Run

Majestic View club run: Last Monday morning club run of the season. Felt good and ran easy. Everyone's excited for the marathon.

It's kind of hard to taper when you really haven't run much in 2 months, but my original schedule said I was supposed to do 3 yesterday and 4 today. After 6 yesterday, I figured 3 today would be good. Ran over to our old house and back. Kept it pretty slow for the first 2 miles to get used to running around 9:00/mile, but was just itching to go faster and ran most of the 3rd mile around 7:00/mile. Saw a lot of runners out and put my sights on one up ahead and eventually caught up with Bishop Jolley. Ran the rest of the way in with him.

Feeling really good right now. Hopefully this marathon doesn't ruin me for the rest of the season. 

3.5 around the fields. On Washington Fields Rd where there were 2 dead skunks on the road yesterday I saw a small black shadow and then 2 green eyes. It scared the crap out of me and I screamed, but at least I didn't scream like a girl. Stupid cat! Can't believe it's still in the 60s in the mornings, but they say it should be cooling down in the next few days. No pain or real soreness.

2 easy miles just to calm the nerves. Not sure what to expect tomorrow given my (lack of) training since July. Plan is just to take it slow and keep hydrated and energized. At least there is no pressure to hit a certain time now. I know my legs are sure gonna hurt though.

Woke up at 4:00 and ate a slice of bread. Met the running club at the buses at 5:00. I sat next to Justin Snyder on the bus ride and had some bitter sweet feelings about what could have been at attempting for a sub-3, but also not feeling any pressure. It wasn't as cold as I anticipated at the start, so that was good. Peed twice before the start of the race and threw all my warm-up clothes in the truck as the race was starting. 

I crossed the start about 7 minutes after the gun, so I was in a pack of slow movers. Quickly came up on the 4:15 pacers and a huge pack that took forever to get through. Never saw the 4:00 pacers though. Peed behind a tree at about mile 5 and just took it easy to Veyo. I had been drinking a gatorade at every aid station and was just trying to keep hydrated for when the sun would come up.

The sun came up as I was coming up Veyo Hill, but I was able to just keep running, no walking yet. Did start walking a little - about 30 to 50 steps every mile or so - by the time I was going up Dammeron hill.  Peed again just before the half. My official 13.1 split was 1:54:55. About here my left knee started hurting pretty good, so I tried managing it by periodically walking and also some stretching, which seemed to help. 

Got some icy-hot near the top of Snow Canyon (I asked for some ibuprofin but they said they can't give anything orally). Just kept on trudging through Winchester and down the last steep hill. Those steep downhills hurt the most and my right knee started hurting too. But I never fatigued as I ate 3 gels total and oranges and bananas, and drank gatorade at every stop.

By the time I got to Snow Canyon Parkway I still felt really good and picked up the pace some with all the energy from the crowd giving me a boost. Mile 24 was 7:28, mile 25 8:17 and mile 26 8:14. Runpix says I passed 348 runners in the last 7.5 miles and was only passed by 19. Some of those guys I passed were really gassed; barely even moving.

As I finished I was running down the side giving high-fives to the spectators and totally missed Kami and the kids until I heard them yell my name and I turned around. Ironically, I high-fived them and didn't even realize it.

Was pretty sore in the legs after, but not too bad. Just some soreness in the hammys, but the quads and calves feel great. Knees a little sore too. Never got sick or winded, and I definitely did not hit and wall! Overall, happy how it turned out. I probably could have gone out faster, but I really had no idea where I was at given the last 3 months of injury and lack of training.

Since the 17 mile run on the 4th of July, I did 14 miles to Kolob Arch, the 10-miler where the injury first manifest, 15 miles on the course that only aggravated the injury at the end of July, pretty much nothing meaningful all of August and most of September, 8 miles last Saturday, and a few 5-6 milers. The goal today was not to re-injure the hip, and I think I succeeded. I might just try again next year.

