Chad's Runs

If you dress right, cold weather isn't too bad.

That dang knee! What are we going to do about it?!?

I thought that 20 degrees was going to require and outer jacket, but I tried it without and was fine.

I don't know about my knee. It doesn't seem to be getting any better and is always sore in different places. I don't want to, but maybe I need to see a doctor about it, although I have no idea who or what type of doctor I should see. Physical therapist, orthopedic, sports medicine?

Sports medicine. Any other doctor will tell you not to run on it.

i agree with burt -- sports medicine.

I will put my vote in for a physical therapist. From my experience the sports med doc simply wanted to throw meds at me to help the inflammation and then gave me like 2 stretches. After that didn't work it was on to shots, shots and more shots. The PT give me the reason WHY it is happening, then stretches and exercises to strengthen the muscles that will help prevent the problem in the future. I'm more about prevention and long term than short term fixes. Maybe it was the doc I went to, but I will definitely stick with a PT!

Thanks for the advice guys. I hope it doesn't come down to any of them. I have new insurance with a high deductible so I'm going to baby my knee for a week or two and see if it gets any better. If it doesn't there my be some damage and I'll have to see someone.

How is the knee doing?

It is still swelling up each night. It feels best in the morning but by the end of the day I'm pretty stiff. I can walk on it and even run like you saw, but any stress from jumping, squatting, etc. just doesn't work. It won't take that kind of stress.

I have an appointment to see an orthopedist sports medicine doctor next Tuesday. I want to rule out any damage.

I keep checking and this is the same post :( I hope you got an apt and have some answers!

sorry, chad. take care and keep us posted.

YUCK! Sorry about the knee, sounds similar to what my sister is dealing with. However, they don't feel like they need to scope her knee - still on PT stuff. I hope it turns out the same for you!! Let us know how it goes.

How did it go?

Had the MRI yesterday but won't know the results until tomorrow. I'll definitely post what happens. Whatever it is, I hope it can be resolved quickly. I want to run.

I just clicked *like* on your comment.

I'm confused. Are you making a reference to that annoying facebook? If that's the case, thank you. (I think)

Yeah, it's a facebook thing. You wouldn't understand. lol!

That would be correct. I avoid it whenever possible. Its gossip and mush overload for me.

That's why I love it. Did you know allie likes grapefruit? And Rachel provides moral support to those that have made stupid decisions in their lives?

i never said anything about liking grapefruit. just. grapefruit.

cripes, burt. quit spreading rumors and gossip.

It reminds me of a song from the Music Man. "Pick-a-little, talk-a-little, pick-a-little, talk-a-little, cheep, cheep, cheep, talk-a-lot, pick-a-little-more.

No knee damage! The MRI looks good. The Dr. wants me to avoid basketball and running for the next 6 weeks. I'm hoping that it will be healed by then and I'll be able to get back to running.

well, i am glad there is no tear. good to hear. maybe you could try pool running for 6 weeks?

excellent! Pool running is a GREAT alternative! boring as all get out, but a good alternative :)

Cross train, cross train, cross train.

Sleep in, sleep in, sleep in.

LOL, LOL, LOL.

Chad glad to hear your knee is not too messed up. I haven't been following the blog lately - what happened?

Don't know. It just started hurting after playing basketball one morning. No specific event during the game that would indicate an injury. This was way back in mid December. I tried running on it a couple of times but it really swelled up so I went and saw a doc.

So, how's your foot?

right foot surgery was in October - still hurts pretty good. left foot surgery was december - 2 more weeks of the boot and then I return to normal shoes on both feet. I will start physical therapy later this month and hope to be running sometime maybe early May. Until then hopefully doing a lot of biking. Get that knee better - take care!

I'd forgotten that you were doing both feet. Ouch. Good luck and let's hope we will both be out there in the next few months.

How are ya feelin?

You know Kelli, I don't feel any better than I felt 3 weeks ago. Half way through this 6 weeks I thought there would be some progress. My knee still swells up at times and just doesn't want to hold me up when bent, like going up and down stairs.

It sounds like you're doing better though. 22 miles on Antelope Island sounds fun. I've always wanted to run out there.

That really stinks, I am sorry to hear that!!! Injuries just suck.

How's the knee now? Have you been xtraining?

I hope the doc gives you ok to run soon, just in time for good weather runnin'!

Hi Smooth. I don't know what to think about my knee. I have an appointment with my orthopedist on Wednesday. It was 6 weeks ago that he told me not to do anything involving impact for 6 weeks. My knee is better than it was 6 weeks ago, but it isn't healed. I don't know how it will hold up on a run. I feel like I could put some miles on it, but I don't know how well it would recover. I hope I'll find out soon. I just don't want to make it worse.

As for xtraining? Nada. I like running and getting up for an early run is fun. I can't say the same thing for ellipticals, weights, pools, etc. Those feel like work to me so laziness takes over and I don't get up early for those. I need to, and my waist shows it. (10 lbs since Sept.)

How crazy... I've never heard of this before. Sorry life is handing you this blow right now, but the good thing is that hopefully you can run again.

On a completely different note, how is Rachael? I've been thinking about her recently.

Rachael is good. She's still running. Here's her latest blog entry.

http://rachaelrunsalot.blogspot.com/2011/03/31-weeks.html

Thanks! Just got a little caught up :) I need to remember her blog and check in every once in a while. I'm impressed she is still running and doing a good job at it as well!

Oh man, that is SO frustrating! I'm sorry!!

Sorry dude. That sucks.

I'm still holding out hope.

Me too.

How is life a month later? Any better?

Same question as RAD. Hope you're on the mend!

I don't know. I'm mostly pain free for everyday use. But anything with impact, including running obviously, starts off being painful and gets worse from there. I'm afraid to test it for fear of having a setback. I think it has improved a little over the last month, but it is very slow going. I just hope the healing doesn't plateau.

As they say in Spain - animo!

I have no idea what that means.

LOL!

Dang it. Let's get Scooby and the crew to solve this mystery. I remember when I did something to my knee in high school. I could barely walk on it. Then I was headed in to school that morning, limping along, and I didn't want anyone to pity me. So I tried walking normal and just biting the bullet with the pain. All of the sudden it wasn't hurting anymore. It was kind of weird.

Burt - I know, crazy stuff. But it is better than a month ago. If it keeps getting better then eventually it will be healed, right? So do think there is a monster mask on my knee that someone from that Mystery Machine can just pull off?

Happy to see you back at it and feeling (almost) good!

Thanks Rachael. My knee was a little sore the next day but I should be able to get some more miles this week. 10 maybe?

Have you seen the Pelican Brief starrng Julia Roberts? She's a hotty.

Were there any pelicans in the movie?

Just briefly.

Uh, perhaps briefly.

Argh! JD beat me by 4 seconds!

HAHA!

How did I not see that joke coming?

6? Nice!

More miles than you last week. :)

Little by little my friend.

Thanks Burt.

