Back At It

Thought I'd give this daily log thing another shot in order to hold myself more accountable... 

Back to training after two weeks of easy running post-Buffalo Run!  And of course, I decided to get out and run some miles on the pavement in some old shoes... Bad idea.  Basically hobbled in the last 1.5 miles as my left arch started acting up again.

7:31/mi. avg.
0 vert

My schedule called for double digits today, but I've definitely learned when to do what's scheduled and when not to.  This was certainly a day to avoid the schedule and just go with what feels good.  With that said, it also gave me a good excuse to get to the gym and do some weights - something I have a hard time scheduling in.  So I started with a 5 minute warm up, then ran for 35 minutes on the treadmill.  Left arch was a bit sore, but it felt good to stretch it out.  Also did some upper body weights: bench, lat pulldowns, tricep extensions, and decline situps.

3.0 miles
11:40/mi. avg.
1,412' vert

I had a chance to get out with Jun and Dorsimus today to enjoy some sunshine before the weather turned nasty.  They had agreed on doing the BST in Draper, so I went along for the ride.  Definitely ended up being a fun ride!  I do most of my training alone, so it's a lot of fun when I'm able to get out with others.

Right off the bat I noticed my legs were not in it.  I don't remember ever having this kind of layover after a race, but I'm just going with it, hoping that one day I'll start feeling like myself again.  Anyway, Craig - donning his Stockton-esque shorts and new Altra's - led us out to Corner Canyon and kept a great pace.  Things were pretty quiet til we hit the Corner Canyon road where we could run side-by-side.  We talked about our running plans for the summer, and I even found out I used to work for the same company as these guys several years ago.  Salt Lake is a small place, for sure.

At the top of the Corner Canyon road, we took a quick break.  I think I was focused on talking because I failed to notice the other two taking in some fuel.  Typically I don't take in fuel for runs under 2.5 hours or so, but I noticed a substantial difference between my energy and theirs toward the end of the run... Something I'll need to keep in mind for next time.  After our short break we took off down the Ghost Falls trail which was an absolute mudfest!  At one point I thought for sure Matt was going down when his plant foot slid laterally about 10 inches.  Good save!

Once we got back to the BST, I noticed my energy was down and I was constantly sipping water.  From there I was pretty much holding on til the end.  Finished in 1:35:58.  Ended up feeling pretty spent and even got some sweet farmer tan lines to show for the day!  Too bad the weather won't stay like this.  On a positive note, my left arch held up well throughout.  Looks like I'll be sticking to the trails for awhile.

10.25 miles
9:22/mi. avg.
1398' vert

I only had a one hour window after work today (or so I thought) to run, so driving to a trail was out of the question.  And in keeping true to my current boycott on pavement, the remaining option was the treadmill.  I was kinda ticked about having to hit the gym when the skies were clear out.  Whaddya do though?  So I went and ran for 40 minutes at the gym followed by a quick circuit of weights. 

Busted home, showered, got ready, walked the dogs, then my wife informed me that our dinner plans were pushed back 90 minutes.  Now what?  Now I sit here and write this up when I should be feasting.  So instead I'm eating a pre-feast to hold me off.  One thing's for sure... I'd be full-blown fat if I ate like this and didn't run.  Just another benefit to running I guess =)

5.0 miles
39:14 total
7:51/mi. avg.
0' vert

What a perfect morning for running!  I woke up and decided to head up to the BST in Draper.  I started at the trailhead in Sandy and made my way over to Corner Canyon.  I took the Ghost Falls trail up to the road, then decided I'd see what the snowpack was like up high so I hit up Jacob's Ladder.  Once I hit about 7,000 feet I ran over to an outcropping of rocks to get a nice view.  Suddenly I was nearly on top of a big billy that was pushing a group of 40 or so mountain goats.  He startled me!  And typical me, I didn't have my camera :(

I continued to follow the trail 'til I was knee deep in snow, which turned out to be right around 7,300 feet.  So I decided to head back down and make my way to some trails overlooking Utah County.  Didn't have a clue where I was honestly, but I eventually made my way back over by Clark's, then found my way back from there.

18 miles
3:12:00
10:40/mi. avg.
3,127' vert

Nothing spectacular to report today.  Just took things nice and easy.  It was still raining quite a bit when I started, but I ended the run with the sun shining in my face.  Left foot that I've been having problems with held up well on the pavement.  Tacked on a couple small hills near the end of the run just for fun.  First time in a long time that I've felt this good on the pavement.

8.0 miles
1:01:22
250' vert

So after one painful  hour of running (mixed with some walking), I called it quits.  Apparently some recurring shin splints and painful nerve sensations in my legs were too much to handle today.  I don't know if this happens due to poor circulation, leftover toxins, or something else, but I was pretty bummed today.  The good news is this problem happens to me every so often and I know it'll be gone tomorrow.  The bad news is that I feel like I wasted a day.  Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

6.0 miles
59:48
518' vert

Legs felt much better today.  Had some time so I was able to get out on the dirt again.  Kept up a decent pace for most of the run and worked up a nice sweat.  I love when it drips off my face... Makes me feel like I'm working hard!  Ended up with about 10.5 miles total.  Walked away with some fatigued legs, chaffed nips, and a big smile!

10.5 miles
1:19:29
808' vert

Didn't have much time tonight so I jumped on the treadmill for a quick run.  Not ideal, but at least I got a run in.  Did a warmup, then 30 minutes, followed by a quick cooldown.  Legs are feeling quite sore from ramping up the vertical over the last week or so.  Think I'll take tomorrow off to make sure I can have a successful long run effort on Saturday.

3.0 miles
40 minutes total
1,137' vert

Had a very busy day planned out, so I was only able to get about 2 hours in.  Rather than waste time driving, I decided to stick to the Parkway trail and get some flat miles in.  Legs still not real peppy today, but overall it was an ok run with an easy pace.

14 miles
2:01:07
0' vert

Got held up at work and didn't have enough time to get in the run I was hoping for.  I guess that's the risk you run when you plan your runs after work!  I did make it to the Parkway though and put in 5 miles; 3 easy, 1 fast, 1 cooldown.  Was able to knock out a 5:42 4th mile.  I haven't done any speedwork to speak of this year, so it's encouraging to know that all my speed hasn't gone away.  Still not quite what I was hoping for, but I'll take it.

5 miles
35:47
0' vert

My life has been crazy busy the last few days.  I feel like I'm having to scrounge for time to get anything done, let alone get a run in.  Motivation is suffering because of it.  Regardless, I hit the gym and put in a solid 6 miles with a bit of vert mixed in there.  Also got in a quick circuit of weights.

6 miles
52:51
674' vert

The craziness in my personal life looks to be slowing down finally.  I'm looking forward to getting back on my normal schedule since I'm a creature of habit.

Had a very small window to get in a run.  Luckily I had my gear in the car with me, so between errands I stopped off at the JRP in South Jordan.  I grew up in that area, but I've never run this section of trail so it was nice seeing this part of the trail.  Only about 1/3 of the run ended up being on the trail as I ended up connecting some roads on a loop to get back to my car.  Weather was just about perfect for a semi-fast run.

4 miles
27:42
144' vert

I got an invite to go out to Stansbury and run "some loops" on the island.  Jun, Dorsimus, and Scott have all done great write-ups and I'm feeling lazy, so check out their posts for details and pics.

We got out to Stansbury Island after a long, wet drive.  "This could get ugly," I thought.  Turns out the weather held up really nicely and there was even some sunshine.  Other than the fact that it was far too cold for nearly being May, I couldn't have been happier with the weather.  I felt a little under dressed as the others were all wearing pants, but I ended up being just fine.

The first loop was in a clockwise direction and went off without a hitch.  I think it was after the first loop I posed the question "How many loops are you guys planning on?"  "Three" they said.  Guess I should have prepared a little better because for some stupid reason I had the number 20 (miles) in my mind.  Oh well, I told them I was down for whatever. 

Loop 2 went in the opposite direction but felt pretty similar to the first, just slightly more tired.

