Schuylkill Loop with Reuben and Chris - 11 miles - (200 total)

Very humid this morning; biking in to Taney Field, the top half of the Philly skyline was covered by clouds and mist. The three of us started at Taney, but got to the train tracks just in time for a long (and fragrant) garbage train to block our path. We ran alongside the tracks about half a mile until the train passed, then crossed over and vaulted a four foot wall to get to the path.

The run was fine - no major aches and pains, and this pace, which was out of reach for this distance just a month ago, was quite comfortable. Chris and I kept up a conversation the whole time. When we got to the south end of the path, Nike+ read about 10.6 miles, although since we had a bit of a detour due to the train, I can't really compare it to Chris' reading last weekend. When Chris dropped off at 10.75, my reading was about .3 miles ahead of his. After calibrating yesterday, I am comfortable going with my slightly more generous numbers.

Chris suggested upping our weekday runs to 7 miles next week, which I am happy to do - love to rack up those miles. I will run on my own Monday. Thinking about doing an abbreviated river loop starting at the Art Museum. That's about 9 miles.

Broke the 200 mile mark! Nice way to end the month.

Calibration - 1 mile (189 total)

Went to the track at Franklin Field this afternoon and calibrated the Nike+ before tomorrow's 11-miler. Happy to say that it appeared to be very close to begin with. I was no more than a couple of yards off at the .75 mile mark. Last weekend we clocked the loop from Taney Field to the southernmost end of the rec trail at 10.44 miles using Chris' Nike+. It will be interesting to see tomorrow what my freshly calibrated gadget says it is.

Digital Dilemma - 6 miles (188 total)

So Chris and I had another great run this morning - same 6-mile course as Tuesday, plus today we seemed to catch all the green lights, kept a good pace, nice weather, etc. We are both using Nike+, but at the end of the run we had divergent distances and times. I got 6.28 miles in 50:51, while he got only 6.03 miles in 51:14.

I've never calibrated my Nike+, but ran many miles with it at the track, and I know that it was quite accurate for last year's PDR, and the Broad Street Run this spring. But an 8:05 pace (using my numbers) is a bit hard to believe, so I'll go with Chris' numbers - at least until I have a chance to calibrate my Nike+ at the track.

Girard St. Train Bridge - 6 miles (182 total)

Got a new iPod Nano a couple of weeks ago, and used it with the Nike+ for the first time today. This is one of the 3rd generation Nanos and the larger display is easier to read while running than the old one was.

Very happy with today's run - first with Chris at 7:00am from work. Ran our usual route, but a little farther, to the train bridge just past Girard Street. This time works well; we were back in the office at about 8:15. Kept up a good pace - the Nike+ graph is practically flat, except where we had to go down the flights of stairs to the river path.

Wore my Shox and did not feel any blisters forming this time. Legs hurt a little, but considering that we did a relatively fast 11-miler two days ago, I feel that they are getting better, not worse.

Measured distance from JFK bridge to the end of the path - .37 miles. Adjusted Sunday's distance to reflect the extra .74 miles.

11-Mile Loop (175 total)

Met Chris at Taney Field at 7:00 this morning and ran the loop. As mentioned in the previous post, the iPod wouldn't recognize the Nike+ for some reason, but fortunately Chris had his. We ran the Falls Bridge loop back to the turnaround for 10.44 miles, then I backtracked to the JFK bridge and back to conservatively make 11.

Felt great for this run! Knees only bothered me for the first mile or so. We started at a medium pace, and I felt like we picked up speed for the second half. Felt strong at the end. The Philadelphia Distance Run is 4 weeks from today, and I feel in good shape for it. Might not match my Broad Street Run pace of 8:11, but I think cutting a full minute from my 2007 PDR pace (9:21) is a realistic goal.

Bookkeeping Note

Decided to abandon my attempt to keep this diary in synch with Nike+. I've missed a couple of runs with the Nike+ for one reason or another, and tried to keep the diary in synch by rounding down runs to the nearest mile, then allowing the bits and pieces to accumulate on the Nike+ side. Today was the last straw though. Was about to start an 11 mile run, and couldn't get the iPod to recognize the Nike+ receiver. So, I've put all my runs into a spreadsheet on Google docs, and replaced the old Nike+ graphic that used to appear at the top right with the Progress-O-Meter - some calculations from the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is here. (The accumulated rounding, plus a run with Doug that I did not count for the diary, have bumped my mileage by about 6.)

I'll still use the Nike+ to keep track of my mileage for each run - it is a useful and fun device - but this diary will now be my "official" mileage count.

Before Work - 5 miles (158 total)

5.41 miles
47:13
8:43 min/mi

Came in to work a little early this morning, then ran with Chris about 8:20. Weather was a bit warmer and more humid than Wednesday, but still nothing like running at noon. Forgot ibuprofen again this morning and knees hurt the whole time. But maybe I ran a little more carefully because of it. Iced right knee afterward. Was hoping to do a loop run (9-11 miles) on Sunday, but may just do a fiver instead.

Schuylkill Navy - 5 miles (153 total)

5.4 miles
44:33
8:14 min/mi

Chris and I had incompatible meeting schedules today, so decided to run our usual route from the office to boathouse row and back first thing this morning and return to the office by 9:30. What a great decision! The weather had cooled off last night, and was probably in the mid-60's. It was a very pleasant and beautiful run. We continue to shave more time off. This is close to a record time for me, especially considering that it was a city course and we had some stops for traffic, crossing streets and going up and down stairs.

I enjoy running with Chris. It is a stretch to keep up with him on the first half and I think I help him maintain the pace for the second half, so hopefully we both benefit.

