Rosswog Running Blog

This morning I rode my bike to work and jumped on the elliptical for a half mile in an effort to stretch out my left hamstring before reporting to the office. Following work, I returned to the elliptical machine and ran for 3.5 miles before transitioning to the treadmill for a mile. I ran at speeds from 5.2 to 6.2 miles per hour on the treadmill with a lot of stiffness in my left leg and a little soreness. Consequently, slow and steady progress! I then cool down by returning to the elliptical to run 5.2 miles before heading home to ice my legs.

In addition to my 31.1-mile bike ride to and from work, I completed 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups for my daily non-running workout.

After work, I hit the elliptical machine for 1.2 miles in order to warm-up my hamstring.  Then I transitioned over the treadmill where I upped my mileage to an even 2.0 miles.  I ran at speeds from 6.0 to 6.3 miles per hour; therefore, keeping a conservative pace while stretching out my left hamstring.  Before calling it day, I went back to the elliptical machine and ran 1.3 miles.

Lastly, for my non-running workout, it was just another day of 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

Following the completion of another busy workweek, I warmed up my left hamstring by running 5.2 miles before switching over to the treadmill.  In total, I ran for 3.1 miles on the treadmill at an easy pace (i.e., at speeds between 6.0-6.5 miles per hour).  However, my hamstring felt pretty tight at times, so I stop on two different occasions to stretch out my left hamstring.  After finishing my 5k on the treadmill, I cooled down on the elliptical machine with a 0.2-mile run.

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

This morning, I went for my first outside run of any considerable distance in over a week by meeting up with the Salt Lake Running Company group.  Not wanting to push it too much too fast, I biked down to the store and met up with the gang.  For this workout, we ran up to Sugar House Park where I completed a single lap around the park’s parameter before heading back to the store (i.e., I was confident that my left hamstring would hold up for an inter lap around the park).  As a result, I completed an even 5.0 miles that I was able to keep just below a 10:00 minute per mile pace.

In order to get in some extra miles, I biked over to the Holladay Lions Recreation Center in the afternoon. On the elliptical, I ran 10.7 miles while watching college football.

In addition to my 13.9-mile bike ride to the Salt Lake Running Company and the Lions Recreation Center, I was able to get in 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups for my non-running workout.

Late this morning, I jogged over to Big Cottonwood Park and ran four times around the park’s parameter trail before heading back to home.  My goal was to knock out five laps, but my left hamstring went from stiff to painfully sore as I finished my fourth time around the park.  Consequently, I did not want to risk a setback in order to accomplish one more lap.  The total distance of this run was 5.1 miles at an easy pace.  Also, I was able to accomplish an 8:37 and an 8:49 mile, which is pretty fast for me these days and probably brought on the discomfort.  The objective of this run was to get some experience running off of the road because my Xterra National Trail race is less than two weeks away (yikes).  For this race, my goal is just to run the entire course without reinjuring myself.

In order to get in some extra miles, I biked over to the Holladay Lions Recreation Center in the early afternoon and completed 12.8 miles on the elliptical machine I a total time of 2:02:29.

As I biked home through Big Cottonwood Park, I noticed a runner cruising around the softball complex which not only got me motivated to run, but also made me think about how I left some unfinished business in the park this morning by not being able to complete that last lap.  Consequently, after I got home, I jogged over to the park and completed a single lap around the softball complex before heading back and calling it a day.   The total distance of this run was 1.3 miles.

Overall, I’m continuing to make progress with the rehab of my hamstring (i.e., feeling less sore compared to a week ago and I’m regaining flexibility).  Also, considering that last week I could not even run without a severe hobble and this week I ran some miles off of the elliptical for seven consecutive days, progress is being made!

Besides my 3.9-mile bike ride to the Lions Recreation Center and back, I completed 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups for my non-running workout.

Happy Labor Day!  However, it was a regular work day for me and that goes for my rehab on my left hamstring.  Speaking of the devil, it was pretty sore and stiff today when I rolled out of bed, probably because I gave it very little rest this weekend (I remember the same sore-stiff feelings at the beginning of last week).  Anyways, I kicked off my holiday by biking to work, then during my late lunch break, I ran over to the airport bike path and to the west end of the Wing Point golf course before heading back.  The total distance of this run was 2.7 miles.  Also, my hamstring seemed to relax a little bit after a mile or so.

For the second half of my running workout, I hit the elliptical machine for 3.5 miles while watching CNN.  Afterward my hamstring seemed to be a little bit sorer.  I’m guessing it’s getting tired of the elliptical too.