Loop 3 was once again in the clockwise direction, but an entirely different story.  After downing a whole can of Pepsi at the car, my stomach was sloshing and it did not feel good... Imagine that!  Then after a few miles I felt really dizzy and had to stop while Jun and Dorsimus went ahead.  I took in a gel and decided to take one salt pill, then break a second one open in my mouth.  It's a quick way to get back under control if you're ever in dire need, and I certainly was.  I was able to get moving again before Scott caught me and I made a push to catch the other two.  I was finally able to catch them before we started the descent back down to the valley floor below.  The last few flat miles hurt, but it felt good (if that makes any sense at all).

Awesome day!  It was a lot of fun being in good company and running on an amazing trail.

30 miles
4:56:45
3,074' vert

Was hoping for 10 or so, but the legs just weren't feeling it today.  Ended up with a very evenly paced 6 miles at the Parkway.

Still experiencing soreness on occasion in my posterior tibialis (both legs).   I think this is due to a strength deficiency as I've tried numerous shoes, inserts, etc.  I've been doing some strength exercises and will continue doing so for the next few weeks.  If it doesn't go away, I'll have to bite the bullet and go see a doctor.

6 miles
48:10
0' vert

Was feeling the need for a taxing workout after yesterday's easy effort.  In the interest of time, I went out to Dimple Dell to hammer my legs on some hills.  Stayed on the upper trail on the way out.  Once I got to the end I decided to head downhill since I'd never been before.  Ran around the bottom for a few minutes, then found a couple steep hills to run up and connect back to the upper trail.  Tired at the end but felt good throughout.

11 miles
1:30:39
965' vert

Headed up to Grandeur Peak for the first time this year.  After being disappointed with myself for not running yesterday, I knew I had to get my head back in it.  And as much as I didn't want to go, I dragged my butt to the parking lot and made my way up the west ridge.

I completely forgot how steep this is (nearly a 25% avg grade).  All winter long I've dreamt of pushing myself up steep mountain trails and busting out new PR's with each ascent.  My mind always makes it seem easier though, and when I actually get out there and do it again, I'm quickly reminded of how brutal the trails can be.  As such, I didn't PR and didn't even really have the motivation to push myself.  So I wimped out and just cruised up while enjoying the scenery.

After taking in the view from up top, I decided that I needed to push the downhill hard.  I needed redemption!  So I turned around and headed back down the way I came.  About 1/3 of the way down, the trail splits off to the north.  I decided to take that route since it seems more runnable.  I pounded the rest of the descent and with my quads screaming, finally reached the parking lot.  Turned out to be a great day.

5 miles
1:42:26
3268' vert

Been out of town the last few days and wasn't able to get any running done.  And since it's pouring rain outside, I decided to get to the gym and get on the treadmill.  Also did some weights.  Felt good to do those since I haven't done any in awhile.  Looking forward to a good week.

7 mile
59:21
0' vert

Let another crazy week begin!  I'm actually ok with it though since I need to save my legs for the big run in Zion next week.

Was only able to get in a little over 35 minutes on the treadmill.  I wasn't about to go out in the torrential downpour outside.  Call me a fair weather runner.

3.5 miles
560' vert

Ran the Parkway after work.  Knew I had about an hour to get a good run in, so I set off at a moderate pace.  Once I got warmed up though, I decided it was a day to push it a bit more.  My body wasn't feeling great, but my head was entirely focused.  Knocked off the middle 4 miles around a 6:10 - 6:15 pace, then followed up with a slow cool down.

It's been awhile since I've run fast (for me) for more than a mile or so.  It felt good.  I would've gone a bit longer, but I think the fast(er) running aggravated my left arch that was giving me trouble awhile back.  At least I listened this time and didn't try to go further than my body wanted.

On another note, kinda bummed the Fun Run has been put off til the 21st.  Not really sure how my body will feel after the Zion Traverse next week.  Plus, Squaw Peak is on June 4th and I don't want to do anything to compromise my performance there.  Time will tell I guess.

6 miles
42:43
0' vert

Got up to the BST in Sandy today.  Ran the BST, then went up Corner Canyon to the parking lot, then down Ghost Falls and back.  Energy was good throughout (even though I started hungry; oops!) and I was able to keep a steady, moderate pace.  Stopped a couple times to take my shirt off, put it back on, then take it off again.  The weather was amazing, but my pasty-white skin was getting scorched in the sun.  Only stopped the watch at the top of Corner Canyon road for some relief.

Great day!  Glad I was able to get out and clear my head.  Things couldn't have gone better.

1:36:10
1,434' vert

Got out with Jun for a run on the BoSho.  We started at the zoo and headed north, then turned around when our time was up.  I'd never been on this section of the trail before, so it was nice to go with someone who was familiar with the area.

Pretty weak on the mileage again this week, but I'm ok with it.  Trans Zion coming up, then Squaw Peak two and half weeks later.  Summer's approaching and it's about to get epic!

1:22:28
1514' vert

Full report can be read over on my personal blog.

The gist of it... Set out to do the 48 mile Zion Train.  Ended up doing 29 or 30 as we got hammered with weather!  Couldn't have been happier with the scenery and the company.

Got out for some miles at the Parkway.  Ran with my friend Scott which forced me to keep a nice and easy pace.  Time flew by since we were conversing the entire way.  Love these kind of runs.

1:08:32
0' vert

Ran some easy miles at Dimple Dell.  Ran with a friend and it's always good to kinda slow down and enjoy running.  I find when I'm by myself I tend to go hard and it's not always a pleasant experience.  Haha.

1:23:12
771' vert

Technically I'm on a taper, although the last month (outside of Zion) has kinda felt that way.  Life's a rollercoaster right now for me!  Went with my friend Scott who paced me at Wasatch last year and did the Grandeur Fun Run course.  Once we got over the big climb he was not feeling well the rest of the way so we took it extremely easy.  Probably good for me so I didn't force myself to go too hard.  Super slow but it was a fun day out there!

3:24:26
3780' vert

Taking it really easy this week.  With that said, I ran the JRP with my friend Scott.  Took it really easy on the run.  With one caveat... I was dressed in winter gear.  Haha.  Since finding out that Squaw Peak has been re-routed, figured I needed some heat training since it'll be 80 or so on race day and I don't believe we've seen 80 yet this year.  Should be good times on Saturday!  Oh yeah, I was drenched by the end of the run.  Looking forward to doing it again Wednesday.

51:35
miniscule vert

Another run in the snowsuit at the JRP.  Much warmer today than yesterday.  Tried to keep right around an 8 minute pace to keep my core nice and toasty.  Felt much better today for some odd reason.  Probably all the calories I've been consuming!

This is the last day I run before the big one on Saturday.  Looking forward to torturing myself through 50 miles with 12K ft of vertical :)

35:24
little vert

Gonna keep it short and sweet here.  The full race report can be found on my personal blog here: http://ohtheaftermath.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-squaw-peak-50.html

Had a pretty good race considering my training over the last month has been pretty weak. Consensus was that the course was a bit more difficult this year, and I think the times reflected that.  I was reeling people in one by one for the first 45 miles.  Most of this was due to the fact that I went off course very early on and had to play catch up all day.  Then the last 5 miles my race completely fell apart when I got disoriented and dehydrated.  Glad it happened near the end so I didn't have to fight it all day though!

Overall I'm pretty satisfied with my result and I had a great time out there!  Great to see some FRB'ers as well.  Congrats to all who finished.

Got up to the BST in Sandy for a nice easy run.  Ran the BST then connected with Ghost Falls, then ran down Corner Canyon road.  My dad came along and kept me company.  He's coming off an injury so we made sure to take things really easy.  Was good for me to not push it since this is the first time I've run since the race last weekend. 

Recovery went really well and I was ready to run again on Tuesday.  My feet were a little battered though, and since I found out I'm doing Ragnar next weekend, I wanted to make sure my blisters were healed over before I ran again.  Thus the long layoff.

Overall it was a great day.  Note to self:  Don't run Corner Canyon on Saturdays in June...  Way too many mountain bikers.

2:22:58
1552' vert

Went to the JRP for some flat miles and heat.  Met my friend Scott and kept a casual pace the whole run.  Legs a bit sore afterward for some reason... Probably because I haven't been taking care of myself like I should.  Time to consume some extra calories for the race this weekend.  I love having an excuse to eat like a horse!

