A Lean and Hungry Look

Neighborhood 5k pushing Janey and Eli in the double jogger with four nearly flat tires.  I'm giving myself credit for an extra mile because the effort was much more significant than a simple 3-miler.

Sugarhouse to Parkway Ave to 21st East loop with Maja.  The paper said today's low would be 53.  I think it was more like the upper 30s during my run.  Gorgeous and bright, sunny morning, but a little cold for a run without gloves. I'm going to do my hard days on Wednesday and Friday again this week.

4 x mile repeats at Sugarhouse Park.  In reading Racing Weight last night, I was reminded of the value of fueling prior to a run (which I never do except for very long runs and races).  I gave it a try and ate half a bagel before the workout.  I also brought along an organic snack bar and ate it on the drive home.  The weight reflected in today's log is post-run, pre-breakfast, so it's abnormally low (I usually weigh myself post-run, post-breakfast).

1.86 miles easy warmup around outer loop, then started repeats.  I started all of them in the same place, at the northeast turn by the rose garden parking lot.  As a result, I had two downhills and one uphill on each repeat.  Active recovery of 5:00 between each.

Mile 1: 5:41

Mile 2: 5:37

Mile 3: 5:37

Mile 4: 5:30

Short cooldown in bare feet (see below for explanation).

My biggest challenge on each repeat was recovering for the final 500-600 meters after the hill.  I forgot to wear my HR strap today, so I don't have any HR data.  If I did, I'm pretty sure it would show me going anaerobic at the top of the hill each time.

For medical purposes, I need to bookmark this morning's workout as the potential start of plantar fasciitis in my right arch.  I started feeling a twinge about half a mile into my warmup and it continued intermittently throughout the workout.  That's what prompted me to do my cooldown barefoot.  Looking at my Shoe Manager, I have around 300 miles on each pair of my DS Trainers.  I've started running more on my midfoot over the past year, so the heels of my trainers aren't wearing down like they used to, but I wonder if the midsole is breaking down.  In any case, I've had a couple new pairs that I haven't opened yet, but it's probably time.  I may also try to work in a few miles a week in the VFFs in an effort to strengthen my feet a little.  I need to watch this one, though.

After yesterday's twinge of what felt like plantar fasciitis, I decided to put in a few easy miles on the grass in my Five Fingers, so I took Maja over to Sunnyside Park and ran around the perimeter on the grass a couple of times.  Since I still haven't done enough in the VFFs to really adjust to them and because it's been a long time since I've run in them at all, I kept the effort very easy and the miles low.  I massaged both feet last night by stepping on a golf ball, and I'll continue to do that through the week in an effort to stave off further issues.  I can't afford an injury this year.

Right arch was still bugging me, so I decided to take the day off and focus on rolling it on balls producing various levels of pain instead.  I don't want to miss my 16-miler tomorrow.

I was worried about trying 16 miles after the twinges I've been feeling in my right arch, which were feeling like the onset of plantar fasciitis, but I decided to try a new pair of shoes after taking a day off.  Although my energy level was down for the first 5-6 miles, I ended up having a good run.  I headed out to Holladay Blvd just south of Brooke's Aunt Connie's house.  Avg pace for first half (slightly downhill) was around 7:43.  I picked it up a little on the way back (slightly uphill) and finished with an overall average of 7:27.  Although I felt occasional tightness in my arch, there was no pain and I think the new shoes helped.