Terminator

Nice run Matt. Wish I would have been there with you guys... especially for the breakfast :) You're going to be this year's Scott Keate.

Thanks for setting that up this morning Matt!

Looks like a fun time. Had I known there would be a breakfast and I could meet your family maybe we would have left socal at 10 PM instead of 3:30 AM.

Any talk of a run this Saturday?

Yes, we're thinking more of a group tempo workout instead of just a long run. Working on a plan for location and exactly what will work best.

Thanks guys. Glad you didn't leave socal at 10 pm Fritz :) Driving all night is not cool. Looking forward to Saturday's group tempo run with you guys.

-2? Wow, we were 6 degrees at my house and 5 degrees on base where I do my running. You guys had it pretty cold this morning.

I keep thinking it can't get much colder and then almost daily it does get colder!

You guys are my heros!

No Scott, you are our hero :)

Yeah, Riley, some serious cold eh? Hopefully we get some relief soon. Can you imagine how "warm" 30 degrees will feel?

You are right about the cold - the right gear makes it totally doable.

I agree Melody! Nice run today, by the way!

Great run Matt. You really showed me some toughness this morning (not that I was surprised). Like I said, you can't "fake" these kinds of workouts.

Its funny how the Garmins can be back and forth on the splits (again, not surprised by that), but we both hit 10 in roughly the same spot.

Thanks Jake. I agree -- you can't fake a 10 mile tempo run. You either have it or you don't. And yeah, Garmins aren't perfect, but they sure are useful tools.

Amazing job! You're looking so strong.

Awesome run Matt! Watching your progress in just the last two months has been impressive. Great running with you guys as always.

Super impressed with how you are running right now. I've had a good taste of your toughness after a year of training, but now it's just starting to get scary :-)

Awesome run Matt. Runs like this are the "money-makers". Nicely done.

Sorry i missed it today, sounds like a fun one. Very strong work today, this post made my day :)!

Workouts like this absolutely deserve to be bolded and maybe capitolized as well. So incredibly exciting to see you running so well Matt. Way to go!

Matt, you've officially made the transition from human to cyborg. Great workout!

Great workout! You are getting stronger every week...fun to watch. Good to see you again!

Thanks everyone. A huge part of the reason for my recent improvement is the support, motivation, and inspiration I receive from each of you. I have learned a great deal from each of you and I appreciate your excellent examples. Gotta love this sport.

Nice double today sir! Thursday on this week?

You bet Brandon -- I'll look forward to Thursday in Orem!

Good start to the week, and more importantly, to be able to recover and feel good after Saturday's workout is a great sign.

Thanks Jake. I'm feeling good. It is a wonderful feeling to be getting in better shape. It's been too long since I've felt this way.

Good start to the week Matt: some nice miles. You're building a good base and already showing some superb aerobic form (the tempo run on the weekend). I'm glad you're not racing over here in Kerry - I wouldn't have a sniff at getting any prize money to put towards my iPad fund:)

Thanks Bam. I'm enjoying getting in better shape. An iPad fund -- now that's a good idea!

Great workout Matt. Your fitness is improving every week and you're not hammering yourself; your building, which is the way to go, and when you eventually transition into some more specific work, it'll be great to see how you go.

Nice work, Matt! It was funny to see your cars parked outside my home, while I was heading off to the gym and the treadmill. It won't be long until you've got a partner to do those repeats with. :-)

Good workout Matt. I think you hit this spot on... very good splits, but leaving something in the tank for next weekend.

Next time these will be 5:05, then under 5. Like Bam said, you want it to be a progression.

Very nicely done Matt. Keep it rolling.

Thanks guys. And thanks for the reminder, Jake and Bam, that I am building and that it needs to be a progression. I need to work on patience :)

That's the attitude Scott! I know you'll be back soon. It will be fun to do these together.

Keep it rolling yourself Riley! You're looking great.

Sweet miles Matt. It must be great having such a tidy group to train with. I'll be keen to see how you boys mash it up when Scott's fit again. Early mornings with you guys sounds like it could be a whole lot of pain:)

Thanks Bam. We do have a great training group here. It would be awesome if you were with us :) Yeah, mornings can sometimes be painful, but you'd fit in just fine.

Nice work Matt. It's nice to see that I wasn't the only one forced to take a good workout indoors. You're ready for a good one next week!

The sagacity of the man. I think the tempo was a prudent/shrewd move Matt. Keeps the confidence high and you've dropped in a strong session without over-stressing your system.

What race are you doing next week?

Riley: Yeah, an indoor run was definitely the best option today. That was a serious storm. The roads are brutal, but you got more snow than we did in Lehi. You are also ready to pop one next weekend Riley. It will be great to see you there.

Bam: Thanks. It was a good workout today. I didn't expend too much effort, and I'm glad I didn't do the shorter intervals. I'm doing the St. George 1/2 marathon next weekend. I'm excited.

I'm glad you stuck to your plan and did the tempo. That was probably a perfect effort before next weekend. You know you are ready!

Great workout Matt. You will go under 1:12 for sure. Glad to hear Scott is back. That's a great turn out today. Look forward to a good workout at the St. George Half Marathon. Should be a great field. Love everyones confidence right now. Very Motivating.

Great workout Matt! You looked very strong and smooth during the tempo.

Great job Matt. All of this training will payoff next weekend.

Thanks guys. We definitely need to keep doing these group runs. And welcome to the blog, Spencer! Somehow I missed that you were on the blog. Great to have you, and even better training with you.

Great job today. I know it was super tempting to do the mile repeats. You have been very wise in your approach to this season and it is going to pay off big time. I've got selfish motivations for you to stay healthy--I'm excited to have a running partner who will kick my trash!

Scott. Remember until someoneinthegroup beats you, you are still the rabbit. No pressure! Great work again to all. Jake, hope you win it bro. Sub 1:05 on that course is world class. Excited to see the results.

