20.15 - Happy New Year everyone!

More of a description later

No sleep, or very little. Rest day. 

ran the "5 Fingers of Sugar House" with Brayden and several Liberty loops. 

the 5 fingers consist of zigzagging south from 13th south to 17th south in between 11th east and 13th east. elevation profile here. was not as bad as originally anticipated.

45 min on spin bike. I have some thoughts about it. I will share them tomorrow. 

8 

I have never really cared for New Year's resolutions. I have always been the "if you want to set a goal or make a change just do it now and don't wait until the new year" kind of guy. However, I often find myself lost in contemplation. The beginning of a new year is as good a time as any to take a look back. I am constantly evaluating where I stand in regards to running. The following is where I stand today.

Three years ago I decided to buy my first pair of running shoes. Running changed my life. I can say that on here, this blog, because you fellow runners will understand, certainly more than others, what that means. If you need more of an explanation, join me for a long run and I would be happy to explain. 

I have made some significant improvements and have achieved things I never thought I would in those three years. Yet, I feel like I am just being introduced to this mammoth beast known as running. I am a rookie with high hopes for the future. I finished 2014 off strong with just shy of 2500 miles and a solid base to roll into the new year. I have a goal to run my fastest marathon to date at Ogden in May. It is going to take a lot of work, but I feel like I have the necessary tools to do the work. 

I am trying to see where I can work a little harder and tweak my training here and there. Typically, I run 6 days a week. 99.9% of the time I only run once a day. 6 days a week without any doubles (and a full-time job and family) naturally caps the number of miles I can log. So, I am trying to see where I can make adjustments to take the next step up.

I have never "cross-trained." It  is not that I don't think I could benefit from it. I am sure I would. It is just that the time I have carved out for running, I dedicate to running. I enjoy one day off a week. I feel like it helps me mentally. I am starting to wonder if I really need it though. Occasionally I log some easy miles on Sunday to loosen up from a strenuous long Saturday run or workout. I have found that I still get my mental break, but also start the week off with 4-5 miles. Yesterday, I hopped on the spin bike for 45 minutes. Again, there was no mental strain in deciding to hop on or not. It was quite refreshing to do something physical other than running. And, it didn't cut into my running time.

Perhaps, I am simply writing this to digest it all for myself. Here seemed like a good place to do so. So, now I look forward. Here's to another year.

10 - 7:08

Met Fritz, JP, and Dan at HHS and ran the park loop south loop. Was a nice clear temperate morning.

Met Fritz and JP at HHS and warmed up over to Liberty for a workout of 4 x (4min on 2min off).

I wanted to start at about a 5:55 pace and maybe work down a little each repeat if I felt alright. We all stuck pretty close together on the first loop and then JP and Fritz dropped their pace. I started feeling it on the second repeat and had to give myself a little pep talk. I knew it was a little too fast as well. I backed off on the third a little and then slowed even more on the last one. I wanted to see how the last one would feel right at about 6:05 to see if I could feel relatively comfortable at that pace. All in all, it was a good workout though I would have liked to have felt better at the end.

The average paces for the 4 repeats were 5:52, 5:43, 5:51, 6:06.

10 - 7:16

Easier run with Fritz and JP south from HHS with a loop around Sugar House to finish it off. 

6 in the fog. visibility was only about 20-30 yards. it made for a fun run and it felt nice to have a little easier day. took a solid 3 miles before i felt like i was loosened up. i think i need to schedule some time with the foam roller.

16 - 7:11 - 739ft

Downtown and Avenues loop from Liberty with Daniel.

5 on the elliptical to warm up and loosen up. Stretching. Am I allowed to count those as "running" miles?

Easy 7. 

0

Ran over to Liberty from HHS with Fritz and JP for a workout of 6 x straightaways (~.4) with resting on the bends. I wanted to start at a 5:30 pace and hopefully drop the last 2 a little. 5:30, 5:30, 5:25, 5:30, 5:41, 5:25. On the fifth one, my left leg started feeling weak like it wasn't firing correctly. It almost felt like I was dragging it along. I contemplated bailing on the last one, but gave it what I had and the leg felt ok. I obviously have some imbalance issue there, or something, I need to work out. Felt good to finish strong though and overcome the desire to quit early.

PM - 25 min on spin bike. Stretching. Foam Roller.

Easy watchless 8 along the parkway.

Felt good to run easy and get the hips etc warm. I have a 7 hour continuing education course today. It should be riveting. I get to cap that off with going to trial this afternoon. I am going to sleep well tonight...hopefully.

10.4 - 7:06 - 500ft

Met Fritz, JP, and Dan at HHS and ran East and South to Skyline and back. Fun hilly route.

18 - 6:57 - 625ft

Met Daniel at 7:30 and we ran just over 7 miles before meeting the big group at 8:30. We joined Fritz, JP, Josh, Dan, Anthony, and John and went roughly 11 more to finish it up at 18. It was a fast fun group. I went through a lull at about 16-17. I wasn't feeling great and was ready to be done. 18 without any food or water might be close to my limit. 

Took the day off. Spent about 45 minutes in the hot tub and really focused on my hips, left in particular. I was surprised that I felt better today than expected. I think the speedwork might have been a little too fast for my hip this week, but now it is feeling a lot better. I might take it easy this coming week depending on how it feels. 

8 easy. 

Hips and legs felt good. Hips were a little tight and ached a little near the end. Going to continue to focus on them this week. Going to take it day-by-day, but might hold off on speed work this week. 

10 - 7:11

4ish out and back on the parkways with a foxy loop to finish it off. 

Just ran and didn't bother looking at my watch. I am pleased how easy it felt and my hips didn't seem to tighten up so much. Just need to continue to maintain them. 

another easy 8 before another long day ahead including 2 depositions.

did anyone else see that a WSU student qualified for the olympic trials on sunday in houston? with a great time too! link here

Casual run through Holladay past Hille's house and about with Fritz and Evan. 

I am feeling good. I think it was smart to not do a workout yesterday and give myself a week off from speed. Next week marks 16 weeks until Ogden so I guess I better start to lay out a plan. 

Excel, here I come.

PM - PT and stretching session while watching a movie. 

Met Fritz and Dan at HHS and ran up through research park and back through the U. Decent amount of climbing with a little bit of icy trail that got the best of Dan's hand unfortunately. 

I think last night's PT and stretching was a good idea and I am going to try and toss that in a couple nights a week to loosen up and strengthen some areas.

17.5 - 7:23 - 701ft

Solid group for 5:30am. Met Daniel, Scott, and Evan at HHS and ran a 9 mile loop north into Millcreek. Picked up Brayden and ran an 8.5 mile loop down to Liberty and back. Kept it nice and easy and it felt good. 

30 min on the spin bike and then some foam roller action.

9 easy on the parkway. 

Planning on the Winter Series 5k this Saturday. Have no idea what pace to try and run it at. Should be fun though to get out there.

PM - 30 minutes on the spin bike, stretching, and foam rollin' 

Finished the night playing at the pool and soaking in the hot tub.

Met Fritz, Dan, JP, and Nate and ran through Millcreek. Didn't have a watch, but it felt fast. Part of me was wanting / trying to take it easy so I have a good workout tomorrow. 

