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I checked the weather outside this morning and chickened out.  -2 degrees F and poor air quality didn't sound smart.  Instead I resorted to a program on the treadmill.  It kept changing speeds, but nothing very fast for 30 minutes.  Next time, I'll try the fast program and see how that goes.

The weather site on the computer again told me it was -2 degrees.  The first thermometer on my run said 0 degrees and the second one was at +3 degrees.  I dressed in my warmest clothes and survived.  I slipped and fell on the ice, but it didn't even hurt.  I have to learn to run in this kind of weather, resort to the treadmill, or pay time and money to run on an indoor track.  Running in the frigid weather may be my best option.  I at least had to try, and I'm not sorry.  I'd probably get colder with a longer run.

Decent speeds, in spite of the ice and snow:  4 miles in 34:17 for an average pace of 8:34/mile.

I wore an extra shirt today to keep my core warm, hoping that more blood could flow to my extremities to keep them warm.  It worked for my toes, but not my fingers,  My ski mask turned into a block of ice because I was breathing into it and it became uncomfortable at the end, but it did keep my head warm.  Thermometers I saw en-route range from -1F to +4F.  The good news is that now I know I can do long runs in the cold and I don't need to let the weather keep me from completing my training.

My pace wasn't very good, but at least I'm starting to ramp up the distance.  Overall run was 12.35 miles in 1:52:49 for an average pace of 9:08/mile.

Today, I dressed warm enough to sweat with two long sleeved shirts and two pairs of gloves.  It was nice not to have frozen fingers when I got back.  It was actually 6 degrees warmer than Saturday with thermometers ranging from 5 degrees to 9 degrees.

Speed wasn't quite there with an average pace of 8:50/per mile.  I attribute some of that to the bulky running clothes, but mostly to negotiating the ice and snow to avoid falling.

Hopefully, the worst of the cold is over and I'll be able to start getting more miles done.

Dressed up warm like yesterday, but the temperature was also warmer at 23 degrees and I got a little too warm.

Ran a reverse route, mostly downhill at the start and mostly uphill at the end.  Part of the reason was to run on the left side for safety while negotiating the ice and snow.  Another reason is that the Provo City marathon will start out downhill and end up level.

Average pace was 8:54/mile today.

Ran with youth group, but there was very little time.  Indoor track.  Mutual followed but we didn't stink too bad.

I had resigned myself to the treadmill this morning because of the weather report.  I thought it would be wet and sloshy.  Instead, it was a cool, mostly dry 20 degrees, with a new half inch of snow.  Turned out to be a very nice run.  5.49 miles in 48:39 (8:51/mile).

The plan was to run 10 miles and then run 3 with Ben at 8:00.  But, I slept in too long and only had time for 3 before 8 o'clock.  After the 3 with Ben, I ran 4 more and called it a day.  Temperature was a reasonable 19 degrees and a very light snow fall.  Pace was slow for various reasons:  10.08 miles in 1:32:50 or 9:13/mile.

5.49 miles in 48:46.  I considered staying indoors today, but glad I didn't.  Temperatures fell again down to somewhere between +5F to -1F, depending on the thermometer.  But I was still OK.  No frozen parts on my return.

Took Alma to the Rec center this evening.  He lasted 2.5 miles with me and ended up with 5 miles for the longest run of his life.  I kept going for 6.77 miles at somewhere near an 8:30 pace based on the wall clock.  (GPS watch doesn't work down in the basement where they have a track.

Changed it up a little bit and ran my steep route, albeit very slowly.  I felt sloggish even on the level.  Ran 5.53 miles in 53:56 for an average pace of 9:44/mile.  13 degrees today.  The temperature inversion is supposed to be here at least another week.

Went with the young men to see a trainer last night.  He was very impressive.  He's run 20 marathons and has also run a 100 miler.  He emphasized healthy foods, stretching after running, consisency, and shoes.  I'm defininately due for a new pair of shoes.

Did two runs today.  First run was 10.14 miles in 1:30:10 for an average pace of 8:54/mile.  Temperature readings were somewhere between 4 and 10F.  Ski mask was covered with ice cycles when I got back, but I didn't think to take a picture.

2nd run was after the YM basketball game.  3 boys, 3 adults, and 3 miles for an average pace of 8:49/mile.  I was glad that one of the boys was mine, but it's hard getting them out in the cold for a run.

Tried out my new pair of Saucony shoes today and liked how they felt.  The results were also a little better than usual.  5.49 miles in 47:25 for an average pace of 8:39/mile.

Temperature was somewhere between 6 and 9 degrees F, but I was plenty warm with extra layers.  I saw a patch of blue sky yesterday.  I can hope that this temperature inversion goes away and that we can soon breathe clean air again.

Got nearly the same results as yesterday except 3 degrees warmer and a mile shorter.  Ran 4.6 miles in 39:47 for an average pace of 8:39/mile.  Maybe more variation could help me to progress faster.

Ran with Teachers, Priests and leaders at the Rec center.  2nd mile was supposed to be fast.  That means I tried hard, but I didn't time it.  Several are coming along pretty well and a few are struggling.  Hopefully, we'll get a good turnout for our 6 mile run on Saturday.

I wasn't sure I was going to run this morning, but decided to do it anyway, at least for a short distance.  Did 3.96 miles in 33:49, for an average pace of 8:33/mile.  I'll take it.  It was 28 degrees this morning, which is a lot warmer than it's been.

The young men are starting to ramp it up, but only some of them.  Three ran with us today, including my son Ben.  We ran 6.06 miles in 53:57 8:54/mile.  Two of them took off at the end and I tried to catch them, but couldn't.  Since I had planned 14 for today, I ran 10.1 before the young men run for my total of 16.16.  The fog came down and reduced visibility to about 30 feet.  Even lighted signs were hard to see until I got close.  That run was 10.1 in 131:29 for an average pace of 9:03/mile

Took the whole family down to the rec center to run this evening.  Alma and Ben got in 5 miles each and Karen did 3 miles.  That's a total of 18.8 for the family!