You haven't lived until you've yelled, "track!" to someone and get glared at. Great job getting a nice tempo effort in crazy crowded conditions. I don't think the BYU track is ever that crowded, and the patrons all seem know what TRACK! means.

I agree Scott -- it will be a blast to help each other get to the next level.

Great week of training Melody! Yeah, I get feisty when I'm going fast on a track and others are in the way, but I'm sure we all do.

Great workout Matt. Smart to stick with the tempo.

I'm sure there are dozens of hobby joggers talking about that jerk that was shouting at everyone to clear lane 1 while he flew by.

You're going to have a great race Saturday!

Freezing! Nice one! No slips this week.

That's a great sign that you feel fresh on a Monday before a race. A low of ~30 in St. George this weekend will feel like a heatwave.

See you in St. George this weekend! I will be watching of course but rooting you to a great race!

Great news that the legs are feeling good after Saturday - not so sure that those running against you on the weekend will be overjoyed:)

word...

Thanks guys. I'm excited for the race. Glad you will be there Ben -- see you there! Good point Fritz -- it will definitely feel like a heat wave. Amazing how cold it's been.

Nice little tune-up for the weekend. All systems ready for the 'Big Weekend' of racing.

Good call, just enough to remind the legs that they've got some work to do on Saturday. Go get 'em this weekend!

Perfect workout for the Wednesday before the race. You're ready for a good one. The weather looks pretty good for Saturday.

great workout matt...thanks for the motivation and push. Love running with our group...you have no idea...

Game on!! :)

Thanks to all of you. I appreciate the role each of you have had in my preparation for this race. Should be fun!

Have a great race Matt! I look forward to hearing all about it.

Good luck tomorrow Matt!

Thanks guys. I appreciate all the help and advice you have both given me. Looking forward to many more group runs to come.

Best of luck tomorrow Matt! I'm also excited to hear how it goes. All signs are indicating you're going to rip it!!

Thanks Justin. Much appreciated. Can't wait until we can hook up for another run soon.

Good luck, Matt...

We both know you've got a better race in you. I'm very curious how you might have felt with some hydration earlier. The cold weather probably made it easier to feel like the liquid wasn't necessary, but based on your description of the race, some early hydration might have been just what the Dr. ordered. We'll hit another 1/2 marathon in the next two months to test out some changes. Just another opportunity to learn and another 1/2 marathon notch on the belt. It'll just get better from here on out.

Of course better days will come. I think the nutrition question depends on what you drank and ate before the race. 11 miles without hydration wouldn't be too bad unless you weren't hydrated well before the race. For calories in a half I always carry 2 Gus and always take one at around mile 7 or 8. If needed I suck on the other one for the last 3 miles. Like you said though the nutrition probably doesn't explain why you didn't feel good from the start. Maybe St. George beds are terrible? :) You will have this all figured out soon enough.

Thanks guys. Looking back, I think I was dehydrated before the race began. Hardly drank anything after waking up (always nervous about needing to go to the bathroom right before the race). I definitely need to work on nutrition both before and during the 1/2. Excellent advice. Thank you.

The off days happen...you have a good attitude about it. you know your training is solid and you are on a great track to Boston. Chalk it up to a great workout and learning experience :)

Jake and I usually drink a lot of some type of electrolyte drink the day before the race so we don't have to worry about drinking much the day of the race. I take one Gu at 7 miles of a half, I feel like it gives me a little boost for the rest of the race. But I'm also out there racing for several minutes longer than you.

1:13 off steady running with the odd tempo thrown in is good going. It's a platform to build on.

I've never raced a half marathon and the wise words of others on Gus may make more sense than what I have to say.

If I remember correctly, Jake doesn't do the whole Gu thing in a half. I think all he drinks is his spit:) This would be my approach too.

If you are stocked up on carbs and water before the race, you shouldn't need to take anything in a half. When I say that, I don't mean others are wrong to take on carbs and water, but if you're stocked up properly on carbs you should be able to go for 1:20 - 1:30 at race pace without any problems. Again, if Fritz takes on a Gu at 7/8, then maybe there's something in it.

If you felt flat from the off, then maybe your body is fighting off a cold or something.

Before you went into the race, I thought you would run about 1:12. Maybe 1:11. With a few more miles and some more tempo runs and the odd speed session, you'll be going well under 1:10, with or without Gus:)

Very perceptive advice Bam and Andrea. Much appreciated. I'm familiar with the physiology also Bam, and that's why I thought I wouldn't need any nutrition or liquid during the race (knowing that I would be running for well under 90 min). Next time I'll probably take some nutrition though, just in case it helps (it's not going to hurt as long as I've practiced doing so during training, which I have).

Bam, your thought about being sick is a good one. I've not been 100% healthy for about 1.5 months, and I'm not exactly sure why. The past few days I have felt worse. Perhaps that affected my performance. I didn't mention it because it hasn't seemed to make a huge difference with my training thus far. I've had antibiotics and a short course of oral steroids. I do have asthma, and so when I get sick it always goes to my lungs. But I don't recall ever being sick for this long. Very annoying. Maybe I need a different antibiotic or combination of inhalers.

Thanks again. I really appreciate it. Please keep the feedback coming. I have a lot to learn.

Matt I'm not an expert or as fast so take it for what it's worth :) but i take a 24-30 ounce electrolyte bottle and have it finished with an hour to race time. This gives my body time to expel before the race starts and keeps me hydrated. I carry a gu and take it if needed around mile 8. Most of the time i don't need it but it's nice to have when i do.

You've definitely got a much faster one in you right now but by the time you race again, and if healthy, I'm sure you'll be even better. You're set for a big year!

Nice race Matt. These types of races where we feel we underperformed can be some of the best motivation we can get. Use this to fuel your future training and efforts and go out and get a great time on the next one.

As for fuel during a half, I think everyone has to find what works for them. And you'll get that figured out. I don't drink or take gu during a half. I never have taken a gu and I've only taken water once. But I know I always have stomach issues and so I avoid anything that may make that worse. Other runners really like drinking and taking a gu. I think what works for you in training will work for you in a race, so go with that.

