Saturday, January 28, 2012

Week of January 22

Sunday - Once again I took the day off.  Karen and I went up to Powder Mountain and did some boarding.  Great snow.  They got about four feet in three days.  Miles - 0.0

Monday - Did a couple of workouts today.  I hit the gym at lunch and ran four miles at about an eight minute pace on the mill.  After work I went to the gym again and ran five miles on the track.  Roughly the same pace.  Ended up being a tempo kind of day.  Miles - 9.0

Tuesday - Had some errands to run so I only managed to get in three miles on the mill.  Better than nothing I guess.  Miles - 3.0

On a dorkier note.  I looked over the weather data from my weather station for 2011 and here's the highlights.
Precipitation - 22.09"
High temp outdoor - 109.4 deg F on June 23 (erroneous, the temp sensor gets afternoon sun in the summer.  I need to correct that, probably closer to 102 deg F).
Low temp outdoor - +2.2 deg F on Feb. 2.
High temp indoor - 83.2 deg F
Low temp indoor - 53.3 deg F (must have been on vacation)
High humidity outdoor - 97% on March 7
Low humidity outdoor - 10% on July 3
High dewpoint outdoor - 70.1 deg F on Aug. 1
Low dewpoint outdoor - -10.4 deg F on Feb. 2
Maximum wind gust - 58.8mph on Dec. 1
I wish I had graphs because graphs are way cool, however, I'm having issues with downloading the data to my computer.  They don't want to communicate.

Wednesday - Another day on the mill, but at least I did some intervals.  6 x .5 @ 7:00 pace.  Miles - 6.0

Thursday - Another day where I couldn't get the miles in that I wanted.  Ended up on the mill again at lunch, then errands after work.  At least I pushed the pace some.  Miles - 4.0

Friday - Hit the gym at lunch again and did a few on the mill.  Then at last, some trail time after work.  Went north from Rainbow for about 2.5 then turned around.  Saw Bj and his new puppy out.  Cute.  Miles - 9.0 (943' vert)

Saturday - Ran the Kahtoola Bigfoot Snowshoe Festival race today.  I did the 25K.  Time was 3:29.  Yeah, on a flat dry road, that time would probably have been under two hours, but there were snowshoes on my feet, snow on the ground and about 2100' of gain. 
Still, it was a gorgeous day, sunny and cold, about 10 at the start and warming up to around 25 when I got done.  My lovely wife Karen did her first race ever today.  She ran the 5K and did awesome.  Came in 2nd place female and 1st in her age group.  When she saw who the 1st place female was, she said that she was not too far behind her and if she had known, she could have pushed it and taken first place female.  Still, not too bad for a first race.  Here's the Garmin plot  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/145378238  Miles - 15.5 (2179' vert)

Miles for the week - 46.5
Vert - 3122'

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Week of January 15

Sunday - Did nothing running wise.  After the fun on Saturday I decided to give the legs a day off.  Instead I spent the day working on the barn and playing in my shop.  Miles - 0

Monday - Hit the gym at lunch for the first workout.  Since school was out, the track was open so instead of a t-mill run, I went for four miles on the track.  I kept the pace high enough for it to qualify as a tempo run.  I was feeling it in my legs going up the stairs at work this afternoon.  We'll see how the afternoon run there goes.  Probably slower.  Well, the afternoon run was actually pretty good.  My legs were feeling the noon run so I was a little concerned that after woork would just be slow and easy.  Nope, did another five miles at a tempo pace.  Now I'm really feeling the effects.  Oh well, that's how you get faster.  Miles - 9.0

Tuesday - Wimped out of an after work run on the trails.  Too cold for me.  Instead I did the track at the gym.  Only went five miles, but I did push it.  I feel like I'm getting faster than I have been for a few years.  Miles - 5.0

Wednesday - Did the gym thing twice.  At lunch I did four one-mile repeats at 7:30 pace with a .25 rest in between.  After work I came home and ran another 3.5 on the mill while dinner was cooking.  Dinner needs to cook longer so I can get more miles in.  Miles - 8.0

Thursday - Only had time for the gym today.  Did four on the mill at around an 8:30 pace.  Miles 4.0

Friday - Sigh, another mill day.  Did five on the mill at home at 8:15 pace, the last mile was at 7:45.  Spent most of the day at the winter outdoor retailer show.  Lots of cool stuff companies are trying to sell.  Miles - 5.0

Saturday - Yet another t-mill day.  It dumped rain all day long, then turned to snow.  Kind of glad I didn't go out in the stuff.  Hope I can get out some next week.  Miles - 10.0

Miles for the week - 41.0
Vert for the week - 0'

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Week of January 8th

Sunday - Had big plans to go out and do a 20 mile road run today.  My thought process was that I needed to get out and get used to running a lot of miles at a steady pace and non-stop, no walking or hiking allowed.  With the Salt Flats 100 coming up in April, there's going to be a lot of flat ground to run on.  No sense in walking it when I can run it, provided I've trained to do that.  Well, anyway, after I got up, I saw that the outside temperature was 9 degrees.  Now I'm a wimp when it comes to running in cold weather.  I just don't like it.  Down to about 30 I'm fine, below that and I get cold.  So running outside with the temp. in single digits wasn't going to happen.  So, next option?  The treadmill.  I've done a lot of really long runs on that thing.  I even did a 50K one time just to see if I could do it.  So I thought 20 miles wouldn't be a problem.  I turned on Spike TV to watch the Sunday morning car shows and set the mill at a roughly 8:30 pace and took off.  Things went really well until about 15 miles.  By then, my ankle was starting to act up and I knew that an additional five was out of the question.  No sense in hurting myself just for an additional few miles.  So I called it after about 16.5 miles.  Did it in about 2:20, so I was happy with that.  I had the mill set to a 1% grade as well just to help simulate the road.  Karen hopped on the mill when I got done and had big plans to do six miles.  She bailed after about five, said something about it being really, really boring.  Miles - 16.5 (0' vert)

