Running

9.25 total.  Ran towards Saratoga and connected to the JRP and back via 700 South. 

1.75 warmup and then the plan was a 3x2x1 mile workout with about 3 min rest between sets.  First 3 miles were 6:36, 6:45, 6:37.  Next 2 were 6:32, 6:32.  Last one was 6:22.  Cooled down with about a mile to get home.

Overall I felt pretty good.  I was planning on just keeping everything between desired marathon pace (6:40-6:50), but I decided to try and go a bit faster on each interval.  Felt like I was on a dead sprint for the last mile, so I was a bit disappointed to see it come in at 6:22, but I worked hard for it. Good workout for me today.

PM 5.0 at about 8 min pace.  Went from jr. high out towards Willow Park.

7.0 in 58:03.  8:18 avg pace.  Slow, easy run on the standard route with some added on.  Body is sore and tired.

6.0 in 48 minutes.  Ran out towards Saratoga for 3 and then back home.  Nice and easy.  I should be good to have a descent run tomorrow up and down Provo Canyon.

17.0 in 2:05:04.  Avg pace 7:21.  Started at 6:00 am and went up and down Provo Canyon.

This was one of the best training runs I've had.  I wanted to push the pace a bit, and it just so happened that I felt really good.  Hit the turn around point at just under 8 min pace and then I flew back down the canyon.  For my own future reference my splits from mile 10-17 were: 7:10, 6:27, 6:46, 6:44, 6:50, 6:53, 6:36, 6:29.  Great, great run for me.

Two weeks to TOU.  Will try and scale back a bit this week and hit between 50-55 miles and then the next week I will really scale back.  Legs felt good today and hopefully the taper will help them feel even better for the marathon.

Will go lift for a bit today.

11.0 in 1:25:26.  7:46 avg pace.  Started at about 5:40.  It was a bit cold.  Had to wear a long sleeve tech shirt and gloves. Ran up 300 West and then came back the same way via Center Street.  I was done at about 10 miles.  My legs were feeling it and I was having stomach issues.  Good way to start out the week though.

5.50 in about 42:30.  It was 7:44 avg pace.  Standard route.  It was cold out this morning.  

Ran out towards Saratoga and connected to the JRP.  Got home via 700 South.  2 mile warmup and then 5 miles at a semi-descent tempo pace (hoping for 7:00-7:15 nice and controlled).  Splits: 6:50, 7:04, 6:52, 6:58, 6:59.  Avg pace for the five miles was 6:57.  Cooled down with 1.50 back home.

Overall, this was a good run for me. Didn't feel like I had to work to hard to hit my splits and felt pretty relaxed most of the time.  By the end I think my legs were feeling the longer run from Saturday and Monday.

7.0 in just under 56:00.  Ran out toward my old church and then eventually connected to Pioneer Crossing and ran out almost to the freeway entrance.  Turned around and came back.  Just slow and easy.

7.0 with no watch.  Went out towards Saratoga and then back the same way.  Felt tired and lazy.  Planning on 13 up and down Provo Canyon tomorrow.

13.10 in 1:36:59.  7:24 avg pace.  Went up and down Provo Canyon.  It was freezing cold on the way up due to a head wind.  I like fall, but not when it's that cold.  Splits for miles 8-13 for my reference: 7:09, 6:56, 6:40, 7:09, 6:41, 6:37.  Legs were unusually sore on the run.  I played tennis last night and wonder if that had something to do with it.

Today is actually the day of my favorite marathon.  It's the Mid-Mountain Marathon which starts at Deer Valley in Park City and ends at The Canyons.  I've run it the last 3 years.  It's pretty much all on trail and you get the best views.  It is the hardest and funnest marathon I've done. If I wasn't racing next weekend, I would have run it.  Next year I think it will be St. George or Mid-Mountain.......or both.  Wish I was running it today.

One more week.......

Will lift later this morning.

5.50 in 42:50.  7:47 avg pace.  Standard route.  Did 10 one minute on/one minute off strides that were around marathon pace.

5.35 in 39:48.  7:26 avg pace.  Standard route.  Wanted 2 miles at marathon pace.  Miles 4 and 5 were 6:52 and 6:47.  Felt good.

Planned off day for me, which worked out well since I travelled home from Reno this morning.

Ended up doing about 20 min on the elliptical in the evening.

3.50 in 28:00 min.  About 8 min avg pace.  Threw in some strides.  Legs feel pretty good.

2.0 no watch.  Nice and easy.  I'm ready to go tomorrow and very excited to see how things play out for my race.

A Goal - Sub 3

B Goal - PR (beat 3:03 time from STG last year)

C Goal - Don't let the last 6 miles "win"

Yeah, I didn't come close to getting any of my goals, but oh well.  Plan was to hit the half mark around 1:27ish and hopefully hold on to come in just under 3 hrs.

