Mike Kirk has been paroled to Idaho

Burch to Point, 66 minutes.  I ran very controlled.  Hot and windy towards the point.  This was the first run I have done without orthotics since January.  I felt like I was wearing racing flats.  No problems except that I could feel every rock on the trail.  I run in Mizuno Wave Riders so the forefoot cushioning is thin.  When I am on the trail they are Trail Wave Riders.

Memory Grove with Tom.  I Gmapped it and uploaded it to the course tools.  Gmap measured it at 9.25 but I don't keep mileage in any graduations less than 1/2 miles.  This was my first all road run since March 24th.  It felt good.  I put my orthotics back into my shoes today.  I'll try to run without them tomorrow.

Sugarhouse 12.  Today was my first road run without orthotics.  I had planned to run on the Jeremy Ranch Road (dirt) but I didn't want to run in wet snow/freezing rain on a muddy and lonely dirt road.  The run felt good.  I could tell that my shoes were worn differently from wearing orthotics.  I ran watchless but felt sub 6 for the latter part of the run.

Treadmill @ home.  66 min.  Ran on the treadmill because Amy is in Toronto and the kids won't watch themselves.  I started easy and progressed to 6:40 pace after 3 miles.  Then I increased the grade 1/2 % every 1/2 mile.  After the 6 mile mark I decreased the grade 1/2 % but increased the pace by 0.1 mph every 1/2 mile.  When level I increased pace every 1/2 mile.  Last mile sub 6.  I watched the Boston Marathon while running.

My foot feels okay today.  I ran in new mizuno wave rider 10s with orthotics.  This week I front loaded the week with mileage because I knew I would be on the treadmill this weekend. 

Treadmill, 6:30 am, 41:30.  Very easy, no orthotics.  I realized I was gunning for a 70 mile week (Mon-Sun).  Stupid.  I backed off and made today a recovery day.  I don't feel like running myself into another injury because I want to achieve a weekly mileage.  I'll shoot for 100 kilometers instead and try to stay healthy.

Treadmill @ home. Felt blah before I stepped on the treadmill. I warmed up 3 miles then cut the pace down whenever I started feeling bored. Next 5 miles 6:28 6:16 6:05 5:53 5:34. I finally felt like I was running again. No pain although the focus isn't there at any kind of pace. Compare this workout to Steve's the other day. He is flying!

Broke 100 k for the week (Mon-Sun).  64 miles with two all-road runs and a long run of 11.5 mi.  All of my goals met for the week.  I'll maintain or slightly increase next week.

Zoo loop ++BV.  70 minutes.  I ran the same time as last week but it felt much easier.  I held back for much of the run so that my runs aren't all at the same pace.

 4 x 100? m strides on grass (soccer field).  Nice and conservative pace.

Jeremy Ranch Road from the far end.  I ran easy out but building pace.  Run from this end it is a rolling uphill run.  44:40 at the turn.  I ran uptempo but comfortable on the way back except on the hills.  The uphills I tried to maintain good form so I ran them harder.  1:23 at the finish.  I had the pleasure of running on a freshly graded dirt road for part of the run.  I prefer hardpack.

I am toying with what to do about Ogden.  Marathon, half, or train?  Pride versus promise? 

Burch to Church to Elbow + Road w/ Tom.  Easy pace for most of the run.  Tom is running maybe 20 miles a week and he can still put the hurt on me.  Warm but we touched snow.

Sugarhouse x 2  I could feel the heat today for the first time this year.  12:10 (13:03), 11:47 (12:40).

Burch to Point, 68 minutes, high noon.  It was hot and an easy day so I took it very easy.   I planted a water bottle at the top of Rattle for future runs.  Wore a singlet, got burned.  I ran the same time as I did a few weeks ago only a few weeks ago it was much harder.

Dog Park +.  I ran easy because of the heat but it wasn't as bad as yesterday.  Stopped 6 times for water.  I think I weighed more when I came home than before I left.

Footbridges, early, slow. I got out early so I could be a man-servant to my wife on Mothers' Day. After Mass we hiked in Red Butte. We only saw one person on the trail because everyone sticks to the paved paths.

Next week is an easy week. 67 miles this week (M-Su) or 108 km.

Sugarhouse Park

Legacy bridge +.  I ran 5 minutes faster than I did two months ago while feeling better.

