Pool Running is Fun

Capitol hill Classic 10k.  Race started late and it was a little warm.  The course was one massive gradual hill.  Went a bit slower than planned.

7 easy @ lunch

1 mile in Vibram FiveFingers and 4 x 12 sec. hill sprints with drills.  

7 miles easy @ lunch

5.5 miles shake-out @ 8:00-8:30 pace with the pacers group in the evening.

7 miles easy @ lunch.  Sore from yesterday's double.

sick from a sandwich I ate today at lunch.  I think the mayo was bad.  I feel like shit.

sick with food poisoning

4 miles @ slow pace.  Firstday back since the food poisoning nightmare; weak and dehydrated.  Hot outside

Easy 10 miles at 7-7:15 pace.  Still weak from food poisoning aftermath.

Easy 10 Miles.  It is getting hot outside in the DC area.  Getting used to breaking in my new shoes: New Balance 890 v.2

Easy 7 @ work during my lunch break.  HOT...lots of sweat and it is making me extra tired.

Easy 7 @ lunch break

VFF 1 mile run with 4x12 sec hill sprints and drills (high knees, butt kicks, etc)

Easy 7 @ lunch break

12 miles easy @ mid-day around 7:00 min. pace.

 I have to take 4 days worth of vacation time between today and July so I am doing a number of half-days and running extra long in the afternoons to avoid doubles.

I took today off and went out to the Virginia wine festival.  I had a lot of wine.

10 miles easy @ an average of 7:12 pace.  

Beautiful weather outside today.  I will have to enjoy it before the disgusting DC heat and humidity descends upon the area for 3 months.

Easy 7 @ 7 min. pace. I guess it is my birthday today but it was like any other Monday.

4 miles easy @ 6:00 a.m. this morning about 7:45-8:00 min pace average

7 miles easy @ lunch break today at about 7:00-7:10 pace average.

I'm currently working on base miles to safely get me up in the consistent 60-70 range for the summer.  I'll start doing maybe one hard effort a week (tempo or low key race) and work up to an additional day of longer intervals.  However, I can only go as far as my body will let me and I must work on getting consistent mileage without getting hurt.

Easy 7 @ lunch break.  Great weather but the heat will be returning.  I'm sore from the increased mileage but totally not destroyed because I haven't been doing any workouts.  I need to do some hill sprints though.

Easy 10 @ noon + barefoot sprints, drills, etc.  Usual core and push-up routine.

Feeling tired and dehydrated today.  It was rough the last 3 miles. 

Easy 10 miles.  

Getting warm.  I need to drink more water.  Very tired.  I'm not used to so many miles.  I really don't see any benefit of doing my easy runs any slower than 7:00-7:15 range so I will either have to adjust or take more rest days. I think upping mileage to the 60s when you are used to the 40s is tough, even with all workouts cut out for the time being.  May take a few weeks to get used to.

I've decided to take a day off due to soreness and fatigue. I'm pretty dead tired and I don't want to get injured jumping my mileage straight into the 60s.  I should probably stick to the 10 percent rule and be patient.  I'll aim for 60 miles next week. After all I've only been back to consistent running for about a year.

12 miles easy through Rock Creek at about 7 min. pace.

 It was hot but not that humid and I ran in the shade.  I feel soo much better now that I took yesterday off.  I  think I may try to increase mileage and still take a day off each week or every other week at least.  We'll see once I start in with the workouts.

AM:  7 easy. hot

PM: VFF 1 mile + 4 x 12 sec steep hill sprints with drills 

7 easy after work.  Usual abs and push-up routine and core work.

4 easy at lunch

DC Roadrunners Run After the Women 5K --> 1st overall 16:55.  The first mile was 5:42 but after that I increased the pace and fealt very strong at the end.  I think the greater mileage is starting to pay off.  Eventually adding workouts and being consistent will really bring it together for me in the fall....16:0Xs maybe?

Easy 7 during lunch. sore.

11 easy earlier today.

Off today.  I wanted to run an easy 5 to make it 60 but patience is a virtue and I've come to realize that at this point I may be the type of runner that needs one day of rest each week.  I feel so much better.  I'm counting on that tomorrow as I am running the Father's Day 8K tomorrow evening. I will be in the 60s soon with one day off per week...unless I feel that the day off is not necessary.  I will probably add more short morning runs to the mix and consistently maintain 65 mpw once I get there.  Then add workouts.