Sometimes it's good to be without pace! Just run because you enjoy it. Glad to see you back.

fitness is coming back nicely! glad you are feeling good.

Thanks allie. I hope you're back out there soon, and I'm sure your fitness will be right there. You're more dedicated than I am with the cross training.

Thanks for the guiding light this morning! Hope your knee is happy.

Thanks for the great company, Chad! I hope your knee continues to heal up well! You are smart to take it conservatively! Hope to do more runs with you in the near future!!! :)

Lets definitely get together for more runs.

Nice to meet you. That run was a lot of fun.

sounds like fun! nice job on the run and being smart about your knee.

Chad- Rachel's always fun to run with! Wish I could have been there. Stay smart with your knees, they'll thank you for it and you'll get stronger by not pushing the envelope & getting injured.

Most of all, make sure you enjoy the running you're doing. It's supposed to be fun :-)

I'll cross my fingers for you for Thursday.

How are things going lately? I hope life is better and the knee is behaving.

Well, my knee hasn't been behaving. It just hasn't felt any better than on this run so I've put myself on the side-line until it comes back. I guess I started off with too much even though I thought I was taking in easy.

So now it is finally starting to feel better again. I'm going to run tonight or tomorrow morning and schedule 2 to 3 4 mile runs a week for about a month and I'll see where I'm at.

well, progress from 2 weeks ago is a good sign. hope it continues in the positive direction.

you're definitely not old. if it makes you feel any better, i am pretty sure i will have to have both of my hips replaced before i am 30.

Thanks for the encouragement allie. I may or may not be old, but I definitely don't heal as fast as I used to.

I'm glad the knee is feeling a bit better, but sorry that you'll have to wait for spring to get that next half in. Hang in there! Slowly, but surely.

Thanks Rachael. I'll really miss going to your group runs for a while. I enjoy them so much I end up running farther than I should.

I knew it! It's all RAD's fault!

Burt, you forget...it's always all about me! :)

True.

I'm going to stick up for you RAD. It's not your fault you can put down large quantities of miles. Burt couldn't hack it either.

LOL!

gnats! gross. very nice to see you getting the miles in. awesome job.

Thanks Allie. And how about your bounce-back. FROM A STRESS FRACTURE! Amazing.

OH, indeed the JRP is not great this time of year!! Darn bugs. I always wonder if my face will look like a windshield when I finish.

Nice miles and paces!

early screening of HP and then dennysaurs? i am jealous. really.

nice run out in the heat. those daylight hours are killer :)

Oooo, private screening of Harry porter! Lucky!!!

Nice job running in the heat of the day!

I don't think your conservative plan is all that bad. Do what you know your body can handle! Hooray on the pace...I'm still working on that one :)

Nice RE the pace. It was so humid last night. Ugh!

Your knee seems to be exactly like my achilles. Not a huge amount of pain, but it just isn't right.

RAD - Thanks for the encouragement. I think the 3 or 4 days off does my knee quite a bit of good even though it is driving me crazy. I finally feels good and I want more miles!

Scott - The difference between my knee and your Achilles is that you can run the Alpine Loop. That's awesome. I've always wanted to do that but I'm a little afraid of getting hit by a car. That road seems pretty narrow. But now I'm going to do it, although I'll probably drop off a car.

conservative is good. just ease back into it...

Well, I'm jealous of how fast you're recovering.

YEAH for things going better! That is a plus.

movin' on up!

to the east side.

a sluggish 4 is better than nothing :) i am glad you knee is doing okay and not holding you back.

Sweet! It looks like you're coming around Chad.

That's awesome. Must be that magic underwear.

Worse places? I wonder where those could be?

I was thinking of you Burt.

I felt the collective thoughts of the entire blog weighing me down this morning on my run. LOL!

there are definitely worse places to run, although i will agree that this summer has been a bit funky. nice job this morning. hope your knee behaves this week.

I ran at 9:15 and it was not bad!!! On Saturday when we started the race at 3 am it was hotter than when we finished around 7:30. For real. It was odd.

Glad to hear the knee is doing well!!!

Burt - The collective thoughts of the blog are lifting you up, not weighing you down.

allie - The knee isn't giving me any problems on runs, but I'm not going to be doing squats any time soon. I think it will be fine on back-to-back days next week as well.

Kelli - July always seems to be the most uncomfortable month of the summer for running so I'm looking forward to August, although I only ran 36 miles in July. 80 set for August, I'm getting there. Maybe I'll run the Halloween half.

That is funny cause just this morning I was thinking August was always the worst and that so far (2 days in) we had lucked out. It was kind of cold this am (57!!)

Hey, that was faster than my pace this morning.

And a huge thank you to you! You're awesome.

Yes but it was only 67 degrees for me.

My neighbor has an adorable downs girl and looks about the same age as yours. She is a firecracker - never stops, always running, always playing, always smiling. You should post more pictures of your daughter.

Nice work Chad! The endurance will come back and your speed isnt' all that bad - to me anyway!! Faster pace than I ran a 5K this morning.

That ain't too shabby.

RAD, you had just swam and biked and your area is loaded with hills.

Thanks Burt. Didn't recognize the quote?

Well, maybe I'll take that, but still. I've struggled a TON since UVM just getting my paces down to low 9's and feeling comfortable. It has only been the last couple weeks I've been able to go beneath that and not feel like I'm dying!! So, it will come back.

Oh, and we'll be by the hood in the morning if you want to join us :) Regular spot 6:30...or you can just wait for us to come to you!

It's very tempting. But I'm still going to stick to my conservative schedule for a while longer. I don't want a setback. Have fun.

My favorite part of that movie is when they're singing and the Grinch doesn't know the words.

Glad you are figuring out the vibe to the run!! Nice work, especially at 5AM -blech.

How is Rachael doing?

She is busy with Luke, the new little one, teaching, and everything else. My brother has Shingles and can't be near the baby for like a month so Rachael is doing it by herself. So her running is pretty much limited to her treadmill. I don't know if she has any races planned.

LOVING the early morning weather, can not wait for the afternoon weather to follow!

Nice job on the run! My first mile is always SO SLOW, but it takes a bit to get the body moving and it is good for us! AWESOME on that last mile. YEAH!!!

Hey Kelli, I told you August was better.

You are right!!! I just really had in my head that it wasn't. i have never been so glad to be WRONG. And don't you dare tell my husband that I just admitted to being wrong, I will deny it.

Hello moonbeam-less dark runner- when my children talk too much, I use duct tape. Maybe that'll work with your knee?

I'm getting an image of you stomping around in combat boots armed with duct tape.

Nice job today!

nice workout, chad! duct tape should work...

sounds about right.

Nice work Chad. Hope the knee calms down.

Thanks guys, I'm feelin' the luuuv.

onward and upward. Way to keep at it and stick to the plan.

Yah, and I haven't missed a schedule run in two months (woohoo)! I'm not one of you people that have to run even when you have planned a rest day. At 4:30 it's easy to turn off the alarm and go back to sleep. And I can never find time for a weekday run unless it's first thing. I'll have 5 runs schedule and only run 3 of them.

