Justin Park

3 mile leisurely Sunday walk. First 0.5 around the block with my daughter who wanted to stop and sample a leaf off each tree we went passed. The rest was solo up around Granite Park and back.

A.M. - Same TM run as last Monday:

5 minutes @ 9.5 mph, flat
5 mins @ 10.0, flat
20 mins @ 10.0 with progressive inclines with 3 mins each @ 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 5 mins @ 3.5.
2.5 mins @ 10.0, flat
7.5 mins @ 10.5, flat
15 mins @ 11.0, flat
5 mins @ 11.5, flat

Boost

The following is for my own reference regarding sleep... Had a terrible time falling asleep last night and ended up getting very little shut eye. Happens to me from time to time, especially on Sunday nights. Not sure why, but just couldn't shut my mind off and the heart rate seemed to stay a bit elevated. In the past I've suspected that it could be due to:

(1) too much sugar or sodium intake on Sunday night (though I've been watching it lately and that shouldn't have been the case last night),
(2) stress about the upcoming week, usually work-related stuff (possibly, though I'm not particularly stressed right now),
(3) too warm in my bedroom (very possible, it was warm last night),
(4) little to no exercise on Sunday (quite possible, though I did walk 3 miles and I've usually found that helps. I think I definitely sleep better on days I double and/or bike and cycle),
(5) napping on Sunday afternoon (didn't do it and I usually don't),
(6) too much sleep Saturday night (possibly. Got about 9 hours and 15 mins Saturday night. Definitely more than I get most nights, but I don't think it was excessive given my running and cycling activity on Saturday).

Who knows, but I'd like to try and identify and eliminate the cause(s) for the sleeplessness.

Anyways, the one bad night's sleep usually doesn't affect my physical energy levels much the next day (kind of like how not sleeping much the night before a big marathon really doesn't adversely affect your race). It maybe made this morning's run a little tougher than usual. More the anything, I think it slows down the sharpness of my mind for the day. And its very possible I'll be lethargic for Tuesday morning's run. Good news is that historically the night immediately following these bad sleep nights usually ends up being a good sleep night, so that hopefully bodes well for tonight.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone else experiences something similar to this, what they suspect the causes are, and what they do to remedy.

P.M. - Millcreek ride (~40 miles). Great ride.

A.M. - 15 mile course plus one. Triangle in normal direction.

Hoka

A.M. - 60 mins on the TM, all flat:

5 minutes @ 9.5 mph
5 mins @ 10.0
5 mins @ 10.5
25 mins @ 11.0
5 mins @ 11.5
5 mins @ 10.0
2.5 mins @ 10.5
2.5 mins @ 11.0
5 mins @ 11.5

Boost

A little disappointed with this one. 11.5 feels hard lately and I'm struggling to hold it for more than 5-minute increments.

P.M. - Hectic day at work and got out later than was hoping. Almost bagged doing a ride entirely for fear of running out of daylight. Had almost talked my way out of it on the drive home. Was even less excited when I got home and saw that my bike light's batteries were dead. Tail light was fine though. Decided to hit LCC for as far up as I had daylight for. Knew I'd be riding home in the dark (with no headlight, cruising down a steep canyon, with cars... stupid). Ended up making it all the way to Alta (Albion Base) with ample light. It got dark quick as I started making the descent. Just took it slow going down and hoped the cars coming from behind saw me. Fortunately, traffic wasn't heavy and I'm still alive. In the end, I was glad I got out and rode, especially given the sketchy afternoon forecast for Thurday afternoon. Felt good (~25 miles).
 

A.M. - 15 miles easy.

Hoka

P.M. - The afternoon weather turned out much nicer for the Salt Lake Valley than they were forecasting. So took the mountain bike up to Temple Quarry for 2 times up the LCC Trail. Good ride. So pretty up there right now. Felt good for the most part.

A.M. - 60 minutes on the TM, all flat:

5 minutes @ 9.5 mph
5 mins @ 10.0
5 mins @ 10.5
40 mins @ 11.0
5 mins @ 10.0

Boost

Yeah, bummed about this one too. Not sure what to think lately. Holding 11.5 for any length of time is very challenging right now. Today I didn't even attempt and bailed early. Last month, I seemed to be able to hold it almost at will. Much different now. Not exactly sure why. Doesn't bode well for my confidence going into SGM. Training load (running/bike) is relatively similar to what its been. Sure, now I'm a couple weeks on the back side of Pocatello Marathon (~3 weeks ago) and LoToJa (~2 weeks ago). Maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe its just because I'm getting old! I know there's a combination of a lot of things that could be playing into it. I've been doing about the same training/racing schedule that I did two years ago and was able to bounce back to more quality workouts sooner than I am now. Oh well. Is what it is. Going to try to resist the urge to do too much from here on out since there's only two weeks left.

Sorry for the downer attitude today.

A.M. - Same run as last week; 3 times up and down the 9-mile route. Slow pace, but a good run.

Hoka

A.M.2. - Schedule was such today that doing my ride in the morning was better than doing it in the afternoon. Good steady ride up to Guardsman (~50 miles). Weather was perfect, just like it was for the run this morning. Crazy car traffic in BCC again. That's my one big complaint about that canyon. Today there was some "Cars for Kids 45" (?) or something going on. As I was going up the mid part of the canyon, a big caravan of sporty cars (Ferraris, Porches, decked-out Audis and BMWs, etc.) passed me. Saw them parked at Brighton when I got there. Then when I was going up the last stretch to Guardman, they passed me again. They must have been going into Park City next. They did a good job clogging up the top of Guardsman.

Good volume day. Won't do anymore like this before SGM.