51:07
not much vert

Another easy day at the JRP.  The sun was shining and it was warm so I went shirtless... pretty rare occasion for me.  Gotta lessen the farmer tan!  Was going to make this my last day running this week til Ragnar on Friday, but I'm still kinda itchin for more.  May end up getting out tomorrow if I can find some time.

41:11
little vert

Did the Ragnar Wasatch Back relay.  There's a lot I want to say about this race, but I'll probably save it for a post on my personal blog.  I was on an ultra team with a few out of towners.  It was fun hanging out with them and hearing about their different adventures.  Three of them come from the triathlon world so their experience is much different than mine.  We also had a former CEO of Ragnar on our team.  He was definitely an asset since he knew about every leg of the course and was able to give us some insider info.

About two days before the race we picked up a sixth runner that contacted the captain.  She said she was ready for the distance and had run a 3:47 marathon last year.  So we had a very strong team... Or so it appeared.  Our sixth runner showed up and looked like she hadn't run a day since that marathon last year.  Then on her first leg (4 miles) she ended up run-walking it and said she couldn't do the second leg.  Since she was the runner before me I picked it up, then ran my two legs immediately following.  So three legs in a row!  Good times.

My second run was 17 miles starting at about 4:00 am.  It was mentally tough since I hadn't slept up to that point, but I was able to make it through and finished just as the sun was coming up.  Then I drove for awhile since everyone was asleep in the van.  Didn't end up falling asleep til about noon-thirty on Saturday, and that was only for 45 minutes.

My "final" leg was a 7 mile grunt up Guardsman.  3,000 feet of climb.  This was the whole reason I chose to be runner #5.  Passed probably 60 or 70 people on the climb and only got passed twice near the finish, by two runners who did not run the first leg of the climb.  So I was pretty happy about that.  Our captain had dead quads after the 2,000 foot descent on leg 35, so he wasn't able to run the final leg.  So who did it?  You guessed it... me.

So at the end of the day I ran 8 legs for a total of 42 miles.  I slept for 45 minutes during the race and consumed as much food as possible.  It was a fun experience, but I'm not sure if I'll do an ultra distance relay again.  Maybe with some ultra friends next time?

6:17:28
3,922' vert  

Got out to the JRP in the heat of the afternoon for a quick run.  I could tell right away that my legs weren't feeling it.  They were actually still sore (what the?) and felt like lead weights.  So, I only ended up going 4 miles.  The two miles out were slow, then I tried to shake things up and run fast on the way back, just to see if they'd respond.  To no avail.  I'm gonna take Friday off then go out for a nice easy run in the hills with my dad on Saturday.  Maybe the legs will feel better then.

26:59
very little vert

I needed some motivation.  I have a tough time finding it on my own at times, so when I talked to my dad on Thursday about a Saturday run, I decided to join him.  He's training for his first ultra.  He originally got into Squaw Peak but was unable to train properly due to a small tear in his calf muscle, so he ended up withdrawing from it.  He's back on track now though and is doing the Speedgoat 50K at the end of July.  It's a tough one!

In preparation, he wanted a route with lots of elevation and some heat.  I told him the best place right now for that is probably Grandeur.  So I joined him and showed him the Fun Run loop.  It was exactly what I needed to get back on track; a slower run and some hours on my feet.  We started at about 7:00am, hoping to avoid too much traffic on the descent into Church Fork.  We ended up dodging probably 60 hikers on the way down.  Some have no idea what trail etiquette is either.  I can't count how many times we stopped and got out of the way for hikers going up!  Luckily we were going at a very casual pace, but I would've been really ticked if I was trying to bomb the descent.

All in all a great day.  Weather was awesome and it felt great to renew some of the motivation.

3:18:36
3,722' vert

Getting back to my bread and butter now that some of the upper trails are opening up.  Went up the Mill B North trail in Big Cottonwood.  I did this run about once a week last year during the summer and it's one of my favorites.  The scenery is incredible, the trail is semi-technical, and I almost never see anyone on the trail.  I think most hikers like a destination and this trail doesn't really have one, so it's perfect for running.  The best thing about it is that it connects with the Desolation Trail which gives you almost unlimited options for longer routes.

The trail is in great shape right now, although there are still large areas of snow above 8,000 feet.  Eventually I made it to the Porter Fork junction which sits at about 9,000 feet and was hoping to be able to run into Mill A to see what the snowpack was like.  However, the trail that connects into Mill A is still completely covered in snow so I just turned back around.  I spent a good 20 minutes or so kicking out a trail in the snow so others could find their way up.  I actually had a lot of fun doing it.  Saw one guy starting his hike just as I was finishing up.  Other than that, it was me and the mountains... Just the way I like it!

2:09:10
2,940' vert

Decided to see what the north-facing slopes on the S-Curve in Big Cottonwood were looking like.  After yesterday's effort, I didn't feel much like heading up the Broads Fork trail since it's quite steep and I figured I'd run into snow quite early there.  So, I ran the Lake Blanche trail.  Started hitting major patches of snow at about 8200 feet.  After a few detours, I finally hit the lake and stopped to take in the views for about 10 minutes up top.  It was definitely serene.  Made my way back down at an easy pace.

Legs were quite fatigued after two straight days of good vertical.  We'll see how I feel tomorrow, but right now it's gonna be tough staying away from the mountains... It's been far too long!

1:32:15
2,490' vert

It took everything in my power to get myself out the door and onto the JRP.  The desire was just not there, which translated into a crappy run.  Oh well, more mileage in the bank I guess.

49:26
little vert

For some strange reason I woke up about an hour earlier than normal.  Knew I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, so I got out the door and ran.  Definitely a rare occasion for me to run on a weekday morning.  It sure felt a lot better than yesterday though!  Just cruised around some streets in the area and even got a nice little climb and descent mixed in there.  Good way to start off the long weekend.

36:59
171' vert

The plan was to go for 3 or 4 hours, but sometimes things don't work out as planned. 

I went up to Mill D North in Big Cottonwood.  The weather was great and the trail's in pretty good shape.  But about 30 minutes into my run, my hands started swelling and I was getting dizzy.  And of course, I didn't have any S!Caps with me.  Still have no idea why this happened so early on in the run.

Upon reaching Desolation Lake, I hung out for a few minutes to enjoy the scenery, piled some snow on top of my head to cool me down, and buried my hands in the snow to get the swelling to go down.  Decided it was probably best to turn around and head back down.  Ran into Meltzer on the way back and stopped to talk to him for a few minutes about his upcoming race at Hardrock.  He said it's "just another hundred."  Ha.

Kind of upset that I didn't get a better run in, but that's how it goes sometimes.  Still trying to get my mojo back.

1:20:05
1,834' vert

After not quite feeling like myself the last few weeks, I've decided that I'm going to ease back into things this week rather than trying to do too much.  To get things started I went out for a run at the JRP today.  Had limited time so I only ended up with six miles, but they were brutal because of the heat.  Felt pretty good, but tried to ease back so as to not overdo it.  Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.

44:14
little vert

Went back up the Lake Blanche Trail today.  Felt quite humid, so within the first quarter mile I shed the shirt.  By the time I hit the top I was covered in sweat.  Spent about 30 minutes up top just enjoying the scenery.

Not so many people out today.  Only ended up having to dodge a few groups and a couple solo hikers.  The effort also felt quite a bit easier than last time up.  Probably because I didn't have a big vertical run the day before, but I'll just keep telling myself that it's because my fitness is improving.

Got home and felt good, no problems.  I jumped in the shower, and when I got out all hellfire had come up from the depths of my skin.  I'm officially scorched!  Next time I'll have to remember sunscreen :)

1:24:05
2,500' vert

Got out for a quick 4 at the JRP.  Pretty easy effort.  Nothing too exciting other than a few sprinkles of rain.  Trying to keep the legs fresh so I can put in a hard effort on Saturday.

