Nothing else better to do than run.

The last day of the month! I wanted to log a total of 150 miles this month and I was 11.5 short so that meant that it was time to put in the miles do or die. 6 miles on the treadmill, .5 mile swim and then out to the road to finish the remaining miles. Finished right before the rain started to fall.

Ran with the group this morning. For about 100 yards before I was sucking up their dust. I am really excited about how speed everyone has gained this year. They have been logging a lot of miles and the persistence is paying off in huge dividends. 

Ran through some neighborhoods in Riverton and some lone country roads. It was absolutely beautiful this morning with the rain that had fallen during the night. Crisp and cool and extremely grateful I brought gloves with me this morning. 

Ran hills with running group. Raz made the comment that I had cheated because I showed up late. I let her know that I could handle the jab because she "sucks". Got to love running with friends. It makes getting up obscenely early in the morning all worth it.

Ran 3 5K’s with the group this morning. It was beautiful and dark. I really do enjoy running in the dark because I loose my perception of how far and how much further I have to run. It started to get lighter about mile 6. Ran comfortably hard all 9.3 miles. Got to have a little pain if I want to improve.

 Listened to the new Slipknot album which is not half-bad. Looking forward to the new Metallica album that is to be released next Friday so I can run Logan with it on the ipod. 

Ran from Memory Grove up to the first mile mark of City Creek Canyon and turned around and pushed down the canyon. The temperature is starting to cool down and the leaves are starting to change. Fall is definitely by favorite time of the year for running. Listened to Aerosmith - Live at the Joint for my workout. Running today was probably a dumb idea because I have to chase the speed demons from running group tomorrow morning for 13.1.

Met at Bingham High at 6:00am for a Half-Marathon with the crew from running group. I was really surprised to see how many people showed up! Mike P. was there and it was great to visit with him before the race. Actually felt strong for the first 9 miles and then could feel some lead in my quads. At that point I lost sight of Cheryl and Cheris ahead of me. Today was a run with my heart day because because I wanted to finish under 2 hours. Actual time was 2:01.00. 

 Got to find some way to increase my speed. I think the most obvious way would to drop about 10-15 pounds so my training would become more effective. Right now I just feel like I am beating myself to death.

 Another week in the books with Top of Utah coming up fast! 

Swam a mile with some light strength training. Nice day of rest.

Met Cheris, Michelle and Steve at Alta High for my first coaching session. Very nice morning in the low 60's, maybe a little warm. Very encouraged from talking with Steve about my current level of fitness. It looks like there is plenty of room to improve and I have not plateaued. Looking forward to putting more quality steady miles in instead of beating myself up for not being a sub 6 minute miler.

 Very, Very encouraged! 

Second run around noon. Steady hill climb for 2 miles and then the descent. 

Workout day with the BBK's! Ran about 4 miles on the track with series of 300 and 1200 repeats. Then went into the local neighborhoods for an additional 2 miles.

At lunch time ran up to City Creek for 4 miles of hills. Nice day, overcast and breezy. Another day in the books! 

Ran up City Creek Canyon with the latest Metallica album on my ipod. Coming down was extremely fast. I think the secret is keeping your feet underneath you while taking shorter steps. I used to take huge steps but found out that my knees and quads tired very quickly.

Also, I try not to slow myself down, just get into a turn-over ratio that keeps me in control.

Late night and an even earlier morning, looking forward to a nap this weekend. Started out about 5:00am and ran to the new track at West Jordan High. The track is so new that it does not have lanes painted yet. Oh the smell and fumes of newly laid rubber in the morning. It was very dark and felt like running on the open road but much softer.

My goal was to start out slow and finish the second half faster. I was able to do the last 2 miles in a slight grade in a pace that felt hard but comfortable. It is a lot easier to push myself when Cheryl is following with a metronome. 

 Also, quick run around the neighborhood later this evening, another 2! 

I biked.

Later this afternoon I went for a slow run around the neighborhood. My headphones are wearing out and only had sound out of my right ear. Time for a new pair. Put in 5.5 before calling it a week. 

An early 5pm start to the day. Met my friend Rob and went for a cool morning run through the Taylorsville area. Pushed the hills hard and and recovered downhill. This will probably be the longest run of the week 'cause of the Top of Utah Marathon this weekend. Looking forward to getting with the BBK's for a workout tomorrow.

Set the alarm and couldn't get out of bed for the run this morning. I feel really bad because the group did one of my favorite runs. Hopefully we will repeat the cemetery work-out before too long. The marathon is the end of the week and don't want to do too much but I think a shorter run both Wednesday and Thursday would be helpful.

