Coming Home

L and I are going to Minnesota this weekend to see family so I had to get my long run in today.  Unfortunately Angie and N are staying home.  The biggest reason for this is because at the time I was making plans to go to MN we had just returned from a trip to Montana where N was a train wreck on the both flights and all car rides in between.  As soon as we got back we both decided we were never (slight exaggeration) going to fly anywhere ever again.  Now that the trip is only a day away, and the thoughts of 5 hour drives with N crying/screaming/whining long gone, we are wishing we had booked the trip for 4.  Either way I'm excited for L to have time playing with her MN cousins and spend some time with her great grandpa.  OK, I'm a bit excited to see everyone too!

Back to my run.  I did a short 3+ mile run on the treadmill Monday where I started at a speed of 5.0 and increased it by 0.2 every 2 minutes until I was at 6.4 at which point I started slowing back down until I was back at 5.0.  I don't know about you but I don't believe treadmill speeds.  Sure, I believe the walking speeds (< 4.0) but once I get into the 5s and 6s I don't.  When I put the treadmill at 6.0, which is a 10 min/mile, I have to run pretty hard.  When I'm running outside I have a very hard time running slow enough to be at a 10 min/mile pace.  I'm sure my strides are all out of whack when I'm on the treadmill and that probably has a lot to do with it.  I guess I need to get one of those foot pods that count the number of strides in a mile and compare inside to outside.  Anyway, I got 8 miles in today at an average pace of 9:19 min/mile.  Oh yeah, ONE MONTH FROM TODAY IS THE HALF MARATHON!

That uphill climb from mile 2 through mile 4 were rough today

Well, this is the week everyone has been waiting for.  CSU vs. Wyoming.  OK, that was a (bad) joke but the Rams do head north to Laramie this weekend to play the Cowboys.  I don't want to get into the game last weekend where CSU blew a 24 - 17 halftime lead on their way to a 34 - 27 lose to San Jose St. on homecoming weekend.  Once again QB Garrett Grayson had many over/underthrows to open receivers and couldn't make a big play when the Rams needed it.  Coach McElwain refuses to play back-up QB Conner Smith and I'm getting frustrated.  The defense continues to give up huge plays so I'm guessing they lose big this week, 38-20.  Oops, I guess I got into it.

The big week I was actually referring to earlier is Peyton's return to Indy when the Colts host the Broncos on Sunday Night Football.  Thank goodness it's a nationally televised game so I can watch it in MN.  This week also brings the much needed return of Von Miller to the lineup.  I can see this game going both ways and if the Broncos win, I think they win big.  Jim Irsay's comments regarding Peyton's in Indy have to bother Manning and, if they win, I bet Manning really sticks it to Irsay.  (As a side note, props to John Fox on sticking up for his QB.)  Unfortunately, I see this as Denver's first loss of the season (please please please be wrong) 37- 34.

If this doesn't give you chills, you must not be a Broncos fan ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4h-THRP2EA (sorry for the poor quality)