29:12
little vert

Got up and ran around in my favorite area this morning.  I would try to explain the route I took, but it would be way too confusing.  Lots of detours from the plan due to heavy snow in some areas.  So I'll just say I ran around in the Mill A Basin area in Big Cottonwood.

I took a bag with water and extra nutrition and stashed it about two miles away from the trailhead.  I figured I'd hit it at least once during the run - which I did - but it wasn't until I was on the way back to the car.  Way to think it through Josh!  So I ended up running almost 5 hours with two handhelds and 5 gels.  Bad move.  My stomach was screaming for food and I was dehydrated.  I ended up filling one of the bottles with snow about 45 minutes before I got back to my bag and slowly let it melt.  It helped a bit, but wasn't nearly enough.  Finally hit my stash with two miles to go and ate a few more gels and pounded 32 ounces of water.

Even though I had problems with nutrition and hydration - based on poor planning on my part - my legs felt great all day long.  I was able to consistently push the hills and I ran hard on the flats.  I guessed the mileage between 20 and 22 so I'm calling it 21.

5:19:12
6,300' vert

Another one of those days where I had to cram a run in.  Got four in at the JRP around five o'clock; a bit later than I usually run.  It was still plenty warm though.  My legs feel basically recovered after Saturday's effort, so that's a good sign.  Shootin for 50 this week before I begin my 10 week training schedule for The Bear. 

I've come to the conclusion that I need to follow a schedule to reach my goals.  Over the last few months I've basically been going by how I feel, and my weekly mileage totals are lower because of it.  Now I don't always follow the daily plan, but it helps to have the numbers laid out in front of me.  And actually writing it down accomplishes something I don't get from typing it here on the blog.  Something about putting pen to paper does it for me. 

So a question I wanted to pose to the few people who actually read this:  Do you prefer a schedule, or no schedule?  Recording results on the computer, or on paper?

30:11
little vert

Got out to the JRP again today.  Really wanted to get a mountain run in, but looks like I may be getting some good vertical in tomorrow.  Wanted to save the legs for that.  Pretty average pace today.  I was thinking of going a bit further than I did, but when I got to 45th and noticed the underpass was almost completely under water, it made my decision to turn around pretty easy.

1:00:37
little vert

Went up and made an attempt at Timp with Matt, Craig, and Scott.  Having never been there before, the surroundings blew my mind.  Why had I never done this before?  After about mile 2, we were in snow basically the rest of the way.

Traction devices on your feet only do so much when the snow isn’t hard-packed.  Lots of slipping and sliding.  And I was the idiot that didn’t bring trekking poles.  Scott offered me a set, but I didn’t think I’d really need them.  I managed without, but things would’ve been much easier with them, that’s for sure.

There were a few places we couldn’t find the trail so we’d just climb straight up in the snow.  I actually love this kind of “bushwhacking” on hikes, but there were a few really steep spots where I was afraid of falling.  And I’m a baby when it comes to heights!

We didn’t make the summit, but made it just below the saddle.  We made the decision to turn around there because of time, and because the approach to the saddle was sketchy.  It needs a few more weeks to melt down.  Coming back down was fun since we got to slide down on our butts in a few different places.  It was an absolute blast!

On the drive home we talked about the “run” and how weak it looks on paper.  Less than 10 miles in 4 hours... Are you kidding me?  Even with the vertical, it seems pretty pathetic.  I can tell you that I’m spent though!  This is why I measure my long efforts in time on my feet, and not in miles.  There’s no way to express the amount of work we put in out there, for such small numbers (other than the time of course).

Will try and put some pics up later.  Don't have time to mess with it at the moment.

4:07:41
3,400' vert

Still a bit fatigued from yesterday's effort, but felt like I needed to get up a mountain to blow off some steam, so I hit one of my go-to routes up Big Cottonwood.  Went on the Butler Fork trail and headed towards Mill A, then turned around at the Desolation Trail junction.  Didn't run much on the way up, but it felt nice just to be out there!  Will probably take Friday off so I can put in another good, long effort on Saturday.

53:21
1,400' vert

Had one of those days.  From the beginning I didn't feel light on my feet at all.  So about an hour into my run, I decided I was more interested in climbing a mountain than running.  Ended up tagging the back side of Gobblers Knob... a total bushwhack with some seriously steep pitches.  Was lots of fun.

Coming down off Gobblers though, I was stumbling around and just could not get into a groove.  I decided rather than risk seriously injuring myself, I'd just call it a day.  So on my way back to the trailhead - you guessed it - I rolled my ankle... Hard!  So I officially have a cankle now :(  Probably need to take a few days off.

Kinda interesting that I sensed this coming before it happened.  I was in a similar situation last year and ended up doing the exact same thing on the exact same ankle.  It was actually right about this time of year as well.  At least I know that I'll heal up fairly quickly.  Still frustrating though.

3:24:17
3,400' vert

First run I've done since the cankle injury last week.  Went up to do what I call the Desolation Loop with my buddy Scott.  This route starts at Mill D, runs up to Desolation Lake, then follows the Great Western Trail down to Big Water where you head up to Dog Lake, then back down to Blunder Fork and connects back onto Mill D.

Scott visited the doctor the other day who ended up putting him on high blood pressure medication.  He runs about 6 days a week and is reasonably fit so he marks it down to be genetics.  He's also 47 so that is probably a factor.  Anyway, the route up to Deso was slow since he had to stop every so often.  He said he felt like he was drunk when his heart rate would go up.  The doc told him it would be a few weeks before he got used to it.  Needless to say, we took our time.

The bum ankle held up pretty well.  I only tweaked it once during the descent down into Millcreek.  Nothing major though.  We ended up doing the route about 20 minutes faster than we ever did it last year.  What the?  I've done it much faster on my own, but this was Scott's best time and he was baffled as to how it happened based on the way he was feeling.  Probably cuz I ended up setting the pace most of the way as he was trying to go way too hard for his abilities.  Drunk behavior!  Ha.  All in all a nice day and I was encouraged that my ankle held up so well after only injuring it a week ago.  I guess a week off from running helps!

I plan on taking it easy on the ankle for the next week or two.  Just didn't feel confident in it at all on the steeper descents.  At least I know that I can run again.  Man, I was a miserable person to be around this last week!

2:58:49
2,800' vert

Got out in the early afternoon and ran the Butler Fork loop in the clockwise direction.  Made the half mile detour at the junction to check out Dog Lake.  Perfect day out!  Nothing really memorable to report.  My pace was completely pedestrian since I'm still trying to gain back confidence in my ankle.  It's gonna take a few weeks.

1:51:27
1,950' vert

I was determined to get up the canyon and run today.  So with ominous skies overhead, I drove up to Mill D North in Big Cottonwood and set off up the trail at about 3:45.  I knew I'd get rained on but wanted to see how far I could make it.  After 10 minutes on the trail it started raining.  After 20 I was soaked, so when I got to Blunder Fork I sat under a tree to assess the situation.  I had two miles to Desolation or a little over a half mile to Dog Lake. 

After waiting for about 10 minutes for the rain to slow, the thunder and lightning that was getting increasingly closer made my decision easy.  So I turned around and flew down the mountain.  I got caught in a bad storm last year when I was 4 miles away from my car, and I didn't want a repeat of that horrendous day.  A bit upset that I didn't get the run in I'd hoped for, but happy that my determination didn't overtake my common sense.

34:05
900' vert

Butler Fork loop clockwise again today.  Just didn't add on the section to and from Dog Lake.  Actually felt really on top of things for the first time in probably six weeks.  You know those days where everything just clicks?  Yeah, that was today.

Since I was feeling so good I decided to go hard.  I PR'd to the ridge, then ran the back section hard to see if things would continue to click, and they did.  The only problem was the growth.  It seemed like the overgrowth was twice as bad as it was on Monday when I did the same loop.  That's 4 days!  Are you kidding me?  It was looking more reminiscent of last year; maybe worse.  So I definitely had to slow things down through the sections where I couldn't see the ground. 

Just before I hit the junction to Dog Lake I stopped for a quick 30 second relief break, then ran the section down to the bottom.  Really bad growth through here as well.  I kept a quick pace, but didn't go anywhere near all-out since my confidence in my ankle still isn't great.  Reached the bottom and noticed I had a PR for the loop.  Nice!  Still feel like I left 5-8 minutes out there due to slowing in nasty sections and not bombing the downhill due to my ankle.

