Justin Park

A.M. - 35 minute treadmill run at the Life Centre. Made it home late last night and got a few hours of shut-eye in my own bed. Felt okay today. Shin was good, but not much time for many miles:

5 minutes @ 9.5 mph, flat
5 mins @ 10.0, flat
20 mins @ 10.0 with progressive incline, 3 minutes each at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and then 5 mins at 3.5
2.5 mins @ 10.0, flat
2.5 mins @ 10.5, flat

It's about 11:20 right now and I'm heading over to the Provo Fairfield Inn again. Tomorrow will be another run through East Bay, probably the same route as Wednesday, assuming I get out of bed. Looking forward to not working quite so late tomorrow night and maybe, just maybe, a longer run on Saturday morning before I come back down here. Tis' the season!

A.M. - Down in Provo this morning. Did the same route as Wednesday. This morning was colder than Wednesday though. A little breezy and the roads were dusted with snow.

A.M. - Standard Little Cottonwood Rd/Wasatch run. First time with the Pure Flow's on the road and I'm still liking them. I had hoped to go a little longer, but I had to be down to work by 9:30 this morning and had to share the morning workout time with Linds because she wanted to go to the gym... Bottom line, I didn't get up early enough = ). Felt good. Shin/tibia is doing fine. A little over 1:21 for the run; 6:40 ave/mi. pace. Hoping for 50+ miles this coming week.

Rest day. My physical activity for the day consisted of a walk around the block with Linds, Isabelle, and Gidget (the in-law's dog).

A.M. - 45 minute treadmill run at the Life Centre. Went as follows:

5 minutes @ 9.5 mph, flat
5 mins @ 10.0, flat
20 mins @ 10.0 with progressive inclines; 3 mins each at: 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 and 5 mins at 3.5
10 mins @ 10.0, flat
5 @ 10.5, flat

Energy was okay, but not terrific. I was just glad to have at least stuck the incline part of the workout today, but didn't have much after that. We worked until after 1 AM on Saturday night (Sunday morning) and I had difficulty falling asleep last night, so that's probably why I didn't have much juice today. My left shin (the one that I've been watching) was just fine, but the outter side of my right shin got tight towards the end of run. I'm not worried about it.

A.M. - Windy morning, but not too cold. Wore shorts and compression socks. Legs felt pretty peppy despite the fact I had to drag myself out of bed this morning and was later than I should have been. Did the old Little Cottonwood road out-and-back with a touch extra to get in 9. Finished in 59 minutes and change; 6:30 ave/mi. with a few sub-sixers on the downhill, with the wind portions. We got a fair amount of snow this afternoon; tomorrow is a gym day. 

A.M. - 45 minute treadmill run at the Life Centre. Felt pretty good. All flat today, as follows:

5 minutes @ 9.5 mph
5 @ 10.0
15 @ 10.5
15 @ 11.0
5 @ 11.5

Can I rant for a minute?.. So there's this certain treadmill at the gym that I run on 90%+ of the time (i.e. 'my treadmill'). Although many of the machines in the place are practically the same, I've been going there long enough to know which ones are, in my opinion, the better ones. And there's this one in particular that's my clear favorite. As a matter of practice, the first thing I usually do when get there in the morning is drop off my stuff on that treadmill as a means to 'reserve' it. Then I'll warm-up and stretch for a couple minutes before getting on. I don't think I'm out of line for doing that because there are always plenty of open machines. So its not like I'm preventing someone else from using a treadmill.

So, I got there this morning noticed a lady was on 'my mill'... No problem, happens all the time. By the time I'm done warming-up and stretching, there's a good chance she'll be done. If not, I'll resort to option 2. Sure enough, a couple minutes later she was done. I broke from my warm up for a minute and went and put my stuff on it; iPod and keys in the little cubby under the controls, water bottle in the bottle holder, towel and headphones over the side arm rail. Should be pretty clear to someone that the treadmill is taken, right?! I went back to warming up for about two minutes and no sooner was I coming back that I see this older fellow walking like its no ones business on my treadmill.

