track fan

(8:45 pace) What FUN!!!

I helped Laszlo and LaurenO from the blog - their running group was pacing for the Tucson 1/2 and Marathon today and they had some pacers back out at the last minute. So, I was "enlisted" to pace the first half of the 3:50 group (8:45 pace). I was supposed to run 16-18 miles anyway - so the plan was to run 17 with the group and then I would get a ride to the finish. There was some sort of mix-up with my ride, so after waiting around for quite a while (passing out gu and cleaning up water cups) I decided to try to find my own ride to the finish -- well, on the way there I saw "my" group just passing the 23 mile mark, so I jumped out there and ran in with them -- EVERY ONE of our "core" group (the ones that started with the 3:50 pace group, not the ones that we picked up along the way) came in 3:50 or under - Yea they rocked, and many of them qualified for Boston today!! This was my first run over 16 miles, so it was a milestone for me too! I had stopped my watch at mile 17 (2:29:15), but I the last 2.5 were in the 8:45 or faster range, so I would guess the overall time to be around 2:48 or 2:50.

AM: (10+ miles, 1:30:22). Ouch ... my quads have been hurting so badly bloggers. Drat on those downhill miles on Sunday! I really am just not cut out for downhills. Anyway -- I decided to run today - but if I am still sore this afternoon I might bag my PM run. I really want to recover by Thursday for my workout. I really don't want to sacrifice my workout for mileage (though I would love to have both!). If all goes well, I will run another 4 miles later (most likely in the dark).
 

PM: (4 miles, 38:12).  Very very tight and sore the first 1/2 mile.  Felt ok after that, but a little worried about my Thursday workout.  I got some epsom salts and soaked for 15 mins (I couldn't stand it longer than that it was so hot!).  Feel much better right now, it will be interesting to see if the relief continues. 

1:03:49.  31:59 out, 31:50 back.  Quads felt better today - they still hurt, but not nearly as bad as yesterday.  We have to take a faculty candidate to dinner tonight -- but I hope to have time to soak in the epsom salts again ... I can't tell if that is what is helping, or just that it is going away on its own.

AM: (4+ miles, 36:25).  18:15 out 18:10 back (uphill).  I had an early morning meeting today so I ran easy this morning and moved my workout to the evening.  I was a bit apprehensive about doing this, mainly because I am not used to running hard in the evening -- and I knew I would feel tighter after sitting all day.

PM: (10.5 miles, 1:26:17).  6 x 1200 w/600 recovery.  Goal pace was 5:18 (7:04 pace -- the slow end of the range since I am still so sore).  22:40 wu and then 5:18, 5:15, 5:15, 5:19, 5:16, 5:13 (the 5:19 was dodging two toddlers whose parents thought should play in lane 1) 15:34 cd.  My quads were still a little sore today, but they felt much better (until the last few quarters!).  I was quite suprised.  They did not feel good mind you, but I think had I been more "fresh" and not coming off of such a hard week last week and this weekend I could been under 7:00 pace for all of them (range was 6:56 - 7:04). 

I am super sore again now though ...

Happy Thursday bloggers! 

1:13:10.  37:15 out 35:55 back.  I am tired today, but despite the workout last night I felt better today than I have all week!  I have a PT appointment tonight, so I am hoping my quads will be back to normal by Sunday (they will hurt tomorrow but because of the work)!

Have a good Friday bloggers. 

AM:(8 miles, 1:03:13). 37:11 out/36:02 back -- tailwind on the way back. Today was my first virtually painfree run all week! yea! My legs were dead from the deep tissue work my therapist performed (and a different kind of sore in some spots) -- but it was oh so much more comfortable. I hope that by tomorrow I will be "all better". I am supposed to do a fast finish run tomorrow so recovery is the key. I think I spend most of my time figuring out how I can simply run, and recover, between workouts.

PM:(4+ miles, 39:25) on the dirt paths near Arthur Pack park - this might actually be 4.5 miles, but it doesn't really matter to me -- the big news is that I FINALLY  hit 70 miles!  It has been a hard week!