Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Jordan River Bike Trail - South Side

Often times, after work, I go to the bike trail to log some miles.  I park in the parking lot at 100th South and make my way towards South Jordan.  This side of the trail (compared to the north side) is a bit more rustic, in the sense you aren't really near civilization for a good portion of the run.  However, after about 1.25 miles you do run behind some nice looking office buildings -- but the majority of the run is done in isolation.

Yesterday, I ran 10 miles and had the opportunity to take some pictures along the way.  I haven't been to this section of the bike trail since the dead of winter and it was good to see other runners and cyclists (and dog walkers) enjoying the brisk afternoon. 

The trail is mostly flat and gets more scenic the further south you go.  It is a great place to do speed work and after running it several times, I know roughly where each of the mile markers are (so no need for a Garmin).

I still prefer the north side, but the south side works in a pinch.  Enjoy the pictures:









Monday, March 4, 2013

18 Mile Training Run

This past weekend I ran 18 miles in preparation for the Ogden Marathon.  The weather was absolutely perfect for a long distance run... low 40's with a slight breeze.  It was also sunny. I started out wearing a wind breaker and soon shed it after 2 miles.  It was just way too warm for that sort of apparel.

I brought along some Gels and a camelbak filled with Gatorade.  Luckily the Salt Lake Running Company provided complimentary Gatorade at strategic spots, so even after I had gone through about 28 ounces of Gatorade, I could quickly stop for a refill.

Overall, the run went extremely well.  I felt I was fairly consistent, logging a time of 2:34 (or so).  The Jordan River Bike Trail is also showing signs of life again as there were plenty of people walking their pets, jogging or cycling.  The amount of people does thin out the further north you get from West Jordan, but overall, it was a pleasant run.

Also, on Saturday I signed up for the Shamrock Half Marathon in Saratoga Springs, UT.  I had a little bit of buyer's regret after seeing the course profile.  If you view the elevation profile there is over 750 feet of elevation climb, so this will certainly be a challenging one.  I don't expect to set any PRs in two weeks.

This weekend I hope to do a 20 miler... weather pending.

I have attached a few pictures of the 9 mile mark (where I turned around).  I also had someone take a picture of me at the 17 mile mark.

Enjoy!



Friday, March 1, 2013

Danish Road

One of my favorite routes while living in Cottonwood Heights is my route to Danish Road.  I discovered Danish Road by accident one day.  It starts about 2 miles from the apartment and takes a bit to get too.

First off, I have to run 2 miles uphill -- yes uphill.... starting at 4600 feet and climbing to about 4900 over the course of a short distance is a workout in of itself.  To get a good idea of what these hills are like, check out the pictures below: 





After making it to the start of Danish Road, it does finally level out, although you have some rolling hills for about 2 miles.  However, the views are really a treat.  You are practically at the base of the Wasatch Mountains and the road is fairly quiet -- with minimal traffic.  In addition, there are some beautiful houses and trees to look at.  Just think, there are world class ski resorts just 15 minutes away from this point.

Running back down, though is knee jarring.  I've learned to take it easy as most of the way back is on sidewalk -- which in my opinion is probably the worst surface to run on.  This run is definitely not for the weak as the hills are a serious workout (not to mention the altitude).

Enjoy the pictures!


View from the start of Danish Road



One last hill!



The view from the top....


Back down I go!

One last view of the valley