run, run, run

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:15 Avg HR: 152

A little bit warmer this morning (70 when I left) and I think it made a difference. Wasn't able to get the pace under 8:00 until the final mile. Taking the weekend off turned out to be a good thing. The hamstring appears to be back to 100%.

Boise, ID 6:00 am

Pace: 8:31 Avg. HR: 146

An easy ten this morning. Didn't really push myself at all until the final mile that I was able to pick up to 7:38.

I stepped in a puddle (sprinkler puddle -- hasn't rained here in weeks) in front of the Maverick at Overland and Locust Grove and soaked half of my shoe. I was a little worried that it might give me a blister or something, but it was fine. Just a little sloshy for a mile or so.

iPod song of the day: "She's Not There" -- The Zombies

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 7:58 Avg HR: 152

When we started out Randy said "I feel pretty good this morning." I've kind of learned that when he feels pretty good at the beginning of the run, I'm probably not going to feel real good at the end of it. We pushed it pretty good most of the way. Only two of the seven miles were over 8:00. It was my last run before going on vacation, so I think he was just leaving me with something to remember him by.

Maui, HI 5:45 am
Pace: 8:32 Avg HR: 152

With the jet lag, getting up early to run wasn't a problem. I took off south from Wailea to Makena and turned around when I hit five miles. It was a really nice run -- how could it not be? Running in Paradise. The route was a bit hilly close to the hotel, but mostly flat down near Makena. Most of the route was along golf courses and country roads. The turn-around point was a nice little beach of lava rock.

iPod song of the day: "Aloha Friday" -- Kimo Kahoano & Paul Natto

Maui, HI 6:00 am
Pace: 8:45 Avg HR: 141

Spending all day Friday either at the beach or in the pool took a toll on me. I was dragging a bit running this morning. I went north this time into Kihei. I started out along a path that runs along the beach. I saw a lot of people running on it on Friday. They must not have been running very far because it ended less than a half mile from the hotel. I had to double back and find an access path that took me to the main road. For being on the beach, there are some pretty good hills along that main road. When I got into town I took the main drag till I got to 5 miles and then turned back. I think all of my runs will be out and back this week. When there's really only one main road, that's what you have to do. I cut through a beach park on the way back. It had some nice paths and I got to see some early-risers out surfing. I started to get a blister on one of my toes toward the end of the run. That's the first time that's ever happened to me. I wonder if I got some sand in my shoe or something like that. I'm glad tomorrow is Sunday. I need a day to rest up.

iPod song of the day: "Ku'u Hoa" -- Robi Kahakalau

Maui, HI 6:00 am
Pace: 8:29 Avg HR: 151
I took the same route south toward Makena with a little twist. I started out and finished on the beach path behind the resorts. It was nice and not as hilly as the road, but got a little crowded on the way back. I ran down to Big Beach. I found out why it is called Big Beach. It's a really big beach. I also went down a dirt road to Onelui Beach. The sign said it was a black sand beach. It was more of a charcoal gray beach. On the way back I heard some footsteps and voices behind me. I wasn't really in the mood to get passed, so I picked up my pace a bit. They eventually did pass me up, but I held them off for about a half mile or more. It was a couple of those tall, skinny guys who can outrun me any time they want. Now, off to the beach.

iPod song of the day: "Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian" -- John Prine

Maui, HI 6:30 am
Pace: 8:52 Avg HR: 142
I almost didn't go out running this morning. The alarm went off and I just felt tired. So I decided to stay in. But then I laied there thinking about how there's supposed to be a tropical storm rolling in tonight and there could be torrential rain tomorrow morning. So I went ahead and rolled out of bed and did a slow six. My legs were kind of heavy and it was kind of hot out. But, I was running on Maui, so I can't complain, can I?

iPod song of the day: "Island Style" -- John Cruz

Maui, HI 6:15 am
Pace: 8:58 Avg HR: 142
What was left of Hurricane Felicia hit this morning so it was raining when I left the hotel. Soon it went from raining to pouring. Water everywhere. I had to cross a few puddles on the path behind the hotel. Later I was going to head down a side street but it was flooded and I couldn't get through. When I was almost to the turn around point I went down to a beach who's name escapes me now. It was a decent beach, but the rain kind of overwhelmed everything.

