You get out what you put in

Sat-ran to park, did speedwork on canal out and back, good to get to mile speed, then some disc golf, then one more speed rep, feel like I can cruise and push it, wasn't really winded, looking forward to 10K, then ran home for Grandma's 93rd B-day 3m easy, 2 m VO2

Sun- before Superbowl, out and about NE 45 min. 4m, mon-rest

Tues-fartlek, getting the emo out, NE hood, 3-4 higher cruises, 3m, then good ball, still rushed a few layups but also scored several gamewinners, a couple spin moves to middle, good D, lots of guys, held good post-up player scoreless one game, then next he scored on me and we switched but the tall, smooth kid was lax and let him score more

Easy running and walking with my old high school buddy Brandon. 2 1/2 times perimeter of Sugarhouse.

Thu-Decent long run for an hour, used my old gray racing flats, 3200 W to 6200 S across Bangtr & thru 'hoods, out to 4800 W and back, felt the joy, consistent pace, cold face, cooled the fire

Fri-rest but worked 2 jobs for 2 schools and went to Presbytery, story in itself

Sat- Had a plan to take it easy for 2 miles and then push it, especially with the wind on the way back. Was surprised to hear 6:48 for 1st mile, knew I was holding back too much but wanted to keep with my race plan so then ran 6:49, opened up after 2 and ran 6:24, figure I was about 20:40 at halfway (clock went by 10 second intervals). I had been running with a guy and mentioned that I just wanted to find someone to trade air with on the way back. Whereupon he, knowing my race plan, hit the turnaround and promptly seemed to put 50 yards on me in about a minute! What? Yeah, what.
Luckily, my friendly nemesis Richard came up and and gave me someone to run with, we played cat and mouse a little but he took the lead and I tried to hang on. I thought that I'd feel him breaking wind but if I was 5 feet from him it felt like I might as well have been 50 feet. We did manage to catch another guy who looked to be 200 feet ahead after mile 4. I stayed w/i 50 feet of Richard and I could see another guy we could catch, after further scrutiny I realized it was my boy BK. I knew I was working hard cuz I did catch him finally but man 100 yards catching someone takes a mile to do! Richard had passed BK and then I caught him w/ probably 4/10ths to go, I said, "It's always hard." He said, "Yup," and promptly strided it out and I couldn't catch him again. I picked it up and started to kick it in w/ .2 left, noticed I was audibly grunting with every breath and tried to just breathe, then realized I didn't care what people thought, even myself, and grunted on home.
Overall I was happy that I averaged just under 7 minutes per mile on the way back and was 21:44 for the 2nd half. Being only a minute slower is comparable to the top guys, including my bro Nate, I just really wonder if I wasn't too slow for the first 2 miles. They were pretty easy, with the way the wind was on the return there was no getting around the efforting that needed to be done so I don't know if I could have efforted much more.

So now it's the rubber match, BK and Richard I beat in the 5, they took me in the 10, and the 15 it's on like Donkey Kong!

The race took more out of me than I thought. My calves were sore til about Wed., partially because of running in racing flats, partially because my mileage is minimal enough that a hard 10K takes it out of me.

Sun- ran to parent's, tacked on a little more along the canal road, just recovering 3m

Mon-30 min run in 'hoods, a total blur as to where I went, partially due to recovery, partially due to emotional meditative state, life is more than running, running helps me meditate, think, pray and cope with life 2.5

Tues-easy run, ran along canal roads out and back, 3m; basketball good, while my running suffers due to outside factors, my basketball does not, I slow it down more and think through offense and defense, what I'm doing and did before, how to defend effectively both my own man and helping out the team, when to shoot, pass, fake, drive; the firefighter labels me as a "drunken ninja" and notices that I'm running around more. I'm down to 184 lbs. since November, that makes a difference

Wed-after long talks with many, subbing at Westlake for Music theory/Orchestra, ran in Grandpa's cemetary, found equestrian and bike trails, ran "in the flesh," did 2 sets of 30 push-ups to round out work-out, 2.5 miles, played ball 3 on 3 with finicky ward, wouldnt be in it w/out crazy arching Tommy boy 3 point shooter, my shot started out poor and got better (no w/u), played against the Never-does-anything-wrong-general

Thu-no motivation, rest needed, 3 on 3 ball, just working the system, mostly won

Fri-skiing at Brighton, got a lot of runs in, stormy but great powder, didn't stop for lunch, did runs with Uncle Doug, Richard, George, explored the poweder in the trees, Milly bowl, Richard lost his ski, once had to hike out 100 yards with George when went too far W. from Millicent, some hip/quad soreness

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/360055607

Mon-can't recall run, probably some burn-out/emo/verbal processing/blurry forget to run

Tues-run w/ Mark at Sugarhouse, one time round, then did some hill repeats on 2nd time round, then L-pull ups, saw Carol, ran w/ her 2 min easy, 2 min cruise for another loop, about 1 1/2 hrs total, 5 miles +, was sore for ball, 4 on 4, plasyed pretty smart, I'm not lazy enuf to guard my guy at the 3 point line, shooter burned me a few times, Steve/Mark?

