THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

8:36 average pace.  Ran mostly on packed snow and frozen dirt so traction was decent.  Have a nasty cold but no coughing fits until after the run.

When it comes to bad runs, this one ranked right up there in the top 10 for me.  Sometime this week I needed a 4 mile tempo with 6:52 being the target pace.  When I saw that snow was coming in tomorrow, I decided to do it today.  I still have a nasty cold, haven't slept well, and was tired, but stupid me decided to attempt it anyway.  Big mistake.  Warmed up 2.2, 9:32, 9:00, .2 at 8:59 pace, then started the tempo.  I knew I was in trouble in the first mile.  My legs were stiff and unresponsive, my form felt jerky and strained, and I was tired of it already.  By the second mile my calves were burning.  Lactic acid already?  Really?  Third mile I was falling apart, I knew I wasn't anywhere near target pace, and almost abandoned the tempo completely, but then decided that although it wasn't going to be what I wanted, I could at least get a sub-marathon pace tempo out of it.  Fourth mile my legs were so stiff and acidy, it was hard to push.  It couldn't be over soon enough.  6:59, 6:57, 7:01, 7:06.  I slowed to a pathetic shuffle, and almost walked.  Although my breathing had recovered within 1/2 mile, my stiff, sad legs really didn't recover at all.  It was hard to run 9:00 pace.  I kept jogging and jogging trying to loosen them up but it didn't work. Cooled down 2 and some change 9:19,8:57, .47 at 8:46 pace. Came in and did lots of gentle stretching.  Awful run.  The rest of my runs this week will be restful and easy until I am over this cold, a little more rested, and my legs get over this icky tight acid feeling.

8:42 pace.  Still tired and achy.  Ran very slow and just listened to music.  It started to feel good around mile 6 finally and I picked it up a little but not much.  Just getting the miles in and zoning out for today.  I guess the snow isn't coming until tonight.

8:43 average pace.  Feeling better today but still taking it easy.  It is snowing, so it was quiet and serene but it is not cold enough so my dirt roads are squooshy and sloshy.   Got my feet a little wet but it was an okay run.  Did a few pickups just to marathon pace and they felt pretty easy.

7:44 average pace.  Yeah, and it felt good!  Target was 8:09 pace, which is comfortable for me.  I drove to Sedgwick County Park to run today because my roads are straight mud,and ran around the park on the blacktop bike path, which is nice because it is not cambered at all.  I think all the dirt road running really alters my sense of speed when I get on the blacktop, because I kept trying to slow down to what I though was 8ish pace but my legs kept insisting on 7:45 pace.  It felt comfortable, breathing was easy the whole time.  At the last mile my right knee did something weird where it felt like it was made of jello and was going to give out.  No pain whatsoever with this though.  At the end I was able to walk and stretch it off.  Weird.  My IT band on that side acts up from time to time so I wonder if that is just a weird symptom of it.

Splits 8:12, 7:51, 7:41, 7:46, 7:57, 7:50, 7:44, 7:38, 7:46, 7:51, 7:39, 7:21, 7:31, 7:39, 7:31

Oh, and a side note, Vanessa has been wearing big girl panties all day for 3 days now, with only once accident a day and that is when she really tries to make it but doesn't quite get to the bathroom on time.  I'm so excited!  I was wondering if she would ever potty train--she will be 3 at the end of April so it is time.

9:09 average pace.  Ran with Kurt, Eddy, and Casey from the tribe.  Right off the bat I had that weird jello knee feeling and an occasional twinge in my right IT band, so I am sure the numbness yesterday is IT band related.  Hoping a day off tomorrow and some stretching fixes it.  If it still feels funky on Monday then I will be ditching tempo work and my scheduled 5k time trial and just running super easy all week--I am driving to Texas Friday to pace my sister for her first half-marathon--the Austin half, and I need to make sure the knee stays runnable.

8:52 average pace.  A cautious test run in the snow.  My knee/IT band held up fine, it just didn't seem to like going downhill.  I did a lot of bunny hopping through deep snow so I would run like an exaggerated sprinter with high knees and good buttkick, and landed on the balls of my feet--which was nice and soft in the deep snow.  Slow going but a good workout and probably good for my form, plus my knee liked it.  I called in sick to work today because Vanessa is having major breathing problems and I am worried and need to hover.

7:58 overall average pace.  Decided to keep playing it safe with the knee and run on the dreadmill since there is no road camber or downhills on the treadmill.  I did do some marathon pace work though.  2 mile warm-up, 9:13, 8:49, then 3x2 miles at 7:24 pace with .5 miles at 8:06 pace in between, then 1 mile cooldown.  This felt harder than it should have on the treadmill, but I was expecting that so not a surprise.  Why oh why does 7:24 pace feel like 6:40 pace on a treadmill?  Dunno.  Legs were actually tired from the bunny hopping yesterday, plus I did strength drills and 10 minutes of ab fry with Denise Austin yesterday too.  Vanessa is much better today--almost back to normal so I am going to drag myself to work.  Can't wait for my Texas trip this weekend!  I get to see my sister, Aunts, Uncles, and my cousins and their newborn babies!  