Started out the morning with a slow run around the neighborhood just over 2 miles. Very nice morning and a great way to start out the day. At lunch time I did a canyon run. Took it very easy. This is a taper week and I am going to taper no matter what!. Want to have a good race on Saturday. One more workout to go until the marathon.

Great morning for a run. Met the running group for a series of 5Ks this morning. I believe they were doing four repeats but I chose to do 2 because of this weekend. I decided to go all out on one of the series and tried to keep in stride with Cheris which ended up being between 8 - 8:30 minute miles which was a great pace. Ran the second with Debbie and kept a steady pace which felt comfortably hard. It was great to see Alan, haven't seen him in a while. I would love to be able to keep that pace all the time. I am so excited for the marathon this weekend and anticipating St. George coming up in a few weeks. Everyone in the group has been working so hard and it will be awesome to see what they will accomplish with their hard work and tenacity. 

Bring it on! 

The weather was nearly perfect for a marathon. Slightly overcast with a little breeze to keep things cool. It did look like it would rain several times during the duration of the race and near the end it finally did.

I felt very strong during the entire race which is not always the case. My upper hamstring seemed to bother me on the downhill portion of the race which made my feet turnover not clearly as quick as I would have hoped. I think stretching and some strength training for St. George for the next two weeks could really make a difference.

I caught up to Debbie and Kris about mile 10 and they both looked very strong. I stayed with Debbie until mile 20 until she wanted to back down a bit. I was wondering how I would stay motivated for the remainder of the race. I listened to the new Metallica album probably a bit louder than I should have put it got me pumped up. I believe I ran one of the strongest last sixes I have ever run. It felt great and I was able to push it.

I finished in 4:16 which is not even close to a PR but was the best time this year by ten minutes. I felt great at the end which means I need to push harder on the next marathon. I am always worried about running out of steam at the end but need to have more confidence in my abilities.

The strategy for St. George is to start out slow, run the hills strong but not push and when mile 15 comes… give those hills absolute hell and get a new PR. Bring it on. 

Took most of the day off to rest! Swam a mile, very slow. I wanted to stretch out my legs and arms without impact.

Also, a very slow mile, probably walked most of it. 

Did not feel very well when the alarm went off this morning. Had committed to a run with a friend so I got up anyways and I am glad I did. We did a series of downhill mile repeats that were fun and help to loosen up the sore muscles from the marathon. Hit 7 minute miles on two of the repeats which is encouraging. Felt great when the work-out was over although very tired.

2 miles uphill and 2 miles down. Pushed the up and came down gradually.

Ran up City Creek Canyon. Tried to keep a steady pace heading up the canyon although it was a bit warm. Heading down the canyon is always a lot of fun. Tried to take consistent shorter strides while keeping my form under control. Overall felt like a really good run.

Caught up on some much needed rest. Went for a run late this morning. Mostly flat course with 3 miles completed on a track. This taper thing feels really good.

Went on a short trail run. Got a little road rash coming down a steep incline which was a little uncomfortable. Better luck next time.

Less than stellar conditions for a race although the temperature was nice. Felt strong during the entire race but never got my turn-over fast-enough to do anything great. Hopefully next year will be different. More miles, more sleep and less weight will make a difference. 

Started to have a good time once I started to think how crazy the weather was and he we all are running our guts out. A race that builds character for some. 

Short and slow jog around the neighborhood. Trying to loosen up the quads so I could do some stretching.

Started out slowly again, trying to loosen up and recover from the weekend.

Short run up and down City Creek. Still very sore and slow going up hill but helped to stretch my legs. Coming down the hill felt very good.

Finally getting back to normal after a few days of jogging around on bloody stumps! I have instructed my wife to push me out of bed to make sure I get some runs in with it getting darker and colder. Being a good wife right at 5:00am she pushed me out the door. Ran around my neighborhood which was nice. The trees have a fresh smell about them and the air is beginning to feel very crisp. I LOVE THE FALL! 

I can't believe I did seven miles but I did. Must have slept through half of them. Looking forward to a slow jog with the BBK's tomorrow morning and will probably take my running shoes to work. 

Ran with the BBK's this morning. The numbers were few because everyone is still recovering from St. George and taking some much needed time off. It was nice to be back with the group because it has been a while for me. Ran on the Jordan Parkway Trail. Very nice with mist rolling off of the river. Had some good conversation and it was a great way to start off the day.

