M'kay

LM warmup (10 reps), 6 miles in 45:48, 7:38/mi, HR 144, w/ 15 x 12 sec Hill Sprints, 2 mile walk w/ dogs, & stretching.

Lots of joint popping during the lunge warmup.  Still dragging on the runs and the left arch pain was more substantial today.  Could tell I missed a week's worth of hill sprints, but actually felt better afterwards.  

LM warmup (10 reps), 11 miles in 1:21:37, 7:25/mi, HR 158, w/ 8 x 2 minute Fartleks @ 10K-HM pace & 2 sets of Strides/Drills. 1.5 mile walk w/ dogs, PU/Crunches/Leg Abduction ladder (7/7/4) & stretching.

Legs still feeling pretty beat up, and the left shin and arch still painful.  The fartleks went well, although I ran the first 4 uphill ones way too hard and then was stuck running the final 4 flat/downhill ones way too hard as well, so the legs were pretty dead by the end.  Come to think of it, the legs were probably feeling the effects of shoveling and moving gravel yesterday, so perhaps not as bad as all that.

LM warmup (10 reps), 12 miles in 1:27:49, 7:19/mi, HR 160, w/ last 6 miles moderate in 7:29 (up), 6:52 (rolling), 6:24 (down), 6:25 (down), 6:24 (down), and 6:21 (down).  1 miles walk w/ dogs, PU/SU/Leg Abduction ladder (7/7/4) & stretching.

Left shin and arch feeling better after icing and stretching yesterday, so more today.  Not very sound sleep last night, so I was tired for this run.  Big difference between this week's moderate miles on hilly terrain versus last week's moderate miles on flat terrain.  Last week miles average 6:40-6:50/mi with HRs in the 160-162 range, where this week's moderate miles were 40 sec/mi slower on the uphill, the the slow end on the rolling, and only about 15 sec/mi faster on the downhill with HRs in the 165-172 range.  Yikes.   At least I got the miles in during the somewhat windy but dry weather before the really windy weather with the rains came.

Am I crazy for having this foolish notion in the back of my admittedly tiny brain that it might be a good idea to try the Mt. Si Ultra 50 miler 2 weeks after the YRCMarathon?

LM warmup (10 reps), 8 miles in 1:01:51, 7:44/mi, HR 151, w/ 15 x 12 sec Hill Sprints, 1.5 mile walk w/ dogs & stretching.

Back into the 50s and sunny today.  The weather has been so nice this winter I fear our summer will compensate and get very hot.  But while its here, I'll enjoy it.  Wasn't really feeling it today, but the hill sprints went pretty well.  Tomorrow's a tough run, then short on Friday followed by a 20K race on Saturday.  All while tapering for next weekend.  Uh-huh. 

My descent into madness is complete.  I am now registered to run 50 miles on April 11th. 

LM warmup (10 reps), 12.65 miles in 1:29:20, 7:03/mi, HR 157, w/ 2 mile warmup, 2 x 4 miles at MP w/ 5 minute rest, 2 mile cooldown.  MP segments were in 6:22 (down), 6:54 (up), 6:42 (up), 6:45 (up) for the 1st set and 6:36 (down), 6:29 (down), 6:27 (down), 6:45 (down) for the 2nd set, overall average 6:37.5/mi, goal 6:40/mi.  1 mile cooldown walk w/ dogs, PU/SU/Leg Abduction ladder (7/7/4), & stretching.

Another fantastic weather day, aside from some winds.  Feeling pretty tired before the run, so I was getting to the "dread the workout" point this morning.  As I get closer to big races, I always seem to question fitness, ability, etc.  Anyway, hit my times, got it done, and moving on.  I did have to deal with a technology glitch.....somehow my Garmin workout missed the "repeat 4 times" part of the MP segments, but I got it all sorted out with only a brief pause in the action on the 1st segment.  Tomorrow's an easy day, then a final tune-up race on Saturday.  Started questioning the wisdom of running a 20K one week before a marathon, but hey, I'm an experiment of one, right? 

LM warmup (10 reps), 6 miles in 46:19, 7:43/mi, HR 148, 2.5 mile walk w/ dogs & stretching.

Easy day....I needed it.  Short enough to rest, long enough to work out some kinks in the legs.  Another beautiful day outside.  Wondering how tomorrow's 20K will go. 

LM warmup (10 reps), 2 mile pre-race warmup w/ 0.5 @ ~ race pace (6:15/mi), 14:53, 7:26, HR 155.  20K race in 1:18:08, 6:18/mi, HR 167.  Stretching.

Wow, am I exhausted.  Automatic PR since this is my first 20K, but this race just became my fastest distance adjusted race, so a great day.  Woke up feeling tired and pretty crappy again, so normal for race morning.  Warmup was okay, but the legs really felt tired although the race pace stretch actually went pretty well.  Decided to overreach a bit and see if 6:15s were possible, but I was going to be happy with 6:19s since that equates to my goal MP of 6:40 for next weekend.  In that vein and because I was neck-and-neck with another runner for 2nd place in my AG in the series, I went out pretty hard and although the first mile felt pretty good, that feeling fled quickly.  I was really feeling the effort in my legs.  Same course as the 15K a month ago, just extended by 5K over a section that was pretty flat, so I knew where most of the hills were this time around.  Lots of negative mental baggage to deal with, ranging from being too tired to not being in 6:15 (or even 6:20s) shape (for frame of reference, my 15K last month was a 6:17/mi average.  

By the halfway mark, I was hurting but suddenly found myself in 4th place since the 20 milers kept going.  Wasn't sure where my AG competition was, which helped spur me to continue to push while just wanting to walk for a bit.  Did get a bit of a boost from the runners on their outbound leg, some of which were actually able to speak and gave words of encouragement....many thanks to them and sorry I couldn't return the favor, just didn't have the breath.  Legs like melting jello by the 8 mile mark.  Respiration rate at max by 10.  Lower back (kidneys?) started aching around 10.5.  Don't quite know how I really managed the last few miles....I'd swear I was slowing badly and was just giving it everything I had to keep going, but my garmin splits show my last 3 miles were actually a bit fast adjusted for the terrain.  Actually, it looks like my worst mile was the mile just before the turnaround.  Anyway, hit the track for the last 300 meters and had zero kick, just surviving at this point.  Still having trouble believing I ran a 1:18:08.....but I can really feel it and will likely be hurting tomorrow too.  Glad I'm tapering this week!