Of Mice and Marathons

Purdue Co-Rec - 10 miles easy. Kept Brandon company during his longer run. Felt good, and like I could have run all day, which is usually a good sign not to push. Got the legs loose and a good hip stretch after.

Woke up with sore spot on my hip, which I thought was from having a bit of wine last night and running into something I don't remember, but I remembered I fell cooling down on the Canal Trail yesterday. I think of 7 cool downs I have done on the trail, I have fallen twice. It's concrete so it isn't as if there are roots tripping me up.

Purdue Co-Rec - 9.4 miles. Did 8 x Atrium Strides.

Felt slightly sluggish starting the strides but the pace was pretty much the usual without much extra effort, so it think I didn't eat quite enough yesterday, or maybe cutting out my red wine has shut off my super powers. I realize I raced Saturday, but this felt more like faintness than fatigue.

Offically at fall racing weight. 10-12 lbs since Janurary 7th. Another few pounds to go. 5 fewer lbs than a month ago and some fitness gains certainly made running a 10k faster than a 5k more doable.

Night: 40 minutes of stretching, rolling, and core. Some laughable commercials on the Fitness Blender YouTube video. "Remember the days of working out for an hour?" Remember when the days of working out were only an hour? An hour is a good warmup to an hour workout.

AM: Aerobic Builder. 14.25 miles, averaged 7:12 w/ 8-mile tempo. I fell hard going around a corner on the ice and smacked my elbow (pics to follow). My greatest worry at the time was sliding under a very close car and having my legs run over but I think they were beyond me at that point and my worry was a bit dramatic. Got up and managed 6:37 for that second mile. It took me a few seconds to get running again. Ripped through my outer shirt and base layer.

It was 7 degrees and fairly early (for me) so it took a while to work into it. Was going to go 9-10 but I had to get back for a meeting and 8 is fine. Effort was consistent; just got stretched out as I got going.

6:34, 6:37 (elbow), 6:29, 6:21, 6:19, 6:20, 6:12, 6:13 (6:23 average)

PM: North side - 6 miles, averaged 8:20

Took a peak at Boston racing strategies just to be thinking about planning. For many reasons, this should be required blog reading: Paul: Boston 2012, but it gives a good course perspective as well and how the effort should feel at given points in the race (just don't try to run 5:15 pace unless you are in that kind of shape!). Before that I looked at this. After running well on an aided course, I think you don't need to be on goal pace until mile 10 or even halfway, the first few miles can be 10-15 seconds slow (depends on the particular course, of course). Running low-6:1X this morning did not feel that hard even in tights and single digits so I know running that on race day, particularly in the early miles will feel easy, but I plan to be 100% by effort, and that is why I will be running with my Timex for the first time in a marathon. All this to say I am very excited.

Chisel Loop - 9.5 miles, averaged 8:22. Did some strides.

Evening: 30 minutes of stretching, rolling, and core work.

Changed the screws in my screw flats. Got about 75 miles out of them, so I guess stainless wasn't worth the extra cost. Lots of asphalt though. We got some frozen precipitation tonight, so I may have to put off my workout tomorrow until the afternoon. I'll run faster after I am awake and not freezing anyway :)

AM: Decided to move today's workout to tomorrow and long run to Sunday or Monday (if neceessary depending on feel). The main roads look fine, but I want the other stuff to melt as well. Don't really feel like smacking my elbow again. So the morning workout today will be reading, editing, and trying not to eat everything in the kitchen.

PM: Decided to do the workout, so I can fit in what I have planned for the next two weeks. It was sunny and beautiful if still a bit cold at 32 with a chilly wind.

4 x 1 Mile w/ 200m Tag. 5:32 average. 90 second recovery walk, then slow jogs. 4.25 up w/ 1/2 mile @ MP, 3.5 down.

5:28, 5:34, 5:36, 5:31. Then 36.7 (4:42 pace) for the 200.

Pleased with the workout today. Three of the miles are the fastest I have ever run (not hard when you start from nothing, but still exciting/fun). It hurt a bit, but long 5k effort intervals generally do. The tag was a bit slower than I wanted, but I got a late jump on it and 4:42 is plenty fast for me at the end of a hard workout. This puts me in low 17-minute 5k range (theoretically). I will work on taking that down sometime this fall if not before. For now, this was to get some turnover, get a fitness update, and make low 76-minute/high 75-minute half marathon pace plausible

Not the volume I wanted today, but I hit my paces for the workout so I guess that is the most important part. Stayed up talking to a friend and got a little carried away with the adult Kool-Aid (sorry, Coach Bam. I'm being more of a monk every day; I promise).

AM: North side - 8.25 miles, averaged 8:18

PM: North side - 5 miles easy. Averaged 8:24.

Firecracker Loop - 10.5 miles, averaged 7:59

Late: 35 minutes of stetching and strength training (rolling, stretching, hips & glutes, and core)