Took my boys swimming with me this afternoon. Taking a break from running is nice once in a while. My knees are feeling pretty sore from all the hills I have been running so doing something without impact was just what I needed. There were some very talented swimmers at the pool and I learned a lot by looking at their strokes. Some of the swimmers look effortless while moving very quickly.

I swam for a little more than an hour and put in a mile. 

Ran a 5K this morning. It was very cold and windy. The first time I had to break out the tights this fall. Winter must be just around the corner. Felt much better than expected and even had a little bit of kick left in me. There were a few hills to climb the last mile but made the course a little interesting.

What a cold and windy day. Thought I would tough it out and go swimming first and then hit the track. A light snow was falling with a strong headwind from the North. I was pleased with myself doing something difficult and uncomfortable. In a way I am glad winter is coming, it makes running a little bit different and brings on new challenges.

Nice quick run this afternoon. There is still some snow left on the ground and it looks beautiful when the vibrant leaves are against the white backdrop. Gave my son one of my old ipods over the weekend. The kid is so excited that he can't stand it. Of course out of all the crappy pairs of headphones we have in the house he took my favorite running pair. Could not locate them this morning so I ran without music. It wasn't so bad to listen to the huffing and puffing and the sound of feet plodding. The body sounds like a machine when it is running. I only wish my machine was faster, and creaked a lot less than it does.

Ran with the BBK's this morning. Nice cool run for a steady six miles. First half was comfortable and then it got turned up a notch for the second half. Thats when I started falling behind but it is motivating chasing your friends through dark neighborhoods while dodging teenage drivers going to school. 

Also completed a quick run at lunch time.  

Finally caught up on some much needed sleep. I almost feel like a brand new person. Went for a short run this afternoon and the temperature was perfect. The leaves are changing I believe Fall is my favorite time of year to run. Too bad Utah doesn't have any late fall marathons. St George is nice but a run through our canyons with all the fall colors would be quite a draw.

Nice cool morning run. I have noticed that everyone is pretty much recovered from St. George and picking up the pace again. After about 3 miles Peggy turned around and we got a chance to visit. Overall it was a very nice run, about 9:00 minute miles.

Put in a nice afternoon run. Mid50's 

Met Alan, Debbie Chris and Daniel at the Gardner Village Trailhead for a run. Very nice morning and much warmer than it has been for a while. Lots of very interesting and though provoking discussion which made the miles fly by which says a lot when you are averaging 9:30 miles. I would like to try to keep a base of 40 to 50 miles a week through the winter. So far I have been able to do it 2 weeks out from St. George. Looking for a winter marathon, possibly the Tecumseh Trail marathon or the Philadelphia Marathon.

Swam about a mile, taking a day off from running. My glutes are tighter than I would like so thought swimming might be a great way to loosen up a bit. Got to put some new music on my underwater mp3 player. The music is getting kind of stale.

Nice uphill run. Cannot believe how vivid the fall leaves are this year. Seems they are more brilliant than ever before. Nice crisp clean air which hopefully makes my times a bit more speedy. Really pushed the downhill. Was trying to pace myself with another runner heading downhill and eventually caught up to them. I think running with other people definitely is a huge motivator to push it.

I read a study on MSN about how some habits besides eating can cause weight-gain. One of the most significant factors was lack of sleep recommending that a healthy individual needs 7 hours of sleep. Okay, besides running 40-50 hours a week, working two jobs, a family who has time to sleep? It was a wake up call to me because I really could prioritize my time much better than I do, just ask Peggy. I have got to plan so that my body gets the rest that I need. Once I get that hurdle taken care of I will tackle giving my body enough time to recover between workouts next.

Took my boys to the junior high school so they could run laps on the track. This saturday is the Pumpkin Run 5 miler and 1 mile fun run. My youngest was able to run around the track 4 times without stopping. My oldest jogged and walked but also made it around without too much of a fuss. I think they will do well. I just don't want it to be a miserable experience for them so we have been preparing incrementally to make the most of the day. The things kids do for their crazy parents. I was able to get in a 10K, while they played in the center of the track and listened to their ipods. What a blessing the ipod is! 

Man it was cold this morning…at least 10 degrees than I expected. I had my mid-weight tights on which helped quite a bit. I am glad the cold air is here but wish the days were longer. Can't have both!

 Run around the block this morning and did a quick run up the canyon during lunch. Great day for running. Had a Creamcicle as a reward, only 50 calories!