Got about a foot of snow yesterday and it's falling again today.  But, the snow is being put where I'd like to run.  I could run in the traffic lanes, but I might slow down the flow of traffic a little.  So, I did a 30 minute workout on the treadmill, which took me 2.26 miles at varying speeds from 1.3mph to 6.8mph.  I needed to do something, and that was it.

Took the family to the Rec center this evening for another family run.  It's kind of nice to get a good stretch out on the sidelines after the first mile.  Ben timed one of his miles at 7 minutes.  I timed 4 miles in 32:30 or about 8:08/mile.  I'm happy that we're all getting into better shape.  As for me, my mileage has dropped off pretty steeply this week.  Maybe that's because I'll be a senior citizen tomorrow.

Ran twice again; 10 miles on my own and 5 with the young men and other leaders.  I'm concerned about many of them completing.  Some of them have never shown up for the Saturday runs and the milage starts increasing from here.  The two that went today kept a very good pace:  5.05 miles in 42:30, or 8:25/mi.

Earlier, I ran 10.11 miles in 1:27:24 for an average pace of 8:39/mile.  Every mile was 8 something except for the first mile in 9:12 and the tenth mile in 7:44.

4.61 miles in 40:06 for an average pace of 8:42/mile.  Felt a little sluggish for a while, probably because of my 15 miles on Saturday.

Good news is that it warmed up a lot yesterday and the sidewalks are mostly clear again.  This morning's temperature was 22 degrees.

Slept in too late this morning.  So I did an evening run.  It's dark either way, but it was warmer (36 degrees) and much more traffic to watch out for.  Ran up skyline drive which I haven't done for a while and it was slow going.  Average pace turned out to be 9:06/mile (5.28 miles in 48:05).

Woke up at 3:30 and then at 4:00 even though I didn't get to bed until almost midnight.  So, I had time to go a little further today:  7.29 miles in 1:03:07 for an average pace of 8:40/mile.  Started out sluggish and ended strong.  One pair of gloves wasn't really enough at 23 degrees outside.  It's hard to know the right amount of clothes to put on.

Ran 8.5 miles with Bishop Jones and then we finished off the last 8 with the young men.  That means Alma, Ben, and McKay.  Richard started to run, but didn't last very long.  I was very pleased with Alma and Ben, above all.

Finally got back on the road.  Got some knee pain yesterday, but it didn't seem to affect my running today.  Started out really slowly and got progressively faster.  6.08 miles in 52:51 for an average pace of 8:42/mile.  Started snowing after the run.

Alma turned 17 today!  I'm pleased with his progress in many ways.  My 4.62 mile run progressed from slow to fast with each successive mile.  My left ankle affected my stride at first.  Overall run took 40:09 for an average pace of 8:41/mile.

I ate way too much sugar yesterday (2 pounds worth) and 6 miles was not enough to shed the extra pounds, but it was better than 0 miles.  It was a beautiful morning to run with a light snow fall.  Ran 6.05 miles in 53:47 for an average pace of 8:53/mile.

It was supposed to be an easy day and my pace was slow, but my feet hurt the whole time to prevent me from getting into my stride.  Result was 4.61 miles in 45:05, or 9:47/mile.  Not feeling very ready for a long run tomorrow.  We'll see what happens.

Three runs for a total of 15.63 miles today.  It was afternoon by the time we were done.  The young men had a basketball game at 10:00 and so we split the ten mile before and after the game.  I ran the first stretch before they got out of bed.  Charles is in on the marathon preparation too now.  So the young men were Charles, Alma, Ben, Levi, McKay and Cameron.

I'm not sure what's going on with my left foot.  Maybe a stress fracture.  But I'm still working through it.  Pace averaged about 9 min /mile today.  Weather was great.  No gloves or cap on the last 5 miles.

After wearing a brace on my foot for most of a week,  I started feeling "weekness"  all over in my legs, especially knees and I started wondering if the brace was hurting more than helping.  With the marathon slipping away along with my fitness level, I decided to run/walk on the treadmill this morning so that I could keep the option open to stop at any time.  I went from a slow walk to a fast walk and then to a jog before it started hurting.  Eventually got up to 6mph and maintained that speed for most of the four miles.  Stretched before and after and felt good about the results.  Barring any flare ups today, I may repeat the workout tomorrow.

Two miles on the treadmill, which is when the pain started.  The doctor told me not to run through the pain, so I didn't.

Ran laps at rec center with six young men and one other adult.  It one point I got a sharp pain and considered stopping, but didn't.  Hopefully, I didn't make a big mistake.  It took 56 laps to get 9 miles.

Burned off 375 calories, or two ounces this morning on the treadmill.  It felt good.  Hopefully Tuesday's run didn't cause lasting damage, although I still have lots of aches and pains from the run.

Ran ten miles with Ben, Alma, McKay, and adults.  Felt good.  Stayed with Ben most of the time, but he took off and beat me at the end.  No real ankle pain today.   I think I'm back.

Aches and pains continue in feet, ankles, knees, and gluts.  But none of that affected my stride.  I think I'll be OK if I don't ramp up too fast this week.  Ran 5.52 miles in 47:02 for an average pace of 8:31/mile.  It felt good.

Planned to run further but slept in.  Decided that a little on treadmill was better than nothing.

Had a good run today and felt strong the whole time.  5.48 miles in 45:44 or 8:21/mile.

