Everything You Didn't Want to Know About My Runs

 I was planning to do 10 Saturday, but didn't get out.  I didn't sleep very well at all the night before and was a zombie all day.  So I did 10 today.  I had to get up an hour early.  It was nice to be out running before the sun came up.

 I decided to do 8 with a 1 mile warm-up and a 1 mile cool-down.  I was trying to stay around 80% (158 bpm)  It is difficult to do that on the up-hill.  I really have to fight myself to stay that slow.  I think it is good--I felt like I could have kept going forever at that pace, but it got very difficult to keep it below 160 after 8 miles.  I stopped to walk a couple of times to reset things.  But once the ticker starts going, it is hard to slow it down--especially since it feels good to push it after a few miles. 

Data

Benchmark

 I've decided to do a mid-week speed benchmark every other week.  I warm up for 1 mile and then run as fast as I can for three miles.  This week I decided to add a 1 mile cool down.  I also altered my 3-mile course because I didn't want to have a stoplight in the middle of my last mile. It means more uphill mileage as the second mile is almost all uphill, but that is OK.  I probably should find a flatter course, but I don't really want to run around my block 5 times.

I'm trying to get the three miles in at under a 9mm pace.  Two weeks ago, I averaged 9 exactly. Today my splits were:: 9:16, 9:42, 7:58.  This was my first sub 8 mile in a long time--even though most of it was gravity-assisted.  The results today make me feel good about what I have been doing.

My heart rate got as high as 191.  This was, as expected, higher than the age-based estimate of 182 for my maximum heart rate.  This wasn't quite a proper stress test. but I'll use it.  My resting heart rate is down to 57 from 63.  I'll need to recalculate my zones after looking at the data, but at a range of 57-191, my anaerobic threshold should be about 163.  This validates my experience from Monday where I was feeling good at 161. 

I saw Lysa just after I finished my last fast mile and was starting to cool down.  She was on her way up Newcastle while I was on my way down.  I tried to tell her about my heart rate monitor, but she was not impressed.

3 mile Benchmark Today 

3 mile Benchmark July 18, 2012 

Recovery

Took it slow today on my standard 4 mile route.   Tried to stay under 150 bpm and was significantly lower most of the time.  My shins were a little sore from yesterday and I ran about as fast as they would let me go--which was pretty slow.  But that was the point today.

I think I'll bike tomorrow and then do another 10 miler on Saturday.  I'm dropping body fat, but not a lot of weight.  Maybe a few pounds.  I think I need to get up to about 40 miles a week before I start dropping below 200 lbs.   I'll be just below 30 this week plus 10 miles of mountain biking.

6.43 miles mountain biking up and down Little Cottonwood trail.

I haven't ridden all the way up to the ruin since before the trail was washed out last year.  The trail is different and it seems more difficult--more rocks.  However, my ability to ride it has increased.  I certainly didn't ever need to stop to catch my breath, I only stopped higher up when I wasn't able to keep my cadence up on the trickier steep parts of the trail.  I remember having to stop frequently to catch my breath, but that includes rides a long time ago when I didn't have my climbing (granny) gear.  Good ride, but my heart rate was through the roof. 

Ran 12 miles with Stacie.  I was going to do 10, but Stacie wanted someone to run with so I went ahead and did 12.  I made up kind of a new route by combining my 6 and 8 milers.  It had a lot of climbing--which was good.

 This is the farthest I've run in the ghosts.  I don't like them very much.  Glad I only paid $60 for them.