Matt's training

I just got my blog singlet.  I hope I represented the blog well.  Coming into the race I had the goal of breaking 40 minutes.  This was an big goal but I wanted to see if breaking 3 hours in a marathon is realistic. 

The race

The wheat and beet days course is an out and back course, that run a 5K and 10K at the same time.  The 5K turns around early.  At the start I spot two people that I don't have a chance of beating.  Then there is a coworker that has very close running ablity that I really want to beat.  They start the race and about 10 to 15 people start pretty fast.  I check my watch and I am doing a 6:10 mile so I relax and run my race.  During the second mile I pass a few people then watch all but one person turn around.  I am in second place.  I have no Idea were my coworker (Russ) is.  About 2 mile the road curves and end up running into a head wind.  When I get to the turn around spot the guy in first is about .25 mile in front of my out of reach.  When I turn around I get my first look at were Russ is, he is about 50 yards behind me, he is in third.  Time at the half right at 20 minutes even.  I know breaking 40 will be pretty difficult I don't negative split many races.  I run pretty strong just hoping I can hold off Russ.  The person in first pull a way from me I can't even see him.  I am all alone for the last 4.6 miles.  I end up finising second, I miss the goal of breaking 40 minutes but I PR by 1:18 So I am pretty happy about that.  After I get done they Had a Kids mile and my two oldest ran in it.  This is my 7 year old Jordin first race.  I ran with him pushing the running stroller.  He ran pretty strong.  I need to get him some assma medicine.  He was wezzing pretty bad most of the race.  He ran pretty strong beside that.  He finished in 8:41 6th in his age group only 0:30 out of second.  My 10 year old had a pretty good race his fastest so far.  He finished in 10:44 first in age group.  He was the only one in his age group.

splits

6:07 I always go out to fast

6:34

6:40 into the head wind

6:32 wind at my back

6:40 wanting to run faster but legs wouldn't run any faster

6:40

1.17 a 6:32 pace

 I spent the rest of the day getting the truck and boat ready to go to Lake Powel.  A week at the lake should be fun. 

11 mile not very fast but they felt like 20.  I think my leg are still trying to get used to being on land after being on a boat for a week.

10.05 miles on the river course in 1:25?? a 8:32 average.  My legs are just so tired I think I am still recovering from being on the boat all last week.

ran 12 miles large brigham city loop in 1:36:11 a 8:00 average.  My legs are still sore.  hopefully I will be able to run fast soon.  Though the run went better then the last two days.

This was a run that was not fun at all.  I am the treasure of the running club at work.  Being the treasure I have to keep track of the clubs equipment.  A few days ago someone reported that one of the clubs Garmins 305 was not holding its charge.  We had just bought this Garmin a few months ago so It is still under warranty.  So I brought it home to try it out so when I call customer support I can describe what it is doing.  For this run it seemed to work fine we will see if it has a charge tomorrow.  I have never used a 305 before so I have never used the heart rate monitor.  I don't know how people can stand to use one.  I put it on.  When I start It doesn't feel to tight and it is staying in place.  After about a mile and a half when I am sweating the heart rate monitor starts to slide down.  I tighten it up a little and it is still sliding down, so I tighten it more.  I repeat a few times until it feels like it is staying in place.  After a few miles the heart rate monitor feels like I is restricting my breathing.  It is a hot day and the course I have choosen is pretty difficult.  Run to mantua and back.  I have heard that there is a trail along Box elder creek when get to mantua I think I spot it.  I start down it.  Thinking if this is the trail I don't have to run along the high way.  I make it a half mile down the trail and it come to a dead end.  I turn back around and walk back up the trail then start running down the road.  I make it about a mile and a half and the heart rate monitor is restricting my breathing and I feel like I am about to pass out from dehydration.  By the way it is 95 degrees.  I walk the next mile to the first house I can beg for some water.  The nice lady gives me a half litter water bottle.  I drink it in about one gulp.  I continue down the road to main street about a mile.  There is a drinking fountain I fill up the water bottle twice and drink it.  I run the last mile to my house.  My wife is wondering what is going on she is expecting me 40 minutes ago.  I drink quart of sports drink and as much water as I can get in me.  I have felt better after my two marathons then after this run.

