muscle strain but its located in the front part of my lower leg. I've had calf soreness before but never in the front.  

I had one goal for today's run: Concentrate on keeping my head up while I run and stay tall. It sounds silly but I really do stare at the ground in front of me an awful lot. I did better but the habit will take some time to break. 

640AM: Easy progression run starting slow and finishing the last mile at current MP.  Cooler and a little breezy this morning.  Surprised at the amount of attention and focus it takes for me to continue to look up, stand tall and breath deeper while running.  I realize that it will have only a small effect on performance during these "shorter" runs but over the course of an entire marathon the incremental impact could be significant, albeit difficult to quantify. 

Picked up FRBer Court on the way. Fun little out and back race that starts at Setter's Park and runs through a greenbelt area and 2 other city parks. It's flat and fast and the weather was darn near ideal. My A goal was sub 42 mins so I was pretty pleased w/ how I ran even though old man river, aka Court, left me in his dust from the beginning. He ran strong, 3rd overall, just behind another geriartric runner who I had heard a lot about from a lot of people but never actually met til today. :) 

Won my age group (only 5 of us) so I got a gift card to a local running store. It's a plastic card w/ no amount printed on it so I'm figuring that its a classic bait and switch to get you into the store only to find out it's $1 gift card.

630AM: Easy recovery run. Slept hard last night. One of those where you wake up in the same position you fell asleep in.  I coud have slept longer but it is always nice to get the workout out of the way early.

615AM: Warm (low 70's) this morning.  No more shin pain and the foot is a little tender but barely noticeable.  I'm back on the Pfitzinger 55-70 mpw workout plan. This one is tailored to multiple marathons 12 weeks apart. Stretched out the mileage w/ my longest run since UVM. I think my legs and hips are still recovering from Saturday's 10K because they felt heavy and sore even though I'm down to the lowest weight I've been since high school. 

My goal for Pocatello is to get down below 160 lbs which, all other factors holding constant and assuming I can figure out how to avoid GI issues, should translate into the finish time I'm seeking (sub 3:10). 

630AM: Progression run. Started slow as per usual and topped out the last mile @ MP + 10 secs/mi.  My Pfitz plan said I was supposed to rest or cross-train today, still recovering from Mary. But I don't do cross-training and I tend to err on the side of more miles always being beneficial. 

6AM: Tried to get in a medium LR this morning because I have some hiking/fishing plans for the weekend.  Plan called for a 12 miler but I had to cut it a little short due to time constraints.  Keep getting dive bombed by these annoying little blackbirds. Feel like I'm trapped in a Hitchcock movie.  And its not just one area but at different points on different routes. Felt strong throughout the run. Ran an even & easy pace (MP + 30 secs/mi).

6AM: Short easy recovery run. Not alot of sleep last night but I wanted to get this workout out of the way so I could to work early, so that I could leave work early and head to the mountains. That's alot of work to avoid working.

Hiking in the Sawtooths w/ my 15 yr old. 2k + total elevation gain. Just a day trip but I brought in the float tube, fins and waders so the pack was probably 30 lbs.  Still a ton of snow and the first lake we hit was actually still mostly frozen over. I knew that this was an above avg snow year but I've never seen it so deep this late into the summer. 

Noon: Slept in as a present to myself on Independence Day. It's what the Founders would have wanted. Easy + speed (10 x 100m strides at 5k pace). Very warm, near 80 degrees, but the strides and concrete made it feel much hotter. First 5 miles just above current MP and then my Garmin gave me a mssg that said that its memory was full.  I ignored it and just finished the run.  Estimated the remainder on Google maps when I got home. 

830PM: Easy medium-long run in the heat (high 80's when I left the house).  Should be doing all my workouts in the morning but I'm too lazy to get up early enough to run that far before work.

Noon: Lunchtime easy recovery run on the Greenbelt.  Bright sunshine and hot. Spooked two young deer (bucks) near Municipal Park. Very cool. 

