A nice long run!

Week: 54 mi. Not quite the "60 in 6 days" that I had mentioned previously, but I did finally log a solid long run. Read Thursday's entry for better details, but suffice it to say that 29 of this week's 54 miles were logged on that day. Kind of the point I guess!

June 24

8mi, 54+min: "SPEED" Felt much better today. So much so that I decided to up the pace for a while. Push a little bit on tired legs if you will. 5 minutes of tempo uphill followed by 12 additional minutes after turning back down. At least 2.5 mi at a good threshhold clip. Some easy running to start and to finish up. (ax)

June 23

4mi, 30:21: Recovery running still. Got the legs moving and I felt better than yesterday. (ax)

June 22

3mi, 26:19: As pace would indicate, this was an easy run that wasn't. Still, good to do. A brief cruise around Repbublic, WA as I prepared for my first library visit of the NCRL system's summer reading program. (ax)

June 21
29mi, 5:37.15: A summer solstice run, and a fine one at that! Ran from Billygoat Trailhead to Cougar Lake with Wasatch compatriot Dan Kuperberg. About 5000 feet of climbing with a very nice mix of runnable terrain. Great country. Especially views from Lucky Pass, on this surprisingly snow-free route into the Pasayten Wilderness area.

I was certainly feeling it once we passed the 4 hour mark, but all-in-all a very good run. The down's are harder on me than the ups in most cases. Not too sure what to do about that except to keep running them and to get used to the jarringness -- if that were an actual word. (cas) A few pics for posterity:

Dan, just beyond Lucky Pass with Rampart Ridge in the background.

We staged these two action"shots for appropriate effect!

June 19

3mi, 23:44: An easy run to make sure that I get in 6 days o' running this week... (a5)

June 18

7mi, 54:30: Easy distance. Home to townish on the Winthrop Trail. On advice of my brother-in-law, I'm trying to slow up a little on these maitenance runs. Not too successful as yet, but we'll keep trying. (ax)

Dippsy do

Week: 46mi in five days of running. I was hoping for about 10 additional miles, but it just didn't happen. Really tired at week's end when the extra running might have been possible. For consistancy's sake, I'll try to keep the "streak" rolling into this next week. 60 in 6 would be nice, and a solid hillworkout would also nicely compliment my ideal flirtation with the four hour training run.

June 17

8mi, 59:46: Wow did I feel like crap today! I'm not exactly sure why, but everything felt like jello. HIKED for 2+ hours as well this morning, but I really didn't anticipate blaming anything on that. So it goes I suppose. Perhaps yesterday's "speed" is the culprit? (ax)

June 16

7mi, 45:12: SPEED. A solid tempo run on trails to town. The middle 14 min at sub-6min, "tempo" pace and the rest of the run felt slow in comparison.

Wolf Creek trail to Gardner Meadows

June 15

4mi, 31:20: A nice easy run on the heels of a long school visit/bookstore visit day in Arlington, WA. A good chance to stretch the legs before the 3hr drive home. (ax)

June 14

20mi, 3:36.21: LSD with Dan and Max. A really nice run on the Wolf Creek Trail up to Gardner Meadows. A near perfect afternoon in the low 70's. 3400ft of elevation gain. Some great views of Abernathy Ridge from the Meadows area.

Dan, Max, and I at the turn around in Gardner Meadows. Even better views that I did not capture, and an amazing array of weathered wood. A fire about 8 years prior burned this area nearly ridge to ridge.

Max, unfortunately, was pushed just a little bit past his comfort zone. The poor dog was REALLY tired after about 2 hours, but defined doggedness and persisted as best he could. Not a lot of activity from him in the two days since however :) (cas II)

June 13

7mi, 50:41: After dinner mint. A post-dinner ramble down Wolf Creek Road. Felt surprisingly good. Two days off will do that, I suppose. (brn)

Underbucking the Crosscut

June 12

TRAIL WORK: No running today, but a solid bit of hiking and 8 hours of trail work with the local forest service/washington trails association. This small contribution is a requirement for entry into Wasatch, but I have been curious to volunteer with WTA for a few years. In any case, a good day. I have sore forearms, and newfound sense of wonderment for underbucking on a 40 inch log with a crosscut felling saw. Sweet.