10 miles in 1:16:36 a 7:39 average.  Ran the river course.  This run went a lot better then yesturday. 

18.2 miles in 2:25:47 a 8:00 average.  When I started out it was sprinkling and the wind was blowing.  It felt like I had a head wind the hollow way.  After I ran 15 mile it starts to rain hard I am soaked and cold.  The course ran is a two lap course each lap is 9.1 mile and gains and losses 500 to 600 feet elevation.  I run on lap then change directions and run the other way around.  I am either going up or down a hill it is never flat.  I have run 28.2 miles in a 14 hour time span.  This is my first time running 70 mile in a week.  My legs are pretty tired.  By the end of the run I was just trying to get home.  The last few miles are pretty slow.  Splits follow

7:45, 7:17, 7:31, 7:23, 6:57, 7:04, 7:28, 8:02, 9:01,  End of the first lap 1:09:?? 7:37 average

7:21, 8:23, 8:40, 8:18, 8:04, 8:27, 9:04, 9:12, 8:16, last .2 1:35 a 7:50 averge

ran out to perry and back.  12 miles in 1:26:15 a 7:11 average.  It was pretty late and mile 11 is on a dirt road.  I wasn't able to run very fast that mile only a 9:11.  I was afraid of taking a bad step.  Run went pretty well, this is the best run in two weeks.  Now I just need to get rid of blister on my left heel.  The thing is big.

10.05 miles in 1:20:?? a 8 min average.  I ran the river course.  I started out running fairly hard doing 7 minute miles.  During the second mile I was feeling sore in some spots of my legs and thought what am I doing.  I shouldn't run hard every day so I shut it down and ran between 7:40 miles and 8:20 miles the rest of the way.  This week is a key training week.  I am planning on running about 74 miles with saturday running 20 miles down black smith fork.  My goal for that run will be 17 miles down the canyon at 6:52 pace.  I will be running with the running club from work and hopefully someone will be able to run with me.  I know Jon is planning on being there but I think he is planning on running alot faster than that.

Ran 12 miles in 1:28:05.  Ran the loop around brigham city.  Ran pretty hard splits follow

7:11, 7:03, 7:15, 7:32, 7:40, 7:33, 7:55, 7:46, 7:12, 7:25, 7:01, 6:27.

The loop starts with some down hill miles then goes up hill for about 2 miles then ends with 2 nice down hill miles.  That is how I can run my fastest mile on my last mile.

10.4 miles in 1:28:?? a 8:30 average.  I ran after work during the hottest part of the day.  Ran a 5.2 loop and came back to the house I drink about a quart of water and my youngest wants to come running with dad.  I put him the the running stroller and take some water.  Run the Snow man shuffle course.  The bank sign said 98 degrees when I went by.  I haven't pushed the runners stroller for a while I have forgotten how hard that can be.  I was glad I had water with me.

10.05 miles in 1:19:?? a 7:45 miles.  Got up at 4:00am so I could run before work.  I was having trouble running very fast this morning.  Ran the river course

ran Black smith fork canyon with Cody, Jon, Allie, and Russ, plus a few more from work. Ran 20.8 miles in 2:21:01 a 6:47. My goal or plan for this run was run 3 miles easy and then run as many 6:50 miles as I could down the canyon. Jon, Cody and I jump in a jeep and is drove up the canyon Jon and Cody get out at the 4 mile marker and start there run. I stay in the jeep until mile three. Every body gets out and Allie Russ and I start running up the canyon at 8:00 pace nice and easy. When we get to the start of Top of Utah I find a restroom. Then get a drink. Cody and Jon has already caught us. We go to start. I want to start at a pretty fast pace, I don't want to have to speed up. I start a little fast. I continue to run 6:35 to 6:40 mile down the canyon wondering when Cody and Jon are going to catch me and leave me in there dust. At mile 15 while I am getting a drink Jon and Cody catches me. I start to run with them. We run 6:20 mile for the next 3 miles. Then some how Jon and Cody get me to run up the hill going to Hyrum instead of turning onto Hollow road. That hill sucks. We jog back down the hill to Hollow Road and get a drink. By this time Allie and Russ has caught us. Jon Cody and I start running down Hollow road I know I only have 3 mile to run we run 6:36 miles and It about kills me. Jon and Cody talks me thought the pace to end strong.