Great advice, Riley and Brandon. All good points. And thanks for the encouragement!

Sorry about the disappointing race Matt. You're definitely in better shape (I should know; I've watched you leave me in the dust every workout the past 2 months)!

It will come.

Still a good race all things considered. Races like this where we fight the entire time make us stronger and we all now you are capable of better. Use this race to motivate you moving forward and keep on keeping on.

Fueling- I am no expert and everyone is SO different but I've finished enough races in the medical tent to figure out its important. Figure out your sweat ratio and experiment in training. Proper Hydration can be critical in my opinion.

A few weeks ago I'm pretty sure you could have knocked off a 1:10 if we kept that tempo run going for another 15 minutes, so while I know you're a bit disappointed, you also know that you've got a lot more in the tank. You haven't raced a ton, so you're going have a few that aren't up to your expectations... But we also all know that when you catch fire, it's going to be something special.

Regarding your food/drink question, I like to chug 32 oz of an electrolyte drink before going to bed and have a drink handy during the night for when I wake up to expel that original 32 oz. when I wake up, I'll drink another ~16 oz 1.5-2 hrs before the race with a powerbar and then I'm done drinking / eating... Other than a couple small sips after I warmup. Obviously everyone's physiology is a bit different but this works for me... I've never had GI issues during a race. During a HM, I would choke to death if I tried to even drink anything. Like bam said, if you load up well the day before, you should have plenty of stored calories to get you through the race... And then hit the wall about 3 miles into your cool down like I always do :-)

SLC Winter Series now... Come set some post-residency PRs at every distance!

Thanks Mike, Rachelle, and Jake. I really appreciate your support.

Excellent specific examples of ways to hydrate, Jake. Something I definitely need to work on. Like I've said before, it's been a long time -- I'm a bit rusty with these kinds of things. It will come. Yeah, when we finished that 10-mile tempo a couple weeks ago, I really felt good, and I feel could have kept that pace for another 3 miles. So yes, I know I've got a lot more in the tank. Frustrating that I didn't prove it yesterday, but I've got to be patient and let it happen next time. Thanks again.

SLC Winter Series -- sounds fun!

Hope the legs are feeling ok after the race. Keep plugging away and it will all fall into place...

Thanks Bam. My hamstring is tweaked a bit, but otherwise my legs are fine. I appreciate your advice and support. Yes, that is one clever cat you've got. Very interesting.

Nice tempo Matt. It's good to see your legs are recovered from Saturday. Keep up the good work.

Awesome workout Matt! Glad to hear you are feeling good.

I'm glad you had the confidence / intelligence to wait 4+ days after the race before hitting it harder again. Smart move.

Thanks guys. Just taking after you Jake (resting for a few days after the race).

it was a clear summer morning... :)

Nice workout Matt. All day? < 2:20 @ Boston here you come!

Nice tempo, Matt. Good move to wait before doing anything harder. Sensible too, to keep it at 4 miles with the hamster nibbling away atcha.

So very consistent! Nice call avoiding the ice buddy.

Yep, like Frankenstein says, "so very consistent."

It'll be exciting to see how you go when you start spicing things up...

OK. You definitely get the "Tough as Nails" award for the day. 3 freaking AM to do a 20 miler by yourself! I'm not sure I'll ever match the that feat. Way to get 'er done!

Matt, you need to see a Doctor - that's just pure nuts:) Well done for getting the miles in. Were you dreaming as you were running?

Yes Bam, I was dreaming. It actually was quite a surreal experience. Felt like I was in some alien movie where I'm the only human alive and the rest of the world is silent. Glad to have got it in though.

Weekend MVP. Not even a contest. That's some dedication!

Good analogy on the run Matt. Fantastic run. I have done 3 of those this winter and it's not easy. And bam is right 3am to start is "needing to see a doc time"... All good. Good talk too. See ya Monday.

Your an animal Matt! Way to get it done.

And I thought my 5am run was early! Nice job getting it down. What kind of headlamp do you use? I need more "safety" equipment, but my headlamp bobs all over the place and bugs me.

Really? Can I get your autograph?

Talk about dedication! You're a stud Matt.

Thanks guys. I know I'm a bit crazy, but I've learned that sometimes you have to seize the moment when it's your only opportunity to run.

Melody, I use the Petzl headlamp (model # Tikka xp2). It's heavier than some lamps, but it's very bright. I never owned a headlamp until I moved to Lehi -- as you know, there are very few street lamps here. If I'm wearing a winter hat, it doesn't slide around. If I'm not, it sometimes does slide around a bit, which can be annoying.

Wow, nice work Matt. That's some serious dedication. You are basically pointing out to everyone who "doesn't have time" to work out or get in a run that they are liars and lazy. :)

That's funny Fritz. Certainly wasn't my intent, but that is a funny comment!

Wow, that's fast. Nice work Matt. And I hear ya, I'm done with this winter too!!!

Good running Matt. 5 min miles for 4 miles is good going, especially as you felt you could continue. Great workout.

No doubt you did the workout at 2 in the morning...:)

Hoorah for TM tempos today. 12mph, wow. that is smokin'!

pretty soon you'll be doing the 10 @ 12mph :)

Great workout Matt! Way to not let the icy roads get you down. I agree with Brandon, Fritz's 10 @ 12 challenge may go down soon.

Great workout! Another really fast Utah guy. You guys up there rock. Keep it up!

Great run Matt! Those legs will catch up to the lungs soon and 10@12 will be done. :)

Sick! That is one great TM workout!

