A Lean and Hungry Look

Relaxed effort along 21st East/Stratford loop.  My left ITB was feeling a little tight yesterday, so I did some massage and stretching last night.  It was slightly tight in the early miles this morning but felt pretty good.  Still feeling something in my left arch, but it's not really painful--feels more like muscle fatigue.

12x2-minute repeats with HR not to exceed 176, recovery jog between each until HR dipped to 140. Drove to Liberty, ran 2-mile warmup, then did some strides to get the legs moving. Splits:

1: AHR 158/MHR 189 (5:35/mi) (I slowed way down after HR spiked)

Recovery: 0:55

2: AHR 145/MHR 177 (5:33/mi)

Recovery: 2:39

3: AHR 171/MHR 179 (5:18/mi)

Recovery: 1:32

4: AHR 172/MHR 182 (5:34/mi)

Recovery: 1:32

5: AHR 169/MHR 178 (5:29/mi)

Recovery: 1:34

6: AHR 169/MHR 178 (5:33/mi)

Recovery: 2:15

7: AHR 171/MHR 180 (5:22/mi)

Recovery: 1:20

8: AHR 170/MHR 179 (5:16/mi)

Recovery: 2:01

9: AHR 171/MHR 180 (5:29/mi)

Recovery: 1:42

10: AHR 172/MHR 180 (5:17/mi)

Recovery: 1:54

11: AHR 171/MHR 180 (5:21/mi)

Recovery: 2:34

12: AHR 172/MHR 181 (5:21/mi)

Recovery: 2:19

Roughly 1.3-mile cooldown. I felt pretty relaxed from start to finish today. Legs felt strong, effort felt comfortable. I tried to keep the effort below 176, but it looks like I exceeded it on pretty much every rep.  However, I had my Garmin set so that it would notify me when HR hit 174, and that was usually about 45-60 seconds in on each rep, so I don't think I spent much time at the excessive HR. Temperature was brisk (probably high 40s), which helped considerably. Didn't feel the fatigue in my left arch that's been nagging me lately until near the end of my cooldown, and it was very mild. No ITB pain.

Scheduled day off.

I got up with Eli at 1:00 a.m. and didn't get back to sleep until around 3:30, so my plans to run at 5:00 a.m. went out the window.  I took an early lunch and ran from the office down to Murray Park and back.  The plan was to do 5 miles at a harder effort, with AHR not to exceed 176.  I started the effort at the 3-mile mark.  First 2 miles were downhill and were right on in terms of AHR and pace, but the next 3 were slow and AHR jumped a little high.  They were on a gradual incline into a headwind.  Also, I forgot to take my inhaler, which may have contributed to a higher than usual AHR.  Cooled down for the final 2 miles, which were also uphill.  It was warmer than I expected, but the effort felt pretty good, even when HR jumped too high.

As part of my "race preparation," I slept in this morning and got a little over 8 hours.  It was beautiful, but it meant that I got up too late to run, so I brought my stuff again and ran at lunch.  It was a little warm outside, but the run was relaxing and invigorating. 

Got plenty of sleep and left for the run around 7:30 a.m.  Went up to Wasatch, across Parley's and down to Millstream Lane and back.  Easy, comfortable for the first 7, then picked it up a bit for the last 3 to get HR up around 170.  Gorgeous morning.  Legs felt great.

AHR: 151 (avg for last 3 was 170-171)

Pace: 7:20 (avg for last 3 was just over 6:00)