Cool Runnings!

AM - ran 3 miles on my own in 24:00, then another 3.5 with Sparky in 29:40 - 2(t_vbp) (for Sparky, not for me!). Felt very good, legs felt better after a good long scraping session last night. Right achilles still a little sore, and my left arch is also still a bit sore as well, but nothing bad enough to keep me from running. Continued stretching, massage and scraping will get me through, I think, as well nights with the sock on my left foot. Will do another 1.65 with the boys this evening. My plan for this week is to get in 50-51 miles, which will be the first week this year, I believe, where I have broken 50 miles. I am very excited about St. George, and feel I will be better prepared this year than ever before.

PM - ran 1 mile with Samuel in 10:15, then 0.65 miles with Joey in 6:50.  Joey is so funny - he pushes himself so hard that he starts to struggle, I tell him to slow down, and he replies back, "I just did", then off he goes again, and often ends up starting to run even faster.  He does well by himself, but doesn't deal well with failure against competition - he often just quits.  This is something I would like to work on with him. 

AM - ran 3.35 miles by myself in 26:00, then ran 3.3 miles with Sparky in 27:38 - t_vpb (Sparky). Both runs felt very good. I felt like I was really in a groove on my run - I started off nice and easy, and then after the first miles, just started hitting 7:40 miles without trying. I need to be careful and take it easy the rest of this week, especially since I am increasing my mileage.

PM - Lybi had taken the boys swimming when I got home, so I was able to get a quick 15-minute power nap.  It really helped the rest of the evening.  Ran 1 mile with Samuel in 10:14, then 0.65 with Joey in 7:05.

(ProGrid Guide - 149.9)

AM - 3 miles by myself in 24:00, then 3.35 miles with Sparky in 27:20.  Legs felt good, in spite of not quite getting enough sleep.

PM - ran 1 mile with Sam in 9:56, then 0.65 mi

es with Joey in 6:55. They both did really well today. It was pretty windy, so I held their hands whenever we ran into the wind.

AM - ran 3.5 miles by myself, then 3.5 miles with Sparky.  On my run, started out nice and easy for the first 1/2 mile, then after I was warmed up, I started hitting 3:5x 1/2 mile splits consistently, which felt very good.  On the last 1/2 mile, I decided to spice things up a bit, and was shooting for marathon pace, but overdid it just a bit and ended up with a 3:13 last 1/2 mile, more like 1/2 marathon pace.  Oh well, it still felt good to open up a bit.  Time for my run was 26:51, average pace of 7:40/mile, mostly due to the last 1/2 mile.  On my run with Sparky, no vpb stops today, we ran the 3.5 miles in 28:30, average pace of 8:09/mile.  Perhaps a little faster than I had wanted and a reason why he tried to slow down a couple of times.  Tomorrow I will need to take it a little easier with him.  Due to Webelos scouts this evening, I probably will not be able to get in a run with the boys today.

PM - was able to run with Samuel - 1 mile in 10:06.

(ProGrid Guide - 157.90)

AM - slept in a little because I didn't get to bed early enough, just had time to run with Sparky this morning. 3.5 miles in 29:20, average pace of 8:25/mile. My right calf was a bit sore this morning, but after about 1/2 mile, it loosened up. I will try to get it massaged tonight.

PM - ran 1 mile with Samuel in 10:01 - he did extremely well tonight.  Lybi joined us (unshod), and I think that helped him out a bit.  Then ran 0.65 with Joey in 7:00 flat, also with Lybi.  Had family scripture study, then helped get the boys to bed and ran another 2.5 by myself at 8:00 pace.  Legs are still a little sore.  My shin muscles are also sore, I think from Webelos scouts yesterday where the boys were finishing with their fitness pin and one of the exercises was the standing broad jump.  Me being the competitive person I am, I decided to jump with them.  I did something like 8'8" or something a bit more, but I'm pretty sure I gave my shin muscles a good workout they were not used to.  Should go away within a couple of days, with massage helping.