I love bringing our 4 yo to bed because she only kicks my wife.

Ahh, the classic kid position! My hubby usually gets the worst of the kids when they sneak in our bed too. I, however, loved the lightning storm!! My hubby actually opened all our blinds (you know all those windows...we do have the same room afterall) and 2 of the windows and we just enjoyed sleeping nearly under the stars! Only the dog was nervous and put up a fuss. I actually ended up kenneling her in a closet so she couldn't hear or see the weather and we could sleep. I was NOT letting her sleep in my bed :)

Nice job on the run, you just keep heading onward and upward with the running. Excellent! You'll be ready to let us drag you down the parkway in no time :)

I opened the blinds too! That's funny, and the lightning storm was cool but it did cut out an hour of sleep and I felt it this morning.

perpendicular. haha! i look forward to having kids.

How's the knee doing? It looks like you are getting in some solid runs. I just went over 500 in my Cascadia 4's and they will feel great.

Me knee mostly feels fine when I run and when it doesn't it will go away when it warms up. I do feel it when I put weight on it in a bent position like climbing stairs, etc. I'm a little scared to stretch that quad because I don't want to bend that knee that much. It's frustrating but keeping the miles low and increasing nice and slow is working.

So are you ready for that monster race of yours?

there is no limit. you'll just know when it's time...

nice job with the repeats.

Hey allie, just curious, what's the most you have put on a shoe?

my record is close to 800 -- but that was with a really bulky asics shoe a few years ago. now i usually don't get past 500 because all of my shoes are very lightweight trainers/racing flats/ minimalist shoes.

And Dragonfly Kills (whatever those are). :)

dragonfly kills = i used to commute from logan to slc for work, and i would smash a bunch of dragonflies in the willard bay area during late august. i was rather amused by how many i could pick up on my windshield with each trip, so i started keeping track of the kills. luckily for me (and the dragonflies), i stopped commuting after two months. :)

You'll just know when it's time... What is this? A vampire romance novel?

I wonder if in the past I've mistakenly associated normal aches and pains with 500 mile shoes. I'm going to keep using these cautiously and see what happens.

And why would a vampire even need shoes?

allie - will you please answer that?

you'll just know when it's time = your leg will break. that's when it's time (actually, a little bit before that).

i don't know what vampires are, so i can't answer any more questions at this time.

I have owned 2 pair of Nike Free's total. I will put over 1000 on my second pair tomorrow. The soles haven't fallen off yet.

rob - are you a vampire?

My son is a Priest.

my daughter is a beehive.

No, but I am working on my second broken leg in the same pair of shoes.

Actually, I do only run in the dark, so maybe I am.

I don't know about vampires, but I do hate blood-sucking mosquitoes. That's why I've stopped running on the JRP for the time being. Maybe I need to stop running in the dark too. You know, in case there are any vampires in Lehi.

A thousand miles? Cool!

Yep, plus 350 miles of elliptical miles while I was injured.

I would argue with Allie that minimalist shoes should get less miles, I would say that they just get more minimal.

I don't do it to prove a point or anything though. My wife just gets mad at me when I buy new shoes all the time.

I'm not sure if anyone (other than maybe Crockett) is ever ready for W100. I ran about 50 miles of the course over the last few weeks and it has only made me more scared. It is insane. It should be fun though.

Hey Scott, props to you and all those other 100 mile freaks out there (that's a compliment by the way). That's intense and more than a little terrifying and I'm not even running it.

Rob, I'm glad to see you can put that many miles on a pair of shoes. I hate throwing 100 bones on a pair of shoes that last 3 months.

nice job getting out there. i am enticed by sleep every morning, sometimes to the extreme (i.e. i throw a fit) :)

really though, it's always worth it once you get out. but the "getting out" part is much easier said than done.

mmmm algae. i am loving the "run-while-my-kid-bikes" theme on the blog today. sounds like fun. nice job this week!

Thanks allie. It was fun. I think I'm going to start inviting my kids with me more often.

REALLY?!? YAY! Just 2 weeks ago it was still swimable. Thanks for the update. I will just close my eyes and nose as I go under :)

I think an 8:35 pace for 5 miles is pretty darn stinkin' good! Nice work. I too like to run with my kids on their bikes, fun times.

Nice on the 7:52!

YAY!!! You're getting back to your former speedy self! NICE of you to clear the spider webs. Is it still buggy down there?

i love spider web runs. it means you beat everyone else out the door. way to clear them out for the team!

If you don't count the spiders then there were no bugs, at least not at 5am. I ran north as well and there seems to be more bugs down by the lake. I'm not brave enough to run at dawn or dusk to see how many I can scrape off my teeth.

Do not feel bad, I do not think any one does!!!

it's hotter than july out there! i'm all about an extended summer though :)

nice job with the half mile repeats. i had a rough time waking up today as well, but it's always worth it.

Thanks allie. If you had a tough time getting up you made up for it with 15 miles. You're really cranking up those miles this week.

NICE runs this week, Chad! AWESOME half-mile repeats! Those are fast intervals in the heat! GOOD JOB!!!!

Nice work on those 1/2 mile repeats! I hope your weekend has been good.

Pretty speedy times. But I'm not impressed at all by the temperature.

OK, 70 degrees isn't hot. But it is 15 degrees hotter and much more humid than it was a week or two ago. I was spoiled by some beautiful mornings.

that storm made for quite the muggy morning. nice running, chad.

GET SOME SLEEP!

That storm made for a lot of smooshed snails on my run!

I couldn't turn off "Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero" on the science channel. Good stuff. I wasn't aware of all the work, plans, and progress that is going on down there.

Oh, and gross on the snail crunching.

I will make sure not to venture over to the science channel then. ;o) Sounds cool though.

Me too.

You will throw down a mile in 6s every now and again.

Not for a while. I should try it again some time.

I'd love to hit 800's like that! Nice work Chad.

Rachael, you're full of it. These are your average half mile splits for your desnews 10k.

3:36, 3:36, 3:28, 3:28, 3:43, 3:43, 3:38, 3:38, 3:42, 3:42, 3:55, 3:55, 3:49.

And those don't have breaks in between them like mine do. You can't fool me. You can hit 800s like that with your eyes closed.

okay, but here is my reasoning on those - First, only one mile is faster than your 800 splits AND this was a downhill course, not flat. When I go to a track I have a hard time doing speed work and hitting 3:30's for 800's. I wish it was easier, I would then have more confidence about trying for a 3:30-3:35 at SGM. If Bart Yasso's prediction holds true I'll be closer to a 3:45.

I'll put my vote in on your side. It will help, but just don't push yourself and take it easy. I'll be on the parkway Saturday if you want some company :)

There's a good chance I'll be in Wyoming on Saturday. If I'm not I'll let you know.

It is good to have a cute wife! I am on the fence about the sick, depends on what kind of sick!!!

