13 myles - 1.47:53

Deer Creek - noon

50s, cloudy, windy

mind/body - good/sore heal

steady effort

Today was the true test for the GPS on the Timex Global Trainer. I thought I would download this workout and find straight lines all over the place because of the tree cover. To my amazement, it performed very well. The Global Trainer measured 12.66 myles, which is fairly close to the billed 13.1. I'm impressed. In regards to HR, I know there are HR training manuals out there but I'm not quite ready to dive into those just yet. I did, however, dissect my run with a more critical eye today: avg HR of 158, 57 minutes above 170, 12 minutes above 175, and 4 minutes at 179.

This past week I've been feeling motivated (again) to train. Could it be the power of the beard which has inspired? I'll never be as fast as those other guys with beards but maybe there's a secret power to beards.

Two weeks growth so I guess you can say I'm not your typical Mexican

This guy sported the best one in all of ultrarunning and he was fast. I think he used to store his gels in there.

18 myles - 2.39:34

Deer Creek - 8:00 AM

40s, clear, dry

mind/body - good

easy effort

18 myles in 2.39:34 AND one large Domino's pizza in 8:45 that is!

The day started with a casual run over at Deer Creek. I started out at the lower parking lot in South Park to gain some extra elevation (3137 ft of climbing total) and mileage. Not too many people out this morning, for whatever reason, which is just fine by me. Deer Creek attracts a ton of mtn bikers on the weekend and last time I wore headphones -a mistake- because on Red Cloud loop several bikers brushed passed me with scowls on their faces - my bad. I took the headphones again but this time took them off around Red Cloud. Go figure, didn't see bikers up there. Nice day all around and would have liked to stay longer but I had another challenge to get to...

The annual CRUD party was at JT and Katie's Hacienda and the second eating challenge - A large Domino's cheese pizza as fast as you can. Thank goodness Tim Hola wasn't there! In my opinion, I only had to beat JT for some braggin rights. Only 4 people participated: Paul, Rick, JT, and myself. Muzzy, who was a ringer for the burrito eating contest, elected not to participate (probably good for me). I won't bore you with the details cause the video that Harsha took (coming soon) tells the story. What you need to know is that I CRUSHED JT! My time 8:45. JT's time 12:40. Almost a full 4 minutes. Rick came in second around 10 minutes and Paul DNF'd. It might be a good thing Paul DNF'd cause Myles kept trying to steal a piece of my pizza and when I ate the last one Myles buried his face in a chair and started crying! It was either DNF or beat JT... Good times all around! I will admit though, half way through the pizza I had a sudden urge to throw up. Mouth started salivating and the gag reflex started but then I started bouncing up and down and that seemed to push the food down. A little trick I learned from Hola at the burrito eating contest. I was stuffed, a painful stuffed. But not Rick. Rick ate his pizza and proceeded to eat a pork sandwich, washing it down with beers. Ooof! I'm still stuffed.

Two at a time for me while Paul is eating like a bird

13 myles - 1.42:07

Deer Creek - 10:00 AM

70s, clear, dry

mind/body - absolutely refreshed

easy effort

Ahhh. Back to the single track in the front range of Colorado. I just about had it with the treadmill at the hotel, staring at the Staples Center for hours at a time. Today was a fantastic day not only in terms of scenery, but the overall body is feeling fluid and fast. In fact, I do believe this is my fastest time doing the full loop at Deer Creek. And what's even more encouraging is that I didn't kill myself doing it. Maybe a day off yesterday for the first time in 3 weeks helped out. At any rate, I'm in full taper mode. After my 4 hour run last Saturday with Rick I switched to taper mode.

My week in L.A. was jammed packed with meetings and food but I managed to squeeze in 4 runs and not so much food:

• Monday - 8 myles - 1.06:05 real easy
• Tuesday - 6 myles - 1.02:10 6MPH @ 8% grade (2534 climbing)
• Wednesday - 5 myles @ lunch (5K at 9.7MPH, 1 mile w/u and c/d)
• Wednesday - 4 myles later 8 MPH
• Thursday - off

I specifically did the 5K leg turn over run at lunch cause I knew no one would be in there to see me breathing hard, making funny noises, and sweating all over the place. It was real interesting going back to my room getting on a full elevator of people, I had to apologize several times for dripping sweat on someones dress shirt or blouse.

So in a 21 day span I have run 280.1 myles with only one day off. This week, however, I'm only at 36. Definitely scaled back and just thinking about quality stuff now. One week from today, at this time (1:30 PM), I hope to be at Temple Fork....

13 myles - 1.49:19

Deer Creek - 7 AM

50s, clear, dry

mind/body - very good!

easy effort

I was back in the groove today running smooth with a kind of harmonious inner peace with myself. Did that sound kinda hippish? Well, at any rate, I felt good today and I'm really happy how my body is responding to the added time on the feet and myles. I did not push the pace at all and still came away with a 8:24 pace while doing 2138 ft of vert.

Good luck to all my friends who will be hammering through the Wasatch front tomorrow! Wish I could be there. I will be there in spirit. Get to Brighton before it gets dark and you are golden.

Day 8 with Mr. DeWitt a year ago today

13 myles - 1.48:27

Deer Creek - 7:00 AM
60s, clear, dry

mind/body - solid

easy effort

Just cruised around Deer Creek this morning - very nice, cool morning. 3400 ft of climbing on mostly all single track. One of my favorite single track sections of all time is on the back side (hiker only trail) called The Homesteader, it's short but man is it nice! My best time is 1.45:10 on this full loop so today to be within striking distance of that time with relative ease is a good sign. I certainly feel the speed work help with cruising at a faster pace.

18 myles - 2.32:44

Deer Creek - 7:00 AM
60s, windy, clear, dry
mind/body - clear/strong
easy effort

Met up with Geoff and Wyatt this morning at Deer Creek. Wyatt has just moved to town from Ohio looking to get on some runs with people while learning all the new trails. I think it's safe to say he was blown away by the pristine single track of Deer Creek. Geoff is gearing up for his first ultra (Dirty thirty) in a couple weeks. Good running guys!

I felt great this morning but the calf was starting to talk to me on the hills... which is just a good reminder to take care of it with ice, compression, and glutamine for the rest of the week. Oh and a little rest will do it some good. So I end the week with 61 myles, 8000 ft of climbing (4500 today), and just under 9 hours on the feet. Pretty big taper week for me but I feel really good going into Pocatello.

#7 on the HR wait list. List is starting to move...

It's windy outside today so Myles said he needed his swim goggles...

20.4 myles - 3.03:13

Deer Creek - 7 AM
50s, clear blue skies, dry
mind/body - good/eh.
easy effort

Met up with Geoff again this morning. This being his first trip to Deer Creek so I was more than happy to show him around the beauty of this course. It couldn't have been more perfect this morning! We did pretty much everything up at Deer Creek to include; Bear, Red Cloud (twice), and Golden Eagle. It's hard to gauge the total elevation gain but I would suspect somewhere in the low 5000 range. We kept the pace very honest all while striking up good conversation all the way from Haggis (it might be good but I can't get over what it's made of) to immigration (me being Mexican and he Canadian).

So far this week I've put in 75 myles with 15,800 elevation gain and feel decent. Having said that, I now realize in order to hit 100 I have to run every day and maybe even a two-a-day once or twice. Next week will be interesting as I venture out to Mt Sanitas on Saturday for 12 hours of laps - yikes! Good solid HR training... that's if I get in! The wait list hasn't budged in over a month. Someone has got to be getting scared by now?!?