Step by step, mile by mile

AM - turf warmups + 3 on hilton, 6:00 pace. the early fast shakeouts are getting a little easier physically every morning; unfortunately, there are no muscles to condition for waking up at 3 and being out the door by 3:25. i somehow manage regardless

AM2 - 11 on mural, 5:58 pace. took a fair bit less recovery time between AM runs compared to everything last week and my legs were definitely extra ornery as a result. not hurting, but just no real charge or pep. managed to force myself to pick it up a bit at the end and cover the last 2k in 6:42. 

PM - 5 on mural, 5:56 pace. wasn't planning on tripling, but when it's mid-70's and sunny in december, i can't miss the chance to get a shirtless run in. it's not just my right: it's my responsibility. almost exactly 5 hours between the end of the second run and start of the third, and a good chunk 5 hours was spent on my feet at work. pretty good stuff.

AM - 4 on hilton, 5:59 pace. we've got a storm hitting us early this morning(but not by MY definition of early), so it was very windy out there even if it hadn't gotten wet yet. hoping i can beat it out again(that's what s... nevermind) to fit in another morning run

AM2 - 4 w/u, 7 x 200m w/ 1" jogging rec, short c/d for 7. averaged 31.1

swapped my usual morning coffee i have between AM doubles for an energy drink today, i don't know if it was the sugar alcohols(all 1g of them) or something i had for dinner or what, but even on the warmup my stomach felt off despite having the same protein shake for a meal that i've had between every morning double the last 9 days with no issues. anyway by repeat #7 it felt like i was getting punched in the stomach with every step so i stopped there despite wanting to go for 12-16. usually it feels like my aerobic system gets tested before my legs themselves but this one felt pretty easy, my legs just haven't ran much faster in years. gotta re-learn some speed.

AM - 4 on hilton, 5:55 pace. a full 30+ degrees colder than this same time yesterday, and that's without a very bitter, very gusty wind i had to deal with the entire time. call me crazy, i think i preferred the weather yesterday. also hilton was pretty muddy from yesterday's storms

AM2 - 11 on sokol, 6:03 pace. still cold, still windy. right hamstring tightened up around mile 7, i would have done my usual shtick of trying to close in like a 5:30 to get the pace under 6 but i could tell it wouldn't have done the muscle any favors. felt pretty lackluster during the run, was expecting the pace to be very ugly. more like ugly duckling

AM - turf + 4 on hilton, 5:57 pace. haven't had a reason to mention it but i've had a blister on my index toe from the tight toebox on the fly's that's been giving me hell the last week or so(every time i put on shoes it takes about 10 minutes for the limp to fade from adjusting to the pain). anyway the pain started fading yesterday and the blister had darkened so i thought i was good to pop it; incorrect. entry is about to get nasty but basically the blister was right behind the base of the nail, and as the blister swoll it pushed the nail up. I assumed popping the blister would just get everything back to normal, but instead under the blister i see the nail base now starts like halfway farther up the toe, and that other half is basically a gaping hole over the knuckle barely being covered by the deflated blister. it's absolutely gross. put a few bandaids on it trying to keep that hole closed, i honestly don't even know how to approach this besides ignore it and hope it fixes itself. 

anyway with all that being said i was hesitant to run because i'm sure it wouldn't help, but i've been on a nice streak and i'd hate to lose fitness over something this stupid. would you be shocked to know my sock was bloody after this; not sopping but still

ignoring that the run felt super easy; perfect weather(high 40's, drizzling, no wind) but not sure if i'll see it again for another run today. and all because of a toe-tal farce of an injury.

AM - 4 on hilton, 5:55 pace. felt pretty easy, as it should have with yesterday being mostly forced rest. toe hasn't healed up yet but no bloody sock/bandaid post-shakeout today at least

AM2 - 10 on sokol, 5:56 pace. thought i used up all the extra energy from yesterday on the first run, guess i had some left because this one was a breeze. like the sokol run on tuesday my hamstring tightened up in the second half, so i called it a mile or two earlier than i'd have liked.  it was cold out and my feet went numb fast so had no idea what to expect after the run(although i was prepared for a ruined sock and/or to see bone), however nothing more than a slightly bloodied bandaid. nice.

AM - 4 on hilton, 5:59 pace. very windy, and i had an area in my calf and hamstring tighten up a few times to remind me why i hate hard-surface running.

AM2 - core, weights, sauna

AM - 4 on hilton, 5:59 pace. thought today was gonna be an off-day due to some apparently violent storms hitting early but they hadn't started by the time i woke up so i got to squeeze this in. it might have not started raining yet but it was extremely windy... and also 72 degrees. almost worth it