A Lean and Hungry Look

Sugarhouse loop with Maja.  She was loafing a bit today, stopping three or four times during the final two miles for no apparent reason other than seeming tired.  I had visions of the scene from the new "True Grit" where Jeff Bridges stabs the horse to keep it running until it collapses in a heap and he shoots it, but I thought better of it.

My right hamstring was bugging me a bit today.  Not in the spot where I tore it in HS (way up top), but about halfway down on the outside).  I'm assuming it's related to the hill sprints I did last week.  I stretched it more than usual following my run but will need to watch it throughout the day.  My mileage is supposed to exceed 60 this week, so I can't afford to be injured. 

6 x mile repeats with 5-min active rest between each.  I decided to try something new and ran east from my house 2 miles, which took me about a mile up Emigration Canyon.  I then did one repeat up the canyon, one down, and so on until I had done 6 total, then jogged home.  I alternated my active rest between climbing and descending  (which explains the different elevation loss and gain between each repeat) so that I finished the last repeat at the mouth of the canyon so that I would have just over a mile of cooldown.  Splits were as follows:

1: 6:19 (170 bpm, 121 ft elevation gain)

2: 5:16 (171 bpm, 116 ft elevation loss)

3: 6:27 (174 bpm, 127 ft elevation gain)

4: 5:12 (169 bpm, 152 ft elevation loss)

5: 6:43 (173 bpm, 249 ft elevation gain)

6: 5:17 (168 bpm, 152 ft elevation loss)

Fortunately, my hamstring tightness from yesterday was gone, and all systems seemed to be functioning pretty well.  I should note that there was the usual canyon wind, which meant that the ascending repeats were into the wind and the descending repeats were wind-aided.  Still, maintaining anything close to MP while ascending feels impossible at this point in my training.  Given the fact that I gave away lots of time at SG '09 on the uphill sections, I think I'll do this type of up-down repeat workout several more times throughout the course of my training this year.  Hopefully that will help me stanch the bleeding enough to keep my average pace where it needs to be in October.

I took Maja out for the first 8 miles (Sugarhouse to Highland Park loop), then dropped her off and did another 4 through the U campus and back along Wasatch and Foothill.  Maja was dragging from mile 5 on today, so I was thrilled when I dropped her off and was able to pick up the pace.  When I left her, my overall average was sitting at 7:45 after 8.  By the time I finished the last 4, it was down to 7:23 for the workout.  Final mile was 5:43.  AHR for the run was 152.

H-Rock run with Maja.  Gorgeous view, as usual, but the 21st South hill never gets any easier.

Pace: 7:31

AHR: 152 bpm.

We stayed at my parents' place (in Murray) last night for a movie night and sleepover for the kids, so I got up early and ran to my house, let Maja out, then ran back to Murray.  I tried a new fuel source out on this run--Generation UCAN (16 oz before the run, nothing but water during the run)--and it seemed to do a pretty good job of maintaining steady energy.  I'll have to try it a few more times to make sure it works, but it seems promising if I can avoid using gels.

Pace: 7:14

AHR: 150