I am one with the levee and the levee with me

AM - 12.25 easy including 8 x 200m levee sprints. I felt pretty toast, but I felt it was important to get these in. 

38, 36, 36, 35, 34, 34, 34, 34

Couldn't quite hit my top gear. Effects of last week. Now a couple days of easy running before the next workout.

PM - 6 easy

12 easy. Legs are starting to feel good again.

Big workout. 8 x mile (1:00 rests) in 5:13 avg. 

5:14, 5:12, 5:16, 5:09, 5:15, 5:10, 5:16, 5:06

No sprints because my right peroneal tibial tendon is still a little sore, and I'm being cautious. The sprints put a lot more stress on it than LT pace. 

I felt GREAT. I was tired by the end but never felt like I got bogged down by acid accumulation. Which is the point of the 1:00 rests. Coming in I wanted to average about 5:15 for the first 4 and work down to 5:10 for the last 4. I started way too hot with a 72/73 first quarter and then settled in. I finally have to admit that one direction of the levee is faster than the other, but I have no clue why. There might be 1 foot elevation change over the mile stretch I use. Usually I have a head wind to blame it on, but there was maybe a 1-2 mph breeze on the odds. I couldn't tell the difference either direction. But the same effort produced 5:10 going one direction and 5:15 the other. 

There have been a few times in my running experience where training just feels magical. Once was after I moved from Utah and came down to sea level. Another was my first XC season with WWU. I'm in another one. Training is just clicking. 

I don't have the blood data to back it up, but the common theme in each of these periods has been iron supplements. I got a little lazy with them the last few years, but this cycle I rededicated to taking them daily. I'm speaking a little prematurely as I don't have race results to support this feeling yet, but I think those are coming. It's clear from training that I'm in much better shape than just the training can explain. 

Anyway, I'm on a bit of a post-run high and enjoying it. Looking forward to more work, and even more so to upcoming races.

AM - 12 easy

PM - Added an easy 30 min on the treadmill.

12 easy. Dodging thunderstorms this morning. Runs get exciting when flash to thunder is less than a second.

21 miles run as 3.5E + 4x1600m @ LT + 8E + 3 miles @ T + CD.

1600s: 5:14, 5:14, 5:12, 5:12

3-mile tempo: 15:47 (5:18, 5:18, 5:11)

It was 70F + 70 dew point this morning.... though it didn't seem to affect me too much. My legs are tired from the week, and none of the tempo portions felt particularly easy, but they also never got terribly hard either. If I'm being picky I'd have liked to shave the 5:18s to 5:15s. But not a big deal.

The right peroneal tibial tendon flared badly after the workout, though I never felt it during the run. I've been working hard on it all day. I probably need to see someone for it as it's trending in the wrong direction.

A very easy 12.6 in 7:47 avg with some of the folks across the river. Lower right leg was never an issue during the run, but it's been sore before and after.

6 easy. Took the morning off over tendon fears. Everything felt fine on this run.

12 very easy. No pain.

Saw the PT tonight. First time seeing a PT in NOLA. Found one a couple miles from my house who had good Google reviews, for whatever that's worth. I left feeling like I lucked out finding a good one. He thinks it's the posterior tibial tendon that's all upset, but he doesn't think it's very bad at this point. Gave me the green light to keep running but cautioned me to limit the faster stuff. At this point in the training cycle.... I may shuffle any 5k-pace stuff for later, but I'll likely risk HMP/MP work. Take it day by day and see how it goes.

Anyhow, he gave me some isometric exercises to work on. Did some Astym on it, and I left feeling optimistic that I can successfully train through it.

AM - Big workout. 3 WU, 10 miles continuous (1T-2MP-1T-2MP-1T-2MP-1T), 2 CD

5:31 avg for 10

Splits: 5:18, 5:47, 5:42, 5:11, 5:40, 5:46, 5:07, 5:45, 5:40, 5:07

I was intimidated by this one and didn't run it quite right. But I think for the most part I got what I needed. I told myself I could take a break 6 miles in if I needed, but then I couldn't quite hit the right paces for the MP segments and it didn't feel as hard as I expected. So I kept it as one continuous effort. And I unintentionally compensated on the T miles. It would have been better running 5:15/5:35, but so it goes. 

No flare-ups in the posterior tib post run. I'll count that as a big success.

PM - 4 easy

AM - 12 easy

PM - 6 easy

12 easy. Tired legs.

AM - Track day. 1000m, 2 x 1600m, 2 x 1000m (2:15/4:00 rests). No sprints as I'm still being cautious with the posterior tib.