Nice out and back run with the BBK's. Lots of entertaining discussion about the email that Michelle's son sent to everyone. Good for a lot of laughs.

Ran very slowly up and down the canyon at lunch time. It is time for a recovery day! I am darn near out of gas! 

Caught some nice rest and took the morning off. Did a nice afternoon run with the weather perfect. What a great day to run.

Ran the Riverton/Herriman Pumpkin run which went very well. The downhill portion of the run was very nice and my legs carried me very well. The last two miles were a killer being all uphill. The quads were burning I just darn near ran out of gas but was able to pass several people during the climb. Afterwards I ran the course again with Alan at a 10 minute recovery pace. Felt really nice to just relax and churn in some miles. Very comfortable race weather about 50 degrees this morning.

A very early morning, 5:00am wake up call. Met my friend Rob for an early morning run around the Taylorsville area. Plenty of hills to climb near 5400 and 6200 south. The miles seemed to fly by quickly which felt really good. Talked about the economy and the elections coming up. Some very interesting discussion about the blame people are putting on the government and investment houses when a lot of the issue comes from people not being financially responsible and biting off more than they can chew. I think there is plenty of blame to go around but I hope and pray that we can learn from the mistakes of the past and move on. Human nature is such a crazy thing and I am not sure an election is going to change or improve everything. It seems like an attitude adjustment and taking responsibility for our own actions will bring about real change.

Went on an afternoon run to stretch out my quads, they are tighter than a drum. It was mostly uphill and I took a path was was gradual on the downhill.

By the way, I love Fall! Love the colors of the leaves and the crisp air. Can't wait to run with the group tomorrow and hear what everyone has going on. Great to have good company to run with. 

Didn't feel that well this morning when the alarm goes off so I went back to bed. I am such a slacker. When I don't feel well I know I won't be able to keep up with the group so I will try another day. I did however make it for an afternoon run which I took very slow. My quads have been very tight lately, probably because of all the hills I have run lately. I love this weather, 70's in October, who would have thought.

Actually got some much needed sleep last night. I am trying to hold of a sinus infection but it is proving to be tough. Need to start popping the Sudafed and Vitamin C. I went for a run this afternoon and it was incredible. Lots of leaves crunching beneath my feet, and the temperature was perfect. Lots of people out a lunch time trying to out-run the reaper.

Read a very interesting study about running on MSNBC yesterday. It turns out this study has been going on for twenty years and measures the life expectancy and quality of life for runners and non-runners. To qualify as a runner one must run for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week which hardly qualifies them to access this blog. Anyways, life expectancy was estimated at an increase of 10+ years with a dramatic decrease in disease and illness. Also a myth that was busted is about an increase of knee injury. There was no significant data that showed an increase in knee damage in both groups. Although I have had knee surgery on one knee it was not running related, but it has always been a sore spot with my family and in-laws, and this study gives me some ammo.

 Keep on running. 

I am still on a quest to get more sleep. Things have been improving and I don't feel like I am walking around in a sleep deprived haze. Hopefully it will improve performance and help get my weight regulated.

 Great morning run with the BGMK group. Stayed on the Jordan River Parkway for the distance. We were running along and a pure white horse just walked out on the trail and stood there for a few seconds, really quite a strange sight. Ran with Peggy for a while and we discussed formatting formatting CSS stylesheets. Running is so much fun when you can "geek" out at the same time. I love running with a group of friends with so many diverse backgrounds and interests. 

Happy Halloween everyone! Yup, made it another whole entire year. Clouds have started moving in and the winds are starting to pick up and blow all of my autumn leaves off of the trees. It seems as if my favorite time of the year is coming to a close. 

Went for a 4 mile run up City Creek. Not a whole lot of people out so it was fairly tranquil and serene. I love running because it allows me some time to think and relax while whipping my butt into shape. I listened to the Nightmare Before Christmas Revisited soundtrack that came out this month. A very enjoyable listen. 

Found it very difficult to get up this morning. Halloween and the kids did me in so I slept right through my planned early morning run. So at 10:30 this morning I headed out for a run in the daytime. Very pleasant day for November 1st, The warmest day I ever recall for this date. Slight breeze, temp in the low 60's and gas is 2.47 at the Holiday Station by my house. Shaping up to be a good day.

1 mile swim and rainy afternoon run.

Ran a quick 2.5 miler around my home and then a 5 mile run in the afternoon. Perfect day even though I can tell the cold is coming around the corner like a freight train. It was nice to be able to see some daylight this morning.