AM - 10 easy miles. 5 outside in 39:55, then 5 on the treadmill (so Lybi could run outside) in 40:37. Average pace for the total run was 8:03/mile. I got my calf massaged and scraped last night, and it feels better today, although I still have a knot in there that needs to be worked out. I also took the stick to my shin muscles, and although sore, they also feel better this morning.

On a side note, on the outside portion of my run, I passed by a pretty nasty accident. A semi and a car had somehow collided - don't know if it was head-on or not, but the police had the entire side of the road blocked off. I thought about this and how sometimes I feel a bit rushed on the road, and this leads to my feeling more tense than I should. I think there is a difference between driving the speed limit and feeling tense, and driving the speed limit and feeling calm and relaxed. This is what I want to be.

PM - ran 1 mile with Samuel in 10:02, then 0.65 with Joey in 6:40.  Both of them did very well. 

(ProGrid Guide - 169.55)

AM - 6.5 miles total at about 8:08 pace. First ran 3 miles by myself at 7:56 pace (including the first 1/2 mile being at about 8:30 pace), then ran 3.5 miles with Sparky at around 8:15-8:20 pace. Felt good, my calf feels better today (after having gotten tortured on Saturday by Lybi), and I still feel nice and fresh after my first 50-mile week this year. I am planning on adding a couple more miles this week, probably make my long run 12 miles, but nothing much more. Perhaps I will do a bit of tempo miles, depending on how I feel, but that's about it.

PM - 1 mile with Samuel in about 11:00, all of us unshod (look how Lybi has corrupted me!).  Actually, my theory was that perhaps running barefoot might help me to deal with the PF I have been experiencing by strengthening the arch and the muscles around the foot.  It certainly didn't feel bad at all.  I might try continuing this experiment the rest of the week.  Sam also ran barefoot (at his own insistence) and did very well.  We ran slower to help him learn about running barefoot and to pay closer attention to the surface and avoid stepping on rocks.  As it was, he still stepped on a few.  After Samuel, ran another 0.65 with Joey, also barefoot (and him too - same reason).  He also did very well.  I stepped on a pretty big rock this time, with it landing right in the middle of my arch - that kind of stung for a while, but went away after about 30 seconds.  We will see how this experiment works out.  I am excited, and if it helps me to run faster and stay healthy, then I am all for it.

On a side note, we are still trying to decide what to do about a 1/2 marathon for Lybi and one for me.  We are leaning towards one of us coming up for the Provo River 1/2 - either Lybi will fly up, or I will drive up.  Then one of us will either do the St. George 1/2 or there is also a 1/2 marathon up in Prescott (about 5100' elevation) that is actually fairly flat.  Sasha has already indicated he thought the Provo River 1/2 would be a good PR course for Lybi - gentle downhill for most of it.  And to tell the truth, I'm not too fussed either way - I am certain that I will be able to get a PR on either course, weather permitting.

Ran 5 miles outside this morning, without Sparky (Lybi got to run with the doggy today). I had decided last night that I was going to get in some MP effort on my run today. I had two goals going into the run: 1) maintain MP, which for me is currently 6:50 pace, and 2) be able to maintain proper form and good breathing. I think I was able to achieve both goals, although my second two miles were a bit too fast. Warmed up for the first mile in abouot 8:22, then started the tempo run. Below are my splits:

Mile	Time	Comment
1	6:52	This was absolutely perfect, exactly where I wanted to be. 1/2 mile splits were 3:27 and 3:25.
2	6:33	Oops - I didn't mean too run this fast, although it still felt good. It's almost as if I was getting warmed up the first mile, and then continued to speed up as I got into a groove. 1/2 mile splits were 3:17 and 3:16.
3	6:36	This would have been even faster than the second mile, had I not slowed down the last 1/2 mile (purposefully). First 1/2 split was 3:15, second 1/2 split was 3:21.

Cooled down the last mile in 7:41 (I thought I was running much slower), then came inside and finished with 2 nice easy miles on the treadmill at 8:30 pace.

