Of Mice and Marathons

Bike Path to Kalber and back - 13.1 miles, averaged 8:16.

Ran with Brandon and Julian, but let them go at mile 7. I was struggling about as bad as I ever have. Dehydrated or something because I was feeling not just off but not right. Last two miles were over 9 minutes. Breathing was fine, but my legs felt like the end of a marathon. Easily in the top 10 worst runs ever.

Right knee is a bit achy. Started yesterday. Felt it a bit after Boston, and wacked it on the bar while I was there and it really hurt. Marking it here so when it flares up and I go to jerk sports medicine guy at Purdue I remember.

Jefferson High School (reverse direction + detour) - 10.2 miles, no watch.

Felt much better today with only a decent job hydrating yesterday. Definitely did not get enough water last week when I was out of town. 16-20 oz a day maybe. I drink about a gallon a day normally I think.

Purdue Track - Sharpening Workout 8.25 miles total

3 mile warm up, few drills, then strides

2 x 800 (2:46.6, 2:54) slow 400 jog recovery

3 minutes

4 x 400 (75.4, 77.4, 77, 77) 60-65 seconds rest

3 mile cool down

The 800s were not great. Terrible as far as pacing goes. I wanted 2:45 or faster but I just never got going and I was sucking humid air. The 400s were better, but I could have pushed a little bit to get them all at 75 or at least 76. Originally I had 200 meter jogs but I decided to walk. I also had 2 x 200 very hard but decided it was enough for today.

Not feeling great about my running. Thinking too much about where I've been and where I think I should be. Part of the problem is trying to run in warmer, humid conditions. It's not terrible right now, but much harder than running in the 30s and 40s. It's early though. Still not into the 7 week cycle for Beach to Beacon.

Managed to get two classes to teach this fall in Philadelphia. The pay ain't great, but it looks like I will continue to have mornings for running and some days off to do workouts, grade, write, and run again in the afternoon. Not bad.

PM: Purdue Cross Country Course - 4.2 miles, averaged 10:11. Ran with my friend Jim. Kept it extremely easy because he's trying to get back into running. I should have been doing afternoon runs with him more. I really enoyed our run.

Vinton Woods - 9 miles, no watch. Did some strides.

Reread Jake's State Street Mile report from some time ago to see what I should do for a warmup/race plan. I should probably see what the young bucks are doing considering my pace is closer to what they are running, but they are on the track. I recall seeing a mile road race from Jeff after Boston 2012. Need to dig that one out too. Here it is.

AM: North side - 3 miles easy, averaged 8:44. Just enough to earn a bowl of cereal and get a good stretch in.

I like the idea of this workout from Competitor, but it doesn't invlove actual sandwiches and when you begin running half marathons substantially faster than you do your everyday pace (2+ minutes, say) a 6-mile tempo is extremely hard and probably a wasted race effort. I like the idea of running short but very hard at the end of workouts though. Trying to do more of it as I head into my 10k specific B2B block.

PM: 8.25 miles w/ Monumental Mile race. Didn't run hard enough in the middle. Split the last quarter long at 4:34 pace. I haven't closed many partials for longer distances that fast, even though I can. So good start in ~73, little Sasha sat on my shoulder lecturing me in the second and third (I'm teasing but also serious). This winter I ran a 5:25 in a 4 x 1 mile w/ 90 seconds rest, so this is a good PR. I think 400 was the longest I've run 5-minute pace and that was two weeks ago. I can run faster, and I will. Might touch this report up some but that's most of it. 

My 1600 from freshmen PE was 9:15. So technically a ~4:14 PR :-)

Splits: 73.2, 77.6, 76.6, 74.4. I split the last one a bit long (but the course is certifed so it doesn't matter). When I kicked just before the final quarter I had 5:04 average and ended up at 4:58. Should have kicked ~150 meters sooner.

3.25 up w/ a bunch of strides (not long enough)

4 down (needed about 10 but the elites were starting. ~4:04 for the men and ~4:46 for the women)

PM: North side - 6.25 miles, averaged 8:00.

Might get out again before dinner, might not.

Evening: Spring Vale Cemetery - 6 miles, no watch

80 degress and 31% humidty. Darn near desert-like (during the summer here 60% is low humidity at the height of the day). Dew point 47. Trying to shift the winds in SlowJoe's favor. Gonna be a dry one this year in the Midwest me thinks. Philly will probably be 95 with 110% humidity.

Fink Cemetery out and back - 10.25 miles, no watch. Did some strides.

Felt really good. Nice early afternoon run through the Lafayette "desert" (80 degress with 36% humidity and a bit of wind to make it really comfortable). A bunch of water, a PBB&J, and I think I am ready for a nap.