You might say to me, suck it up and find another one. Well, that's what I did, but I was peeved. I thought, what nerve this guy has to take my treadmill when there are at least 10 others he could use, with equally good line of site to the TV and perfectly fine for walking. Couldn't he see my stuff? Plus, wouldn't he have noticed a pattern by now of a dude with relatively long hair (me) pounding on that machine at about the same time every other morning? I walked over there and without saying anything and began gathering my stuff from around him in a deliberate manner. He acted a little surprised, but continued his walking for another 20 minutes. Fortunately, my second favorite mill was open...The run cooled me down (figuratively). Pay attention people! He's lucky he played the naive card with me, because had he tried to prove a point to me for 'reserving' the machine, he would have gotten a piece of my mind and it wouldn't have been very nice.

A.M. - Same route as Tuesday. Had to dress warmer this morning though. First half going up was a little slower than Tuesday, but coming down was faster. Felt good today. 6:25 ave./mi for the run with the last 4 sub-6 and the last mile at 5:27.

A.M. - 5 relatively easy on the treadmill in 31 mins:

5 minutes @ 9.0 mph, flat
5 @ 9.5, flat
5 @ 9.5, 1.0 incline
5 @ 10.0, 1.0 incline
11 @ 10.0, 1.5 incline

A.M. - 15 mile run on the same route that I did 3 weeks ago. Its basically my standard 12-mile Little Cottonwood Road / Wasatch Blvd course with an extension down 9800 South all the way to Sego Lily Drive, then to the top of Sego Lily, and through the neighborhood roads to get the 15. I was happy with this run. It was probably my best outside run to-date this year. Finished in just under 1:33 with 6:10 ave/mi pace. Mile 2 was the slowest (6:50 up 10000 So) and the stretch between 5 and 12 was pretty solid (albeit mostly down hill): 6:05, 5:41, 6:05 (up Wasatch to 9400), 5:59, 5:41, 5:30, 5:32 (down 9800), 6:09 (start of climb up Sego Lily). Miles 13 and 14 were definitely the toughest. Was wishing I had some water and a Gu by that point.

Was a beautiful morning today. Shorts and turtleneck, but could have done without the turtleneck. I'm still really liking the Pure Flows, but the outsole, especially the mid-foot outer edge of the left side (where I strike) is already starting to wear through. These things don't even have 50 miles on them! Runner's World touted durability as a strong point. This is a common problem with all of my outside shoes (not the ones I use exclusively for the treadmill). I think its just due to biomechanics of how I run and the fact that I often running on chambered roads. Though I try to be careful about mixing up the sides of the road that I run on.

Next week is Moab 1/2. I'm not expecting much since I've never run better than like a 1:17:50 on that course. Its the truest course I run all year. I'll be fun to finally do a race.

I need to do some work from home today, but I'm really tempted to take the Cervelo out for a spin this afternoon. We'll see how the day goes.

P.M. - 40 mile bike ride along Wasatch Blvd and foothill up Emigration Canyon. I wanted to scope-out where Rob, Fritz, and Walter did their long run today! = ) I didn't make it up as far as they did though. One thing's for sure, I'm definitely not in bike shape right now. The last 10 miles were brutal. The big hills on Wasatch were humbling. I've only been getting out on the bike an average of once a month lately, so what can I expect, right? I've got a lot to do to get ready for the 2-day MS ride in June.

Rest day. Really didn't do anything physical to speak of.

A.M. - Good treadmill run this morning:

5 minutes @ 9.5 mph, flat
5 mins @ 10.0 mph, flat
30 minutes @ 10.0 mph, progressive incline with 5 minutes each at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5
5 mins @ 10.0 mph, flat
5 mins @ 10.5, flat
5 mins @ 11.0, flat
5 mins @ 11.5, flat

A.M. - Little Cottonwood Rd. out-and-back. Very strong wind gust this morning out of the south made for an interesting run. Took it slow and easy.

A.M. - Relatively fast, flat incline treadmill run for 45 minutes. I wanted to get the feet turning over one last time before Saturday, but not put in too many miles.

