A clydesdale no more!

I'm taking a slight deviation from Pftiz's plan.  This is supposed to be a recovery week but I am just starting to feel good again and want to get in a couple of solid weeks of training before Ogden.  I missed last weeks VO2 max workout so instead of the scheduled 5X600 I opted for the 6X1,000.  Other than the slight breeze, the weather was perfect this morning.  During my warm up I got the low battery warning on my Garmin.  I cut the warm up short so I could make it through the workout before my Garmin died.  Starting earlier would also mean that I would only have one repeat into the wind.  I ran blind again so I could get better at running by feel.  My splits were all over the place but all faster than target pace (6:00/mile) so I can live with that.

Repeat	Split	Pace/Mile	Comment
1	3:42	5:55	Struggled to get going.
2	3:37	5:47	Felt good.  Very relaxed.
3	3:27	5:31	No idea how this was so fast.  Maybe Garmin error?
4	3:33	5:41	Legs feel good.  Breathing a little labored.
5	3:35	5:44	Legs starting to get heavy.  Fell asleep halfway through and forced myself to refocus.
6	3:41	5:54	All into the wind.  Took a lot of effort.

 I am very happy with the workout.  There was absolutely no achilles pain.  I think I may be in the clear.

I have a non-running related question.  My girls are going to be baptized later this month and they asked if I would do it.  I'm not sure that I should or could.  While I live my life the way I should and do not do anything that would prevent me from doing it, I only recently started going to church and only go to Sacrament meeting when I do go.  Do you think it would be more appropriate for the grandfather, who has much stronger beliefs, to do it?

Yucky weather again this morning.  Hopefully that will be the last of the wintery runs for awhile.  Nice and easy recovery run.  Other than feeling tired, everything felt really good.

Very uneventful run.  Ran out 7.5 miles, turned around and ran home.  Legs are tired but felt good.  My shoulders are extremely tight for some reason.

Total Time: 1:56:47 (7:47/mile)

Very tired this morning.  My legs felt really heavy.  I feel like I am starting to get a cold.  Hopefully it is just allergies.

Still fighting off a cold and even though I am winning the battle, I still feel a little groggy.  Warmed up with 3 miles then ran 4 miles at tempo pace. Splits were: 6:30, 6:27, 6:30, 6:28.  Pace felt alright except for the last mile which felt very forced and took too much effort.  My right leg felt weak throughout the run and I did not feel like I was getting a very good push off with it.  Still a good run and 100% pain free.

Total Time: 1:08:29 (7:37/mile)

The plan was to have a nice and relaxing run.  It was all about time on my feet.  Things did not go according to plan.  I wanted to get 10-12 in before the club run but I got a late start and only had an hour before the club was to meet.  I figured that if I pushed the pace a little I could get in 8 miles.  Started out slow then picked up the pace and ran the first 8 miles in 58:40 (7:20/mile).  Figured that I would take the last 10 slow and just run with the group.  Jeremy was there so I knew that the pace was not going to be slow.  He said he would run the full 10 with me which meant there would be no break.  Started out around 7:00/mile and it felt really good. It is amazing how much easier the pace feels when you are not alone.  Felt really good until mile 16 when I could feel the wall.  I forgot to bring my fuel belt so I only had Gatorade at the start and after 8 miles.  The last 2 miles were a struggle but the pace only slipped a little during the 17th mile.  The last 10 were run at a 7:10/mile pace.  It was a good hard run and I felt really good.  I think that I am going to have Chinese food for dinner tonight so I can at least pretend that I am hanging out with all of you in China town in Boston.

Total Time: 2:10:14 (7:14/mile)