Got home, showered, and then started to notice the all too familiar feel of stinging nettle.  My left leg was especially numb.  Funny how I don't even notice it when it happens, but once I shower the feeling is full-force!

1:20:38
1,900' vert

Volunteered at the Speedgoat 50K.  First time volunteering for a race, so it was a very interesting experience.  I helped at the table for a short time, then marshalled in two different critical sections, and ran sweep once the last runner came through.  So I was able to get some miles in.

In the morning after coming off the tram at Hidden Peak, we had to hike down a few miles to the aid station I was assigned to in Mineral Basin.  Runners were coming through at around mile 10, then again at about mile 20.  We had to bust it to get down there before the first runner came in.  Anyway, someone had the bright idea to take two enormous watermelons to our station.  I was the only one with a pack big enough to fit one, so yep, I had to haul one down.  It wasn't all that heavy, but the shape was not comfortable on my back at all.  (I think I have a pinched sciatic nerve now.)  Not only that, a girl got stuck with the other one that she tried to carry in a bag, but the handle broke.  So we handed off back and forth the whole way down, cradling it like a baby.  Yeah, it sucked!

Overall, it was a great experience and something I'll definitely do again in the future.  Oh yeah, my dad ended up finishing his first ultra at this race in 11 hours flat.  It was great seeing him out on course a couple times and being able to get down to the finish line in time to see him come in.  Congrats to him on finishing a very tough race for his first ultra!

First time out since hurting my back last weekend.  Seems it was just a minor flare up but I took a few days off just to be sure.  Took it easy today.  Went up to Butler Fork and ran up to the Desolation junction then back down.

54:15
1,400' vert

Got up to Mill D North and was planning on making my way up to Desolation Lake then head back down.  I knew the rain might be a factor so I ran hard.  I didn't expect what was to come, however. 

A moose was blocking the trail almost 3 miles into the run.  I stopped my watch and waited her out from about 50 yards, for 10 minutes or so, making all sorts of noise so she'd know I was there.  When I finally decided she wasn't making much progress, I went up the mountainside to swing wide around her.  When I was straight across from her at about 60 yards away, a mountain bike came down the trail and blew by her.  The guy probably didn't even see her.  However, she wasn't very happy and started grunting.  I continued my forward progress and got to the point where I was going to drop down and connect with the trail again.  And guess who was there?  Yeah, she now had a sense of urgency and she was pissed, now coming straight at me.

At this point the only option is to run away, so that's what I did.  I ran as fast and as hard as I could through the belly-high bushes.  I turned my head around a couple times to see where she was and she was making ground.  When she was within 40 yards or so I came upon the ridge then dropped straight down, basically falling down the mountain.  I didn't look back, just tried to put some distance between us, however futile it may be.  If she really wanted to get me she easily could have.  She was just an ornery thing that was looking to put a scare in me.  Mission accomplished!

When I felt comfortable that she was no longer near me, I bushwacked to try and find the trail.  Wasted major time doing this, but I eventually found my way back.  Once I hit Blunder Fork I decided to head up to Dog Lake real quick to feel like I got some semblance of a run in.  Then the rain started and the lightning soon followed, so I pushed it down the trail.  On the way down I passed some bikers.  We chatted for a second, then I put some distance between us.  When I got to the bottom, the lady that was in front arrived a few minutes after and told me that about 1 minute after I pushed ahead of them, she saw a bobcat run across the trail!  So mad that I missed seeing that!  I've always wanted to see one in the wild.  Oh well.  It was an interesting day to say the least.

Distance is a total guess
No idea on time
No idea on vert

Got out with Jun and Scott in the afternoon to run the Big Mountain to Lambs section of the Wasatch 100 course.  This was the first time I've been on this section since running the race last year, and it's every bit as brutal as I remember.  Lots of rolling hills which are all runnable, but also lots of tricky descents due to the amount of rocks.  We also ran in the heat of the day which made things really interesting.

The most miserable section is just after the Alexander Spring aid station.  Lots of little rolling uphills, but it's also very exposed and very hot.  I ran every step of the way though and felt decent at the end of it.  Coming into the final section we missed a turn somewhere and had to do an uphill bushwack out of the bottom of the gully we were in.  That was kinda fun even though the scratches all over my legs are a bit irritating.

Once again I forgot to change my watch settings so my memory ran out about 20 minutes before we finished.  I think Craig said we were something like 2:58 total running time so I'm going with that.

2:58:00
2,400' vert (gain)
3,800' vert (loss)

Didn't have a whole lot of time this morning, so I went up and did the Desolation Loop.  Wasn't sure how my energy would be after yesterday's tough run, but after half a mile or so I felt really good, so I decided to go hard.  Ended up PR'ing up to the lake and also PR'd the loop.  Once I have a little more confidence in my ankle I know I can go under 2 hours.

2:03:42
2,800' vert

Decided to run up Broads Fork in BCC since I haven't been there yet this year.  Just went up to the meadow and back down.  Forgot how steep and technical this trail is in places.  Definitely gave me more confidence in my ankle though, which is just what I needed.

1:03:55
2,000' vert

Did the Butler Fork loop then added the short connector to Dog Lake to make it an even 10.  Felt ok the whole run, but not great.  Just like everything else in the Wasatch, this trail is terribly overgrown.  And it's like nettle death out there right now.  Can't tell you how many times I got stung today, but there's no way to avoid it in some spots so you just plow through it.  Then to top it off I jumped a big bull moose that was laying in the creek when I was running down.  Didn't even see him.  Scared me to death!  Luckily, he wasn't upset with me.

Interesting note: I typically run about 50% of the initial climb on this route.  Today I ran about 90% of it just for fun.  When I got to the ridge I was about 90 seconds behind my PR.  Just goes to show that running everything isn't necessarily all that efficient.  However, I plan on running like this more often because it's a much better workout!  My legs are spent.

1:34:23
1,900' vert

Full report with pics can be found HERE

Went up to King's Peak to tackle a double with Scott and Matt.  We didn't complete the double due to some bad planning, but I still had a great time out there and it was nice becoming familiar with the route.

We ended up starting at about 10:45 PM on Friday night, going on no sleep... Mistake number 1.  We took our time getting to the summit and we all felt the effects of the altitude.   Matt got a bad headache and pushed ahead to tackle the summit in order to get back down.  I had a little headache and felt some vertigo up near the top... Nothing too serious though.  Scott puked his guts out on the way down, about 25 yards below the summit.  I hung with him to make sure we got off the mountain safely.  He ended up taking a 15 minute nap after we got down, which was capped off by some hallucinations.  That's always fun!

Finally we pushed ahead, got Scott running again and slowly made our way down the mountain.  It took us longer to get down than it took to get up the mountain.  We got to the parking lot and contemplated a second lap, but there just wasn't enough time.  We took well over 10 hours for lap 1, which we had hoped would be closer to 7 hours or so.  Based on the time, fear of repeat headaches, puke, and hallucinations, and being up for 30 hours straight, we decided to bag it.  A good call I think.

I don't ever recall feeling this good after such a demanding run.  Probably because I took it really easy.  I never really got breathing hard at any point and my feet had zero blisters; something that always plagues me on tough runs like this.  Crazy!  So now I'm sitting here seriously contemplating getting back out there to attempt the double again.  If I can find time I'll try it this weekend or maybe during the week next week.  I'm seriously obsessed with King's right now.  Can't get it outta my head.

10:27:28
5,000' vert

Didn't have much time so I decided to head up to Butler Fork.  Just went up to the Desolation Trail junction and turned around.  Perfect day out and wish I had more time to spend out there.  Looks like I'll be having to cram runs in where I can the rest of the week.

47:54
1,400' vert 

Got out to the JRP for a quick 6.  Been awhile since I've run there and now I remember why I prefer trails to roads.  I just enjoy the variety the trails have to offer.  Still enjoyed myself and was able to get my legs turning over pretty well.  I thought I'd be slower on the flat stuff since I rarely get a chance to run flats in the mountains.  Turns out I've maintained my speed and maybe even picked up a little.