5 minutes @ 9.5 mph
5 mins @ 10.0
10 mins @ 10.5
20 mins @ 11.0
5 mins @ 11.5

My wife and baby are both sicker than dogs right now (colds). I'm hanging tough with no symptoms yet, but its probably just a matter of time before I wake up with the old tickle in the throat (knock on wood). It'd be a miracle if I could make it to Saturday morning unscathed.

Tomorrow will be an easy standard Cottonwood out-and-back and then another short easy TM run on Friday.

A.M. - Little Cottonwood Road out-and-back. Nice and easy (~6:47 ave/mi.).

A.M. - 35 minute easy treadmill run at the gym:

5 minutes @ 9.0 mph, flat
10 mins @ 9.5 mph, flat
15 mins @ 10.0 mph, flat
5 mins @ 10.5, flat

I woke up with the tickle in the throat this morning. Actually more like a sore throat with a vengence...Perfect timing (sarcasm)....I knew this was going to happen! My baby and wife have been really sick this past week and I just didn't see myself being able to avoid it despite trying to be careful. I guess that's what I get for thinking pessimistically.

Fortunately, I don't feel too crummy yet. Just the sore throat. Hopefully it doesn't progress too much by tomorrow morning.

Last night, for the fun of it, I looked up my past times for the Moab half:

2007 - 1:21:37; 25th place (one of the 'lull' years)
2008 - 1:19:23; 21st place (another lull year)
2009 - DNS (got wasted in busy season that year and didn't even go down)
2010 - 1:17:41; 12th place (course PR)
2011 - 1:18:14; 10th (terrible headwind, even the mighty Paul only managed a 1:12 = )

Goal for tomorrow is a course PR. I think the fitness is there, but I think the wind is going to be a factor again and hopefully my cold doesn't progress too much.

Heading down to Moab in a couple hours. It'll be fun regardless of the non-controllable factors.

Short Story – Like last year, another very windy race. Although I ended up with my best overall finishing place (6^th overall), it was another lack-luster time. Despite my cold and the wind, this course seems to get me every time. Still very fun. Definitely glad I made the short trip down to do the race and get in a ride on the Slickrock.

Long Story – Before you read any further, I apologize for the long-windedness of the following. It won’t hurt my feeling if nobody reads beyond this point. It’s mostly personal for me to journalize the experience.

I left work mid-afternoon yesterday to drive down to Moab. My wife and baby have been very sick the last several days, so I didn't want to drag them down. So I made the trip solo. The trip is becoming somewhat of a tradition. I've looked forward to it as kind of an 'end of busy season' getaway (although this year, my busy season is only about half over). For the past three years, I've been too cheap to arrange a motel, so I've either tented it, or taken my dad's Tahoe and slept in the back of it (all the motels/hotels in town really jack-up their rates on race weekend). This year I decided to do the Tahoe. I'll usually take my mountain bike and, energy-pending, I'll go and bike the Slickrock after the race. That was the plan again this year.

I arrived into town about 7:45 last night (the town was booming) and b-lined it over to the race charity pasta dinner since it was only supposed to go 'til 8:00. Made it just in time and after a quick bite, I headed over to the expo. While there, I ran into Walter Brown over at his pace team booth. I spoke with for a few minutes and he indicated he was going to race (not pace) the race. He said he was going to use it to gauge whether he’d shoot for Boston next month. Walter and I are usually pretty close in races, so I figured our paths would cross again out on the course (I was right). The expo had a listing of race participants hanging on a wall and I tried to scope out the fast guys and other folks I knew. Among them, Ewen North (several time winner of the race), B.J. Christensen, Josh Steffan, Karl Siebach, and of course, Walter.

I left the expo and scouted out an LDS church to park the Tahoe. It was within walking distance to Swanny City Park (the finish area and bus pick-up). I was taking a bit of a risk setting up there because they had signs up saying no overnight parking. I feared a cop might come and make me move in the middle of the night, but it was worth the risk since I didn't want to park on the road in front of someone's house or go a campground and deal with the sand. I slept about as well as I could have hoped for being sick and being in the back of a Tahoe. Not a great night's sleep, but good enough. Was kind of in-and-out much of the night. The sore throat got real bad at one point that it actually woke me up. Fortunately, the stuffiness wasn't really setting in yet and I didn't feel too crummy.

