really pushing it!

Whew! I ran by myself today, and it was a tough run. I've decided that I'm only going to get better/faster/thinner/ultra-cooler by really pushing myself a few times per week. I know that I can't do it every day, but I can do it more often. So, today I ran the Sugarhouse Park 2-lap route. I didn't break on the way up except at the 7th and 13th lights. I took walk breaks at the top of each hill (so, four total), but I really pushed up each hill. I improved my time on the south hill from 55 seconds the first time to 50 seconds the next time, bottom to top. I couldn't see my watch well enough on the east hill to measure it. About half way through the first lap of the park I remembered that a woman was attacked just yesterday on the Jordan Parkway in broad daylight, and here I was in the dark, with very few other people in the park, alone, and sans pepper spray. (more here) I know! I know! Anyway, I only took two breaks at the 13th and 7th lights again on the way back with no walk breaks. I really, really tried to push this run. My final mile was 10:02 at the most! In all, it was a very good run (but I always miss Carol's company and conversation when I run alone.)
Stats: 7 miles in 1:10:02 for a 10:01mpm pace (yay!)
OH YEAH - I ALSO MANAGED TO HIT 100 MILES FOR SEPTEMBER! (100.3 to be exact) That's the 5th 100+ mile month this calendar year! I know - I rock.

Tempo - or vindication

We really pushed it this morning after Monday's saunter-fest. No run yesterday because life just got in the way, but we were both determined to really RUN today. After mapping the route, I can hardly believe the pace that we had. So much that I want to re-map and re-re-map because it's difficult for me to believe that we have improved this much. It's easier to believe that I've mapped something wrong or that there is a glitch in the computer....
Stats: 6.33 miles in 1:04:26 for a 10:11mpm pace

total suckage

This was a good route, decent temperatures, plenty of rest, and we ran at a 12mpm pace?!?!?!?! NOT happy about this run.
Stats: 5.73 miles in 1:09:30 for a 12:08mpm pace
SUCK

nice tempo run

I ran alone again this morning, and I decided again to skip our usual walk areas. Trying to mix it up, I ran a regular loop in reverse and on different streets. It worked. I wasn't tempted to walk at normal places because I wasn't at any of the normal places. I wanted to push it because I have a feeling that tomorrow will be a slower run. The result? Success! I think that I need to do more of these tempo runs.
Stats: 5 miles in 51:20 for a 10:18mpm pace

Mid-Mountain Marathon in retrospect

Looking back on my personal worst marathon, I think I would do the following things differently next time:

Train much, much, much more on trails.
Get new shoes (mine have 550+ miles on them).
Train more on trails.
Do more long runs (duh! What was I thinking max-ing out at 17?!?!)
Lose the ample jiggly area around my mid-section. Seriously, how long have I been carrying this around?
Train much more on trails!

Why am I blathering on about this? It's all stuff that I know and should be doing something about...

maybe someday.....

Well, this turned out to be a better run than I had planned. I ran from work to Sugarhouse Park (1 lap) and back to work. The weather was perfect for running, and there were surprisingly few people in the park. I was on my own today, and decided to push through our usual walk break areas. I only stopped for lights, and only walked in the park. The result was a 10:24 pace. Now, if I could just knock another minute off of that pace and hold it for 26 miles, I could qualify for Boston! Maybe someday.....
Stats: 5.5 miles in 57:10 for a 10:24mpm pace

the slow lane (or not)

We attacked (or tried to attack) the hill on 8th South. Today we only took two walk breaks on the hill (which is only 150 feet?!?!? WTH?!?!?). Two breaks is better than we have done in the past, so we're happy with it, but we were sllllloooooowwwwwwww today. Slowest run in a long time. That part sucks.
Stats: 8.8 miles in 1:46:38 for a 12:08mpm pace (mother stinkin' .....)
**EDIT: Carol's GPS was off (thank goodness)! We actually did 9.5 miles in 1:46:38 for an 11:14mpm pace. Whew!