Boston Strong

Trail Run - 35:00    8:45 pace

Grass around soccer fields - Easy pace w/ some 1/4 pick ups and varying length strides.  AP - 7::45

Spin Class & then progression run on TM

Great run, I always seem to surprise myself with improved speed after taking some easy/rest days!  Obviosly the improved speed comes from the higher mileage I have been running, but it never seems to kick in until I take some rest/recovery.

 I tried the virtual partner on my Garmin for the first time tonight, and I really liked it, as with a quick glance of the watch I could see if I was gaining or losing on my target pace, but I never knew what pace I was averaging or how far I had gone ... so as a result I ran more on feel & did less analysis while actually running.

 I set the work out for 9 miles @ 7:00/mi pace, but as I was running comfortably and my lead gradually was increasing on my virtual partner, I decided to try to get up to a 0.2 mi lead on the virtual partner by the time it reached 6 miles, as that would mean I was running a 42 minute 10k.  I achieved this without pushing too hard, so increased the pace progressively for Mile 7 & 8, and then did a mile cool down.

My overall avg pace for 8 miles ended up being 6:38, which I was pretty pleased with since my 10k PR is 41:35 @ a 6:37 pace ... and I definitely was not racing!  Also, this run was on grass around the soccer fields in my trail shoes, not quite the same rebound as racing flats on pavement.

Mixed emotions about how I feel overall about this race, although overall I can't be upset with my time, just a little disappointed that I hit my aerobic threshold at Mile 2, at the top of a long tough hill!  At that point, I realized there was no way I would PR, so did not push too hard in Mile 3, then sprinted the last .1.  The race started 30 minutes late because apparently a dump truck had turned over somewhere in the area, & the sherriffs did not want to close road until they were sure that it was not needed for emergency vehicles ... always tough to time being ready to go with a long delay!

I went out faster than I knew I probably should have, but that was the only way I would PR on this course, so I figured I would at least put myself in position to PR by the time I hit Mile 2 marker, unfortunately I had little left at that point.  This course was much tougher than the 18:54 I ran 2 weeks ago, so setting another PR was probably an unrealistic expectation.

With a tenth of a mile to go, I decided to get in the afterburners to try to catch the guy ahead of me, who turns out was in my Age group ... he had about a 30 meter lead on me.  I steadily gained ground & passed him with about 20 yards to go, he tried to pass me back, but I held him off and finished about 1 yard ahead ... we had the same finishing time.  Always nice to close out the race with a head to head victory!

Mile 1 was net downhill - 5:50

Mile 2 had 111 elevation gain & 69 drop - 6:20

Mile 3 had 111 elevation gain & 89 drop - 6:44

The last tenth had a drop of 10', ran it in 24 seconds, which is a 4:00/mi pace ...

I was determined to finish ahead of the guy in front of me & finish on a positive note!  Overall Avg Pace - 6:13

I went to run the course a second time at an easy pace, and actually got stomach cramps just past Mile 2 while running an 8:20 pace ... so I definitely was not at Peak performance this morning ... but considering it is only the second time I have gone sub 20 ... and the hills ... I guess the final verdict is I should be happy with my time!

PM - 7.5 mile trail run - AP - 9:33 - El gain: 886'

Trail run - 660' vert - 9:59 AP

Soccer Fields

825,749,736,755,749,735,741

AP - 7:50

9 PM - 80 degrees - had to wait for sun to go down to run

10k in 43:01, AP - 6:56, 346' vert - felt good today

2 mile cooldown @ 8:25

Ipod died @ Mile 4 - Guessing water damage from sweat pouring down on it!

6 AM   65 deg   100% Hum

11 miles    1:37:16     8:50 AP    940' Vert

Interesting run, planned on going easy, trying to switch to morning runs with the arrival of heat.  Figured I would keep it around 8:30.  First 2.5 miles are down hill & I was around 8:15 going easy, with lots of uphill ahead, when I oddly got a side stitch!  I debated turning around and just getting 5 in, but the major deterring factor there was it was all uphill back to the house!  Took a short walk break & resumed at slower pace, but it did not want to seem to go away!  Thankfully about two miles later the discomfort lessened, as I was getting farther away from home with every step I took!  By this time my avg. pace had dropped to 9:00 & I just tried to keep it under 9 the rest of the way which I did.  I have a feeling if I would have gone any faster the cramp would have returned ... not sure what caused it.