The race was slated for a 10 A.M. start and we were supposed to be on the buses by 8:15. I got up a little after 7, got ready, and walked to the convenience store down the block to get some hot water to mix my oatmeal. Then up to the park, hit the potty, and had to wait a little while to catch a bus. The wind was already gusting pretty good out of the south confirming my fears that we’d likely be doing battle with it throughout the race. As we drove out of town to the Canyon, the wind didn't seem that bad. Even the first 5 or 6 miles going up the canyon, it didn't seem very strong. That was promising, but once the canyon opened up around mile 6 or 5 (and the rest of the way on up to the start), you could tell the winds were strong.

It just so happened that I ended up on the same bus as Walter and was sitting just behind him. He educated me about his pace team (American Flyer's) which to this point I had knewn little about. It's a really cool thing he's doing. He's a cool guy. He told me he knew B.J. Christensen was planning to go out the first few miles at 5:30 pace and then try and put the hammer down the second half of the race. Walter's strategy was to try and hang with him. I knew that I wasn't up to going out at a 5:30 pace right of the coral, especially on this course and with the wind. I tend to do better when I go out conservatively and kind of work from behind. So that was my plan for today.

The bus dropped us off a third-of-a-mile or so down from the start line with about an hour to spare. I was one of the last buses up there. The area was packed with people. I spent the next 20 minutes in line for the potty and then started walking to the start. I was noticing some discomfort in my left shin (the same that was bothering me a few weeks ago and was starting to rear its head again a little this week), but I was pretty confident it wasn't going to be an issue during the race (it just might be in the ensuing days!). Up at the start line, the wind was gusting very strong. The organizers made us hurry and get our gear bags in the trucks. It was a bit cold being in just the singlet in shorts. I saw Karl Siebach and talked with him. He was hoping to have a good time today, but was doubtful now because of the wind. I think he told me he was going to Boston next month too...Another great runner to represent Utah this year!

Spent the next 15-20 stretching, jogging, and doing a couple strides. Then it was time to make my way to the start. I saw all the expecteds up at line and several other 'fast-looking' dudes I didn't recognize.

The Race - Mile 1. The gun shot and we were off and running. The first mile of this race has the most elevation loss of the course. So you're immediately on a downhill at the start. The wind wasn't that noticeable at first as everyone was jockeying for position. Ewen, Karl, Josh, B.J., and Walter were in the front group and were quickly building a gap on the rest of us. Walter was doing exactly what he said he was going to do by setting up shop behind B.J.'s tall body and using him as a windshield. One guy, who I didn't recognize, was clearly taking the lead and was looking extra peppy. I later learned he was Jeffrey Eggleston of Flagstaff, AZ, (who ended up winning the race handily). Before too long, I started to settle into a group with about 4 other guys. I didn't know any of them. I found myself doing a lot of the pulling right off the bat, which I didn't want to do. We crossed the first mile mark at 5:35 which would be my fastest split of the entire race. I started gauging myself to Walter who was probably 15-20 seconds up on me by the first mile mark.

Mile 2 - A little ways into the second mile, the downhill flattens out and the road turns east and out of the shade of the cliffs. The next few miles are kind of in a more wide open area of the canyon. The head-wind became significantly more noticeable. It felt like the guys in my group were a little slower than my speed, but with the wind getting stronger, I didn't want to run alone. So my options were either to work with them, or try and bridge up to the next set of guys, which would probably expend more energy than I could afford. I decided to stick with them for the time being. Again, I found myself pulling a little more than I thought was my fair share, so I purposefully slowed down so I could fall in behind one of the other guys for a while. At the first aid station I grabbed a swig of Gatorade and also some water. The second split had already slowed to a depressing 5:52. I knew the next few miles were flat and would be windy, so I wasn't very optimistic we could pick up much speed.

