Running in Life's Slow Lane

Last day of the month on the calendar called for a 5 mile long run. This is the beginning of our cut back week after 3 weeks of increased mileage. At least that is what I have on my homemade running plan: 3 weeks up, 1 week back.

I have graphed the weekly mileage totals and the weekly long run distances since my return from the knee issues. Using the graph I see what appears to be a healthy trend upward in mileage, with a nice shallow slope. I plan to keep that steady upward movement through the summer.

5.01 mi in 1:04:11 at 12:49/mi burning 510 calories with 151 bpm HRavg

1.00 mi in 13:00 -- 131 bpm HRavg (this is the pace we should have kept)
1.00 mi in 12:40 -- 146 bpm HRavg
1.00 mi in 13:03 -- 157 bpm HRavg (the long uphill slog)
1.00 mi in 12:45 -- 162 bpm HRavg (coming downhill)
1.00 mi in 12:40 -- 161 bpm HRavg (around the nbhd)

Checked my cadence at 3.75 mi and it worked out to 190 strides per minute. Not bad.

We started at 73F, finished at 81F with 44% humidity and a wonderful breeze S 8 mph.

Location: Wonderfully mild Lawton, Oklahoma

A whole new month lies ahead of us so let us get started off on the right foot. The running schedule called for a 45 minute effort at an easy pace which equates to something like 12:15 - 12:45 per mile for Teresa and me. We did pretty well with the pacing. While the last 0.73 looks really fast, the quick tempo is more due to the 3 utility-pole fartleks we ran during that segment than a consistent pacing effort.

3.73 mi in 45:04 at 12:05/mi avg burning 447 calories with 142 bpm HR avg

Details ---
1.00 mi in 11:56 w/ 134 bpm HRavg
1.00 mi in 12:29 w/ 136 bpm HRavg
1.00 mi in 12:25 w/ 147 bpm HRavg
0.73 mi in 11:18 w/ 158 bpm HRavg (11:18/mi pace)

Location: Absolutely gorgeous prairie land in Lawton, Oklahoma!

Some days you look at the calendar and you see a nice slowly pace easy run ahead of you. Other days like today, you see that the scheduling gods have cursed you with a speed workout. Today was my day to be among the burdened as the gods had dictated that I should run 3x400m intervals at a 2:30-2:34 pace.

While the deities of scheduling afflicted me horribly, the weather gods were kind. Storms moving through the area cleared just ahead of our start and we were gifted with a rainbow when the sun would break free of the clouds. Spectacular!

I never realized how much the glutes are used when I lengthen my stride. Definitely feeling them now.

3.29 mi in 38:55 at 11:50/mi avg burning 404 calories.

Details ---
1.00 mi in 12:32
0.26 mi in 02:36 (10:05/mi)
0.25 mi in 03:12 (12:37/mi)
0.25 mi in 02:31 (10:02/mi)
0.25 mi in 03:04 (12:13/mi)
0.26 mi in 02:33 (09:50/mi)
1.00 mi in 12:13

Location: Stormy Lawton, Oklahoma

Running in the rain wasn't too bad this morning. The overnight thunderstorms had rolled through and we ran at 0630 through a heavy mist that would occasionally coalesce into a thin rain. A wind from the north was the bigger challenge as it fought us on the return leg while we were trudging uphill.

My stomach is killing me. I seem to be swinging between two extremes: the majority of the time my stomach is uneasy to the point that thinking of food makes me feel ill but then very suddenly I will be ravenous. It's messing with me and making it difficult for me to concentrate on work which I need to be doing. Those who know me know that the enjoyment of food is key to my happiness.

The goal today was 45 minutes of easy running.

3.66 mi in 46.13 @ 12:37/mi burning 422 calories with 136 bpm HRavg

Details ---
1.00 mi in 13:00 w/ 126 bpm HRavg
1.00 mi in 12:34 w/ 130 bpm HRavg
1.00 mi in 12:42 w/ 147 bpm HRavg
0.66 mi in 07:57 w/ 150 bpm HRavg (11:59/mi pace)

Location: cloudy and cool Lawton, Oklahoma

URD: Helping out on the tech crew for Little Shop of Horrors has been keeping us up too late. With so little sleep and a bit ill I didn't bother to hit the streets today.

The family has been keeping late hours as we have worked backstage for tonight's opening of Little Shop of Horrors at Lawton Community Theatre. As a result, the idea of getting up early to do any challenging exercise has not been a pleasant one. In addition, I seem to be having some stomach ills of late so straying too far from home has seemed unwise.

This morning we were brave enough to get onto the streets for a shorter version of our easy day.

2.37 mi in 29:53 at 12:36/mi burning 279 cal w/ 132 bpm HRavg.

Sunday we will be back into a new phase of the schedule as we will slowly increase mileage again over the three coming weeks.

Location: Theatrical Lawton, Oklahoma