Of Mice and Marathons

PM: 10 miles slow. HR 141.

Legs feel fine. HR and breathing were another story. Last night Megan and I chatted with some friends on the west coast and I had a bit too much to drink. I really didn't want to do anything other than watch TV but I had to get my run in and I've got a lot of work to do. That's what you get for being an idiot I suppose.

AM/Lunch: 10 miles. HR 141.

Did a few strides then did a few quick stretches and did 10 x 14-18 second hill sprints. First one was only 10 seconds but I switched up streets and ended getting most of them around 17 seconds. ~18-20 seconds seems to be on the upper end of making this sprint as opposed to an interval.

PM: 4 mile shakeout. HR 130. It was a nice day so I broke my rule of suspending doubles until summer.

+ Stretching, pushups (~140 on the day in 4 sets), some situps. Not enough time for full core session.

AM: Springside Track - 14.5 miles, averaged 7:35. HR 148 (?)

TRACK WORKOUT: 6 x 1600 cutdown (400 recovery) then 800 recovery then 2 x 400 and 2 x 200 (200 recovery for faster intervals)

Had a good one today. Started a bit conservatively, maybe too much so on the first rep, but I was pleased to knock out a 5:30 to finish. HR was a good deal lower than my last session (barely in the 170s if accurate). About 10 seconds faster overall from 2 weeks ago. I think I have one more session and I like to cut off another 5-6 seconds overall, which sounds scary because I'll have to hit some high 5:20s if I cut down but I think I will be ready

5:48.1, 5:43.1, 5:37.1, 5:37.3, 5:34.4, 5:30.7 (5:40 mile pace)

74.6, 74.9
36.1, 34.9

3.5 up/2.2 down

AM: 10 miles slow. HR 130.

Cold rain again today. Got soaked by a FedEx truck full on Sea-World-splash-section style. #thanksjerk

AM: 10.2 miles. HR 146. Did some strides.

AM: Springside Track - 10.75 miles. HR 151.

TRACK WORKOUT

Mile Breakdown 1600-1200-800-800-400-400-400-400, or "The Drew" as I call it. I blew this one bad last year around this time then I moved onto the track for my faster stuff and managed to get through it in some light snow.

This year I did it with a good bit of wind. The weather says 14 MPH but the gusts were kicking up. I basically just dealt with it and ran by effort when I hit a headwind. If I put up with wind in a marathon PR I have to do it for a workout here and there.

3.75 up/2.2 down

5:26.2 (400 jog); 4:02 (400 jog); 2:39.2, 2:40.5 (200 jogs); 78.2, 76.4, 77, 74.4 (200 jogs, missed a second on the first one because I missed my lap button)

My goal paces were something like 5:22, 4:00, 2:38/2:37, 77/76. I'm pleased with how I ran. You always think the 400s will be easy to crush but usually you are barely walking/jogging the recoveries by the end. I ran ~2:45 for the first 800 of the 1600, which was okay because I am working on picking up the pace slightly each lap on mile repeats but I had to jump on it a little to get close to what I wanted.

I am in much better shape than last spring and I am nailing my workouts. I had SO MANY blow workouts last spring.

Lunch: 10.2 miles slow. HR 130. Somewhat cold, but very sunny and pleasant.

Megan and I are moving to Michigan (Rochester area) at the end of the summer. I will miss Philadelphia but it's a better job for Megan in numerous ways and she will be closer to her family and friends. It was a no brainer. I'm hoping my long-term job prospects are a bit better there.

I've looked for running clubs and it's basically Hanson-Brooks and [Insert Your Favorite Clever Drinking Refernece/Running Club]. I'm fine with beer drinking but that's mostly on my own time. I'm looking for something in between. I'm excited for a new adventure but I can't say as I want to move too many more times in my life (even though I've really only moved ~5 times). Both Megan and Oliver (our cat) are Midwesterners. I can't say that I'll ever be even though I lived there for 5 years.

PM: 30 minutes on the elliptical + stretching and core