41:59
little vert

My family was up camping in AF Canyon over the weekend, so I decided to go up Friday night and hang out.  Got up Saturday morning and ran Timp.  There had to be four or five hundred people on that trail... It was insane.  Since this was the first time I've run the entire trail, once I got up into the basin I headed left instead of staying to the right.  Realized my mistake once I got to the base of the mountain and noticed all the people were north of me.  Ended up cutting across the snowfield and made my way over to the trail.

On the way up to the summit I ran into some billy goats.  There were people standing 10 feet away from them and they didn't even care.  I took a little video of it.  Pretty cool.  Once I hit the summit I stopped my watch and hung out for 10 or 15 minutes to take everything in.

I tried to keep a smooth pace on the descent, but my pace was constantly interrupted by hikers.  It was a bit frustrating, as I'm sure it was for them having to move out of my way.  Now I know to stay off that mountain on the weekends.  Just way too many people.

Once I got down I ran up the road back to camp.  Got there just in time for some pancakes, bacon and a coke... Awesome recovery meal!  What a great way to cap off a pathetic week.

3:32:21
4,900' vert

Not much time today so I went to the JRP for my usual 6 mile route there.  Felt hot today but my body dealt with it pretty well.

Found out last night that I'm pacing my friend Darrell from Brighton to the finish at Wasatch this year.  I'm excited to do this section when I'm at least semi-coherent and feeling ok.  I remember last year I was dealing with a hurt knee and that, along with the cold, were the only things occupying my mind.  Looking forward to a totally different experience this time around.

46:54
little vert

Lake Blanche trail.  Ran 100% of the trail today.  The only place I stopped was on top to take in the view for about 10 minutes.  Energy was good but it was a total sweat-fest out there.  I couldn't keep the salt out of my eyes.  Lots of fun.

1:24:32
2,500' vert

I hate days like this.  I had plans to get out and run the JRP right after work, but the freak lightning show that rolled through at 3:00pm changed my mind.  From my office I could see lightning striking near the area I run.  It was enough to scare me from going out.  The last thing I wanted was to be the lightning rod hopping around on that trail.  It didn't last too long, but by the time it ended my window had closed since I had somewhere to be at 5:00.

This is the one major problem with running in the afternoon/evening.  If I don't get my run in, my day is done; whereas if I were to miss a morning run I'd still have the afternoon to make it up.  Maybe I should start trying to run in the morning more often?  I realize it's not that big of a deal to miss a day, but it stinks when I had every intention of getting out there.

Wasn't able to get out yesterday, so I planned my long run for today.  I went up to Butler Fork and climbed up to the Desolation Trail junction where I stashed some food, water and supplies just in case I needed them.  Did a route that I'd been eyeing since last year.

About two hours into the run I got an enormous headache.  I never get headaches when I run so I was a little concerned.  Once I dropped down into Millcreek at the Terraces, I found someone who had some Aleve to take.  I also refilled my bottles at the water spout there and pounded a full bottle before taking off back up the canyon.  The meds took about an hour to kick in, but I felt much better afterward.

I spent most of the run soaked from the waist down due to the heavy rainfall the night before.  The overgrowth in some of the places also forced me to walk.  As much as I wanted to tear through it, it's wasn't worth risking injury less than a month out from The Bear.  Other than the headache, I felt like I had a pretty good run.  Energy was ok and my legs felt great.

5:20:02
5,700' vert

Mill D North up to Desolation Lake and back.  Quads and calves were a bit sore from yesterday's effort, so I wasn't able to run some of the steeper sections.  Pace was nice and easy on the way up, then I tried to run hard on the way down.  Started feeling tight in the calves and my left achilles flared up just a bit, so I backed off.  Taking tomorrow off just to be sure this doesn't turn into an issue since I've got two big weeks ahead of me.

1:18:54
1,900' vert

Got out for my 6 mile route at the JRP.  Was hot, but not terrible.  Need to spend the next few weeks focusing on heat training for The Bear.  I have no idea what it will be like on race day, so I need to prepare for the worst.

47:19
little vert

Double summit of Timp on the Timpooneke trail.  I was hoping for back-to-back 3:45 round trip times for a total of 7:30.  Ended up going way too fast for the first summit but I still held things together for the second trip.  I may write something up on my personal blog in the next day or two when I have some time.  For now, here's the numbers...

Trip1
2:01:01 up
1:21:46 down
3:22:47 round trip

Trip2
2:19:12 up
1:32:14 down
3:51:26 round trip

7:14:13 total
9,200' vert

Went to the JRP and ran with my friend Scott.  It was a nice break running a bit slower.  Also nice wearing all black and getting a little heat training in as well.  I'm super busy this week and hoping I can get in at least one more day before my pacing duties Friday night.

1:06:15
little vert

Found some time to get out to the JRP again.  Legs are feeling good and my achilles is finally stretching back out.  Hasn't been bothering me badly, but it's been a bit of an annoyance the last week or two.  Nothing like some easy miles to get feeling good again.  Now it's time to rest up for pacing at Wasatch Friday night.  Really looking forward to it.

49:15
little vert

I paced Darrell Phippen from Brighton to the finish at the Wasatch 100.  You can read all about it HERE.

Went out to the JRP for a test run on the new kicks.  My current trail shoe is the La Sportiva Wildcat.  It's been a good shoe for me, but it's not quite wide enough and it's a bit on the heavy side so I'm looking for something wider and lighter to move into in the offseason.  I went to Wasatch Running to check out several shoes I'd had my eye on for awhile.  However, of all the shoes I'd researched, I didn't love a single one of them.  Actually, I take that back... I do love the Altra's, but they don't make half sizes and a 12 is too small, and I slide around too much in a 13.  Go figure. 

So what happened?  Well, I ended up getting a pair of Montrail Rogue Racers.  They shave 4 ounces off my current shoe, have 3mm less drop and they're wider.  Pretty good tradeoff if you ask me.  I'm definitely going to have to work into the shoe though.  After my 4 miler today, my calves were a little tight.  Of course that could be a product of my weekend pacing duties as well, but I'm glad I didn't go any further.

Averaged 6:53 pace on the way out, 8:32 on the way back.

22:18
little vert

Went up for a hike to Cecret Lake with a friend.  We started at the bottom parking lot that sits just above Snowbird, so the distance is a total guess based on the time it took to slow jog down.  I've never been on this trail before and I was impressed with how beautiful the area is.  Not really much of a hike though; it's more like a walk.

Didn't clock the time going up so not sure on total time.
Around 900' vert

Went on my 6 mile route at the JRP.  I'm really enjoying this transition to fall.  Seems like we might actually have a fall this year instead of jumping straight to winter.  Hoping to put in 10 to 12 on Saturday then run the first few days next week before resting up for the race.  Getting amped for The Bear!

49:17
little vert

Butler Fork loop with the Dog Lake add-on.  Kept the pace really easy today since I'm trying to stay rested for the race next week.  I also spent the day completely soaked from the waist down due to the heavy rainfall last night.  It didn't bother me too much, but I did get really cold a few times.

1:48:55
2,000' vert

Went to the JRP to stretch the legs out.  I was planning on doing around 6 or so, but my stomach was a mess so I cut it to 4.  Other than the stomach, I felt great the entire way.  I'm hoping rested legs will serve me well on Friday.

29:57
little vert

Tried to get out but time got the best of me.  A project I'm heading at work has to be finished by the time I leave Wednesday, so I've been slammed. 

Thursday - taking work off and heading to Logan for the check-in. 

Friday/Saturday - race

Sunday thru Wednesday - work conference in New Orleans

Should be a very interesting week!