Ran 12 miles with young men.  But "with" is an exageration.  It was one here, one there.  No one was the same pace.  Ben seemed to be going along pretty well, so I decided to stick with him.  After 5 miles, he suddenly slowed down.  So I told him to run ahead.  I took a long water and gel break.  After a while I caught him again.  We went slow until 8 miles and then I told him to go ahead and I'd take an extra mile loop.  Two miles later, I caught him again.  I had gone 10 and he had finished 9.  This time he was walking slowly and requested that I stop.  He started out the run sick and ended up sicker.  We waited for someone to pick him up and then I ran home for the final 3.

Good run today, but I forgot to reset my garmin.  First mile was not really measured.  After that, I averaged 8:17/mile and felt strong the whole time.

Debated whether or not to run today.  Yesterday's run stressed my feet quite a bit.  Decided to run anyway and not push quite so hard.  Feeling good for now.  4.64 miles in 39:41 for an average pace of 8:33/mile.

Ran the HS track with 8 young men and 5 young men leaders.  Did slow miles and fast miles.  My two fast miles were 7:21 and 7:46, which is pretty good for me.

Ran 14.78 miles with young men and leaders.  From Provo temple to Timpanogos temple.  It was snowing when we started and still snowing when we finished.  I stayed with Ben the whole time, which made it a very slow run, but that was probably a good thing.

Ran 6.37 miles in 55:17 for an average pace of 8:41/mile.  It was pretty cold, but I dressed warmer than I did for Saturday's run, so my fingers didn't get quite so cold.

Core strength (push ups and sit ups this morning) and aerobic this evening.  Took a hill route, followed by mostly flat.  5.24 miles in 45:38 or 8:43/mile.  Wore shorts and long sleeves, but that was a little too much for 57 degrees.  I hardly ever run in the evening and didn't know what to expect.

Interval training with young men, but Alma was the only one who completed 7 with me and another adult.  Fastest miles were 7:28, 7:29, and 7:40, with slow miles before and after each fast one.

4.65 miles in 39:28 or 8:29/mile.  I'm concerned about my achiles tendons again.  Some pain, but not enough to affect my stride.  We'll see how tomorrow's 16 miles go.

Long run with four young men and two other adults.  I brought up the rear with Richard, but he lasted 9.9 miles (longer than he has ever lasted to my knowledge).  We walked much of the time but it was still exercise.  Last 7 miles I sped up to about an 8:30 pace.

 We did a route that I've never done before along Utah Lake and enjoyed the scenery.  It is such a nice day that it's almost hot.

It's a brand new week and a the last month before my third marathon.  Started out with 4.65 miles in the rain.  I think the freezing weather is over.  Pace started out slower than normal, but overall, I averaged 8:45/mile.

Family is in Arizona and so I'm kind of on my own schedule this week.  No excuses for missing runs.

Achilles tendonitis is bothering me again. That's why I missed yesterday's run and ran slowly today.  Hope it gets better in time for Saturday's run.

Had a good group running our 18 miler today. 4 youth and 3 adults ran the distance.  One youth made 15 miles and another got through 5.  I started hurting a lot after 16 and slowed down quite a bit.  Hopefully I didn't overdo it.

Lots of pain getting started this morning, but it got easier after the first mile, which took 10 minutes.  Overall 8:55/mile and 4.66 miles.

Ran 5.5 miles at 9:12 pace per mile. Snow falling the whole time, but I probably won't see that again for a while.

Ran around the HS track 36 times for 9.11 miles.  Some pain but nothing to call 911 about.  Average pace was 8:52/mile.  Not pushing myself too much, just trying to not get out of shape and to avoid further problems with my achiles tendon.

Ran in a snow shower this morning for a short distance.  I think I didn't do any damage.  19 days till the marathon and no use risking anything now.  I missed the 20 miler Saturday with Ben, but I rode my bike about 33 miles while I tracked him on his run.  We ran the end of the Provo City Marathon and it is a beautiful course.  I'm kind of excited about running it.

3.87 miles in sleet and about 35 degrees.  8:31/mile.  Marathon in 18 days.  Goal is to not lose fitness or increase injury.  Therefore, a few short runs from here on out.  Ankle hurts a little, but not too much.

It was a cool 31 degrees this morning with no precipitation at all.  I felt stronger than usual with mile paces ranging from 8:32 down to 7:24 and with improvements on each mile.  Overall average was 8:13/mile.  Seems promising for upcoming marathon.

Reversed yesteday's route and took it easier  4.64 miles in 39:57 or 8:37/mile.

Ten miles in the rain with Alma and Bishop Jones.  Ben started out, but quit after three due to foot pain.   It was a nice run most of the way, but the rain started coming down harder during the last two miles.  The SLC marathon is today and it probably won't be the best marathon experience for most of them.  Security is beefed up due to the events at Boston last Monday.

Cool 43 degrees and dry.  Had a good 5.61 mile run in 48 minutes, or 8:33/mile.  I was trying to conserve energy at first, as if running the marathon.  That left quite a bit of energy at the end.

Ran track with young men.  Miles alternated between slow and fast.  Mile 2 was 7:14 and mile 4 was 7:28.  As far as I'm aware 7:14 was a PR for a mile.

3.85 miles in 32:04 for an average pace of 8:19/mile.  Last partial was at a 7:51 pace.

Hopefully, I didn't push it too hard, but I feel fine now.  No more hard runs before the marathon.  Easy 8 tomorrow, easy 3 on Tue and Thu, and then 26.2!

Almost didn't run today because of my achiles tendonitis, which I probably stressed with two faster runs this week.  But, I took it easy and only felt a little pain once.  Weather was very nice except for a head wind at the end.

8.54 miles took 1:20:49 for a conversational pace of 9:28. per mile.

Only one week to the marathon!

