M'kay

10.93 miles in 1:30:59, 8:20/mi, w/ 8 x 90 sec hill repeats (~1/4 mile each) w/ jog back recovery.

Massage this morning so muscles were nice and loose for the run.  Which isn't to say the quads and hamstrings weren't tortured appropriately, but that's another story.  So feeling pretty good, decided to try a hill workout.  In my new Altra Provision (zero-drop) shoes.  Which are pretty opposite to the hoka one one shoes I've been running in.  See where this is going?

Actually, not too bad.  Hill repeat distance was pretty close to what I used to be able to cover in 90 seconds, maybe a few yards short.  Form stayed pretty decent and consistent throughout.  Left hip/leg only a bit troublesome, and not really on the fast stuff.  Even the sit bone/hamstring attachment soreness wasn't too much of a factor, although I'm still swearing off the bike for a while.  The legs were pretty dead for the return and the feet started really feeling the lack of cushioning inches under them but I do like the altras......my heels/achilles thanked me for not propping them up too high off the ground, causing them pain and suffering when the heels hit harder than they should.  Good workout. 

8.13 miles, 1:03:49, 7:51/mi.

Legs felt a bit worn from yesterday but managed to get progressively faster during the run. 

8.11 miles, 1:06:11, 8:10/mi.

It appears summer might have finally arrived.  Sunny and warm today (which means 75F for the PacNW).  Tired from July 4th labors, which included cutting and hanging plywood in the new shed. 

31.24 miles, 5:32:16, 10:38/mi.

Too tired for a full race report now, but got my heat/hill/long run training in today.  These lap courses are killing me... 

Short and sweet.  3 10 mile loops and one short 1.1+ mile loop.  I dislike loop courses and loop 3 just sucked out loud.  Lord Hill itself is like hiking up a ski slope, but its not too terribly long.   Plenty of other climbing and descending for a reported total of 5100' of elevation gain.  Plenty of flats and gentle grades too though.  Lap 1 my average pace was about 10 min/mi.  Lap 2 it had faded to about 10:10 min/mi.  Lap 3 it tanked.  Lap 3 it also got warm/hot out and even though most was in the shade with some breeze, the heat took a toll.  

Finished behind the same guy I did at Taylor Mountain but I closed the gap a bit, so a sign I'm getting into shape a bit more?  My sore hip flexors definitely told me I'd worked my climbing gears.  Still loving racing in the hokas, but I did turn my ankle a couple of times again.