Giddyup

First time blogging in almost 2 months.  I'm really in the backseat.  In

the next 9 weeks I have SLC Marathon, SG Ironman, Squaw Peak 50 &

Boise 1/2 Ironman.  Feb was a throwaway month and March consisted of

getting back on track only to be down for a full 2 weeks.  I have a lot

of work to do.  Tonight was hard, was able to run Fort Rockwell loop in a

respectable time, but the HR to do so was much higher than where it

should be.

Really not sure how far this morning - went to run class @ gym.  Was speedwork. Then a spin class after that.

Morning b-loop, Ernie way.  Me, T & J.

Spin on my bike at home after work.

Evening run during TKD.  Started out strong & felt horrible by 3 miles.  Avg HR was 165, way over where it should be, slowed down & dogged it for the rest of the run.

Morning run up to T's then B loop then back home.  Took a nice easy pace that felt good.

135/158 avg/max HR

Gym after work - 1.5 mile warm up then row machine for 20 mins then 20 laps in the pool.  Still dropping a little weight, need to keep that going for me.

Another TKD run, felt really good, took it really easy.

Had such lofty intentions for today - all squashed by the snow.  Gym spin & run.

Early morning run then barbell strength workout.

Out to Eagle Mountain after work.

Good old fashioned bridge loop this am - my glutes & hammies are in really bad shape from the class yesterday.  Holding out hope SL Marathon this weekend isn't a complete debacle.

Not real miles - 3 hours of spin this morning.  I have to think we covered 50 miles in that amount of time.  However, the deceiving part about spin class is that I don't believe there is any way I am generating an equivalent output indoors vs. outdoors for the same relative "speed".  Still a good burn though.  Rest of this week including SL Marathon + heavy next week is all I have left for IMSG.  After that it is all finishing touches, dropping a little weight hopefully and getting a good recovery.

2 miles treadmill, 1 "mile" elliptical

Not exactly sure on distance - gym treadmill & elliptical

This one hurt.  This one was no gimmie.  However, because of that, I am very pleased with my time.  Jan I tweaked my soleus so Feb was weak then March was off for a variety of reasons.  So I am very stoked on my race.  My soleus is super sore right now so I guess that issue isn't totally over. 

Race went well.  Plan was to park my HR @ 140 - 150ish and see what that afforded me in min/mile.  Got to the half in 1:32 so that leaves a 1:34 2nd half - fine by me, only a 2ish min + split.  Saw a lot of good friends.  I'll probably expand more later after full results are posted.  

OK - here is the full version.  6 months since St. George have passed and it feels like it was so long ago.  I woke up at 5 and thought, "I have to go run a marathon today". 

I started much further back in the pack than usual.  I rode TRAX up to the U and, knowing the bathroom lines would be ridiculous as they ALWAYS are at this race especially, I exited one stop early to scour the campus for an alternative.  Thankfully with all the construction going on, I found a lone Honey Bucket no problem.  Could not have asked for better weather for this race.  Cloud cover, no wind, 60's - perfect if you ask me. 

Race started and drained down onto Foothill then down 21st east then down to Sugarhouse park then into Millcreek and before I knew it we were up on Holladay Blvd.  I was feeling great.  Everyone asks you what you're going for in the race and given my training was all about catch up these past 2 months, I really didn't have a specific expectation.   (I will admit, however, that my de facto goal for any race is a BQ)  The climb up to the halfway point @ the Cotton Bottom is kind of long and quite sneaky but once you pass halfway, the downhill from that point and on down Van Winkle is also quite long and helpful.  I had some great splits through here and was so happy for the cloud cover as Van Winkle can get very hot in other years. 

I knew 5th east would make or break my race so I tried to park my HR at or below my average to that point and take whatever that would give me.  5th east is a long, long stretch.  I did ok.  I certainly didn't speed up but my pace remained pretty steady.  I'm always so happy to hit Liberty Park, I think it is a great reprieve from the dread of 5th east and also a great way to mentally gear up for the remaining 3 miles through downtown.  You start catching up to all the half marathon walkers through here so it is kind of fun to have some company again.

I shortened and quickened my stride coming up State St and managed a decent split of a 7:39 I think then gave it all I had coming down S. Temple & into the gateway.  I caught the overall female leader right in front of Dick's on 4th west making this race one of my very few where I have gone unchicked. 

25th overall, 3rd AG.  Great race.  Now I get to cycle & recover for the next 3 weeks before IMSG.

155/174 avg/max HR

Total conditioning in the pm - great class.

4 hour spin session.  Brutal - not hard brutal, boring brutal.

Morning b loop w/J & C.

Rode out to Cedar Fort & back home.  Was a great ride, just much colder & windier than the day would appear to have been.  Slow run @ 9 min/mile.

Spinning for 3 hours is waay easier than actually riding out in the elements for 3 hours.  Should have ridden outside today but weather was threatening rain & snow.  Ran much better after this time though.  

Not exactly sure on mileage today - run class then spin class.

Morning B loop - Me, D, B & J

Morning Total Conditioning class then Masters swim in the pm.

Morning b-loop.  Me, T, J & B

AM Spin class

Morning swim & spin.  I'm tired, this has been a heavier week than it looks like.