Nice afternoon run. The snow and rain finally let down so I ventured outside for a run up the canyon. Almost nobody around which made it very nice, just a few dog walkers and that was about it. I took it pretty easy today, nursing a sinus infection. Now that I am finished there is some relief from the pressure but now it is draining like a faucet. I am not complaining, draining is great. Hopefully things will get back to normal pretty soon. Between work and a sinus infection it seems like both ends of the candle are burning. Looking forward to getting back to the group latter this week.

Worked very late and got up early but not early enough to make it to running group. I am really missing those guys. Hopefully someone will want to do a Saturday morning run. I did work in an afternoon run and it was breathtaking to say the least. The branches are covered with snow and the streams are rushing with ice cold water. I love the contrasts that Utah gives with the change of seasons. From vivid greens to bright warm colors to the starkness of black and white during and after a snowfall. Man I love this place!

Looking forward to getting to bed early this evening. Going to try to catch up on some much needed rest. Ran up that canyon this afternoon. It was pleasant although a bit cool starting out. Lots of leaves underneath my feet which felt great on my knees going downhill.

Wow! I  caught up on some much needed rest from a crazy week of work and projects. I was absolutely looking forward to getting a long run in. I met Peggy, Alan and Debbie at Bingham for a run. It was kind of cold, windy and humid this morning but nice. We ran by the Ochre Temple and down 114th and back to the school. We were all pretty tired except for Peggy who probably could have run 50 more miles without breaking a sweat. I needed to meet my mileage goal for the week so went out for a short run this afternoon while everyone at home was taking a nap. Another week in the books. Cannot believe how much history was made in one week for the nation and my family.

Swam a mile at the gym and did some weight training which is fairly new to me. Like the way the workout rejuvenates my legs.

Met my friend Rob for an early morning run. It was gently raining outside which made it a bit miserable but the conversation was great. Talked a lot about politics and some guitar effects products that are in the works. Pretty exciting stuff. Makes me want to plug my guitar into a 1000 stack and blow out some windows.

Afternoon run in the rain. Chased some very fast runners down the canyon. I think the predator style runs that were talked about in this month's Runner's World are a great motivator. Hopefully these people are too freaked out that I am trying to catch up to them. I always make sure they are men and not women. Don't want to get maced or anything painful like that. 

Met the group for a run in Riverton. Ran through some familiar roads and some unfamiliar places which made it nice. Sometimes it is nice to mix-it-up a bit. It has been over a week since I have been able to run with the group because of work deadlines so it was nice to be back in the thick of it. A lot of people were still sore who ran the Snow Canyon Half. Sort of makes me want to run it next year.

I put in my registration for the Las Vegas Marathon this upcoming December. It is a crappy course and the race organizers skimp on everything but promotions and marketing but hey, it is a marathon. I also bumped my registration for the Tecumseh Trail Marathon to next December. Can't wait to get back and run that race. It absolutely destroyed me last year but this time I will be ready. Also the race support was phenomenal. Hot chocolate and cookies for every aid station, beef stew at the finish and technical jackets for all the finishers. It is a great race for anyone that is interested. The website is:

http://www.dinoseries.com 

Kind of sore from two long runs in a row but I am trying to keep up my mileage for the marathon in a couple of weeks. I promise I will taper somewhat when the time comes. I am finally feeling stronger and the urge to run is pretty strong especially when it is an excuse to get away from the office for a while. I scheduled a massage this evening and it was very well needed. The therapist worked on my legs hopefully got a few tight spots worked out. I always seem to have a good day after a session. 

Anyways, about the run. It was a damp day but when I headed out at noon it had stopped raining. I headed up the canyon and I can tell winter is around the corner because everything is turning kind of gray

I am still trying to understand dog owners who come up the canyon without leashes. I have been nipped at, nearly tripped and licked and these damn people act like it is their God given right to have their dogs run all over the place. I don't let my own kids nip, trip and lick strangers alone a dog. Maybe it is leash free day or intelligence optional for dog owner day. I might be opening a can of worms but bringing an animal with you in an open setting does not give dog owners a license to wave the responsibility of keeping the area safe for everyone.

An early start to the day. Met the BBK group at Bingham for a steady run. I ran most of the way with Kelli and Dean which I really enjoyed, they are great! It was unseasonably warm so I wore shorts and a long-sleeved shirt which is incredible for November. I think last year it was in the 20's by now.

This afternoon I ran a very slow jog up and down City Creek. I believe it is time for a rest because all my get up and go has got up and gone. Met with a new client this evening and it looks like I am going to be busy for a while. Life is good if not very busy.

