run, run, run

Provo, UT 7:00am

Pace: 8:24

I ran from the Provo Residence Inn up University Ave towards Will's Pit Stop where I met up with Matt and turned around. Then we went back down University, over to 9th East to State and then along the back roads to the office in Springville.

It was a nice run, a little on the chilly side, but after the long hot summer it was nice. I didn't really push myself much, just a nice comfortable run. This was my first run since the marathon and my legs were feeling it a bit, but it was nice to get back out there.

10.33 miles 

Spanish Fork, UT 7:15 am

Pace: 8:34

I ran from my old townhouse in Spanish up to Main Street Mapleton, over to Hobblecreek Canyon road and through Springville to the office.

Kept it comfortable. It was a little chilly this morning, but really nice for a run. I liked running through Mapleton. I hadn't been there since the Hobble Creek half in 2006. I might run back from work this afternoon too. I have to drive back to Boise tomorrow morning and then watch the Cougars beat up on the Huskies tomorrow afternoon.

6.09 miles 

Springville, UT 5:00 pm

Pace: 8:38

I decided to run back to Spanish Fork after work. About a mile into it I realized that I really didn't feel like running, but by then my ride had left. So I kept running. It was really nice weather and I'm glad I did it. I just wasn't feeling into it at the time.

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 7:58

I nice brisk morning. This is a great time of year for running. It was nice to get back to running with someone faster than I am. Randy wasn't feeling very good this morning, so we didn't push it too much. I was feeling a little rumbly in my tumbly towards the end of the run but a final dash to my little porcelain friend and everything was good again. 

Boise, ID 8:30 am

Pace 8:29

I had a 7am conference call this morning, so I went out and ran afterward. I did my usual 10 mile course, but mixed it up a little by continuing on Maple Grove down to Chindin and then back up Mitchell to McMillian. I wanted to do add another mile today -- and I had to pee, so I stopped at the Jackson station at Maple Grove and Chindin.

I'm going to do another marathon this year. I'll be spending two weeks in Pittsburgh next month and the Saturday between is the Baltimore Marathon. So, I'm going to drive down after work on that Friday and run the race. After my disappointing showing in Pocatello, I'm a little reluctant but also anxious to get at it again. I probably wouldn't be doing it, but the registration deadline was the day of the Pocatello Marathon, so I signed up beforehand. I'm not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

It should be a cool race. It goes around the harbor and finishes up with a run through Camden Yards. I'm not as concerned about my time on this one. I'll try to finish under four hours and enjoy the experience.

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:06

The 7am meeting was extended to this morning. I got it delayed until 7:30 so I could get out and run and get back home in time for the call.

Nothing particularly eventful about this morning's run. Just a good run that felt good.

Meridian, ID 6:30 pm

Pace: 8:35

My wife was hosting a baby shower tonight, so I thought it was a really good time to get out of the house and go for a run. I decided to run towards Meridian this time Ustick to Meridian to Pine and back up Cloverdale.

It was a good run. I ate a bunch of junk today (wife baking for the baby shower, you know), so I kind of felt it, but overall not a bad run. 

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:08

I didn't check the thermometer before leaving this morning, but I can tell it's getting a little colder.

My legs felt a little heavy, but overall I felt pretty good. I leave for Utah this afternoon to watch the Y beat UCLA. I don't know if I'll get a chance to run tomorrow or not. 

Kaysville, UT 7:15 am

Pace: 8:28

This was a good day. I stayed at a friend's family's place in Kaysville on Friday night and went out for  a run first thing Saturday morning. I didn't know where I was going and wasn't even sure where I was, but I ended up finding a good route. I crossed over the freeway and ran down an access road to Shepherd Lane then to Main St. (Farmington, I think) and then took a dead-end road up to the edge of the mountain and turned back.

Later that morning we drove down to Provo and I found some friends who were tailgating and happened to have a lot of extra food -- brats, ribs and all kinds of stuff I shouldn't be eating, but ate anyway. Mmmm.

Then I went to the stadium and watched BYU give UCLA the beating of their lives. Every day should be this good. 

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:08

The usual morning run. It is nice to be out running when the sun rises. Weather was cool and comfortable. 

Boise, ID 7:30 am

Pace: 8:34

 I went on the same 10-mile course I did last week with the extra mile down to Chinden. It was a pretty good run except that my feet kind of felt a little heavy most of the way. I think it had to do with the fact that I was a lazy slug and slept in for an extra hour this morning -- and that cheeseburger that I had for dinner last night.
 

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 7:59

A decent morning run. It felt like I was going faster than I really was. It's a good thing I had a running parter to pull me along and keep the pace under 8 min (barely).

I'm still trying to decide what to do tomorrow. I'd like to get in one long run before Baltimore. I'm just having a hard time motivating myself to do it. 

Boise, ID 6:00 am

Pace: 9:06

I went out a little earlier this morning (Not jtshad from Idaho Falls early, but early for me) to get in a long run. I wanted to get one in before Baltimore and with my crazy schedule, this was really the only time to do it.