3:01, 4:54, 4:57, 3:05, 3:03

Not very sharp. Was looking to hit 72s/lap. It was windy and I got battered on the back stretch. But I got the work in for what I could do today.

The posterior tib is continuing to improve. No relapse from this session, which is a great sign. So long as it stays good I'll be able to add the sprints back in next week.

PM - 4 easy

8 easy. The winds are howling.

AM - 12 easy. About 2 miles in I heard gunshots burstout about 1 block from me. Dove off the side of the levee and took cover until it was over. That's a first. The rest of the run was a little quick thanks to the adrenaline burst. There wasn't anything in the news, and I didn't see any emergency vehicles on the return trip, so I assume no one was hurt.

PM - 4 easy

AM - Big workout. 4 x 2mile (2:00 rests) + 2 x 35s sprints

10:30 (5:18.2, 5:11.9)

10:31 (5:14.7, 5:16.5)

10:24 (5:11.6, 5:12.8)

10:25 (5:14.7, 5:09.5)

I just discovered Garmin Connect reports decimal places, and yes, I am anal enough to record them here.

I wanted to do 4 sprints, but I felt a twinge in my posterior tib on #2 and called it good there. Better to be cautious. I have a second appointment with the PT tonight, but things are progressing well enough this may be the last one.

PM - 4 very easy

12 easy. Felt unexpectedly peppy. 6 miles out were about as expected, but I felt like I was cruising sub-7:00 pace coming back, which I rarely do. No watch, just estimated efforts.

12 easy. Felt pretty good. I missed my evening run last night due to working late. Grrr

Big workout/long run. Tempo-long-tempo format. 3E + 2 x 2 mile @ T + 8E + 4T + 1CD

10:35 (5:19, 5:16)

10:25 (5:12, 5:13)

8 miles in ~1hr

20:31 (5:16, 5:07, 5:07, 5:01)

All T segments were aided by a tailwind. Work has kicked my butt this week, and I'm low on sleep. I had low expectations coming into this, but it had to be done today whether it was a train wreck or not. Even with the tailwind, I figured getting through it with a 5:15-5:20 avg would be a win.

So I'm pleased.

It was blowing about 15 mph steady on the levee. The first mile of each block (the 5:19 and 5:16) was a wash as far as aid goes, but the rest of the miles had the wind about square in my back. I'm estimating 5s per mile fast, maybe more. Anyway. Glad it's over with. These sessions give me considerable emotional stress. But I think they're great at learning to run fast when fatigued and low on fuel. That last 4-mile block covered miles 14.3-19.3. No food intake before or during.

I'm excited about my fitness. I finished feeling like I was finishing any other workout, and I've had a lot of energy this morning post-run. When a 20-mile session like this doesn't leave me wasted for half the day, I think it means the training is working.

In Highland UT this week. I plotted a route through Alpine and up to a trailhead, but got lost along the way and ended up with a lot of climbing. These flatlander legs aren't used to that. 7:27 avg and 800 ft elevation gain. That's about a month's worth at home.

12 easy. Similar course to yesterday, but slower. Think I'll try flat tomorrow.

AM - 12.2 easy on the Jordan River trail. Quads are sore from the hills from the last couple days.

PM - 4 easy

I had 4 x 3 mile @ MP on the schedule. Warmed up and got a little over a mile into the fast stuff before my posterior tib flared. One moment feeling 100%. 50m later sharp pain. It's no good pushing through, so I stopped and jogged back to my car. Pain was gone within half a mile. Will have to take a few days easy before trying anything fast again.

Last week made me feel like I was over the hump with this. Now I'm leaning heavily towards tapering into the Indy HM and calling it a season from there. The taper will help me keep it healthy. Since this cycle's marathon is less important to me than this winter's, I'd rather keep the fitness gains I've seen to this point, get my leg right, and have a better shot at a healthy build going into CIM or whatever marathon I settle on.

8 easy in Highland.

12 easy in Highland.

AM - 8 easy on the Jordan River Trail.

PM - 4 easy in Highland.

4 x 1600m at Skyridge High. 200m rests (1:05-1:15)

5:10, 5:13, 5:13, 5:13

Posterior tib held up despite being a little sore when I got up this morning. Didn't feel it at all on the run. I went for 4 reps, trying to balance maintaining fitness with minimizing the stress I put on my leg.

I definitely felt the altitude on this one. Muscle memory carried me through the first rep and then my lungs started complaining late in #3.

Rest day

12 easy on the Jordan River trail. Last day in Utah, flying back this evening. I wanted to get over the Provo River trail for old time's sake but just never made it over. Oh well. It's been a good week.

Not enough sleep for a morning run. 6 easy this evening.