Training for Top of Utah 2011

Super easy tread run today as my stomach is still a little upset. will have to change my workout this week as we are moving. Speed work tomorrow - tempo run at high school track - 

Tweaked my back a bit moving some shelves on Monday and I was a little concerned about it but it's not giving me any grief at all now.

Weather was pretty much perfect around 40-45 degrees with only a little wind @ the high school track.

Plan called for 7 with 5 tempo at 7:31...just missed every one of the mile splits on this.

There is no way I could've run this for an hour unless my life depended on it and it didn't so I'm glad...pretty tough. Really had to focus to come in at these levels.

Splits: 8:54, 8:32, 8:33, 8:32, 8:33, 8:32, 8:59

Moving Today...great crosstraining! Going up and down stairs with boxes and other stuff...

supposed to be running 7 today but will not be able to.

After 2 days of moving stuff up and down stairs I was plum wore out!

Was supposed to go 16 - Went with Larry and did 12.

Way off plan...hopefully this next week I can kick it up a notch!

Little over 9 min. pace avg.

Since I tweaked my back again on Sat. I didn't want to run outside just in case of problems have to walk back home. Tread run and it went pretty well...a few issues with my back but overall not bad...

Am preparing for a 5K this Saturday so will just run easy all week with maybe a few strides thrown in tomorrow.

Still have a tender lower back so another tread run.

Easy warm up and then started some strides. 6 strides about every 5 minutes for 35 seconds each starting at level 8(to test the back) then to 9 then to 10 and back down the ladder.

Felt very relaxed during the sprints and could have easily gone quite a bit longer but with a race on Sat. had to save it.

cool down and done...will do another easy run tomorrow.

I sure do love these Brooks Radius shoes...wish I could find more of them...was told the ghost replaced them but...just not the same.

Easy tread run again...didn't feel like getting soaked to the bone today and then possibly catching a cold. Will be ready for the 5K race on Sat. even if it's raining.

Just joined a group that will be running a Ragnar Race up @ whidbey island in late July this year. Here

Carry on...

Got lots of sleep last night which felt great!! Had a banana @ 7 am and then walked over to register. Then back home and had a granola bar which I wish I hadn't as I got a little side ache after a couple miles into the race.

Found my buddy Mark before the race and we talked about getting closer to the front as last year we had to dodge a ton of people to get up ahead. We shuffled in but still had to dodge a bunch of people to get a decent position. after .2 miles we were cooking at a 6 min pace but then the hills began and we started to slow a bit. Since this is my home turf and I know this whole course I was able to gun down the hills and maintain and sometimes gain on those ahead of me when we were going uphill.

Was feeling pretty good despite the fast pace....5K races really hurt towards the end and take the energy out of my legs for some reason...lungs felt pretty good though. Pace ended up being 6:49 for me.

I was hoping that I would not get passed but right at the end of the race a tall guy reeled me in and then he got Mark too but barely. Mark and I passed a bunch of people along the way.

He beat me by 2.5 seconds and I was surprised(happily) by my time. I was so beat at the finish line that I just went and walked for a block or two and caught my wind. Saw a bunch of people from our ward(church) that both ran and helped with the race. Saw Snoqualmie from the blog but don't know if she saw me.

Great race for me and hopefully the speed keeps on coming. Afterwards came home to buttermilk pancake breakfast with Heidi's parents and the Simon family...Good times!

Despite a perfect morning for running, I hit the tread due to tiredness issues and soreness issues. Easy run. Went better than I expected.

Not really looking forward to the next run which is a 6 mile tempo run on Wednesday...Will do my best though as I know those things really help with speed.

There is a pull up bar in my garage so will start doing some after workouts...first time today...4 chin ups and 2 pull ups...weak sauce but I will get stronger as time goes by.

Great day for a run @ 45 degrees and some changing winds...even if I'm going on only 5 and a half hours of sleep. 

High school track with the freshmen and sophomore classes...felt a bit strange. easy warmup and right into the 6 mile tempo.  Splits

8:51 7:31 7:30 7:32 7:30 7:31 7:31 9:01

Definitely had to work a bit, but not a killer workout. Probably could have done this for an hour and that's more than I can say for the last tempo run that I did.

Plan says to run 18 on Sat. but I haven't run a 16 miler yet so it will be 16. For that reason I wanted to take it easy on my legs this am so ran the tread...no hills and easy. 

Sat. run will include the HillBeast(2 miles of it anyway) at the end so I will need something extra.

Woke up several times last night to strong winds. Was not happy to hear that with a long run scheduled. Got out @ 6:45ish and ran ridge to fairway and then down the parkway and thru town to C park. Met Larry and for Group run only 4 of us today...found out Sean has some leg issues and won't be running Boston...Dang!

