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Tried to keep a slow pace today to avoid over-training prior to a long run on Saturday and a Squaw Peak run on Monday.  I'm more fearful of over-training than under-training. After the run I felt very good.  My heart rate went up to 135bpm the first mile and up to 150bpm the last mile, gradually increasing with generally increasing speed.

It was a tough run today.  (13.48 miles in 2:01:42) I still feel weak, two hours later.  I didn't keep accurate records in the past, but this was the same route as what I think was my longest run.  Splits derived from Garmin were 9:33, 8:57, 8:52, 8:45, 8:55, 8:47, 8:35, 8:58, 8:26, 8:51, 9:38, 10:30, 8:34, 9:04 (partial)

I'm not a very good pacer, especially when the run ends with a steep ascent followed by an even steeper descent.  I had to slow down on the descent to save my knees.

 I really can't imagine doing that run twice in a row to complete a marathon.  I took a gatorade drink with me for the first time.  But after I opened it, it sloshed all over me.  I need a better solution than that for long runs.

Happy 5th of July!  Ran a new route today and met my son half way between his house and mine along University Ave.  It turns out our pace is pretty close, but he was running twice as far.  He ran all the way from his house to mine and back for 15 miles.

Just another run, starting slow, ending fast, but short.  I know I'm supposed to go slow the whole time, but I haven't learned to discipline myself to do that yet.  Can't beat the weather at 58 degrees this morning.  Advantage goes to Utah in the summer.

This time I decided to work a little harder on speed, but it was about the same 8:43 / mile average pace, with the pace generally increasing.  My fastest "spurt" was 6:11/mile and my fastest split was 8:11, both in the last partial mile, but the mile before that was 8:22/mile.

 Talked to Daryl.  Maybe he'll run the Top of Utah Marathon with Brian and me.

Today I ran the longest run of my life, and it feels like it.  It took 2:33:13 for an average pace of 9:38 per mile.  That is a very slow pace for me.  After two hours of running, things really do get a lot harder.  I took about 2 liters of water in a camelback, which bounced on my back the whole way.  I sipped from time to time, but in the end I only drank about half a liter and so most of the burden was unnecessary.  I also took some gummy worms with me.  I ate some of them at about mile 11.  I don't know how much either the sugar or the water helped.  I was totally spent at the end.  I suppose that it could have been worse without the water and sugar, I just don't know.

I was still under the after effects of Saturday's run with pains in both knees, both hips, and lower back.  So, I did a short run and now I feel a lot better.  My schedule says this should be an easy week, and I plan to do just that.  I can't afford another over-training injury.

7.29 miles in 1:05:41 or about 9 min/mile.  I continue to slow down.  I'm fighting some kind of a virus, which is my excuse for today.

Received information from Top of Utah Marathon that my son Brian and I signed up for.  The race, which will be my first marathon will be in Logan on Sep 18.  There are some pretty good cash prizes for winning.  If only I could run faster.  The registration fees of the slow runners must be used to pay off the fast runners.

Took 1:03:33 at 8:42/mile today.  Much better than Wednesday for the same route.  But, my heart rate kept climbing.  That implies that the rate was not sustainable.  Had a strong tail wind for the first half of the run.  The second half, the wind was pretty calm.  Can't ask for better than that!

I'm actually following a training schedule, more or less.  This was my week for the "short" long run.  Unlike last Saturday, I feel great and my energy is not depleted.  We'll see what happens next Saturday when I go for 17 miles.  Now that I know about drinking fountains along the way.  I'm not going to haul around a camel back, which was an unnecessary burden last Saturday.

By the way, today's 11.49 miles took 1:45:16, which translates to 9:10/mile.  I would like to have seen better numbers than that, but at least I felt good afterwards.

Knocked off another minute from Friday's run to complete 7.30 miles in 1:02:24, which is 8:33/mi average pace.  I was just under one hour for the first 7 miles.  I think that's called 7mph!

Each mile got faster than the previous up through mile 5, which took 8:11.  (It helped to start out at a 9:22 pace.)  Then, I slowed down to 8:31 on miles 6 and 7 with yet another slow down of 8:40 pace on the last 3 tenths.  That's when I was working my hardest with my heart rate getting up to 157.

Yes, I have a Garmin.  Yet use is it if I can't share all its data with the world?

4.63 mile in 40:25.  I planned to take the day off, but did an easy run instead.  I got my Garmin to show my heart rate in big numbers.  When I was running at my comfortable, sustainable pace, it tended to hang around 144.  With a little exertion, it got into the the low 150s.

Took 1:02:14, which is one of my better runs.  I tried to go at race pace.  Tomorrow will be an easy day as I gear up for a 17 mile adventure on Saturday.

I won't always be able to say this, so I'll say it while I can.  Today's run was the longest run of my life.  I'm still wondering what will happen to me when I "hit the wall" at the 20-mile mark.  But, like two weeks ago, I started feeling fatigued after about 2 hours.

My wife said I looked nervous before my run this morning and I guess I was.  I decided to try some hammer gels, on advice from someone at a running store.  I also stopped three times for water breaks and gel consumption at water fountains along the way (How fortunate!  I didn't even carry water.)  I was pleased with my overall time of 2:37:31, which translates to 9:00/mile.  I felt like I could have kept going, so I sped up a little at the end, running 8:40 miles for the final 2.5 miles.

I hope I can keep my training schedule mostly going next week.  My wife is going to Arizona for the birth of a new grandson and I'll be going down there next Saturday.  So, this will be an enforced easy week.  But it's worth it to get a new grandchild.

Took me 59:38 for 6.41 miles this morning with an average pace of 9:19/mile.  Not very impressive.  I'm not fully recovered from Saturday's run.

 However, I do have something impressive to share.  My fourth grandchild and my daughter's third child was born last night at 2:38AM after 24 hours in labor.  If you want to talk about marathons and miracles last night was both.  After two C-sections, she had a normal delivery and we are all so happy for her.  Baby Dillon weighs 8lb 2oz.

 Well this is a running site, but runners have to be born, right?

7.29 miles in 1:03:12 or 8:40/mile.  This was 8 sec/mile slower than the same run a week ago, but it was still a good run for me.  I've got some nagging ankle pains, but they don't really bother me while I run, yet.

7.28 miles in 1:03:13 or one second slower than Wednesday.  How boring can the data get?  But there was a little excitement.  I started crossing a wide street on a green light, which immediately turned yellow.  It was red by the time I reached the middle of the street with an oncoming truck.  That's when I really put on the gas, and I'm very thankful that the man in the truck didn't.  Mr. Garmin reported a pace of 5:55 for that stretch.  I didn't know I could run that fast.

Arose early so that I could complete the longest run of my life before my flight to Arizona to see my newest grandson and to drive my wife and daughter back home (who were there to help).

Time was 2:45:48.  Rate was 9:07/mile.  Speed was relatively consistent.  Scenery was beautiful and the gel packets worked well.  Developed some pain on the top of my right foot.  I'm thinking about some new shoes.  My running shoes still look great, but they are a year old now and I guess the good miles on shoes are limited.