Monday - Got a note from Scott Mason today.  2012 Wasatch Speedgoat Mountain Racing Team is on.  Good to hear.  I like being a part of that team.  We have some great runners, and others (like me) that do ok.  Looks like we have a couple of new sponsors, Stoic Gear being one of them.  They're providing us with shirts and shorts. 
Now on to the running.  After yesterday's issues with the ankle, I was a little concerned about running today.  I went for four miles on the t-mill at lunch at just under a nine-minute pace.  The ankle didn't bother me.  I could feel it, but no big deal.  Just need to remember to ice the thing down a couple times a day.  Miles - 4.0 (0' vert)

Tuesday - Was going to go out for about eight after work, but didn't.  Went to luch with an old high school friend and the meal wasn't sitting well with me.  I decided a day off wasn't a bad thing.  Miles - 0

Wednesday - Stomach felt much better, I think it was just indigestion.  Hit the t-mill at the gym at lunch.  Did 10 x .25 repeats at about a 6:30 pace.  0.10 walk in between.  After work I hit the trail from 22nd street.  Knowing it would be snowy and icy, I wore my Hokas.  Now most of you know that Hokas aren't the greatest as far as traction in snow and icy.  In fact they pretty much suck.  But I put sheetmetal screws into the soles of mine.  Just short little 1/2 inch ones.  That made all sorts of difference.  I didn't really slip or slide at all.  And I actually got back to my car before the need for my headlamp.  Days are definitely getting longer, spring is just around the corner........and down the block a ways.  Miles - 10.6 (778' vert)

Thursday - Went to Rainbow hoping to meet with everyone.  Missed them as they started before I got there.  I did meet everyone out on the trail though.  Eight made it tonight.  Nice sunny afternoon and we managed to get back before dark.  Miles - 6.3 (1160' vert)

Friday - Took the day off again.  Wasn't in the mood and I figured that with a 20 mile run coming up on Saturday, I could afford to take the day.  Miles - 0

Saturday - Went out with about 12 friends and did almost 21 miles.  Started at 22nd street and went south to the Beus trail, then turned around and went north of 22nd street to the canal road.  Gorgeous day, little cool to start but warming up nicely to the mid 40's.  Beer and pumpkin bars in the parking lot after.  Way fun.  Here's the Garmin link.  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/141880998 Here's a couple pics as well.  Miles - 20.8 (3537' vert)

Ben Lomond Peak in the distance

Some of the motley crew at inspiration point above Ogden


Karen, my lovely wife came out and ran 10 miles

Over the shoulder shot of some of the crew

Totals for the week
Miles - 58.2
Vert - 5475'

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Week of January 1, 2012

Sunday - New Year's Day.  A whole mess of us (12) went for a New Year's Day.  Most everyone went 12 miles, but Karen and I ended up going about 8.6 miles.  Her furthest run ever.  She did great.  We ended up having a party in the parking lot after the run.  Lots of fun on a gorgeous new Year's Day.  Miles - 8.6 (1474')

Monday - Went out for a few with some of the guys.  Rainbow north, the usual.  We went to the canal road and back.  Kind of cool and windy at the mouth of the canyon, but once the sun came out it was nice.  After that, Kevin and I went out to Stansbury Island to kill some gourds.  Yep, we took the guns and some left over Thanksgiving decorations and repeatedly shot them.  They were evil gourds and deserved to die.  Plus it was a ton of fun.  We also shot some terroristic pieces of scrap wood.  They won't bother us anymore either.  Nothing says fun like spending money throwing high velocity lead downrange.  Miles - 7.75 (1568')

Tuesday - Went for a nice easy run with Karen starting at Rainbow.  We were hoping to meet up with a couple others, but we got there late and never saw them.  Gorgeous day, I ran in shorts.  Who knew you could do that in January here in northern Utah.  Miles - 5.2 (927')

Wednesday - Lunch, ran 3 x 1 mile at 7:47 or faster.  Warmed up with a .5 easy run and ran each mile with a .25 walk or slow jog in between.  Did the obligatory pull ups and situps after that.  Hit the gym again after work and got a few miles in on the track.  Had big plans to push the pace, but ended up only pushing for a mile or so.  The rest of the time was fairly easy.  Miles 9.1 (0')

Thursday - Met at Rainbow again.  This time we had a pretty good group, maybe eight or so?  We went out to almost the canal road and back.  Most of us pushed it a little.  Felt good.  The weather was great, mid 40's to start, cooling off a little by the time we got done.  On the way back a couple of us went flying down the trail, managed around a 6:30 pace.  It was dusk so I was getting a little worried about going down hard.  Makes you concentrate on your footing a little more when you're doing something like that.  Miles - 7.56 (1407')

Friday - Hit the trail with Karen for a few after work.  Started at 22nd street and went south.  Cut down Strong's Canyon adn came back on the low trail.  Sure cooled off after dark.  Miles - 5.7 (1100')

Saturday - Didn't run today.  Had to take Kevin to the airport so he could go back to Grand Forks and school.  The rest of the day was spent taking dwon Christmas decorations and cleaning house. 

Miles for the week - 43.8
Vert - 6476'