run, run, run

Boise, ID 9:00 am

Pace: 8:29

I finished reading "Once A Runner" yesterday and needed to return the book before leaving town tonight, so I decided to run it back. It only seemed appropriate. The library at Five Mile and Victory is 5 miles from my house, so it worked out well for a 10-miler.

I don't like leaving that late in the morning this time of year. When I left it was 32 so I wore a couple of layers, but by the time I got back it had gone up 10 degrees and I was feeling a little too warm.

Salt Lake City, UT 7:15pm

Pace: 8:54

I decided to run after work. The weather isn't that cold and I was able to leave from the Deseret News instead of from the hotel on 6th South. That allowed me to get out of downtown quicker and made for a more pleasant run.

As I was running up the hill in the avenues I started feeling funny. Kind of light-headed, so I decided to walk the last steep stretch up to 11th Ave. After the route leveled off it went away and I was able to enjoy the rest of the run.

Salt Lake City, UT 7:00 pm

Pace: 9:06

Salt Lake City, UT 7:00 pm

Pace: 9:04

I've been leaving from work at the Des News all week. Tonight I looked in my bag and discovered that I'd forgotten a crucial piece of workout gear. Let me just say that running comando at 30 degrees isn't fun. But you really didn't want to know that did you?

I took the same 7 mile route, but took it backwards, up the hill to the capitol and then across the canyon to the avenues. It was a nice change of pace.

Salt Lake City, UT 5:30 pm

Pace: 9:03

As much as I hate missing days running, it is nice to run on three day's rest. I had planned on going 7 miles, but I was having one of those runs when you feel like you could go forever, so I turned up City Creek road and added 3 more miles. It was a cold night and had been snowing all day, but the roads were mainly just slushy, but it did slow down my pace a bit. When I went up the canyon I got to the point where the snow had accumulated on the road. I went about a half mile in that and didn't think it was a problem until I turned around and was running down the hill. I slipped and fell on my butt three or four times.

The strangest thing was when I was running on the road across the canyon. It is a very dark road and I saw someone coming toward me. It looked like a bike but seemed to be riding more upright than most bike riders. When he got closer I realized that this guy was riding uphill in the dark on a slushy road while it was snowing -- on a unicycle. Not something you see every day.

Salt Lake City, UT 7:00 am

Pace: 8:25

Cold this morning. I started at the capitol and ran across the canyon to 11th North. I was feeling a little creaky in my bones from the cold and from last night's 10-miler, but it was a nice run anyway. I chased a rabbit over the last half mile and passed her just before I got  to the car. It was nice to finish strong. This course is good because I'm not finishing my run through downtown with all of the obstacles and red lights.

Salt Lake City, UT 7:00 am

Pace: 8:29

Same route as yesterday. Not as cold, only 27 this morning. I felt better than yesterday too. More rested and my butt isn't as sore from those falls on Monday night.

Salt Lake City, UT 7:30 am

Pace:  8:39

Salt Lake City, UT 12:19 pm

Pace: 8:33

Salt Lake City, UT 7:00 am

Pace: 8:38

Salt Lake City, UT 12:00 pm

Pace: 8:23

Salt Lake City, UT 6:15 am

Pace: 8:58

Boise, ID 12:00 pm

Pace: 8:32

I've still been running, just not blogging. I had some good runs last week. Ran at lunchtime with Matt and a couple of good morning runs.  All in the same area around the avenues and City Creek Canyon.

Today, when my wife saw that I was going out running in the snow she said "If something happens, you know who to call -- and that would be your sister because if you're stupid enough to go out in this weather, I'm not going to go pick up your dead carcas off the side of the road." But I know she would rather be married to a stupid runner than a smart fat guy.

It was a rough run today. Slogging through the snow and ice makes you concentrate on every step. Takes a lot out of you. It was a good time though and I only got slushed on by a passing SUV once. I think he did it on purpose.

Boise, ID 11:00 am

Pace: 8:19

Snow keeps piling up and I keep slogging through it. I tried listening to an island music playlist on my iPod today. I thought it might inspire warm thoughts. It didn't really help. I was still cold.

Boise, ID 2:00 pm

Pace: 8.22

Boise, ID 9:30 am

Pace: 8.23

Boise, ID 10:30 am

Pace: 8:29