Maui, HI 6:00 am

Pace: 8:59 Avg HR: 146

For my last run on Maui, I wanted to do something different, so I got up a little earlier and drove down past Big Beach to the point where I turned around on the first day. Not far from there is the place where the map says your car rental agreement is void if you go past it. I thought it was going to be a dirt road but it was paved the whole way, just really narrow. It goes down to the south end of the island through a nature reserve. The road cuts through lava flows that, in some places feel like you are running on Mars (I've never run on Mars, but I can imagine). The views were awesome too, watching the sun come up over Haleakala. I had to work my way around a few puddles left over from Wednesday's rain, but none were very big until I got to La Perouse Bay. There was really no way around the water that stretched across the road because there was a cactus-looking plant on either side. It didn't have sharp thorns, but kind of slapped you like fish. I ended up wading through part of it and then kept running into the parking lot of the bay. That's where the road ended. But I saw a trail, so I took it. The trail went through another lava flow and then went along the beach.

The beach trail was mostly hardpacked sand and rocks through trees and jumping over washouts. But then it started to stink like a dead animal and there was a lot of poo everywhere. Then I looked down and saw a footprint and thought "hmmm, that looks like a pig's foot." As that thought is just starting to register I see three wild boars about 30 - 50 yards away. So, I peed a little, turned around and did some speedwork. There, I've admitted it. I'm afraid of wild pigs. I actually think they were running away from me, but I wasn't taking any chances.

When I got back to La Perouse Bay I continued on to that big puddle. I was still a little shaken up from the pig encounter and in no mood to go wading again, so I waited a minute or two until a hippie van showed up. The hippie guy and his hippie girlfriend had spent the night at the Bay in their hippie van. So I hitched a ride across the puddle with the hippies. Thank heaven for nice hippies.

The rest of the run back was pretty uneventful. A lot like the first half, but in the opposite direction. I had planned on doing a ten-miler this morning, but by the time I got back to the car I decided that six was enough.

Boise, ID 2:00 pm

Pace: 8:47 Avg HR: 151

Back in Boise. Jet lag sucks. After being up  from Thursday morning to Friday night I got 12 hours of sleep last night and woke up still feeling tired. At 2pm I knew I had to get out and run or it wasn't going to happen. So I took off and slogged through it, feeling pretty crappy the whole way. But I rest tomorrow and hopefully will be ready to get at it again on Monday morning.

The weather was nice and cool, around 70 with a nice breeze and I took a nice detour through the wetland area off Maple Grove at McMillian. It would have been a great run if I wasn't so tired.

 iPod song of the day: "Home Sweet Home" -- Motley Crue

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 7:58 Avg HR:  149

A little on the chilly side this morning, but really nice for a run. Finally getting back to feeling like myself after last week's vacation. This was a good run. We kept up a good pace the whole way and I felt strong to the end.

Traffic was a little heavy when we were trying to cross McMillian. Randy said Go, so I took off. At the last minute he pulled back to go around the car that was coming. I kept running. I heard the honk, Randy saw the finger. 

I signed up for Top of Utah, so it's no longer  a maybe. Now I need to get some long runs in.

Meridian, ID 6:15 am

Pace: 8:36 Avg HR: 141

I started out with five miles up to Overland on a very nice cool morning. Met up with Neil and ran about three with him. Nice to chat up a bit and change the route a bit. He probably thought I was trying to kill him off when I bolted across the street before the light changed.

After that the last four miles was just heading home. A group of cheerleaders lined up on Cloverdale to cheer me on this morning. I thought that was nice of them. Or maybe they were just out there practicing.

iPod song of the day: "Don't Worry About The Government" -- Talking Heads

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:11 Avg HR: 149

Kind of sluggish this morning. Started and ended kind of fast but faded a bit in the middle.