Finally, for my non-running workout, I completed 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

Following work, I had a date with the treadmill (hopefully, we can become reunited after I have been spending so much time with the elliptical lately).  I was able to run for 2.4 miles.  Once again, for the opening mile my troublesome hamstring was sore and stiff. However, my stride seemed to open up a little bit and I was able to get into a pretty good rhythm with minimal discomfort.  I felt like running further on the treadmill, but decided to cut it off a little bit early in order to get in an outside run.  Consequently, after I got home, I jogged over to Big Cottonwood Park and completed two laps of the softball complex before calling it a day.  The total distance of this evening run was 1.7 miles.

In regards to my non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and 40 (50 lbs) curls.

Following work, I was able to sneak in a short 1.4 mile run on the treadmill before heading home.  Then I went out for an evening run up to the Smith-Kiln Chimney and back for a total distance of 4.3 miles at an easy pace.  I’m probably thinking about it too much, but on the way back my hamstring tightened up, but I just tried to focus on keeping good form and being relaxed in order to run through it.

For my non-running workout, I completed my typical routine of 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

After a long day at work, I did not have time to get to the gym.  As a result, I went on a late evening run over to the Cotton Country Club and back.  The total distance of this run was 6.7 miles and it was sort of a gut check.  I seriously thought about turning around a couple of times and calling it a day because my leg seemed to be tightening up.  Then it started to rain.  So running though a dark and stormy night while trying to fight through my injury sort of boosted my confidence in that I felt all tough even though it took me over an hour to cover this distance and I was glad to get back home.

Lastly, for my non-running workout, I completed my standard 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

After finishing up the work week, I warmed up on the elliptical machine for 2.2 miles then hit the treadmill for an even 2.0 miles before returning to the elliptical to cool down for 2.2 miles. By the way, I was able to get into a great rhythm on the treadmill and it sort of felt like I had a normal running gait. In short, it felt awesome! I wanted to increase the speed above 7.5 miles per hour and continue beyond two miles; however I decided to play it safe since I still wanted to get in an evening run and plenty of miles during the weekend.

When I got home from work, I headed out for a nice, easy pace run up to the Smith-Kiln Chimney and back. During this 4.0-mile run, even though my left hamstring was stiff, it was not as bad as on Wednesday when I did the same run. So, I’m getting closer to overcoming my hamstring injury!

To close out the work week, my non-running workout consisted of 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

This nice and cool Saturday, I woke up and jogged 3.35 miles down to the Salt Lake Running Company where I met up with members of our Las Vegas Ragnar team for a group run. For this run, we ran up to Sugar House Park, where we made one outer and one inter loop around the park before returning. The total distance of this run was 6.35 miles at a relatively easy pace. The I jogged an additional 5.4 miles to and from the Trax station out to the Wasatch Running Center and back to home in order to pickup a Wasatch Back Ragnar 2010 shirt that one of my teammates never received on race day. I was relieved that my left hamstring survived 15.1 miles of running. This is good news!

In order to add on some additional miles, late in the afternoon, I biked and took Trax out to work where I ran 7.2 miles on the elliptical machine while watching the Notre Dame vs. Michigan game (entertaining contest that Michigan just snuck out a win over my Irish).

Besides my 12.3-mile bike ride, for my non-running workout, I completed 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and 100 (16 lbs) curls before calling it a Saturday.

Early this Sunday morning (the official full day of the NFL), I jogged over to Big Cottonwood Park and met up with one of my buddies from the Salt Lake Running Company group for a run.  We ran up to Olympus High School then headed south to Holladay Boulevard and continued to 6200 South before returning to the park by way of Van Winkle and 1300 South.  I jogged 3 laps around the park’s softball complex before heading home.  In total, I got in 12.1 miles at a relatively easy pace; that is, 8:28 minutes per mile.  Actually this is my fastest and longest sustained run since I hurt my hamstring, thus good progress!  Right now, I aim for a sub-8:00 pace for my half-marathon trail race next Saturday.

While watching my Broncos lose a close fought contest to the Jaguars, I completed my standard of 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

Since I had some community service time off to attend an American Lung Association meeting in regards to their trail race, I slept in this morning before heading out for a run up to the Holladay Library and back by way of Walker Lane.  After two good runs this weekend, my left hamstring was suffering from the Monday blues in that it was a little tight and sore.  With that said, I was still able to keep up a relatively good pace for all 7.3 miles of this run (i.e., 8:50 minutes per mile).

