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-