Full report HERE

I fully intend on writing up a nice race report, but I'm out of town right now.  Hopefully I'll have some time in the next few days.  Here's a few things that happened to keep you interested til I put up a full report:

• The first 30 miles flew by.  I felt decent, but not great.   Kept a steady pace to stay about 15 minutes up on my splits for my goal of a 24 hour finish.
• Miles 30 - 45 were tough due to the heat, but I stuck it out and kept the 15 minutes I had on my splits.
• Miles 45 - 70 were when my first blisters started to appear.  They continually got worse throughout the day, but I can live with blisters.
• Between 70 & 75 I got lost.  I was tired and just missed the trail.  Had to shut out my light and wait 7 - 8 minutes til the next person came into the area, then I followed them to the aid station.  My quads were also dead and my left IT Band started hurting.
• From 75 - 85 I decided to take my sweet time at the aid stations.  I mentally gave up on my goal of 24 hours and just wanted a finish so I tried to enjoy the experience by taking a little more time at the stations.
• I asked my dad to come along from 85 to the finish and it was great having him. 
• At about mile 87 I smacked my shin on a rock and I'm now walking with a limp (still).  I really hope I don't have a hairline fracture in the bone, but I'm waiting til I get home to decide whether or not to see a doctor. 
• At about mile 90 we got lost for about 45 minutes due to someone sabotaging the markers.  We worked with several other runners to find the trail again and my dad made an arrow out of sticks so that other runners wouldn't make the same mistake we did.
• The descent from 93 to the finish was unbearable.  My shin was killing me, my IT Band would start stabbing me every time I slowed or stopped, but I eventually made it to the finish and I finished strong.

Obviously I'm disappointed with not reaching my goal (especially since I was on target thru 70), but I'm happy that I stuck it out and was able to finish.  Congrats to all finishers on a really tough day out there.

I feel recovered from the race now and I was actually ready to run about 3 days after, but my left shin is still in pain, even when I walk.  It gets progressively better each day though, so I'm not seeing a doctor.  I'm sure a doc would just tell me I have a bone bruise and tendonitis in my anterior tibialis.  When I flex the muscle I can feel it creaking against the bone.  Kinda gross.  Looks like I'll be a stationary bike and elliptical junkie for the next couple weeks to keep my fitness up, which really sucks because this is my favorite time of year to be up in the mountains.

Tried the elliptical but it still puts too much pressure on the leg.  The stationary bike seemed to do the trick though.  Kept the resistance fairly low and just cruised with some tunes in my ear.  Not exactly my idea of a good time, but it's all I got right now.  30 minutes of something is better than nothing.

30 minutes spin bike
30 minutes weights circuit

Felt the after effects of Saturday a bit with this stupid injury, so I went a little less hard and for a little less time today.  Seriously, who knew that smashing my leg against a rock would produce the worst tendonitis I've ever had?!  Feels good to finally be doing something physical again, even though it's not exactly my preference of activity.

20 minutes spin bike
20 minutes weights circuit

Back on the spin bike today.  However, after 5 minutes it was hurting to sit on that thing (guess you've gotta get used to it over time?).  Regardless, I went 15 minutes total before I called it quits. 

Had some time on my hands so I jumped on the treadmill, turned up the incline and started power hiking.  No major pain in the shin which was encouraging.  Turned up the speed and actually ran for 4 minutes before I started feeling pain, so I started power hiking again.  Ended up with almost 20 minutes and some vert.  Forgot to look at the distance, so it's a guess.  Happy to be on the verge of running again.

15 minutes spin bike
20 minutes treadmill
700' vert
Weights

Decided to do just the spin bike today in order to rest the shin.  I'm planning on hitting the JRP on Saturday to get a gauge on how this tendonitis responds to actual running, outside.  I'm hoping things will be ok since I'd really like to be ready to pace my dad next Friday at PET 50 if he needs me.

30 minutes spin bike
Weights

Went to the JRP and I'm happy to report that I'm finally able to run again. Didn't want to push it so I kept the mileage and pace pretty conservative, but didn't really have any problems. I could feel the shin a bit on the slight downhill sections, but it wasn't painful, just noticeable. I'm going to run every other day for the next week or two just to make sure things hold up ok, then I'll get back on track.

27:34

Easy 4 miler at the JRP. Just making sure this injury is basically gone before I start with anything more intense.

Looking forward to crewing Dorsimus this weekend at the PET 50. Should be a fun weekend with good friends and some racing.

34:47

Crewed and paced the last 15 miles for Dorsimus at the Pony Express 50.  Lots of fun out there seeing friends and hanging out.  Matt did awesome and stayed strong finishing his first 50 miler.  Congrats to him!  The good news is that my leg seems to feeling better.  Didn't have any problems with it out there, so it looks like I'll slowly creep back into some training.

This is also the time of year I start thinking about races I'd like to do next year.  I'll definitely be putting in for Squaw Peak and Wasatch next year, but I'd also like to race something out of state at some point.  I'm also leaning toward training for a fast (for me) marathon in the spring.  Maybe Salt Lake?  I'm thinking the goal there would be to go sub-3.  Definitely doable if I'm willing to put in the effort.

JRP run.  Wanted to go a little further, but my legs were telling me no.  Funny what happens when you don't run for a month then you go do 15.  So instead I turned up the speed a little and got a nice workout in.  Hoping to get in 4 days of running this week.

22:18

JRP run.  Just wanted to get out and see how things are holding up.  Felt much better than Monday.  Took it easy and was really enjoying the cool weather out there. Been feeling some slight PF in my left foot since the run on Monday.  Nothing major, just something that's been making appearances every now and again since January.  Just plan on keeping things light for the next week or two and hopefully it works itself out.

42:21

Another easy day at the JRP.  Legs feel like they're slowly coming around.  Taking tomorrow off, then running something a little longer Saturday morning.  What longer means... Not quite sure yet.  That's the beauty of the off-season though: No commitments so I'm just going with the flow.

33:14

Failed to get out today.  All excuses cuz I could've ran if I really wanted to.  I tweaked my back a little bit at a Halloween party last night and it was just enough to lose motivation.  Lame.  Not sure how I did it to be honest.  Maybe it was the sweet dance moves I was pullin off all night?  Or maybe it was the game of Twister I played on the girl that was rockin the game as a cocktail dress?  Either way, I'm sure it'll be fine in the next day or two.  Lookin to get back to a normal running schedule this next week.

Went to the BST in Sandy for one last nice trail run before the weather turns.  The plan was to meet my friend Scott and run the HPHM 10K route.  However, I ended up getting off work a bit early so I went up and ran a tempo run for 15 minutes out, then 15 minutes back.  It felt nice.  Then I met up with Scott in the parking lot and we ran the 3 miles out and back.  Felt like I only got 9.5 in total, so when I got home I took my dogs to the park and ran around for a bit with them to make it an even 10.

It was a beautiful day out there and I can't remember when I've had a more enjoyable run on that trail.  My back still hurt from being an idiot over the weekend, but I think running loosened things up a bit.  Things should be back to normal in the next few days.

On a side note I wore my Rogue Racers on this run and they were awesome.  My previous long run in them was 4 miles.  I love how much room they have in the toebox for my wide forefoot and how much more stable the platform feels compared to my Wildcats.  Looks like I'll be transitioning to these to race in next year.

1:34:31

Went on my 6 mile route at the JRP.  Things felt good, although I've definitely lost some speed since I last did this route a few months ago.  Frustrating, but it gives me some great motivation to get my fitness back to where it should be.

46:17

Took it easy today since my legs aren't exactly feeling spry.  Getting back to running more frequently will change that.  Rest tomorrow then figure out something for Saturday.  The weather's not looking great so a trail run may be out of the question.

33:56

Was all I could do to even get out the door this morning.  I was really hoping to hit something in the double digits, but considering my mental state I'll take the hour or so of running I was able to get in.  Didn't take a watch so I'm not sure on the time.  Pushing to run at least 5 days this next week and hopefully that will get me out of the current funk I'm in.

I wanted to get some good vert on the mountain today, but when I left work and couldn't see it because of the storm rolling in, I wussed out.  If it would've been snow I probably would've gone, but it looked like rain... and I hate rain.  So instead I went to the gym and hit the treadmill.  Ugghhh.  It actually ended up being a very rewarding workout, and something I may have to consider doing more in the future.

11 x 2-minute repeats @ 8:00 min pace.  10% grade.  2-minute recovery between sets.