Anyway, I spent the better part of the run debating the value of a slow paced run to help pass the time, as of ten I have heard people say eliminate the 'junk' miles ... although I can not say I have heard that on FRB.  Since I was starting this debate with myself, and the primary reason was to pass the time & keep a positive frame of mind, I figured I would first remind myself of the positives:

1)  I would like to lose 5-8 pounds to get to a more ideal race weight   +

2)  Running through discomfort is required in races, so this was good mental training   +   

2)  I am trying to increase mileage and prevent injury in the process  +

3)  Slower pace means more time on feet   +

4)  This is supposed to be a recovery run anyway   +

5)  I can actually get to the top of the big hills w/o feeling trashed    +

6)  I should have left the house earlier, it is getting Hot!     -

All in all, I decided I need to do more of these runs ... I tend to be too concerned about my pace on easy runs, and they usually get progressively faster the more I look at my watch ... nothing like a side cramp to eliminate that problem

Today will be the first day in the 90's, unfortunately that usually becomes the trend quickly thereafter!

I am a little disappointed I will not be making it out to race Ogden as I was really looking forward to it, so as a consolation to myself last night, I signed up for a downhill half marathon in the NC mtns June 4th.  I have not raced a Half marathon in 9 years, and that was when I was more of a casual runner getting ready for my first marathon, so I will PR.  Trying to determine what my goal will be, definitely sub 1:30, but I am thinking sub 1:27 would be nice, it has a net elevation drop of  1100'.  Guess I will decide when it gets closer, based on how I am feeling!

7:30 PM    84 deg    48% hum

800s

Lap    Time     400m recovery

1         2:57        2:32

2         2:57        2:54

3         2:57        2:44

4         2:59       

 This was my first 800s workout, and a little bit of a learning experience.  I planned on using my average lap pace to stay on pace, but quickly realized you can't do that on a track!  Unfortunately, I did not have my watch set to show my lap times, so I really had no idea what pace I was running, but figured I would just figure it out once I got home & downloaded the data!  My first 800 my watch said I was running a 5:38 pace, which I knew I wasn't, but I figured I would try to maintain that pace on my watch for all of them for a consistent effort.  I am too tired to figure it out now, but guessing my pace was a hair under 6:00/mi based on my 800 times.  I was planning to do 6-8, but with the heat & not really knowing what pace I was running, I figured 4 was a good start!

After a mile cool down, I was feeling a little guilty about stopping at 4, so I jumped on the astro turf football field & decided to do a few sprints & pretend I was in high school.  I sprinted to the 10 yd line, jogged back, then 20, 30, 40  ..... up to 100.  My last 100 yard sprint was 13 seconds.

It was a fun way to end the workout, concluded with another Mile cooldown.  I have no idea whether there is any validity to the Yasso 800s theory & but it makes for a good training target goal & since my goal is to run a sub 3, I would like to buildup to running 10 of these at the pace I did today.  I am pretty sure I could have done a few more today at that pace, but since I did not know what that pace actually was at the time, I did not want to push it.  Ironically, turns out I was running at exactly the pace I need to, based on Yasso's theory & my marathon goal.

 Now the question is, can I make myself do a track workout once a week in 90 degree heat?  Can't answer that one, guess time will tell!  lol

Jogged over to see my son, ate two pieces of pizza, jogged home.  Rest day for 5k tomorrow, will see how I. feel, may race ... may make it a tempo run & do course twice ,,, or maybe both!.  Not feeling overly speedy at the moment.

Tough Course, did not set high expectations.  Second 5 k in a row where I have gone out too fast when big hills lie ahead.  Lesson learned:  Either don't run 5ks with big hills, or at least don't take off at PR pace!  Being on pace at the 2 mile mark means nothing when you get to to the top of a hill at Mile 2 & you are aerobically spent!

I finished second overall, but got caught in no man's land.  At top of hill at Mile 2, I could no longer see the young high school kid in front of me, and no one was in sight behind me either ... this is the disadvantage to a small race ... as it is hard for race adrenaline to kick in when no other runners are in sight.

Not a bad overall time for tough course, but pretty ugly splits for a race, I did not push hard on Mile 3 ... in part because I was spent, part because there was no other runners in sight, and part because I really did not set any pre-race expectations.  Oh well, it was fun ... and I got a couple faster miles in.  Time to switch gears & prepare for my half marathon in 3 weeks.

6:00, 6:26, 7:18, 5:19 pace for final tenth

AP:  6:32

Well, it has been a while since I have done a long run, as I am not currently training for a marathon, but with 50 degree temps this morning I figured I better take advantage, as probbably wont see that again for at least 4 months!