Needed to take my wife to the airport this morning so she could visit some family. That meant I was a bit late showing up to the scheduled run. It was great to see Cheryl out again. She has an infectious smile and you can tell she is back in her element. She is a great example of how to recover well and get back to work. This morning there was Dean, Kris, Michelle, Cheris, Debbie and Cheryl. Not too bad for a cold Saturday morning.

I took my kids to see Madagascar 2 and loved it. The best part was watching my kids nearly peeing their pants laughing at all the jokes and mayhem. Kids are wonderful. They are pretty good kids.

Went out later in the day when things had settled down to get my weekly mileage goal in. 

Nice morning, I can't believe this is November! Ran for 4 miles before having to get the kids up and ready for the day. My music was a little bit slow, which for a slow runner slowed me down a bit. This afternoon I was able to get another run in and it was in the fifties. Gotta love this t-shirt weather. I will take it as long as it will last. 

The sinus problems are back so I tried to sleep it off. Found some Sudafed and it seems to help. I did a 10:0pm run around the neighborhood when I started feeling better. The cray thing was is some of my neighbors are out running that time of night. Instead of worrying about getting mugged I was hanging out with friends. Running is quite the hobby for a lot of people.

Feeling much better today. Went for an afternoon run and had a little bit of extra kick that felt great running up the hills. The temperature was absolutely perfect and I hope we have a few more of these days left this year. 

Long night working on projects so unable to drag my tail out of bed for running group. I think my work is getting the way of important things like running. Was able to get away from the office for a 5 mile run this afternoon. It did warm-up and turned out to be a really nice day.

Afternoon run up the canyon. It is starting to cool off. I wished I had my gloves on today. Maybe next time I will remember my freezing paws. 

I had to wait to see my Cougars get ripped apart by a great Ute Defense and a quarterback and receiver squad that just made too many mistakes. What a cap to a year, the Democrats win the presidency and the Utes win the conference. I hope next year is better than this one.

Okay, that is enough of my temper tantrum. The morning started out great. I met Cheris, Michelle, Peggy, Julie and Wade for a nice morning run. It went by very quickly and I pushed pretty hard to keep up with them. About 7 miles into the run I really started to slow down but did my best. I think it is good to run with faster runners because it mentally beats you into shape. Either you hang in there or quit. I am trying to make myself hang-in-there. This evening I got very anxious during the game and went for a run. 

What a great afternoon run. I pushed the run pretty hard and it was a great way to purge my mind. It felt great to charge up the hills and power down the slopes. It is looking to be a great day.

Very nice afternoon. I took at the temperature and it read a balmy 40 degrees so I put on some gloves and headed out. Felt very strong today and was able to run uphill with my time under 9:30 per mile, downhill was an even 7:00 mile. My legs are feeling stronger but have got to improve the air intake. Not sure how to accomplish this but it seems that at times the thing holding me back is the amount of air I am able to take in.

Awoke early to run around the block before needing to get to work. It was pleasant and cool and I was able to watch the sunrise. Yesterday I went to a Pilates class and have never been in so much pain in my life. It was a good kind of pain that let me know if I am willing to put in the effort my running will improve by leaps and bounds. So needless to say it was a slower run.

This afternoon things were very slow in the office so I headed out again. The downtown area is buzzing with Christmas decorations being installed. I always loved being downtown as a kid and seeing all the lights. My run was slow and comfortable and relaxing. I am excited to meet the BBK's for a Thanksgiving Day run. Have to report on that tomorrow. 

The day started out fairly wet but the rain stopped early into our run. It ended up being perfect weather for as tough as a workout as we did. Cheryl planned a very competitive workout on a very hilly course which ended up being a ton of fun! I was pretty beat-up at the end and did not feel guilty eating pumpkin pie and ice cream.

I have been running hilly courses quite often and it seems to be paying off. I guess it is true what they say, "Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." 

I slept in till about 9:00 and then rolled out of the bed for a run. The neighborhood was quiet as could be. All the moms were probably out shopping for Black Friday sales. It was a wet morning with a slight breeze. I took it very easy after running hard yesterday.

Met Scott and Kelli for a run out on Lehi. Allan was also there along with a ton of people from the blog. The weather was nice and cool without a breeze. A very nice location and the run went by very quickly. Another run in the books.

Swam 1 mile and ran two miles. Slow and easy this up coming week.

