The sun is up, the air is fresh, the stone is old

Last night was the best trail run I've ever had.  We left Pike's Lodge in Fairbanks at around 10:30pm and started backwards along the Iron Dog trail.  I was worried tonight about so much mileage this week but honestly couldn't care less about messing up future races this year.  This stuff is why I run.  The sun was shining straight in our faces until we got buried in the trees along the trail and for the next few hours I felt like a little kid again.  My legs were pretty tight and my plan was just to head back if they felt like they were getting worse.  Dan was pretty patient as I knew I needed to hold a slower pace.  After 10 miles the soreness all faded however, and the rest of the run was just fun. 

We traded off the backpack when either of us felt like it.  I was pretty useless for anything on this run since I had no idea where we were.  Serious trail stuff like this is so new to me, I can only guess on when my body needs water and how much too eat, or when.  What is cool, is that we are fast in Utah.  We are used to hill running and altitude.  It's a relief to not only keep up but get stronger at the pace.  I'm pretty tired today so I'll keep this short and maybe catch it up later.  The scenery was awesome.  It is so different than road running.  These trails were a lot flatter than what I run around Anchorage which was a relief.  We stopped a few times for some sandwiches and even walked up a hill or two instead of running them.  We stopped finally in a tiny town for the turnaround and even debated sleeping for an hour or two, but the mosquitos were enormous.  They killed you when you stopped.  I have no idea of the pace tonight, I would guess just a bit slower than 8 minute miles.  The trail took us over 4 1/2 hours which would be about right  and I was as wasted as any marathon I have ever run.

Tonight could be a short run up to the hotsprings and back, but it's pretty much a question of if I have any legs left at all.  I sat in the river when we got back for about 20 minutes freezing my legs.  Hopefully that will help with some recovery.  Yesterday after swimming in this river my core temperature was so low I was shaking for about an hour.

11 recovery miles in the evening before flying out the redeye from Fairbanks.  I am totally dead tired from the last few days.

6 miles on an increasing tempo run on the treadmill this morning.  I felt I needed shake out the slow pace of the last 4 days.  2 miles at 6min, 2 miles at 5:30, 2 miles at 5.  Both legs felt like I was moments away from a little cramping in the hamstrings but overall not sore.  Must be from keeping tha pace way down lately and some soft trails.  Spent two hours after that teaching my son how to lift weights at the gym.  He really wants to run the TOU in the Fall and I think the first step is weight lifting 3 times a week and hiking 3 days of the week.  There is no PE in his school to speak of.  He could not do a single pullup, could manage 2 pushups and had a really hard time with any free weights at all.  In spite of that, I'll bet he will be passing me up within three months.

6 miles on the Bonneville trail with Jessie in the late evening

Wow, what a beautiful weekend.  We planted four trees today and I spent the afternoon teaching my son how to canoe.  I had just enough time for a really fun trail run from my house along the deer fence, down to First Dam and up the Logan river Trail.  Great mileage week and still alive!  Yes!

Played with the girls all day after church at First Dam with Jessie, the Jeep and the canoe.  I can't think of a time I have loved life more.

15 miles on the bay trail in San Francisco.  Pretty sore today, probably the miles last week announcing evidence of my stupidity. 

I spent some time this week thinking about my running this year.  I get just as much a reward from the trail runs, long runs, runs with other friends and spontanes runs on trips that i know I cannot simply train to race this summer.  I'm going to run.  That means running what my heart wants regardless of what races may come up.  It probably means "running through" a few marathons this next month or so instead of specific training for them.

I got accepted into the National Masters Marathon Championships in Twin in October.  that means getting into shape finally in late summer for a real race. 

8 miles regular pace in Orlando.  93 degrees and 80% humidity

6 miles in Denver in the morning.  Easy run.  Still sore.

7 mile Fartlek.  2 min fast 5k pace, 2 min easy.  20 minutes lifting.  Started using the GPS again today after a month or so break.

Early morning run with the kids in the jogger on Bonneville Trail.  Jessie ran the whole thing.

11 miles with the double stroller on the River Trail with the kids.  Day after the accident.  Pretty much just getting the kids out and one foot in front of the other.

6 miles at 6 minute pace.  Simple shake down run.  Survided..

Bandaged up both knees and went for a long trail run crossing Logan peak.  I hit this trail hard today, needed a good outlet.  Pretty much stumbled back in, but way satisfied.  Nice to have the GPS again.

Just played away a summer day with the kids.  I'm going to pay a price for all this time wasting!

8 miles at 5:46 pace.  One of the first runs back on the GPS and at a good pace.

Spent the evening in Idaho Falls with family.  Totally unplanned trip since we changed plans from flying to Minnesota this week to driving up and spending a day in Yellowstone.  Ran 8 miles with my brother at 5 in the morning.  No wind at all, that's a first up here!

Two miles late in the evening after 10 hours of driving.  Did another mile of fast strides.  feel pretty strong really.