Your treadmill must be getting tired but nice job putting it to work. I definitely used very different muscles running on the snow for 10 miles on Sunday. Probably wasn't the best idea with a hamstring problem but I think I survived with minimal damage. Are your "easy" TM miles in the 7's? Sorry, I had to ask. :)

You can always ask me anything you want Fritz! I'm glad you survived Sunday's snow run with minimal damage :) As you know, in college I used to be die-hard about never running slower than 6:30 miles -- ever. I really believe that was a huge mistake. Now I do whatever I feel my body needs, which often makes for some VERY slow running. My legs are quite sore from my workout yesterday morning, so yesterday evening I did 8:30 pace for a couple miles and then kept it at 8:00 for the rest of the run. This morning, I started at almost 9:00 for a mile, then kept it at 8:00 for 9 miles. This evening, I mostly did 8:00, but actually went down to 7:40 pace for the last couple miles.

Absolute snail pace. But it's allowing me to recover Fritz. It sure takes a lot of patience, because I just want to get it over with, but it feels right because of my current need for recovery. They are probably just junk miles, but I firmly believe a "junk" mile counts just as much as a 5:00 mile. I feel that running as easy as my body needs is one reason I've made good progress the past couple months. Sorry for the long answer -- I enjoyed the question Fritz. I never thought I'd be one to run so easy during recovery. I really believe there is something to it.

Truly inspirational. I am giving this a try tomorrow. Now I just need to wake up earlier to get in the same number of miles. :)

I failed today. Of course I had a distance goal and my shoveling set me back on time. Bad excuses I know. I will try again soon.

Hilarious Fritz! Yeah, that shoveling is really cramping our lifestyles. It's been non-stop.

18m on the TM? I don't know how you do it. Well done Matt. Can't wait for some clear roads.

I'm with Mike, 18 miles on a treadmill takes some doing.

It's funny reading all the snow clearing anecdotes. Over here, it rarely snows, but when it does we get about an inch and the country come to a halt. Nobody has to clear snow - that might be why.

Awesome miles Matt and I really enjoyed your answer to Fritz question about running easy. I know for a fact that I recover better when I run really slow on easy days. It can be VERY hard mentally but it really makes a huge difference and makes the hard days really count.

Bam, I'd sure love to see your neck of the woods some day. It sounds gorgeous in Ireland.

Thanks Rachelle. When I started running very easy on recovery days, I worried that it might negatively affect my faster running. Not only has this not been the case, but in fact the opposite has occurred.

I gotta chime in on this discussion on pace of easy runs. I think my view is contrary to 90% of this blog, but that's ok.

Matt, I used to hammer easy runs no slower than 6:30 too. This is one end of the spectrum and it's not wise to always run that fast.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have really, really easy or "junk" miles in the 7:30-9:00 or slower pace.

I think the best place to be (as is the case in most things) is somewhere in the middle of the two extremes.

I like to think of easy runs and recovery runs as two separate types of runs. A recovery run to me is any run within 24 hours or so of a hard workout. Recovery pace should be as slow as you feel you need. You will get some junk miles in a recovery run.

Easy runs are simply that, easy runs that don't fit the recovery category. These runs in my opinion SHOULD be in the 6:30-7:00 range. The goal of the run is no longer recovery (although you can still continue recovery at these paces), it is to at least maintain or even slightly improve aerobic capacity. You cannot do that at paces slower than 7:00 in my opinion.

So, my typical week is Monday easy (6:30-6:50 pace), Tuesday hard, Wednesday recovery (6:45-7:30, depending on how I feel), Thursday hard, Friday recovery, and then Saturday either hard or easy/hard finish (6:30-6:45 pace).

I think consecutive easy/recovery days slower than 7:30 are unneccesary. And if one feels they "need" two days in a row at that slow of a pace, they are either doing too much volume for their fitness level or they are doing their hard workouts too fast.

That's my view and I know most (90% most likely) on this blog disagree and love high volume with lots of slow miles, but I had to get this off my chest. You can all now shake your heads, think I don't know what I'm talking about, and move on, and that's fine I won't be offended. :-)

Riley, thanks for your wise comments. Very perceptive, and I really appreciate your insight. I think you and I see a lot more eye-to-eye than you realize. Let me clarify. Most of my easy runs are near 7:00 pace, sometimes faster and sometimes slower. The point I was trying to make is that now I just go by feel, whereas in college I never did anything slower than 6:30. I was injured a lot in college, and looking back I feel doing this contributed to my injures. I've learned (and only recently) that this is not necessary.

Occasionally I will do an entire run at 8:00 pace. This week, I did several runs at that pace because it felt right. My legs were thrashed from Monday, so 8:00 pace felt right for a couple days. Although lung-wise my workout Monday felt like a walk in the park, for my legs it was hard work. Perhaps (as you talked about) I over-did it on Monday and needed too many slow-paced runs afterword.

But I'll tell ya, I really do believe that long, slow miles (when necessary) are just as important as fast miles. Maybe not aerobically, but recovery-wise, etc.

Great comments and advice, Riley!

Glad you can finally breathe again!

Thanks Andrea. Breathing is over-rated! :) It is amazing how much of a difference it makes.

Nice miles today, and great workout Monday! Good luck with the breathing. Looks like you're coming around.

2 in a row!?! Good news on the lungs. Great work!

Another big day. Nice work. How are those treadmill miles affecting your electric bill? I have always wondered how much energy they use and since 24 Hour pays my bill I wouldn't know. Of course it's worth it if it helps the lungs and prevents ice injuries.

It's likely a benefit for your lungs having the inversion gone too. Glad you're feeling better Matt.

Fritz, I'm not sure how the treadmill affects my electric bill. Relatively speaking, I don't do treadmill all that often, and when I do I do about half my treadmill workouts at home and half at the local rec center. I haven't noticed a large bump in my electric bill, but I'll have to pay closer attention.

Nice workout Matt. Hopefully that twinge is just a twinge. Eventually the blog won't be able to provide sufficient emotional support to another injured person. :)

Good tempo Matt. You're stringing together some great tempo runs. I like how these, aligned with the consistent miles, are fromulating a strong base for the rest of the year.

Hope the leg settles. Wise choice to take a day off to quell the whinge from the twinge.