Met Fritz, JP, and Dan at HHS and ran over to Liberty for 3x1 mile repeats. Had a goal of 5:55 for the first 2 and then picking up slightly on the last and giving a good push the last .25. 

5:53, 5:52, 5:44

5 super easy. Was tired this morning so I opted for a little more sleep and a little shorter run. I also want to rest up the legs for a good race on Saturday.

6 easy on the parkway.

Don't Do Drugs!

Slower than I had hoped but feel good about the effort. The wind was strong on the way back. I felt really good until about a mile left, typical for the 5k for me. I didn't know, but Rob was right behind me until about a mile to go when he came next to me. I was happy to see him and he helped pull me to the finish. Kicked hard at the end and was happy to finish right in front, though Rob had the faster time. So, big thanks to Rob! 

5:46, 5:51, 6:14, :41 - 18:33 - 3.12 - 5:55avg (all from watch) - Official results are in now and it was an 18:35

hard to say if this was a PR or not. i ran a 17:59 at murray last year, but the course was short. i may have run faster that day, but who knows. so, i will consider the 18:35 my PR for now. nothing fancy, but i am happy having only run 5 5ks.

hot tub / massage session. rest.

9.5 easy

my quads are pretty sore from saturday's race. i would have liked to have gotten out for a few miles yesterday, but there was no time to squeeze it in. might be the case every sunday for a while. 

one thing i had not noticed until i ran this morning is that my calves are not sore at all from saturday's race. this is very unique for me and is a huge step in the right direction. i have had at least one sore calf or both calves after every race for almost 2 years. didn't matter the distance, something was not right. i don't know if i am ready to cross out my goal to the left of figuring out my calf issue completely, but i am on the right track.

also, i looked at my past 5ks (i have only run 5) and i think saturday was a PR for me. Murray last year might have ended up faster, but it was a short course. so, my 17:59 there doesn't count.

9 easy - ended at a 7:45 average

Accepted today as an "off" day and just kept on trucking to 9 miles. Never felt great. Legs felt heavy and my breathing seemed a little off for the first couple miles. Some days are just like that I guess.

Going to shoot for a track workout tomorrow and then take Thursday and Friday super easy and short to taper for my birthday run of 31 on Saturday.

Met Fritz and Dan at HHS. Warmed up around Sugar House once and then headed to the track. I had a plan to do 12 x 400 at about 5k pace or slightly faster. I didn't want to push it too hard. Just wanted to get in the flow. I have done this workout twice relatively recently. Today, I ended up doing a baker's dozen (13x400) and then the final 200.

JUNE '14 - 88, 90, 88, 88, 89, 87, 88, 86, 86, 86, 80, 76 and a 32 for 200 to hit 5k.

AUGUST '14 - 87, 86, 86, 85, 85, 85, 85, 84, 85, 84, 79, 73 and a 32 for 200 to hit 5k.

TODAY - 91, 89, 88, 87, 87, 86, 86, 84, 84, 83, 82, 82, 70, and a 32 for the 200.

Overall, they felt pretty easy, aside from the last 400 and the 200 of course. That is a good sign and I think this is a pretty good benchmark to go off of coupled with my 5k from last Saturday.

9 easy

I was planning on taking today and tomorrow pretty easy to "taper" for Saturday, but I figured 9 super easy wouldn't do any harm. Ask me if I was wrong come mile 28 on Saturday. I will likely only do 3-4 tomorrow.

I felt surprisingly good after yesterday's workout. I thought I could feel a little tightening in my right calf, but it never really surfaced. Track speed still seems to cause some sort of flare up in the calves, so I will have to watch that. I wore compression sleeves on my calves and quads yesterday after the workout. Perhaps that helped.

3.1 for turning 31. seemed appropriate. the real celebratory run is tomorrow...31.

31 - 8:18avg

Last year I ran 30 miles for my 30th birthday. Seemed like a decent idea to keep up the tradition. 

Felt pretty good the entire time. Had no real pace goal other than keeping it near 8:30. Just a long fun run was the plan. Gradually picked up the pace the second half and then pushed the last mile for giggles and to see how the legs were and finished mile 31 in a 6:44. Don't know about 32 next year. But today was fun. 

20 min on the eliptical with some stretching. Feel alright considering yesterday's 31. Will likely feel worse tomorrow. 

Took the day off. Would have liked to have run in the morning, but I was too tired. Overall, I feel alright but my right quad is pretty sore from Saturday.

8 easy with one mile a little quicker to test out the legs a bit. I almost felt better at the faster pace. The pounding of each step on my right leg caused some pain in my right quad. Will likely be all but gone by tomorrow. 

Met Daniel and Noah at HHS and warmed up with a lap of Sugar House. I had a goal to do 6x800 at about the 6:00 pace just to get some turnover, but not destroy myself. I am still feeling the 31 from Saturday and have a 5k this coming Saturday. Daniel ran 1-4 and then had to take off to class. Noah ran 2-5 and then also had to take off for class. I finished the 6th solo and cooled down with a lap+ of the park. I was slightly faster than the goal pace, and that was fine.

2:55, 2:57, 2:54, 2:53, 2:54, 2:48.

Met Fritz and Noah at HHS and ran down to Liberty for a few loops. Casual run at a 7:19 avg. Easy tomorrow to hopefully feel good by Saturday's race.

contemplation the last few weeks -- Comparing the fastrunningblog to 2 years ago, there are some significant differences. Times, they are a changing.

6 easy. Race tomorrow. 

I didn't feel great on my 2.25 warmup. Just didn't feel in the groove. That changed once the race started. My main goal was to run faster than I did on Thanksgiving (18:39) on this same course. 

There were a couple people at the start that said they were hoping for sub-18. I decided I would hang on to them as long as I could and if I blew apart, so be it. The course is one big square with the first 1.25 slightly downhill and the rest slightly uphill, aside from the final .1 which goes back to a slight down to flat. 

First mile was fast but it felt alright. The uphill took its toll, but I actually felt relatively good until mile 2.5. The wheels started to come off and my pace dropped. I hung on the best I could and snagged a PR. It might not have been the prettiest but it is what it is. Happy to be improving. 

5:44, 5:58, 6:13 - today

5:52, 6:07, 6:20 - Thanksgiving 

PM - 13 easy on the mill

30 minutes easy on the treadmill. Was hoping for more, but that was all I could squeeze in before the kids woke up.

9 easy on the parkway

Took a good 3 miles to start to feel like I wanted to be out there. 

8.25 easy around the neighborhood and then out on the parkway.

Track workout tomorrow and long run with tempo on Saturday. Hoping the tempo feels alright. It has been a while since I have run any miles strung together at my marathon pace.

-i am no longer quantifiable- 

11 - 6:46avg

Met Fritz, Dan, Noah, and Evan at HHS and warmed up with a lap of Sugar House. We did a long ladder workout. 2x400, 2x800, 2x1600, 2x800, 2x400.

I wanted to ease into it and keep everything comfortably fast. I feel really good about how it turned out.

89, 86, 2:56, 2:52, 6:05, 5:58, 2:51, 2:51, 81, 72 

10 along the parkway. It was a clear still morning. Temp was decent, though my fingers got cold on the way back. I likely need to invest in some new gloves.