Burch to Rattle, easy. 

I forgot that it was "Blast your iPod" day on the trail.  If I can hear your iPod then it is too loud.  It is really too loud if I can run behind you for over a minute yelling "Excuse me, pardon me, I'm behind you, hey big bottomed girl with the loud iPod, I'd like to pass you, etc ..."  I was behind two people running together with their iPods so loud that they couldn't hear me.  When I finally got past the first one I got trapped between them.  The front person was in her own little world while the one behind me was yelling her name in my ear.  I think she wet her self when I tapped her so I could get by.  It made my easy run easier.

Amy home from Jersey.

Sugarhouse park, light rain.

It felt good to run in the rain again.  I felt like I was back in Virginia or Kentucky. 

Treadmill, pm.  I just got my run in before I had to pick up my son from school.

Zoo loop with Tom.  I hurt!  I didn't have any food or water except a banana after yesterday's run.  I got up at midnight feeling like a frat boy after a party.  Ate dinner and drank enough water to wash it down.  Checked my email and saw that Steve is expecting a new child.  That made my evening.  Woke up to a headache.  Ran with Tom and we discussed the Salt Lake 10 miler.  I think I will do it.  Paul asked yesterday if I planned on doing any 5 or 10 k's.  I don't like to race out of shape but I need to get something in.  Paul and Tom have kicked my butt into gear.  Who else will be running it?

Sugar house park x 2.  Opened up a little on the first lap just for giggles.  I ran quick but without pressing, 10:47.  Easy second lap.

Burch Church Elbow Road.  Welcome to the Memorial Day Weekend.  I saw about 50 people on the trail.  I also heard a couple get married at Log Haven.  Nice and slow run.  I did open up my stride on the down hill.  4:42 for the last mile but I didn't push.  It is a big hill.  The effort was easier and the time faster than a few weeks ago.  I'm starting to feel efficient again.

Footbridges (North).  Very easy.

Bike, home to Emigration Canyon, 17 miles.  I saw James from Sports-Am setting up signs for next weeks 10 miler.  We talked for a while then I had to rush home.  I had a good ride except that I was passed a mile from the mouth of the canyon by two guys.  The best I can figure is that they drafted me until I slowed then blew by without so much as a wave.  Ouch!  I chased hard and made contact but they stopped at the mouth.  I hate getting passed, even on a bike.  I could be the world's most ungifted cyclist but I still like to think that I could hang with recreational cyclist for a few turns of the crank.  At least I got to have an imaginary Paul Sherwin-Phil Liggett conversation in my head.

Treadmill, easy.  I ran just to stretch out then shut it down.  I'm trying to make sure I am totally healthy before the 10 miler.

Another bike day.  Mill Creek Cyn, 19.5 miles.  It is very unusual to be able to ride the road to Big Water at this time of year.  I rode with all of the gear: HRM, speed, cadence, rectal temperature probe, etc.  I rode conservatively, sub threshold, on the way up.  I knew when I left the house that I would freeze on the way down but I didn't want to pack extra stuff.  Going up the canyon I saw a few friends on mountain bikes so we rode slowly and chatted.  Took off for the top but tried to maintain a pace that would be the fastest I could go without sweating so much that I would be soaked at the top.  2500+ feet of climbing in less than 9 miles.  Turned at the top and started down cautiously.  It was 53 F at the top so being wet at 30+ mph wasn't ideal.  It finally warmed up around Elbow Fork.  I opened up below the upper gate.  Il Falco I'm not.  Of course Il Falco is not the same as when he won the Giro but he can still descend better than anyone in the peloton.  By the way, anyone who really wants to see some racing tomorrow should follow the Giro d'Italia on a site like velonews.com.  It is a tough mountain stage.  From velonews.com:

Just 142 kilometers long, Wednesday's short though brutal stage leaves little room for tactics; like maglia rosa Di Luca, the rest of the peloton might as well dispense with their radio earpieces.

As feared as the mythical climbs of the Angliru, Mortirolo and L'Alpe d'Huez, the 10.1 kilometer Zoncolan gains 1203 meters for an average grade of 11.9 percent, with sections in excess of 20 percent.

I'll run tomorrow but easy.

Zoo Loop

Burch Elbow Road