Nice workout Matt. 2 great efforts this week. Hope the knee feels better for tomorrow.

great workout Matt. Those are fantastic tempo runs. I can't wait til I can call 5:20 pace my MP :) fun training with you and the rest of the crazies.

You looked strong especially up that fun hill at the end. Figuring out how to add pictures took me about as long as this run. I add them to a Google album then right click and then select "Copy Image URL". Paste that into the URL box when you Add an Image while editing a post. Good luck!

Thanks Fritz. I appreciate the instructions. I'll see if I can figure it out.

Thanks Fritz. I finally figured it out, thanks to you!

Easy does it. An observer might even say I jogged today as I crossed the road.

Nice run! Good luck with the hamstring.

Smart taking easy. Keep it up, less than 10 weeks now. So excited for you.

Wow... Fritz actually logged a jog :) Hope that hamstring improves quickly.

Nice reps Matt. Way to stay on the right side of the "hamstring threshold".

Way to finish strong. Gotta love that wind!

Thanks guys. Yep Jake, that "hamstring threshold" is something I constantly struggle with. Overall, though, my hamstring has made good, steady progress over the past several months.

Great workout Matt. Always a pleasure to draft off you...if even for a little bit.

Nice workout Matt. That's one of my favourite/most dreaded sessions as it's a great 5k indicator.

The wind may have done you a favour by preventing you from going over the hamstring threshold.

At this stage, AP of 5:10 in the wind is great going and things will only get better. Exciting...

Nicely done Matt. Sometimes it's hard to remember that slower intervals into the wind are fine if the effort is the same. Effort is really the key and you went with that, so good job.

Awesome workout Matt and great negative split on that last mile. I like to think that running in the wind builds character. :)

Thanks guys. I appreciate your support.

You all need to check this picture out. It's from the finish of the 2013 Dubai Marathon, where a record 5 guys broke 2:05. Unbelievable.

That is an amazing photo... its like a cross country finish... except they're all running 2:04 marathons!!!

Inspirational. More like a 5k finish than a marathon. 10 years ago all 5 would have broken the world record!

Unbelievable.. is right. Looking at how far apart these guys are and how close their times are really puts into perspective how fast they're covering ground. And the fans' faces show a bit of disbelief, too..

Great photo Matt. It'd be good to see a photo of all the boyoes off here at the finish of a marathon. Maybe 5 or so going sub 2:18. The order would be interesting... 1st Bam, I'll ye all squabble over the the minor places:)

Amazing photo. That would have been awesome to watch in person.

I can't believe how close they are after such a long race. Amazing.

This picture is great!

Yes, Bam, that would be fun. You would be 1st, of course, and the rest of us would fight over 2nd place! :)

Matt, this photo is awesome...completely mind boggling that 3 of these first 5 are doing their debut marathons on this race. I hope we can have a local photo finish like this soon. :)

Anxious to see your race report!... Congrats on the podium finish!

smart call on the day off! The guy in green was the victim.

Great recap. I loved the way you finished that thing. When I saw you off in the distance and it was still close, I knew you'd come out on top. It was exciting watching you finish.

Get that hammy under control. Couple easy days, you won't miss a beat in the long run.

What a fun report to read. I felt like I was there watching you had me so captivated. Congratulations on the awesome race Matt! Your hard work, consistant miles, dedication, and mental toughness is absolutely paying off. Very happy for you.

I love that last picture! Congrats my friend! Take care of that hammy. I knew you would do well today.

Excellent race Matt! Just a sign of great things to come!

Great pics! That is about the best race face I have ever seen. Determination to the core. You deserved the 3rd place finish. Smartly played.

Congrats on 3rd place Matt. And that was an excellent race report. I felt like I was watching the race unfold. I could feel the wind and snow and the icy conditions. I could hear the rasping breaths. See the sweat transforming to blebs of ice. My mouth filled with the icy air and my lungs pained. Great stuff.

The battle for 3rd was one serious scrap. Loved the way you almost stopped to make him take his turn. The pain of the last mile came through and I'm now itching to go for my little pootle.

The pictures are great. I'm saying nothing about those sleeve thingymajigs:)Nothing!

Great race Matt, that is a very impressive time in those conditions. Your are running very strong now, keep up the great training.

Nice to have such an impressive group of guys to train with and motivate you!

Nicely done Matt. You ran a tough and gutsy race and it paid off with your podium finish. You'll only going to keep getting faster.

Awesome! Gutsy finish and all.

Superficially Matt is a soft spoken, nice guy. Come race day he is as competitive and ruthless as they come.

Love it! Congrats.

Great race Matt! you definitely have that killer instinct...you were in quite a battle with Nate. Love the photos, thanks for posting!

Fantastic finish my friend. You've been very consistent and patient. I love the look of determination on your face in these photos. Thank you for the inspiring run. You keep the fire going for a lot of us.

Thanks everyone. I appreciate your support much more than you have any idea.

Bam, I wore the arm compression sleeves just for you! :) Actually, that is the first time I have worn compression sleeve anything. I'm still not sure how I feel about them :) My wife and my Dad keep harassing me about them. They sure kept my arms warm though. My upper body never got cold. My legs, however, were numb. Couldn't even feel them. I guess it's time for compression stockings :) Just kidding -- I'm still not planning to wear those :)

you weren't kidding when you said your motivation is to destroy other runners in races. way to fight!

that 'rawr' picture is awesome.

Bro that new profile pic is freaking awesome! Winter was actually scared that day of you ;). Seriously though bro thanks for being the perfect mentor for "the second wind". Means a lot to run with you and other guts in the group. In a few years there is going to be some unreal masters competition in this state alone. Glad to join the party ;)

Don't knock the socks - they are awesome too. Once you try them out in a cold race you'll never go back. Kinda like the arm sleeves. Plus I find the entire compression look super intimidating.

Thanks Allie, Melody, and Spencer!

