M'kay

13 miles in 1:43:14, 7:56/mi, HR 164.

Sunny and warm (~63F). The distance felt difficult and the HR was high again...some was likely the warm weather but mostly its still lost fitness from the post-marathon recovery and 2 week break. I'm really wanting to never do that again. I am a bit sore and tired from yesterday's yardwork.....building a short retaining wall that requires digging below the topsoil level, leveling with sand, moving sod, laying the bricks, etc. I'm so not into this physical labor...

Crosstraining:  16 cycling miles in 1:25:38, 5:21/mi, HR 142. 

Decided to take a late afternoon bike ride on some of the logging trails near home.  Wound up getting a better appreciation for the hills on this route....I was in gear 1 of 24 and laboring to get to the crest more than once.  No wonder they hurt when I run them.  Otherwise, just a nice day for a bike ride in the woods.

Asics GT 2120 - 411.11 miles.

Crosstraining:  8 cycling miles in 35:21, 4:25/mi, HR 134.  Biked to Chiro appointment and back.  Going there was a great coasting downhill for nearly two miles.  Coming back was a torturous uphill.  Legs are sore from all the running and cycling abuse.

8.79 miles in 1:08:00, 7:44/mi, HR 161.  25 min warmup, 2.98 mi, 8:23/mi, HR 151.  Fartleks:  6 x 2 minutes on, 1 minute off.  25 min cooldown, 3.36, 7:26/mi, HR 160.

To steal a phrase from Matt Fitzgerald, this was a "Rust Buster".  The fartleks were hard enough I could *feel* myself shaking off the cobwebs and the slow runs, recruiting all the muscle fibers that've gone unused the last few weeks.  Quads were a bit sore this morning to start with, probably from the recent cycling.  Temps were cool and the sky was cloudy.  The warmup started feeling like a more normal warmup with my effort/HR getting back closer to normal.  My goal for the fartleks was just to run hard and steady.  The intervals were hard....I was walking for half of the recovery just to catch my breath...but they felt good and tiring.  I was dying on the last couple during the second minute so I probably went out a bit aggressively on the first few, but a good workout nonetheless.  I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight.

Adrenaline 8s (Blue) - 23.79 miles.

5 miles in 39:12, 7:50/mi, HR 150.

Another VFF run.  Like the last one, calves started feeling it by mile 2, hot spots on feet by mile 3, just wanting to be done by mile 3.5, survived to mile 5.  I tried putting some BodyGlide on my feet prior to this run, which helped in avoiding the blisters I'd gotten last time.  Running on the road (asphalt) probably doesn't help matters any.  I think 5 miles may be too far in the VFFs for me right now and I might be better served running 1 or 2 times/week shorter distances in them (2-3 miles).  Unfortunately, that means a shoe change in mid-run, or tacking on a shorter run just for these.  I'll think about it over the next few days.

Vibram Five Fingers - 17.5 miles. 

9.5 miles in 1:14:25, 7:50/mi, HR 163.  

Warmer today (66F) and sunny.  Calves were a bit tired from the VFF run yesterday.  A bit tired all over this morning for some reason.  Felt good to get a longer mid-week run in though.

Adrenaline 8 - 246.59 miles.

5.5 miles in 44:11, 8:02/mi, HR 156.

Warm (69F) and sunny again today. Felt better rested today but the legs were tired.  I've been doing different core routines most days since my break and I think that's contributing to the leg tiredness.  A rest day is scheduled for Sunday.

Asics GT 2120 - 416.61 miles.

13 miles in 1:45:38, 8:07/mi, HR 158.

Something wasn't right today.  First, sleep last night was fitful at best.  When I got started, my HR was pretty high for the effort level, despite relative cool temps (upper 50s).  Chalked it up to the humidity.  Halfway through the run I started getting bad stomach cramps, the type where it feels like all the blood is rushing to your gut.  Wound up walking those off a couple of times and never quite recovered.  Even the return trip downhill was difficult and I found myself taking a few walk breaks...not normal.  Nearly called my wife to come get me...Instead of doing the 2 hrs/15 miles I had planned, I packed it at 13 miles in 1:45.  All I can think of is that the ice cream I had last night kicked off my lactose intolerance (which it hasn't in the past) or that the Schezwan Chicken I had last night was bad (doubt it...it tasted great!).  Tomorrow's an off day so I hope this resolves itself quickly, but it has put some doubts in my head about running the half-marathon next weekend.

Adrenaline 8s (Blue) - 36.79 miles.