Kendall

Foothills run. Better speed today.

Vert: 1,110

AP: 8.14

Run from work up Jordan River Trail north.

Slow run down Jordan River Trail from work.

Good run up Jordan River Trail to Redwood Road down new 2100 North. Ran down embankment back on to trail and back to work.

3 miles under 7 mm pace (good for a slow ultra guy like me).

Vert: 800'

AP: 7:55

Run from home connecting to the BST jumping in about mile 6 of the Timpanogos Marathon course. Followed course up face (north of Grove Creek) until hitting the meadow and spring. Filled up bottles and continued up and over Big Baldy. Crossed a couple of snow fields but what a contrast to last year at this same time.

Decent speed down from Baldy until groin started hurting. Legs felt good but I've been getting this tightness/soreness and pulling in the groin and lower stomach. 

Nice training run and a beautiful day.

New Goal: More stretching...I should say "stretching" period, as I never do. Need to strengthen core in anticipation for Wasatch and other longer runs carrying water, etc.

Vert: 5,377'

I've been thinking about taking my 8 mi route weekday routine up to 10 prior to the longer Fri & Sat runs.

I like simple straight forward and even number routes. I'm close to the perfect 10 mile route going from work (Thanksgiving Point) to Redwood Road via JRPT (Jordan River Parkway Trail) up through the Jordan Narrows.

Today ran .2 short of 10 from my door (work) and ran around the parking lot until hitting 10. I think I know where I can find .2 without getting too cute.

Found my 10 mi route at work. Slightly over, may modify one hill section (up over the hill instead of around).

Hot, slow poor running day--low on energy and fuel. Didn't get into a rythme until around mile 6, ending up okay.

Nice evening run up in the hills. Met up with a guy named Ariel from Uruguay coming up the steep hill just up from the Orem cemetary. I caught up with Ariel and he asked how far I was going and as it turns out it was about the same distance. Ariel was (still is) an amazing runner in his day in Uruguay, bronze medalist in National Championships and narrowly missed Olympic qualifier. He's now 49, has a large family and works and resides in Orem. Just qualified for Boston and will be running UV Marathon in June.

So Ariel and I we went on a nice run up the hill to the fire road and north to the gate (4 mi). At this point, I asked Ariel if he was in for a bomber 2 mi loop down the dragon's back and up the other side. He was "in" so we went off. See-sawed with some novice mountain bikers. I was much fast downhill and he's a quick flat road guy so we went back and forth for the next few miles back on the fire road. Good tempo run with Ariel coming back from hippy meadow (Johnson's Meadow): 7:39, 7:19, 7:27, 7:39.

Ariel gave up the ghost in the last mile or so but we ran well together. He'd beat me on the flats for sure on a good day. (Ariel had also run 10 miles that morning and was bonking badly--neither of us had GU or water.)

Good to run with friends--even new friends. Hit 5, even 4:30 mm for a few brief moments flying down the hill.

Elevation Gain: 1,350

Thanksgiving Point 10 mile loop up through the Jordan Narrows via JRPT. VERY windy 20+ mph, slow run. I don't recall a more windy spring than we've had. It's always windy out here but even more so this year.

Dropped off in AF Canyon at the right fork gate. Gate is still closed so ran 1.5 mi up to Timpanooke trailhead--trail #56. I've never run this section of trail and was really excited to connect the dots from the Battlecreek/Grove Creek (GWT) sections around the west side of Timpanogos. It didn't disappoint--what a great run and HUGE meadow on the base of Timp (front side) that you'd never know was there looking at it from the valley. Good amount of snow still on trail in sections. Passed two dudes on mountain bikes coming down with skiis strapped to their backs--skiing the slides on the west side of Timp no doubt. Hit the crest and dove down #56 to Grove Creek spring. Filled up bottles and headed down. I've run up Grove Creek many times but this was my first time down. Amazing how different a trail looks just by changing direction. Obviously a lot of it was familiar and yet some sections I would swear I've never seen before--interesting. Timpanooke to bottom of Grove Creek 13 miles, 4,757 drop.

Best Conversation Overhead on Trail: Scout troop with packs heading up Grove Creek just .5 from parking lot.

Scout Master: "Well, we've gone half a mile!"

Scout: "Half mile left?" [no...3 miles straight up hill left, good luck with that]

I laughed out loud.

Got off the hill and hit the new canal road north (still mostly dirt) taking it most of the way  jumping on to the road and back to work (Thanksgiving Point), another 13 miles.

Tough road section today. Groin (I think, top of legs--inside) and stomach muscles are killing me. Slowed me down to an embarrassing ultra death march pace.

Saw first rattlesnake of the year!

Elevation Gain: 2,581 / Elevation Drop: 4,757 (it'd be a brutal run in reverse)

The human body baffles me. Yesterday's long run took a toll on me. Should have taken S-Caps with me...should have had more water...13 miles in the mountains followed by 13 miles through the streets--slow painful run. I suck.

Got home after midnight last night. Got to work early. Record sales day at the restaurant--retail, cafe, deli all slammed. 

Dog-tired, ornery, and draggin' at 7:30 (pm) with tired legs I ran. 15 miles later...my legs feel better than they've felt all day. I'm wide awake. Ran a negative split, getting faster as the miles climbed and feel human again.