For my non-running workout, I completed my typical 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

After I arrived at work this morning, I hit the elliptical machine for a half-mile in order to warm-up my hamstring before reporting to the office.

Since renowned film maker Spike Lee was in town to give a speech this evening, this was the only workout I was to get in before leaving work. After enjoying Lee’s thought provoking discussion on how he portrays race in his films, I jogged to the bus stop from Kingsbury Hall.

When I finally got home, I went for a late night run up to the Smith-Kiln Chimney before calling it day. The combined distance of these two runs was 5.5 miles at an easy pace. In regards to my injured left hamstring, it was particularly tight and sore while I ran; that is, I need to stretch it out more during the day.

Finally, my non-running workout consisted of 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and 30 (50 lbs) reverse curls.

Following work, I reluctantly hit the elliptical machine and completed 2.2 miles.  I was unwilling to workout on the elliptical not because of my sore left hamstring was preventing me from running on the treadmill, but because the fuse went out on the wall sockets that powered the treadmills.  So instead of pushing the treadmill across the gym to a functioning socket, I worked out on the elliptical before heading home.

After I got home, I went on a late evening run up to the Backyard Shopping Plaza where I ran a few errands before heading back home.  The total distance of this run was 4.5 miles at an easy pace.

In regards to my non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

I’m back in Central Oregon and regardless of my sore left hamstring, I’m ready to run!  The pine scented air hit me right when I walked out of the Redmond Airport, which immediately made me psyched for trail running.  After training so much in the Salt Lake Valley, it’s always exciting to run in a new environment.  Consequently, shortly after getting settled in at my great uncle’s house on Cumberland Avenue, I headed out for an evening run down to the Old Mill District where they already had the finish line set-up.  Then I ran the first third of the Xterra Nationals’ course by jogging along the dirt trail up to Mt Bachelor Village and back to the finish line area.  It was sort of a surreal experience because it became pitch black shortly after 7:00 pm; however, the moonlight guided me along the trail along the with the sound of the Deschutes River.  It was slow going (which my tender hamstring did not mind, but needless to say, an enjoyable run!  On the way back to Cumberland, I ran by Ed’s to pick-up some groceries before calling it a day.

Before I left Salt Lake City, I was able to complete my non-running workout which consisted of 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

After getting a great night of sleep, I went out for an early morning run down to the Old Mill District then along the Xterra Nationals’ course to Mt. Bachelor Village before heading back to Cumberland.  The scenery was breathtaking on this run as I jogged along the dirt trail following the Deschutes River and under the reddish brown cliffs that tower over it.  As I took in the pine air, I saw fishermen casting their lines into the river and even a golden retriever take a flying leap into the relatively calm water.  The total distance of this run was 7.2 miles and even though my left hamstring is still feeling tight and sore at times (i.e., especially when I try to accelerate), I’m ready to give my 13.1-mile Xterra race a go tomorrow.

For my non-running workout, I biked 7.8 miles around town and stopped by Fleet Feet for packet-up which is always exciting.  This year’s t-shirt is pretty neat looking brown trail running tech shirt.  Besides my bike ride, I was able to get in 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

A thunderstorm rolled through Central Oregon the night before, thus when I woke up the sky was overcast and the ground was damp.  Consequently, perfect conditions for trail racing!  After putting on my race gear and doing some final stretches, I jogged 1.3 miles down to the starting line in front of the three smoke stacks in the Old Mill District.  Getting to the starting are approximately 20 minutes before the race, I met up with my support crew (my Uncle George, Aunt Iris, Dad, and family friend Bill), did some final stretches, changed into my Brooks Cascadia 4 trail running shoes, and then headed to stakeout a good position on the starting line.  Recognizing the limitations of caused by my left hamstring and the world-class competition, I did not venture too close the front of the starting line and instead stayed about 5 yards off of the front.

At exactly 9:00 am they fired off a cannon--which was a big bang and a little bit surprising considering last year they just blew a whistle--right near the front of the line to get the race started.  Last year the course was only 12.8 miles because the Forest Service closed off part of the course.  As a result, this year we ran the full course which was almost a mile longer; that is 13.7 miles.  I registered this exact mileage on my Garmin along with other runners, so it was not a matter of running the course efficiently, it’s just a 21k course and some.  The frustrating part was that all mile markers on the course seem to all be a little bit shorter than a mile a part.  So when we past mile marker 13, my watch was showing 12.6 and since the course was longer than 13.1, instead of a tenth of a mile to go, there was 1.1 miles left.  According to Xterra’s markers, this was over a 14 mile run.  However, this did not really throw me off because I had run the last 2.5 miles of the course the previous two days, so I was just wondering how the were going to fit in the extra distance.