I ran a race that supports the Georgetown Running Company racing team this evening.  I ran much better than expected!  I had some solid help really pushing the pace in the middle miles from a GRC member.  I wanted to at least break 28:00 and ended up running a PR of 27:02!  I felt strong.  I believe this slight increase in mileage has made a hug difference even without the addition of workouts.  The hill sprints and running twice on some days has really paid off. With a time like that in the 8K I am confident that I will be able to break 16:30 in the 5K by fall!

I was also happy that I didn't get destroyed by the female British Olympian marathoner who also ran the race.  I remember running the first mile in 5:23 and hearing the pitter patter of someone with a very quick turnover behind me.

http://www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/20120617.html

Easy 7 at lunch break. Push-ups, core cork, etc.

Easy 4 before dinner. 

Easy 7.  Hot.

Holy shit balls it's hot.  I took my lunch break t 10:30 to get in 7 miles before the heat advisory took effect at noon.  My shorts were drenched.  Tomorrow I will have to get up very early to run since it is going to be very humid and 101 degrees F.

with it being 101 degrees with high humidity I took it indoors to the deadmill where I ran 10.5 on a 1% incline.  Started at 8:30 pace and went down to 7:00 for the middle 5 and 6:40 for the final 3.  Even with the incline the treadmill is not the same as actual running in many respects and therefore I will count it as 10.

Ran 10 at 6:30 this morning.  Getting out of bed to run really sucks ass.  I would much rather prefer running after work but the heat and humidity today have prevented that.  At least I got it in.  Sore...treadmill yesterday.  Not used to that.

easy 6 in Kinvaras.  Makes 60 for the week.

Did not run today.  I didn't really feel like it :(

4 easy early before work.  8:00 pace

7 easy during lunch break. 7:10-20 pace.  Push-ups, core work, etc.

4 easy.  8:00 min pace.  3 x 10 sec hill sprints

7 easy. 7:00 min pace. Push-ups, abs, core work.

It was great outside today...upper 70s.  It's supposed to be 100 on Friday and Saturday :( 

7 Easy at 7:00 min pace. Low humidity, not too bad.

12 @ 7:00-7:20 pace.  Hot but not humid (yet). Core work, push-ups.

I hit the dreadmill again today.  The temp outside was 104 with a heat index of 111, making it very dangerous to run outside.  I ran 7.5 with a 10% incline so I'll call it 7.

Today was supposed to be the Chris Carter Memorial 5K out in Arlington.  However, a serious storm ripped through our area last night and the run was canceled. Can I get my entry fee back? I guess it was just as well since it is 100 degrees and humid out right now.  It's supposed to storm again so I ran 10  a bit earlier today.  It was slow and I was dying...God it's hot.  I just couldn't make it 12 for an even 60 this week.  58 will have to do.

so today there was a free 5K for some Ethiopian American charity with huge cash prizes.  Of course a pack of Ethiopian runners came down and ran away with it.  It was hhhoooottt.  My time was slow, considering the 10 miler yesterday and the 100 degree humid heat.  Yet it was a good  tempo workout.  I just didn't have another gear after the first mile which is to be expected considering my mileage and utter lack of sped work.  Good time, free stuff, yay.  I ran like 17:3x something.

4 easy at 6 am.  8:00 min pace

7 easy at noon. 7:00 min pace.  Getting more accustomed to the heat.  Still sucks.

I am taking today off.  I am just really tired of my legs constantly hurting with soreness.  It is muscle fatigue and not joints/ligaments but it hurts.  This heat is really getting to me.  I just want to feel a little more awake and not hobble slowly down the stairs.

10 easy this morning through a very busy Rock Creek Park (Happy July 4th!).  I switched into my VFF and did 4 x 15 sec. hill sprints and form drills.  Going to be over 100 the next three days.  This heat just never ends.

7 easy, very hot. Core work, push-ups, etc.