Right calf / soleus is a little tight from yesterday's workout. Good news is my left side in genreal is feeling a lot better. I have had off and on pain from my foot to my hip ever since the rib + St. George debacle. 

6 easy on the parkway

A couple years ago I had this idea for a clock made of my old running shoes. I am sure it has been done before, but I thought it could be cool. At the time, I didn't have enough to complete the clock. Thousands of miles later, I finally hung it last night. It is just shy of 4 feet wide, hanging in our loft area.

21 - 7:07 - 626 ft. 

Tempo - 7 - 6:29

Met John, Jen, and Devra at Liberty and ran miles 9-24 of the Salt Lake Marathon course. We warmed up 5.5, ran 7 miles at tempo, and finished with 2 laps of Liberty to hit 21. 

I was looking forward to this run. I was planning on using it as a test of where my fitness is at right now. I had a goal of keeping the tempo at about a 6:35-40 average. It ended up being a little faster because of a couple miles with some down. I was pleased to hold that pace on the few climbs though. This gave me a good idea of what to do moving toward Ogden. Pushed the final half mile at Liberty back down to 6:30 for fun. 

3:18, 6:39, 6:33, 635, 6:23, 6:24, 6:17, 3:15

5 easy to lossen up a bit.

Felt pretty good considering yesterday's run. My right calf / soleus is still sore from Wednesday's track workout. That bothers me a bit. I can't seem to specifically nail down what causes the extended soreness.

10 easy on the parkway

Arguably the coldest I have felt on a run this winter. The wind was howling from the northeast. I almost called it early about 73 times. Glad I hung on until 10 though. My right calf / soleus was still sore, but seemed to feel a little better by mile 6.

8 easy on the parkway

Track tomorrow and then I am trying to decide what to do for the rest of the week. Perhaps another tempo mixed into my long run on Saturday. Or, maybe a moderate run on Friday and keeping the long run easy on Saturday. We shall see. 

Met Fritz, Dan, and Noah at HHS and warmed up with a loop of Sugar House before heading to the track. Planned on doing 12x400 with 400 rests. Goal was to run the 400s faster than usual, but have a little longer rest in between.

I thought 80 seconds per would be a good effort for me and something I would have to work for. I planned on starting at 85 and working down to 80 by the fifth repeat and then trying to hold that. 

The first repeat was right at 80, so too fast. I figured I would back off on the second to not risk burning out. Second was right at 80 as well, but felt slightly easier than the first. So, I just went with it. I ended up cutting my rests to about 300 by cutting across the field to catch back up to Fritz and Noah. This made holding a decent pace a lot easier because I had them to keep in site. I fell back on the third split and it was my slowest. From then on I started cutting.

I couldn't have held together if I didn't have Fritz and Noah to chase and if I didn't have Dan encouraging me. I planned on pushing the final repeat, but Dan told me to try and push the second to last as well. I hung right behind Fritz and Noah as long as I could and I am really pleased with this workout.

80, 80, 81, 77, 77, 77, 76, 76, 76, 76, 73, 72

10.5 nice and easy. Felt good. Surprisingly not more sore from yesterday. Tired and slow, but not sore. 

Going to try and post the clock photo again below. For some reason it didn't work last week. 

A photo posted by james e clissold (runmehappy) (@james_clissold) on Feb 20, 2015 at 7:39am PST

8 on the parkway

don't know what the plan is for tomorrow yet. i am definitely feeling some cumulative fatigue and was feeling pretty worn out after 8 this morning. planning on 18-20 and would like a few pickups in there for good measure.

20 - 7:07

Met Jen at the parkway at 33rd and ran south. 10 out and 10 back. Goal was to keep a steady pace and average in the low 7s by the end. A good moderate pace was what we were looking for and we got it. Took a power gel at 10 and a sip of water and gatorade at 12. 

Another solid week down. I am feeling in a good position going into Ogden. Hope to keep the momentum.

AM - Hot tub and stretching.

PM - 4 easy to stay loose. Felt good. Usually feel the Saturday run more on Monday morning so we will see how tomorrow feels. 

8.25 on the parkway

As predicted, I felt a little more tired and heavy-legged this morning. Trying to plan this week. Want to have a track session and a tempo. Excited to see how they go. 

8.5 progression 8 down to 7. 

Writing this in my car stopped on Highway 89 (arguably illegal). I have gone about a mile in the last 30 minutes. Worst driving conditions of the winter on March 3rd. 

11 - 7:09 - 515 ft.

Met Fritz, Noah, and Nate at Highland for a track workout. Warmed up with a lap of Sugar House. The track was covered in snow so we improvised and headed to do laps of the inside of Sugar House. We did 8 x 1/2 mile on and 1/4 mile off. It was an exercise in blowing apart and hanging on for me. I am pleased with the effort considering the hills. The 6th repeat was really rough though. My left leg got upset and I almost pulled the plug. I was able to collect myself though during the rest and felt a lot better on 7 and 8. Cooled down for a few with Fritz.

I will either run a tempo on Friday or on Saturday mixed into a long run. There is a chance I might head to the Wedge Overlook on Saturday and run easy on a trail. If I head down there, I hope to work the tempo on Friday. Decisions. Decisions.

10 easy 

Felt ok considering yesterday's workout, but I can definitely feel it in my quads. Glad  my calf doesn't hurt though. That is important to me. My left side near my hip and glute is a little sore. I am contributing that to the 4:45 pace we did down the steep hill at Sugar House on repeats 1 and 3 yesterday. Should be fine, but I will watch it closely.

6.25 

I was contemplating a tempo today or tomorrow. Decided to toss it into the middle of my long run tomorrow and recover a little more today. Legs are still feeling Wednesday's blowup workout.

18 - 6:58 - 906ft

Didn't feel good from the moment I laced up. Met Jen and Emily at Liberty and ran up to the U and then ran the Salt Lake half course. 

I had planned on 18-20 with a tempo of 6 in the middle. Jen wanted to finish strong but not do the middle tempo. I simply felt off. It was not that I was running particularly slow, I just didn't feel good. We were already giving a solid effort by the time we hit 11th avenue. Here, I contemplated bagging the tempo and just slog to the end in my funk. Instead I decided to try and shake the funk with 2 miles at half marathon effort. When I finished those, still feeling like junk, I decided to keep running. I ended up with 4 at a 6:06 average.

Once again I was spent and it was time to hang on till the end of the long run. I circled back and met Jen and Emily and finished strong back to Liberty still feeling pretty miserable. I lost them on the Liberty loop and called it good at 18. It was another good test of running the legs down and then having to muster the strength to continue. We had a couple at marathon pace after my tempo so all in all I am happy with the run and the speed I got in with the miles.

30 minutes on the spin bike to warm and lossen up. 

Foam roller action. Old photo, I even think I posted it previously, but still good  

10 nice and easy. 

Don't know exactly how this week will play out and what goals I have. I might use it as a little bit of a down week. I have been going pretty strong with consistent high mileage. Could be nice to back off one week and rest up a tad. Hill repeats on Wednesday and then possibly a tempo run on Friday. Thursday is Whit's 30th birthday so we have some weekend plans that will take precedence over running.