I don't get it...but I like it.

From home jumped into Provo Canyon to the BST and followed it 5 miles along the Squaw Peak 50 course to Rock Canyon campground. Down Rock Canyon to Univ Ave.

Ran out of water early. Was hoping for water at Hope Campground and as a second option filling up at slide/run-off section just up from Rock Canyon. Both dry. Water hasn't been turned on yet at Hope and run-off is done. No water.

Vert. Gain: 3,250

Salt Experiment: I don't take a lot of salt but seem to struggle in the heat. Experimenting today in mid-day heat. Took (1) S-Cap before the run, (1) more at 50 min, (1) more 40 min later. I think it helped. Less groin-pull today and felt more fluid.  I'll keep playing with it.

Beautiful run after work. NO WIND!! Perfect temp, calm, great evening run. 1 GU, no water. Wouldn't want to go much further without water.

Out & back from work on Jordan River Parkway Trail through the Jordan Narrow, across RW Road and followed canal for a couple miles. It's warming up out there.

12 mile run on streets.

AFTERNOON: 12.04 miles

Ran up through the Jordan Narrows and back to work.

NIGHT: 6.1 miles

Helping mark and set course for Running with Angels 5K held at Thanksgiving Point Garden's on Saturday morning. Ran the course twice tonight.

AFTERNOON/EVENING (26.03 miles) = Repeat of last weeks run from AF Canyon (gate) to Timpanooke trail down Grove Creek to the Murdock canal and back to work (Thanksgiving Point). 100% better run than last week. I'm singing the praises of S-Caps. Took 1 per hour along with a GU every 30 minutes and lots of water (until I ran out 4 miles from finish). Night & day difference between this weeks run and last weeks same run--took 1 full hour off my time from last week. Met a couple training for Wasatch (Whitney, Steven) and Whitney's Dad Charlie, 2x Wasatch finisher back in the 80's.

Elevation Gain: 2,244 / Drop: 4,390

PM=  Sitting at 98.3 for the week. Gonna have to run 1.7 later tonight...too close to 100 miles for the week not to. That would be a first for me (excluding 100 race weeks).

SATURDAY NIGHT (4.11 miles) = 11 pm headed out for another 2...no 3...no 4. Taper for Squaw Peak starts...now.

Speed workout = 2 mile warm-up followed by 6 x 400 (last one 800) at <6 mm pace. 1 mile cool down. Had to pick up kids and cut run short. Intended on doing 8 x 400's with a longer cool-down. (A couple miles less than I'd hoped for.)

Even on tired legs amazing how good speed work will refresh and even loosen up tired legs. Best I've felt for a week. Need to do more speed and tempo runs.

8.5 mile late evening run up in the hills. Good pace on the flats. Really tough to see all of the ruts and dips in the terrain due to the flat chalky color of the trail. Much easier to see a darker colored soil at night. Nice warm night for running.

AFTERNOON: 3K (1.88 miles) run at Foothill Elementary with the kids at the annual "race." Traci ran with Sadie (placed 3rd in her class); I ran with Sage who wasn't far behind.

LATE AFTERNOON: 6.26 mile run on Jordan River Parkway Trail. 1.5 mile warm-up followed by 4 mile tempo run. Middle miles: 7:23, 8:50 (inc 200 ft climb at walking speed), 7:06, 6:13. 

AFTERNOON: Six (6.05) quick miles on the JRPT. Taper feels good--feeling faster and stronger. Don't want to peak too soon though.

EVENING: 6.11 up in the hills.

EVENING: 8.24 miles. From home up on to fireroad to GWT (trail #33) and up to meadow and alter. Took it easy on the downhill section, just a nice comfortable run. Looks like trail is marked and ready for the Timp Trail Marathon in the morning. Not going to happen this year since they moved the date back a week. Too close to Squaw Peak--I don't trust myself NOT to race it.

AM = 5.25 miles. Helping on-course with Timp Marathon. Fun day seeing lots of friends, encouraging runners, way finding. Perfect temps for the race. Seth Wold killed it--new course record by 30 min. 3:41+/- (going off memory). Dan Varga a close second.

PM = 12.1 miles. Baseball tournament with son in Spanish Fork. Took advantage of 2 hour break between games. Got lucky on a great road. (I seem to be able to find a good routes in unfamiliar territory--one of my hidden talents.) From city fields jsut off main street in SF ran up Riverbottom Road to Poweline Road 6 miles up and back. Great (narrow) county road, certain section smacked of country roads in south of France.

AM = 7.25 miles. Hike up Grove Creek to timp meadow (3.75) with kids. Family continued through the meadow and down Battlecreek. I had a baptism to attend and headed back, running down Grove Creek (3.5). Saw two rattlesnakes on the way down--got some good phone video.

PM = 5 miles. Probably the last run before Saturday's race (Squaw Peak 50). Legs a bit achy so did some speed work to loosen up the legs. 1.5 mile warm up followed by 6 x 400 at 5.56 mm pace (walking inbetween), 1 mile cool down. 15 minutes in hot tub afterward...never done that before but seems like a good idea.

Goal now to keep off legs and rest...and not do anything stupid.

EVENING: Taper week. Quick 3 to loosen up the legs.