8.5 easy-tempo range on treadmill at 10% incline.  I started at 8:00 for the first mile, then 7:30, 7:03, 7:03, 6:40, 6:40, 6:18, 6:00. I guess this is how I normally run my easy runs but I was able to track it all on the deadmill. The dreadmill sucks ass but it's so hot outside that it's hard to breathe.  Core work, etc.

12 Easy on the dreadmill.  It's 106 degrees F outside right now.  I didn't hit my mileage target this week.  the 4th holiday, the pick-up race last Sunday, the heat, and all of the beer I've drank this week put a dent in my plans.  Aiming for 60 next week as cool weather returns!

10 easy on the dreadmill.  Fu*#%^& hot again, 102 with high humidity.  It is supposed to break tonight and this week looks like it will be in the mid 80s.  Looking forward to actually running outside and not getting sick.  

10 easy after work on the C & O towpath.  My legs had no pop in them.  This is due to three days on the dreadmill due to the heat.  I still feel the dreadmill is not that great and should only be used for 100+ degree days or blizzards. Oh well. I couldn't get a good sense of my pace either.  It will be back in a few days.

8.5 easy. My legs feel like shit. They are not too fatigued but there is no pop to them and I feel slow.  The culprit is three days on the dreadmill...I did some barefoot strides and drills after the run.  Hopefully the spring in my step will come back.

10 easy after work.  Legs feel tired but my pace was faster than usual.

I didn't run today...achy joints and I'm dead tired.  The great part about it is I can take a day off whenever I want...no team or meets to be accountable for.

Easy 10. Great day for a run.  I'm going faster now on my easy days but I'm not realizing it since I'm going by perceived effort.  I still want to go no faster than 7:00 pace but today's run was slightly under.  Probably the cool temps and the fact that I took off yesterday.

I had to work today out in Alexandria so o my way home I stopped back in at my office in Foggy Bottom and changed into my running clothes. I ran the 3.5 miles out to Fletcher's Boathouse in Georgetown, ran a 4 mile race as a quick tempo with the DC Roadrunners, and ran back to my office. Not a bad day.  Tired.

Results

It is mid-summer and this week is a scheduled down week.  I am looking to run about 35-40 miles this week.  I decided to take today off after a hard effort last night.  This Saturday will be the Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K which is a popular race among the better runners in the area. I'll get to see what my basework has done so far on Saturday since I will be better rested than at any other race since the 10K last May.

7 easy after work.  Hot outside again, 100+ degrees tomorrow. No dreadmill though..effed up my internal pace maker by making like a hampster.

7 easy. Hot (what else is new).

7 Easy...hotter than hell.

7 easy followed by barefoot strides and drills.

4 mile hash run (will count as 2 miles)

I went on a hash run last night with my friends.  It was  alot of climbing, hiking, and trudging my way through a shallow river in the rain.  Not exactly training but it did leave me feeling more tired than I would have liked going into tomorrow's race a little more rested so I am nixing my easy 4 miles today for a day off.  I'm excited about tomorrow's race.

A twilight race is a little tricky because you are not sure about what to eat during the day.  At about 3:00 p.m.  I was starving so I had some three cheese tortellini without really thinking about it. By 8:30 p.m.  I could tell that the digestion did not go as planned....

As I warmed up in the rainy evening I was excited because my legs felt great.  We started the race in the dark and I ended up putting out a 5:12 first mile and felt pretty amazing.  The course was pretty hilly...up and down, up and down.  Went through the two mile marker in 10:3X something and that's when I got a side stitch and stomach issues...I tried my best to deal with it but it lingered for two miles.  Although I pushed through it the best I could,  I feel that I could have gone 26:50 without this issue, or at least sub 27:00. But I know that this will come, along with the tempo runs, the speedwork, etc. for the fall. Sorta pissed me off though but next time I'll be ready.

As you can tell from my lackluster 45th place showing, this race is a summer's who's-who of the local racing scene, with Ethiopians and one really fast white guy taking the the cash awards.  Needless to say, their pace was about 4:50/mile.

On a bright note, my fall goal was to break 16:30 in the 5K...I honestly think I should aim to break 16:20!  That is, if I get a chance to race a 5K amid the various 8 and 10s in the area.

 Great race, lunch mistake, but it could have been worse.  Alright with it.

 Results

12 easy...averaged 7:15s.  Very humid today but almost chilly on the temperature side.  A little sore in the calves from the race yesterday. 

