A clydesdale no more!

Feeling a lot better today.  Was able to maintain a decent pace throughout the run and felt relatively well.  Still don't feel 100% but am getting close.  

Total Time: 1:04:07 (7:07/mile)

Avg HR: 156 

I wanted to get in some faster running to get my legs ready for a 5k on Saturday.  Ran up to the Viewmont High track to do some 400 meter repeats (3.5 miles).  When I got to the track I found that they are putting in a new football field and a small section of the track was covered with dirt for the tractors to drive over.  I considered doing the repeats anyway but decided that getting over the dirt track would be too much of a hassle.  Ended up running a 4 mile tempo run instead.  

Mile	Split	Comment
1	6:11	Slightly downhill but still too fast.
2	6:23	Right where I wanted to be.
3	6:31	Got mentally lazy.  Disappointed with the consistent drop in pace.
4	6:19	Pushed the last half mile (HR up to 177).
Average	6:21

 I am overall happy with the run but am a little disappointed with the 3rd mile.  Mentally, I just went into cruise control and wasn't pushing like I should have been.  Cooled down with 1.5 easy miles.

Total Time: 1:04:39 (7:11/mile)

Avg HR: 153 (165 during tempo miles)
 

Easy recovery run.  Decided to add a couple of miles to the usual 6 mile recovery run.  Ran out by Farmington bay.  It's the gates are closed to keep the hunters out until the fall but I ducked under the gate anyway.  I was amazed by the number of birds flying around.

Legs felt a little heavy and chest is starting to feel congested.  Hope that it doesn't turn into anything before Saturday's race.  My ankles were really sore during the first half of the run.  I noticed that my left ankle was popping a lot yesterday which is probably the cause of the soreness.

Total Time: 1:05:42 (8:13/mile)

Avg HR: 141 

The cold is definitely moving to my chest.  On top of that, my legs feel completely wiped out.  I'm hoping that it will clear out in the next couple of days.  First half of the run is slightly uphill and I wasn't feeling very comfortable running.  The last half is slightly downhill and I was able to pick up the pace a little and felt better.

Total Time: 1:10:05 (7:37/mile)

Avg HR: 149 (This is just about right for the effort so I was happy to see that the cold isn't causing my body to work harder.) 

Still not as energetic as I would like to be.  My legs felt like they were sleeping for most of the run.  Threw in a few strides to try to wake them up.  It took a while to get up to speed but felt alright once there.

Total Time: 1:00:02 (7:30/mile)

Avg HR: 151 

Warmed up by running from home to the starting line (2.8 miles).  Threw in a few strides and didn't feel great.  I wasn't expecting a lot from today's race but know that once you lace up the shoes, there are no excuses and you have to give it everything that you have for that day.  At the start of the race, the usual young rabbits darted out and I hung back with the guy who won the last 5K that I ran (he runs a 17:00 5K but seems to start out slow).  After ½ mile the rabbits backed off and everyone settled into their positions (I was in fifth place).  I felt really comfortable and didn’t feel like I was really pushing too hard.  Ran the first mile, which was slightly downhill, in 5:49.  At the 1 mile marker, I moved along side the fourth place runner.  We ran side by side for a while.  I kept trying to break away from him but he kept with me.  I was finally able to shake him at the turn around point.  I then had my sights on the third place runner.  I would move closer then he would move up a little.  We played this game for a few minutes then I was finally able to catch him at about the 2 mile marker.  Second mile split was 6:13 – mostly flat with a short section with a slight incline.  I was now in 3rd place and the 2nd place runner was about 1 minute ahead.  I knew that I wasn’t going to catch him so I just concentrated on holding on to third place.  I still felt alright but I really didn’t have the desire to push the pace.  I’m not sure why I didn’t want to push harder.  I started having the usual waves of nausea with ½ mile to go.  Ran the third mile (which was slightly uphill) in 6:11.  Cruised through the finish line for a final time of 18:48.  I got an unexpected PR by 6 seconds and kept the PR streak alive (6 straight races with a PR).  Feel good about the race considering how I felt prior to the race.  There is still room for improvement, though.  I think that the biggest thing that I have to overcome is allowing others to set my pace.  There were a few times where I was maintaining my position with the other runners when I should have been passing them.  I also have to overcome the marathoners mentality of trying to conserve energy for the end of the race.  Cooled down with 2.8 miles of easy running back home.