Wed-raquetball w/ Matt, did bench press, leg press, calves, weighted row, chin-ups, cleans with weighted bar, leg curls, right hamstring sore

Th-w/ Nate from homestead canal to 3rd crossing South, 45 minutes, then 3 hard strides, possible tweaked left knee 6.5m, a little faster pace than I would have gone, marathon +

Fri-rest, was an afternoon PE sub but need some down time, not sure about how I'll feel tomorrow, want to race but the fitness I've gained this week may take away, but in the long run I know I'll be faster, probably good for the 10 miler and the future

Course was great. Warmed up just a mile and stretched by the police car. Had the plan of running easy for 3 miles and then pushing it. We got out and there was an immediate pack of about 20 people that I was running with, I tried to just tuck in but I was a little on the edge of the pack. 6:42 split for 1st mile someone said, then 6:50 for 2nd mile. BK was up in no-man's-land and Steve and Liis joined him. I asked Steve if he was going to break away on the return and he said he was just trying to run even. I was troubled by holding back since I had made such a mistake in the 10K, but at 3 miles I really had to mentally push it to catch up to BK, Liis, and Steve. They had been joined by Ben who was running erratically, changing paces a lot, acc. to BK. I had to employ the mental tactic of counting how many seconds I was away from them and being satisfied that I was closing the gap. 10 seconds seemed to take 3/4 of a mile to close. Once I did catch up to Steve and Liis, I just tucked in with them until the turnaround. Time there was 31:50
The 2nd half was a race to the finish. 1st Devra went by us like she'd come to the race late and was playing catch-up, no one went with her. Then Richard M (fluorescent green/yellow) went by and I tried to go with him. I'd passed him between 2 and 3, he'd been pacing a girl. He surprisingly caught Devra. Nan K had also cruised on by us (orange shirt). I obviously didn't stay with Rich for long, but I stayed with Steve through mile 6 cause he told me we were on 6:50 pace. He closed the gap to BK while I lagged off with Liis tailing me. My sights were set on Nan, followed by BK and Steve, who all were catching Eric G, a tall 49 year old guy in fluorescent yellow/green. (I'd seen him earlier in the week running at Sugarhouse.) My realistic goal was to catch him and between 6 and 7 I got within 7 seconds of them. Then between 7 and 8 the mind/body connection deteriorated and I started second-guessing the fact that I was now racing the distance that has been my long run. Translation, the wheels fell off. Now I was just holding on, I had no one to catch (they were a minute ahead) and no one to run away from (my sidelong glances back didn't reveal anyone). I knew Liis was behind and was prepared to be motivated to go with anyone who caught me, but the last two miles were just the lovely painful blur to the end. I felt like I picked up my pace at the 8 mile mark, only minutely realizing that this was not one mile to go, when I saw the real 1 mile to go I kept on going. We were passing the early starters who were mostly walkers, and I turned around and clapped/cheered for Liis and said, "Let's go!" It's funny cause I know that psychologically it's good to be cheered on but I also know when someone in front of you cheers you that means two things, he still has something left, and he's a nice guy that you feel bad to beat. :-)

Matt J cheered me on and ran me in 2/10ths to go. I remember audibly breathing/grunting pushing myself with at least 1/2 mile to go to the end. My effort seemed to be appreciated by the finishing crowd. I was happy to see a negative split. 31:15 on the return. 6:51/mile out 6:43/mile back. Also was 20 seconds faster than 2 years ago so can't be unhappy with that.

Afterwards cooled down with BK just a little, he told me that he's been racing every weekend. He is a self-described diesel engine that gets a rhythm and plows on. Kudos to him. Didn't get a chance to beat Richard, and Eleanor is out of my area code, she's going to be phenomenal. Got to figure out what my next race is, maybe the half in April, need to build base and enjoy and progress this fitness.

In all a great series, helped me thru some emotional trials I've been experiencing. Following Christ is a painful process, the eradication of sin in myself and others is glorious and freeing and purifying and painful.