I kept it pretty slow and easy, not really pushing myself at all. That turned out to be a good thing, I think. I felt really good at the end (I never feel really good at the end of a 20 mile run) and I'm not shot for the rest of the day -- which is a good thing since I still have to work, cut the grass and plant some trees today.

This was a good prep for the upcoming race, if for no other reason than to get it back in my head that I can go long without bonking like I did in Pocatello. The problem I seem to have is that I always go out too fast. I need to get better at pacing myself. That it took me four marathons and how many training runs to realize that probably says something about my intelligence.  In the words of Homer Simpson, "Lord help me, I'm just not that bright."

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:18

This was a weird morning. I was so tired that I forgot to hit my snooze button. Then I went downstairs to take care of business and nothing happened. Maybe my butt knew that I was 10 minutes early. So there I was all dressed to run, dog tired, and 15 minutes early for my running appointment. I wasn't up for running around the block a few times, so the only thing I could think to do was set the alarm on my cell phone and lay down on the living room floor to sleep till 6:30.

When I did head out the door to meet up with Randy, I was groggy from just waking up and sore from yesterday's long run. We went a little slower this morning -- my fault, but that was all I had in me today. Actually, I expected the pace to be slower than 8:18 so I can't complain.

That's it for this week. I've got the whole famn damily coming into town for the weekend so I'll probably be up flipping pancakes at the crack of dawn Saturday morning. I could use a couple of rest days anyway.

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:08

Actual pace might be a little better than 8:08. I think my IPod temporarily loses its signal sometimes. On the Nike+ graph it shows a big dip at mile six and I know I didn't slow down there.

I've been kind of dumb. Since I've been working at home, I haven't really been wearing shoes. I think I've only wore shoes running and to church in the past three weeks. Now my left heel dried out and has a big ole' crack in it. It hurt for about half of my run and then it was ok. I just need to wear shoes more. Luckily I'll be working in the office or on site for the two weeks before the race, so I should be ok.

I turned it on for the last half mile or so. I haven't really felt like speeding up at the end of a run for a long time. Must be a good sign. As I picked up the pace I let Randy know that I wasn't a silly old man with a notion in my head that I could beat him. Just picking up the pace a bit. He's younger and a lot faster than I am. Keeps me humble. 

Boise, ID 6:45 am

Pace: 8:32

It was cold this morning. 41 degrees when I left the house. I did my usual 10-mile route keeping it at a comfortable pace. Mostly an uneventful run except that I picked up the pace a bit for the last few miles. Not because I was feeling ambitious, but because nature was calling and the faster I ran the closer I got to the bathroom. Sometimes my runs just go that way.
 

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 8:00

It wasn't as cold as yesterday -- 48 degrees. I felt ok most of the run but didn't have the energy for the kick I had on Monday. A pretty average run. If I do ten tomorrow and 6-7 on Friday I will be at 40 miles for the week. Saturday I'll be in Kennewick, so running that morning will be iffy.

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Pace: 7:57

I didn't run yesterday. I can say it is because I've started tapering for the marathon in two weeks, but let's be honest. It's because I was a lazy turd and stayed in bed telling myself I can make it up on Saturday. Then, as usually happens, I get a call from my sister telling me that I have a commitment first thing Saturday morning.

Today's run was good. They usually are after I've taken a day off. It was a little cooler, 45 degrees, and is staying dark longer. Pretty soon it will be dark at the end of my morning runs. 

Kennewick, WA

I truly made an effort to run today. I had an appointment at 7:30am, and family commitments all day, so I knew I had to get up early. When my alarm went off at 5am, being the hombre religioso that I am, I knelt down and said my morning prayers, asking God to keep me safe during my run. Not two minutes later, as I was changing into my running clothes, I hear noise in the other bathroom. My eight year old is puking her guts out, so I helped her out and didn't run. I can only conclude that God had answered my prayer and if I had run, I would have been plowed over by a milk truck and left for dead at the side of the road.

So, I didn't run, but I am still alive.

Boise, ID 6:30am

Pace: 7:57

Well, I made it out the door this morning without any puking kids stopping me. It was a good run. I felt good most of the way. Not much conversation. I think we were both just trying to get it done.

This was my last run in Boise before the race. I leave for Provo this afternoon. I'll get a few more runs in this week and then a couple of easy ones in Pittsburgh on marathon week.
 

Provo, UT 6:45 am

Pace: 8:24

I ran from the Provo Residence Inn down 9th East and State to work in Springville. I also added a detour around the temple to add a half mile or so. When I got to work I was about two miles short. I thought about continuing on, but the Springville Stink was really bad this morning, so I stopped. I was standing in the parking lot waiting for my wife who was bringing my clothes to work with her ad I saw one of my co-workers lifting himself out of his car into a wheelchair. At that point I looked down at my two perfectly good legs and decided that if that guy is stuck in a wheelchair, what kind of a whimp am I if I stop running because the air stinks. So I went and did a couple more.