Rob Murphy

Week starting Dec 05, 2010

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Location:

Salt Lake City,

Member Since:

Feb 11, 2010

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

I had some success in high school and college. Winner 1985 Rod Dixon Run 

Had a fair amount of success as a Masters runner for most of my 40s. 

Short-Term Running Goals:

Have fun with running, explore more trails, stay healthy.

Long-Term Running Goals:

Keep running and racing consistently for as long as I can. Find what is sustainable for me over the long run.

Personal:

I teach AP European History and other courses at Alta High School. I coached the track and cross country teams at Alta for 16 years.

Married, two kids - Abby and Andy

My Twitter  @murphy_rob

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Miles:This week: 31.75 Month: 142.00 Year: 396.22
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
70.000.004.000.0074.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.500.000.000.0011.50

am: Three easy miles on the treadmill. Plus about 45 minutes of strength training at the gym. Looking forward to a nice run this afternoon. We have sunshine and 40s in the forcast. Might even be able to wear shorts. Although with all the snow melting I'll probably finish with really wet feet.

pm: I decided to go to the gym again this afternoon to spare my legs and avoid our gunky red alert air here in the Salt Lake Valley. Ran 8.5 miles in 63 minutes on the treadmill.

After that, I walked over to Barnes and Nobel and read the entire issue of Trail Running without buying it, the family met me there and we went to Smashburger for dinner. I was "good" and skipped the fries - just a half pound burger.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.250.000.000.0010.25

10.25 miles on the treadmill averaging 8.3 mph. Alternated between 1.5 and 2%.

OK. Now I have to vent. Yesterday I was spending (wasting?) time browsing over some old threads in the discussion forum when I came across one in the Running section entitled "Elite Runner X Does Bad Thing Y...", started by Sasha. Sasha pointed out that virtually all the Olympic trials qualifiers in the Marathon over the past several years from the state of Utah have been LDS. He continued saying that since 30% of Utah's population is non-Mormon, that you would expect 30% of the Olympic trial runners to be non Mormon as well.

Sasha then went on to conclude that it must be the LDS practice of abstaining from alcohol and caffeine that accounted for their disproportionally high numbers among Utah's elite runners. I'm quoting from one of his posts... "so there is something in LDS culture that makes one a better runner".

Here is the real answer in two parts.

1. Almost all elite distance runners in this country start running early in their high school years. As a demographic, high school runners tend to come from affluent, educated, white, suburban families. Outside of Salt Lake City and Park City, the population that fits that demographic in Utah is way more than 70% LDS. Closer to 80 or 90 percent I'd say - going by the demographics at Alta High School where I coach. The non-LDS population of this state is disproportionally lower middle class and minority - groups not traditionally attracted to distance running.

2. We produce lots of national class high school runners here in Utah and many of them are not LDS. Based on my observations as a long time coach in this state, virtually all of the elite LDS runners end up going to college at BYU or somewhere else in Utah. They also tend to remain in the state after graduation. So, when they reach their distance running prime and are thinking about the Olympic trials, they are still Utahans. On the other hand, most of the top non-Mormon kids go to college out of state and they never return. Examples include Laura and Jackie Ziegle, Patrick Smyth, and Luke Puskedra.I believe the Ziegle's went to Colorado, Patrick ran at Notre Dame and is now training at Mammoth with Terrence Mahon. I'm sure if he were here in Utah he'd be dominating the Top of Utah Marathon! Luke just finished 3rd at the NCAA Cross Country championships running for Oregon.

I would agree with Sasha, at least partly, if Utah's non-LDS runners were pounding a twelve pack every night. But I'm fairly certain than most top runners, Mormon or not, have fairly healthy lifestyles.

So there, that's the answer. I feel better now.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(8)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.250.000.000.008.25

Managed to squeeze in a few miles between the end of school and our cross country banquet tonight at 6:00.

Best Buy Loop plus a few laps on the Alta track. Nice weather, no more snow and ice to slip on. 

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Ten miles in 1:16:16 (7:38).

Avoided the treadmill for a second straight day. Best Buy (Tour de Sandy) loop again plus a little extra.

Off to pick up Abby from swimming now and then Christmas caroling through the neighborhood with the Highland Park Elementary 4th grade classes. 

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
2.250.000.000.002.25

Easy treadmill jog to warm up then a massive amount of pumping iron at the gym.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.250.004.000.009.25

60 Minute "treadmill fartlek". Hard efforts consisted of 1-3 minutes at 5:25 to 5:36 pace. Lost track of how many I did.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
22.500.000.000.0022.50

am: Two miles on the treadmill. More later.

pm: Steve Anderson and I ran 20.5 (2:34:18) miles up Emmigration Canyon and back. We got a late start - not leaving my house until 4pm. This was the first time I've ever run the canyon in the dark. It's a good thing the road has a wide shoulder because there is no light. It was a really great run and challenging for me to run with a runner like Steve.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
70.000.004.000.0074.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
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