Doing What I Can

decent run today - 7:30 avg pace.

good run today - probably my last in Iowa before I head back home tomorrow - 10.1 in 1:13:26, something like 7:14 pace, + strides, felt pretty good for a morning run on an empty stomach

solid run tonight back in colorado, it was 75 and sunny - great day - and I just felt good. 9 in 1:03:40, 7:04 avg pace 

80 degrees today, still got a great workout in, first 5 tempo - splits - 6:25, 6:03, 6:02, 6:06, 6:02 = 30:38, 6:07 avg pace, 24:13 for the last 4 - 6:03 avg pace for that part - very solid splits, felt pretty good, just got a little overheated at the end - 9 total in 59:57, 6:40 avg pace, the cool down miles were 7:12-7:25.

7.4 in 7:21ish pace, felt pretty sore today, easy paced, although the first 4 miles uphill was pretty good

Good long run tonight, could have probably gone further, but had tired legs from the mileage lately. 1:51:18, 7:19 avg pace for 15.2, nice 48 degrees the whole time, perfect temps given how warm its been, strides after

slow paced this afternoon, feeling a little sore

7.4 in 7:20ish pace, strides

7:20 pace easy run tonight + strides

easy pace

pre-race, 7:32 avg pace

High Line Canal Trail 10k today in Centennial, CO (5400-5500 ft elevation)  43 degrees and calm at the start, really good running weather, albeit a tad on the chilly side- no gloves, no stocking hat, just arm warmers.  the first turnaround was about .1 short (compounded by another .1 given that it was a turnaround), I saw the 1 mile marker on my warmup and we turned well before it so I knew early in our race that this wasn't going to be a full 10k. I'm kinda bummed about that because I wanted to see what I could do at elevation in the 10k. Still ran a really good race though and I was happy with it. Warm up was 2 miles, then some sprint outs to get my legs moving for the faster pace. Got out in 6:06, then 6:02, then 6:02, so 18:10 at 3 miles, right where I was hoping to be. I got alone after that and the course seemed to get tougher in the 2nd half, my last 3 miles were 6:15, 6:20 and 6;11. I also ended up with a side cramp about mile 4 that lasted for about half a mile - wasn't sure where it came from but it definitely slowed me down. Crossed the finish line in 37:05, 6:09 avg pace. Course measured 6.05 according to my Garmin, so probably a minute or 70 seconds short (.2 mile) my 10k would have probably been around 38:10-38:20 given that. Either way, its officially listed as a 37:05, so it looks like I ran 5:59 pace to anyone scrolling 10k results haha. I can use this as a BolderBoulder qualifier and this will get me in the first wave, not that it matters as I have a sub-18 5k within the past 6 months I could use too. 2nd place overall in this one got a cool medal and a 10 dollar whole foods gift card. Cooled down for 5.5 - might have overdone the cooldown as my side started cramping bad and I clearly was dehydrated after the 10k effort. 14.1 total for the day, all in all a good effort, I felt pretty comfortable for most of the race and 2nd place is not as fun as 1st but its still positive. 

8.3 in 7:11 avg pace, last 4 were 7:14, 7:14, 7:16, 7:16, very even splits

7:18 avg pace tonight for 7.2 in the cold drizzly rain, felt pretty good for the mileage i've been putting up lately

ran the race course for saturday twice. beautiful and flat! 7:18 pace i think

morning run, easy paced, 7:38 ish pace

easy morning 4 in 7:18 avg pace or thereabouts

Local 5k today, goes right by my apartment so I had to run it, they touted the course as flat and fast and for the first two miles it was, the last mile was a steady gradual uphill that was deceptively taxing.  Beautiful day here in Colorado, 60 degrees and light wind at the start - full sunshine. Goal was to go all-out to see what I could do a 5k in, I have not been training 5k specific, so I wondered what my speed would be like. The fastest mile I have done all year was in training and was a 5:36, everything else has been 5:40 +. Lots of good runners today, including several hs kids - fast start and I was shocked at how comfortable the pace felt, first mile was 5:29, halfway point was 8:24 (16:48 pace) - I thought I was going to break 17! Thought it was too good to be true (and it was). 2nd mile was 5:32, 11:01 at the 2 mile, last mile and change was 6:5X or something. Really tells the story, I ran out of gas after running my two fastest miles of the year so far in mile 1 and 2 in the race and then I just held on at tempo pace to finish. Everyone slowed the last 1.1, it was the gradual uphill. I don't feel too bad about this race and the way it ended, As with any race- there are positive and negative takeaways - positives are definitely the early speed - 2 miles very quick for me. 17:52 is still a PR at altitude for me - as this race was between 5300-5400 feet. They say about 12 seconds per mile for this altitude, so I am probably 17:15 shape back home. Cooled down for 8.3 - got to keep the mileage up for the marathon in a few weeks.

