Shuffling Along (Is that considered running?)

I planned a big run on Mt. Charleston.  I started at the parking lot for the Lee Canyon ski resort, planning to run down to the Deer Creek Highway, which connects Lee Canyon to Kyle Canyon, run up that road until I hit the 5 mile mark, then turn around and head back.

Actually, I was thinking about running to the 6 mile mark, but during the run I realized my big mistake: I grossly underestimated the grade.  My Garmin showed the grade reaching 20%, which I doubt is accurate, but I don't doubt it was over 10% at several points. 

The first 3.3 miles descended 900 ft, which beat me up pretty good.  Then the Deer Creek Highway climbed steeply for 450 feet over 1.7 miles.  It was at that point I decided to shorten the run.  I have never run longer than 10 miles, and my pace up the hill was in the 13:00 to 14:00 range. 

I did the math and determined that the climb up from the Deer Creek Highway up to the finish, 3.3 miles, would take about 45 minutes.  After not running for a week and a half, I decided to play it safe.

It was a good decision.  I struggled up the climb.  I wanted to walk several times, but I just kept saying, "Ok....made it through this half.  I will allow myself to shut it down in just a half mile."

At the end, I had run slow (11:25...yikes), but I had finished.  I was completely spent.  I am glad I did it, but I might wait until I am in a little better shape before I do it again.

Ouch.  The run yesterday beat me up more than I thought.  I started uphill, and felt ok, but over the first 3 miles, my body rebelled.  I  put in 7.  It didn't help that I started late, ensuring that there would be plenty of heat.  9:53.....and I am getting slower every day.

Rest day after a big weekend.

Start off very sore and tight, but loosened up after a couple of miles.  Increased my pace over miles 3-6, and held the pace though mile 7.  Mile 8 was a struggle, but I pushed it through to the end.

I run a 2 mile loop, and the first time I was chased by a dog.  He ws a little dog and was not scary, but he was annoying.  On the next lap, I met him again at a dfferent point.  This time he became my running partner, and ran with me for a quarter mile rather that attacking me.

My legs felt strong at the start.  I took the first two miles out hard, running mile two in under 9 minutes.  During mile three fatigue kicked in, so I settled into a little slower but more consistent pace.  My times mimicked yesterday's times.  The heat was a bigger factor than yesterday, as I started a little later.  I finished strong (for me) and was about 6 seconds faster per mile.  I can feel my body adjusting to the increase in miles from 6 to 8 over the last few weeks.  I am not hitting "survival" mode until around 6.5 miles, where three weeks ago I was hitting it in mile 5.

A good run for me.  It seemed hotter today, but I felt OK.  The wind was blowing fairly hard from the west, and that helped.  In one direction, the heat baked but when I utrned into the wind or hd a cross-wind it was really cool.

I averaged 9:24 for 8 which does not show improvement but does show consistency, which is my goal at this point.

I am traveling To Tucson this weekend, leaving after work tonight.  It will be about midnight when I get there, so I am not sure I will run tomorrow.  I know I won't be running on Saturday: 21st wedding anniversary, and Sunday I will be driving back to Las Vegas.

I rolled into Tucson a little after 12am last night/this morning.  I talked to my wife for a while, then got ready for bed.  At about 1am, I tried to sleep.  No dice.  I can never sleep after a long drive.  I am too wired.

I laid in a half sleep/half wake state until about 2am.  I drifted off.  At 4am, my youngest dog, apparently wired because I am home, decided he couldn't sleep.  He kept me awake.  A little before 5am I got up.

With two hours sleep, I hit the road.  I felt remarkably good.  The path was an 11 mile loop, and it has a lot of long slow climbs and descents.  I wasn't fast, (9:46/mile), but I finished.  That was my longest run ever. 

Now I am going back to bed.

Rest day

Traveling. No running.

Tired after the long drive on Sunday. The middle miles were tough, but I was able to push hard through the last 2. It was a good day.

I focused on keeping my pace consistant and pushing harder than normal. A lot of strange people on the street, but it was a nice morning. I ran three miles of the 8 under 9 minutes, and two others close to 9. The last mile was one of the fastest I have run since college.

Despite the effort, I felt great afterward. 9:00/mile.

Today was eventful. First, I felt sore and fatigued throughout my run. Instead of pushing the pace, I settled into a comfortable rythmn. The great part was that the pace I found was as fast as those I ran uncomfortably last week.

Then I realized that I have been reduced survival mode at all this week. Progress....finally.

The third eventful part of the morning was a little scary. A car turned left toward me from a stop sign. The driver was not looking (I hope) and drove straight at me for 25 to 30 yards. She was accelerating quickly the entire time.

She finally looked up, turn toward the center of the road, and (seriously) waved. This is the same woman who waited at a stop until I crossed in front of her then accelerated violently, having to hit her brakes to not hit me.

Before anyone asks, I do not know her, so there iis no justified revenge here.

It made the run more exciting.

Felt very fatigued early.  For me, this week has had a lot of miles.  I settled into a comfortable pace, which was better than I thought it would be.  Seeing improvement.

After 4 days of 8 miles, I decided to take a running recovery day.  I hoped to put in a long run on Saturday, and the joint and muscle pain on Thursday and starting on Friday told me I needed one day of a little less effort.  I ran 5 at a comfortable pace.

My minimum goal was 13 miles to bring me to 50 for the week.  I hoped the body would hold up for 15.  At 11 I doubted both.  11 was my previous long, and it felt like the miles were adding up slowly.  But, like so many one here have indicated, if you focus on your form and pace, the miles roll by.  When I hit 13, there was no doubt I could make it to 15.  I averaged 9:39, which I am happy with, especially considering this run was 4 miles longer than my previous farthest. 

The first few miles felt slow, but after mile 3 until mile 9, I felt great.  I seemed to be on autopilot.  This was a good day.

Rest day.

I felt tight and sore at the start.  I struggled to get my pace under 10/mile early.  After 2 miles I eased into a consistent pace.  At the end, was surprised by finishing at 9:17/mile, which isn't fast, but isn't slow for me.

I don't know what happened today.  I started a little faster than normal, but thought nothing of it.  I ran the first mile just over 9.  The second mile came in under 9.  I was surprised, but felt good and tried to maintain.  I kept waiting for the early energy expenditure to hurt me, but the it never did.  I finished with a low 8 mile, bringing the pace for the 8 miles to 8:47, which is significantly faster than I had run before. 

Another good day.  I had a running partner, who is a little faster than me, for the firs 6 miles.  Every mile was under 9, and the first 6 were in the high 8:30s.  My partner peeled off at 6, so I made an effort to make sure my pace did not drop.  The 7th mile was close to 8, and the last mile was under 8.  My run finished at 8:33/mile.

No running partner today, and I was sore at the start.  My first half mile felt tight and sore, which I expected after pushing hard the last two days.  Still, I tried to push the pace and maintained half miles under 9/mile throughout.  I was unable to close as hard as yesterday, so I expected a slower overall pace, but I finished at 8:31. 

A little tired today.  I could not keep the pace as high as the last two days, but still averaged 8:46/mile.  I am not sure if I will run tomorrow, as I will be traveling to Tucson, arriving around midnight.  I will try to get in between 10 and 15 miles.