Jupiter Peak Steeplechase

Well, after little deliberation I decided I may as well run Jupiter Peak. I figured, how tough could it be, it's only 16 miles with 8 of the 16 being down hill. Oh boy...was I wrong. Thankfully, I have a boss, whom is even more masochistic than I am, so one mention of the race, and he was on board. Neither one of us had any idea what to expect, other than we had to climb 3000 feet to the top of a 10000 foot mountain. I had no idea how high 3000 vertical feet was. The first 8 miles were a constant ascent, and then when we were almost to the top, it got really interesting. The slope increased to what seemed like an 75 degree angle. I swear the last 1/4 mile was the steepest grade a person could do without using climbing gear. Well, we finally made it to the top, which took almost 2 hours. Then, we start the descent, and all of a sudden, to make things more fun, there is another damn mountain to climb. So, when I finally made it to the top of this second mountain my legs are telling me that they are going to call it quits if there's a third ahead. By this time my hips and glutes are screaming, and all I can think is shit... I still have 8 more miles. We finally start the actual descent I am just cruising, making up for the previous 2:15, which was covered in a pace just quicker than a snail. All was going well, until about 3 miles remaining. By this time my quads are now screaming, coupled by the numb glutes and hips. This is the steepest and farthest I have ever run down, and now all I can think about is how much I would like to take a break and go back up hill for awhile. How sick does that sound? Yes, the down hill ended up causing me surprisingly more grief the the up. Finally, when I feel that I cannot take much more punishment, and the blister on my heel is ready to burst, I brake through the dense foilage and see that I am within 1/2 mile of the fini
sh. At this point there is nothing left to do but let gravity carry me the rest of the way. So, when I made it to the end, there was my family cheering me on, and my little boy ran up and gave my a huge hug - now that was one great day!!

Back at it!

So, after almost a 4 month hiatus from blogging I figured I should get back at it, since I am able to train consistently again. I was able to log a little over 25 miles this week, which puts me at around 480 miles for the year. This is quite a bit behind goal, but if I can average around 102 per month for the rest of the year I should be able to make goal. I was amazed at how long it took me to get back to this level again - damn mountain. Now, I am dumb enough to contemplate running another trail race, which would have steeper inclines/declines than the race that injured me. I probably will forgo the race, and choose a safer alternative. Anyhow, I am just glad that I am able to actual log 20 plus miles a week again. Hopefully, if all works out, I should be logging over 30 per week by early August.

Buffalo Run

Finally, the day has arrived. Today was the 25k trail run on Antelope Island. So, going into this I did not know what to expect. I knew there were going to be a couple hills to climb, but how high they would be was a mystery. It turned out that there were two MOUNTAINS to climb, and many smaller hills. If you have been up to Brighton there are a couple lakes you can hike to in approximately a half hour, depending on you pace. Well, the vertical footage of those hikes what I had to do twice today. Fun stuff! I don't want to complain though. For being my first trail run, I thought it was so much fun, I will definitely do this run again. Then, add in a little more abuse, the run ended up being 16.2 miles, instead of the 15.5 it was supposed to be. This may not seem like much of a diffence, however, when you are giving it everything you have left and find out the end is .7 miles further than expected it can be a little discouraging. Oh well, I survived to tell the story. I'm not sure how I placed, because of the difficulty I dont' know what a good time is. All I know is that the course record is just under 2 hours, which makes me feel pretty good about my pace. Anyway, happy trails! I'll be posting photos soon.

Final long run

Today was my final long run prior to the 25k. My plan today was to run somewhere between a half-marathon and fourteen miles. The run ended up being 13.2. This was such a difficult run. The first 9 miles were rather enjoyable. However, the entire 6.6 back home was into a fairly stiff breeze, so for the remaining 4 plus miles I had to zone out and forget about fighting the wind and knee pain. When I finally made it home I thought I was going to black out; I don't think I took enough water and GU with me. At least it happened this time and not during the race. Thankfully there will be a couple stations to refuel. Well, I guess I just log mid-range runs from here to March 28.