6AM: 2M warm; 5M @ LT (had to work into it but finally got to the desired pace the last 3 miles(7:35, 7:24, 7:16, 7:16, 7:05); 2M cool. Tough workout. Got to bed late last night and woke up w/ stomach problems that didn't abate until I emptied the chamber after the run. 

630AM:  Easy recovery + speed (6 x 100m strides). 

630AM: Easy run.  Probably shouldn't have run at all this morning.  Came home with the flu after Friday night's campout.  Had some leftover antibiotics that helped get me upright again but I'm still feeling really lethargic and achy. Hopefully, I be right again very soon. Don't have much time to gear up again for Poky in less than 8 wks. 

9PM:  Tough interval workout. Temp in the upper 80's when I left the house. I delayed this workout a day and a half because I just didn't feel right over the weekend. I'm still recovering but much better than Saturday.  Ran over to the Mt View HS track as a warmup then did 6 x 800m @ 5k pace w/ 400-600m jogs as recovery.  Ran home as a cooldown.  After the first 2 intervals I didn't think I would be able to finish them but to my surprise I got stronger toward the end.  I also ran the first two repeats a little faster which probably had something to do with it. Nonetheless, I was encouraged that I was still giving the same effort all the way through. 

Noon: Easy recovery run on the Greenbelt. Warm & sunny but w/ a nice breeze.  Hips feel a little tight. I did some pullups for the first time in quite a while yesterday and I could feel some mild pain in my lower abs and hip flexors. I take that as a sign that my core is a serious weakness.  I'll have to remedy that.

6AM: 8.67 easy miles. Temp was pleasant and actually had a little drizzle to start the run. I'm supposed to get in a mid-week medium long run but, as is often the case, I don't get to bed early enough to get up at 5am.  Plan on running a short 4 miler this afternoon to get to 13M for the day. 

1230PM: Short MP run on the GB from Municipal Park. .5M warm then 4M @ current MP. 

620AM: Very pleasant morning. Sun & temp in the low 60's.  Easy + speed (10 x 100m strides).  Serious nipple chaffage these days. Time to get some more Body Glide before I turn into shirtless runner guy. 

930AM: Long, slow run on the GB from Riverside Park out to WS Golf Course and back. Battled some GI distress but otherwise felt pretty good. Kept the pace slow and then picked it up w/ some MP miles for 17 and 18.  Ran by the horse stables at Les Bois Park. Some really beautiful animals and good to see the place making a run at a comeback.

630AM: In the Cit of Angels for the next couple of days. Had to resort to the TM because there really aren't a whole lot of route options nearby (downtown).  Forgot just how difficult it is to run in place for an hour.  The fitness room and TMs were nice but I just wish they would have turned the temp down a couple of degrees. It had to be 80 degrees in there.  That and the lady next to me who cleared her throat every 5 secs for a 1/2 hour straight made this a particularly painful workout.  Easy + speed (9 x 100m strides at 5k pace).

630AM:  I ventured out of the hotel for a truly urban experience.  Headed straight up Figeuroa through downtown to Sunset and over to Elysian Park and Chavez Ravine.  Wasn't able to run by Dodger Stadium as planned. I could see it but the stadium itself is surrounded by a huge fenced parking lot that they closed off w/ security. The best view of the stadium was probably a half to 3/4 mile away atop the hills overlooking the stadium.  Very hilly run which surprised me.  Most of the climb was on the way out. 

630AM: Easy run on the TM. Decided not to brave the downtown sidewalks again. It was fun to get outside and explore yesterday but not fun enough to want to do it again.  Workout room was incredibly hot. I was soaked from head to toe.  Can't wait to get back home tonight. 

615AM: 8.1M easy. Ran to the MVHS track; ran 2.75M; ran home. I don't particularly enjoy running on the track any more than I have to but sometimes it's nice to avoid intersections/traffic w/o having to run on a TM. 