Good luck with getting the 6's in, AND feel better!!!!

sorry you are sick. don't worry too much about the missed runs, just get back into the routine as soon as you feel healthy. a few missed days certainly won't derail all the great running you put in last month.

I feel like I'm over it. My wife is more worried about a relapse, where I think getting out and being active (within reason) will help recovery and prevent a relapse.

RAD - I'm staying in town. When are you hitting the trail?

We are meeting at 6 and I believe heading South first. Now that the tunnel is open it's almost 12 down and back and that is what Toby is doing.

I didn't see any grasshoppers today! But, I did see a fuzzy caterpillar. He was crawling into the road and I was afraid for him, but too afraid of him being pokey to pick him up to move him.

Missed you this morning!! Kept an eye out, but you must've gone later or earlier. Oh, and the mossy crud on the rocks IS nasty!! YUCK!

I've never seen the grasshoppers in the morning.

I ended up taking my kids to 7 Peaks this morning and fitting in a run with you guys would have made it difficult so I went late tonight. It would have been fun running with you guys. Sorry I missed it.

I think you just think we're plagued and if you run with us you'll get injured again. Creative avoidance.... :)

The thought crossed my mind. ;-)

awesome moonlight run! Totally worth avoiding us :)

Keep grinding Chad and it will all come together. How's your knee?

It's mostly my patella and/or tendon. It's annoying the first mile then it goes away. I feel it every time I go up and down stairs. It isn't getting any better but it isn't getting worse. It isn't inhibiting in anyway so I'm just going to go with it until something happens. It sounds like I'm complaining but I'm not. I'm just going with it.

Good luck this weekend!

Well, as long as you can run without much pain- Do it! Thanks!!!

you are doing great. your consistency is paying off and you are making steady improvements in your workouts. nice job.

Nice work Chad! I have my final yasso workout with the group tomorrow and I hope I can match your paces :)

You are doing an awesome job hanging tough through all of this and doing a nice slow build up. You'll be back at it and rockin' those long races soon!

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words. I'm hoping to run the Halloween Half if all goes well.

AWESOME! You are doing great Chad. The miles and the pace just keep comin' down. Feels good, huh? :)

nice run! weird about the flooding...

WHAT?!? Darn stupid tunnel, they better fix that before winter...I need my Lehi JRP in the winter :(

There is about a foot of water now. It's funny because I haven't seen the lights on for a year or more, but the lights were on. They fixed the lights and broke the pump/drain or whatever they use to get rid of the water in the thing.

What up with that flooding?

Great run Chad.

Was it still flooded today? Becca and I are going to run out there super early Monday and I don't want to do the 'detour' :( Don't want to detour North either though...poo!

Thanks Lily. Good luck at St. George.

RAD - I didn't run that way today. I ran south instead. If I drive by and see it I'll let you know.

RAD - The tunnel is all cleared up and water free. Your path south is clear.

YAY! Thanks Chad. Wanna join us? :)

What time?

We are meeting at the bridge at 5AM and running 10 miles (South and back), so around 5:20-5:30 at your stretch of the parkway.

I'll meet you going the opposite direction and turn around when I run into you. There is almost never anyone on the trail then. It will be weird seeing someone other than the lady walking her German Shepherd or the guy on roller blades.

you know the guy on the rollerblades is Smooth's friend? She always talks about him. I think his name is Bill.

You WERN'T being a wimp, so you have nothing to be embarrassed about. Nice job in the hot sun. I drove past at 1:00PM - should've looked for you :) Nice job getting the miles in and staying consistent!

Very nice! I like it.

Nice pace Chad! It was great to see you this morning, even if it did scare Becca :) She was a little jumpy this morning. It was good to see you - and I hope you stay feeling good and I don't ruin your streak again!! Oh, and I'd call it just plain crazy. That IS what we are :)

YAY for running with the runaway bride and her bridesmaid! AWESOME pace there!

The roller blade guy's name is Rick. He's a nice fella, a pharmacist, lives in my stake...too bad he's a Ute fan! :)

YIPPEE for the fast mile! Congratulations. i rarely pull off any fast MILES (like an entire mile) unless I am in a race. My body hates them.

4:30? And people call me crazy at 4:45.

Very nice. Don't fall asleep at work today.

Hey Kelli, I don't even think you would notice if you put in one super fast mile out of 95. That's only 1%!

And Burt, too late. Although it was during my lunch break so all is good. I have to do it again tomorrow. I better go to bed early.

Now you won't be able to if you already took a nap.

high five on the early miles. it's lonely but it's definitely one of the most peaceful hours of the day (other than the middle of the night, but then you have to add in the creepy factor and it's not so peaceful anymore).

There are all kinds of weird shadows on the JRP in the middle of the night. It takes some getting used to, so I know exactly what you mean by the creepy factor.

This is funny because my husband refuses to let me run alone at 5 am, yet he has no problem with me running at 9 pm. I have told him the same thing---it is quiet and peaceful in the morning and dang scary and creepy at night!

AWESOME 1/2 mile repeats, you are so speedy! Love that 7:41 yesterday too!

4:30am is insanely early! Hope you get to nap a little or go to bed early! :)

NICE work, Chad! :)

It's nice to hear from you again Smooth. It sounds like you had a super fun trip to Texas.

It looks like I have to do another early morning tomorrow. Crap.

Dang! Hope you don't run into a skunk or scary nocturnal animal. But with your speediness lately, you'll out run any creepy crawlers! :)

Ahhh, you did sleep in! I was half expecting to run into you, but we were early and you were late! :)

Nice job on the killer pace as well as the long run yesterday. I swear sleep is a magical thing. I need more of it.

So how wet did you get?

We were late enough to miss all of the rain!

yuck, I hate those runs. The only good thing is that it means you've got a good one coming your way!

nice work on those repeats. I'm convinced those make a quicker runner.

Yah, last year I was just trying to put in miles, and I didn't even do that very well on the way to TOU. I've been doing the repeats for the last month and half and seen huge improvements.

wow...and they weren't trying to get to a wedding? :)

Nice job on the run and staying consistent and speedy despite your Garmin's best efforts to distract you.

NICE rest day! Although rest from running. It doesn't look like much rest to me! AWESOME spin, swim, total body...wowser! Glad you felt rested. I would collapsed in a heap after spin class! :) I assume you didn't get up at 4:00 to get all that done, did you? :)

It was 3:00 actually, and I forgot Kempo, Jazzercise and Mousercise.

OK Smooth, I have to confess. I lied. The only exercise I have done today is to lift my extremely heavy Five Guys burger from the table to my mouth.

:) i'm laughing at this. nice job, chad!

Are you mocking me?!? I think you are!

But, it did make me laugh - even if you are.

Oh, and five guys - YUM!!! I'm eating WAAAY too much on this taper.

RAD - You're not the only one. I might be the only one on this blog that actually rests on rest days.

Must be related to my vagrant.

You're miles are awesome this week.