8:25 average pace.  now off to begin a day of rushing around and then off to work

According to my schedule today should be a 5k or 10k race or time trial, but I had already decided earlier in the week to bag it considering I still am hacking up a lung and the troubles with my knee.  We had parent-teacher conferences this morning so after that I just had my husband drop me off at the track so I could entertain the idea of some faster work.  Warmed up 2 miles and then launched into a brisk quarter to see how it felt, came through in 1:43 and decided that was fast enough, did 2 miles in 13:42(6:51 pace), then jogged a quarter and headed home--after about 3 miles I hit my dirt roads and decided what the hey I'll do another fast one and then ran a 6:39 mile.  Funny that a fast mile on a hilly dirt road is unbelievably more comfortable and easier(and faster) for me than on a track.  Slowed down and then ran almost 2 miles and getting close to him decided a few vo2 max intervals on the dirt wouldn't hurt. Ran .19 at 5:52 pace, jogged a few minutes, then .12 at 5:58 pace.  Jogged down the driveway and called it good.  Not exactly a killer workout but at least I got a few fast miles in and the whole point is to run at paces that make marathon pace feel slow.  Off to work tonight and then tomorrow morning I leave for the long drive to San Antonio--I'm going to meet my sister there and we will go to Austin on Saturday.  It will be strange going somewhere without my husband and children, but I think it may also be rejuvenating and good for me.

11 hour drive all by myself.  But I got to see lots of family at the end.

More driving, checked into the hotel, ate pizza.  Ran with  my sister one pre-race mile because she is super nervous about the race tomorrow.

9:49 average pace.  Ran with my sister in the Austin half-marathon.   It was moderately hilly.  She did a great job, and fought really hard through the last mile when she was ready to quit-she didn't--and even mustered up a quarter-mile kick at the end when I told her to empty the tank because it was almost over!  Great job for only 4 months of training!  I really enjoyed it.  The course was beautiful--it was nice to run a race without racing.  Ate lunch, and then 8 1/2 hour drive home.  Nice weekend but hard traveling.  Not sure if I'll run or not tomorrow.

8:22 average pace.  Lotsa wind.  Off to a work week.  Yuck!  The weekend was so tiring already...Oh yeah, my cheat day yesterday :)  I had a butterfinger blizzard in the car on the way home.  Helped ease the pain of the long trip!

7:50 average pace.  Good workout today.  Target was 3x2 at target marathon pace(7:25)with brisk .5 mile recoveries.  Went well.  I felt comfortable during the marathon pace miles.

2 mile warmup 9:17, 9:00

2 at MP 7:22, 7:20

.5 in 4:07(8:14 pace)

2 at MP in 7:15, 7:15

.5 in 3:54(7:48 pace)

2 at MP in 7:07, 7:12

2 mile cooldown in 8:27,7:52(sped up a little at the end to make sure my average was under 8:00 because I am a dork)

one circuit of strength drills with some new leg lifts to strengthen my hips

8:50 average pace.  Nice and easy, listening to music.  They have laid a bunch of rock on the road by my house and it is irritating to run on--too much big rocks.  I can't wait until it snows or rains and washes some off.

Let the long runs begin!  This run was bad at times, good at others, first real long run in many months, but I am getting into the meat of marathon training now.  The target was a progressive long run with 12 easy, and then the last 6 progressing into marathon pace with 2 at 7:45, 2 at 7:35, and 2 at 7:25.  Well the first 12 went REALLY easy, as I was not feeling it, but surprisingly at go time in the last 6 I exceeded my goal.  I didn't have any gatorade so I got this brilliant idea that I would run into town, get a gatorade at the gas station, and then run it to my house and stick it in the mailbox at the end of the drive so I could circle back to it.  Didn't work.  I ran 4.7 to the gas station, got the gatorade, started running, and quickly realized that my hand was too small to carry it comfortably.  I tried, but it threw my gait off and so I had to ditch it a mile later, and so ran the rest of the run with no fuel or water or anything.  This made me feel a little paranoid that I would bonk, and in mile 16 I felt bad as if I was going to, but the feeling passed.  Mile 18 I was nauseated, but felt light on my feet and legs were loose, so the finish was nice and strong, although I was feeling VERY fatigued..  Quit running as soon as I hit the 18 mile mark, let out some kind of loud battle cry(don't know why it just happened) and walked the quarter mile home to cool down. 

Splits 9:35. 9:28, 9:19, 8:46, 8:44, 8:27, 8:46, 8:32, 8:28, 8:39, 8:14, 8:14, 7:40, 7:38, 7:15, 7:23, 7:10, 6:59

8:18 average pace thanks to unmotivated shuffling at the beginning

Top of my foot where I have been battling some extensor tendonitis was angry today.  It is fine as long as I don't put shoes on!  Doesn't hurt to bear weight or run or anything it is just the shoe pressing on it that drives me crazy.  Decided to let my foot breath and skip the run today since I already have almost 60 miles for the week, and 10 with the tribe tomorrow will put me at 70.