1230PM: I needed to get some more mileage in due to my unusual travel/work schedule this week.  I could have waited until the evening but my wife probably wouldn't be done w/ her workout until late and I just wanted to get it over with.  6.09M easy on the GB from AM Park to Willow Lane Complex and back. Very stiff and sore the first half of the run but I loosened up on the way back.  Warm and sunny w/ no breeze.

6AM: Easy + speed (6 x 100m strides).

9PM: Went camping yesterday w/ my girls so I had to push my weekly long/big workout to Sunday.  I wanted to wait until it cooled off but I could only wait so long.  When I left the house it was 90.  Felt pretty good until mile 11 when I had to stop for a Gatorade.  Downed it in record time.  12.5M @ current MP (7:40/mi).

9PM: No workout yesterday. Had to take my wife to the ER last night after she had a gall stone attack.  Not as warm today. Temp in the mid to low 80's when I left the house.  Speed workout: 1M warm; 6 x 1200m @ current 10k pace w/ 800m jogs in between; cooldown. 

Lunch: Beautiful afternoon, temp near 80 and sunny. Easy run on the GB from AM Park to Willow Lane and back. Felt queasy, out of breath and lethargic but I got through it. 

930PM: Sometimes I really regret not getting my arse out of bed and getting my run in before work. Today was one of those days.  Just couldn't stomach the 5am wakeup so I told myself I'd get in my mid week medium long run in the evening instead.  As is often the case, life intervenes. Got a call to help a young single parent family move their belongings into a storage unit which meant that immediately after a long day of work I'd be: a) on my feet lifting heavy objects; b) sweating in the 90 degree heat; and c) unable to run until really late.  This combination sometimes leads to a missed run but I hung in there and pounded out another easy, medium LR.  I've got a 20 miler planned for early Saturday so we'll see how well I recover in the next 36 hours.  Back up over 200 miles for the month after a 1 month respite for June. 

Lunch: Easy GB run on a very hot afternoon. Out and back from Municipal Park.  Supposed to get up to triple digits tomorrow so hopefully I'll get out of bed early for my weekend LR.  Getting down to crunch time w/ just over a month until Pokey.  I've only shed a pound or two since Utah Valley in mid-June but I do feel lighter and tighter. 

8AM: First 20 miler of this mini-training cycle. LSR on the GB from Glenwood Bridge to Barber Park and back.  Temp was warm but not as hot as it's going to be this afternoon (102).  More or less pleased w/ this run. Started to fade around 17 mi but then I picked it up and finished strong w/ the last mile at current MP. 

630AM: Warm & muggy this morning; sauna-like conditions.  Speed workout: 2.5M warmup to the MVHS Track; 6 x 600m @ 5k pace w/ 1/4 mile jogs in between; cool.  Repeats were half the distance of last week but I also ran them faster.  First couple were actually faster than 5k pace, middle two were right on and the last two were probably closer to 10k pace.  A really good speed session overall.  Observed some other "masters" age athletes do some type of cross-training workout. They were doing pushups, situps, bleachers/stairs and 200m sprints. It looked like an interesting workout. I might have to try it during the "off season."

615AM:  Very slow, easy run. Felt horrible. My hips were really sore this morning and I just couldn't get into a strong rhythm. Had to stop midway and make a mad dash to a convenience store restroom.  Was supposed to go 11M but the weather started to turn nasty.  That and the late hour gave me all the excuse I needed to cut it short.  Not a good run overall, but there's always tomorrow. Think I'll get a massage today and see if I can't work out some of the kinks. 

630AM: Easy + speed (6 x 100m strides).  Felt much better today. Got a massage yesterday afternoon.  The gal spent the entire hour on my calves and hammies because they were so tight. She worked over the bottom of my feet pretty good too which seems to have helped my PF.  When she was done it hurt just to walk, let alone run, but I felt progressively better as the day progressed.  Plan on visiting the chiro too later on this week to get my hips realigned. 