Nice work finding your groove the last mile. Camping with the kids can be exhausting, unless you medicate everyone (including you) with Benadryl or something similar. :)

The kids slept great. I can't believe I've never thought about drugging myself to sleep. I'm going to try that one next time.

you've been very consistent this summer -- the missed run will be okay, especially since it was due to lack of sleep. getting good rest is just as important as the running part. nice job this morning.

Thanks allie. I always welcome your expert advice. You've always go great insight.

I do have a question though. I had 27 miles planned for last week and 29 planned for this week, but now my previous 2 weeks have been 25 and 23. I'm worried that jumping from 25/23 up to 29 might be too much. My knee has been getting a lot better and is a lot stronger than a month ago but I don't want to set myself back. I've decided to bump my schedule back to 26 this week but I really want to run more. What do you, or anyone else, think? The rule of thumb is supposed to be 10% a week and I've already been a little more aggressive than that. An increase of 6 miles is way more than 10%. Or maybe I'm worried over nothing.

Okay, I know I'm no expert here, but here is my 2 cents:

In the past it always seems like a run just a little too long (sorry, I know...always my fault!) pushes the knee to a point that you don't realize while running, but pay for afterward. I would keep the miles low. Make them quality miles and make them count. Then build back again. Those 2 miles may just cost you a month of training set-back. This is all simply based on the times I've set you back on running. So, I guess I'd error on the side of caution. You'd probably feel great for the run, but then pay for it the next day. If you don't have a build up point you're pushing to (a specific race or something) I'd keep it conservative and not push the extra miles. Not worth all the hard work you've put in so far.

i'm glad your knee is feeling healthy and strong -- you have been very diligent in taking care of it and building back your mileage base using caution and good sense.

as for the 10% 'rule of thumb' -- it's a guideline but not a strict rule. in general it's always good to be patient when you are building up your mileage, and the 10% rule ensures that you work up to it slowly. however, even using that as a guideline, it's always going to come down to how you feel. listen to what your body is telling you. sometimes it will tell you it can only handle a 5% increase, sometimes it will be fine for a 20-30% increase, and other times it will demand a cut back week. i think you would be fine jumping up to 29 this week, but it's all dependent on how you feel. just take extra care of your knee and don't worry if you have to back off of the planned 29. if you do hit 29 this week, i would maybe drop back to 25-27 the next week and then see if you can push 30 the week after that. just take it a day at a time...

I want to run the Halloween Half. I haven't signed up yet but it's kind of the last run of the season. There should be enough time left if I put in all my miles. Also, I'm not putting those extra miles on the long run, just the other runs during the week. I'm not trying to make a case for a 29 mile week, just looking at it from the other side.

Not adding it all on to one run, I think you'd be okay. I just don't want to be the one to put you back in 'the box' again!! :)

blech - cold!

Nice job on those repeats Chad! Get those miles under those legs and you will have a great breakout marathon when this is all put together!

RAD - It doesn't start to get cold until under 25 or so.

you're joking, right? lows go down below 65 and I'm cold!! When the avg high dips below 75 for the year I get cold - and I stay cold for the next 9 months until the avg temp gets above 75 for a couple weeks in a row.

At 25 with a hat, reasonable warm running pants, light gloves, and a warm half zip I'm set to go.

GREAT 800's!

Thanks Kelli.

This must mean YOU are getting stronger and faster. Nice work, especially that 3:15!!! :) Stupid Garmins.

Watch out for my kick.

WOW, your cross training sounds harder than my marathon! That is WORK!!!!

Did you ask if you could use that dirt before you took it??? :P

We did actually. I would have been awkward taking dirt while they were still digging the foundation.

We've taken countless wheelbarrows full (and still going) and several bobcat scoops full and you can hardly tell.

Hey, are you serious?!? My friend I grew up with is building in your neighborhood and just yesterday posted pictures of him in front of the completely dug foundation - and his address is right where I think your house is. It might be his!! How cool would that be? I told him I had a running buddy that lived near there and I'd have to hook you guys up. I'm excited now :) His lot number is 645.

Nice job running even when it is hard and you don't want to. You are really sticking hard to your plan and running it well! Are you ready for the Halloween half? I think you should run with the 1:50 pace group :)

Big problem. I haven't ran since this one. I'm not going to sign up for the Halloween half. I bought some cold weather running gear instead. I don't know what happened. One day I slept in and then all of the sudden I didn't want to set the alarm and get up. You said you need more solo runs. I think I need more company. Maybe that would help keep me motivated. Isn't Kelli pacing that group? It sucks that I'll miss it but I just don't have the miles in yet.

I don't know what the lot number is next to me but the street is Jordan View. There are probably 4 or 5 other foundations recently dug. Constructions is going bonkers.

1:50---that will be me.

I thought so. I was going to run with your group but I am just not going to have enough miles. It sucks.

So, are you still running it?

No, I'm not. My highest distance of the year is 10 miles. I could finish 13 but it wouldn't be any fun to shuffle through the whole thing. I'm going to run through the winter (if I can stay motivated) and be ready for some marathons next year.

Shopping is always a good way to prep for a run. You're smart being safe with the overtraining. Mornings & afternoon runs are both good, but cookie dough is my favorite "mix in."

Cookie dough is awesome. You can mess up cookies, but you can't mess up cookie dough.

And the average person would think that running is inexpensive. Not true, I still need new gloves, shoes, and jacket.

you know where to find company on the JRP - especially Saturday mornings :)

Don't worry about being overly cautious. After what you've gone through, it's warranted!

Nice job getting back to the consistency!

These last two runs I've done in the afternoon. I guess I just don't want to run in the morning every time. It's funny because I don't seem to mind getting up that early to get an early start at work.

nice job, chad.

Thanks allie.

I don't know why, but this post cracked me up :)

So, the distance says 5, but you say 8 - which one is it? :) Either way, nice job getting out and hitting some good paces despite your perceived 'slacking'!

Thanks Lily, I'm usually only able to amuse myself.

RAD - Typo. It was 5.

nice job, chad. pants are cool. my shorts are so long that they look like pants.

eeek, I hate that dinner jostling run too. WAY to get'er done though! :)

yuck. that is why I can't run after I eat...like after 10AM? :)

Nice job getting it done despite the obstacles in the way!

Kids and laundry don't EVER seem to mesh well. Neither does me and the cold :)

Hope your knee shapes up.

I'm scared of the cold until I actually get out there and then its not so bad.

nice job, chad. i hope you find your laundry...

I found the gloves but not the hat.

darn knee. I guess it's a good thing you didn't decide to do the Halloween half and push through.

Nice job on the miles and pace. You're doing great! 38 is cold...too cold! But, 58 is for me :)

My knee is feeling the best it has since I injured it last December. I'm sure it can handle more miles. It could probably use some rehab exercises but I don't have access to any facilities and I wouldn't enjoy it anyway. Lame excuses.

did it crunch or did it squish?

watch out, I'm running here!