Slept in this morning so it was light when I ran at 7:30 and the temperature was prefect. Unfortunately it's gonna start cooling off today and tomorrow. Just did the Indian Oaks 3 mile loop that I haven't done forever. Left hammy has a big sore knot in it and right metatarsal is a little sore, but otherwise I'm feeling pretty good.

Hoping to get on the trails Saturday morning. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so that should make it nice.

Finally back out on a trail. Did Mustang Pass and then about a mile up Washington Hollow from its jct with Mill Creek. Absolutely beautiful morning. Rain yesterday has wetted everything, but clear and sunny today. The fire burned through Mustang Pass burning everything in the reservoir area and north. Hopefully the weeds don't come back with avengence. Washington Hollow was a typical wash with lots of boulders and rocks, but would be fun to explore further up. It looks like you could go up from the Mill Creek jct about 3 miles, but from there its about 2 miles to a trailhead, so it would be 10 miles roundtrip. I'll have to put it on my to run list.

Started out south on the Fields Road and saw a pack of runners then immediately heard Pugmire so I slowed down and let them catch up: Pug, Richard, Tom and Brian. Ran with them around and then fell off at the Dam Road and home. Should have extended back to the park with them for the mileage, but I had a sideache. Plus I woke up with a headache. It felt like we were going pretty fast, but only about 7:30 to 7:40. I've slowed.

Ran over and met up with Brian, Pug and Richard and then ran the trail and Riverside to Maverik. I find the pace to feel quick, but then look at my watch and its only around 7:40. I guess I'm still recovering. Nice morning with perfect temps around 57.

Fields 5 mile loop. Concentrated on my form and upping the cadence. Averaged 7:22/mile, but that included a slow first mile and a shoe tie. Most of miles 2-5 were just over 7:00 so it felt nice to go a little faster. The hips seem to be a tad sore. I just need to make sure I don't sit too long and keep them stretched. It was a dark, lonely morning and I only saw one other runner (she was moving so slow I don't know if she was actually running though), one biker and a few walkers. Cooler too, in the 40s so I wore a long-sleeve and gloves for the first time.

Prospector & White Reef: Started from the Cottonwood trailhead at 7:00 and it was still pretty dark. Ran the eastern portion of Prospector, past the old pioneer house and movie set and then up White Reef trail. That was entirely on clay so it wouldn't be fun if wet! Looped around on a trail towards the Red Cliffs campground, stopped by some Anasazi ruins, then down the road back to Prospector.

Only saw one guy on a bike (and some campers in the campground). It was nice watching the red cliffs light up from the sunrise. The right hammy is a bit sore, so I need to take it easy for a little to let it recover. Legs were pretty tired by the end of the run. We then went to Zion had a picnic and hiked Emerald Pools. Its a pain in the butt to take the kids anywhere, but its important to create some memories for them.

Majestic View run from the park with Bryan, Pug, Richard & Tom. Warm morning around 62, but dark and we saw some shooting stars. Held back with Lindsey as I don't want to push it right now as my body is still recovering. Right hip a tad sore. Hammy still sore, but felt fine at slower pace.

Running Center: ran down to the park to see if any of the guys were there. Richard was just leaving, so he flipped around and ran with me. We pushed the pace pretty good averaging around 7:15. Passed Pug on Fields Rd on the way back. Cooler today, around 51, but the forecast said in the 40s, so warmer than expected. Also, although there was no moon out, it seemed pretty bright.

Fields 5 mile loop: dark, cold (45, wore tights, gloves and beanie). Just relaxed working on arm movement, etc. 7:30 avg.

Across the bridge, down Riverside and the trail to River Rd, and then back on the south side. It as so cold, I could never warm up. Was 41 when I left and 39 when I got back. Passed a pack of girls on the River Rd bridge. There was about 5 of them and the first couple saw me and moved over. The last one wasn't paying attention and about ran right into me. Kinda funny. Now it's gonna take all day to warm back up.

Ran down and met up with Bryan, Richard and Pug and then ran down around Skyline Meadows. Bryan is getting over a cold, so I held back to run with him. Feeling like I have a little more energy since I missed Monday because I was so tired.