Wheeler Farm Loops

AM - 14 miles. We spent the night in PC so it was back to Jeremy Ranch this morning. Rob came up to join me, and we had a great run. The Oregon Project guys who didn't run at the Pre Classic were out there as well, so we were definitely not the fastest guys on the road... although Rob did his best to break me with a couple quarter-mile surges at the end.

PM - 6 miles. Hot out! 

Mary Cain ran 1:59.5 yesterday. Her reaction when Alberto came over and told her that she broke two minutes was priceless (watch it). Moments like that are hard to beat.

AM - 14 miles. Easy pace and kept it flat after two runs on the ranch to give my achilles a break. Mostly just grass/gravel loops at the horsepark.

PM - 7 miles. 

You can still get in on the action (or, if you missed this previously): Saucony Product Testing Application

AM - 15 miles. AT Progression: 6 miles in 31:58 (5:20/mi avg). Splits - 5:28, 5:24, 5:24, 5:20, 5:16, 5:06. Tempo loop. 6 up, 3 down. The last mile was definitely crossing into the LT zone.

PM - 7 miles. Finished on the track w/ 8 x 200m in ~34 seconds. 

AM - 10 miles. Slow.

PM - 8 miles. Still slow, but slightly less so. 

AM - 11 miles. Short breakdown workout on the track: 1600-1200-800-400 (400 jog) + 4 x 200 + 4 x 100 (on/off). Started at LT pace and worked it down: 5:06, 3:46, 2:27, 69, 34, 34, 34, 34, 16, 16, 16, 16*. 3 up/down. Feeling like the goal time I threw out there last week for UV 1/2 is more of a realistic possibility.

*Taken out to the hundreths, the actual times for the 100s were 16.00, 16.09, 16.00, 16.00. Blew it on the second one... that could have been a legendary set of splits. I could try to stop my watch at 16 point zero zero four times in a row the rest of the day and not come close.

PM - 4 miles. 

AM - 6 miles.

PM - 3 miles.

I wanted a progressive effort today, and executed that well. Targeted splits of ~26:00 at 5 miles, 25:15-25:30 for the next 5, and to not pull my hamstring in the last 5K. I ended up running 25:54 / 25:21 and then ~15:55 for the last 5K, with no injury re-occurrence. So, pretty much as good as it could have gone. 

It was important for me to start conservative today, as I don't have the quality miles in my legs to really be gunning it from the start. So I did a shorter warmup (and didn't take my caffeine) so I'd be slower off the start. Came through the first mile in 7th place and there was already a big gap to the front pack. Moved up a bit over the next two miles, and I was in 4th when we crested the hill at 5K, but Josh/Jon/Riley were still way ahead (~20 seconds). Passed Riley at 6 and then caught Jon at ~11.5. Jon and I ran together until there was about a hundred meters left... I felt great and like I had a big kick in me, but I couldn't justify taking the chance. One place isn't worth another month of missing workouts, and Jon was very strong and would have been tough to take down anyways.

Splits - 5:13, 5:19, 5:16, 5:07, 4:58, 4:57, 5:06, 5:02, 5:08, 5:07, 5:15, 5:01, 5:04, :33 = 1:07:11. Miles 1-5 = 25:54, Miles 6-10 = 25:21, Last 5K = 15:55. That was exactly what I hoped I could do, and its a confidence booster.

I'm feeling like I'm making progress and improving. This run felt very "aerobic" which is a good sign. My workouts have been pretty easy lately, but getting in five straight weeks of good volume, even at mostly easy paces, does wonders for endurance and durability. I never really quite felt like I was racing a half-marathon. My turnover at sub 5 pace feels a little sloppy, but I'll get that back. 

My short-term goal is to try and break 1:07 at Duluth in 2 weeks. Its going to take something of a monumental effort to beat my time from today (the UV course is a lot faster) but with a taper, a couple more decent workouts, and going into it with the right "racing" mentality from the gun, I think its possible and I'm going to give it my best shot.

Enjoyed the day... lots of good friends ran well. Weather was ideal. Race organization was top notch.

Also wore my Type A5 flats for the first time. They were superb. 

AM - 20 miles (2 up, 13 race, 5 down)