So the good news is that it felt very good and sustainable. My breathing was good throughout, and I felt like I was able to maintain good form. This is a good sign to me that my fitness is greatly improved, as is my resting HR - have I mentioned before that my resting HR is now somewhere in the vicinity of 50 bpm (if not a little lower)? I am totally jacked about that. I don't remember the last time it was that low. My next race will be the Arizona Road Racers Summer Race Series #3 (another 5K) in July, and I am excited to see what I might be able to do at that race. I think I will be able to hit another PR, maybe dip under 18:00.

PM - ran 1 mile with Samuel, barefoot, he ran barefoot too, but didn't do as well today.  It turns out he ended up giving himself a blister.  We will have him run with shoes for a while.  Ran another 0.65 with Joey, he did good.

(ProGrid Guide - 176.55)

AM - ran 3 easy miles by myself at 8:05 pace, including the first 1/2 mile at 8:30 pace. Then ran 3.5 miles with Sparky at 8:18 pace (after a bit of calculation, since Lybi is using the Garmin right now). Total time for the run was something like 53:18, right around there. Lower legs were a bit sore today, probably a combination of the tempo run and the barefoot running. Otherwise I am feeling good.

PM - ran 1 mile with Samuel in 10:33, he was shod, we were not.  Then 0.75 with Joey, don't remember the time, but he ran barefoot as well.  Found a couple of slight blisters on the balls of my feet this evening, so no more barefoot running until they heal. 

AM - 5 mile easy run by myself in 39:33, then 2 more easy miles on the treadmill in 16:00. The pace on the outside portion felt nice and easy, although I could at times feel the blisters on the balls of my feet. Not very much discomfort - just enough to know that they were there. On the treadmill run, I started out at 8:30 pace for .25 miles, then increased the speed to 8:00 pace. I will admit that for the second mile, I bumped up the speed a little bit more just so I could average 8:00/mile on the treadmill :)

Another 1.65 or so planned with the boys this evening, but not barefoot. If I don't get to run with the boys because of Webelos Scouts (we have pack meeting today), I will just run a couple more miles, nice and easy.

PM - did not get the chance to run with the boys - we all went to pack meeting and didn't get back until about 7:30, which was time to read scriptures and get the boys to bed.  After the boys were down, I ran another 2 miles on my own at 8:00 pace.  Felt good, but my calves are both a bit tight, probably from the barefoot running.  I will abstain for a few days (I have to let the blisters heal anyways). 

(ProGrid Guide - 185.55)

AM - 3 easy miles by myself in 8:10 pace, then another 3.35 with Sparky at 8:16 pace.

PM - 1.65 miles by myself (I was asked by one of our friends to come help him move a piano they had just bought, and that consumed a fair amount of time, so I didn't get to run with the boys).  Helped to loosen up the legs.  Planning on 12 tomorrow morning (8 outside and then another 4 on the treadmill so that Lybi can run outside), then the normal run with the boys. 

AM - long run, 13 miles. Got up early, ran to the store to get some gels, on the way back had to stop at the gas station for a pit stop, then headed out. I had a small bottle full of gatorade with me, and one extra gel (I had eaten the other one as soon as I got out of the store). Got going, and got into a nice groove. I was running somewhere between 7:50-8:00 pace. Stopped halfway and took my other gel, finished most of the gatorade. I decided I don't like running with a bottle in my hand - it made my shoulders tense up and get kind of tight. I felt very good throughout the run. At 10 miles, I was starting to get kind of bored, so I decided I would do some MP miles to see how I could handle it at the end of a long run. I was originally thinking I would do the last 3 miles at MP, but after the first, two, I was pretty tired and decided to just cool down the last mile. First MP mile was in 7:10 - a little slow, but I was getting into a rhythm. Second MP mile was in 6:45 - more along the lines of what I was shooting for. Total time of 1:40, average pace of 7:41/mile. The Garmin was off because I didn't push the start/stop button when I stopped at the 1/2 way mark, so it kept recording. I took a minute off the total Garmin time, which is about how long I stopped.