Good point, Melody! I'd better not knock the socks. I just enjoy harassing Bam. I really enjoyed the arm sleeves. They totally kept me warm. I've just never tried the socks. What do you think, Bam? :) And, hey, if they look intimidating, what more could you want?

Amazing race, especially under those conditions. That picture of you near the finish is ridiculously cool. You definitely know how to push it.

no regrets is the way to go. I would take a good performance with a tweak over not racing and no tweak any day. The trick is knowing when a tweak could become an injury but it sounds like you know your limits in this case. I hope it's back to normal soon.

Thanks Fritz. Excellent advice.

Hope the hamstring settles quickly so that you can back to mashing up the roads of Utah.

Maybe a little cutback in intensity this week will be a good thing in the long term. Hopefully some more easy runs and it won't get anymore jacked up.

Thanks, Bam and Jake. Hamstring is still bad -- I'm hoping it improves soon. Hopefully I can keep doing easy running (no speed for me for awhile).

Haha! I just spotted the 'Terminator' at the top of your blog - it goes well with the picture. The guy behind you looks like the more advanced Terminator in Terminator 2!

Yes, Bam, you are the nick-naming machine. I took yours for me, and ran with it.

Take good care of that hammy! You're being smart in not pushing it; you're in good shape and don't want to jeopardize that by pushing it too hard on the hammy.

+1 on what The Sizzler said. Play it safe and stay healthy - you can't get faster if you can't run.

Hope you have a good time in KY. Sorry to hear about the hamstring. I am convinced that the exercises that isolate my hamstring having been doing more harm than good. On Wednesday it was feeling great after two days of nothing then I did some of my PT routine and the tweak came back. who knows...

Good points Fritz. Yeah, hamstrings are definitely frustrating. And, I agree -- I'm not sure all the hamstring PT I've been doing has made any difference. We've both got to get this hamstring thing behind us -- for good.

Nice run today. Effort tends to feel easier with company. Good luck with the hamstring - not fun.

Andrea was doing some specific hamstring isolated exercises this week too, and it seems to have made her worse too. What a stupid muscle group the hamstrings are... Impossible to figure out!!

Glad you got to hook up with a running buddy while you're away. Sorry to hear the hamstring isn't feeling better. I'm almost as anxious for it to get better as you are :-) Maybe some pool running next week is in order.

Sorry to hear about the hammy. Very frustrating. Play it smart. You've still got plenty of time until Boston with your base and fitness.

Hope you manage to sort out the hamstring. Injuries are so frustrating; sometimes you've got to listen to your body and rest so that it can work its magic.

When I go in the pool, I probably work hard enough to get my heart rate up to about 80 bpm... slightly higher than what I would get to if I was just going fishing or some water activity like that :-)

If nothing else, hammering out an hour on the stairmaster makes you mentally tough. And 1.5 miles of backwards running! I hate to laugh, but that's kind of funny!

Looks like the WR for backwards mile is a 6:57

This guy sounds odd

Garret added: “Backwards running is like a drug — once you start, you’ll never want to run forwards again.

“It’s truly liberating, and there are enormous health benefits. It’s much better for your body than running forwards, as it’s lower impact.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4342506/World-backwards-running-champ-smashes-his-own-record.html

Andrea was doing backwards running last fall. She'd do like 3+ miles of it. I don't know how she never tripped.

I agree. Definitely funny. As you can see, I'm desperate and I'm trying everything. I really have had success in the past with backwards running helping hamstring issues. While doing so yesterday, I definitely got some funny looks from people. I chuckled inside. But, deep down, I could care less. If it helps, I don't care what others think.

Fritz, because I've done enough backwards running through the years, I honestly think I could beat that world record. But, I promise I'll never try. Certainly wouldn't want to be known for that! :) That guy sounds like a freak. "Like a drug?" I don't think so. Now that's funny.

I found that elliptical and spin bike are the best ways for me to cross train. But you have to hammer. If your hammy can handle it workouts like 30" on 30" off can really help maintain fitness.

Great advice, Kevin. I've done similar workouts in the past, and I agree: they can be killer. They're as tough as you make them. Once, while in college, I walked away staggering from a similar spin bike workout. Brutal.

Great work Matt. You've definitely got the mental commitment to maintain your fitness as evidenced by your tough cross-training. I'd agree, after the bike, I'd prefer a stair master-type machine over an elliptical. You can really work up a sweat.

Justin, you and Fritz are the cross-training kings. What you can do on the bike absolutely amazes me!

Sorry to hear that you haven't seen any improvement. Have you tried using a tennis ball and really digging into it? I hope you see some improvement soon.

Fritz, I haven't yet tried a tennis ball, but I've thought about it. Great idea. I'll give it a whirl. Thanks for the tip. I have, however, been having brutal trigger-point type massages (mostly my wife's elbow, thumb, etc.), and an occasional brutal formal massage.

Sorry about the hamstring. It'll be great to have you back out there!

Your wife's elbow should be more effective but the tennis ball is still very convenient because you can use it while sitting in a chair at work. Obviously I am still no expert when it comes to fixing hamstrings. I think being sick and doing nothing for two days was a blessing in disguise for me. Have you tried getting sick? :) Kidding aside I hope yours gets better soon.

Hope you get better. Such a tough decision to rest or run especially when nothing's fixing it. Sounds like you have a very helpful wife, though!

Thanks guys. Good point Fritz -- maybe I need to get sick again :) Tennis ball... here we come.

early birds got the worm today!

glad you were able to get in a good run!

You guys missed out on a great day to race!

Some good miles there, Matt. Prudent to peel off at 15.

That's what I heard, Kevin! I'd have been there if it wasn't for my hamstring.

Great running with you Matt. Hope the hamstring heals quickly!

Nice you got some good miles in still. Take care Matt!

Sounds like a good plan. My attitude towards Boston is similar to yours. I am trying to stay optimistic that I will be able to get in quality runs/miles before the race but time is certainly ticking. Let's hope for the best.