Maybe he just wanted a ride on the speed train! :)

It didn't crunch as much as I thought but it didn't squish either. There was a firmness to it. Hey allie, should I count them like your dragonflies?

nah, no need to be consistent :)

I'm horrible at pace and my garmin charts usually look like someones EKG!

Nice job getting out there.

Window? Yeah, I can't figure out the beeping beeps either on the fast and slow paces.

nice job, chad. i thought the same thing this morning -- i was overdressed.

Modest is hottest, allie.

Hey Burt, your "Window?" comment confused me until I actually read my entry. oops.

;)

it was so cold this morning (which i am not usually a fan of), but today i totally enjoyed it. i love your description of the crisp, quiet morning. good job with the consistent splits today.

I didn't think the cold bothered you. You'll run when the mercury drops to zero.

Nice work Chad! You are really hitting it consistently, fast and with a great attitude to boot.

haha. good call.

yeah, the rain wind and snow drove me to the TM today - not to mention that I have started liking sleep :)

Don't forget to get back at it tomorrow!!

I've got a broken treadmill in my garage gathering dust. I need to get it fixed.

The hard part is warming up about 10 minutes after you have stopped and the cold really sets in!!!

I ALWAYS shed the gloves first. I see people out running in shorts, short sleeves, and gloves and I am so confused. I want my arms warm, but I do not need the gloves!!!!

I never get cold afterwards. I didn't even know that happened until RAD mentioned that she shivers after a cold run. Weird. I saw someone a while back running on a cold day with some shorts on. Her legs were bright red and I'm sure she wished she had on something a bit longer.

Really? I freeze for hours, even when i take a warm shower. Weird.

you are doing a GREAT job keeping the pace consistent while increasing miles. Keep at it and you'll be killing a marathon in no time!

nice miles and pace. great job, chad.

good job, chad. 9:20 is easy pace; not slow. :)

Nice run. Your speed is always impressive, especially just a nice relaxed run!

Watch out. Pretty soon I'll be as fast as you.

somedays you probably ARE!

slow and steady with the build up -- that's the way to do it. keep it up, chad.

You guys are so nice.

Nice Chad! You ran 7.5 times more than I did this week.

Yah, but you got run in the mud wearing a cardboard box. That's way cooler.

lol

i'm glad you have found a nice alternative to 5am. i've been working on that for 5 years now...

good running today.

Your miles and pace is picking up. You must be feeling better. Yeah, it was warm yesterday.

I just couldn't find the motivation to run at 5am when the weather is so much better in the afternoon. I was wimping out and skipping runs. It's easier in the summer because the weather is better for running at 5am.

Hey Scott, Yeah, my knee almost never bothers me on runs any more. I don't think it would handle the climbing you do on all your trail runs though. But I've never done any of that before anyway, but it does sound fun.

Nice running as always Chad! Glad you are enjoying running. Want to run with us on Friday?!? check out my blog :)

Sweet, plan on me. My RSS feed on your blog doesn't always refresh consistently. Its weird. All the other FRB blogs seem to.

Cottonwood Heights 5k starts at 9 am. You can leave your raffle tickets with us if you need to leave for some tasty-taste at the MC's.

Then there will be Friday. With treats. Hope you can come.

I will be there on Friday. That sounds great. And I would love to go up and run the 5k but the more I think about it the more I understand how much trouble I'd be in.

There is a Turkey Trot at the Fleet Feet in American Fork that starts at 8. I might be able to pull that one off but I don't know anyone that will be running it.

I am running the Fleet Feet 5k.

I just got permission from the "boss" to run the Fleet Feet turkey trot. Hey Chad, I'll look for you. I just looked at your blog and at 6'1" and 120 you might not be hard to spot. I'd like to meet another blogger. It won't be hard to spot me either. I'm 6'4". There aren't many my size that run much.

I will be wearing orange and sporting the Crocs.

Good luck, I may be there but have to trick the wife into it somehow.

I hope you make it Rob. I'll look for the guy in the 1400 mile shoes full of holes.

Sorry, I've been shut down. My wife really hates running.

That sucks. I'll have to meet you some other time.

Nice job middle name Chad! Congrats on an old man PR. I was great to meet and talk with you. I hope your knees continue to behave so you can do well at Utah Valley.

Nice job, good to meet you today.

CONGRATZ on the PR! That is awesome to crush your goal/expectation! EXVELLENT race!

Nice job back at you other middle name Chad. It was fun today.

It was great meeting you too Rob and thanks.

Thanks Smooth. I'm still giddy. Are you coming tomorrow? I hope so.

Congrats Chad!!! I didn't run that fast today :) Didn't I tell you that you were faster than I am? Just amazing! Your consistent effort and speed on your runs really does pay off.

Can't wait to see you tomorrow, and yes, Smooth BETTER be there :)

Hey RAD, thanks. It feels good to see some results. And where is your race report? I see your comments but no report.

Yes, I'll be there! How can I miss a GOOD sale especially one with hot chocolat! :)

I'm getting there...geez. Too much to say, as always :)

Woohoo! Nice job Chad! It was fun to meet you today.

HOT DANG INDEED!!!!

congrats on a great race! nice seeing you again today. your daughter is so cute and really knows how to put down the hot chocolate and whipped cream! :)

yeah, uh huh...just keep talking yourself out of it. I know I'm your 'bad luck charm'! You can't convince me otherwise :)

I'm glad you were able to come and have a good run as well as enjoy the goodies afterward. Your sweet little Paige was the highlight of the after party, a girl after my own heart with that whipped cream!!

It was lots of fun yesterday! It was fun to meet you. I have a 4 yr old too. Paige was adorable! You looked and smelled way to good at the end....it really wasn't fair! ;)

Actually Rachael, its probably good you setup this run. I was going to run 12 today and an extra day's rest will probably do me good. And quit with the doom and gloom.

Steam8 - It was tons of fun wasn't it. Its a good thing that we have someone as popular as Rachael to setup these fun runs.

Chad- Thanks for making it out for the donut run. It was nice visiting with you along the run. It's good that you didn't over-do it and that you made it home in time.

It most certainly was NOT fair that you had a shower and clean clothes on at the end. But Paige was cute enough that we'll let you get by with it this once!

BTW- someone did see that skunk I smelled on the trail. I can't remember who it was that saw the critter, but kudos to them! You'll have to take pix of the tree stumps when the beavers finally finish them off.

And Congrats on your great Turkey Trot run Thursday!!

I saw a skunk, but I'm not sure he was the culprit. I don't remember smelling skunk when I saw him. He was quite small and cute actually.

nice job. just keep up the consistent miles and you'll get that goal.

That is a great goal. When you do it, invite me - I'll try to keep up!

I also have that goal. It's a good one.

AWESOME progressive run! NICELY done!!! That is a great goal and you'll be there in no time.

I've got 5 minutes to cut off, not exactly a small amount, but you're right allie. My problem has been long layoffs. I'll finish a marathon then drop off the map for several months and have to start over.