When I got home, I found myself feeling absolutely ravenous. I went to the store and picked up some breakfast (protein drink, odwalla bar and gatorade). I also weighed myself, and was only 162.6, which is the lowest I have been since Lybi and I got married. Sasha and I had previously agreed that 50 mpw seemed to be the magic number for me, and I have really seen the pounds start to come off. I am so excited - I know that every pound I lose will make it that much easier for me to achieve my goal at St. George. I am very optimistic that I will be able to reach my goal of 155 by the time SGM rolls around.

This is also the highest mileage week I have had since I started running again, period.  I am feeling very good, will plan on maintaining this mileage next week, and then increasing a few more the week after that.  It also looks like we have made a decision on my 1/2 marathon - we will be going to Colorado Springs over Labor Day weekend and I will plan on running the ADT 1/2 marathon.  Although it is at altitude (6100 ft), it is a pretty flat course, out and back, so it should give me a pretty good indication of my fitness.

(ProGrid Guide - 198.55)

AM - ran 3 easy miles by myself at 8:00 pace, then another 3 miles with Sparky at 8:18 pace. I only ran 3 miles with Sparky because it was pretty hot, and he was panting pretty hard. Not sure if we will be running with the boys this evening - we have a heat advisory until 8 pm.

PM - ran 2.5 miles on the treadmill while Lybi ran outside.  Started off nice and easy, first mile at 8:30 pace, then increased the speed to 7:30 pace.  For the last 1/2 mile, I ran at 6:40 pace.  Felt good to get the legs turning over at a good rate. 

AM - ran 5 miles outside, then 2 inside on the treadmill. Kept a nice easy pace for the first 2.5 miles, turned around, and a little bit later decided I wanted to get in some MP effort miles. 2 MP miles, then cooled down the last 1/2 mile. It was already fairly hot out - almost 80 degrees at 4:50 AM. Gotta love those Arizona summers . . . the two miles on the treadmill were at 8:00 pace.

PM - ran another 2 miles on the treadmill at 8:00 pace.  Felt good, got into a good rhythm. 

(ProGrid Guide - 178.55)

AM - ran 4 miles on my own at 8:00 pace, including a nice easy warmup.  Took a little while for the legs to get warmed up and loose, in spite of the warm temperatures (it was 80 degrees when I went out this morning at 4:50 AM).  Came back and got Sparky, ran 3 miles with him at an average of 8:18/mile.  With the increased heat, we definitely have to be more careful with him in making sure he does not overheat.  Plan to run another couple of miles later in the evening.  It is now too hot in the afternoon to run with the boys, so we are just having them run on the treadmill.  So far they seem to be enjoying it.

AM - had to wake up at 4 am to do some work since I am on call this week, went back to bed afterwards and slept until 6:30.

PM - after Webelos scouts and getting the boys mostly down, I hopped on the treadmill (it was still more than 100 degrees outside and I didn't feel like overheating tonight). Felt very good tonight, especially after having fasted today in a ward fast. First 6 miles at 8:00 pace, then the last 3 miles at 7:30 pace. Total time was right around 1:11 for 9 miles, average pace of 7:53/mile. Sounds about right . . .

(ProGrid Guide - 187.55)

AM - ran 4 miles by myself at average pace of 7:48 (second mile was pretty fast because I needed to get back home and put some bodyglide on to avoid chafing).  After I came back out to finish my run, it took me almost a mile to get slowed back down to about 8:00 pace.  Then ran 3 miles with Sparky.  Average pace with him was more like 8:25 or so.  My legs felt a little flat this morning (makes sense, since I ran 9 miles last night), but no pain, other than the standard arch pain when I wake up.  I just stretch it a bit, and it usually feels better.  Gonna have to check out the discussion board today to get updates on the FRB teams running at WBR!