I did not have a pace goal, just wanted a long run at comfortable pace.  Felt good & did not push hard at any point, was happy to see I was averaging a 7:38 pace at the 11 mile mark.  At that point however, I started to feel tightness in my left calf, so I stopped to do a little stretching & then switched gears from  gears from comfortable to slow, easy run for last 5.5.

I ran the bike course of an Irongirl triathlon at Lake Lanier that a friend of mine was running & encouraged the cycling ladies along while I ran, which really helped to pass the time!

El Gain:  1,065'

8 PM 55  degrees  WooHoo!

Soccer Fields on Grass - it is almost exactly a 1/2 mile loop around fields.

4 half mile intervals & a couple tempo @ 8:00 pace

Went to an open track meet at Emory University put on by the Atlanta Track Club.  Nice cooler weather in evening, unfortunately that did not help tightness in legs, and foolishly I did not warm up properly before the 400m!  Ran first 200m in about 30 seconds, which I soon realized was too fast, as at about 250m I was pretty much done!!  Afterward, I felt tweaking in my hamstring, so I opted not to run the 1500 & 3000m.  Note to self, do not run 16.5 & 7.5 miles the two days before a track meet!  They hold these the next 4 weeks, so I hope to make it back, as it would be nice to establish PR benchmarks at these distances for future comparison, although I definitely know I will never be a track guy ... there were some smokin fast dudes there!

So, basically it turned into a recovery day ... have to decide what Wednesday will be!

8 PM   70 deg   64% Hum    Soccer Fields

6m @ 7:14 AP - 1/2 m cool down

1-  7:57

2- 7:31

3- 7:16

4- 7:10

5- 6:51

6- 6:35

Felt better as run progressed.

Ran 3m to Walmart @ 7:12 AP  -  7:37, 7:06, 6:52

Bought a new sprinkler & Sobe water

Ran 3m home @7:56 AP  -  7:54, 7:52, 8:04

Ran 1 mile in front yard barefoot, doing 50 yard strides thru sprinkler, with jog backs, 13 total between 8 & 9 seconds each.

11 PM - 70 deg   75% hum

Somewhat of a monumental run for me, as I surpassed last years total mileage.  Easy tempo run, 8m @ 8:20 pace.

8 PM   82 deg   48% hum

My son rode his bike with me, I convinced him to run 1 mile while I recovered from the first 4.  I don't think he was happy, when he got back on the bike, I did not see him again until I got home ... and he had the water!

4m @ 6:52 AP  -  6:56, 6:47, 6:55, 6:49  -  rode bike 1 mile

3m @ 7:38 AP  -  7:10, 7:55, 7:49

64 deg   94% hum   finish 80 deg!

Note to self, do not debate for an hour if you are going to run or how far, just do it before it gets hot!  Was planning on 13 this morning, but since I ran 7 last night & with the heat, settled on an easy 10 or 11.  At 8.5, it was no longer easy, so I switched to walk/jog last 2.5 miles ... as I wanted to get home still feeling like this was an easy run!

First 8.5, AP 8:20, next 2.3 - 12:50 ... will call it 10 miles!

Emory track night with son.

 82 deg, 50% hum

8:02 PM   800m - 2:32   (Garmin read .51 miles)   Alex - 2:38

8:30 PM   Mile - 5:52   (Garmin read 1.05)   Alex - 6:06

9:07 PM   5000m - 20:14   (Garmin read 3.24)  eased off 3rd mile

8:30 am  68 deg  100% hum   8.4 m in 65 min

Finishing up an easy week by design  - R&R

Set out to run sub 7 until no longer comfortable, recovery run back home.

6:53, 6:48, 6:56, 6:53

9:00, 8:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00

Enjoy the Holiday weekend!

Came up with a 1.5 mile variation to my normal 4 mile trail loop ... for downhill speed training ... first half mile on service road leading down to base of dam (185' elevation drop), next half mile is trail along river & then some ups & downs, 3rd half mile is all up hill on trail (164' rise)

 Too bad I didn't think of this more than 6 days before my downhill half!  Oh well ... I see a 2:50 at St.George next year if I get in and train on this loop!  Pretty brutal 1/2 mile downhill speed intervals with 1 mile uphill recovery.  The nice part is you are in shade 95% of the time ... and can jump in lake to cool down when finished.

I ran the loop twice, downhill 1/2 mile splits were 5:23 pace & 5:11.  I took it super slow on the trail sections.   I .look forward to doing more loops when I start earlier in day & am not in middle of holiday weekend!

74 deg   88% hum

3 miles with Alex - middle 1 @7:52 - other 2 easy

He did not like running in heat!