Journey from 238.5 lbs to 2:38:30

Couldn't get to sleep, woke up early.  Love those days.  So got up at 3:30 and headed out to meet the guys at Matt's at 5.  Matt lives 2.75 away so I ran there this morning to meet Matt, Jody, Reed and Scott for 10.   It was nice being warmed up before we started.  Did a couple of tempoish miles in the  middle.  Had to pull it back a little with the outside left quad still having a large knot in it and for the sub 6 mile the ache on the inner quad by the knee started coming back.  Hope to have a lot of miles to run this week, so toned it back for the last few.  Ate a bowl of cereal before I left and no gu's but did a Nuun and some gatorade slush during the run which barely got me back home again.  I felt like I should have gu'd up at some point the last few miles, but I figured I'd get home okay and fueled back up in hopes of a 2nd run this afternoon.  

 Ran 7 with Wes at lunch out to Utah Lake.  First half sucked the farther we went.  Was starting to bonk, by the time we hit 3 I was done.  Took some calcium pills, S-Caps and honey stinger chews.  By the time we hit 4, I was feeling good again.  

Got to bed earlyish, alarm seemed to go off 2 minutes later.  Made it out the door quick enough on my way to Scott's to park a couple miles away and run in to meet at 5.  Scott, Reed and Matt, out on our 10 mile Alpine loop.  Matt headed back after 3ish, hamstring issues.  I had a rough time getting going at a decent pace this morning.  Guzzled my gatorade at mile 3, gu'd at 5.  It was a recovery day so I don't think we went anything below 6:50, mostly around 7:10 I think, will have to check the watch later.  Will probably head out for at least 6 more later.   

Dragged myself out for 6 more.  Left leg is tightening up more, will have to spend some quality time with it tonight. 

Went out this morning with Scott with the intention of doing some speed work.  Did a five mile warmup around a 7-7:30 pace.  Then off to the races, for about 20 seconds.  Then the death march commenced.  

Headed back out for 9.25 meandering through Lindon with Wes.  A comfortable 7:44 pace.  Pace has been getting slower as the week goes on.  gee, wonder why.   I thought today was thursday for most of the morning, guess I was wishing it was thursday.

Ran a 1:36 almost half marathon this morning.  The first ten with Scott, Brody, Matt and Melanie.  Felt much better for that first 10 than my 10 yesterday morning, Running just over a 7 minute pace, just guessing on this one, wasn't too bad.  Was a bit nippely out this morning.  Puttered around the neighborhood for 3 more.  

Went out for a few more and was feeling pretty good.  Same loop as yesterday, just extended in a couple of spots.  Did a 5:57  at mile  7, was a little uncomfortable due to fatigue, but not too bad.  Can tell the legs are getting stressed, feel a few muscles on the verge of cramping.  2nd run at a 7:14 average with a 760 foot ascent/descent 

Ran 11 in the AM with ScottKeate.  Thanks Scott for keeping me motivated for these early runs.  Makes them much easier to do.  Another good morning run, not particularly fast, 7:24 avg, but good enough.  Calves/Achilles tendons very sore/creaky this morning, took 15-20 minutes stretching/walking around the house to warm them up.  

Did 9.5 on the PM run with a modified Lindon  loop from yesterday, mostly with Wes.  Last mile I was really feeling it.   7:41 average, average heart rate 132

Finished a week of 2 a day's to get to at least 20 a day with a 20 miler Saturday morning.  Ran with Jake and Andrea's group from Tanner park.  Rode up with Scott and Matt who have really helped me stay motivated and break new ground this week.  I am very surprised at how I have felt doing this kind of mileage and at a not too bad of a pace.  We averaged 7:09 for the 20 miles this morning with 1700 (garmin) feet of elevation change. It was fun running with a new group.  My right hamstring started to tighten up a bit yesterday, was able to stretch it out enough before the run that I didn't feel any effects from it during the run. Both my achilles tendons and calves are getting very tight and sore while I sleep, will need to spend some time with them in hopes of working out the soft tissue issues.