Of Mice and Marathons

PM: 10.25 miles. Did some strides.

+ rolling and stretching very late (2AM). Up late doing online tutoring, class prep, email stuff etc.

AM: Flourtown Tempo Loop - 20 miles, averaged 7:03

Did 5 up, 10 progressive tempo, 5 down

10-mile tempo in 63:02 (6:18 pace)

6:28, 6:27, 6:22, 6:22, 6:20, 6:13, 6:14, 6:15, 6:11, 6:10

I couldn't get the legs turning over to start, but I was pretty releaxed and my breathing was good. Worked my way down and tried to stay patient and focus. The last two weeks my focus has been everywhere and it is tough to focus on my running while I am in the moment. The last part of the last mile I was out of the zone a bit.

Not as fast as my 62 minute 10 mile tempo a few weeks ago but overall run pace was faster and I have more mileage in my legs. This is still very close to 6:15 goal pace and last year most of my 8 mile tempos duing mid-week medium long runs were a few seconds slower than actual marathon pace last year.

I didn't get a full night's sleep last night, but I think I can fit a nap in after teaching this afternoon and whatever fun the evening holds for work.

AM: off. Didn't get to bed until almost 3:00AM.

PM: 7.25 miles. Gentleman Jogger Pace. Beautiful weather now that the rain is gone.

+ rolling, stretching, and core (very late)

AM: 8.25 miles. Some light stretching.

PM: 6 miles. 5 w/ Megan. Beautiful fall afternoon.

Day off. 36 days on. Decided today was a better day to take off than tomorrow or pushing it too far on the schedule.

+ Rolling, stretching, and core

Lunch - 9.5 miles. Sharpening Workout

1 Mile in 5:41
4 x 400 in 76.1, 78.5, 78.2, 76.2
2 x 200 in 34.5, 34.9

400 recovery after the mile, 200 after everything else. Felt solid on the tempo mile even with some wind and temps back into the mid-70s, which I somehow am already no longer used to. The first mile made me wish I was going a 4-5 mile tempo. I am pretty sure I would have held that pace for 4-5 miles, especially if I kept it where I started (~5:45). Hoping to keep everything in the 5:40s this Halloween at Rock and Roll.

The 400s left me pretty gassed, which was a bit surprising but I haven't really touched anything under 5:25 pace other than some strides. I still have some leg speed from this summer but it took a bit to get my butt fully firing. The 200s were fairly solid.

PM: Didn't get out again. Completed a mostly revised draft of my dissertation though. Not sure how much time will be required but I defend Friday November 13. I'll be glad to have it done.

Lunch: 6.25 miles, somewhat moderate. Did a few strides.

PM: 4.5 miles. Almost punched a car that tried to deliberately hit me, but then remembered the city is full of guns and people who use them.

+ stretching. Should be in bed because I have a race in the morning, but I got done my work fairly late. Looks like a nice cool morning and a flat course. Plan is just to run hard, race, and push it.