6AM: A pretty good medium long run. Still sore in the hips but I feel significantly better than I did earlier in the week.  Weather was perfect, high 60's w/ light breeze. Ran into a light rain shower toward the end- one of those mysterious one's that occur w/ bright sunshine and no clouds directly overhead.  Started using a new remedy for my PF- a frozen tennis ball.  Soaked it in water, put it in the freezer overnight and used it to roll out the bottom of my foot. Genius.

640AM:  Short, easy run. Felt good to get < 6 hours sleep for once. Visited the chiro yesterday to get an adjustment.  My hips were real tight so he wasn't able to pop them but he was more successful w/ my back, neck and feet.  Sounded like he was snapping twigs.

9PM:  Easy long run. Had to attend a family reunion today so my wife didn't want me to run in the morning.  Ended up playing basketball and soccer in the 90+ degree heat.  Came home and took a nice long nap.  That really helped because I felt pretty good despite the heat (90 degrees when I left the house). 

630AM:  Easy progression run. Started slow and last mile at current MP. Still struggling w/ hip and sciatic nerve pain. Going back to the chiro on Thursday and hopefully he'll be able to help me feel "right" again.

6AM:  Speed workout: 2M warm; 6 x 1000m @ 8k pace w/ 600m jogs in between; cool.  Another good speed session on the MVHS track. I felt like it pushed me but not to the point of complete exhaustion. Hips still sore but not while I run per se. The pain is most pronounced when I transition from jog to run. Had to make a pit stop after I finished the intervals and starting back up again was a little painful. I've decided that its coming from my lower glutes/upper hamstring. Could be that I just need to get the foam roller out. I'm hoping that its muscular and not associated w/ the actual hip socket/joint. 

530AM:  Super slow/easy medium LR.  Supposed to go 15 mi but again time was the limiting factor.  I may or may not do 3M tonight to get my quota in for the day. 

Upper hammies & inner hips were sore throughout.  Just couldn't get into any kind of a comfortable pace. Sort of a dull ache but definitely bothersome.  Had my wife assist me w/ some hamstring stretches when I finished.  Need to be more mindful of doing this periodically to avoid having it come to a head.  

615AM:  General aerobic run.  A little better pace this morning but the hammie/glute is still barking.  Visiting my chiro during lunch and hoping for some relief.  The good news/bad news is that Pokey is only a little more than 3 wks away and so the taper is only 1 wk away.   

630AM: Easy Recovery run. Visited chiro yesterday and definitely noticed some improvement in the hammie/glute.  It's not all the way back but probably 80-90% at this point.  A better pace this morning w/ the last 2M + at current MP.  Last 20 miler of this training cycle tomorrow. 

7AM:  Last 20 miler before Pokey. Greenbelt from Glenwood to Barber Park & back. Easy pace w/ a strong finish.  On my way to to the convenience store to get a G2 and Diet Dew I flagged Court down. He was knee deep in a 15 miler of his own. Got an injury update from his Hawaiian vacation.  I'd feel sorry for him but he was in Hawaii so I think that would be illegal.

4PM: Left around noon for a 7 mile hike w/ pack into a high mt lake near Deadwood Res.  First 3 miles really kicked my arse, net elev gain of 2k feet. So I ended up doing a full marathon today.  I will say that the hike was more difficult than the 20 miler in the morning. 

Noon: Got up early and caught some really nice cutts. Some of the biggest I've encountered in the Idaho backcountry.  Hiked the seven miles back to the trailhead. Hiking a steep downhill w/ a pack is always more uncomfortable than it sounds. Not running but I'll count it as hill training.

620AM: Used yesterday as a rest day.  Still a bit sore from the weekends 20 miler + hard hike.  2.5M warm; 6 x 600m @ 5k pace; cool.  I was able to maintain the pace until the last 600m repeat which I logged at 6:37 pace. All the rest were between 6:20 & 6:30/mi pace.  Left hammie barked a little but held through the speed session. Got tighter during the cooldown which seems counterintuitive.  I'll stretch it out at work and see where I'm at.  Last hard week of training as I'll be starting a 2 wk taper next week. I used Pfitzinger's 2 wk taper model for UVM and I think it served me well so I'll give it another try this cycle.

