Matt wants to run with daddy!!

The boys slept in this morning! So we all decided to stay in bed as long as possible. Andi got out for a run first thing after Micah woke up. Matt woke up later, and after Andi got back I said, "Ok now daddy is going for a run," to which Matt replied, "I wanna come!" How could I turn that down? So we got out the old single jogger that I used to push him around in, got some milk, and an O-Bar (granola bar), and left for a run. I didn't think he would last for more than a mile or two but we had fun and Matt enjoyed his snacks and he lasted about 4 miles. I dropped him off at home and then ran an extra two miles or so (I didn't have my Garmin on), for a total of about 6 miles.

I got my new Garmin Forerunner 305 in the mail today and plan on testing it out tomorrow, with an interval workout up Grass Mountain with Clay.

Has everyone been enjoying the Olympics? Track and Field started on Friday. The first day included the women's 10k which had a loaded field. Shalane Flanagan from the US, who had food poisoning earlier in the week, took home a Bronze medal and improved on her own American record.

It was a disappointing women's marathon for the US today as only one of three of our athletes finished the race. Deena Kastor, the Olympic Trials winner, dropped out with foot pain after the first three miles. Blake Russell, our only finisher, ran a respectable 2:33. Runner's World article here.

Usain Bolt ran an insane 100m breaking his own world record in 9.69 and the first to go under 9.7 (the crazy thing is he pulled up to show boat for the last 20 meters).

And of course Michael Phelps won is eighth gold medal in eight events tonight, when he swam the butterfly leg of the 4x100 medly relay. 8 goals in 8/08, how appropriate. The 8 golds included 7 world records and all were Olympic records. If you missed any of his races you can see them on nbcolympics.com.

Local wrestler wins bronze in Beijing

I had planned to get up early today so that both Andi and I could get in runs before I left for work. Unfortunately, Micah is not nursing well and teething and was up half the night. The crying wakes up Matt and, needless to say, none of us got much sleep, Andi less than me. So no one got in a run today.

Some great news from Beijing, local Greco-Roman wrestler from Lancaster High School, now 27 year old Adam Wheeler, won a bronze medal yesterday. Read about it here.

Having trouble getting motivated to run out the door in the morning? Here is runners worlds 101 Kicks in the butt that they posted in 2007.

PS This is what we really talk about at work.

7.5 miles with 2.5 @ threshold pace

My Garmin was acting up this morning so I don't have exact mileage or splits. My workout consisted of 2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles at threshold pace, 2.5 miles easy. The threshold portion was probably only truely at threhold pace for the last 1.5 miles as I just didn't feel that great and it took me a while to really get going. Also, the loop that I did the threshold portion at had a little hill in it. I will definitely repeat that workout down the road because I know I can run harder than that.

Brooks, a running shoe brand, made an animated commercial about running throughout a lifetime. It is hilarious, check it out here.

A new long term study on health and running came out from Stanford Medical School. There was a write up on Yahoo news and here is Dean Karnazes take on it.

5 miles in Henderson, NV

I have been in Arizona for the past 3 days visiting my grandparents and family. My grandfather, "Grandpa Jack" has congestive heart failure and his health is steadily declining. He has some tough days and some better days. While I was there he had some better days and it was great to see him.
The family was very busy helping my grandparents, so we didn't get any running in, but we stayed in a house/cabin that had a beautiful view of the Prescott National Forest.

Andi and I drove to Henderson with the boys on Saturday, so this morning we took turns going out for short runs before making the trek back home. I got in a 5 mile run, averaging about 7:30 pace (7:45 pace up hill and 7:15 pace on the downhill).

Here is a nice "Thanks Mom" from US 5k, 10k runner Shalane Flanagan before heading off to Beijing.

Interestingly, the IOC is monitoring websites for Olympic material. If an athlete breaks their "rules" they can be banned from competition. Rules include no pictures, video, or interviews especially of other athletes or the opening ceremonies. See US 10k runner Amy Yoder-Begley's blog for her limited perspectives so far.

There have been some good commercials during Olympic coverage, and some really dumb ones. Here is one of my favorites so far.

Here's an idea!!

How about running 8 miles on Friday (08/08/08)! Maybe at 8:00am? Then check out the opening ceremonies on TV!

8 mile progression run (59:00)

Mileage today totaled 8 miles in 59 minutes with the first 4 easy pace and the last 4 miles at marathon pace. Mile splits were 8:08, 7:37, 7:48, 7:36, 7:04, 7:01, 6:35, 7:08. Average pace over the run was 7:22.
The new issues of Runners' World and Running Times are both great Olympic previews, got out and get your copy today!

This was posted on the Runners World Daily News Blog for tomorrow 8/06(a local celebrity):
Mark Covert's 40-Year Running Streak Makes It Into the Congressional Record
Covert, 57, has run at least a mile every day since July 23, 1968. He's covered over 140,000 miles. His is the longest continuous streak recognized by the United States Running Association. Although Covert is now a Californian, and a coach at Antelope Valley College, his feat was put into the Congressional Record by Earl Blumenauer of Oregon because Covert ran the 1972 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Eugene wearing shoes fashioned by Bill Bowerman's waffle iron - and because the vast majority of his subsequent miles have been run in Nikes.

5 miles in Henderson, NV

Got in to Vegas late on Friday. No running on Saturday. We took the boys to the pool, it is HOT out here.

Andi and I went for 5 miles this morning. We planned on doing more but it was windy and we both felt sluggish and tired. We averaged just over 8 minute pace. I will bump the long run up a day and get up early tomorrow and try to get in 10. I will probably run on Mon, Tues or Mon, Wed. this week.