2 weeks away

So, it is now down to the final two weeks before the 25k. I have stuck with my plan fairly well thus far, and by the end of Sunday my mileage for the year should be around 220. Tomorrow will be my longest, and final long run before the race; 14 miles. I'm hoping it's not going to be as windy as predicted. Last weekend I ran in the wind, and was amazed at the difference my pace is when I have a headwind vs. a tailwind. I think I averaged 1:15 per mile faster with the tailwind. If only I could run the 25k with the wind at my back the entire time. How great would that be? My guess is that there will be wind, since the island is in the middle of nowhere. Oh well, I'll just grit my teeth, put my head down, and chug along. Well, I guess I better get ready for work. "Waddle on", as the great John Bingham states.

Retiring my 1223s

After my long run yesterday, the IT band in my left leg was sore. This was a little concerning because my left leg has been fine for months. Then, I relized my shoes had 366 miles on them, and their life is probably over. So, Stacy, Coly and I went to the New Balance store to purchase a new pair of 1223s for me, since they are being discontinued, and are on sale. But, of course, they were sold out of my size. I decided to try to on their successor, the 1224s. They felt great! Unfortuneately, they cost as much as a small country. Damn flat feet. You see, with my flat feet, there are only a few shoes that feel good, and can handle the high mileage running, and they all seem to be in the upper price range of running shoes. So, we bought the 1224s, hopefully they'll last as long as their predecessor, then I won't feel like I got screwed. Additionally, we ended up buying Coly some NB too, the little N's on the side light up when he walks- he loves 'em! When he's sitting in his carseat he shakes his feet to watch them glow. Ahh, the little things.

Longest run to date.

So, Saturday I set out for my run with a goal in mind, to find the end of the Jordan River Parkway trail running north from my house. I run until I hit the end at the south regularly, but never to the north. Well, I hate to say it, but I still don't know where it ends. I ran 12 2/3 miles on Saturday, and could not find any end in sight. I did however find a few dentention facilities I never new existed. Additionally, while jaunting past a particular area I remembered a story that a co-worker of mine read to me. The newspaper article was published back in October, and it stated that the police had arrested 8 men there for ludeness; yes they were all naked. All I could think about is what would I do if I ran into a group like this. Well, the only logical thing I could think of was, keep running; only faster. The only problem would have been is that it was near the 4 or 8 mile mark, respectively. So, I don't think I would have had enough fuel to out run someone that wasn't weighed down by woven fabrics. Another interesting thing occured on the run. When I neared my turn-around point I did not know where I was, so I wanted to keep running until I reached a landmark or address. So, I found this square shaped building with a bronze dome, and a 1/4 crescent sticking out of the top of the dome. Now I am not a religion expert, but I recalled the crescent being a symbol for Muslims. It turned out, I was correct. When I returned home Stacy found it online, it was located near 2400 south. So, it was a good day, since I wasn't chased by any fig and berries, and I found something I did not know existed. Good Times. It's amazing what you can see when you explore on your feet.

Less than 6 weeks to go.

So, six weeks from yesterday I will be running the 25k. For the last month, my long runs have been near or above double digits in miles. This was not one of my better weeks. I only ran three times, and came up .75 miles short of my weekly goal total of 19.25. I figure there is not point of dwelling on it though. However, what really concerns me about the 25k are the two 700 foot hill climbs and decents. I run minor hills on every run, but 700 feet, I went on hikes last summer that had the same elevation gain. Thus, to combat my anxiety about the hills I have decided to go running near my father-in-law's home the next couple of weeks. He lives next to Bountiful Ridge Golf Course, and if you have been there you know that the entire area is made up of hills. I'm not sure there is a flat spot. As for today's run, it was my long one for the week, since I did not run yesterday due to snow. The run was my proverbial out-n-back. Today's out was into a 15 mile an hour wind, which I believe caused the temperature to dip into the low twenties. At one point I was wondering if my man appendage was going to freeze off. Which caused me to recall an article I read which stated that the weener is one of the most likely body parts to develop frost bite, OUCH!!! This thought conjured another. Those in the family I'm sure remember the infamous furry jock that was a white elephant gift one year at Christmas. However, instead of it being used to keep the boys toasty, it was termed, "Grandma's Hand Warmer." What a visual!! Anyway, that's probably a good enough thought to part with. -ciao-

What a great day to run!!