Boise, ID 6:40 am

Pace: 8:08 Avg HR: 146

A figure 8 loop up Cloverdale, Edna, Shamrock, McMillian, Cloverdale, through Ginger Creek and down Duane. I decided to only run five or so this morning. I felt kind of sluggish yesterday and didn't want to push things too much before going long on Saturday. I started out comfortably and was able to push the pace a bit each mile: 8:51, 8:13, 8:10, 8:00, 7:44.

iPod song of the day: "Tons of Steel" -- The Grateful Dead

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:23 Avg HR: 142

Kept the pace down this morning. Want to leave something in the tank for tomorrow's long run.  It's getting a bit warmer in the morning but still nice and comfortable.

Boise, ID 6:00 am

Pace: 8:55 Avg HR: 147

Finally able to get in my first Top of Utah long run. It worked out pretty well. I went down Emerald to Curtis and then took the greenbelt to Eagle and then back home. I thought I had everything covered until about 10 miles into it I startd feeling the burn -- I'd forgotten the little round band aids. Then I didn't pass a Walgreens until mile 17. So I went in and bought some, but it was too late. I'm still feeling it. Then in the last mile I noticed a blister on my ankle of all places. weird

I was feeling pretty wiped out by the end, but I was able to keep my pace close to 9 minutes per mile and picked it up slightly in the last mile to post an 8:58 split. Could be worse.

 iPod song of the day: "Working in a Coal Mine" -- Devo (Lord, I am so tired. How long can this go on?)

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:03 Avg HR: 148

Just the usual MWF morning run. We weren't going very fast until we were on McMillian and saw some guy coming toward us at a pretty good clip. We turned left and could I could tell that he turned down the same street just after we did. I could hear him behind us and knew he would pass us if we kept up that pace -- which was fine with me. But it aparently wasn't fine with Randy. The next thing I know he's running up ahead of me and I'm trying to catch up. Don't know whatever happened to the guy in the brown shirt, but it did get my heart rate up a bit.

Meridian, ID 6:10 am

Pace: 8:30 Avg HR: 142

I went Cloverdale to Pine to Meridian to Ustick. I usually take that route in the other direction, but I don't like running on Ustick in the dark in the morning traffic. A good run but uneventful except for a mean little dog that came at me. The kid holding the leash was probably nine years old and it took everything he had to hold the dog back.

iPod song of the day: "The Song of the Heart" (Happy Feet) -- Prince

Boise, ID 6:30 pm

Pace: 8:04 Avg HR: 147

Pretty normal MWF morning run. Weather was nice in the mid 60s and I felt pretty good running this morning.

Boise, ID 6:00 am

Pace: 8:33 Avg HR: 142

Just a run around the block. A really big block. Cloverdale to Overland to Five Mile to Ustick. Kept it pretty easy this morning. Didn't look at my watch very much. Mainly because it was dark most of the time.

iPod song of the day: "I Would Do Anything" -- Meat Loaf

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 7:52 Avg. HR: 151

I planned on taking it easy this morning, saving up for my long run on Saturday. For some reason it didn't work out that way. This morning was all business for me. We got up to a pace under 8 in the second mile and held it the whole way. No talking, just running.

My wife would never understand that. Her morning runs with Sally are all about the conversation. Running is secondary.

Boise/Garden City/Eagle, ID 6:00 am

Pace: 9:08 Avg HR: 144

Not exactly the confidence boost I'd hoped it would be. I ran the same route as last Saturday and comparing the split times, my pace was slower on every mile. Maybe I just pushed things a little too hard this week and didn't have enough left in the tank. Maybe it just wasn't my day.

 Weather was nice with mostly overcast skies. I saw the strangest think on the Greenbelt in Eagle. This little dog comes around the corner running at full speed. It zips right past me and continues down the trail. Then maybe thirty seconds later, he comes back the other way doing the same thing. He got in one last repeat and I didn't see him again. That was a fast dog.

iPod song of the day: "Down the Road" -- Van Morrison

Meridian, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:37 Avg HR: 139

I almost didn't get up this morning. Then after I did, I almost went back to bed. Then once I got out the door I decided I didn't care how fast I ran and I would just get the stupid run over with. But, I gradually increased the pace each mile and ended up with a decent workout.

iPod song of the day: "You Better You Bet" -- The Who