Rock and Run

Finally found an every-morning running partner!  We planned on doing an easy 4 this morning but I didn't remember the route quite right (come on, it's been all of 2 years since high school!) so we ended up doing a bit more, in addition to a stop at a friendly-looking drinking fountain towards the end of the run.

EDIT:  Also did a 250-yard swim at Quail Lake when I went there with some friends.

Had a good run over the Washington County Fair 5K course.  Still pretty sore from Monday's run and swim but kept a decent pace up.

We were going to do the Hurricane Canal run but discovered that the first tunnel was blocked off by a rock slide so we ended up climbing the cliff up to the Hurricane Rim Trailhead, ran to the H from there, then back down along the highway.

Nothing quite like waking up at 6:15 to whatever happens to be on 95.9 at the moment!  Today they were kind enough to be playing some Def Leppard when I woke up, so I got pumped pretty quick.  I was pressed for time since we got started a little late, so we just did a short loop and then did a timed mile run.  I was not too impressed with my time (6:32) being almost a minute slower than my senior year average, but at least I know where I'm at and will be even more driven to improve.

Had to do a short one again today (last time I'll have to this summer though!).  Did a loop out part of the Fair Run then cut across to 700 and came back down to State.

Ran with the Hurricane XC team today (for those who are wondering they run every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 AM at the Hurricane track) since Coach Kidd invited us to after our run Tuesday.  We went with the more advanced group who did the Extended Fair Run route.  It felt really good and we averaged a 7:30 mile.  The extra mile is the slow 1/2 mile we did on the track before and after the run.

Went out and back to the 2 mile marker on the Rim Trail with 1/2 mile warmup and cooldown on the track.  Pine Valley Mountain looked absolutely gorgeous as the sun hit it just right when we were coming up to the overlook.

Coach Kidd told me and my running partner about this race last Thursday, so we decided to do it rather than me doing the Enterprise 5K Fun Run all by my lonesome.  The course was a relatively flat 80 or 90% paved so it was pretty quick, although my knees and ankles suffered a little bit.  Anyhow, I started out quite well, hung with the second pack about 20 seconds behind the leaders in 7th or 8th place up through the halfway where I hit a bit of a wall (mostly mental since this is the first race I've done in over a year).  I think part of it was that I haven't had much practice lately pacing myself without someone right with me for anything over a mile.  I was able to get my head back in the game at about mile 2 and closed the gap on the next runner, finishing about 13 seconds behind him.

Took it a little easy today since my calves both were pretty tight from yesterday.  Feeling great now though!

Did the Rim Trail with the XC team.  Took it a little easier this time, only went out to the 1.5 marker since my calves are still not feeling 100% from last Friday's run.