8 easy.

that's it.

Drove over to HHS to meet Fritz and crew, but I was the only one that showed. We had planned on hill repeats but I contemplated other options as I warmed up around Sugar House. I ultimately decided on a 6 mile tempo at goal-ish marathon pace. I have been wanting to do this for a bit and decided this morning was as good a time as any. My legs were feeling good and I had taken the previous 2 days pretty easy.

I decided to run an out and back along 1700 to keep the tempo flat and honest. Within the first mile I could tell that I was breathing too hard. It felt almost more like something between 5k and half marathon effort. (I would say 10k effort, but I have never run one before so I have no idea what that feels like). Each time I looked at my watch, my pace seemed to slip back to 6:25. I should have maybe taken that as a sign and just tried to maintain that, but I wanted the 6:15-6:20. I contemplated pulling the plug at 3 miles, but pushed it to 4. My legs were starting to feel heavy and it was AGAIN not my day.

6:18, 6:18, 6:15, 6:16

I ran back to Sugar House and decided to punish myself a little more with some hill repeats on the eastside grassy knoll. I did 10 up and down and then finished the morning with a lap of Sugar House. 

Random rambling: Perhaps I need to commit to just having a down week. I probably should not have attempted the tempo this morning. I have had some good workouts and long runs in the past 2 weeks, but I need to get in a good tempo that will build my confidence. Maybe that needs to wait until next week. I still have some time until Ogden, but I feel like it is going to creep up fast. 

Also, maybe I need to adjust my goal pace for Ogden. Then again, maybe it is too early to tell. I have been logging more miles this cycle. I have thought that my body has adjusted and I should be able to nail workouts, but maybe I need to back off mileage? My easy days are run super slow so I know I am not burning out on those. I will likely finish out this week pretty easy and then hopefully feel refreshed for next week.

Any thoughts are welcome.

Finally, the real champion this morning was the sunrise. It was outstanding.

7.25

day one of resting

got out a little early and beat the rain. funny how warm 48 degrees feels.

going to put together some comparison charts later today. i like looking at data so i am interested to see how my different training cycles look next to eachother.

9

Had wanted to get out earlier and get a few more miles in and have today be my "long" run. However, waking at 4:15 just wasn't in the cards. Might just do a medium run tomorrow and call it for the week. Hopefully recharge and feel better next week.

12 - 2,700ft

Headed to the hills to get lost for a while.

A photo posted by runmehappy (@runmehappy) on Mar 14, 2015 at 3:41pm PDT

rest day

10 easy on the parkway. My quads are pretty sore from the elevation on Saturday's run. 

Don't know what the plan is for this week. I am going to run the Running of the Leopards on Saturday, and might do a track workout on Wednesday. 

That's as far as I have gotten in my plan.

PM - hot tub / massage / stretch

9.5 on the parkway. 

Quads are still pretty sore from Saturday's downhill poundin.

I wore green to the office to avoid any creepy co-worker pinching me. I have a personal bubble at least one guy finds it funny to try and enter.

Right near my house is what I have designated as the "Foxy Loop." It is 1.53 miles and essentially flat. I thought it would be a good workout to do two loops with a half mile rest in between. I had a goal to hold a 6:00 pace for the loops, thus ~9 min per loop. I was pretty wiped by the end, but was pleased with my effort.

8:59 and 8:56

I don't know if 1.5 miles at 6:00 should feel easier to me or not. I was thinking about it when I was cooling down and it was a year ago in June when I really started logging my first back to back miles sub-6. Those were running with Josh and Adam along 11th Ave and down Memory Grove. With that in perspective, I think I should be pleased I can hold that pace for 1.5 on the flat, but I don't know if I should be improving more.

Still planning on racing Saturday and then will hope for a good tempo next week to judge where my marathon pace fitness is at. Hope to have some help with that tempo so I don't have to go it solo.

8

might not be able to run with the leopards on saturday. need to find a sitter for the girls.

6

felt good to only run 6.

I have been in a bit of a rut lately and I was hoping that I felt good today racing and the race would pull me out of the rut. It did!

Saw Anthony at the registration and then waited for Whit to show up with our two girls. My mom came and picked them up and Whit and I hopped on the bus. This was my first time running this race and it was interesting taking a bus for a 5k. I warmed up 3 miles solo and then made my way to the start. Saw Dan on his bike and he told me that he wanted to see a 17:30 out of me today. I told him that was the goal and what I was hoping for. 

I toed the line with Anthony right in front of me. I knew this way I could avoid having to run around anyone in the first 50 meters. Front pack took off flying and I quickly backed off after seeing sub-5 on my watch. I anticipated a 5:45-5:50 first mile and then was planning on dropping the pace from there. 

I was feeling good and controlled so I tried to just run off of effort and only look at my watch on occasion to keep me in check. First mile came in a 5:35 and I was pleased. I was a little worried about blowing apart, but I handled the incline alright through research park. I backed off a hair but kept a steady pace. This is where I was able to clip off a few people. Once we turned down Wakara, we were pretty separated and I ran about 30 meters back from a guy the rest of the race. Mile 2 came in 5:33 and I was a little worried how I would feel to the finish.

I started to fade a bit on Sunnyside in the final mile, but was still able to hold a 5:40. It was great to see Rob right before entering the track. He told me I only had a 400 to go and it gave me the boost I needed. So, though it is an aided course, I still feel like I ran my best 5k to date. Happy with a PR and happy that I felt good after. I walked back up Sunnyside and ran back to the track with Whit. I am proud of her for getting out there and running. She pretty much hates running, but is trying to get over that. 

We met my mom and the girls and Whit took off. I cooled down a couple miles with Anthony and then headed home. All in all it was a great morning and I am feeling good. I am feeling out of the rut and ready to hit the marathon training again next week. 

5:35, 5:33, 5:39, and :38 - 17:26 - 5:34avg

couple mile walk with the family around the foxy loop. felt good to loosen things up a bit. feel surprisingly good considering the turnover from yesterday.

8 easy miles

ZERO calf pain. super happy about that. scratching off some goals!

10 easy and slightly breezy

Met Daniel and Noah at HHS, warmed up with a lap of Sugar House, and hopped the fence to the track.

Ran 3 x Daniel 484s with 400 rests. This was a new workout for me and one that Daniel does frequently. It goes like this...one fast(er) 400, straight into an 800 at slightly faster than race pace, and finish going straight into another faster(er) 400.

It was a great workout. Tests you on running race pace with a little tired legs from the first 400 and then tests you on picking up the pace again for the last 400. I will definitely be doing more of these. They seemed to go by faster than straight mile repeats because of the changing it up in the middle. I felt consistent and they were not miserable. Will try to push the 400s a little harder next time.

1:22, 3:04, 1:22 = 5:48
1:20, 3:03, 1:21 = 5:44
1:20, 3:03, 1:21 = 5:44

10 on the parkway

glad i didn't really have any niggles lingering from yesterday's workout. no calf pain...another victory.

there is a long long long thread on fb regarding shoes and their potential lifespan. people can get pretty heated. 

