Relentless

AM - 10 6x1200's. Started with a short warmup of 1.5 - Hart's (should have been more, but I didn't have time). Then into the 1200's on the track with a 200 between each. Goal was to hit these at marathon pace 5:35-5:40. Nothing too quick to kill me, but get back some quicker pace that I've felt I have lost. So the times should be at 4:15. 1-4:20 A little slow, but still warming up. 2-4:22 slipped a little on the 2nd and 3rd laps. 3-4:20 made a effort to work on the 2nd and 3rd laps. Wasn't really killing myself, but my body really didn't feel like giving me a lot - This is one reason I am excited to cut my miles a little this week. 4-4:15 Still working on the 3rd lap, but also went out harder. 5-4:17 Tried to connect all three laps, but 2nd slipped. 6-4:17 Now feel like I am working a bit harder, but not all out. Cooled off with 3 on the AC. (cumulus red 330.35)

I guess this is one area I feel like I am not as strong at this year. In marathon preps past, I have really had a much stronger speed base with 800's. But this year, I have focused a lot more on mileage - which I had analyzed to be my major weakness - leaving a hole in the speed training. So it has me a little nervous, but I think/hope that my mileage and attempting to have more of a tempo focus will pay off.

PM - 5 Washington Parkway.  Felt a little zing in my legs and let myself go with it.  Didn't time the run, but the pace was decent - not MP or anything, but a nice quickness to it.  (Landreth 429.7)

late morning - 10.75 GS/PL/WT.  Took off in hopes of getting this run in with a little time to spare to eat some lunch.  Went pretty much as planned.  The best part of the run was up Green Springs.  Even up a pretty consistent hill, I was hitting a good pace with little effort.  The trail was in good condition and that section went okay as well.  (Cumulus 472.05)

afternoon - 7.25 Took water out to the kids and then ran up the bottom side of Foremaster to meet them on their run - 3.  Then brought water back to school and went out into Sandberg's Pond and ran 4.25 around a little.  (Paramount 75.9) 

AM - 11 ACx3 and some laps in between. I feel a little sluggish and worm-down today. I get 6 or so in tonight - then I would like to sleep in tomorrow, but I can't sneak out during prep tomorrow, I've got to get grades caught up for mid-term. (Cumulus silver 40.1)

PM - 8.25 Green Springs and 10xbarefoot grass striders.  Run was good tonight, especially the grass striders.  I love doing these and they felt great on my foot.  I was really working on form.  (Cumulus orange 372.3) 

AM - 12 on treadmill. Started with a warmup and then took it to 6:40 with an incline until mile 6. Then I took the pace down to 6:00 and set Drago at a decline. The pace was smooth and the decline practice helps. I tried to work on keeping good form. (Cumulus silver 52.1)

evening - 9.5 Club run.  Tried to go Entrada, but got kicked off.  So, Bill, Steve, and I went out to Ivins and back.  Had a good consistent run.  Pace on the 5 back was pretty much at 6:40 with no effort.  (Cumulus red 339.85) 

AM - 20.1 Junction and Wendy's.  Up earlier than human beings should be (but unfortunately this isn't the 1st time I've been up this early running).  On the way out to the Junction, it was very dark, but my eyes had adjusted a bit, and I was running by the lines of the road.  Then a cement truck came and didn't look like it wanted to move, so I stepped off the road.  Of course, he turned on his brights - why do all cars insist on doing this? - so now I was completely blind.  Then he honked.  Instinctively, I looked up so as to see what was going on and BAM!  I nailed a reflector-pole that had been bent over by a car - right on my shin.  It sent me crashing to the ground.  What are the odds?  The elements could not have added up worse.  So I continued on trying to ignore the fact that my leg felt as if it had been chopped off by a hack saw.  I had decided I wanted to do 3 sets of 2 miles at MP.  So when I hit the junction I did the first.  First mile was a little slow, but not bad for still waking up and just getting into a quicker pace - 6:00; then the second came down to 5:48 - including .2 up a hill at the end.  So I felt good about it.  Hit a water and gu stop at 10 and then continued.  Next set I was feeling pretty sore and fatigued now.  This set was along Twin Lakes in Middleton.  I only hit them in 6:20's.  Things just weren't flowing right.  By the time I needed to hit the 3rd set, I could barely move.  Unfortunately the 6:40's I hit were quite the increase in pace by that time.  Then I limped home.  (Paramount 96)

I think I have figured out the Paramounts and why my feet and legs killed by the middle of this run.  The Paramounts feel good up to 10, but after every step becomes more and more painful.

AM - 9.1 Jordan River Trail. Up early and went from the hotel down to Jordan River Trail. Planned on going up the trail 5 and then back. But I went up for a couple and then the trail ended. So I turned around and headed the other way... and it ended again. So again I headed up the first direction and hit the end. By this time I needed to get back to get the kids herded out toward the bus, so I scooted on back and got ready for the day. Did 2 miles at 6:20 and it felt so easy - as it should. But after yesterday's debacle I was a little worried. (Cumulus silver 61.2)

Good week mileage wise.  I went a few more than originally planned, but decided that I needed to hold the mileage for just a little longer before dropping it.  

Goals for next week: get a good set of mile repeats in.  Hit low 80's mileage and start getting the legs a little fresher.