Made it to December. I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by. It is staggering to think of all the changes and happenings of this year. One thing is constant and that is running helps to get me through all of it. 

I met my friend Rob for a 5:00am run around our neighborhood. It was nice to get caught up ad talk about races coming up. The mileage and speed was easy because of the marathon coming up. It is great to have good friends to run with. I feel like one of the luckiest runners in the whole world. 

I feel like such a slacker. I opted for more sleep than getting up earlier and going to running group. I always feel guilty when I miss because not everyone has the opportunity to run with a group. After the guilt wore off about noon time I went for a short run. It was very windy and it seems like a storm might be coming after all.

The weather was perfect for the marathon. Low 50's with almost no breeze which is perfect for any marathon in my book. I could not believe how many people were participating in the event this year. The organizers listed the count above 20,000 runners which is pretty unbelievable. It took me over 10 minutes to cross the starting line and I was still crawling for several miles after that trying to get into the flow. I believe the Race is similar to New York that it is more for the enjoyment than trying to get a good time.

 It was my second slowest marathon of the year. I can think of a bunch of excuses but I think it comes down to carrying too much weight and not getting enough sleep. Those are some things that I have control over so I am starting my New Year's resolution several weeks early. Next year, I want to have a good year.

 But even with the disappointment of not finishing with a great time it was nice to be with my family and to be able to participate in a marathon. I love the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the race. Along with my great friends, running marathons keeps me getting up in the morning and lacing up the ole' shoes. 

Man was it cold this morning, it was almost painful! Had a really nice run with the group which was nice because it has been a long time. Visited Kelli, Scott, Peggy and others. It is so nice to have a group to run with. Also went for a run at lunch which was surreal because of all the snow covered roads and branches. It was really quite a nice afternoon.

Nice and slow afternoon run. Most of the snow and ice has melted off of the sidewalks and roads so I just relaxed and ran. This evening I need to do some serious stretching because my legs are a bit tight. Need to loosen them up so I can run with the group tomorrow.

Met up with the running group at 5:15 this morning to run the Parkway Palasades. It was pretty cold starting out but once we started moving things improved. Several miles on the parkway trail and then we hit the hills. I really enjoyed the hills but man are my legs tired and after about 6 and a half and called it a day.

Got up early this morning and met some friends this morning for a run. It was a great but tough workout. 5 miles uphill into the wind and then coming back was great because it was downhill with the wind pushing. We finished just as the wind really picked up and the snow starting falling sideways. Very invigorating to say the least. This afternoon I went out and shoveled the snow and then put in 2.5 miles by running around the neighborhood on the newly fresh fallen snow. I thought I better enjoy it before the novelty of snow wears off because that happens all to quickly.

Busy, busy, busy day with almost sleep and running on fumes! Oh well… next week will be a great short week. An afternoon run with plenty of snow and ice on the ground. Very invigorating running through the canyon on a pillow of white.

Great morning run! It was dark with snow falling; running through neighborhoods. This close to Christmas I felt like caroling. There were a few brave friends who joined in. I love this time of the year! My legs are still fairly tired from the marathon, and putting in some miles last week. Hopefully the effort will pay off somehow. 

I am almost done with Christmas cards, the shopping is completed. I still need to bake neighborhood treats and wrap the kids and wife's presents. Still a lot to do before the big day. I am looking forward to taking some time off and being with my family. They are great and it is hard not to spend as much time as I would like with them. I think most of all I am looking forward to playing Rockband 2 with my boys and my wife rocks with the vocals. Hopefully the kids will want to share the Xbox with their old dad.

 Looking forward to a week of running with friends and plodding along in the snow. 

Quick afternoon run, very cold but great to be running none the less.

Caught up on some sleep and was able to make it to the 5:15am run which was awesome as usual. It was dry the first half with light falling snow the second half. Turned out to be perfect and was not too cold. Great to visit with everyone. I ran mostly with Peggy and Alan, great to get caught up.

Incredible day for running inside. Outside was so cold and windy this morning that it almost seemed unbearable. Peggy planned a run at the Olympic Oval and several of us from the running group tagged along. It was simply incredible. There was two hockey games going on, the olympic team was doing 500m time trials and plenty of runners going around the track. I feel so spoiled having such a great facility in my own backyard. Most of the laps I ran were with Alan, Michelle and Kelli. Scott, Peggy and Mike were doing their own thing but it was nice to visit once in a while. I finished a total of 11 at the track. I ran another five this afternoon.

