Pool Running is Fun

AM: 7 miles with 5x1min on, 1min float.

PM: 4.5 miles

threw in a little pick-up to keep it light before Sunday's race

AM: 6 miles + 3 strides

This course is long so that sucks. Damn Bolas and Ethiopian just sat on the leader and after a 5:05 mile I took the pace and with the overall downhill second mile ran 4:51. I figured if I wanted to run an even half way decent time I had to make it an honest race. I knew those guys were after the money ($300,200,100) and I knew those guys were just dicking around with me. Reed got me too. Finished a spot out the money. Improving though. I like my GAP pace. Per Strava splits: 5:05,4:51,5:03,XX. I think the course was a bit long during the last 0.1.

PM: 1 hr. Pool run

Results

Attempting to keep the pace honest right at the start of the second mile. Wish I were in the kind of shape that I could race for the win for once.

AM: 8 miles

PM:  5 miles + standard core routine

love the calm and crisp mornings this time of year

AM: 3 WU 1600,1200,3x800 2.5 CD

PM: off. Went to The National concert

5:04,3:40,2:24,2:24,2:23. Short and quick cut-down before clubs this weekend. I'm not in tip-top shape for a race but I'm not in terrible shape either. It will be much better than last year regardless

Noon: 10 miles + standard core routine

AM: 6.5 miles

PM: 4 miles with 4x20sec strides

getting cold. Winter is coming

PM: 4 miles easy on tomorrow's course. It's VERY cold

Last August a couple of guys were trying to put together a team to run Club Nats this year. At first we had a lot of interest and then it fizzled as one guy after the other couldn’t make it. Unfortunately we bought our plane tickets so we ended up going without a full team and half of us beat up and recovering from fall marathons. As always, it was fun at any rate. Unfortunately, this will probably be the last time we run clubs. Just not worth the internal club strife.

The race started in the 20s with windchills in the teens. It was also snowing. A legit CC course, rolling hills, elbows, and surges filled my legs with led. I ran like shit. The course was tough but I think I ran like ass mostly because it was freezing, I wasn’t used to CC terrain at all, and I ingested about two months worth of alcohol Tuesday at a concert and Thursday at the club party. I was rather bloated and unprepared to race. I thought I could get away with it but damn, I’m not 22 anymore. You can’t run fast on shoddy sleep and garbage. You just can’t.

I did my best but ran like 34:18. I’ve run 33:03 in 2014 and 33:06 in 2016. We had an amazing time afterwards at the party and this event served as a stark reminder that you’ve got to take care of yourself and respect your body as it gets older, or suffer the consequences. Considering how many beers I can put down in one night, I really need to stay away from the stuff.

Time to focus on getting strong, putting in the miles, and focusing on next spring. It’s going to be a long and very cold winter.

Results

AM: 12 miles easy in Lexington KY. Very cold. 18 degrees

AM: 8 miles

PM: 5 miles with 5x20sec strides + standard core routine

AM: 2.8 WU 7xBluemont Hill circuits 2.8 CD

PM: 5 miles slow + standard core routine

7 x circuit. Regular hills are closed at MC memorial. I decided to carve out a circuit on the shorter Bluemont Junction hill. I started a little off but I think I've refined the circuit to allow a 1:00-1:05 climb and a 20sec downhill fast stride. Only did 7 today but will hope to get to 10 at some point in the next month

Iwo hill circuit:

1:38-1:28 40 ft. climb, 1:25-1:27 jog, 22-23 sec downhill stride -10ft,  55-57 sec jog

Bluemont Hill circuit

1:00-1:05 30 ft. climb, 1:20-1:25 jog, 20 sec stride - 17 ft, 25-30 sec jog
 

AM: 8 miles, very cold

PM: 5 miles w/4x20sec strides + standard core routine

cold

AM: 8 miles + foam rolling, 2x5 burpees

PM: 5 miles with 5x20sec strides

cold/windy this evening

Sick. I woke up and the tickle in my throat and runny nose has turned into a bad cough and I have a stronger headache. I don't want to get bronchitis or some other shit trying to run a workout in the cold while sick.  Need to get better

noon: 11 miles + standard core routine

Feeling a little better but hacking up crap. I'm looking forward to getting rid of the cough.

AM: 12 miles + 5x20sec strides

alright today, stil coughing

AM: 7 miles

PM: 5 miles with a few strides + standard core routine

AM: 2.8 WU 6x800 2.8 CD

PM: 5 miles + standard core routine + foam rolling

Garbage workout really. Slow. I've been sick and I never felt too good. It's basically just to keep the legs ticking over though as this is basically base season for a big spring. 

2:35,2:31,2:31,2:28,2:29,2:28

AM: 6 miles

PM: 6 miles with 5x10sec hill sprints + standard core routine

AM: 8 miles

PM: 5 miles

AM: 3.2 WU 9 x Bluemont Hill Circuit 1.6 CD

PM: 4 miles + standard core routine

The bhill circuit is a climb of 30 ft. anywhere from 1:05-1:11 with a 1:20-1:25 jog and 18-20 sec downhill fast stride then 26-30 sec jog.  Had a pretty good workout today and did nine. Felt strong

AM: 12 miles 

Very warm and it wasn't raining. It's a great day. However, it will be VERY cold over my time back in Ohio

AM: 19.5 miles moderate pace

PM: 1hr. Pool run

Attempted pick-ups with Jenn but then I ran ahead on a down mile and turned around to find Jenn but she was gone. She didn't stop to go to the bathroom and I was worried something happened. Then I ran back to Fletcher's. Looks like her pick-ups route and my group's pick-up route is different

AM: 10 miles + 5 x20sec strides + 8 burpees 

Christmas run. It's like a ghost town out there. No one is around. Very windy 

Off. In a car all day traveling to Ohio. Ate like shit sadly 

2.5 WU 2 x 10 min, 6 min, 3 min, 1 min

Well it was -6 degrees this morning so I went and bout a day pass at Northwest. Wanted to do 3 x 10 cruise intervals but the damn treadmill shut off at 6:00 on the third rep and I was pretty damn tired anyway so I increased the pace and ran fast for the 3 and the 1. I did 2:00-2:20 recovery between each rep. The first 10 was about 5:30, the second about 5:25, the 3 and the 1 at 5:10 and 5:00. All with a 0.5 incline to adjust for no wind resistance.

•••

AM: 12 miles in the freezing cold

-4 at the start. I think it went up to 3 above by the end. Legs never did feel right and the foam on my shoes was stiff. If it wasn’t for the warm micro climate of the face mask this would have been down right painful.

Off. Sadly. Traveled all day back to Virginia. Feel like shit due to Christmas garbage i are all day yesterday. I really need some self control in the new year

Noon: 8 miles + standard core routine

PM: 

Have the new year's race tomorrow but I'm heavy from Christmas garbage and my running has been all over the place. But it will be 13 degrees and windy so I read an not to worried about it.

PM: 2.5 WU 4 mile "race" 2 CD

Signed up for the Fairfax four miler this evening. I wasn't in the mood to race at all and I gained some flab over the holidays. It didn'thelp it was 17 with wind chills in the single digits. I didn' do too well at all. I don't take splits in races but I will say I felt amazing for two miles but when it got tough I crumbled and went to a negative place of self doubt and self bad talk that I work everyday in my life to get away from. It won tonight but I know what I need to do to grow as a person at work and in my running in the new year. Splits per Strava: 5:12,4:52,5:29,5:31