On a major taper now!  Only 3.05 miles, mostly at marathon pace with some speeding up at the end.  Average pace was 9 minutes per mile.  I was just fine in short sleeves this morning and may end up going with short sleeves for the marathon.

Ran a slow 3 mile route with Ben this afternoon for our last run before the marathon.  Average pace was 9:06 as we attempted to keep our rate conversational and down to marathon pace.

This was the big day!  I ran the Provo City Marathon with 10 young men ages 14-18 and 4 other adults.  (Three of the youth opted for the half marathon, but I'm still very pleased.)  My son Ben won first place in his age division (12-14) and he was the only runner.  His time was 4:18:30, just behind me.  My other son, Alma said his goal was to finish in under six hours.  So I was very pleased when I saw him come across at 4:45.  I think he won the award for the best shirt, which said "running sucks"  He got all kinds of comments during the run about his shirt.  Another of our young men won 3rd place in the 15-18 age group with a time of 3:55.  He had the best time in the group.  Three of the adults finished ahead of me at 4:12, 4:13, and 4:14.  The other adult is in my age group and he finished his first marathon in 5:44.  He had more injury trouble than any of us, but he also had great determination and was able to pull in out in the end.  I'm so happy for him.  The rest of the boys finished between me and him.

In my age division (55-59), I also won a medal for third place out of seven runners.  My time of 4:17:00 was just six seconds slower than my personal record of 4:16:54 at the Top of Utah marathon 3 years ago.  During the last 45 minutes of the run, I knew I was close, but not that close.

When I got to mile 19, I thought that I would be hitting the wall any time now.  I think my pace slowed down a lot before mile 19, but I had a reasonable amount of energy all the way to the end.   I forgot to bring my GPS watch, but I stayed pretty near the 4 hour pacers until almost the half way point.  The 4:15 pacers finally passed me up at mile 24, but I didn't have the energy to stay with them.

The weather couldn't have been much better.  It was a little too cold at the start and a little too hot at the end, but tolerable for short sleeves throughout.

I have to say this was the best marathon out of the three I've run because I didn't have everyone passing me at the end.  Without the injury in the midst of the training cycle, it could have been much better.  The other good news is that my injury never slowed me down during the run.

I ran hard today.  No reason to worry about anything with no more marathons scheduled.  I'm almost back to 100%, which is so different from the slow recovery after previous marathons.  Ran 3.94 miles at an average pace of 8:38/mile.

I'll be running for fitness now, but I'm not swearing off future marathons either.  That elusive 4 hour marathon is still hanging over my head.  For now my focus has to be maintaining fitness and getting ready for Brian's wedding on June 8.

I had great energy from start to finish today, probably because of my lack of running lately.  I probably won't even get in my long run tomorrow.  Nevertheless, I will continue to run and to seek improvement, whether or not another marathon is in my future.

Ran 4.6 miles at an average pace of 8:15/mile (37:57).

59 degrees as summer time approaches.  Ran 5.42 miles in 46:19 for an average of 8:33/mile.

Even warmer before dawn this morning at 63 degrees.  Not quite as much energy as yesterday, but still a good run:  4.65 miles in 39:25 or 8:29/mile.

Felt good from start to finish today and increased speed with each mile.  But, it was a pretty average performance overall:  4.59 miles in 39:23 or 8:35/mile.  I love the weather lately:  57 degrees this morning.

I was not excited to get up and run in the rain this morning.  Besides, I had plenty of excuses:  No marathon to prepare for, a wedding in three weeks to prepare for.  OK.  Just two excuses.  But, when I got up, it wasn't raining and I went.  A few drizzles happened here and there for the first 8 miles and then a real downpour on the last two miles.

Overall, I was pleased with 10.15 miles in 1:26:14 or 8:30 per mile.  Had energy most of the time.

Well, something is better than nothing.  Ran 3.95 miles in 33:42 or 8:32 / mile on a cool 46 degrees morning.

I passed my house to achieve the complete 4 miles.  Ran 4.04 in 34:09 or 8:29 per mile.  Cool and dry morning was very nice.

I finally woke up at a decent hour so that I could run for an hour.  1:00:29 to run 7.3 miles for an average pace of 8:17 / mile.  The last five miles were very close to an average of 8 min/mile.

Didn't leave until 8am because Ben wanted to run with me.  It was his first run since the marathon and the heat made things more difficult.  We went pretty slowly and I ended up dropping him for the last 2.5 miles.  Completed 10.57 miles in 1:38:56 or 9:22/mile.

Part of the way, we were running against runners in some official race and we were offered gaterade.  We told them we weren't in the race, but they gave it to us anyway, and we gladly accepted it.

Ben wanted to run with a friend at school this morning.  So, I invited myself to join him.  By her own admission, she is not a runner, but I would not have believed that after the first 8:48 mile, which is faster than I usually get on my first mile.  After that she slowed down a lot, mostly walking.  But, that's how Ben was six months ago.  So, she could do it if she wanted to.  Truth is, she may have been more interested in Ben than it running, which is why I went with them for 3.65 miles.

Then, I ran 4.41 more at an average pace of 8:38 per mile.

I ran hard today to burn off some extra calories from yesterday.  Ran 5.53 miles in 45:11, or 8:10/mile.  Of course that rate was assisted by skipping a couple of running days.

Ran with Ben after our temple trip, so it was a little later in the day.  He decided to do three and I couldn't catch him.  I averaged 8:17/mi, but he beat me by at least a minute.  Then, I went out to do 9 more.  It went well until the last mile, when I lost my energy in the hot 70 degrees sunny weather.  I almost fainted in the shower and I'm still really wiped out.  My average speed for the second 9.63 was 8:34/mile, which was pretty good.  I hope that an effort like that will reap rewards.