6AM: 3.36M easy.  Schedule called for an 11 miler but my bowels did not cooperate. Had to turnaround and head back home or else.  Right now my digestive system is programmed to erupt at approximately 630-7AM every morning.  It is rather annoying to run w/ one loaded in the chamber every day. :(

NOON: 6.05M progressive run from AM Park to Willow Lane and back. 1M warm then increasing to goal MP (7:16/mi) for the last mile. Warm w/ no wind, typical August afternoon.   

615AM: Slow and easy 10 miles this morning.  No GI issues but the nagging left hamstring/hip socket pain is back. I stretched it out thoroughly last night but I just can't seem to shake it. I can definitely tolerate it but it would be nice to not have to. 

610AM:  Another slow, lifeless run.  Feeling a little worn down. Everything near the center of mass (hips, glutes, groin) seems to be sore.  Long run tomorrow then the taper begins.  Need to focus on getting more sleep, getting healthy and feeling strong again. 

9AM:  Last long run of the training cycle. Got a late start but I really needed the extra sleep. Even got in a 1 1/2 hr nap when I was done. Felt great.  Weather wasn't too bad considering its August.  Temp was near 70 at the start but reached the low 80's by the time I finished.  Still battling the soreness in my glute/hip/groin. Taper begins next week so we'll see if the lower mileage helps alleviate some of that. 

630AM:  Easy + speed (8 x 100m strides).  But for the lingering soreness in the left glute, I felt really light and strong.  It's not getting worse so far as I can tell but it's getting better yet either.  I don't think I would worry about it in a shorter race but it's hard to know how much it will be aggravated over the course of a marathon where small aches and pains can turn into real problems during the last 5-10k.  More therapy scheduled w/ the chiro for Thursday so we shall see. 

630AM: Easy run. This one was so short and unremarkable that I almost don't remember it- and it happened a little over an hour ago. Early onset of running dementia. 

615AM:  Speed workout: 2.6M warm; 3 x 1600m @ 6:40, 6:43, & 6:43 w/ 800m jogs in between; cooldown.  I felt a little tight this morning.  Had a hard time getting the legs stretched out. Breathing was great. Never felt winded. Just couldn't get the turnover and pushoff to feel comfortable.  I think I'm right where I need to be cardiovascularly but my lack of speed may keep me from repeating a 7:15/mi pace (A goal) over the marathon distance. 

640AM:  Short, easy recovery run. No pain or discomfort to speak of. Visting the chiro again today.  Just noticed that I've now run more miles so far this year than I did in all of 2010. 

630AM: Easy + speed (10 x 100m strides).  Tried out the RunKeeper app for my IPhone.  I kinda like the audio cues it gives you and syncing w/ Facebook.  Anything that keeps you accountable is a good thing in my book.  A medium LR tomorrow then I'll shift to runs of 6 miles or less next week leading into the marathon a week from tomorrow.

230PM:  Hot temps (upper 80's) and cloud cover (mildly humid).  At this point I'm just focusing on my form and feeling good. No serious pains, just a slight ache in my usual trouble spot (left hammie). Last medium long run of this cycle. Focus this week will be on keeping the legs primed, proper nutrition and getting some good rest.

630AM: Easy recovery run. Wore my Under Armour compression shorts today. I'm now in "throw the kitchen sink at it" mode toward this hamstring/glute soreness.   This will probably be my last morning run until race day.  Right now my bowels are programmed for 7-8am, which obviously could lead to disaster on Saturday.  Running at lunch or in the evening should do the trick....I hope.

830PM:  Temp very warm still at sunset. Looking forward to a little bit of cooldown for later this week and through the weekend.  Should be nice and cool at 6k feet on Saturday morning. Warm; 3M @ 7:15/mi; cool. Last hardish workout til Saturday other than some strides on Thursday. Set a new PR for monthly mileage. 