Good for you to push through 5.6 miles. Sometimes running is just plain hard, no matter how many time we have ran before.

Hey Bec, I was wondering the other day how Texas was treating you because I hadn't seen any blog entries from you. Crap, my RSS feed on your blog wasn't working. You've been putting in a bunch of miles. I've got it working now. And thanks for the encouragement, it was helpful today.

Hey Chad ~ You had an AWESOME progressive speedy run yesterday. Today's run is perfect for recovery. It is not wasted. Easy runs are so important to let the body process the hard workouts. That is how we improve...the hard/easy principle.

WAY to push through a run that feels hard! It comes in handy at the end of a marathon when you feel that fatigue but you know you have trained your body to keep going! GOOD JOB!!!!

yes, Smooth is right. For recovery just sit back and relax in the run! Now you can remember what that last 5K of a marathon feels like - but there is no shortcut home :)

Sounds like a good recovery run. Nice job pushing the miles and pace on the progressive run.

Sometimes we see dead animals on the trails, sometimes we feel like dead animals on the trails :-)

Hey at least you pushed through and did it. I would have stayed home and watched Sister Wives instead.

Smooth - I was actually thinking that same thing about the end of a marathon. Good advice, thanks.

RAD - There was nothing relaxing about this run. It just plain sucked. And just for the record, I took the shortcut because I've been worried about shin splints. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

QP - Thanks, that was quite insightful.

Scott - Sister Wives?

Texas is great! Loving that it's still 80 here. Thanks for asking.

I really miss FRB runners. I wish I could make clones out of you people so I can run with other runners.

Yeah- On TLC. My kids love that show. I get forced into watching it every week.

Your wild winds are making the news out here. Hope Saturday is good long run for you. Bring some whipped cream for the end!

Nice job outside! I think why you were slower today is why I can't run a decent pace outside. I just get sidetracked and relax whereas the TM doesn't allow it. I need to start running better outdoor paces. Enjoy Saturday! Looks like I'll be squeezing in 13 between about 5 different things.

Those wicked winds didn't happen here in Lehi. Those were all 40 to 50 miles to the north. The wind I ran in was a barely noticeable breeze compared to the tree ripper they had up there. The downside to some whipped cream is there is no more thanksgiving pie left. It's a very sad day when the Thanksgiving pie runs out.

RAD, I think winter arrived this week. I don't know if the shorts will come out until February or March so treadmill weather has arrived. I should get my treadmill fixed so when I wimp out I can still run. But, I was running a lot on a treadmill several years ago and I found that I was getting faster on the treadmill and slower outside. I think there is more than just focus that causes slower outdoor paces when running exclusively on a treadmill. And I'm sure you'll fit in your 13. You always find time to run.

My pace would slow if I let my mind drift too. It's ok! Glad you got out and able to squeeze a run in. Good job!

Thanks Smooth. You're right, sometimes just getting out is enough.

GREAT run and AWESOME pace! You are running so well. NICE base building!!!

I think that portion of the trail got washed off into the river and perhaps the reason why they stopped the paving. Maybe they will need to *shore* up the shoreline before paving the rest!

What a perfectly executed run Chad!! Congrats on hitting some good paces, great miles and feeling good.

I just want them to finish messing with my trail! :)

Wow I just entered this report. Have you guys been waiting by your computers excited to read my next report? Cool.

The trail has been under almost constant construction for years. First there was main street then main street and pioneer crossing at the same time, then they opened main street but started 2100 north. Pioneer crossing was done soon after that and now the 2100 north road is done and the bridge is done but of course the most important part, the trail, has been neglected. I want trail construction that actually extends the trail, not interrupt it.

Hey RAD, my sis-in-law Rachael is going to be in town for a week or so around Christmas. We need to setup a run so you two can meet.

I'd love to come to a run with Rachael! How fun. Oh, and I just logged on and saw that you had a new post, so I commented. Just good timing :)

Great run! Good to see you out getting in some good miles.

you are doing great, chad. nice mileage. you have plenty of time for a nice, progressive build up to utah valley.

Thanks Scott and allie.

20 degrees with a cold wind? I would have stopped at the hidden hot springs!

Good idea. I'm going to run south next time.

stamina! fitness! you're getting stronger and faster. nice job, chad.

LOVE your *enjoyable 7 miler*...and faster than yesterday's 7 miler to boot! :) NICE pace!!! Yep, your stamina is BACK!!!! :) :) :)

Thanks for stopping by to share in my euphoria. OK, that's a huge exaggeration.

gotta love an euphoric party...the HUGEr the betterer! :)

Wow, seriously - your speed is going GREAT! I think right now you could probably pull out a sub 4 full!!! Even with no distance training.

My problems always happen at miles 20/21. I don't necessarily get tired first, my legs just die, which then leads to a complete loss of energy. 9 minute miles turn into 11 minute miles. So, I need lots of miles between now and then so my legs will last 26. I also have a tendency to cut those long runs short. I'm looking forward to some of your organized long runs to keep me in it for all miles. No cutting it short.

haha. burt has alerts for these types of posts. he'll be here shortly.

nice run in spite of the discomfort at the end. we've all had those days...

Oh I hate those runs. Next time just take the pop! :)

Glad I got to say hello today!

In hind sight, (no pun intended) I should have stopped. But with a mile and half left I wasn't completely uncomfortable and public pops are gross. I was willing to risk it.

Been there many of times. There is nothing about running that deters the imminent exit of lower body "material". Always chose the closest facilities.

That's what's good about this blog. There is always a wealth of information floating around here. I'll definitely take your advice next time Chad.

I was hoping that we would run into you!!! SO SO SO happy you ran into us! :). Thanks for the company. You have no idea how great it was to run with you for even just a little bit! NICE run, Chad! :)

Hope your little girl is 100% better and your wife is enjoying her *surprise* birthday present! How was Christmas shopping?

I mostly stayed home while she took some of the kids. But Paige is as good as ever. Happy, singing made up songs, and giving lots of hugs.

Nice run Chad!

It was nice to say a virtual hello to you! Nice job on the miles and getting out and getting it done. Smooth makes every run feel better!!!

Welcome to the Altra club. I own four pair, have put more than 1000 total miles on barely over two of those pair, and will never wear another brand of shoe ever again. They are amazing and you'll love how they truly do enhance your form.

I've actually read you gushing over them on your blog. That's one of the reasons I wanted to try 'em on. So far so good. I can't wait to see where they will take me.

now you've got me interested. Glad the shoes are doing well! If they add that kind of speed - I'm in! :)

A big part of it was that I felt strong. The other part is that all my other shoes are heavier than these. But still, I'm excited. It really is a different experience.

I think your knees with thank you for it. Just make certain that you allow your calves, achilles and feet to catch up.

Right now its my ankles. The other stuff feels good.

Be careful about going minimalist too quickly. Any significant change in footwear needs some adjustment period by your legs and feet. I would try to rotate them in at first!