AM - long run. Started with 6 miles easy took a gel and some gatorade before I got going. Stopped back at the house at the 6 mile mark to take another gel and some gatorade. At the 7 mile mark, started my 4 mile MP tempo run. Splits were as follows:

Mile	Time	Comment
1	6:57	Hit the first 1/2 mile rigtht on target, second half I eased up a little bit.
2	6:33	Picked up the pace a little bit after the first mile and ended up running at 1/2 MP. Felt pretty good, but a little hard.
3	6:32	Straining a little here, especially since this was my 10th mile today already - started telling myself I only have x miles left. It worked - I was able to continue on at the same pace.
4	6:25	First 1/2 mile was 3:13, then I tried to pick up the pace a little bit to finish strong. Finished in 3:12 for the last 1/2 mile, was pretty wiped out after this last mile.

Cooled down the last mile - I was finally able to have a nice slow cool-down - 8 minute pace. Chugged the rest of my gatorade, and then took Sparky out for his 3-mile run. 3 miles in 26:28, average pace of 8:49/mile. I didn't feel like going any faster - in fact, my 3rd mile was the fastest one, and at that point I just wanted to be done. Total of 15 miles today, puts me at 55.5 for the week. I feel really good about this run, and for this week's mileage, and am ready to increase my mileage next week.

(ProGrid Guide - 202.55)

AM - ran 8 easy miles this morning - 5 miles on my own at 7:49 pace, then another 3 miles with Sparky at 8:30 pace.  Legs felt a little flat after the 15 miler on Saturday, and we also had dinner with Lybi's aunt and had steak there, and I was still feeling a bit sluggish from the dinner (yes, I ate too much . . .)  Overall a good run.  I have decided that I am actually going to cut back a bit this week and increase back up to close to 60 mpw next week, to make sure I avoid getting injured.  Probably on the low end of 50 miles this week, then something like 58 miles next week.

AM - 8 easy miles.  5 miles outside in 39:19, average pace of 7:51/mile, then another 3 miles inside on the treadmill, average pace of 8:00/mile.  Legs felt better today than yesterday.

PM - 8 miles on the treadmill after the boys were asleep.  I slept in a little bit this morning, because I stayed up too late, so no running in the morning.  Treadmill run felt good, felt good to get the run in.

PM - ran 3 miles outside with Sparky at 8:35 pace, then ran another 4 miles by myself at 7:50 pace.  Felt a little sluggish again, legs didn't feel real sharp, and it was fairly hot outside (about 90 degrees), but I was glad to get the run in.

PM - ran 3 miles with Sparky, average pace 8:36/mile.  It was hot outside - 95 degrees at 9:00 PM.  Came inside, got a drink and went to the treadmill.  4 miles on the treadmill.  First mile at 7:30 pace, then decided to get in some speedwork, 3 miles at MP - 6:50/mile.  Felt good to stretch the legs out, and my breathing was good as well.

AM - ran 8 miles early this morning. Started out at 8:30 pace, picked up the pace after the first mile, was running steady 8:00 pace or thereabouts. Legs were a bit tired from the MP effort last night and from having run only about 8 hours previously. On the last mile, I decided to pick things up again, ran the last mile in 6:40, on the high side of my MP. Afterwards, showered and went to the church to help the Elders Quorum move a family out of the ward. That took about 2 hours, during which we were moving some pretty heavy furniture, so I definitely got a good weightlifting workout from that. My arms are still sore from the work I did.

Today is our 11 year anniversary, happy anniversary Lybi! I am so grateful to be married to such a wonderful and beautiful woman.

Another 4 miles (hopefully) planned for later this evening.  However, if I don't get the chance to get in my second run, I won't be heartbroken . . . 

AM - 5 easy miles outside at 7:51 average pace, then 3 miles inside on the treadmill at 8:00 pace while Lybi ran outisde.  My legs felt fresher from the decreased mileage last week - almost a little too fresh.  Once I got into a rhythm, I found it very difficult to run any slower than about 7:50/mile, and it felt extremely easy, in spite of the temperature being about 90 degrees this morning (I thought it felt kind of hot . . .).  I feel ready to ramp up my mileage this week.  I am shooting for somewhere between 55-60 miles this week.