Ran to the mouth of the canyon and back.  Goal was to increase my pace for each consecutive mile, which was not too difficult because first 3 miles were mostly uphill and last three were mostly downhill.  6.06 miles in 53:02 or 8:46/mi with these splits:  9:25, 8:59, 8:48, 8:41, 8:32, 8:14, 7:13 (.06 miles).

Ben decided not to run with me, but hopefully he does later today.  The days are long enough that I can start running into the canyon very early in the mornings.

Short night, short run, but at least I ran.  It took 25:57 tp rim 3.03 miles, which is 8:34/mile.

Nice run to the mouth of the canyon and back.  Head wind going up and tail wind coming back.  6.35 miles took 55:32 for an average pace of 8:45/mile.  Sought to increase pace each mile again, but mile 4 was 2 seconds slower than mile 3.

Ran the steep hill route and followed instructions not to push it too hard because I need to work at home today in preparation for Brian and Charlotte's wedding.  Non-remarkable numbers were 6.1 miles in 57:01 for an average pace of 9:21.

Last night, my whole family (8 children, 3.95 spouses, and 5 grandchildren) went to Pizza Pie Cafe where Alma was working and we kept him very busy.  We had 18 in the party and it was all smiles all evening for me.  It was well worth the two pounds I gained.

Brian and I both ran nearly the same route this morning.  But I didn't know he was going to run until I saw him at the end of my run.  Tonight, we will be in Logan and tomorrow Brian and Charlotte will get married!

Ran 6.08 miles in 55:28 for a 9:07 pace overall.  Splits were 9:53, 9:26, 9:21, 9:00, 8:42, 8:27, and 8:03.  Going up against the wind was especially difficult.

5.49 in 46:24 or 8:27/mile.  Hopefully, I can achieve 30 miles this week.  Summer weather brought 71 degrees this morning, but it was still pretty tolerable.

Went to the mouth of the canyon and back.  Met Travis along the way who was going on a 20-mile bike ride.  He missed the PCM due to an injury, but is doing well with biking.

Ran 6.14 in 53:04 or 8:39/mile.

Planned about 6.5 miles and ran further because of a road closure.  Ended up running 8.12 in 1:15:49 at a slow pace of 9:19/mile

Ran up and down the steep hill, which was 5.05 miles in 45:04 or 8:55/mile.  Mile 3 was almost three minutes faster than mile 2 with the steepest incline.  Weather was great.

Went part way up the canyon and back.  Ben isn't running with me much any more because he's running with the cross country team.  Also, his shin splints are bothering him and he wanted an extra day of rest.  Mile paces ranged from 9:33 to 8:07, increasing with each mile except for one.  Average overall pace was 8:50/mile and total time was 1:29:51

I'm in Appleton, WI this morning.  Elevation only about 700 feet.  56 degrees, flat.  I,d call that ideal and an opportunity not to be missed.  So, I got out onto strange roads this morning and ran 6.29 in 52:22, or 8:20/mile.  Splits were 9:39, 8:12, 8:06, 7:54, 7:51, 8:12, and 8:12.

Brian and Charlotte are having a second wedding reception today.  So we are in vacation mode 

Back home.  Ran up and down Provo canyon for a very nice run:  7.18 miles in 1:01:29 or 8:34/mile with these splits:  9:15, 8:52, 8:49, 8:41, 8:29, 8:10, 7:54, 7:28.  It may be the first time I've been successful in increasing my speed with each mile.  I definitely had increased energy due to all the rest I've had this week.

Two hard runs in a row and heat makes a difference.  When I started my run up the canyon, it was 54 degrees.  When I finished, it was 80 degrees.  That's up by 26 degrees during the 1:46:19 that it took me to run 12.08 miles, which averages 8:48/mile.  I drank twice on the trip, but I still lost 3.5 pounds of fluid and am still in recovery mode from the run.

5.43 miles in 46:22, or 8:33/mile.  Mile 1 was slowest at 8:49 and mile 5 was fastest at 8:04.

Got up early and ran 7.29 miles in 1:02:49 at an average pace of 8:36/mile.

GPS wouldn't cooperate this morning.  I'm guessing I ran at least 14.1 miles to bridal veil falls and back and it took about 2 hours and 5 minutes.  That comes out to about 8:52/mile.

Ran a short 4.08 miles in 34:12 for an average pace of 8:23/mile.

Hill route in 47:49 or 8:40/mile.  Miles ranged from 7:12 to 10:06 depending on difficulty.

We have a new paved running trail that I tried this morning.  It is very nice and wide with markers every quarter of a mile, but part of it isn't yet finished.  Ran into a strong wind going up and then the wind seemed to die down coming back.  Wasn't trying to push it too hard today.  Overall, I ran 6.12 miles in 58:13 for an average pace of 9:31/mile.

Today I went the other direction along the Murdock canal trail and was impressed again.  I saw one water stop, but more would be nicer.  The trail goes along the base of the Mount Timpanogos foothills, but overall, it seems pretty flat.  It took 1:46:14 to run 12.11 miles or 8:46/mile.  Temperature ranged from 65 to 72 degrees, which was very tolerable.

Ran Skyline drive route today, which has a very steep climb and then a long downhill section.  Wind was strong going towards the canyon.  End result was 7.91 miles in 1:08:53 for an average pace of 8:42/mile.  Individual mile paces were all over the place:  9:34, 10:14, 7:17, 8:14, 8:40, 9:00, 8:26, and 8:12.

Up to the mouth of the canyon and back.  Heavy winds as usual.  6.2 miles in 54:01 or 8:43/mile.

Ran the Murdock trail to the north, which turns out to be pretty flat.  Managed to increase my speeds each mile with 9:42, 8:26, 8:20, 8:09, 8:00, and 7:56 for an overall average of 8:24/mile or 52:43 for 6.28 miles.