Mile 3 - Pretty flat mile. My group was hanging together and we caught another dude with long dark hair and we all kind of fell in behind him for the next mile or so. The road curves south again during this mile. It was windy, but wind aside, I could tell I wasn't on my A-game today. I was feeling okay and determined to still give it my best. Walter was at least 25 seconds in front of me at this point, but he was already starting to fall off the back of B.J. We hit mile 3 at 5:55, already knocking the doors of 6 minute miles…what's up with that!?

Mile 4 - Another flat mile. The course starts to curve southwest here which is the general direction for the rest of the canyon section of the course. Suddenly, the wind didn't seem as bad. Our group was cruising along pretty comfortably at this point but we still weren't going very fast. We crossed the mile at 5:47. The gap to Walter was holding at about 25 seconds.

Mile 5 - Wind was back and this mile has a gradual hill. Me and one other guy (I think his name is Zak James; apologizes if I'm wrong) emerged at the front of our group and it wouldn't be long before we started pulling away from the rest of the group. The mile was 5:57. We may have gained a few seconds on Walter here.

Miles 6-9 - Still fighting the wind. For these miles, it was just me and Zak working together. I was doing most of the pulling. Mile 6 has another little hill and then some down (5:48 split) and mile 7 is mostly down (5:53; should have been faster). Miles 8 and 9 have some gradual rollers (5:50 and 5:47, respectively). At some point during mile 8 or 9, we got just a small taste of a tailwind. Walter was still up ahead of us and running pretty close with another guy who I believe was Jack Dasilva. By the end of the ninth mile, their gap on us had been significantly reduced. I didn't know what place I was sitting in, but was pretty sure it was in the top 10.

Mile 10 - This mile has the biggest uphill of the course for the first half and then it drops off the face of the earth to the end of the canyon. I started to pull away from Zak at the base of the hill. Then towards the top I caught and passed Walter and Jack, although I didn’t do it with much authority. Once on the downhill, I wanted to start pushing the pace and leverage gravity. I was able to at first, but I could hear Jack, Walter, and Zak breathing close behind me and once we hit the 10 mile mark (5:57) I was feeling pretty tired. I thought it was only a matter of time before they passed me and I wouldn't have anymore gas to counter.

Mile 11 - The downhill flattens out and the course goes off the road temporarily and onto a concrete path. You're only on the path for a few hundred feet as it takes you under the river bridge and then it quickly curves south and brings you back up onto the right side of the main road leading into town. Walter and Jack were still breathing close behind me. At the end of the path section, Jack passed me. I latched onto the back of him and we started working together. Once on the road, this is where it got really hard. This part of the course is fully exposed, mostly gradual uphill and straight into the wind. I didn't hear Walter or Zak anymore, so we must have been putting some space on them. This split was a dismal 6:07 and there would be no more sub-6's the rest of the race.

Mile 12 - The hardest mile of the day. A long stretch of exposed, gradual uphill, and headwind as we drudged forward towards town. Jack and I were taking turns. Jack was leading as we neared the right turn before the 12-mile mark. He hadn't been pulling for very long, but motioned for me to take the lead seemingly conceding to let me run off ahead of him. I moved ahead, but wasn't confident that I would put much space on him. We crossed the mile at a pathetic 6:26.

Mile 13 - Now on the side road (5th West, I think), the first ~0.6 of this mile is straight before turning left onto 4th North for the final stretch up to the finish at the park. I could hear Jack breathing not too far behind me. Split was 6:09.

Final 0.1 - The final kick wasn't spectacular, but I held of Jack and crossed the line in 1:18:12, a mere 2 seconds faster than last year. I was tired, but not wasted. Jack crossed about 10 seconds later and Walter was another 30 seconds back. Zak wasn't too far behind. Another lack-luster time on this course, but if there is any silver-lining, it was my best finish in terms of overall placement (6th).

