Duathlon - 1:51:34 - 2011 Legacy Duathlon - 2nd AG - 17th overall - (Run 5K, Bike 22m, Run 5K)
Short-Term Running Goals:
50K 2011 Buffalo Run!
50 Miler 2011 Pony Express Trail 50
Zion Train
Grand Canyon R2R2R
Long-Term Running Goals:
Just keep swimming...just keep swimming...but running.
Personal:
I'm a happily married guy with a 5 year old son. I started running on February 1st, 2010 with the goal of completing a triathlon (my one and only "official" race prior to that was the "Centerville half mile fun run" when I was about 8) In that following year I lost nearly 50 lbs, completed the triathlon, numerous 5Ks, 10Ks, bike races, and really started to lean towards running over the other two (though I still cross train with both).
I grew up hiking and riding horses in the mountains, so I've been drawn to take my running to the trails - and haven't looked back! I run them every chance I get, which is about 90% of the time!
Back at it. Decided that I at least need to get some kind of workout in during the day at work and then add on where and when I can. We've got a decent little gym here, and while its not ideal (especially on a day like today!) it does make it nice for getting a quick workout in.
250 meter row
Run 1 mile, treadmill (9:00)
250 meter row
Run 1 mile (8:30)
250 meter Row
Run 1 mile (8:00) - ran it fairly easy at first and then gradually picked up the pace until the end I was at 12 mph, 5 min/mile pace.
Knees felt a little tender right at the beginning, but once they got warmed up they felt fine. Will probably lay off gnarly downhills for a bit until I feel like they are back to normal. Didn't feel a thing on the sciatic.
Had to get a run in while the weather was still nice! Ran the west side BST in City Creek, took it nice and easy and just enjoyed the trail. Achilles felt fine, sciatic is good, knee still a little tender-mostly afterwards, but almost normal. This was my first time on this trail - I always knew it was there, but wasn't sure how far you could take it - thanks to MrK for running it and reminding me that it's still there. I liked it a lot, definitely one you could run fast if you wanted to push it.
MattyV and I headed out for an early morning jaunt up at Muller Park. Arriving shortly after 7, we were the first ones to hit the trail, which meant we were breaking trail and clearing trees the whole time. Nearly 2 feet of snow made for slow going, but it was a beautiful morning and had a great time. By the time we were back to the bottom enough people had been in the lower part that it was pretty tracked out. Show up there after 9am (even during a storm) and the trail will usually be beaten down pretty well.
Met up with the fellas (Scott and MattVH) at the Grandeur trail head at a leisurely 5:30am. Shortly thereafter we started our way up the west trail, and in no time we were in the snow - and there was plenty of it. What there wasn't an abundance of though, were tracks. Oh, there were one or two sets as we started our way up, but those slowly faded and then soon we were left with none. Up we went, breaking trail in the knee to hip deep snow (it really all matters where you step!). Early on I slipped and racked my knee on a rock. It hurt for a minute, but after moving for a bit, the pain went away. Parts of the trail were covered in soft powder, while other sections had a nice, crisp, razor sharp top layer that protected the powder, but slices right into your exposed ankles (I gotta get some long socks!).
It was slow going, but we were having a great time and the weather was absolutely perfect. Scott and Matt just kept me laughing (or shaking my head) the whole time. Apparently at some point the blood from my knee made its way through my pants and was rubbing on the snow with each step (since it was at least knee deep). I couldn't figure out where I was bleeding from (had totally forgotten about the knee) but left a nice trail that looked like a wounded animal was trouncing through the snow. Good thing there were no hungry sharks around.
We hit the top in a laughably slow time, and took a minute to eat a gel and enjoy the perfect weather. We decided that we wouldn't try for the loop, given the time constraints and that we could see that no one had come up from Church Fork yet either, so we just headed right back down the way we came. Funny, it is MUCH, much faster to run down that it is up! There were a few sketchy parts up higher where there are lots of rocks (that you can't see), but once past those I just kind of let it go a little and bounded down the hill having a grand ol' time. I'd look back and see Scott and Matt up on hill setting up a quick video shot or wrestling in the snow. My legs were feeling tired, but I was having fun!
Was delayed for a minute right near the end while I stood on the trail while a dog barked and growled at me until the owner could come and move him out of the way. Sure, I know he "just barks"...
Great morning - ankles are all sore and swollen from the 'gap' effect between my socks and pants, but I'll take it!
Found a little time this afternoon to meet up with Jun and hit Mt Wire. Beautiful day, took it pretty easy and had a nice chat on the way up. I had to get back so I headed down while Jun continued on the other for some more running. Wish I could have kept going, this kind of weather makes you want to run all day. Conditions were perfect for wire - not muddy, but wet enough that you have a little grip coming down. Casual 51 min up and a little less casual 20 min down.
Turkey Leg 5k (3.1 Miles) 00:21:41, Place overall: 23, Place in age division: 23
Running Miles
Swimming Yards
Bike Miles
4.00
0.00
0.00
Turkey Leg 5k
Great way to start the Thanksgiving morning. Had pretty much my entire family (that was around) running in this race. Caught MattVH just before the start to say hello, and then the countdown began and we were off. Took off plenty fast, but waited a little for my brothers to catch up and then we took off. Felt decent the entire time, just not very fast. My brother had a kick at the end that I couldn't match, and ended up beating me by a good 10 seconds. I was about a minute slower than last year, which isn't too surprising - I've got at least 10 more lbs on me than I did last year... Found my wife and ran the last half mile or so in with her, she was able to get a nice strong finish in. Great morning.
Jun came up for a black Friday run, and my brother and MattVH were able to join in as well. We decided we wanted to stay in the sun, so we thought a Flag Rock iteration would be good. Started at Farmington pond and hit the north side trail up to the rock. From there we headed up the mountain instead of taking the south trail back down. I thought I had heard this goes a ways up, but it wasn't too long before we were out of trail and hunting around. Instead of turning around, we just kept going thinking that we'd run into a trail, but ended up running through a whole lot of scrub oak. Scrapes and scratches galore. Ended up coming across a faint trail that headed back towards Flag Rock, so we took that (instead of following it down, which probably would have been faster...) and then ran back the way we came. Craig and MattyV flew down the switchbacks and then we just took it easy back to the cars.
Absolutely ridiculous but fun way to spend black Friday. I know I'd rather be wrastling with some scrub oak than fighting over a deal on a toaster.
