This week in running Aug 2 - Aug 8

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	8	Easy with strides. Was trashed from the previous day's hike
Monday	16	9:16 average per mile. Felt Awesome
Tuesday	8	Started easy but picked up the pace. Strides
Wednesday	15	9:13 average pace until my Garmin died
Thursday	9	Easy
Friday	4	100% easy
Saturday	20	About 9:40 pace (I guess).  Felt solid throughout. No death march at the end
Total miles for the week: 80 - YTD: 1517

Week's Summary

Wow.  I set out a goal of hitting about 80 miles for the week and I nailed it  -- with no two-adays.  I suspect I would've done a bit more had I not had dead legs on Sunday.

One of my pre-marathon goals is to try and hit 80+ miles per week.  Any time I crack that barrier I usually have a good marathon.  With the Jackson Hole Wyoming marathon in about a month, this week's training puts me in a good position.  I feel really strong and despite a lack of speed work, I feel like I have a lot of "oomph" left at the end of my longer runs.

Garmin Death

As regular readers know, I bought a replacement Garmin Forerunner 305 this winter to replace my old one.  The old one couldn't hold a charge long enough for my long runs and it just made sense to buy a new one.  I love my 305 so I found one refurbished online at an outlet store and picked it up for about $100. 

Sadly, on my run on Wednesday, my Garmin mysteriously shut off.  I figured I hadn't charged it in a while so when I got home I plugged it in.  Sadly, the screen constantly said "Charge in Progress" despite it being plugged in overnight (usually it takes just a few hours).  When I attempt to turn it on, the boot up screen shows up and then it shuts itself off.  I've looked at the Garmin forums and it looks like I need to send it in for repairs.  Ugh...

So this week I dragged out my other one and used that (and just in time because I was about ready to give it away to some beginning runners).  I think my Garmin is still under warranty so I'll try and get it fixed, but I doubt it will get fixed in time for Jackson... which leads me to wonder if I should fix it and just buy another one.  Decisions....

Marathon Maniac

One of my goals this year was to qualify for the Marathon Maniac.  The minimum bar for entry was two marathons in like 16 days.  This year I've been mustering the courage up to do that until I read there was another entry -- 3 marathons in 90 days.  I accomplished that this spring by doing the Sand Hollow (April), Ogden (May) and Helena (June) marathons.  By my calculations, I did it in 64 days.  I was pretty jazzed about it and I'll probably pony up the fee for the bragging rights and the cool tank top.  I am also a half-maniac (I think I am about 5 moons into it) but I need to register there as well.

This Coming Week

I really need a recovery week and usually in August I take some down time.  For me that is a lower mileage week (if any running at all).  Last year, I didn't run at all while visiting the British Isles.  I wanted to, but running laps around a concrete track on a cruise boat didn't hold my interest for very long.

Since I am heading west for nearly a week, I'll likely be getting in a few miles (as I like to explore towns on foot) but don't expect any 15+ mile runs until I get back

Bike Trail People

I do all my running on the bike trail and since I ran 80 miles on it (well I hit about 100 miles over the past 9 days). Generally the bike trail is a very safe place and a wonderful place to walk or run (other than the occasional dope smokers in the woods I've rarely run into problems)  But this week, I did see some strange / interesting people:

• It was mid eighties temperature-wise (and hot) and I ran into a vampire goth girl dressed in all black, including stockings. She didn't look happy. Perhaps because she was really really warm.
• A homeless guy hunched over his belongings while pushing a grocery cart.
• Creepy looking guys constantly hanging out at some bridge in the middle of nowhere.  Come on guys, I know what is going on and it isn't good...
• A girl decked out in black leather with what looked to be all of her belongings in a Radio Flyer red wagon waiting near the park bathroom for presumably a ride.  She did not look homeless and she didn't look happy.
• A gazillion cute dogs - I so want one.
• I also ran into a bunch of my friends and made some new ones this week.  Always nice to semi coach / lend advice to fledgling runners.  If you haven't had that opportunity and you are an experienced runner, you are missing out on paying it forward and sharing the joy of the sport.

Upcoming Races

Sadly no races this week for me.  I felt sort of bummed and I was constantly checking www.utahrunning.com to see if I had missed something.  There really weren't any races other than charity 5Ks in the area (which I ran through one on my 20 mile run).

I probably would've done a half marathon this weekend but in a way I am glad I didn't.  I needed a massive mileage week and a good twenty mile run.  Mission accomplished.

8/15: Park City Half Marathon - maybe -- depends upon when I get back to town.
09/5: Jackson Hole Wyoming Marathon (very very probable - I booked the hotel)
10/18: Duke City Marathon (Probable. Non refundable Hotel is booked for Albuquerque)
11/15: Las Vegas Marathon (definite)