Tried out some new shoes (New Balance MR 1400's). I sized up 1/2 size and they fit perfectly right out of the box. I won't dare run in them this Saturday but I can see that I'll be racing in them very soon. Very light minimalist shoe w/ more room in the forefoot than the Kinvaras. Took me a couple of hundred miles to brake in the Kinvaras but these feel very comfortable right now. 

845PM:  Easy slow run w/ some pickups and a faster finish.  I may run a couple of miles tomorrow if time allows. Travel to Pocatello Friday afternoon, pick up my race bag and hopefully get a look at the course.

I was pretty confident coming into what was my seventh full marathon.  I felt like I was in pretty good shape relative to UVM in June. I put on a couple of lbs. during the taper but I was still 5-6 lbs lighter and put in some really good mileage in July and August.  Met Court at the starting line (my bus was the last to arrive so most everyone was already lined up).  Weather was darn near perfect for running. Ran strong and easy w/ enough energy to chat w/ Court as we made our way down the free fall that is the 1st half of the Pocatello Marathon.  As we got to the halfway point I gave a thumbs up and said hey to Jeff Shadley as he was warming up for the start of the Half Marathon. It was shaping up to be a memorable day.

Well it didn't pan out.  Suffered from the same GI issues that have plagued me in the past but much worse this time. Felt it coming on around 14 or 15 but tried to ignore it as it came and went in waves.  I won't get too graphic but just say that it was a horrible experience from miles 19 on.  And by "on" I mean a couple of hours after the race was over. 

That said, had I not been suffering from stomach cramping I still wouldn't have BQ'ed.  I went out way too fast.  The standard disclaimer for this course is to hold something back for the second half when it flattens out. I felt like I did. Ran the first half w/ Court and I never felt like we were pushing it too hard.  It didn't feel super easy but it didn't feel like we were racing either.  I ended up running a 1:33 first half on about a 75% effort.  The problem obviously is that my current half PR is 1:34. As strange as it sounds, I didn't worry about that fact because I reasoned that I was lighter and faster than I was when I ran that 1:34 and the course made the effort required to run a 1:33 much less than what I needed to run a 1:34 in May.  In hindsight, I was soooooo wrong. 

Not sure where I go from here. I have to figure some things out regarding my pre-race and intra-race fueling.  I may have to come up w/ some viable alternative to gels during the race.  I may have to avoid taking in any food after 4pm the day before a race. I've got to come up w/ something b/c these stomach issues are taking away from the enjoyment of the race.  The marathon distance is grueling enough w/o having to deal with this. 

I'd list my mile splits but the 1:33 1st half v. 1:57 2nd half pretty much tells the whole story.

630AM:  First post-marathon workout. Slow and easy. Some mild quad and hamstring soreness but nothing too serious.  Looking for a late fall/winter flat and fast marathon to erase the stink of Pocatello.  Thinking about either Tri-Cities on 10/30 or CIM on 12/4. Not sure yet if I can make either of those work within my current schedule.

630AM:  Another slow and easy run. Slightly better pace and turnover this morning. Residual soreness is nearly gone.  I'll take it relatively easy the rest of this week and then get right back into it next week. 

Noon: Easy lunchtime run on the greenbelt from Ann Morrison Park to Willow Lane and back. Sunny w/ temp in 80's.  Hammie soreness is back. Been using the foam roller every night but I probably need a good massage to work it out properly.

10AM:  General aerobic run w/ some short strides.  Extended it a little bit but legs are still not fully recovered so I didn't push it.  Taking tomorrow off then I'll start to build the mileage back up next week.

630AM:  Easy progression run.Went to bed late last night so I barely made it outside but felt really good after a mile or so.  Last couple of miles under 8 min/mi. pace.

645AM:  Easy run w/ 6 x 100m strides. Running a double today to build the mileage back up, either at lunch or later tonight.