50:00 minutes total
1,950' vert (if you can trust the reading on a treadmill)
Hit 192 max heart rate, twice

Nice easy run out on the JRP.  Wanted to go a bit longer today but just didn't have the time.  Felt pretty good and my legs are starting to feel more and more responsive.  Can't believe it's taking me so long to get my groove back.

On a side note, my Altra Instincts (in the sick new black color) arrived today and I'm excited to test them out tomorrow.  I know I need to work into them, so I'll probably only do 2 or 3 miles tomorrow, but I'm excited to see how my legs and feet like them.  Oh yeah, and I'm taking a Crossfit class tomorrow night so that should be fun as well.  Just looking for ways to motivate myself and keep things interesting.

50:19

Test run with the new Instincts.  Really love the shoe, now I just need to work into it and practice a more proficient midfoot strike.

After the run I headed over to the local CrossFit gym for a workout.  I'm interested in building some strength and thought this would be a good way to do it since I could take a free class or two.  I got worked!  I don't think I'll go back though because the time commitment and cost are just too much.

18:37

Awesome race put on by Jun and Dorsimus.  I was a little worried about the weather but it turned out to be perfect running weather.  Had fun meeting people from the blog there as well.

I fell in behind Dorsimus for the first few miles then he started slowing so I moved ahead.  I felt like I was working way too hard for the speed I was going, but that's probably a combination of lackluster training the last couple months and extremely sore, tired legs from my stupid CrossFit workout on Thursday.  That was a really dumb idea two days before the "race".

Going up the Canyon Hollow trail I had nothing in my legs and actually ended up walking for a minute while I ate a gel, which I would never normally do.  Never really felt bad, I just didn't have much in my legs.  I powered my way through the climb and then cruised down Clark's which was an absolute mudfest.  It was actually a lot of fun.

I ran hard the final 3 miles on the BST only because I was scared of getting caught.  I thought for sure Jun or Dorsimus would catch me and embarrass me so I pushed it hard to the finish.  Had I looked at my watch I could've easily broken 2 hours, but I didn't look down til I stopped the thing.  Oh well.  Overall it was a great time and the BBQ after was fantastic.

2:00:09
1,900' vert

So today marks the first day of really working into the new Instincts.  I went out and really focused on good form and a good midfoot strike.  I gotta say, it felt a little awkward without the built up heel and I felt like I was tiptoeing through the run, even though I wasn't.  Calves felt nice and stretched out at the end.  Didn't wear a watch so no idea on the time.

Hoping to put in 2 or 3 days a week in these shoes til I can get some mileage built up.  Hoping that my legs continue to cooperate through the process.

Ran at an easy pace today to make sure I don't overdo things while working into my Altras.  Happened to run into my friend Scott in the parking lot and we ran the whole way together, which made it easy for me to keep my pace down.  Legs a bit sore afterward since I was focusing on midfoot striking again, only this time with my regular road shoes so I had the benefit of a more built-up heel to assist me.

59:26

Went bowhunting with my dad this morning.  We headed up the canyon and got started around 6 am; just in time to turn our headlamps out when we made it to the ridge.  Unfortunately, when we got up there the wind was blowing hard, which always makes for a tough day of hunting.  Add that to the fact that the deer aren't rutting yet and it makes things extra hard. 

We hiked around for a bit and did some glassing, but only saw a few deer out there.  I always enjoy getting up in the mountains this time of year, and the weather (aside from the wind) was perfect.  Didn't do much running, but felt like I got a nice workout in all the snow that's up there.

Matt and Craig called me up the other day to talk about a run we were planning to do today.  We were all pretty unmotivated though, so we drove to Chinese Gourmet and did a few laps to the buffet table instead.  Runners need to practice eating as well as running.

Got up today and felt like getting out instead of sitting on the couch.  Went up near Little Dell Reservoir to do some scouting so I took the binoculars along with me.  I didn't even need them because there was nothing up there.  The deer aren't doing much of anything right now other than sleeping under trees where I can't see them.

It started raining right when I got off work so I wussed out and hit the treadmill.  Did an interval workout in the Altras.  I've decided that intervals are the only way I can stand running on the treadmill.

5 minute warmup
15 minutes @ 10:00 pace on 10% incline
2 minute recovery
5 x 2 minute intervals @ 8:30 pace on 10% incline; 2 minute recovery between sets
5 minute cooldown

Easy 4 miles at the JRP.  Just trying to stay motivated through the weekend.

Slept in a little then went up to the BST in Sandy.  Did the HPHM 10K route in the Altras.  Calves were feeling pretty worked after but didn't have any problems.

59:26

Went up by Little Dell Reservoir to do some scouting.  I knew there would be a ton of people out doing the same thing today, but most of them were just sitting in their cars, glassing.  I decided I'd get out and put myself on top a certain mountain that allows me to have a 360 degree view of the surrounding area.  So I grabbed a bottle and my binoculars, then headed out.

The trail I took is not maintained at all and I was getting worked by all the oak brush in the area.  There are also a few sections where I just decided to bushwack so I could get certain views.  Came out with some gnarly scrapes on my legs (since I was in shorts) and even tried to put my eye out once on a branch.  Just as I made it to the top of my mountain it started to snow.  Since I was in shorts and a light jacket, I thought it would be best to get outta there as quickly as possible.

I really enjoy runs where I have a goal in sight and just go for it.  I secretly love bushwacking and having my legs destroyed by mother nature.  Masochist?  Maybe :)

I'm officially in a funk.  Maybe it's because I'm not signed up for any races at the moment and don't have that goal to look forward to.  Or could it be because I'm getting divorced?  Whatever it is, I had no desire to get out for a long run over the weekend.  Really, the only reason I got out today was to do more scouting and I was forced to do some running.  The hunt ends tomorrow so who knows what I'll use to motivate myself after that's over.

Normally I don't rant about my personal life here, but it's taking it's toll on me at the moment.  Just gotta figure out a way to get through December then the new year should kick me in the pants and get me going again.

I'm taking a hiatus from running for an indefinite amount of time since it will do me no good until I get my head straight again.  Never thought having some finality in my marriage would screw me up so much, but it has.  I'm looking forward to having some downtime to process everything and having no expectations as far as running is concerned.  I'm convinced that once I'm back I'll be better than ever.  Who am I kidding though?  I'll probably be out tomorrow roaming the mountains somewhere just out of pure boredom.

Hit the BST in Sandy for my first run in two weeks.  It was really nice to have some time off to reflect and focus on what's ahead for me in the world of running.

Legs are a bit sore after the run, but that's to be expected.  I actually stopped and walked on 2 separate occasions just because I wanted to relish in the experience and take in everything around me.  The goal was to connect with running again and I'm happy to say that this run did just that for me.  Looking forward to getting back on the wagon.

Jun took me out and introduced me to Ann's Trail and View Benchmark.  Was a really awesome run since we were socked in the clouds.  Visibility was minimal and I would have gotten lost had he not been there with me.  Check out Jun's page for a pic with the icebeards.  They're pretty rad.

Got out for a run with Jun on the Corner Canyon trail system.  He introduced me to a new area which is part of his upcoming half-mary in the next few months.  It was the longest run I've done since Bear (which shows my lack of training in recent months) and I definitely felt it.  By the time we were a mile from finishing I was toast.  No motivation left, no energy, and I was basically falling forward.  Felt rewarding to finish that thing though since I really pushed myself.

Going to spend the next week just taking it easy with some short runs and working on my form in the Altras.  Also going to set some goals in stone and write up some training plans to get me there.  I don't always follow a schedule, but it definitely helps to have something written down to at least see and give me motivation every day.

Easy 3 miles on the BST.  First run I've done in the Altras in a few weeks so I decided to take it easy.  Going to really focus on my running form this week with the intent of upping my mileage in the Altras and slowly transitioning into them; hopefully permanently.

Cruiser on the BST.  Ran a pretty quick pace but made sure my form was proper in the Altras.  The first 3 miles went by without a hitch, but I must have stepped wrong or something here because my right leg really tightened up near the end.  The final mile was a combination of heel striking with the right leg and midfoot striking with the left.  I probably looked pretty ridiculous but didn't want to aggravate anything too much, so who cares what I looked like.