Week: 50mi. 6 days of running again! A good thing too otherwise I wouldn't have hit the magic 50. Stepping back into the longer run this coming week, but lots of drawing and not much sleeping made this last week a good one to plateau for a bit. Will try to continue with the once-a-week hill repeats in addition of general mileage and longer runs.

June 10

13mi, 1:36:43: Tired. Got the run in because I was chasing miles a little bit and really wanted to have 50. Kept it pretty easy and ran Wolf Creek road west of home. A little time on trails, but a pretty rolling and fogiving run. (ax)

June 9

8mi, 1:00.01: MVCT to town with a few odd loops through the Barnsley Lake area. Barnaby abounds out there! You can easily see how this weed can take things over... This run finished up with a visit to the National Fish Hatchery and their annual kid's day. Keeley caught a rainbow trout -- much to her dismay -- but she did enjoy it for dinner on Sunday night. (cas II)

Sleeplessness ensues

June 8

5mi, 36:40: Easy mileage again. WC Road/Cottonwood Meadows etc.. 2hrs perhaps one day this weekend, but success this week will mean simply maintaining things at around 50mi per week. I'll get another 3-4 hour run in soon enough. (cas II)

June 7

10mi, 1:24.01: Hills again on the day after hills. With 26,000 ft of climbing to do in September, I suppose that I really can't get enough. Today's were a steady upwards accumulation in the course of looping from home up Power's Plunge and the Winthrop/Lakeview trails to Sun Mountain. Came down the Kraule Trail to Perrow's Black Bear cut-off. A fine new loop! (ax)

Hills o' plenty

June 6

8mi, 59:34: HILLS 6 x 3min with 1min R headed down. A graduated climb of sorts on the road up Virginia Ridge. Up 3min, down for 1, up for 3, down etc.. A short-cut cool down to keep the run around an hour. A little short of 8 mi perhaps, but I was working pretty hard on the ups... (ax)

June 5

6mi, 42:40: Easy distance. Back to the roads this week with a quick run to Roth's for dinner. A little tired from last week, happy to be running is some RAIN! There will not be much more of that this summer, so 'tis to be enjoyed while it be. Adieu! (a5)

So begins the June

Week: 53mi. 6 Days running - FINALLY! A good long run, some speed/strength of sorts on the track, AND the heat has arrived. I'm a little tired and have lots of painting to do in the weeks ahead, but the running is going well. Will try to log another 3+ hr run this week and aim for a hill workout in lieu of any 6 min pace runnings. Ciao...

June 3

6mi, 47:43: Easy D. Not too far, but a fine cap to the week. Kicking off June with 50+. Hope I can keep it going. (ax) BIKE as well today. 1hr+ in AM with S&K. Another 50min later in the day enroute to my MVN board meeting. X-training this week as well!

June 2 -- 100 Days to Wasatach...
10mi, 1:05: TITUS VAN RIJN. "Race", speedwork, strength, etc... 15, 210m (9.45mi) in 60 minutes o' running. Pushed a little for the fist 3 mi -- 6:12, 5:59, 6:05, but after letting up for a lap, I never quite found the sub-6:15 drive again. Ran solid for the end of my longest week of the year. Joined as well by a lovely group of participants here in Winthrop, WA this year. Black Cherry Soda and watermelon were enjoyed by all at the 9:30am finish. With temps headed into the mid 90's, we tried to get it started on the earlyish side. (racer st)

TVR 2007 participants from Winthrop, WA. 192.5 laps. 77065m. 47.886 miles!

June 1

4mi, 30min: Easy in the evening. A run down the road behind our house. After dinner with food in the belly. Not a great feeling, but a fine easy run. (brn)