I went for a run this afternoon up City Creek. It was a beautiful run! There was some lightly falling snow which made the scenery like from a postcard. A few die-hard runners were passing up and down the canyon. I am get Christmas fever in the worst way. It is hard to sit still during the day and work when I want to visit with my family and friends. Only a few more days to go.

Met the group for a run this morning. I was a bit late so I ran about 1.5 on the trail before heading back to meet everyone. It was very cold by the river, but once getting into some neighborhoods things warmed up a bit. I stayed with Alan and Kelli. They are nice enough to go slow enough for me. I feel like a penguin waddling up and down the streets. Kelli showed us a technique for climbing hills and it works incredibly well, especially when going up snow covered hills. 

 I had so much fun going up hills that when I came home from work I went back out to run some more hills. The stride is more side to side than straight ahead. It puts a lot more emphasis into the hip and thigh muscles which help to bound up inclines better than focusing on the calf muscles. Really fun stuff! Can't wait for Christmas and taking some time to relax with the family!

Christmas Day is finally here. The kids were very excited and up early to open presents. We had a great time and the time passed very quickly. The house is full of toys and wrapping paper with christmas music playing on the stereo. Kind of like the Christmas's I remember as a child.

 To busy to get a run in but it is nice to report on Christmas day none-the-less. As far as running gear goes I received: a pair of Nike Volmero 3's, new socks to replace my hole ridden ones, long sleeved shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, and a running jacket with all the zippers working properly. 

Perhaps tomorrow I will be able to fit a run in. 

It must have snowed all night long because I have about 15" outside on my drive way. It is absolutely incredible. I fired up the snow blower and made a pass to clear most of the heavy snow. Then proceeded with the snow shovel to clear the left overs. It took a little over an hour, but it is great to see some snow finally.

 After the snow removal was completed I went for a run around my neighborhood. Nothing had been plowed so I was running mid-calf in fresh fallen snow. It was very exhilarating and quite a work-out. I used the "Kelli" method while climbing the hills and it worked very well, even in snow! Afterwards I was trashed and hung out with the family for the rest of the day. 

Woke up at 6:00 to run at the Olympic Oval. We received some more snow over the evening and none of it had been plowed, with the temperature to boot I opted for something different. Peggy and Mike arrived about the same time I did and we visited about Christmas and proceeded to run our guts out on the track. The traffic was very light but did seem to pick-up in the second hour. I felt like I was really moving but my nike+ had me running at a snails pace which was very frustrating. I like running track when there are plenty of people to talk to.

It seemed that every 3 miles I needed to switch directions on the track which was very strange because the Oval is as flat as a pancake and you wouldn't think that you would need to switch directions. It is a fairly hard track probably because it is laid on top of concrete. It is a wonderful option for days when the weather will not cooperate.

 Looking forward to next week when the running group gets back together. It has been quite a while since we have met. It is amazing how attached you get to running with people, you miss them when they are not around. 

Went to the gym to swim. Put in a mile which felt really great. Also, I have been fighting sinus pressure lately so I spent some time in the steam sauna. Man, I felt brand new after spending 15 minutes in there.

Not much sleep last night. Spent most of the night finishing up a client project that I have been working on the past month. It did feel great to finish it up and send off the project with an invoice. 

I met my friend Rob for an early morning run. It was very windy starting out but it seemed to settle down eventually. We stayed close to my neighborhood because the running path had been plowed. We marveled at how much snow had fallen and how much was still on the ground. It looks like the city and county have really cut back on snow removal this year.

It was great to see Rob and visit for a while. Eight more miles in the books. 

Finally, I was able to get caught up on some sleep. I woke up feeling tired and week and decided to opt out this mornings running group. Felt bad because we did not meet last week with all the snow. I took some medication hoping that my sinus would clear. This afternoon I had a bit of cabin fever and went out for a run. My head feels much better, hopefully this will not last long.

This year has just flown by. So much has happened with many trials and blessing but I do feel confident that the best is yet to come. I enjoy my work, my wife and family and feel grateful to have good friends to run with. This coming year I would like to obtain a marathon PR. It will mean some hard training but it will be worth it.

This afternoon I headed out for a run. It was in the upper 20's but still a bit cold. I wore a light jacket and tights and it was a good thing I did. The further I went up the canyon the colder it was. Much of the snow and ice was melted off the road so the run was uneventful in the area of slipping and falling.

I found an old Def Leppard album and transfered it to my ipod. It was a blast to run along with those old songs that I loved in high school. The music seemed to recharge my batteries that have been running a bit low lately.