Miles 1-5 6:23, 6:27, 6:21, 6:25, 6:31 I'm in with a nice pack of about 10-11.  It includes Allie, Paul P. and the guy he is pacing and several others.  It's a bit cold, but things are good.  Pace was a bit faster than I anticipated, but I figured I would go with it.  I didn't want to be too scared to hit the half mark earlier than I ever have in a marathon.  Allie gaps the group a bit around the 5 mile mark and we eventually see her pass the lady in front.  Loving running with a big group.

Miles 6-13 6:27, 6:27, 6:19, 6:27, 6:36, 6:34, 6:56, 6:25 We hit the 10K clock right about 40:20 and I'm still feeling good.  The group slowly dissipates a bit as we go through aid stations and by about mile 11 I'm only surrounded by a few people.  I can still see Allie and Paul P. up ahead a bit.  The 6:56 mile is where I stopped for a bathroom break.  Hit the halfway mark around 1:25:50.  Legs are more tired than  I would prefer, but oh well.

Miles 14-20 6:24, 6:28, 6:52, 6:43, 7:00, 7:07, 8:07 Caught a good rythem on Hollow Rd.  Saw Smooth and some others I know.  Saw Michelle from the blog running the other way and almost offered to pay her to run me to the finish.  I'm doing good until mile 20 and then I start to have some problems.  The uphill was rough in this section.

Miles 21-26.2 8:27, 7:35, 9:19, 8:57, 8:02, 8:23, 3:38 So, basically I'm either really mentally weak, or I'm having some physical problems at this point in the race. Looking back it is probably a combination of both.  Starting at mile 20 I believe I start to have some dehydration issues.  Sorry, for the details, but it feels like I have to pee, so I stop at the POP.  Nothing comes out really, and what does come out tells me that I'm pretty dehydrated.  Well, I continue to have this feeling up until about mile 24.  I think I visited 5-6 POP and have the same experience explained above.  I do the walk/run thing the last couple miles. 

Overall, I was super disappointed.  I feel like I've worked harder for this race than any other race to try and hit sub 3.  I put in more miles than normal and had some good confidence building long runs along the way.  But it just didn't work out for me.  I ran a great 19 miles though before it all fell apart.  I'm glad it's over and will learn from it.  The marathon is tough and I have some issues to get through with those last 6 miles.  I probably started out a bit fast, but I wanted to give myself a fair shot at the sub 3.  Anyways, I guess it was funner than I thought looking back on it, but I'm glad it's over. 

AM Swam 37 laps.  This is a bit over one mile.  I'm not nearly as sore as after the DesNews Marathon.  All my soreness is in my quads and hamstrings, but I don't have any trouble with stairs.  All in all, I'm feeling pretty good.  Guess I didn't run hard enough on Saturday.  The plan is to not run at all this week until maybe Saturday.  Saturday's run will be slow and easy.

PM 1 hour on the elliptical.

AM Swam 40 laps or just under 1.25 miles.  Quads feel really good today.  I'm sure as the day goes on I will notice some soreness, but overall they are feeling good.

PM Lifted pretty lightly and then did 20 min on the stairmaster and 10 min on the elliptical.

AM Swam 44 laps or about 1.37 miles.

PM Lifted for about 20-25 min and then did the elliptical for 30 min.

4.0 no watch.  Went out towards old church and back. Legs are dead and left quad was more sore than I had hoped.

12.0 in 1:34:08.  7:51 avg pace.  Ran Provo Canyon with Mark starting at 6:00 am.  It was windy the whole way up.  Not a lot of runners out early like there normally is on Saturday mornings.  Hit the 6 mile mark at 52:02. Splits for next 6 miles were 7:44, 7:08, 7:21, 6:19, 6:45, 6:46.  7:01 avg pace for the last six miles.  Some aches and pains in the legs and feet for most of the way going up, but not a big deal.  By the end of the run my quads were feeling it pretty good.

Will lift for a while today.

7.50 in 1:01:50.  About 8:14 avg pace.  Standard route with a bit added on via the jr. high and back on Pioneer Crossing.  Legs felt fatigued at the end and just didn't have much in the tank to push the pace.  Right achilles has been sore since the run on Saturday, but hopefully it doesn't get any worse.

6.0 in 50:26.  8:24 avg pace.

Drove down to Cedar City for work yesterday and head back home today, so I got to run down here.  Headed north from hotel and crossed over the freeway.  Made my way past the high school and up to Main St.  Eventually got down to the University and wandered around and then came back to hotel.  Everything is slow for me right now.  Right achilles is a bit achy and left knee is as well.

7.15 in 56:55.  7:57 avg pace.  Standard route with a bit added on.  Felt better today than the last two days.

Lifted for 40 min in the evening.  I was lazy today and didn't do any cardio.  I'm hoping the day off helps with some of my aches and pains.