THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

7.4 miles in 1:09:00  I did one hard mile on a stretch of gravel road that starts uphill for the first quarter mile, then rolls along for the rest of the mile.  That mile took 7:10.  I would VERY MUCH like to see that sub-7 in the near future!  I will probably try it again next week.  Running hard I felt very jerky while I was running.  I think next week when I try it I while try to loosen up and relax and concentrate on leg turnover, and perhaps that will push me under 7.  Someday in the future I would like to see sub-6 but I am a long ways from that!  Anyways it took about half a mile of very slow jogging to recover from that mile before I could pick it up again and run a little faster.  The rest of the run I felt pretty good with breathing, but that jerky feeling while running lingered.

5 miles easy today--I felt like going faster but forced myself to take it easy, reminding myself that yesterday was further than normal and had a hard mile in it.  Tomorrow I will let myself run hard!  So, I've been thinking about this for a while, and have tentatively decided to do the Topeka to Auburn half marathon on January 17.  I will have just started nursing school and won't be in the thick of it yet.  I am really wanting to try some longer distances but with a year of nursing school ahead(one year bridge program from paramedic to RN), I don't think I will have time to train well for a marathon or half next year, so, since I have time the rest of this year I might as well go for it now!  This half marathon is supposed to be brutal and conditions tend to be poor, as the website warns.  It's the only one anywhere near me though in January!  During nursing school my plan is to maintain basic fitness and mileage and run 5ks and 10ks to stay in shape.  Then, when school is done, I would like to train for a marathon and BQ.

My intention today was to go pretty hard for the whole route and see how fast it turned out.  It started out good and I got set into a rythm and was just running along and concentrating.  It was definitely not a comfortable pace but I wasn't miserable either.  My plans got ruined, however, by a dog right around the 3.5 mile mark.  I have never been harassed by this particular dog.  I am so paranoid about getting bitten that I had to stop and walk while the dog ran around me and harassed me.  It took 5 minutes of walking before the dog went back home and left me alone, and when I started running again the rythm was lost and my legs were stiff.  I battled a side stitch the last half mile.  Yuck.  5.4 miles in 48:02, then .6 of jogging to cool down and work away the side stitch.

5.9 in 58:33.  I took it nice and easy today--a very pleasant run.  It was cold and windy--33 degrees and 15mph wind, but I was bundled up and not in any way pushing the pace so I actually enjoyed the feel of the wind pushing on me as a I ambled through.  I ran a loop so I enjoyed the changed of headwind to tailwind and everything in between.  

5.7 today in 50:40--8:53 pace on average.  I started out slow, then worked into a more tempo-like pace, and held on to that for the rest of the run.  I hope to get these tempo runs down closer to 8:00 pace and will be trying for that the next couple of months.   I ultimately want to run the half marathon in January, and I would like to stay safely under 9:00 pace for that race, although the course is rumored  to be wicked hilly and could foil my plans!

5.4 again.  I was supposed to take it easy today, and did for the most part.   I decided to do that hard mile again, but just run and concentrate on good form and staying in control.  Jogged 1.7, then the hard mile.  7:10 again, same time as earlier this week.  Bad news, didn't break 7 minutes, good news, felt much more in control then when I went all out on Monday.  It will come in time, I am telling myself.  I took it very easy for the rest of the run.