In summary, I ran a 1:36:46 (i.e., a pace of 7:04 miles per minute) in perfect weather conditions; that is, cool and very little dust due to the rain.  My splits for the race were: 6:35, 7:00, 7:38, 7:08; 6:52, 7:03, 7:07, 7:19, 7:39, 7:32, 6:41, 6:47, 6:55, and 4:25.  Overall, my time was 10:34 slower than last year and when factoring in the extra distance, this equals 20 seconds per mile slower.  However, considering where I was a few weeks ago, I’m proud of this race and had a fun time, which is what running is all about.  My hamstring flared up a few times during the race, but nothing that I could not run through.  With that said, following the post-race festivities, I essentially hobbled 1.2 miles back to my Great Uncle’s house on Cumberland due to my hamstring have tightened up considerably.  In short, it was tight and sore.

By the way, Max King 3-peated at the Xterra Nationals with a 1:15:57.  His time this year was also slower than last year’s 1:06:46 that he ran on a shorter course, but still really impressive.  Also, one has to believe Max is saving a little bit for next weekend’s 50k National Championship at Mt Bachelor.  Bend is Trail Town USA!  On the women’s side, Eugene’s Lauren Fleshman repeated her Xterra National Championship with victory in a time of 1:24:24.

Update: in Sunday’s edition of the Bend Bulletin, they referred to this race as a 22.5k (i.e., the correct distance).

Finally, for my non-running workout, I rode my bike for 4.1 miles and completed my typical routine of 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

Following another great night of sleep, I woke up and stretched for awhile in order to get my left hamstring ready for another race. This one, the Big Foot 10k which is Bend’s longest running 10k and benefits the high school cross country teams of Central Oregon.  Also, this is first time that I have run two races on the same weekend.  Of course, when I registered for the Xterra Nationals and the Big Foot 10k, I had no idea that I would be running them while recovering from a pulled hamstring.

When I headed out from my Great Uncle’s house on Cumberland, the overcast sky was drizzling rain.  After I jogged 1.05 miles over to the Old Mill District, the finish line, in order to catch the shuttle up to the starting line at the Seventh Mountain Resort, it was pouring.  As a result, I huddled up with my father, aunt, and a few other runners under a pine tree next to a gravel parking lot waiting for the shuttle to arrive.  After a long 15 minutes, the shuttle came, but the number of runners waiting for a ride was greater than the capacity of the shuttle.  Since I figured it was either waiting in the rain at the starting line or at the gravel parking lot next to the finish line, I decided to wait for the shuttle to come back down.

Twenty minutes later the shuttle came back and along with a few other runners, I was on my way to the starting line.  Among these few other runners was Max King--the Xterra Nationals Champion--and Fujio Miyachi--a trail runner from Japan that Max is hosting.  Consequently, it was neat to talk to Max for a few minutes about the Baltimore Marathon that he’ll be running on October 16th.  Since I have run this marathon three times, it will be interesting to see how he does.

Approximately 15 minutes before the race started, the shuttle dropped us off at the Seventh Mountain Resort and I immediately took cover in an enclosed tent in order to change out of my outer gear before heading up to the starting line.  Following a teacher from La Pine, we took a shortcut over a muddy trail which got us to the starting line with two minutes to spare; that is, just enough time to drop off my gear bag and to find a satellite on my Gamin.

At exactly 9:00 am the race started and a pack of over 200 runners was off.  I started in the middle of this pack and it took me a good mile to work out the stiffness in my left hamstring.  During the initial mile, a number of runners cruised on past me.  However, after I was able to run my way through the stiffness and a few moments of soreness, I was able to get into a pretty good stride.  As a result, I was able to run a 36:44 (i.e., an average pace of 5:54 minutes per mile) with the following splits: 5:55, 6:08, 5:42, 5:55, 5:52, 5:47, and 1:23.  This time was a good four minutes behind Max’s winning time; however, I was happy to finally get in some relatively fast miles in my Adidas Manas (the first time I have worn these racing flats since the Deseret News Marathon).