Noon: Lunchtime loop run on the greenbelt from Municipal Park to Bronco Stadium and back.  Beautiful weather right now.  Starting to cool down a bit.  Hope we stay this way through October. 

630AM: 6.15M easy.

1230PM: 4.05M easy. 

630AM: Easy. No double today.

630AM: Easy.

630AM: Easy.

635AM: Easy progression run w/ a half dozen pickups. 

625AM: Easy. Got a massage yesterday to ease the pain in my left hammie and PF. PF feels better but the hammie is equally painful, just a different kind of pain.  Cooler mornings now, in the '50's.

1230AM: 4M progression run on GB during lunch. 

630AM: Easy.

615AM: Easy. Had to get up early so I could make it to Daddy Donut Day at my kids' elementary school before work. Krispy Kremes, yum!

Easy weekend long run.

630AM: Easy.

630AM: Easy.

635AM: 5.7M Easy.

1230PM: 4.54M Easy.

1230PM: Easy run on GB from Municipal Park to Barber Park and back.  Didn't run yesterday. Been battling another outbreak of vertigo/dizziness and didn't feel stable enough to go running. Put in the earphones for today's run and it seemed to equalize things. I'm thinking its a post-nasal thing because I have a sore throat but no fever.  Very weird.

AM:  Easy. First run in over a week due to illness and a fishing trip. I thought my hammie would benefit more than it did.  It's still tight but my PF alleviated some.  Fall weather is definitely here.  Broke out the gloves on a chilly morning in the 40's but it felt really nice once I warmed up. 

AM: Easy + 6 x 100m strides. 

1230PM: Easy run on the GB on a pleasant afternoon (high 50's & sunny). Surpassed 2k miles today. 

1230PM: Lunchtime out and back run on GB from Ann Morrison Park: 1M warm; 3M @ 7:01 mpm; 2M cool.  Perfect temps and weather for a run, especially for mid-October.

Picked Court up at his house and we drove to the finish line/shuttle bus pickup at Bronco Stadium.  This race has become a staple of my fall running calendar. I really enjoy it. It's grown in popularity each year that I've run it. Weather was near perfect w/ temps in the 50's at the start w/ no wind and sunshine. 

They finally got wise and went to a wave start which helped alleviate some of the congestion problems that arise when all of the runners attempt to vie for space on the Boise Greenbelt.  Not unhappy w/ my time. Didn't run at all last week and I've really been eating poorly which has led to me to put on about 10 lbs in just a few weeks. Consequently, I knew that I'd have to temper my expectations and just run smooth and easy. I thought I could do something in the 42's but that turned out to be too ambitious.  Went out too fast in the first mile (6:34) but after that I settled into a more comfortable pace at or near 7:05 and held it pretty much throughout.  Court ran great and missed his sub 40 min goal by just a couple of seconds. This is probably my last race for 2011.

625AM: Easy recovery run on a cool morning.  Broke out the gloves and hat for the first time this fall. Hips pretty sore. May have to get back to the chiro  soon. 

1230PM: Another beautiful day. Fall colors starting to pop along the Boise River. Easy loop run from Julia Davis Park to Loggers Ck.

AM: Not as chilly this morning. Easy. Avg HR: 145 bpm.

AM: 4M easy w/ some pickups.

Noon:  5.5M moderate to easy on GB during lunch.  Weather remains perfect, sunny & in the low 60's.

Noon: Easy run on the Bethine Church River Trail. Weather is still perfect and the colors are unbelievable.  Supposed to be a hard freeze next week so looks like the leaves will be gone soon.  Jumped over a baby rattler sunning itself on the greenbelt. 

630AM: Easy. Developing a new sore spot on my left forefoot just below my toes. All my aches and pains on the left side (PF, HHT, ankle, & forefoot). None of these are crippling in and of themselves but at this point they're really infringing upon my love of running.