7 on the JRP from 33rd southbound.

Jeff and I drove and met Tyler for an easy 7 with a 100 meter all out spontaneous sprint to avoid the skunk I almost stepped on! Closest encounter to date with one of those smelly critters. 

23 - 6:57 - 723 ft.

Met Jen and Daniel at Liberty and drove one car up to 11th ave. Ran roughly miles 1-24 of the Salt Lake Marathon course. Solid effort the whole way. Jen is looking strong and is going to do great. I predict she will be crossing that tape and holding it high. Daniel is a beast and I hope he gets his PR. He is going to run hard.

I am going to say that I am officially past the rut I was in a week ago. I felt good during this run. I had a couple ups and downs, but felt strong to the end. We kept a solid effort and I was able to pick it up at the end. Hoping for another several weeks of solid training before the taper to Ogden.

7:30, 6:57, 6:48, 6:36, 7:22, 7;04, 7:15, 7:07, 7:17, 6:48, 7:12, 7:10, 7:07, 7:05, 6:54, 6:50, 6:41, 6:56, 7:09, 6:44, 6:29, 6:34, 6:21

rest day

walked quite a bit and went to the park in the evening. still hit 10,000 steps for the day. not really sore from yesterday's run. we'll see how i feel tomorrow. usually a little worse the second day for me.

10 easy on the parkway. felt pretty good. a little lingering soreness from saturday, but no pains or aches. success!

my oldest daughter, georgia grey, is three today. it is pretty neat to see her grow and develop an infectious personality.

 

This beautiful lady made @wclissold and me parents three years ago today. Happy birthday Georgia Grey!

A photo posted by james e clissold (runmehappy) (@james_clissold) on Mar 30, 2015 at 7:55am PDT

10

the morning temperatures are great right now

10 on tired legs

Met Daniel at HHS and the plan was a 6 mile tempo...somewhere between 6:15 and 6:30. Once we started, I knew it was going to be a good workout. Not because I felt fast, but because my legs were still feeling Saturday and the past two days of 10 each. We ran along 1700 and worked our way south and east until 39th south and 20th east and then back. I had to work for the last two miles. My legs were screaming at me like it was the the end of a race. This workout helped me to make the necessary adjustments in stride and arm swing to endure when the legs really had nothing left. I am really pleased with the effort. I have put more miles on my legs this training cycle and I look forward to seeing how my body performs with some rest and a taper come race day.

6:28, 6:20, 6:18, 6:15, 6:23, 6:26  =  6:21.6 avg

10 - starting to feel pretty routine.

ran without a watch. nice to just run and enjoy some solo time.

contemplated what the summer will be like training after ogden. i have some good goals and i look forward to executing a solid plan. but, until then my focus is on may 16th.

20 - 7:07 avg. - 1,564 ft

3 solo avenues loops. The loop consists of east on 2nd ave, north up Virginia, west on 11th ave, down Memory Grove, and back east on 2nd. In each loop I picked it up for 2.5 miles on 11th and down into the grove. I did this run last year, and it is a test in multiple ways. 

I "like" doing it solo because I more than often end up racing alone in no man's land. It is good to test running long runs alone for me. Next, this route is no joke. 1,500 feet of climb starts to weigh on the legs and then I have to shift to fast downhill. I am super pleased with how it went. I took one gel at mile 12 with some water. My 3x2.5s were faster than planned as well. Now time to rest. Happy Easter weekend everyone!

6:12, 6:12, 3:05

6:02, 6:02, 3:00

5:49, 5:49, 2:50

I also wore Whit's Fitbit for fun and logged 26,189 steps. I think according to the American Heart Association I can lie in bed for the next 36+ hours. 

jumping on the tramp is good recovery.

long walk in the evening kept me loose as well. little soreness from yesterday and fatigue but no pain. we will see how tomorrow goes.

10 easy on the parkway. 

i felt like my right calf / soleus was tightening up a little on me saturday night and a little yesterday. happy to report that it didn't and i ran this morning pain free. had the typical soreness and some tight spots that loosened up after a few miles. Time to focus my training for the last few weeks before the taper. 

took me about 3-4 miles to feel halfway decent this morning. my hips were tight and I just didn't feel like running. at about mile 5 I decided to pick up the pace a little to see if it made the hips feel better. it did. by the time I finished, I wanted to go a few more but didn't have time.

Met JP and Daniel at HHS. Warmed up with a lap of Sugar House Park and then headed to the track. I was planning on some decent effort 400s, but knew my legs were tired so didn't know what to expect. 

My pace felt fine and manageable and I gradually got faster. I had a hard time with the 200 recoveries though. I felt like I was slow in getting my heart rate down. Don't know if that was due to being tired and still feeling Saturday's long run / workout or what. I am not too concerned, was just interesting. My left leg did start feeling a little weird on the 6th repeat and I didn't want to push it too much further. Ended up with 8x400. Pushed the pace chasing Daniel on the last one. He clocked a 64 and I obviously was a ways behind.

We finished up with another loop of the park. I would have liked to get 10 in, but I think I might try for 4 more later this afternoon. It was good to see JP again. He has been out with an injury and is now moving to Arizona on Friday. He is a good dude and has been a stalwart at attending the morning runs. Best of luck to him in his new job.

84, 78, 79, 77, 77, 78, 76, 71

13 watchless miles. 

Felt good to just run and enjoy the morning. The weather was great. Rain had stopped and it was a little brisk, but felt nice. 

I guess it is time to ramp up my miles a hair over the next 3 weeks before the taper. I might even toss in a few doubles, which is pretty rare for me. We shall see.

8 consisting mostly of foxy loops.

Don't know what is on the docket yet for tomorrow. Suggestions?

Another 20 down. 7:14 avg

Daniel drove out and we ran 10 out and 10 back north on the parkway. Pretty easy effort out and picked up the pace a hair on the way back without thinking about it. 8 in the 6:50s on the way back. Nice to just chat and run and have 20 done by 8 am. Took a gel at 10 but no water the entire run  

walk/bike ride around with the fam.

Olive had a temp of 103 last night so Whit and I spent the night taking turns getting little sleep.

Headed out to the parkway after work and Whit rode the bike next to me with Olive and Grey in tow. Fun to be out there together. When I got home, I got the chills. Hot bath. Apple juice. Bed. Not the best time to get sick.

 

Best pacing crew around! @wclissold with Grey and Olive in tow. #runmehappy

A photo posted by james e clissold (runmehappy) (@james_clissold) on Apr 13, 2015 at 6:28pm PDT

sick

set my alarm and woke up at 5 willing to run. then, i remembered josh telling me last year that more sleep and rest might be better than a 10 miler. i could have lugged through it and probably been fine, but i didn't really eat anything yesterday and another day of rest to come back strong on thursday is the better option. turned my alarm off and slept for another 2 hours.

not 100%. yet, here.

last night was rough. stomach pain like I have never experienced came on at about 6pm. thought I was going to end up in the ER like Fritz a few months back having an organ removed. started feeling ok and fell asleep about 10pm. woke up at 2 with similar pain. fetal position. sleep. woke up at 5:30 and decided to run.

hope I don't experience that again. something was not right.