Splits 8:06, 7:52, 7:46, 6:32, 6:31, 6:39, 6:31, 6:43, 6:47, 6:49, 6:29, 6:42, 6:37, 6:44, 6:40, 6:20, 6:19, 6:36, 6:38, 6:36, (5:07) a 6:25 average

After finishing running I went and I worked in a wood working shop on The kitchen cabins I finished the raised panel doors.  I am finish making the cabinets now.  I just have to sand and stain them.  

When I got home I mowed the lawn.  I am tired now

I used my new shoes the first time today and got them muddy.  Ran 12 mile pushing a running stroller with a 40 pound kid in it.  Ran the 12 mile is 1:42:?? a 8:33 mile.  Ran pretty easy.  Starting out planning on running the same course as last monday.  When I got too 3.5 mile in the road was muddy and the road was being dug up.  If I was running by my self I could of got around the construction but not pushing the runners stroller.  Turn around and headed back.  Added a 5 mile loop to finishout the 12 miles my 3 year old slept most of the run.  Legs had a few sore spots from saturdays run but not too bad.

ran to Mantua and back 10 miles in 1:13:50 a 7:22 mile ran up to Mantua at 8:30 miles then turned around and ran 6:15 miles down the canyon. 

ran 10.05 miles in 1:14:15 a 7:22 mile.  Ran the river course.  Ran pretty easy. I was just trying to increase my leg turnover.  I have slow gate.  Counted steps tried to increase turn over.  When I was using 160 steps per minute I was running a 7 min mile.  That is a little fast for this run with top of Utah half coming up on saturday.

Ran the Top of Utah Half marathon in 1:24:15 a PR of almost 10 minutes.  I came into the half marathon hoping to run a 1:26 marathon.  According to the pace calculator that would line me up with a 3 hour marathon for SGM plus it was what the pace calculator said I should run from an earlier race.  My wife and I are both running this race.  We drive over from Brigham City and pick up our packets.  We get on a bus and the bus almost starts going when I realize I don't have my garmin.  My wife and I get off the bus.  I grab the Garmin and get back in the line to get on the buses.  Amy and I get on a bus and there is only two seats left on the bus.  We are going to have to set apart.  I end up sitting next to Andy.  When we get up to the start we use the rest room and make are way to the starting line.  Didn't warm up.  At while waiting for the race to start talk to Allie and a few others.  The race finaly start 20 minutes late.   When the race starts I want to run a 6:20 to 6:25 first mile and Kept pretty close the that goal. After the first mile I just wanted to race by feel and see how the race would go. By the third mile I was feeling pretty good. I decide to see if I could move up. I passed quite a few runners the next 3 or 4 mile. We got a pretty good help from the wind the last two miles coming out of the canyon. By the time I got to hollow road the runners were pretty spreed out. The rest of the race I passed one Guy and Got passed by one and passed a girl and got chicked.  When I got to mile 12 I looked at my total time and couldn't believe it 1:17:12  There was no way I was going to run a 9 min mile.  Ran pretty hard into the finish.  We stuck around for the awards and drawing we had about 5 numbers and still didn't win a thing.  If there wasn't bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all.  Waiting for the awards and drawing it did give Amy a chance to stretch and rest before we went home.

Splits follow

6:17, 6:24, 6:27, 6:29, 6:07, 6:08, 6:16, 6:19, 6:30, 6:30, 6:38, 7:08, 6:14, 0:49 a 5:38 average

 After I finished and got some liquid and food in me.  I went back out and ran Amy in.  She had a good race.  I will let her tell you about her race.

After the race I had to pick some stuff up from Home Depot and come home and play plumber.  I fixed the drain in our tub.  Then we went to Amy's parents house for a Barbque.    Saturdays are always full. 

12 mile, a big loop around brigham city.  Ran it in 1:35:36 a 7:55 average.  Legs didn't have alot of pep in them.