1230PM:  Easy run on a cool day. AM Park to Vets Pkwy and back. 

10AM: Hill workout in Pocatello, ID. On the road for work. Ran up (3M) the hill near the hotel and back down. Been a long time since I did any hills and I was surprised that I was able to handle them reasonably well. The colder temps (low 30's) helped.

630AM: Rexburg, ID. Spent about 14 hours in Rexburgia for a public hearing.  Winter has already set in here and I wasn't prepared to run outside. Progression run on the TM.

630AM: 6.15M easy.

1230PM: 6.11M easy on the GB from Municipal Park to E. Parkcenter Bridge and back. Very windy, cool but sunny.

1230PM: 6M easy on the GB during lunch. Very windy.

930PM: Weight training + 3.86M easy on TM. 

1PM: 4M to and from the gym; strength training; 3M+ on the TM. 

830PM: 2M+ to and from the gym; strength training; 4M on the TM.

1230PM: 6.33M on the GB. Cool and sunny. 

San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize:

Finally got a chance to get in a run. Ran an out and back along the beach from our resort. It's all public access here so you can go as far as your legs will take you. Beautiful white sand and no surf.  Hardest part was dodging the bikers and motorcycles that use the hard-packed tidal sand to travel on the island.

Struggling with upper hamstring and hip pain. This is not news. I've had some mild pain throughout the year, but I think I did something to aggravate it during my last run on the beach in Belize because it's much worse. Visited the chiro yesterday w/ no relief. I may be forced to visit a real doc and get an MRI.  This can't be normal.

After a couple weeks of rest I thought I would take a shot at a short easy run.  Ran/limped to the gym, did some light weight training and then ended up walking home. I could feel a pain/throbbing in my upper hammie even while I was lifting. In hindsight, it was probably a bad idea to test it but I was growing restless. Scheduled to see my general doc on Wednesday but I'm sure he'll refer me to a specialist and we'll go from there. 

Visited my primary doc last week. No stress fractures but likely piriformis.  I have been doing some stretching, icing and resting it.  Went to the gym and did 40 easy mins on the TM + some strength training.  Started out tight but got better, not worse.  Very encouraged. 

Easy TM run.  Extended the run to 45 mins.  Felt OK but my VO2 has suffered greatly due to my relatively short (3-4 wk) layoff- that and the extra 15 lbs I've put on since October. 

Pocatello, ID

5 easy miles on a hotel TM.  Still taking it easy. Had a much harder time keeping even a slow pace, either that or the TM was not calibrated correctly, very likely. 

Strength training + easy run on TM. Taking it slow and trying to build up strength in the whole chain from the ankle to the glute. 

Visited PT this morning. Developed a strength training and stretching plan to get my PF and Piriformis issues under control.  Slow 20 mins on the TM + 10 mins on the stationary bike + single leg extensions + single leg presses. 

Slow jog on TM + single leg extensions, single leg press.

Easy run on TM w/ some strides mixed in + 3 sets of single leg extensions & single leg presses.  Cardio is starting to come back but the soreness in the glute and hammie just never goes away.  Rehab continues.

Alternating 5 min. Easy + 5 min. fast on TM.  Single leg extensions + single leg presses.  Just not getting rid of this soreness.  What I'd give to run completely pain-free!?!

Continuing the long, slow march back to good health.  Starting my New Year's resolution early by undergoing a sugar detox. Ran outside for the first time in weeks. These are definitely the dog days of winter w/ no chance of running in the daylight except for weekends.   

Strength training + 30 min easy on TM.  Felt better today.

Interval run on the TM: alternating 10 min fast and 5 min slow.  This makes 3 days of running in a row! I was virtually pain free today so I was able to go a bit longer. Hopefully the new year will see me turn a corner in my health and fitness to get back to where I was.

Last run of the year. Ran to the club for my usual weight training on my legs, ran 3M on the TM easy, then ran home. Feel like I've turned the corner on my health.  Looking forward to improving and enjoying running in 2012.