12 along the parkway with Tyler. Good to have him come up and join me. Lots of laughs and good conversation. 

Body is feeling better. Earlier this week was quite the scare. 

Another depleted 20 and home by 7:45.

10 out and 10 back on the parkway solo. Took a gel at 10. No water. Goal was to run relatively easy with a strong finish of 4 miles sub 6:30.

Kept it at about 7:25-7:30 for the way out. Picked it up a hair on the way back and then ran 15-19 sub 6:30. I figured with yesterday's 12 and then a longer run today, pushing 4 miles at the end would be a good test of marathon pace on tired, or at least more tired, legs. Felt good. Excited for another big week of training next week...though this week was not really "big" with my 2 days off due to illness.

6:27.4, 6:27.2, 6:26.9, 6:19.5

Good luck to those running Salt Lake as I type this and to those running Boston on Monday!

AM - hot bath, stretching, stick of pain.

PM - hot tub massage session in park city at my folks. if and when i purchase a hot tub, i will make sure i have a dual pump system. the stronger the jet the better for massage and recovery.

12 - so begins peak week

AM - 10 along the parkway. Felt good. Legs a little heavy. 

PM - 3 to loosen up. Foam roller and stretch session. 

11 out on the parkway with 8x0.5 mile repeats.

My initial goal was to just hold the 0.5 mile repeats at about a 6:00 pace. When I got out there, I decided I should push them harder than that. I have not done a speed workout in a couple weeks and my left leg doesn't seem to love the top gear turnover. Today was the same. I felt ok and could have continued to push the pace of the repeats, but as soon as I get down into the 5:30 range, my left leg gets a little upset. So, I did 5 at a quicker clip and then backed off and did the last 3 at about 6:00 min pace.

2:53, 2:49, 2:47, 2:49, 2:48, 3:00, 2:59, 2:56

I am not too concerned about the leg because I don't need to run in the 5:30s for Ogden. It has been a lingering issue for some time now and I don't know what the cause was. My goal is to finish this week at 80 miles with a possible tempo tossed into the middle of the 20 miler on Saturday. Next week I will drop my mileage by 30ish% and again the following week. I will have a couple more workouts, but I think I will avoid faster than 6:00 unless someone thinks otherwise. Let me know. I also plan on doing one more 8-10 mile tempo likely next week. That will be my last confidence booster headed into Ogden.

12 easy. Took a few miles to loosen up from yesterday's workout. My legs are pretty fatigued from this training cycle. I feel like they are going to appreciate the taper. 

Crossed the 1,000 mile mark for the year. On track for hitting my goal of 3,000 for the year. Though, that might be tough because I don't know how much I will be running the last quarter of this year.

10

legs are slow and tired

does anyone else feel pretty drained by the end of a marathon cycle?
 

Wrapped up peak week with my final 20 before Ogden. 

Left my house at about 5:30 and headed to Ogden. I wanted to run part of the course because it has been 2 years and I have spent nearly every day trying to suppress my memories of the rainy fiasco known to me as Ogden 2013. 

I parked just below the dam at the top of Ogden canyon, and my buddy Nate who lives in Huntsville drove me 20 miles up the course. We ended up a couple miles past the starting point, but I wanted to get in 20 without having to double back or anything. Nate went home to eat a nice breakfast and read a book and I started running. 

Took the first 3 miles easy, though I still averaged a 7:22. I have really been wanting a 10 mile tempo to boost my confidence and last night I decided to toss it in today. My legs had 61 miles this week already so I knew it would be a challenge. I ran the next 10 of the course wanting to stay sub-6:30. My left leg was aching in my quad from that first mile but it never really got worse. I just kept plugging along and felt ok until the last mile. I was spent. It was the slowest of the ten, but I still averaged 6:23 for the tempo. 

I cruised back easy to my car 7 more miles on the course. Those averaged a 7:30 nice and easy. So overall I was under a 7:00 average for the run, the tempo boosted my confidence, and I am ready to start my taper and recover. 

6:21, 6:28, 6:20, 6:19, 6:16, 6:19, 6:24, 6:18, 6:23, and 6:36

left my house at 7:30 and got home at 4:50. seems like just another work day. not a huge fan of today.

resting now.

8 easy out on the parkway. I think my easy runs this cycle have really helped me log some decent mileage. My legs felt surprisingly good considering Saturday's pounding. I held back on my pace this morning and just kept things in motin. 

Headed to get a massage this evening to aid in the recovery and taper. 

8 with Tyler. Good to have him come out for a run before he hops on a plane tonight for 10 days of relaxing. 

My body is pretty sore from the massage and chiropractic work last night. Let's just say I might have almost cried on the table!

8 miles total

2x1min, 3x2min, 2x3min, 2x1min

I kept the first 5 at about a 5:40 pace, the next 2 at 6:00, and the last at about 6:15.

The 5:40 pace felt fine, but I could tell it was agravating my left leg a bit and I am still sore from my massage on Monday night. No sense risking anything at this point. The hard work is done. Time to get to the start line healthy.

8 on some slightly heavy legs. No pain though, so that is good. 

Trying to balance the recovery / taper and keeping the legs snappy and fresh can be a challenge. I never really know what to do the next 2 weeks. 

8 - pretty routine at this point

Don't know what I will do exactly tomorrow. Thinking 16 for my laster long(er) run. Legs are starting to feel more fresh and less heavy. Don't know if I should push for some marathon pace miles tomorrow or not. Anyone have suggestions or thoughts on 2 weeks out from Ogden? 

15 from Liberty Park through downtown. 

Ran 13 with Daniel before he had to take off for a work meeting. Neither of us felt very good the entire run. Still managed to do a few mile progession at the end. Took a gel at mile 8 and gagged. Something was just off today. 

Went up to my folks in Summit County and hung out for the day. Hopped in the hot tub and massaged some sore spots on the legs. Need to find a way to live up there sometime before retirement age. 

6 easy on the parkway.

So far I have not gone water skiing, played with chainsaws, or taken up karate lessons. I will hold off the urge for another 13 days! #projectdontbustaribbeforeogden

6 out on the parkway with a few striders in the middle to catch back up to Jeff.

I am still succeeding at #projectdontbustaribbeforeogden!

Met Fritz at HHS and ran 2 outside Sugar House loops at marathon pace with a couple minute rest in between and then 4x1min on. The track was "closed" due to construction of a new football field so we ran up on 17th. 

This was my last workout before Ogden and I felt pretty good. My miles around Sugar House felt smooth and the effort was controlled on the downhill. Was nice to speed up the legs one last time. Now, time to rest and only easy running for me until I PR on the 16th.

6 easy without a watch.

Awesome morning temps after all that rain last night. I don't think I have seen it rain harder at my house then it did last night at about 8:30.

6 more easy miles without a watch.

Legs felt a little heavy for the first mile or so and by the end I was feeling better than I have in a long time. Another week and I will be itching to race.

The clouds over the mountains this morning were like nothing I have ever seen. I wish I had a camera with me. 

10 in and about Holladay (house hunting) and Murray with Daniel, Jen, and Emily.

Picked it up for 2 miles to marathon pace and felt good. 

I started at 6 and ended right after 7. Missed the rain. They continued on without me.