That's what i did last year Matt so i totally understand. I really wanted to bring my A game to go out there. Last year i bagged it. This year I'm going to cross that line and try to enjoy the experience. You can always hang with me if the hammy doesn't get where you want it. But i am wishing you the very best to get better!!! As slow as i am already going to run I know I'll run at least 10 minutes faster if you are there :).

Makes sense Matt. In the grand scheme of things a couple of weeks will not make much difference to your running 'career'.

It's better to take off two weeks (longer if necessary) and come back healed. If you keep hammering away when you are injured, all that's going to happen is that you'll end up worse - pretty obvious really.

I would suggest that you watch your weight. It creeps up on you and it's a nightmare to get rid of it again; it also makes the 'comeback' harder.

Look after yourself and you'll be flying in no time.

Good attitude Matt. Smart to take care of it now. I hope it heals quickly.

Hang in there Matt. I can certainly relate to your frustration....Been through plenty injury bouts over the years myself. It'll pass and you'll come back fired-up and ready to kick trash. Praying for you for Boston.

Thanks guys. Much appreciated. Good advice regarding the weight, Bam. My goal is to keep my weight under 150 during my time off from running. I'm currently right on the edge.

Hang in there Matt. You have a great attitude and if you hit the cross-training hard, as boring as it is, you won't lose much fitness.

The weight thing is definitely something to watch. When I don't run I pack it on quickly and it's soooo hard to get it back off. Don't starve yourself, but watch the unnecessary calories.

Thanks, Riley. And, great advice!

Nice work. Keep it up Matt. Can't wait to have you back out.

Very nice work Matt! You'll be back in no time.

That's the way to keep the lard off; do you wear your sleeves when you cross train:)?

Bam, I wear every type of sleeve I can find when I cross train :) Just kidding -- I've only done the sleeve thing once -- arm ones during that 10k. And I'm sure I'll never live that down :)

Nice workout today! Killer effort on the stairs.

Haha i can't wait until you break that thing. I'm not sure it can take that abuse too much longer. nice work!

That is some tough work. Do you touch the handle bars? I don't think I have ever done 60 mins with no hands at the max level.

Fritz, I sometimes touch the handle bars. I change positions frequently because I get bored, so sometimes I use the handle bars and sometimes I don't. What do you do?

So then Terminator, I see you're in a right old tear-up with the lard:it's creeping up towards that 150 mark - once it hits 150, it'll be like taking a good dig and needing a standing 8 to recover; tough stuff, even for a hard man like yourself.

Perhaps if you were to get more sleep - I noticed you don't get much more than 6 hrs sleep - you wouldn't be raiding the cookie jar when everybody is in bed at night. Oh yes, Terminator, you might think I dont know about your little sugar vice, but I do.

Remember, I watching you; I'm watching you very carefully:)

Hahahaha now thats funny right there BAM. Matt you are an animal on that thing. The stairmaster that is... not the cookie jar ;).

Guilty as charged, Bam!

The machine can't go any faster than that, right? Nice work. Burning those calories will keep that weight down despite what Mr. BAM thinks. :) Depends on the day but I usually do intervals with no hands and try to minimize the time touching the bars near my hips. If I am really motivated I will do a 10 minute warm up then 50 minutes with no hands.

Fritz, there is only one way the machine can go faster -- doing level 20 the entire time. For this workout, I did level 19 for 30 min, and then level 20 for 30 min. Great technique with the stairmaster, Fritz! Definitely more difficult to not use hands.

We stopped in AF and said no way. It was a little better in Riverton. Glad to see you got in some running miles today.

Good to see you back out running. How's the hammy?

Still not good, Bam. I'm trying everything. Decided to run a bit to test it.

Sorry about that. Just go easy on it and don't risk doing any more damage or hurting another part of your body.

Thanks Bam!

Sorry to hear its not feeling better Matt.

Bummer on the hammy. Good advice from Bam though. Weird it was so windy down there, it was crazy beautiful running weather up here this morning.

You picked the wrong day for a run!

Sorry about the hammy. Hang in there.

Sorry 'bout the hamstring. Hopefully it gets worked out soon. Way to brave the wind today.

Doctor, Doctor, I think I'm invisible.

Next please.

The old ones are the best ones.

Hope the hammy's healing!

Nice one, Bam!

Yeah, I wish I could say my hamstring is improving. But, it is no better. Very frustrating. I'm trying everything. Oh well, some day...

You are definitely the resident expert on the forum here - but for what it's worth I ran on a mildly strained hamstring for several months last year. It flared up after speed workouts (of course), but I never felt like it affected me negatively or created other problems so I kept at it. It finally stopped bothering me after 9 months - I still don't know why or what finally made it go away. You are smart - just do what you think is best! Good luck.

I hope you're starting to feel better Matt.

You're back!! So good to see :)

Thanks Andrea! I've really missed it. I'm thankful to be returning to good health.

I'm sure pulling for you! You will find answers, and you will be back. I understand what it's like not to be able to pursue your passion. I've had extended injuries many times previously (sometimes for as long as one year). Eventually, you will get healthy. Best of luck with your doctor's visit in Tennessee!

A nice cheeky 66 miles this week! Good sign!

Thanks Scott!

Yoda is back to business

Great news Matt. You'll be back in no time at the rate you are going.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day was on TV last night. An omen that you were on the comeback!

Great to see you're back! "Easing" into things quite nicely.

Welcome back Matt! I've missed your posts. I have a feeling this little setback is just preceding a huge breakthrough. Be smart as you're getting back into things.

Great news. Now, don't rush it, with all that extra poundage you might be vulnerable:) Good to see you back running.

Welcome back! Glad you are on the mend and being smart.

Welcome back man! I've missed the Terminator's posts!

And hey look on the bright side, you may be up 10 pounds, but you're still lighter than me!

Happy to see this Matt! See you soon.

Knee sore?! What is with everyone's knees? We got to get rid of this knee pandemic on the blog!