I've started doing some long, bounding, inefficient strides during my first mile to warm up.  It is pitch black, so I don't think anyone sees me to laugh at me.

Persuaded Ben to run up the canyon with me today.  I was pulling him the whole time.  But then he left me in the dust for the last mile.  He just doesn't have as much experience managing his energy as I do.

Ran 10.72 miles in 1:35:24 for an average pace of 8:54

Sluggish after so much time off but at least I got out for a little run this morning.  4.62 miles in 39:32 for an average pace of 8:33/mile.

Not sure of exact distance or time because it was a new route and my GPS was dead this morning.  My estimate is six miles in 51 minutes.  Lots of hills.

I'd say I had a good run this morning.  5.47 in 45:52 for an average of 8:23/mile.  These were my splits (8:57, 8:21, 8:27 (all uphill against the wind), 8:20, 7:59 (mostly downhill), and 8:06.

Flat run on the Murdock Canal Trail.  Didn't see anyone for the first 5 miles.  Then I saw two bikers and later a runner.  I suppose that most people prefer to exercise in the daylight.

Had a decent run, but started out slowly.  7.28 miles in 1:02:41 for an average pace of 8:37/mile.  Splits were 9:55, 8:42, 8:36, 8:42, 8:24, 8:17, 7:59, and 7:31.

Ran 10 miles, mostly in the dark.  But this time it was in the evening dark rather than the morning dark.  I ran after a pizza and sugary dinner and it seemed kind of sluggish the whole time.  More significantly, it affected my ability to sleep when I got home.  Probably I'll stick with the morning runs from now on.

The run itself was pretty steady with 10.01 miles in 1:26:09 or 8:37/mile.

Ran the miles I had time for, which was 4.65 at an average pace of 8:27/mile.

Hill running.  Hope it did some good because it wasn't impressive running as hard as I could up a steep incline at about 13 min/mile.  Not sure about actual numbers because my GPS got full after the first four miles which took 35:35 or 8:54/mile.

10K with Ben in 52:27 or 8:26 per mile on the flat Murdock Canal Trail.  That's the best place to get good times.  We also saw a deer on the way and three other people in the darkness.  It's the first time Ben has been willing to run with me in the dark, but it's pretty safe on the trail where no motor vehicles are allowed.  Splits were 9:26, 8:39, 8:17, 8:28, 8:11, 7:51, and 7:09 (partial).

The plan was 10 miles, but I ran a little further up the canyon to get to the next water fountain. On the way down, a couple of guys passed me up.  One of them stopped for water and he never caught me again.  I stayed close to the other guy but never caught him.  At one point I was surprised that my pace was 7:00.

Overall, 10.88 miles in 1:38:08 or 8:33/mile.  75 degrees and occasional sprinkles.

Not much running time this morning.  So I did about a 5K:   3.05 miles in 25:10 or 8:15/mile.  Splits were 8:34, 8:12, 8:03, and 6:37 on the final sprint up my street.

Old route, 74 degrees and good energy:  5.45 miles in 45.05 or 8:16/mile.   Managed to improve on each mile:  8:37, 8:21, 8:19, 8:11, 8:08, and 7:44.

Ran fast and hard today:  4.64 miles in 37:11 or 8:01/mile, which is probably my best average pace in a long time.  Splits were 8:36, 8:03, 7:46, 7:45, and 7:52.

Nice run up and down the canyon. 12.16 miles in 1:43 for 12:16/mile.  Lots of runners and bikers out this morning.

My wife let me know that our 6th grandchild was born this morning before I left to run.  Jeremy and Maggie had their third child in Boston.  We know it's a boy, but no further statistices are available at this time.  By comparison, my running statistics are very boring, but just for my own records, I ran 4.6 miles in 38:35 for an average pace of 8:23/mile.

Murdock canal trail for an easy, flat run:  4.55 miles in 27:53 or 8:19/mile.  Splits were 9:18, 8:15, 8:12, 8:03, and 7:23.

Today was my day for hill training which caused a great variation in speeds from 6:02/mile to over 15:00/mile.  Average was 8:38/mi for 5.07 miles or 43:50 total.

Easy run along Murdock Canal trail.  I counted 5 people during my run until I saw about 6 bikers as I was finishing.  Ran 6.06 miles in 50:17 for an average pace of 8:18/mile.

A nice run in the dark along Murdock trail in the dark  Started abpit 5 am and tried to keep track of runners and bikers along the way.   First biker in mile 2.  First runner in mile 4.  More on the way back.  It doesn't really matter.  Ran 10.15 miles in 1:23:27 for an average pace of 8:14/mile.  I was pleased with the results.

7.27 miles on the hill route in 1:00:31 or 8:19/mile.  I thought I was going a pretty good pace up the hill and someone came from behind and passed me like I was standing still.  He looked way younger than me too.  Just think how fast he will be when he gets as old as me!

Distance was determined by time available.  Easier course, stronger wind, same result, 8:19/mile.

Almost didn't qualify for a plasma donation yesterday because my heart rate was too low (50bpm).

Ran 5.51 miles in 44:44 or 8:07 per mile.  The last 3.51 miles were all under an 8 minute pace.  I was pretty pleased with those numbers.

Two short runs this morning with about the same result.  First was alone and second was with Ben.  Kind of proves that Ben is very close to my speed, although he can still beat me on the mile by over a minute.  The first five was on the Murdock trail and then I did four on the streets with Ben.  Overall average was 8:10/mile for 9.2 miles.  The second stretch was 2 seconds/mile faster.  We both had a really good sprint at the end.