I spent a little time talking to Walter, Karl Seibach, Zak, and a few other guys. Later, I spoke with Keith Barton. Everyone had similar feelings about the race…The wind sucked (or blew) and adversely affected everyone's times. Jeffrey Eggleston ran out of his mind and won the race by a large margin (1:10:08). B.J was second place finishing in just under 1:14. Josh Steffan (1:14:24), Tyler Sewald (1:15:11), and Karl Siebach (1:16:02) were place 3 through 5, respectively. I later learned that Ewen North had dropped out. He commented to me that "it was just too much," referring to the wind, I'm sure.

I stayed just long enough to get a little food, stretch, get my stuff, and see the results posted. I was 4th in my division and they only give awards to the top 3, so I didn't get anything. I walked back to the truck and talked myself into believing that I still had enough energy to go tackle Slickrock. Much to my surprise, the Tahoe battery was dead, but fortunately I found some fellow racers to give me a jump and I was quickly on my way. Thanks again! (If you're out there)

Slickrock. It was extremely windy at the trailhead and I was beginning to think I was crazy for trying to do this. But it’s a violation of personal law to come down to Moab and not ride a bike. The ride was windy most of the time. I felt like it kind helped during the first half when you're heading mostly north. I felt surprising good and nailed most all of the climbs including my one and only attempt at the Bottleneck. There were quite of few people out, including the usual Boy Scout groups. I was on the road heading home by a little after 3.

All-in-all, a good day. I wasn’t particularly pleased with my time, but also wasn’t very surprised by it. My past history on this course, my cold, and the headwinds had the odds stacked against me. I was happy with the 6^th place finish though. Now, I have the Salt Lake half to look forward to in a little over a month and I hope to put in a better time there.

Rest day. Cold has really set in. Our whole household has it. We were quarantined at home all day.

A.M. - Easy miles on the treadmill in 35 minutes. My cold has really set in now. It was one of those rare morning where my motivation to get up and go running was extra low. But I did it, and felt good in the process, so that's a victory:

5 minutes @ 8.5 mph, flat
30 minutes @ 9.0 mph, flat

A.M. - Standard Little Cottonwood Rd. route out to the park and ride and back. My cold is still in full swing. This was a very slow run.

A.M. - 35 minute treadmill run at the Life Centre. I felt like garbage when I woke up this morning. The run was okay though. By this afternoon, I definitely started feeling better. Though I think my cold has turned the corner, I'm sure the stuffiness will linger for a few more days.

Treadmill went as follows:

5 minutes @ 9.0 mph, flat

5 mins @ 9.5 mph, flat

5 mins @ 10.0 mph, flat

20  mins @ 10.0 mph, with inclines (5 mins each) of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0

A.M. - Normal home course route, but had to cut of ~1 mile due to time. Again, another slow run. The cold was still really inhibiting.

A.M. - Can I even count this as a run on this blog?! The cold is still very much with me. I intended to do 5-5.5 miles easy on the treadmill today. Started out fine at 9 mph for 5 mins, then 10 mins at 9.5 mph (all flat). It was hard to breath and I couldn't stop coughing. I tried to kick it up to 10.0 mph for a few mins, but the coughing really got out of hand. I'm sure people were watching me thinking to themselves that I had black lung or something. After only ~2 mins at 10.0, I kicked it back down to 9.5. The coughing persisted and after only a minute or so, I hit the kill switch and went home....Stupid cold.

A.M. - Another really slow run on the old out-and-back course. Would have loved to have gone longer, but time constraints, my cold, and my left shin (its acting up again) were factors contributing to why that didn't happen. 

A.M. - 35 minute treadmill run:

5 minutes @ 9.0 mph, flat
5 mins @ 9.5, flat
5 mins @ 10.0, flat
15 mins @ 10.0, with five mins each at 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0
5 mins @ 10.0, flat

A.M. - Shortened standard home route. Real slow. Leg is really bugging this week. I'm going to take it easy and baby it for a while.

A.M. - 35 minute TM run at Life Centre:

5 minutes @ 9.0 mph, flat
5 mins @ 9.5, flat
5 mins @ 10.0, flat
20 mins @ 10.0, with five mins each at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5

6.5 on the home course.

6 miles. Similar route as yesterday, but a tad shorter.

Standard out-and-back up little cottonwood road.