After eating some breakfast (i.e., you have to love the post-race snacks) and talking to a few of the other runners as the rain continued, I gingerly jogged the 1.05 miles back to Cumberland.  I sent the afternoon resting, icing, and recovering as the weather cleared up outside.  In the evening, I went for a jog to the Bend Library, then to my Aunt and Uncle’s place on Hawthorne, and then around the shopping plaza at the Old Mill District before calling it a day and heading back to Cumberland.  In total, I was able to get in 8.1 miles at an extremely slow jog; that is, my legs just felt completely exhausted.

To finish off the weekend, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups for my non running workout.

Very stiff and sore today (i.e., I’m absolutely paying the price for the two races over the weekend); however, I was able to jog from the Library to my Aunt and Uncle’s house on Hawthorne then to my Great Uncle’s house on Cumberland by way of the Old Mill District.  In total, I was able to get in 6.4 miles at a very slow pace.

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed my standard routine of 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

This morning, after taking some time to do some serious stretching, I ran over and to the top of Pilot Butte and back to Cumberland.  My legs felt better than yesterday; however, I still took it easy and just enjoyed the scenery.  In addition, I was able to gain some great experience with running the Butte in preparation for The Pilot Butte Challenge--which is essentially a one mile, 440 feet net elevation gain time trial--this Saturday.

For my non-running workout, I was able to get in a 4.4-mile bike ride, 300 sit-ups, and 30 push-ups.

Today I traveled out to the Warm Springs Native American Reservation with my aunt, uncle, and father where I did some trail running in my Brooks Cascadias.  There are four main/marked (i.e., red, blue, yellow, and green) high-desert trails in this area (they are also known as the Kah-Nee-Ta Hiking Trails).  I ran three out of these four trails before calling it a day.  These trails are pretty technical in that there are a lot of inclines and declines in addition since horses use these trails the recent rain fall made for a lot of hoof puddles.  Consequently, it was slow going, but a heck of workout!  Also, the scenery was unbelievable; for example, I ran across seven deer on the Raven’s Roost overlooking the desert valley.  These deer ran just ahead of me on the trail for approximately a mile, so it was neat to watch them run ahead, stare back at me, then run ahead again.

In regards to my non-running workout, I was able to get in a 4.9-mile bike ride, 300 sit-ups, and 30 push-ups.

Early this morning, I jogged over to Pilot Butte State Park from Hawthorne and accomplished five intervals up and down the Butte.  These intervals were approximately one mile in distance with nearly 440 feet in elevation gain.  My uphill splits for these intervals were as follows 10:55, 9:33, 9:57, 10:38, and 10:46.  The total distance of this workout (including my jog back to my Aunt and Uncle’s house on Hawthorne) was 12.1 miles at a relatively easy pace.  We’ll see how I do on Saturday morning in the Pilot Butte Challenge which is a one-mile time trial to the top.  By the way, the view from the top of Pilot Butte of the town of Bend and the Cascades--mountains: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Broken Top, The 3 Sisters, Three Fingered Jack, and Bachelor--is unbelievable!

In addition to getting in 2.2 miles on the bike, I was able to go to the Juniper Swim & Fitness Center and complete 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, 90 (50, 40, 30 lbs) curls , 60 (50 lbs) reverse curls, and even 200 meters of swimming in the pool.  Just a side note, these 200 meters nearly killed me since this was the first time I swam in years.

I went out for a mid-morning run over to the Old Mill District then over to the North West Bend where I saw four deer crossing the road before head back to my Great Uncle’s house on Cumberland by way of Drake Park.  In total, I was able to get in 6.8 miles at an easy pace. 

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed my standard routine of 300 sit-ups and 20 push-ups before call it a day.

Today was my last day in Bend/Oregon--until next year (i.e., I had such a great time, I hope to be back in 2011)--so I thought I would get in another race before I caught my afternoon flight from Redmond to Salt Lake City.  Shortly after waking up, I jogged 2.1 miles across town from Cumberland to my Aunt and Uncle’s house on Hawthorne.  On the way there, I went through Drake Park and across it’s wooden footbridge over the Deschutes River, a picturesque setting to say the least.  I met up with my support crew--that is, my aunt, uncle, and father--then we headed over to Pilot Butte State Park (a 1.4-mile jog) for the one-mile time trial race to the top.

When I arrived at the park and after picking up my bib number and packet, I quickly discovered that the race was along the Butte’s dusty dirt trail and not the paved trail and road that I’m so accustomed to running.  Actually, ever since I was a kid, I hiked the Butte with my father and aunt and we always took the road (which is very restrictive to traffic) and never once went up the trail.  So this was going to be a completely new experience and I was lucky I brought along my Brooks Cascadia trail running shoes.  Taking the dirt trail also adds another 50 or so feet in elevation gain.  In addition, I discovered they were going to have four start waves for the race even though the trail is only double track (at best) all the way to the top; therefore, this was going to be a fun experience.