7 easy.  My calves are hurting....probably because I ran a hilly-ass 8k last Saturday in my very minimal Saucony Grid Type A5s.  I love these shoes but there is not much shoe...I wouldn't go much farther then a 10k in them.  I hope my legs feel better by Wednesday...DCRRC 1 mile and 3k events with $100 for the winner of the mile.  I'm no miler but it's a free event and different than the usual 8K and up races that I like to run.  Who knows, maybe i'll have some flashbacks to my glory days running the 1600m in high school.

7 easy.

This evening was the DC Roadrunners 1 mile and 3K track championships.  Last month I thought it would be easy to be in the top three and win come cash.  That was before this free event was advertised on the Washington Running Report.  Needless to say that the weather was great, competition fierce, and the times sick.

I'm no miler and I've done no speedwork (besides races) since early last May so I had no idea what I would do.  I finished in 4:45, well in the middle of the pack. The winner ran 4:16 and won $100 and since he beat the meet record, he grabbed another $200 to go with that.  Ouch...the lactic acid built up quickly in only the second lap...a far cry from high school when I didn't get that feeling until the last lap.  I could feel the lack of speedwork but did the best with what I had and kicked it in.

The 3K was slow but I ran more as a workout.  I started slow but increased my speed through the final lap.

I'm sore this morning and I only got 7 in total last night!  I don't have another race scheduled until mid September so it's time to get plenty of quality aerobic work in.

Results

Off today.  Too sore from the track meet races.

4 easy at 5:30 am

10 easy at noon.

Getting some quality work in with no plans to race until mid-September.  I had to take yesterday off because I was just too sore from the track races on Wednesday.  All of this marathon-esque training I've been doing doesn't equate well for anaerobic running and left me dead sore.  I felt better today though and sneaked in a few extra miles at lunch. 

10 easy...well not so easy by the end.  The combination of the 90+ degree heat and the 14 miles I ran yesterday turned the final 3 miles into a bit of a struggle. Oh well.  Now that I am not racing until September, it's time to get some good miles in.  Hopefully I can go for 65 miles for the next three weeks with a tempo session starting in August.

Although I could have probably run, I was not brave enough to suffer through the heat and humidity so I took the day off.  I have a slight twinge on my right achilles from overuse I believe. That and I need new shoes.

4 easy AM  8 min pace

7 easy PM  7 min pace

4 easy @ 8:00 min pace AM

7 easy @ 7:00 min pace PM 

7 easy

Easy 10 after work plus barefoot strides and drills.

10 easy...well it wasn't easy....very hot and I was dehydrated and dizzy by the end...yuck.

I did not run today. Mostly out of laziness and lack of bravery to face the heat and humidity again.

10 easy today but once again the allergy medicine combined with the heat and humidity caused the last three miles to really hurt.

Felt much better today since I focused on staying hydrated.  I think my body is finally starting to get used to the allergy meds.  Ragweed season has started and the breathing has become a little wheezy.  Not much I can do about it except to take care of myself, sleep, and stay hydrated.

ran 4 this morning and went out to the DC roadrunners Bluemont 5K and ran it as a work-out.  I was saddened by the fact that I feel so drained and slow but then I remembered that it's allergy season, I'm in the middle of a training week, and this Zyrtec is drying me out.  oh well.  I'm tired.

 Results 

Easy 7. Like the last 5 or six runs I've done I started feeling good.  But as I continued my legs felt like dead weight.  Same for yesterday's race and every other run lately.  I thought it could be that my shoes were done for...which they are but it feels more like dehydration.  No matter how much water I drink, I still am having the feeling.  I know it's not just the humidity and heat.  Afterall, I've been running in that since May.  This all started when I started taking my Zyrtec for my allergies...something about it dries me out to the point where I feel like ass on my runs.  I'm going to stop taking it for awhile and see how I feel.  If I find out that it's the meds I will suffer through allergy season without them.  We'll see how I feel.

 Update:  After doing some research,  I've decided to stop taking the Zyrtec for awhile and then try loratadine, better known as Claritin.  The side effects are different for these drugs so I'll see if that works with my running. 

