Cursed Realm of the Faceless Ghost

Week starting Oct 31, 2010

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Location:

Provo,UT,

Member Since:

Apr 07, 2010

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

5K - 17:11 (Cougar Run)

10K - 34:35 (Deseret News)

15K - 57:33 (Utah Running Club)

1/2 - 1:22:26 (Mountain View Trail)

50K - 4:22:31 (Sapper Joe)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Sub-2:45 at Saint George Marathon

Win the Antelope Island half marathon

Long-Term Running Goals:

I'd like to run the Angeles Crest 100 at some point. And I'd still like to go sub-4 at a trail 50k. Other than that, I'm open to suggestions.

https://www.strava.com/athletes/4808912

Personal:

<iframe height='160' width='300' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/athletes/4808912/activity-summary/184689bbf831149f2053e60709730c07651232d3'></iframe>

<iframe height='454' width='300' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/athletes/4808912/latest-rides/184689bbf831149f2053e60709730c07651232d3'></iframe>

I was a competitive cyclist for years. In 2009, after racing in the Tour of Utah, I decided I had plateaued as a cyclist--I could continue to improve, but I wouldn't break through to a new level. So, I started looking for a new challenge.


I thought that challenge would be mountain biking, but I'm a terrible bike handler. I married Catherine in January 2010 and a couple of weeks later I entered the SLTC Winter Training Series with her. A couple of weeks after that I decided I'd like to run ultras, so I signed up for a couple of 50Ks to get started.

Those first races came and went, with varying results. I was looking forward to running more and possibly pushing into the longer distances, but I injured my knee in June 2010 and I've never been consistently healthy since.

I started law school in August 2010, which meant less time for training. In June 2011, Baby Elliott was born, which meant even less time for training. But she's worth it. 

Baby Nora joined us in October 2013, with the same effect on training as Elliott (who, incidentally, is no longer a baby). 

I (finally) finished school in April 2014 and now I'm an evil corporate lawyer in Salt Lake. I have no illusions that I'll ever get back into the shape that I once was, but I'm perfectly at peace with that. I still have many goals to accomplish and many years in which to do it. 

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Total Distance
64.40
New Balance MT100 Miles: 24.10Brooks Launch Miles: 8.00Adidas Adizero XT Miles: 28.30Nike Lunarlite Racer Miles: 4.00
Weight: 163.60
Total Distance
8.50

I needed to get to school early this morning to finish writing a paper, so last night I set the alarm on my phone for 5:00 and then left the stupid phone in the kitchen. Obviously, I didn't hear the alarm go off, which made for a stressful morning. Fortunately, I pulled everything together, and as soon as class was over I decided I needed to head for the hills to decompress.

I drove up to the Y parking lot and ran the Slate Canyon-Slide Canyon loop. I felt very good (maybe because of all the extra sleep I got last night), so the effort up Slate Canyon felt easier than usual. Or maybe I was just going slow--I didn't have a watch, so it's hard to say.

The descent was beautiful, as usual. There's a lot of snow up near the top, and if I hadn't already been up there so many times I probably would have lost the trail. I guess that means I won't be able to run the route much longer, but I hope today wasn't my last chance before the winter.

New Balance MT100 Miles: 8.50
Weight: 163.80
Add Comment
Total Distance
14.00

AM: I had a hard time getting to sleep last night. Then I got it into my head that if I couldn't sleep, I may as well get my early run in late and sleep in in the morning. So, I grabbed my headlamp and headed out the door. On the road at 11:59 for an easy four miles.

29:17

 

PM: Afternoon run on the Little Baldy-Dry Canyon Loop. I felt a little light headed early on, probably because of my sleepless night, but I felt better as the run progressed. No watch today--no shirt, either--but according to the clock in my car I was out for about 94 minutes.

Brooks Launch Miles: 4.00Adidas Adizero XT Miles: 10.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
10.00

AM: Slow, easy run around the Towne Centre. No watch.

PM: BST out-and back. Like last week, my brother and I ran it with Catherine, but Amy couldn't make it. This week, we ran it with Amy, but Catherine couldn't make it. Maybe next week we'll have the whole crew. Like last week, we took it nice and easy. The only difference was that this week I bombed the descent back to the car.

It's sad that it gets dark so early these days.

Brooks Launch Miles: 4.00Adidas Adizero XT Miles: 6.00
Weight: 163.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
11.30

AM: Another easy run around the Towne Centre, with a couple of pick-ups to keep things interesting.

PM: I was going to run up Rock Canyon to the campground, but I ended up running to the Squaw Peak summit instead. It's a very cool trail to a very cool summit, and I didn't even realize it was there (the trail, that is). About 3,000 feet of vertical, according to the world wide internets.

1:13:54

Nike Lunarlite Racer Miles: 4.00Adidas Adizero XT Miles: 7.30
Weight: 163.60
Add Comment
Total Distance
5.00

I'm sitting in terminal 2 at the Salt Lake Airport waiting for Catherine's flight, which is apparently going to arrive an hour early. Result!

I stopped in Orem on my way up and ran a little five-mile loopy thing up to the Altar and back. It was supposed to be an out-and-back, but yes, I got lost and wound up taking a different trail back to the car. Running in the dark can be tricky. But at least I learned a new route.

Anyways, I was pretty tired, so I took it easy on the climb. On the way back down I got ahead of my head lamp and crashed pretty hard. Nothing too serious, other than some broken skin, so I guess I got off pretty easy. I've never been so happy to have been wearing a shirt and gloves.

Adidas Adizero XT Miles: 5.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
15.60

Jun and I ran the Grove Creek to Dry Canyon loop I ran last weekend. It was just as good the second time. In fact, it may have been better, because this time I knew where I was going and we were able to avoid getting lost in the maze of dirt roads between Battle Creek and Dry Canyon, which shaved about a quarter mile off the distance.

Anyways, I highly recommend this route. Of the 15-16 miles, about one is on a dirt road and the rest is singletrack. Elevation gain is about 4500 feet over two major climbs, every step of which is runnable. And love it or hate it, the plunge down Dry Canyon is worth trying at least once.

I forgot my Garmin this week, but because I love visual aids, I've posted the map and the elevation profile from last weekend.




New Balance MT100 Miles: 15.60
Weight: 164.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
64.40
New Balance MT100 Miles: 24.10Brooks Launch Miles: 8.00Adidas Adizero XT Miles: 28.30Nike Lunarlite Racer Miles: 4.00
Weight: 163.60
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