This Week in Running 3/19 - 3/25

Rainy day on a long run

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	6	Easy run along the cliffs of Lake Mead. 3 in the morning, 3 in the evening
Monday	5	Easy
Tuesday	5	Easy
Wednesday	Off
Thursday	7	5K at half marathon pace. 1 mile at 5K pace, rest easy.
Friday	5	Easy
Saturday	17	Long run Saturday.
Total miles for the week: 45; YTD: 480.5

Rainy conditions for Saturday's long run

Week's Summary

Can I just say I was really tired -- pretty much all week?  The half marathon that I did last Saturday and the subsequent hike in the afternoon pretty much wiped me out all week.  I was sore for the better part of the week and just sort of run down feeling.  I wound up taking the majority of my runs this week fairly easy.

I did have a fairly good speed workout on Thursday.  I was finally feeling pretty good and I decided to go for about 4 - 5 miles at half marathon pace.  I started out pretty well and I felt like I was pushing the pace, but not killing myself.

At my turn around, I took a 1 minute break and then proceeded to make my way back, figuring another 2 - 3 miles at tempo pace should do it.

After a mile or so I came across a group standing in the middle of the bike trail.  They certainly weren't there on my way out.  I also so a good deal of police cars.  Was something going on?

I started to make my way around the crowd when all of the sudden one of the police officers shouted "Go!" All of the sudden the group took off running in the direction I was going.

It didn't look like an official race or anything and most of the guys there (I think there was one woman) were half my age.  And they were pretty fast.

I tried keeping up with them and I felt pretty slow as the lead back disappeared from view.

After about a quarter mile though I started reeling in some of the slower members of the group.  It seemed some clearly weren't runners.  I saw people gasping for breath, holding their sides and looking like they were going to puke.

As I passed one of them, I asked if it was some sort of 5K.  I got an unintelligible answer back and I tried another straggler... .with the same result.

It turns out it was roughly a 1 mile run... They had a turn around point about .5 of a mile from the start and from what I could gather, it seemed like a police cadet / recruit training run.

I went through their turn around area and ran about another quarter mile.  I was gassed.  It was nice training to force myself to turn it up a notch late in the game of a tempo run.  Just wish I had been wearing my Garmin so I could've known what sort of pace I had been running.

Saturday's long run was kind of "blah".  I knew almost from the get go that it was going to be a tough one.  My legs were just tired, stiff and non-responsive.  I had visions of going 20 miles but I decided after a few miles that I'd "just" do 17.  I am glad I decided to call it short.  I was really fading fast near the end and with the constant rain I was finding myself getting cold.  Some long runs are like that...

Weight Loss

Well, I checked in at 183 on Friday morning.  I am not doing the sugar free diet, but I have definitely corrected a lot of the flaws in my diet.  I no longer keep a box of cookies in my drawer at work and I've quit buying chips.  That alone has saved me a few hundred calories every day.

Upcoming Races

04/01: Emigration Half Marathon (Park City, UT, Confirmed)

04/08: Winter Striders Race Circuit Half Marathon - Huntsville, UT (Confirmed)
04/22: Salt Lake City Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed) (2017)
04/29: Winter Striders Race Circuit 30K - Huntsville, UT (Confirmed)
06/24: Utah Midnight Half Marathon - Provo, UT (Confirmed)
07/07: Utah Midnight (Legacy) Half Marathon - Farmington, UT (Confirmed)
11/12: Las Vegas Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)