goal was 12 to make it bookend 14 and 12, ended up doing 14.2 and 12.5, so 26.7, kind of a hanson-brooks marathon training plan where I don't have the long runs but the back-to-back efforts. Today was very positive, pace felt pretty easy all things considered. 12.5 in 7:08 avg pace, strides, plus ice bath after

6.3 tonight in 7:40, felt pretty sore

8 miles tonight, felt pretty good for the most part, 7:20 avg pace

6:25 avg pace for 6.8 miles, felt extremely easy

7:20 ish I think tonight

new shoes this morning, 5 in 7:18 avg pace - bolderboulder 10k in 2 days, got my packet today, A-118

3.8 prerace today in 7:22 avg pace, strides, legs feeling a little sore still, but that can sometimes be a good sign for me before a race. A wave Bolder Boulder is a go at 6:55am tomorrow

BolderBoulder 10k today. I have been looking forward to this race all season, it was one of my goal races. My goal was to finish in the top 15 for my age and get a medal - last year that meant a 37:3X so my goal was 37:30. Woke up at 3:35, normal pre-race routine. 2 mile warmup, had to get to the start line in a hurry. Weather was very good - 55 degrees at start, clear with light winds. The start was unlike anything I have ever experienced - so many talented runners all taking off in a mass of humanity, very cool to be apart of. Watch was set to KM as there are KM markers on the course, and I wanted to hit 3:45 per KM (kind of a reminder of my Germany days). Unfortunately, my watch did not remember any of my splits, although at the time I was running they were recording. I know generally, I went out in 3:43, then 3:36, and stayed near 3:45 until 6k when the course went downhill, then dropped back to back 3:36's. Fortunately, this race has mats every mile and so they have my mile splits. They record how well I executed my race strategy and the evenness of my pace (not to mention thte 4 second negative split. Here are my splits per mile:

1- 5:57.96

2- 6:01.82

3- 6:10.49 - anyone who has run BB knows this is the slowest mile and most uphill

4- 6:02.28

5- 5:53.77 this is the fast BB mile as it is a sharp downhill after the course high point, I opened it up here and made a move that I was able to pass a lot of people and really bring the race full circle. Always nice to have some pop when you decide to go and I did today - a testament to my fitness thus far.

6- 5:59.94

Total - 37:24.74, 7th place in my age! 6:02 avg pace overall

I do remember my 5k split was 18:44, and by deduction, therefore, my 2nd half of the race was 18:40, which was a 4 second negative split! The mile splits don't show the last .22 uphill sprint finish, but they do show an interesting tale of two 3 mile splits that is even better than the 5k negative splits. My first 3 miles were 18:10 (6:03 avg pace), last 3 miles before the extra .22 was 17:56 5:59 pace), so here was a 14 second negative split. Overall, my race was pretty evenly split, which was my goal. I am super happy with the way I ran it today and after hearing how hard the course was all week, it turned out to not be that bad. I actually made several moves up hills and made several passes on these sections - I have been hill training lately, and I could tell they seemed easier. Also passed about 3 guys going into the CU stadium lap - had a little finishing kick, which was nice. Got my goal of top 15 and so I medaled in my age. 214th place overall is not bad out of 50,000+ runners. 

Cooled down for 7.6ish, 16.5 total for the day as I was hoping to get decent mileage today.

6.9 in pretty easy fashion tonight, 7:24 pace. ice bath after, may get a quick turnaround race in this weekend.

219 miles this month with is my 2nd highest ever I believe. Not a bad total given that I tapered 3 weeks in a row for races. Utilizing my races for long run days was key to getting my mileage up. Goal marathon in 12 days. Sub-3 is the goal.