Running To Beat Mark

18 with the wife. Extended the 10 mile loop, a couple more dogs and more wind but besides that everything was fine. Way out was straight into the wind, so what does my wife do? Tucks in behind me. Then when we turn to come back in and get a nice tailwind, she passed me and put in a surge! (What great race strategies) Overall a good progressive run, she was able to keep up that surge for the rest of the run so 8.5 miles at MP or a little faster for her another big confidence builder! 

Did not feel like running today. Not sure if it was lack of sleep, or food, or just tired from past workouts. I was hoping for 6-8 today before I got done with the school day and just did not feel it. I did not push it, figured that tomorrows speed workout, was more important so did 4 easy. Legs felt a little better after the run then before so I think I did the right thing.

4 with some 20sec bursts. still a little off today.

2 mi warmup and some drills. Was waiting for the track team but they were a little late so I started without them 2x400 in 76 and 77. Track team came and we did 8x300 in an average of 50seconds. Since it was their first speed workout of the year they got a pretty long break so I did 300m recovery in between. 3.5 cool down. 

5.25 with track team then I split away to do a 2 mile tempo in 12:06 (6:16,5:50).Cooled down just under 2miles

2 more shakeout to the grocery store. 

4 easy today

Afternoon race today so I thought I would get in a short run this morning to shakeout the driving legs from yesterday. Turned out to be more of a negative run then anything else I have done this week. Was thinking anywhere from 6-8 just nice and easy but at the 2-2.5 mile point my left gluteus maximus seized up and I tried some stretching slowing down the pace but I could not get the pain away so I said never mind and walked back to the friends house. NOT a confidence builder for this afternoon.

 Before the race they were doing free injury screenings so I checked it out to see how bad this was. The therapist and I decided that I just aggravated my lower back from sleeping on a soft couch last night. So I decided to go ahead with the race, but abandoned the plan of going out in 6min and seeing what happens. This was an unique race with the ladies getting a 5:30 head start and the guys chasing. It had some pros and cons for me, but so many runner/walkers were now in front of me in the first two miles that it took me a long time to get through. (they were supposed to have a passing lane but it didn't quite work out.) So after getting cutoff so many times I finally ran faster 2-5miles but then started feeling tired. But here was the good part of the race, usually at this time I would have very few to chase, but because of the staggered start I still had quite a few runners to pass that last 1.2 to keep me going. No splits, just glad that I didn't hurt my muscle anymore. (Secondary goal was under 40, I think I would've made it with a watch but overall still ok with the result.)