I did 8 miles in 1:05:45 on the Murdock Canal trail for an average pace of 8:12/mile.  I ran a little further because I ran a little shorter than planned on Saturday.

Hill route, advantage downhill.  I don't know if I've ever done this before, but the mile that was all downhill was completed under 7 minutes (6:58)!  Overall wasn't so impressive:  5.07 miles in 42:23, or 8:21/mile.

Ran my old 5.5 mile route in 45:14 or 8:14/mile.  Fastest mile was 7:46 and slowest was 9:01.

Up and down Provo canyon with a light rain.  12.09 miles took 1:40:10, or 8:17/mile.  Four of the miles and the last partial was under the 8 minute threshold.  Afterewards, Karen and I walked up to the "Y" and back.  That trail is very steep.

Today is our 31st anniversary.  We celebrated on Saturday by hiking the Y and going out to dinner.  It was over 31 years ago since we did that the last time.

This morning I ran a quick short route: 4.58 miles in 37:27, or 8:10/mile with these splits:  8:29, 8:14, 8:14, 8:03, and 7:39.

Mountain course of 6.35 miles in 52:25, or 8:15/mile.  Splits were 8:54, 9:29, 6:51, 8:03, 8:11, 8:17, and 7:32.

Very little time today.  Jogged up to the track, completed a warm-up mile and then gave the next mile my best effort:  7:00 min flat on a flat surface!  Maximum speed was 5:57, so there is potential for doing even better.  Last mile was a cool down/get home in time.  5K took 26:39 with the two slow miles included.  I have a goal to hit 23 minutes in a race on Monday.

Just another run to keep in shape:  5.44 miles in 45:37, or 8:23/mile.  Pretty average, but so much better than a 0.

Ran 10.08 miles on the Murdock trail in 1:22:23, or 8:10/mile.  Pace was pretty constant throughout, but I struggled harder for the same pace at the end.

Local high school conducts this run every September and this year I ran it because Ben is on the cross country team;  There were about 400 runners.  My goal was to keep all the miles under 8 minutes and to finish within 23 minutes.  End resut was 22:33 or 7:21/mile.  Splits were 7:07, 7:31, and 7:34 with a maximum pace of 5:19.  I exceeded my goal.  When Ben and I ran the marathon, there was no one between us, and there was no one between us for this race either, but this time he beat me by a few steps.  I think I was 2nd place in my age division (51 and over), but only first place was mentioned.

Yesterday's race proved it to me and it made a difference on today's run.  I ran 3.04 miles in 23:47 or 7:50/mile with these splits:  7:59, 7:52, 7:42, and 6:46.  All miles were under 8 minutes, even though I didn't perform quite as well as yesterday's race.

Decided not to do hill training today after my recent fast running.  Instead, I took the easy Murdock trail (6.18 miles in 50:17, or 8:08/mile.  Usually, I can see the trail just fine, but it gets really hard when there is a light shinning in my face.  Once, I almost ran into a dumpster.  Another time I left the path and went into the gravel.

Did a shortened hill route of 4.48 miles in 37:42, or 8:15/mile

Getting closer to that 8 min/mile average pace.  Ran 4.65 miles in 37:16 or 8:01/mile with these splits:  8:20, 7:58, 7:50, 7:57, and 7:59.

10.53 miles up and down Provo Canyon in the dark.  Two runners going for double my distance (21 miles) passed me up at mile 5.  They'll be running Top of Utah in two weeks.  Pace was not impressive today at 8:53 per mile 1:33:31 total time.

Perfect running weather at 61 degrees.  Ran 5.45 miles in 45:24 or 8:20/mile with a slow 3rd mile due to running uphill into the wind.

Flat run on Murdock canal trail, which usually gives me my best results,  Today's 6.15 miles took 49:32, or 8:03/mile, with these splits: 8:58, 8:03, 7:52, 8:00, 7:58, 7:35, and 7:14 (partial). Saw four other runners and 1 biker in the dark

Saw my first 3 deer of the season at the top of my 500 foot climb.  They crossed the street in front of me and then stared at me as I struggled up the hill.  There was a light rain and sheet lightening, but not too bad.  5.03 miles took 42:19 for an average pace of 8:25/mi with these splits:  8:57, 9:48, 6:49, 8:00, 8:30, and 8:51.

Friday the 13th is my lucky day.  I ran a short distance on the easy path (Murdock Canal trail).  Even so, I think it was the first time I averaged under 8 minutes a mile without being in a race.  4.11 miles in 32:35 or 7:56/mile with these splits:  8:51, 7:42, 7:50, 7:26, and 7:05

Up and down the canyon past bridal veil falls for the longest run in a while.14.23 miles took 1:56:36 or 8:12 per mile.  I'm pretty happy about that pace for that distance.

Hill run plus an extra mile. 6.35miles in 52:59 or 8:21/mile.

Fast, short loop of 4.58 miles in 35:57 at an averge pace of 7:51.  Only the first mile took over 8 minutes.

Murray Canal trail in 46 degrees.  Coolest morning of the season.  No bundling up yet.  Based on my weight loss during the run, I don't think I sweated as much as usual.  7.3 miles were completed in 58:24 for an average pace of 8:00/mile.  Encountered 13 other runners.  Maybe I just wasn't seeing them on darker runs.  The full moon cast a very clear shadow this morning.

Running was the last thing I wanted to do this morning.  So, I did an easy 3.9 miles in 33:38 or 8:38/mile.  Feels good now.

Plan was old 10 mile route.  At mile 3 my ankle started hurting.  Stopped and stretched.  Ran slowly for a while as I considered various options for shortcuts home.  Decided on a turn-around for a 7 mile route.  Then my ankle started feeling better and I sped up.  So I ran to the Murdock trail and ran on that for a while to get to the 10 mile plan.  My ankle never really bothered me again.  End result was an average speed of 8:00/mile for 10.37 miles, which took 1:22:55.

