In search of old age PRs

I did a short run on the "challenging" section of the Tucson marathon.  I have not run for over 8 days, due to a nasty cold so I wanted to get out and stretch.  I ran the "biosphere 2" section which is an out and back.  Mile 1 and 2 were very difficult as my legs and lungs began to function again (I think I left a lung back in Salt Lake).  The last mile I ran at race pace and felt pretty relaxed. 

I think my cold will be a factor tomorrow, but there is not much I can do about it at this point.  I hope to give it a good effort tomorrow.

Mile 1: 6:15 Fast down hill start

Mile 2: 6:41 Settled into race pace

Mile 3: 6:51 Enjoyed the desert sights as the sun came up

Mile 4: 6:49 Hit some hills

Mile 5: 6:37 Rural road hits a major street

Mile 6: 6:24 Fast downhill

Mile 7: 6:25 More fast downhill

Mile 8: 6:28 Sun goes behind clouds and course hits another major road

Mile 9: 6:28 Steady downhill

Mile 10: 6:31 Steady downhill

Mile 11: 6:52 Turn toward Biosphere 2

Mile 12: 7:21 Challenging hills

Mile 13: 6:46 More challenging hills

Half split 1:27:00

Mile 14: 6:53 Up the hill and back out to the major road

Mile 15: 6:43 Tried to settle into race pace again

Mile 16: 6:44 Pace feeling OK

Mile 17: 6:44 Still feeling OK

Mile 18: 6:53 Road begins to intersect a 6 lane highway

Mile 19: 6:55 Legs starting to feel very heavy.  Began walking through water stops

Mile 20: 7:30 Doing the math in my head and worried

Mile 21: 7:42 I can fell it slipping away as I smell car exhaust

Mile 22: 7:34 Decent mile, but I need to pick it up

Mile 23: 7:47 More highway, will this ever end

Mile 24: 7:49 Getting ready for the last major climb

Mile 25: 8:39 Course runs through an alley way behind a grocery store with big uphill

Mile 26: 8:04 Course flattens out, but I’m done.

Mile 26.22: 1:36 One more major climb to finish line then a turn onto a dirt track

Total: 3:04:10

I didn’t have the training I wanted for November and it showed at mile 20.  I still wanted to give myself an opportunity and I felt strong at the ½ point.  My overall goal was 2:58:00, but at mile 20 I knew this was not going to happen.  I didn’t have any major cramping, but my legs felt like bricks at the 20-mile mark.  I felt well enough to run, but I’ve been trying to shake a nasty cold for the last four days.  If I would have hit my goal, I would have placed in my age division. 

The race organizers did a great job, but there is not very much crowd support.  The winner (Kenyan?) of the past years blew up with 5K to go and had to drop!  He was leading by over 5 minutes!

I would recommend this race.  The first ½ is incredible on rural roads.  The turn toward Biosphere 2 is challenging and last 7 miles are on a major 5/6 lane road open to traffic.

 Kudos to Bill.  I saw him at the finish and he had a great race:

http://mandlerwm.fastrunningblog.com/

Run at the Ice Oval in Kerns.  Neat facility, but the track is hard.  This was my first run since the marathon and I could feel it.  My left leg (behind the kneed) was given me issues, so I just ran it nice and slow.  I'll try to work it out during the week.

Snow run around Liberty Park.  I'm probably still a week away from full recovery.

I "unfroze" my Gold's Gym membership and began using it again today.  I hate the gym.  I ran from my house to the gym and back.  While at the gym, I mainly did upper body work.

I was going to try and get some gym time in with the run, but it was closed.  Run from my house, around Liberty, to Gold's then home.

Run from house to Liberty in icy conditions.

Speed work at East High track that was covered with snow.  7 x 200 with mile warm up and cool down.

House to Liberty then gym.  Upper body work-out...I hate the gym.

Run from house to Sugar House park then gym for more upper body. 

This may sound odd, but this is my 4th trip the gym and I've already gained 4 pounds.  I try to do light weights with high reps to keep the mass down (lol).  Hopefully, some long runs will bring the weight back down.  I was 158 last week and today I'm 162 (both measured on the gym's scale).  Two winters ago, I incorporate the gym into my workouts and topped out at 185.  I need to stay below 165 this year.

House to Sugar House park then gym...again.