Nice miles and good call yesterday. Knees must not be used to the pounding again yet.. :)

Nice work Matt! We should get together for some ice cream since it looks like both of us have had our share lately haha :)! Hope to see you guys tomorrow morning or Saturday.

very cool Frankenstein and Terminator united again :)

It was a fun one Matt, thanks!

153-4 lbs, knocking on a bit (age wise that is), coming back from an injury and having the ability to drop out a cheeky little tempo at 5:30 pace - I'd say that workout's something to write home about. Good to see you knuckling down.

"Relaxed and strong".. That's gotta feel good after some time off - especially at that pace.

Thanks, Bam and Matt. Much appreciated.

You mean I could have woken up at 3:30 instead of 5 today? Dang it! Nice work brotha....

Nice job gettin' it done.

Now that takes some dedication. Nice job. It's always good to get it done.

Great work Matt. Bet the roads were busy at that time.

You are crazy but it is great to see you running strong again.

Matt, don't stand anywhere near Brandon at the start line today. He's up to something. I don't know what it is, but he's up to something. Keep glancing over your shoulder every few hundred yards and just be ready for anything. He's up to something - I can feel it in my waters:)

Yes, Bam, the roads were ridiculously busy for my Wednesday run. Couldn't believe it. Obviously, I'm just kidding. Not a sign of a human. Just an occasional nocturnal animal running across the road.

I know I'm crazy, Rachelle. I'm Ok with it :) However, there is something fun (in a sick way) about the feeling of being essentially the only living thing on the roads.

Thanks for the heads up, Bam, for the 5k this morning. I kept a close watch on Brandon (or is it Brenda?). I'm not sure what he was up to, or what he did, but I'm sure it wasn't good :)

Nice run today! I didn't realize how off the couch that was!

I had a blast today. Thanks so much for humoring me and making a day of it. It made it so much better to have you there, now if I just had some of your speed. Your off the couch and mine are much different haha, I need a new couch :).

You ran a great race today and I'm excited for you moving forward. We're going to have a lot of fun this year.

Great race for off the couch! Also, thanks for answering all those questions afterwards. I'm sure I'll have more. I've met so many doctors that are now glad to have the pay check but would never do it over again etc. I'm impressed with your passion for your career as well as your family.

Brandon, you can have my couch. I need to get off it more :)

Trevor, you can ask me questions any time. No topic is off limits. Although medical school, residency, and fellowship were brutal beyond description, I really would do it again. I absolutely love orthopedic sports medicine. It is definitely a passion. I'm weird, I know :) I mainly do knees, shoulders, and fractures, and I love it. If I didn't have a passion for it, it definitely would not have been worth it.

Great job again today!

Solid, Matt. Good to see you back out racing.

Hey, you're officially off the couch now!

Matt I know it wasn't your best performance. But honestly it is good to see you out racing again brother. Hope all is well with the hamstrings!

Well run Matt. Very impressive after the lay-off.

Nice run Matt. Hope the hamstrings hold up. You looked smooth and strong.

great race "off the couch" Good to see ya back in action Yoda....

@mike I have some extra couches too...

Terminator 2! He's back! Nice race Matt, that is a great comeback race. It'll be fun to see you get your fitness back over the summer.

Nice 16:30 from couch to 5k! Should be sub 16 in no time. Nice race.

"I had no business racing a 5k today, but I did it anyway"

Spoken like a true runner. Great job, Matt. You didn't miss a beat!

impressive race for just coming back. glad you are healthy and getting back into your groove.

Great race Matt! That's gotta be fun getting back out there.

Great effort on the race. You are tough as nails--those of us that run with you know how tough you really are. Take care of those hamstrings--I'm looking forward to some great performances from you this year! Hat's off my friend!

And one more thing...those 5 sec do matter! At least they do to me. I am glad that others noticed the timing issues as well.

Not to shabby for "off the couch" Matt! Awesome pacing and great race.

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated.

I totally agree, Melody. 5 seconds absolutely do matter! This one didn't bother me, however, because I wasn't anywhere near peak performance. Had I been, though, I would have definitely been upset.

Nice work Matt! Looks like you're coming back strong.

Looks like your getting back in shape. That's an awesome tempo to finish off a heck of a day! Nice run, Matt!

i see you're signed up for the UV 1/2 along with the rest of the crew! Great workout to prep for it!

Thanks guys. Yes, Trevor, I figure I'll give UV 1/2 a go. Another gauge to see where my fitness is at. Are you racing it also?

Yeah I'm in as well.... I'm more in 5k 10k shape right now but whatever... It'll be fun to run with all of you guys!

It will be great to have you there, Trevor. I've found that when I'm in great 5k/10k shape, as long as I have a good base, I'm usually ready for a 1/2 as well. You will be fine.

Nice workout.

After many years of doing them, I've given up on the downhill tempo runs on pavement in the interest of running longevity.

Good point, Rob. Always important to think about longevity. Until this run, I had never done a tempo on downhill like that. It was definitely fun, but probably not a good idea to do it too often.

very fun event Matt. Really cool to push the kids. Lot of fun. Kids looked awesome!

That's so cool! I really need to drag my kids to one of those.

I need to do it more too, Dave! They had a blast, and they all surprised themselves!

So fun this morning. I think the kids all had a blast. Lincoln thinks you guys are all the coolest, thanks for making him feel special today.

Awesome Matt! That had to have been fun pacing your son's PR. Sounds like a fun time!

And it came to pass that when the Old Terminator began to crumble and fade:) his offspring began to grow in power and strength and speed and soon those humans that feared the Old Terminator cowered in fear of the New Poulsen Terminator - Terminator Jnr...

Now that's funny, Bam! Love it.

Hamstring must be trying to cooperate this time around. Nice runs today Matt.

I should have called you. I was driving by your house area after 5. Nice work today

nice double Yoda...

I've been bad with sleep this week too! It definitely wears on you during your early morning runs. You're looking strong though, getting that mileage back up. Keep it up!