track fan

2:46:15 with the last 8 miles at MP.  Ran on the Rillito River path - the flattest run since around Christmas (when we were in Gulf Shores, Alabama).  There are many mile markers, but not 20 miles worth.  I did 4 miles out-and-back from my secret parking area (near mile marker 2 1/2 -- almost 400 meters from the 2 1/2 mile marker actually ;-) ) - and then proceeded to head East to ~ 4:30 mins from the 10 mile marker (from 6 1/2 to 8 1/2 is missing, and then from 8 1/2 to 10 is missing) and then turned around.  I know exactly where 7 miles is, and I hit that in 1:01:09 (8:44 pace) going out and 53:35 (7:39 pace) coming back.  The only other pace information I have from the MP portion is miles 8.5 to 5.5 were 22:52 (7:37) and 5.5 to 2.5 were 22:36 (7:32).  I was not actually timing each mile, I was trying to "find" the pace that I thought I could run for 8 miles, and I adjusted and readjusted throughout the run.  Greg calls this "tuning your internal Garmin" ;-).   It is old-school, but it usually gives me a pretty realistic idea what I can run - versus trying to hit a pace that I "want" to run.  Sometimes it is disappointing, but, for me, it is realistic.  The bottom line is that it is possible that can run somewhere "around" 3:20 -- maybe not under 3:20 (which would be 7:36 pace) - as a matter of fact it might be more likely that I run a little slower than 3:20; but I am probably not out of the ball park ;-) -- if I can stay healthy!  I have two trips in the next 4 weeks, so fingers crossed I still juggle training and traveling!  

Anyway -- off to watch Rupp's 3k race and Matt Centro's mile race from last night!

Happiest of Sundays to you all! 

AM: easy 4

PM: easy 10

I had some meetings very early this AM and couldn't get an early AM run in.  So, I switched the two runs.  In both cases I was up against the dark ... ;-)  But, all was good!

Work is very busy, I am doing my best to ensure it doesn't interfere with my running!!!

I hope you are all doing well! 

Easy run - 1:05 (maybe a tiny bit longer than 7).

AM: (13 miles, 1:43:25).  I had to make a choice between workouts today.  15-30 min wu/15-30 min cd  +  either 5-8 miles @ goal pace (7:35-7:40) OR 3 x 2 miles @ 10K +/- 10 secs (6:50-7:05)  w/4 min recovery.  I wasn't sure which one I was going to do until I got to the track.  The GP workout is more my "sweet spot" and likely to be more comfortable, while the faster workout was outside my comfort zone.  Neither would be "easy" ;-).

I decided that the reason the faster workout is outside of my comfort zone is because that is likely the type of workout I need to do -- so, I decided to do it!  As usual, I tried not to focus on the exact pace, but rather work into a groove and hold it to the end. The last 400 was ugly - uggggllllyyyy - and I was surprised to see the pace!

7:07/7:02, 4:00, 7:03/7:00, 4:02, 6:57/6:56 + 27:24wu/26:57cd.

PM: easy 4.

Happy Thursday bloggers! 

1:01:32.  I got up early (for me) and drove across town to run with my friend Merry.  I had a bunch of doctors appointments and took the morning off work.   It was a blast.  Then I had to work until 7 to make up for it ;-).

Happy Friday bloggers!! 

AM: (1:07:43, 8 miles).

PM: easy 4.

Somewhere between 22-24 miles tomorrow.  I am running with Merry again, she is supposed to run 24 and I am supposed to run 22, so depending on how slowly she will run (she is faster than me) I might do an extra 2 with her.  If she needs to go faster, than we will run part of it together, and then I will let her run how she needs.  She was pretty surprised yesterday to see that my "estimate" of our pace was nearly exactly what her Garmin showed ;-)

I hope you are all warm and safe.  Congratulations on all the awesome races!!!