Murdock Canal Trail run in 51 degrees.  Can't beat that.  6.15 with an average pace of 8:00/mi; Each mile was faster than the previous.  Thankfully, I had no ankle issues.

Hill run.  5.07 miles in 42:37 or 8:27/mile  Hoped to do better, but it is what it is.

I've seen a direct correlation between my weight and my speed.  As my weight creeps up, so do my minutes per mile.  I've recently put on a couple of pounds that were previously shed and my times show it:  5.45 miles in 46:09 or 8:28/mile.  Got snow in the mountains last night and tonight is expected to be colder.  It was about 46 degrees this morning.  Long sleeves helped, but gloves would have been better.

It was a cool 43 degrees this morning, but still not freezing.  Speed was up a bit from yesterday with an average pace of 8:11/mile.  4.59 miles took 37:29.

GPS failed on me, but based on a previous run of this route up past Bridal Veil falls and back, it was about 14.2 miles.  Based on clock time from start to finish, including water breaks, which I don't usually count, the run took 2 hours and 3 minutes or about 7 miles an hour.

It was 34 degrees when I started, but the sun came out before I got home and it felt good.  Bundling up will probably be the rule for a long time now.

Short sleeve weather again this morning at about 60 degrees!  Ran 5.4 miles at an 8:11 pace.  Feeling good now, but I had to stop in the middle again because my ankle started hurted.  Later I was able to run through it.

October is here, the government is shut down, but I'm still running.  After our block party last night, I had some extra pounds to carry around this morning and my times showed it.  5.28 miles in 47:02 or 8:55/mile.  It took me a long time to warm up as shown by these splits:  10:14, 9:06, 9:03, 8:29, 8:03, and 7:35.

Almost didn't run this morning because of some soreness in my ankle, but I'm glad I did.  I had no problems during the run.  I shortened my hill run to 4 miles in 34:53 or 8:44/mile.

Strong wind coming in from the North signalling cold weather.  Had a little rain, but the first snow of the season is possible in the valley today.  The good thing is that half the time the wind worked to my advantage and I ended up with a pretty good pace:  4.58 miles in 36:59 or 8:05/mile.

I've had a toe injury.  So I skipped yesterday and had it wrapped up today.  Ran 13.1 miles on the flat Murdock trail and kept a pretty good pace overall, but my GPS didn't last half as long as i did.  Based on two different clocks, my best estimate is 13.1 miles in 1:47:30 or 8:12/mile.  Felt good all the way with only a small drop of blood on my bandage.

Life happens, milage falls, but I do what I can.  Today was a hill run and Murdock trail back.  Perfect weather in the 50s.  4 miles took 34 minutes, or 8:30/mile.

Had a good run and temperatures are still decent, but cold weather is in the forcast.  Today it was 44 degrees.  Ran 4.59 miles in 36:59 at an eaverage pace of 8:04 with these splits:  8:27, 8:11, 8:02, 7:56, and 7:29.

It's vacation time!  That means sleeping in and still having time to run.  Ran 8.57 miles along Murdock trail in 1:09:13 or 8:05 per mile with these splits:  9:13, 8:19, 8:16, 8:06, 7:54, 7:48,7:45, 7:43, 7:13, going faster with each mile.

Ran 4.22 miles in 34:47 for an average pace of 8:15 per mile in Brigham City to the temple and back.  Nice weather at 41 degrees.

Temperatures are dropping.  Mostly just tough guys left on the trail and I got passed by a lot of them today.  Good tor them.  At least they allowed me to share the trail with them and they didn't throw me into the river.  My GPS watch no longer lasts long enough for my long runs.  Today it lasted 7.66 miles and six of those miles were uphill into the wind.  Time was 1:06:16 or 8:39/mile  By the clock, the run took 1:45, which comes out to 8:45/mile, including two water breaks.  I'm trying hard to come up with excuses for being so slow, but it's not working.

It was a cool 37 degrees today and I felt good after all my time off.  (I intended to run yesterday, but didn't.)  Ran 4.6 miles in 37:26 for an average pace of 8:08/mile with increasing rates each mile.

So, I committed to run the Woodlands Houston marathon on Mar 1 with my brother.  Since then, it has been really difficult to get out and run.  But, I finally did get out for a short 4 mile run this morning.  Obviously, I was not worn out and I did pretty good.  4.08 miles in 32:03 or 7:54/mile on average.

4.62 miles in 36:33 or 7:55 per mile.  I've got the speed I need.  Next task is to gradually increase the distance.

While the GPS lasted, I ran up the trail and part way down (6.44 miles) in 52:45 which is 8:12 per mile.  The whole trip took 1:22 based on the clock time.  That also indicates an average pace of 8:12.

Distance is a guess again.  The time that was measured by my GPS was 3.7 miles in 31:31 or 8:31/mile.  I've had better days, but at least I got out this morning.

GPS lasted a full five miles (actually 5.02), but not beyond.  I was almost home when it stopped and I'm estimating a total distance of 5.1 miles.  The 5.02 took 41 minutes or 8:10/mile.  It was the hill route, so there was a lot of variations in my mile times:  8:36, 9:37, 6:54, 7:43, and 7:58.

My GPS lasted for 6.16 miles and 49:37.  That's an average of 8:03/mile along the Murdock trail.  My left achiles tendon is bothering me.  Hopefully it won't get worse.

Took a full week off for my achilles tendon.  Ran slowly today and it was hurting, but then, since I was running with Ben, I started speeding up and now I'm limping around.  The time off didn't really help at all.

Lap times were 9:21, 8:57, 9:03, 8:16, 7:36, and 7:31 with a max pace of 6:20.