Of Mice and Marathons

Lunch: Flourtown - 8 miles, averaged 8:32

PM: Treadmill - 4.5 miles in 35:08. Jogged down the road and did some strides on Mermaid Ln. Had the "trampoline effect" going on when I went from belt to pavement.

AM: Chestnut Hill College loop - 7.5 miles, averaged 8:36

PM: Treadmill - 4.5 miles in 33:54

AM: Springside Track - 10.5 miles total w/ 4 x 1600 (400 recovery jogs), 2:30 rest, 2 x 400 hard w/ 90 seconds rest

Sunny, around 70 or so with 85-90 humidity. The foutains are working at the track now though. Warmed up ~28 minutes, mostly on the track

6:17, 6:11, 6:07, 6:07 (converted to mile pace); 75.6, 78

I purposely started very conservatively and let the pace drop as I got warmed up. I should have done the full set of 6 but I have been very gun shy with workouts lately and have lost a lot of confidence. I was feeling pretty good. Not great, but more relaxed than I have been. Wore my Timex to keep from surging. First 200 of the first 400 was fast and my legs were done, then the second 400 was too slow, but I like how I have mixed harder short intervals at the end of longer ones this season. All in all, not bad.

PM: Treadmill - 5 miles in 38:30. Did a set of weights.

AM: Chestnut Hill College hill loop - 8.25 miles, averaged 8:09

I've done a few adjustments to this loop since early July and I think I like this one the best. It's just over 700 feet of gain. Felt good today.

PM: Sprinngside Track - 4 miles, averaged 7:49. Did 6 x 200 strides in ~38 seconds. Cut down from 41 seconds (~3k pace) to 34 seconds.

Legs felt tired but good today but the normal tired where if you ask them to move, they move (but you really don't feel like asking them to move).

AM/Lunch: Wissahickon Trails - 9.25 miles, averaged 8:20

Explored a different section today and found some nice single track that went through a field with head-high grass and wildflowers. Very enjoyable. Even took a good digger on that part. The trails all seem to come back down to Forbidden Drive too soon. It would be nice to have about 15-20 miles of single track rather than 1-3 miles at a time, but I can't complain too much.

PM: Springside Track - 4 miles, averaged 7:42. Did 6 x 200 hard strides, averaged 36.3 (about mile pace)

Springside Track - 12 miles total. 30 minute warmup with 800 meters @ MP, 8 x 1000 w/ 200 meter jogs, 22 minute cool down

Splits (recovery): 3:42.9 (1:08.9), 3:45.7 (1:11), 3:40.3 (1:14.8), 3:40.6 (1:13.3), 3:38.6 (1:17.2), 3:42.3 (1:17.6), 3:45.1* (1:18.2), 3:37.5, averaged 3:41.6 (74-75 second recovery jogs)

*a second or two long because I missed the split button and had to double fire.

Pace was off goal of 3:35-3:38, but that was a bit ambitious I think. Effort was good today. These were at my half marathon pace from last year at Philly RnR (~5:56 pace), so we will see what this year brings. Ultimately, this workout was a success and I don't feel like I can say that about many after Boston. I could have knocked out two more, but I got plenty of work in for the morning and the rests were short (as they should be with Ks). Weather started in the upper 50s, so there's something to that as well.

I haven't been running long, but I think tracks were places where people went to run fast safely and with accurate measurements. I've seen Cross Fitters doing their weird chain things near the track, jump roping too close to lane 1, older folks barely running in lane 1, people walking in lane 1, people running the opposite direction in lane 1, people WALKING BACKWARDS in lane 1. Glad to see people out exercising and enjoying time with their families, but they are driving me crazy!

PM: Treadmill next to Megan - 5 miles in 39:12. Did some weights (core stuff mostly)

Valley Green loop w/ Megan - 5 miles, averaged 10:05