5.5 easy on the parkway. 

Race Week!

Avoiding any aches and pains. Toeing the line Saturday. Running a PR and sub 2:50. That's all for now.

5 

Started to notice a little head cold or something coming on last night. Pumping myself full of vitamin C and have a difuser running in my office this morning. This - 

Ain't nothin' gonna to break my stride
Nobody's gonna slow me down, oh-no
I got to keep on movin'
Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride
I'm running and I won't touch ground
Oh-no, I got to keep on movin'

3

it is likely going to rain on saturday. i have accepted that. i respect mother nature and i am not going to curse her. i say, "thanks for the rain to keep me cool as i run sub-2:50 in a few days!"

Mandatory rest day.

Spent about 40 minutes in a hot bath and stretched.

I got that "excited/scared" feeling. Like 98% excited, 2% scared. Or maybe it's more - It could be two - it could be 98% scared, 2% excited but that's what makes it so intense.

Well, it is hear. Race day tomorrow. Always an intense time. I am excited to race. It has been a while since I toed the starting line. I am a little nervous, but that is a given. 

My training cycle has been solid. I have put in the miles and done some solid workouts. I have consistenly run more miles each week this cycle than ever before. I averaged high 60's and low 70's. Easily a 10-15 mile increase compared to going in to St. George last year. My track workouts were less structured, but I clipped off some of my fastest intervals chasing Fritz, Noah, and Daniel. My mental game is also stronger. I have more confidence. Also, I don't have a broken rib!

The weather is not looking the best. It is likely going to rain. I am ok with that. I thrive on colder temperatures, so that is good for me. Predicted a 39 degree start. I hope there is no wind. As you all know, you can't push against a wind. I plan on running sub-2:50, but I need to realize if there is a headwind I will need to back off a bit and run a smart race. The training and time spent with friends is what has been great this year. I have grown as a runner and developed some great friendships. Thanks to Fritz, Daniel, Dan, Tyler, Jen, John, Josh, and others for keeping me motivated and pushing me.

Now, time to PR!

The race is the reward for everything done up to that moment. When you are prepared, racing is a celebration of life, fitness and the determination it takes to get to that point. Enjoy it! It will be great! - Josh E.

I ran the Ogden Marathon 2 years ago...in the rain. I ran it again this morning...IN. THE. RAIN!

I ran over 10 minutes slower than my goal, at one point was so cold I was scared, yet had the best marathon experience to date. It is going to take a few words to explain how the previous sentence makes sense. So, bear with me and read on if interested. 

My goal going in was sub-2:50. My training would dictate that it was possible (so would the first 16 miles of the marathon). My mental game was sharp going in. All around, I felt good. I had accepted the fact that we were likely going to get rained on. I just didn't want a headwind. I am not capable of holding pace against a wind. Thankfully, the forecast looked decent when I went to bed Friday. 

I woke up and ate my typical race-day breakfast of toast and peanut butter in the car on the drive north. I met Ben and I sipped my water and Gatorade and ate a banana on the bus up the canyon. We camped by a car in the field with Leslie and chatted for an hour and fifteen minutes. We were kind of rushed to the start. I saw and wished good luck to Fritz. Talked with Devra for a second and we were on our way.

I planned on taking it easy and just getting in a groove. I ran the first 3 miles with Devra who had a goal of sub-2:50 as well, but really wanted quicker than that. So, at about 3.5 I let her go ahead and stuck to my plan of 6:25s for miles 2-7. The temperature felt great to me. We started getting rain around 6 or so, I can't remember when it officially started, but it was coming down hard by 10 for sure. That is when I was in a little rut. I ran the first 9 miles without much change in the order of runners. Zac was about 50 meters ahead of me until I passed him on a slight climb just before 10. He looked so smooth. I was jealous of his form and how effortless it looked.

I was in that rut until about the half-way point. One of my friends was cheering at mile 11 and that boosted my spirits a little. Around 12, a kid in an orange jersey came up to me and we spent a mile together. He chatted a little and it took my mind off of things. When I hung the left after the half-way point, I was feeling good again and was ready to get through 14 and the one significant hill. 

I made it to the hill and slowed down up the climb. Still feeling good and happy to not be in a rut any more. This mile was set to be my slowest, but I was still on pace. I was pleased and was ready to start hammering down and getting into a little quicker turnover again. Some time between 14 and 15 my left leg started to feel heavy. It was right when I needed to drop the pace. [let me interject some background now on my left leg]

I have had a lingering pain in the back of my left leg. Likely one of the multiple pieces that make up what we refer to as the hamstring. In my typical weekly training, it did not bother me. Yet, every so often I would feel this light pain while sitting at work or driving in my car. I came to find out that it was aggravated when I would do speedwork. If I ever dropped down to 5:15-5:30 pace, it would flare up. It flared up on one particular workout at Sugar House Park and the only way I could describe it to Fritz and Noah that day was that it felt like my left leg wasn't firing. I felt like I was having to drag it along to keep up. The last couple weeks of training, I avoided my top speed so I wouldn't aggravate the left leg before the race. However, I had that same lingering pain while sitting. [now back to the race]

So, here I am at 15 feeling good and knowing I am still on pace for a 2:49:XX. My left leg starts to flare. I knew then that I had 2 choices. I could fight through it, push the pace, and risk a more serious injury of my hamstring. Or, I could back off the pace, run easy, and try to enjoy myself. I don't want to lose time with heavy PT and possibly not be ready for other races this years, especially the Wasatch 100 this fall. I didn't have to think for more than a few seconds. I was going to wear a smile on my face and have fun! I backed off to a comfortable pace and started smiling.

My friend from mile 11 was at the dam. He asked if I was still in a rut. I told him that my leg was hurt, but that I was having fun. He smiled and said that was all that mattered. I spent the rest of the race smiling at and thanking all of the volunteers. I gave high-fives and danced through aid stations. I had a blast. It was the most fun I have had at a marathon. I was passed by a few people and I told them good job and wished them luck. In the canyon, I started to pass some half marathoners. It was inspiring to see them. I cheered them on and they returned the sentiment. 

Around mile 19 I got really cold. For a few minutes, I was legitimately scared for how cold I was getting. My assumption is that the slower pace just didn't keep me as warm. I started feeling better a mile or so later, but was glad to finish and get in the warm tent.

So, I didn't get my goal of sub-2:50. I didn't race to my ability. But, I turned a bad situation into a good one and realized the power of one's attitude. Sure, I wish I was writing a report of a 2:49:XX or faster. That will come another day though. For now, I am happy with the race and my experience. I love running. I love the community and the support that is so abundant. We are all on the same journey and I am privileged to be a part of it. 

Huge thanks go to Whitney and my folks for hanging at the finish in the cold with my two daughters. I couldn't have gotten to the start line in the shape I am in without all of those I get to train with and get tips from. If I start to name them, I am sure to forgot more than one. You know who you are and I give you a sincere Thank you!

I will post my splits below for fun. I am grateful I am in the shape I am where I can back off and run easy and still finish at 3 hours. 