8:41 average pace.  10 easy with the tribe,started to sleet just as we were finishing up.   Just in time!  Foot feels almost as good as new-only noticed it on the downhills, and only a tiny bit.  I slept with cottonballs spreading my toes last night and it is the miracle cure for tendonitis on top of the foot!  Did 10 minutes of abs with Denise Austin after.  Now I am off for a busy day of housecleaning and getting ready for Nick's 10th birthday part this evening.

8:10 average pace on the rolling dirt hills.  I skipped the laces over the sore spot on the top of my foot and it worked great, I ran with no foot pain.  This confirms for me that the problem is extensor tendonitis and not the dreaded metatarsal stress fracture.  Right IT band was a little buggy on downhill portions but aside from that was okay. According to my schedule I only run 52 miles this week(cutback week) which is fine, considering I am fighting off these little injuries.  Hopefully they continue to improve.

7:37 average pace.  3x2 at marathon pace with .5 brisk recovery.  I really like this workout--am probably running it faster than my actual marathon pace but at least this will make my marathon pace seem all the more doable for 26.2 miles.  This workout makes me feel confident but doesn't destroy me or push me into the uncomfortable zone, but it still gets the legs and lungs going.

 2 mile warm up 8:49, 8:35

2 at MP 7:08, 7:09

.5 in 4:00(8:00 pace)

2 at MP 7:12, 7:06

.5 in 3:55(7:50 pace)

2 at MP 7:09, 7:05

1 mile cool down in 7:55

Foot is doing great today, skipping the laces over the hot spot makes all the difference, and some of the redness is starting to dissipate.  Right IT band whined a little at the slower paces, but I don't feel it at marathon pace--it seems to like the faster speeds better.  I think the IT band strengthening exercises are helping.

8:46 average pace.  Nice and easy.  One circuit of strength drills afterward.  Foot is doing great.  Right It band is still a little buggy on hills, but I am working on it.

8:51 average pace.  Mostly very easy but between miles 6 and 7 I felt the need for speed so I did 6 VO2 max strides with almost full recovery between.  My ITB was buggy on the easy jogging but feels great during fast running.  I found a flat stretch of road and ran my strides there--was pleased that I still have some zip in my legs, sometimes I feel so slow.  

1.  322 feet 21.05 seconds(5:45, max 5:36) 45 second jog

2.  316 feet 19.92 seconds(5:33, max 5:15) 43 second jog

3.  302 feet 19.23 seconds(5:36, max 5:08) 58 second jog

4.  337 feet 19.48 seconds(5:05, max 4:20) 68 second jog

5.  316 feet 19.28 seconds(5:22, max 5:00) 60 second jog

6.  322 feet 18.37 seconds(5:02, max 4:47)

I am on the fence about tomorrow's workout.  My schedule says a 1/2 marathon or 15k race, which there isn't one around, and I don't think I can do a solo time trial of that length and hit anywhere near race pace, plus this is really supposed to be a cutback week.  I am tossing around several options.  I could try out the one minute on, one minute off speed workout, or I could do a marathon pace tempo of 6-10 miles(plus a warm up and cool down, of course), or I could just run easy and call it good.  I thought about going to the track and doing a one mile time trial but the snow and wind is supposed to be coming tonight so I would be setting myself up for a lousy performance.  Maybe I should just do a long, slow run.  Any suggestions?

Julie's idea about a big workout got me thinking, so I decided to do both tempo and one minute intervals in the: 

Junior Big Workout

2 mile warm up 8:56, 8:26

4 mile tempo at MP 7:12, 7:15, 7:14, 7:05

.95 mile recovery at 8:32 pace

10 repeats of one minute on, one minute off--tried to do 5k pace when I was "on", paces per Garmin were 6:27, 8:06, 6:31, 8:05, 6:14, 8:12, 6:28, 8:20, 6:03, 8:41, 6:36, 8:50, 6:14, 8:58, 6:25, 8:50, 6:15, 9:15, 6:05, 8:46

one mile recovery 8:49

now let's see how MP feels, 2 mile MP tempo 7:07, 7:11 and DONE.

7:40 average pace.  Pretty tough workout but it goes quick and I feel great now!  I was definitely feeling more fatigued in the second tempo but feel like I could have kept going at that pace.  Foot was fine, ITB buggy only when I am going slower than MP, at MP and faster it is fine--weird?  Had whole wheat blueberry pecan pancakes and emergen-C two hours before, did not fuel during the run.  Gatorade after and a post-run recovery meal of a homemade hamburger on wheat toast with mozzerella cheese and some grapes.  Yum!

8:39 average pace.  Legs aren't sore from yesterday, so that's good.  I'm getting a sports massage today to see if it will help with my stinking ITB.   I've never had one--heard they were wonderfully terrible, but I will soon find out!