Get Fit

Felt much better today after a 2 day rest. Ran to Ft. Douglas and back. Took 47:25, average pace of 9:28

Went to a core class at the gym at night.

Ran for 50:36 down 4th, up the stairs, around the horseshoe and home on 11th through the cemetery. Average pace of 10:07

Had to get the long run in before we went to LA. Ran over to Sunnyside, up to Foothill, up Wakara and through the U.'s medical campus, to Jewish Community Center on the trail to the ritzy neighborhood above 11th. It got colder during the run and I slowed down--my last mile downhill was my slowest.

Ran 1:36:46, average pace of 10:45

Was a very long run since it was on a treadmill in a hotel in LA. I would have preferred running outside, but the homeless men we saw as we drove in to town scared me away.

Ran on the treadmill again. Tried to do some sort of speed workout: Warmed up 1/2 a mile and then ran 1/4 mile at 9 minute pace. Then slowed then ran 8.5 minute pace and 8 minute pace.

All I can say is that I'd much rather run in California than Utah. I ran in Santa Barbara on a track that paralleled the ocean. The view was awesome. I tasted ocean spray. And I could run an 8:59 pace (my best was 8:29) and feel like it was nothing. I was at 41 feet sea level and it was flat. It was a great run.

Longest run I'll do before the half. I felt good until the last mile, which is what happened during my last long run. Started out with Chad and Jack for 3 miles and then was on my own with my Ipod. Ran through Ft. Douglas to the entrance to the This is The Place monument. Meandered through the old houses, which was fun. I haven't been there in years. Ran about 1/2 a mile up Emigration--even go whistled at! -- and decided I didn't really want to go home the same route so I went on Bonneville shoreline for a couple of miles. It was fun, though the uphill was longer and harder than I planned.

by the time I was done, I wasn't really sure I could run another 3 miles....

I'm tapering for the Moab 1/2, which is a good thing since I now have a head cold that may even keep me from doing the race this Sunday. Ran 4 miles at an unintentional very easy pace: 11:46. Ran in 47:04. I was pushing Jack in the jogger stroller, which definetely slowed me down. And the cold.

Any advice on what to do? Should I bag the 13 miles? I have a couple of days to get better, but I'm not sure how bad I can feel and still run a 1/2.

Ran pretty slowly around the avenues--average pace 10:42. I'm feeling quite a bit better, so I plan to run the 1/2, though not very quickly :)

Well my goal after having Jack was to run this race and I did it!

It was a beautiful course in Moab, parrelleling the Colorado River. We had views of the river and snow-dusted red rocks. The first 6 miles were great. I felt really good and the splits were 8:50, 8:34, 9:15, 8:47, 11:50 (included bathroom break) and 8:58. The last half was really tough: lots of hills right in a row. I ran with Helen, who I know could have gone much faster, but she was kind and stuck it out with me. But even the last miles didn't take us that long: 9:34, 10:32, 9:41, 10:05, 9:14, 9:52, 8:18.

The lack of sleep the night before really caught up to me at mile 11. I went to bed at around 9, but couldn't really get to sleep. It may have been nerves, but probably had more to do with the fact this was my first time away from Jack.

And mile 11 was tough because my longest training run was 10 miles, so mentally it was difficult to keep going. In fact, I bribed myself by walking 1 minute at the 11 mile-mark. I wanted to do that at 12, too, but Helen and I convinced ourselves to keep going.

Chad did awesome, coming in 4th and winning his age division. This for a guy who wasn't sure if he was going to race until it started.

This is a guesstimate. Ran on 11th ave up to the 2 mile marker in City Creek. It felt surprisingly good to run again, now that my quads aren't still sore from the hills on the 1/2. Karen, in town from Austin, kept me at what felt like a fast-ish pace

Probably too many miles so soon after the 1/2 marathon. Ran from our house up Memory Grove and City Creek to the 3 mile mark. Mentally, I was prepared to end at the end of City Creek...But it was a beautiful fall day, despite the cruddy air. Ran mostly behind Chad (pushing Jack) and Karen.