Same Time, Same Channel

Easy run + 4 x 8-sec. hill sprints.

6:54 am, 38-48° F, 60% humidity, winds calm.

I had a hard time getting to sleep last night because I took a really big long nap yesterday afternoon. As a result, I had a hard time dragging myself out of bed and getting myself out the door this morning. Now I'm going to be late to work.

I ran a little faster than usual today and it felt pretty good. Of course, it was a fairly short run, so no big deal.

AP: 9:40. Splits: 10:05, 9:45, 9:32, 9:09, 9:19. Pace on hill sprints: 7:25, 6:54, 6:51, 6:12.

Fartlek Run - 8 miles w/6 x 40 sec. @ 10K-3k pace.

6:34 am, 39-45° F, 84% humidity, winds calm, cloudy.

It was a little cold in my bedroom (we'd had the windows open over night) when I was getting ready. I knew it would get warmer during my run, but I was unsure how to dress. I put on shorts and a light-weight long-sleeved shirt, but then I chickened out and changed to a heavier long-sleeved shirt. I should have stuck with the lighter shirt. I got really hot on this run. And the shirt I was wearing is quite tight and I couldn't even push up the sleeves. I was really dripping sweat like crazy by the time I was done.

This was a pretty hard run. I decided to wait until I finished the Gleneagles/Quebec hill before I started the fartlek, but then I stuck with doing exactly 1/2 mile between the fast parts, regardless of physical features such as cross streets and hills. The upshoot of that was that on the 2nd fast interval I had to turn a corner and take a little detour to avoid waiting for a light at a street I needed to cross, and I had to do the last interval up a fairly steep hill. I struggled with the two miles I had left after I finished the intervals. A lot of it was uphill and I tried to keep a relatively good pace.

Average pace: 9:24.

Here's a table to show what I did. (Pace for fast intervals are bold.)

I had a double date with Jillian this morning. I got up and did the level 2 shred, then after I got my daughter off to school, I did the level 1 shred. Level 1 really is easier than level 2.

I have a bit of a sore throat this morning. I hope it doesn't turn into anything more serious.

Easy Run - 7 miles + 4 x 8 sec hill sprints

6:45 am, 40° F, 87% humidity, winds calm, overcast with a light mist.

I got to bed before 10:00 last night, but I couldn't get to sleep until around 1:00 because of all the drainage in my nasal passages. It was hard for me to get up and get out the door this morning, but I did it.

I thought about leaving my glasses at home, but then I decided to wear them. With the light mist that was in the air, they quickly became covered with water droplets. So instead of being blind, I saw the world with spots this morning. And I failed to see a big puddle that I stepped in.

Strangely, the air kind of smelled like fish.

Incidentally, my arms are little sore from yesterday's double dose of Jillian.

The pace felt pretty easy today except on the uphills. It was a little harder on the uphills, but I didn't push it too much. I was pleasantly surprised when I looked at my stats afterwards to see how fast I had run.

AP: 9:37. Splits: 10:05, 9:46, 9:32, 9:19, 9:22, 9:24, 9:19. Pace on hill sprints: 6:51, 6:26, 6:47, 6:53.

Nothing at all today. Got kids off to school and then went back to bed.

Progression Run - 10 miles, last 20 minutes moderate pace

6:20 am, 48-54° F, 50% humidity, wind 4 SW.

Today was Michelle's 20 mile run for her marathon training. I kept up with her long runs until two weeks ago. I toyed with the idea of trying to do the 20 with her today, but I decided that would be foolhardy. Plus, I needed to take my daughter to gymnastics class and running that far would have interfered with that. My plan called for 7 miles with the last 20 minutes moderate, but in order to run a little farther with Michelle, I did 10 miles with the last 20 minutes moderate. So I actually ran a little less than 8 miles with Michelle and then I sped up. We ran on the Highline Canal Trail and it was just the two of us. I told her about some problems in my life and as a result of the nature of the discussion, I think we ran those first few miles a little faster than she probably should have given the distance she was going.

Last time I had a progression run like this, I hit the lap button on my watch as soon as I sped up and timed that portion separately. I didn't do that today. I sped up when I got to 7.8 miles, but I didn't hit the lap button. I just let the auto lap go. So I don't really know how fast I went for that first 0.2 miles that I sped up.

AP: 9:35. Splits: 10:12, 9:55, 9:29, 9:31, 9:45, 9:50, 9;53, 9:53, 8:51, 8:30.

After I finished running, I went hope and took a quick shower and then I had to take my daughter to gymnastics. Since gymnastics takes place at the rec center right by where we start and end our trail runs, I decided I would do a little something to support Michelle in her long run. I put my son's bike in my car and put some popsicles in a little cooler. I took my daughter in to gymnastics and watched her class for about 10 minutes, then I went out and got the bike and rode up the trail until I found Michelle. She had a little less than 1.5 miles to go at that point. I rode the bike along with her as she finished and tried to give her encouragement. After she finished, I went to the car and got the cooler and gave her a popsicle. Then I went back into the rec center for the end of the gymnastics class.