Thanks Andrea. I'm planning on using them once or twice a week for a month or so then see how I feel. I don't need any injuries.

Glad you took a day to recover! Nice work out there Chad. Stickin' with it and going forward.

Nice job yesterday! Great to beat you best at any distance.

I really want to try the Altras, but I am a bit of a chicken.

good job, chad. i'm also very curious about the altras. glad you like them.

I feel like an Altra salesman. It's a little embarrassing.

Will you be running tomorrow (Sat.)? We'll be down on the trail meeting at 8am. Hope to see you. :)

Oh and please no slipperies! :)

I'm planning on it. And the trail was dry today so we shouldn't have to watch for ice.

good dad! you that is what all father/child bonding time is right? Time for mom to unwind and blow off some steam? :)

Nice job on the miles!!

Glad you got a good run in! Smooth is good company. Nice work pushing through the miles this week and dealing with the creepy soup we have now - blech!

No good suggestions on the ankle/shoe issue. Maybe some foot strengthening exercises? Take the shoes off and work on balance (like yoga balance poses etc) with bare feet. Should help those tendons ease slowly into the support a little better?

You know, the inversion isn't too bad, but yoga? Blech.

Move to Montana. I hear they have a big sky there.

I have the same problem with the Altras. I am not liking them much! I agree with wanting to see the sky and the sun! This weather sucks!!!

Burt - You might be onto something there. Just checked the weather in several Montana towns (do they even have cities there?). I thought it would be wicked cold but it isn't very different. I guess having sky lets the sun warm things up a bit.

Steam8 - How long have you had your Altras? This is only my second run so it is what I expected. The first run was great so I'm hoping that my feet/ankles/achilles get stronger. Have you not found that to be the case?

I quit wearing them. I only wear them to walk now! ha! I just don't like how I feel running in them. I just love my Asics and I think I just wasted 95 bucks! :( Where are you anyway?? You haven't posted for days!!! Hope all is well! I hope you have a Merry Christmas!!!

Crazy week. I've been working a lot and with multiple Christmas activities running got put on the back burner this week. I'm running tomorrow with the group however. I hope to see you there.

It was great to see you! AND to meet Racheal. Sorry I couldn't run...I REALLY wanted to!

How was the run? Are Altras minimalist shoes or just "special" shoes?

Hope your Christmas was wonderful and you had lots of hot cocoa with whipped cream :-)

My feet still need to get stronger before I can run in my Altras every day. My ankles have been getting sore. It's like a shin splint only lower toward my ankle. And as for how to classify the shoe, I don't know. It has some cushion and isn't just a glove for your foot so you could say it is a light cushion shoe, but the only other zero drop shoes are minimalist gloves. I guess it's somewhere in between but what do I know. I'm certainly not a shoe expert.

As for Paige, she got gum and candy in her stocking and hasn't thought twice about hot chocolate or whipped cream. She has been pushing around her "son" - "Max the dirty kid" in her new stroller. He "eats" with us as well in the new high chair Paige got for him. And he sleeps in the new play pen right next to her bed.

I googled altras. They look like they'd make it easier to get a midfoot strike without a chunky heel getting in the way.

I really like my Merrill minimalist shoes. No toes, very thin sole, and comfy. I am still Only running in them very short distances, but wear them all day around the house/errands. I can feel my feet getting stronger- so I think they're good in that aspect. Not sure if I would ever run a long race in them.

Paige sounds like a great mommy taking care of scuzzy Max. I think she should have a hot cocoa tea party with you and Max:-)

Sounds like QP better not be invited to the tea party, scuzzy Max might find a way to meet up with baby yum yum!!! :)

I have only worn the Altras for runs. Maybe I should wear them around throughout the day as well.

I like the idea of a hot cocoa party with Max. Paige would go absolutely love it. She had a tea party for her birthday and it was all her idea. She did name her doll "Max the dirty kid." She has tried to drop "the dirty kid" from his name but we won't let her. It's too cute. She gets mad every time we use it.

I don't get the baby yum yum reference. Is there an inside joke there?

well, sort of. When I was a good little 4 year old mommy to a 'Max the dirty kid' named baby yum yum, she got so scuzzy that QP plotted and carried out a plan to send baby yum yum to the aviary (dump). Poor little baby yum yum disappeared one night and this good little mommy never saw her again!! See what a terror that pirate is?!?

What a horrible auntie, making that poor innocent baby walk the plank! As for Max, he gets a ride in the washing machine every once in a while, including when Paige was sick a few weeks ago and got a bit of puke on him. Max the dirt/stinky kid came out laundry scent fresh.

Baby yum yum was not just a scuzzy doll, her blonde hair was a nappy mess of plastic tangles all matted together and she was threatening a mutiny where she and all of RAD's monchici dolls would rise up and take over the world.

You don't need to send me any thank-you cards or gifts, your life and freedom are thanks enough.

I'm sure Max the dirty kid is just a lost, misunderstood little boy who loves his Paige and humanity in general.

I'd give the Altras some "house" time and let your feet & legs get used to them.

25 would be a GREAT goal! Go for it. Hope your week is going well.

That sucks about being 13 short of 2011. What rotten luck. I hope you get better soon.

I've been trying to build up to a 40 mile base to run over the winter and I hope these two weeks don't set me back too much.

Life comes first! It is a pain sometimes, but what do ya do?

Hope that you had a great Christmas!

It was great to see you and your sister in law on Sat.!

Family always comes first! you are doing great trying to juggle everything! Hope you and your family had a great Christmas!

Be careful on those long runs....you don't want to get injured by putting all of your miles in together. I know it is hard when you are a busy dad to get those runs in! I hope you can find some time for yourself and get your runs in the is week!

Thanks Steam8. I missed a run again yesterday because I was just wiped out. I'm burning the candle at both ends. I was considering adding some extra miles on Saturday to make up for those I've missed over the last two weeks. But I think you're right. An injury will set me back more than a week with a few missed runs.

Give yourself a break! I always feel crazy if I get too busy to get my miles in.....but, giving yourself a week or two off will be good for your body to heal up and you will still be in great shape when you have time to start back up again!

I have weak ankles, for real. That has been the cause of every injury I have had to date, or so I have been told. Now these shoes really scare me!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

One of the things this shoe is supposed to do is strengthen you feet. The jury is still out but I'm hoping that it does that and helps reduce nagging injuries. I'll keep you posted.

Nice 10 to finish up the year. I think I can picture where that beaver tree is, if it's the one I remember.

Sluggish runs are still runs, so great job on getting out there and enjoying the nice weather.

Happy New Year!

Super run Chad, my boy.

awesome run Chad. Glad you were able to get out despite the running hazards!

i assume you were on the JRP? we were probably very close to running into you before we turned around. you should join us sometime -- we start at 3300 south and run south.

nice run to finish out the year.

I run the Lehi section. I live about 300 yards away, it's pretty convenient. You would have had to run pretty far south to run into me.