Mile   Goal   Actual
1        6:35    6:31
2        6:25    6:30
3        6:25    6:20
4        6:25    6:21
5        6:25    6:24
6        6:25    6:23
7        6:25    6:26
8        6:29    6:29
9        6:29    6:31
10      6:29    6:37
11      6:29    6:31
12      6:37    6:39
13      6:41    6:51
14      6:41    6:42
15      6:49    6:58
16      6:17    6:52
17      6:17    7:13
18      6:17    6:43
19      6:37    7:20
20      6:17    7:24
21      6:17    7:06
22      6:17    7:08
23      6:29    7:09
24      6:29    7:31
25      6:29    7:37
26      6:29    7:44

 

A photo posted by james e clissold (runmehappy) (@james_clissold) on May 16, 2015 at 4:00pm PDT

A photo posted by runmehappy (@runmehappy) on May 21, 2015 at 8:02am PDT

Easy and not breezy.

Headed out to the parkway for the first "run" since the marathon. Just wanted to loosen up a bit. 

Going to have quite a shift in my training now for a few different reasons. Slower pace and more trails. Time to rehab my leg and avoid a bigger injury.

10 - 8:20 avg. - 1,300 ft. - roughly 1:45 on feet with stops etc.

Davis Creek to Wolf Hollow and up to Canon Flats on the way back. 

A couple of my goals include more trail, more elevation gain, and more time on my feet. I am not too concerned about distance or pace right now.

Easy 8 with Jeff on the parkway. 

Hopefully I can get to the trails 2-3 times a week and use the parkway for some easy flat recovery runs. Felt pretty tired by the end of today. Ogden Marathon still lingers in my legs.

10.2 - 1,500 ft. - 1:45 on feet

We went up to my folks in Park City and I did 3 loops behind their house. Each loop is 3.4 miles and has 500 ft. of elevation gain.

If interested, I am planning a run on June 19th at this loop. We are starting at 8:00pm and some are planning on running 30+ miles. Should be fun. Let me know if you want more details. Or you can click on this link if you are on Facebook.

14.25 - 3,065 ft. - 3:15 on feet

Happy Memorial Day! 

Up Mueller Park to Rudy's flat and on toward Burro Peak. Had to turn around early so I could get home to work on my yard. Putting in a paver patio is a lot of work. Quit digging and moving dirt at 4 and then stood from 6-11 at a concert. One of the longest days awake and on my feet in a long time.

5.5 - 1,900 ft. - 1:40 on feet

Fernwood park to the cabin and back with a lot of meandering. Mostly a hike as about 1,800 feet were covered in less than 2 miles. 

10 - 3,000 ft. - 2:20 on feet

Met a group of 10 at the top of Hilltop road and essentially I street at 4:30 and ran the Wahsatch Steeplechase course to the top past the crags and back. 

Fun (early) morning. 

10 - 7 ft. - 1:20 on feet

Easy on the parkway with Jeff. My legs are beat up from yesterday and were slow moving this morning. Nice to just take it easy and enjoy the conversation and the weather.

5.75 - 1,744 ft - 1:38 on feet

Slept at our cabin in Mt. Aire Canyon and tried to get to the peak of Mt. Aire. Failed. Again. Ended up bushwhacking for too long and really didn't love that part. Will have to try another day.

Spent the rest of the day on my feet finishing my paver patio in the backyard. Mowed my lawn by the light of my headlamp and finished right at 9:59 PM. Long day!

5.35 - 3,252 ft. - 1:36 on feet

Up and down the west face of Grandeur. Nature's stairmaster!

10 - 7 ft - 1:18

Easy out and back on the parkway.

Took a few miles to loosen up the legs, especially my left leg. 

10 - 1,621 ft. - 1:30 on ft.

Up Mueller 5 miles and back. Nice clear morning alone on the trail...aside from the 2 deer.

 

A mountain sunrise can help you view things in a new light. #runmehappy

A photo posted by james e clissold (runmehappy) (@james_clissold) on Jun 3, 2015 at 6:51am PDT

8.8 - 4,061 ft. - 2:40 on feet

Up the Mill B North trail to Mount Raymond. One of the most beautiful views this morning I have ever seen in Utah. Pics coming later. 

10 on the parkway - 7 ft. - 1:18 on feet

Nice easy 10 to rest the legs in between climbing days. Yesterday up Mt. Raymond was amazing. The views really were incredible. I have posted a couple shots below. Going to likely go up Grandeur again tomorrow. This time I am going to go up the west side and down into Millcreek. Another 3,000+ will put me well over 10k for the week.

 

A photo posted by james e clissold (runmehappy) (@james_clissold) on Jun 4, 2015 at 8:10pm PDT

 

A photo posted by runmehappy (@runmehappy) on Jun 5, 2015 at 6:15am PDT

12.2 - 4,146 ft. - 2:36 on feet

With Daniel up the west face of Grandeur, down into Millcreek, one mile up Pipeline, back down Pipeline, trespassing, back to cars fast. 

Wrapped up a pretty big week. I will add up the figures later tonight. 

I am going to start using my Sunday log to post my week results. It will be good for me to go back to later to compare weeks as I build some stronger legs and lungs.

I felt good this week and feel like it was a solid effort for my first "official" training week in the hills. I am hoping to get some vert on the trails 3-4 days a week and be on the road 2-3 days. I am also contemplating working with a coach so we will see what he/she says about my goals and plan.

Week Summary
6 days - all singles - 4 trail - 2 road
56.35 miles
13,094 ft. elevation gain
11 hours on feet

8 - 2,072 ft. - 1:30 on feet

Mill D up to Desolation Lake. Excellent morning. The lake was surprisingly low, but the foliage is incredibly green right now. Saw 8 deer and 2 moose.

A photo posted by runmehappy (@runmehappy) on Jun 9, 2015 at 7:41am PDT

10 - 2,159 ft. - 2:00 on feet

From the Wild Rose Park in North Salt Lake up to Dude. Fun trail with a few steep short sections. Goal was to run all of the ups on the way out. Working on my climbing ability and hopefully getting faster. The wild flowers are in full bloom and it makes for beautiful routes this time of year.

Sometimes you just have to stop in your tracks and take it all in. #runmehappy

A photo posted by james e clissold (runmehappy) (@james_clissold) on Jun 10, 2015 at 8:51am PDT

10 - 1,558 ft - 1:37 on feet

Mueller up to 5 mile meadow and back. Took a couple miles to get in the groove but then my breathing became easy and it was cruise control. Felt yesterday in my legs a little and have a long run planned for tomorrow. I also have a slight sore throat coming on, so I am hoping I can get to bed early tonight.

I would like to wear my HR monitor on a run a week or so to just get the average. However, I can't find it so hopefully it turns up soon. 

24 - 5,073 ft. - 4:23 on feet

Upper gate of Millcreek to roughly 2.5 miles past Desolation Lake. 4.5 miles on the road, then dirt to Dog Lake, onto Desolation, up to the ridge, south on the ridge about two miles, AND back. 

It was a great way to spend the morning on my day off. Overall I felt good. Had 3 gels and a pack of chews along with roughly 45-50 oz. of water. Gel at 0:50 and 1:35. Chews at 2:15 and final gel at 3:05. Could have taken another before the end but I was feeling good so resisted.