Right knee pain was present, but did not limit my stride. Was throbbing afterwards, and I iced it.

Back at Franklin Field - 5.3 miles (148 total)

5.31 mi
47:09
8:52 min/mi
87 degrees, 34% humidity

Back on home turf. Chris couldn't run, so I decided to visit Franklin Field. It is monotonous, but a little faster than the river trail, and probably a bit easier on the legs. It is quite hot down in the stadium at midday, however. Was trying for 7, but stopped after the usual 5 and change. Forgot my ibuprofen; had pain in right knee and left upper shin. Wore another brand new pair of shoes (Nike Air Structure Triax 10+) & found them more comfortable than the "Shox", which re-blistered me on Saturday. Will continue to try to break in the Shox on shorter runs, since they should be the best-cushioning shoes.

Little Mountain Summit - 9 miles, 1100 vert. ft. (143 total)

9.28 miles
1:27:53
9:27 min/mi

Went from Mom's house up Emigration Canyon Road to Little Mountain Summit, 6,350 ft. Above is a photo from near the summit taken yesterday when I biked up. Temperature was perfect - below 60, and lots more bikes and runners out than cars. Took it easy - only intended to do 6 miles, but when I reached the turnaround point, the summit was too tempting. My last chance in Salt Lake. Very pleasant run!

Limpy - 3 miles (134 total)

Last chance to run till Thursday. Huffed and puffed uphill for 1.5 and winced and limped on the way back down. Should have just waited till Thursday, I guess....

Wasatch Bike Ride II - 17.2 miles, 1700 vertical feet

Took an extended version of yesterday's ride, going up the canyon to the dead end, and then back all the way to the mouth of the canyon, where the Hogle Zoo is. Took this photo with my phone on the way down.

Borrowed Jackson's GPS, so I could see the altitude a little more accurately. (I've updated yesterday's numbers.) It turns out that the high point is 6,650 feet, and the zoo is at 4,950. So I climbed about 1700 feet today, but only about 1400 yesterday.

Blister is getting better, but still very tender. May try a run tomorrow, since we're leaving on a hiking trip Monday morning. It might be smarter to not attempt a run at all until after the backpacking trip. Knees are still a bit achy.

Wasatch Mtn Bike Ride - 12.2 miles, 1700 1400 vertical feet

Since achy knees and blisters are keeping me out of running shape for the moment, I decided to take another bike ride up and down the canyon while the kids were out seeing Wall-E.

Went the same route Doug and I did on Wednesday, but continued up to the end of the road. Then I turned around and went past Mom's house another mile or two. According to Google Maps, [updated with GPS] the elevation went from 5100 5250 to 6800 6650 feet.

Swam 1 mile yesterday.

[Click "View Larger Map" to see the route]


View Larger Map

Emigration Canyon - 5 miles (131 total)

This was a slow run, just 1.25 miles uphill from my Mother's house and back with Doug. Then I turned around and did it again by myself, this time going a quarter of a mile farther.

Doug did great, especially considering that this was all hill, and elevation is about 5,000 feet higher than home. We also cycled 5 or 6 miles up the canyon and back this morning.

My legs and feet are beat. I've got to take a couple of days off in a row and let these blisters heal. Knees are also getting painful. Will probably wait until Saturday to run again. If Doug wants to run before then, maybe I'll pace him on the bike!

Bad Luck - 5.4 miles (126 total)

Distance: 5.42 miles
Pace: 9:12
86 degrees, 33% humidity

Running was probably a bad idea today. Legs still gimpy; painful blister on each foot. Went with Chris anyway - will be traveling all day tomorrow and thought some exercise would be good.

Run was slow and painful, not terribly hot, but hot enough. Then, at the end of the run, discovered that my iPod didn't register. Must have accidentally paused it at the beginning of the run. Got the time and distance from Chris. And I just got my iPod miles synched with blog miles yesterday!

Next run from my Mom's house, along Emigration Canyon in Utah, at about 5 thousand feet.

Doug Starts Training - 2.5 miles - (121 total)

After I got back from my long run, Doug was interested in starting some running himself, so we went out and did a couple of easy miles on the USP/Clark Park route. We ran pretty slowly, but Doug did great. He says he wants to start running every day. If he does, he'll easily be able to do a 9 or 10-miler at the pace we did this morning in a few months.

His face did get quite blotchy by the time we finished. That happens to him sometimes after a lot of heat or exertion. Here's a pic with Jackie taken shortly after our run.

(You can get Doug's own story at his new blog.)

[I'm not adding this run to the total in order to help bring the diary total back in line with the Nike+ total in the graph on the right. I've lost about 5 Nike+ miles since this project started. This will bring me within a mile of consistency.]

Gentle Loop - 11 miles (121 total)

77 degrees, humidity 71%



Met Scott and Chris at Taney field at 6:30 this morning to run our usual loop to Falls Bridge and back along the river. Very muggy and drizzly for the first half, but the light rain was welcome. We ran at a very slow pace, which was probably the best thing possible for my legs short of not running at all. Scott dropped off as planned at about 9.25 miles, and Chris and I sped up for the last couple of miles.

This was a confidence builder after my last "loop" when I had to stop after 7 miles. Whether it was the slower pace or the new Shox shoes, my legs felt pretty good afterwards. The shoes did give me two quarter-size blisters just behind the balls of both feet. The sole insert doesn't make a perfect fit inside the shoes, maybe because of the Springbak inserts underneath them, and a little gap between the sole and the side of the shoe caused the problem. I hope this will work itself out as the shoes are broken in. I have to decide whether or not to bring these as my only running shoes to Utah.