6 easy miles around Pike's lake, Minnesota. My two girls and I are staying with an amazing host family that Grandmas Marathon set up for us. Beautiful home right on the lake. We spent the night here and the day today hanging out in the backyard, riding bikes and paddleboats. We went into town only long enough to attend the elite luncheon, pick up race packets and our gift basket and head back in time to catch up with the Murphys for a bit.  One of the best pre race days I have had.

Still feeling dead legs from all the trail running this month and two marathons last month.  Trying to figure out in my head how to run the first 13 tomorrow.

Pretty strange race today.  Fourth marathon for me this year in six weeks and even though I felt I was recovering quick enough, I just couldn't get the legs to work as well as I wanted to today.  Overall I was way excited crossing the finish line since it was my best effort run this year.  I had talked to Rob yesterday about how to pace.  I felt that a 2:30 was a remote possibility but that a 2:35 was realistic.  So I decided to pace a 1:17 half and then drop some minutes on the second half.  The pace felt very nice but reaching 7 miles I could really feel the lack of leg strength.  I didn't seem that tired, but just could not get those suckers to work!  I came through the half at 1:17:23, pretty much right on pace and still feeling good except I could not increase speed.  I would increase the pace to 5:40 and hold it for half a mile and then my legs would just be dead and  would have to drop back to 6.  Then I would glance at the GPS when it would beep splits and they were slowing further into the sixes.  As the seconds kept adding up I knew it wasn't my race day but no way was I going to drop out since I got injured last year on this course and DNFd. 

This is the only marathon  have ever run that I finished after feeling dead legs at an early7 miles.  I crossed the finish line pretty happy with the run.  It is my best effort this year, just a crappy time.  I was pretty stoked about holding on for the whole thing and since I felt that I have not been a good mental runner, I am ready to get some rest and start getting in shape for Twin in October.

Aside from the race this has been the most incredible race treatment yet.  Three days at an amazing host family with my kids.  All the food you can eat and right on a sweet lake.  Elite lunches, packets, tour buses, and coaches for race morning.  I could get used to this!

5 easy miles around Pike's Lake Minnesota this morning.

5 mile slow run with Rob around Lake Bemidji in the afternoon after getting to Ruttgers Resort.  Sweet run!

22 mile bike ride around Lake Bemidji and through the town with Rob.  What a beautiful area.  I would love to run this trail.  The kids are off playing and don't even know that we are not there!

8 miles on some pretty nice trails in Bemidji State park with Rob.  Felt pretty good except Rob kept running too fast.

Off day.  Three races in July to run and tomorrow marks the start of my training plan for Twin, so now I have to get in shape.  I've been thinking through my recent results and pulled out my old Advanced Marathoning book to set up some new training plans and feel for the first time in a few months some real desire to put in some speed.  

12 miles Mt. Logan Peak trail with Jessie and Angie.  awesome run!

Some easy recovery miles along the Bonneville Shoreline trail into Green Canyon.  Feeling pretty refreshed today and in need of a long run tomorrow.  Tonight, with the morning off, I noticed online that the Mt. Logan Peak trail run was in the morning and called the race director about getting in last minute.  It was an interesting call.  I was lectured about the seriousness of trail running and the extremeness of it.  How it takes months of planning and a person can't just go run one of these.  The snow is high and so is the danger, on and on, lol!  With all the additional dangers and problems with possible snowpack there would be no way to get me in.  Obviously I must misunderstand the sport of running..

Starting training today and so NOT excited about getting back on a running diet.  The last six weeks have been fun.  I'm going to miss all the moonpies and twinkies.

Ascending fartlek run this morning from day 16 of Advanced Marathoning.  I knew the perfect trail for this with some up and downs and some great flats.  South spur of Logan trail.  2 miles of enjoying nature for a warmup and then not noticing it much else trying to track the legs.

Best part of the run was passing a long line of Logan Peake trail racers above them on the mountain side since they packed the whole trail solid.

10 easy midnight miles.

6 miles along the Providence bench before heading into court.

10 miles at night in the river bottoms of Minneapolis.  Amazingly beautiful night with a bajillion fireflies

10.5 miles in the morning in Minneapolis, Tempo run but pretty sore.  Ran mostly around 6:15 pace.

10 miles in the evening, 1 mile repeats with 7:45 pace rest in between.  Pretty sluggish and painful at first and then it all shook out.  Great workout day sandwiched around 10 hours of work.

17 hour day at work today battling thunderstorms and a new copilot.  Tried to get into Denver and had to hold for an hour and divert for fuel to Fort Collins, CO.  Couldn't get in there because of low level wind shear and diverted again to Colorado Springs.  Had to wait 2 hours for the storms to blow through Denver before I felt comfortable enough to try another approach in.  Finally landed in Denver and loaded up for San Fransico.

I headed out to the Bay Trail for a run, but no kidding, I fell asleep in the elevator on the way down to the lobby, so embarrassing.  So I ran an easy 5.3 and called it a day.

Totally missed the scheduled workout.

Amazing trail run today on Del General, San Jose, Costa Rica.  Really slow and hot!