I could not have asked for better conditions for running today - the ground was moist, air temperature was in the mid forties....PERFECT. Today, I got back to my Saturday long run routine. My goal was to run 11 miles, no matter how sore my knees and legs would get. Thankfully, all the stretching and long runs must be paying off because I felt much better with this run than I did with the 9 1/2 mile jaunt two weeks ago. One main reason may be that I didn't feel the need to vomit the entire run, like I had prior. The reason being is that I did not drink any Ensure. You see, my boss, whom is training for the 50 miler told me that he drinks Ensure when he runs because it is a quick way to consume calories. So, I figured I would give it a try. Well, I don't know how he does it. That liquid meal replacement takes FOREVER to digest, not to mention the privilege of having the runner's trots afterward. Hence, this week I decided to forgo the milky beverage and stick to GU and Gatorade. What a difference. I think I could have kept running, if I wasn't afraid of stepping up my mileage too quickly. Well, to date, I have logged almost 112 miles, which equates to roughly 2.95 miles per day. At this pace I should reach my goal with room to spare. HOORAY!!!

One month down!

So, after the first month of the year I am still on pace to reach 1000. For January, I logged 85.7 miles, which equals approximately two miles more than I need to average per month. However, I intend to increase my mileage over the next eight weeks, so my legs are acclimated for the 25k. Then, if all goes well in the 25k, I will likely begin training to run a full marathon at the end of the year. This weekend I tried something new with my training, instead of one long run, I logged two runs of seven miles. While seven miles is not very far, considering the 25k will be more than twice the distance, I wanted to see how my body would respond to a shortened recovery time. The results were very encouraging. I ran Sunday's seven two seconds per mile faster than Saturday's. While two seconds does not seem like much, I feel it is a sign that my long runs are finally paying off.

Running in a typhoon!

Well, after purchasing the foam sadistic device last week, I was able to run almost ten miles on asphalt without much pain yesterday, and follow up with a 5k today. Prior to using the cylinder my IT Band would become excrutiatingly sore after approximately seven miles, and I would not be able to run the following day. This gives me great hope. There is now two months until I run the 25k, and with a little more effort and stretching I think I may make it. As for my goal of reaching 1000 this year, I am sitting at 74.5, with almost a week left in the month- right on track!

Finding a solution

So, yesterday I ran for an hour and forty minutes, and as always, my IT band became sore after approximately 8 miles. This is starting to get a little tiresome, so I went to Sal Lake Running Co. to get some advice. First, was the usual response, replace your shoes. Next, the salesman brought out a foam tube that I use to roll my outer thigh over. Now, this may not sound like much, however, while performing the motion it feels like a dagger is being jabbed into the muscle. Whew, once it is over though, your leg feels fresh again. Great investment! I'm not saying this is the cure all, but I think this is one promising step forward. Hopefully, by including this and a consistent stretching routine I'll be able to run the 25k in March, and maybe even a full marathon at the end of the year.

Still goin Strong!

Well, after approximately 2 weeks I have accumulated 42.3 miles, which puts me on track for 1015. I ran outside for the first time this week since it started snowing in mid-December. I expected to get winded quickly, but I started out slowly to let my body adjust, and actually ran a decent pace. It's amazing how boring a treadmill seems after running in nature. Some days I wish I lived close to a forrest, so I could spend more time letting my mind wander as I coast through the trees, maybe some day.

1 week into 2009

So, I have gotten off to a decent start for the year. For the first week I logged 23.5 miles, which puts me 4.25 over the pace I need to have to reach my goal. For some this may seem like a modest number, however, for me, I think it is the most distance I have logged in one week. I do intend to increase my mileage gradually, and hopefully around fall I will be logging in the 30 mile range. If I reach the 30 range I may just step it up from that point an begin training for my first full marathon, we'll have to wait and see. Overall, I am feeling quite stong and healthy at this point.

Day 3

Today is the third day in my quest to 1000. The last few weeks I have been running indoor on a track because of the weather. The track is 1/10 of a mile, which creates many turns. I have noticed on my past long runs that my IT Band was sore after about six miles. Today I ran on the track in the opposite direction, and viola, no knee pain. Hopefully this will give me some temporary relief while I strengthen my ITB - I am meeting with a PT next week to learn a few exercises.

Happy New Year!

Today was day one of my task of reaching 1000 miles for 2009. I started off with a moderate 5. I would have gone longer, but think I am coming down with a cold. Hopefully, with a little luck, it will be gone by Saturday, in time for my long run.