Free Giveaway on July 4, 2011

I recently read the book Running on Empty, and my review is posted in my training site. The book is the story of the unbelievable achievements of Marshall Ulrich. I would like to pass the book on to a runner, and I've decided to do it via a random drawing to be held on July 4, 2011. See the Giveaway page in the Welcome to My Blog section (in the left-sidebar) for details.

A great 5-mile Medium run

My wakeup heart rate was 56 again. I started my run about noon. The sky was sunny with clouds, but by the time I reached the turn-around point at the 12300 South bridge, the sky was getting black with lots of wind. A few drops of rain fell during my return to my car, but nothing to cause worry. No thunder.

When I reached the Draper City playground (with 1/4 mile to go to reach the 12300 South bridge), I stopped to get a drink of water. I then proceeded to the bridge and returned to the playground. While walking to the water fountain, I saw a few pieces of trash on the ground and picked it up. One lady was embarrassed by the trash her kids had left on the ground, and she wanted me to give her the trash I had picked up so she could deposit it in the trash bin. I said the trash bin was close to the water fountain and that I would deposit the trash before I got a drink. I'm glad she was embarrassed; maybe she will teach her children to use the trash bin instead of dropping the trash on the ground.

While I was filling my water bottles at the water fountain, a young girl about 5 years old asked me why the bottles were so small. I explained that each bottle held one cup of water, and the bottles were spaced around my body to keep me balanced while I ran. After I left the playground and proceeded north towards my car, I thought it would have been nice to have let the girl try on my Fuel Belt to see how it felt. Oh, well, maybe there will be another girl wondering about the small bottles.

I've been reading a book by Barefoot Ken Bob in which he emphasizes the importance of one bending his or her knees to insure a heel-strike is not used and to insure the foot hits the ground behind the knee. During this run, I tried bending my knee more instead of trying to raise my knee. Doing that really works! I ran faster and didn't get as tired during my run. I will continue trying to have more bend in my knees.

The Jordan River is a couple of inches higher that it was last week. There is significantly more water under the new 11400 South bridge. I noticed on my way back that the swallows are busy getting mud from the river bank and building mud houses on the north side of the bridge.

50 Best Running Blogs

I was just notified that Old Man Running has been selected by Online Classes.net as one of its 50 Best Running Blogs.

Ran a good 3 mile rest run

My wakeup heart rate was 56, and I ran a good 3 mile rest run. I ran twice the north-bound segment of the Jordan River Parkway. I was out about 10:30, but the temperature was in the mid 80s (F). Ironically, due to a cold front passing through, during the afternoon the sky clouded up, the wind increased to 40 or more mph, and the temperature dropped to the middle 70s (F). I got out "early" for my run, because two workmen were here during the day to repair a concrete wall that is in front of my house, and I wanted to get my run in before they got into the difficult part of the repair.

According to the tree-limb I use to judge the level of the water, the river has gone done about an inch at the point where the limb is sticking out of the water. The cooler temperature we had in the afternoon and evening will help slow the melting of the mountain snow.

Had a good 5-mile medium run

My wakeup heart rate was 56. Yesterday and the day before it was 58. The temperature was in the 50s (F), and the sky was cloudy with lots of sun. It was a great day for running. I ran my 5-mile route, going south from the East Pavilion in South Jordan City to the tunnel under 12300 South.  I felt good during the run, but I became a bit tired during the last half. Being tired that way is normal and nothing that would cause concern.

The tunnel under 11400 South had more water on the path than it has had in the past, indicating the river has risen a couple of inches. As I've mentioned before, that part of the river is very wide, and a two-inch increase in the water level implies a big increase in the flow of water.

I saw a group of about 20 young girls on bicycles and three women as chaperones. They were probably a church group or maybe girl scouts, although none of them were wearing scout uniforms.

Ran a tired and shortened rest run of 1.5 miles

Yesterday was a real workout for me. I moved about 700 pounds of sand and Soil Pep off the shelves and onto a cart. I then pushed the cart around Home Depot and then to my car, and I moved the bags to my car and then from my car to our garden. The 700 pounds included two bags at 80# each and 6 bags at 50# each. We have a "recipe" that uses sand, Soil Pep, and gypsum that converts clay into loam. After unloading the car, I rototilled one of our gardens while my wife spread the "recipe" on a second garden. I then rototilled that garden. After finishing the rototilling, I mowed my lawns. When I was finished with the lawns, I was really tired. I felt much worse than I felt after completing a marathon (of course I'm 29 years older than I was when I ran marathons).

I had wanted to go running after finishing the yard work, but I was too tired for that. However, I felt better this morning, and I went running. After 1.5 miles, I could tell I was too tired to do more, and I went to my car and drove home.

We had beautiful weather today. No rain and lots of sun. The air temperature was in the high 70s (F). My next run will be on Saturday.