I only run on days that end in a "y."

Slept in but went to the gym in the afternoon - 5 easy miles around 8 min pace.  Tried some new shoes but not sure I like them yet.  I thought I would get a different pair for recovery runs.  

Tried to run in the am but the right leg shin wasn't feeling all that good.  Must have been the shoes I tried yesterday.  I will be sending them back.

Oh well, I took the day as a rest day instead.

Started out this morning with the legs not feeling all that good.  I really need to start taking the long runs a bit easier, esp in this weather.

Anyway - it was very warm and humid - much the same.  August is going to be a really long month.

Thought I would try another workout from Marius Bakken.  25 x 45 seconds hard with 15 seconds easy recovery.  Wow - this was pretty difficult - when you are tired that 15 seconds goes by really fast!  It feels like 3 seconds.  Moreover, on this particular route the way back home is mostly an overall incline over 4 miles.  It's gentle, but I could feel it.

Anyway, I made it through - the "hard" parts were around 6:20's-6:30's with the last 5 around 6 and a couple sub 6:00.   I was afraid I was going to have to keep going past the house with the pace I was running as I started with 4 miles to go.  But it worked out well as I actually ran one more because I didn't look at my watch at the end, and I still had a bit to go before I got to the house.  I had to add a couple blocks on for the cool down, though.

5 miles easy followed by

26 x 45 seconds  hard with 15 seconds easy @ 6:30's-6:20's, last 5 @ 6:00 - 5:58 ish. 

.5 cool down.

 Too tired and hot to do any strides.

6 easy miles, legs feeling a bit tired.

Can't say that I was ready for this workout.  I arrived expecting a progressive run but was told we were doing 8 x 1000m on the grass at Zilker.  High 70's at the start.

 I just wasn't into this workout mentally and physically today.  We started trying to maintain in the 3:40s since we had to get 8 of them in.  My HR was getting up there on the 6th one so I dropped out for the 7th and then finished the 8th.  I had one of those Monster shots this morning because I was feeling tired.  I haven't been getting enough sleep lately.  Anyway, I think that did me in as it was too much for my system and caused my HR to go too high.  It wasn't a matter of mental will it was that my body wasn't cooperating. Anyway, I managed to get 7 x 1000m in - they were not blazing but we were not on a track either - grass with a nice hill towards the end on the first 4, then we turned around and went the other way on the next set.

1:30 recovery run across the field in between sets - so no resting! 

7 x 1000m on grass:  3:47, 3:43, 3:47, 3:47, 3:42, 3:38, (sat out one repeat),  3:30.

1.75 ish cool down back to the annex.

Slept in today - driving up to Omaha later today.  No run today but that's OK since I still have a bit of pain in my right shin that has not gone away completely.  

Got the new Running Times in the mail yesterday - great article about Renato Canova's marathon training principles.  It's a must read by anyone who is after a marathon PR.

To sum it up - speed and strength at the beginning of the cycle, moving on to more marathon specific training, e.g. lots of running at or below marathon pace.