Plan said 8:45 pace but I did not even care what my pace ended up being with my first long mileage run over 14. Ended up getting 8:54. Larry and I ran to the Golf Course and then mill pond and then thru town...and Larry stopped with a hammy prob. I continued on and he started walking back to the park...I saw him after a bit and he was running slowly....met back at the park. 

Then off to the parkway and back home. Ran the Hilldebeast and did pretty well. I stopped to get a drink at the park halfway up and a lady came from the bottom and just kept powering up it. I followed her and finally caught her at the top. Looped the industrial park to get my miles and then ended up walking about half a mile back home which I think helped a lot. My legs do not feel bad at all!

Got some ribs on the smoker for some friends that coming over later. Gonna enjoy those as the first of the season.

Splits: 8:40, 7:59, 8:22, 8:57, 9:00, 9:28, 9:18, 9:08, 9:27, 8:57, 9:04, 8:39, 8:27, 9:15, 9:39, 8:18

First run @ the ridge since moving 2 weeks ago...I've either run elsewhere or on the tread.

Trying to find a good new route and did pretty well today. Low 40's with not much wind and no rain though there was plenty yesterday. The hills were slowing me down though. Was at 8:50 pace until about 1 mile to go and hit a nice downhill @ the industrial park and was able to hit target of 8:45 with that. Then walked about .25 miles home.

Right now I'm just finishing 3 eggs with hashbrowns and 3 pieces of bacon.

At work today a client asked me if everything was OK since I look so skinny...marathon training is working!

Had to run in the afternoon and it was windy and the school track team was using the track so I hit the tread reluctantly. 1.5 warm up then stretching and then a couple girl scout cookies and into the 3X1 mile runs at 6:50 pace... ended up running 6:58 and finished at 6:53...my treadmill is weird and seems way faster than I would be running this outside...certain that this will recruit some fast twitch fibers...

Had to peel of my shirt due to the sun being out. Easy run tomorrow and then 18 on Saturday.

Since I ran in the afternoon yesterday and did a speed work out...had to take it real easy today...8:54 pace even though It's supposed to be 8:45. Oh well.

Raining, mid 40's and a little wind. Ran almost the same route as monday but changed it just a bit so I could get in an extra half mile. 

18 on Saturday...yikes...that sounds like a lot!

I had forgotten how hard it is to run 18 miles...even though I did it all on flat ground with no hills...it still kicked my butt! That last 2 miles was rough but I hammered it out and ready for 20 next week.

Drove down into Snoqualmie and parked near the railroad cars. Then off to mill pond rd. and the long way to Centennial park on Sno Valley trail. C Park at 4 miles for part of a power bar and some water...off to the in-laws house on the Sno Valley trail...got there and nobody home so used there water outside to liquidate. I was hoping to be able to get a water bottle there so I could go further out on the trail. Went 2.5 out to right under the freeway(I-90) and then turned around and came back to the library in NB for water and the last of the power bar.

Back to the park and then 4 more miles the trail and mill pond rd.

The tough part of the run was the 5 miles when I left C park the first time as there was a solid wind coming down the pike...pace was an easy 8:40 before then but 8:45 at the turnaround and had to work to keep it there. Pace ended up overall being 8:38 thanks to the tail wind coming back.

Not looking forward to the 20 miler next week!

I've had a cold all weekend and it's draining me of energy...probably shouldn't have run my 18 miler on Saturday...but hey I have to be ready for the marathon...even if it kills me.

Tread run and wore my HR monitor just to see how the ticker is holding up...and was happily surprised how low it stayed...during first 30 minutes it didn't even get over 130 and the very most it got up to at the end was 138. Eased into this run by starting out @ a #4 and gradually upping it to 6.5. 

Next run Wednesday Tempo run...7 miler I think...

Afternoon run...sunny and a few clouds here and there...low 50's with some wind.

Decided to do this run on the Sno Valley trail to take it easy on my legs...drove by the high school and it the track was empty but I knew that track practice would start shortly and I didn't really want to be dealing with people on the track.

Haven't been sleeping as long as I should lately getting to bed late and getting up by 5 is not good for your body. Plus add in a cold that I'm just getting over...

From the start I could tell this would be a tough run...and it was...warmed up and then from the golf course started the run...very slight uphill as you go to North Bend but at least it was wind neutral...at least that's what I thought until I did the turnaround and it was definitely breezy in my face the whole way back. Had to work hard...harder than I should have probably for a tempo run. At the end just trying to come in on pace was like running a 10K. Pace was supposed to be 7:35...

Splits:8:54, 7:36, 7:32, 7:35, 7:37, 7:33, 7:35, 7:36, 9:38 and boy was I done in! Walked for a quarter mile after cooldown....