Starting in the first wave, we were off at exactly 9:00 am.  The first 0.2 of a mile was relatively flat then it got extremely steep until the half-mile marker (so steep I was wondering, as I fought for air an position on the trail, why I got myself into such a race).  Since this 0.3 of a mile was an extremely ascent, the second half of mile seemed relatively nice even though it was a continuous climb to the top.  There were Forest Rangers shouting encouragement to the runners along the trail, which kept you going and made for a fun experience.  In addition, this race was really well organized in that there were shuttles at the start for family and friends to take to the top.  As a result, my support crew was at the top to cheer me in across the finish line in a time of 8:54 (my Garmin showed a distance of 1.05 miles with an approximate elevation gain of 490 feet).  Being a marathon runner, I’m not use to one-mile races and this is the first one that I have done since high school; however, The Pilot Butte Challenge was great workout and a fun experience that ended with an amazing view of the Cascades!

In addition, before catching my flight back to Salt Lake City, I jogged 1.8 miles down the Butte and back to my Aunt and Uncle’s house.  After I arrived at home (by the way, it always feels great to fly back into Salt Lake City), I went out for a late-evening 4.2-mile run up to the Smith-Kiln Chimney at the Brickyard Shopping Plaza and back.  I was originally planning for a longer evening run, but my left Achilles tendon was feeling extremely tight and sore.  As a result, I figured it best to makeup the mileage tomorrow in exchange for getting some sleep in my Zoot Recovery socks.

Finally, for my non-running workout, I was able to complete my standard routine of 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

Today was my first full day back in Salt Lake City; therefore, I slept in this morning after a late night of unpacking.  Consequently, I went for an afternoon run up to the Holladay Library to return a few books then over to Sugar House Park.  Once at the park, I completed three laps around the park’s outer trail.  The temperatures got up into the 90s (i.e., much hotter than Central Oregon), so I was really feeling on my run from the park back to home.  Overall, I was able to get in 17.55 miles at an easy pace.  Also, this was the longest, non-elliptical run that I was able to get in since pulling my left hamstring, thus progress towards getting aback into marathon form!

For my non-running workout, I was able to complete 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups while watching my Broncos lose a tough game to the Colts.

Back at work today, which met a return to the treadmill.  Following a busy day at getting caught up on everything I missed while in Oregon, I headed to the gym to get in some miles on the treadmill.  However, I discovered that all of the new treadmills were “Out of Order” and the only treadmill that worked as a shaky old one.  After 0.3 of a mile on this treadmill, I decided to head home and out for an evening run.  Consequently, I ran 4.1 miles up to the Smith-Kiln Chimney and back at an easy pace.

In regards to my non-workout, I completed my typical routine of 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

With the treadmills being out of order, I headed out for a run around the International Center business park after work.  I ran a 2.1 quarter-loop around the International Center before I decided it was just too hot.  As a result, I headed out for the second part of my workout in the even by running over to Murray-Holladay Road and up to vacant lot that use to house the Cottonwood Mall before heading back home by way of Big Cottonwood Park.

Finally, for my non-running I was able to get in 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, and 120 (50, 18 lbs) curls.

I was planning to take a relatively easy day in regards to my running mileage by just running 4.4 miles on an old treadmill after work.  However, when I went to bike home I discovered that I had a flat tire.  I’m not an experienced biker, so I do not carry around spare tubes or anything.  Consequently, I jogged 2.2 miles with my bike and backpack full of work cloths from the International Center to the airport in order to catch the bus home.  Not an ideal experience, but I was able to get in a couple of extra running miles.

Besides biking 15.2 miles to work, I was able to accomplish 300 sit-ups and 30 push-ups for my non-running workout.

Following work I went for a run around the International Center. I ended up doing a figure eight type of a loop around the business park for total of 6.4 miles. This was still at an easy pace, but it was my best training run since pulling my left hamstring; that is, a pace of 8:09 minutes per mile. I have been patiently (at least I have been trying to be patient) increasing my pace over the past few weeks from the 10s to the low-8s. Hopefully next week I will be knocking out a pace in the 7s. Also, I have been off the elliptical machine for over two weeks (i.e., one month ago, I could not run off of the elliptical)!

In regards to my non-running workout, I completed 300 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, 60 (50 lbs) curls, and 20 (50 lbs) reverse curls.