7 Easy with core work and upper body lifting.  So today I did not take my Zyrtec and sure enough I felt much better on the run.  I even was able to breathe easier.  Apparently some of the side effects of centirizine is wheezing, dry mouth, and fatigue which was very apparent in the way I've been feeling since taking it.  Only if my allergies get super bad will I try taking loratadine (Claritin) which has fewer side effects.

12 min. w/u

30 min tempo @ 10 mile race pace

12 min cool down

I went out today and ran my first workout of the season: 30 min. tempo.  I'm not sure how far I went, but I know I went further than 5 miles on the tempo portion.  It was humid but I felt much better since I quit taking my allergy meds and my allergies have only been a slight annoyance and nothing big. 

Easy 10 through Rock Creek.  It was nice and cool (mid 80s) this morning.  Ran in my new pair of 890 v.2s this morning.  Much better.

Well today sucked.  I drank too much last night and felt like shit today. No running :(

4 easy early this morning + 1 mile VFF and 4x12 sec hill sprints

7 easy during lunch

It feels amazing outside...running in 86 degrees is paradise compared to 96 degrees.

11 min wu

30 min tempo by effort

11 min cool down 

Ran in my Kinvaras.  Those things are fried.  I need new Kinvaras. 

7 easy.  Great weather only 82.

10 easy after work.  Typical core work and lifts.

11 easy after work.

Easy 7.  I wanted to go farther but my legs are dead and my ankle joint on the top of my right foot is throbbing a little off and on...probably from overuse from running 21 miles in two days.  That's a lot for me.  I didn't reach my goal of 60 this week but clearly adding the tempos take more out of me.  If I didn't take last Sunday off I would have made it.

16 min WU

6 x 3 min @ 5K pace w/ 1 min recovery jogs

16 min CD

I decided what the hell, I'll go out and run a VO2Max workout.  I've been putting in plenty of moderate distance runs lately and I'm training for 5-10K distances.  Time to actually run at race pace for a bit.  The cool weather really helped. 83 degrees feels amazing next to 93-103.  Seems August is a lot calmer than June or July around here.

Allergies bothering me a bit but not too much. Need to order new Kinvaras. 

10.1 easy after work. About 7 flat pace.  The gym is closed this week so I can't shower after my runs if I run from work.  I will be running after work everyday today.

Very cool outside (81) so the run felt great even with some allergy issues. 

very long day at work.  Very stressed with New Student Orientation coming up.  I've had so much to do and almost blew up at someone today.  I was mentally exhausted so I didn't run :(

12+ miles easy after work.  Man what a week.  Stressed from work and sad that I missed my run yesterday. It also sucks that the gym is closed so I can't go there and lift + shower after my runs.  Orientation week this week which means a 12 hour work day on Friday and work on Saturday.  I'm going to do my best to get my runs in.

16 min WU

30 sec @ mile race pace x 16 with 30 sec jogs

16 min CD

 Ouch! This intro VO2Max workout surprised my legs.   

12+ hours at work today with open houses, orientations, and interacting with new students.  It was dark by the time I got out of work.  Didn't get my run in.

New student orientation early today until 3.  I guess I could have ran but I was exhausted and this week was pretty much an inconsistent waste on the training front.  I guess this can be a down week.  Hope to get back in the routine next week.

My Kinvara 3s came today.  I'm glad I got to get to throw away my old 2s...so worn out. 

12 easy-moderate through Rock Creek.  I feel much better now that I was able to run out the stress of the past few days.

7 easy at lunch

1 mile VFF + 5 x 12 sec hill sprints and drills 

4 easy @ 8:00 min pace

11 min WU

30 min tempo @ half marathon/10 mile pace

11 min CD

Sore today but it's the good sore. 

7 easy at lunch. 

9 easy at lunch.  Standard push-ups and ab work.

12 min WU

6 x 3:00 min. @ 5K pace with 1:00 min. jogs

12 CD

light lifting and abs. 

10 easy through Rock Creek.

 I'm getting stronger and I can feel it even with the hacking, sneezing, and wheezing of allergy season. 

10 miles easy through Rock Creek.  It was disgusting outside this morning because it was wet and muddy with a very high humidity.  It wasn't hot but hard to breathe and wet.  yuck.  I want a crisp fall morning, not the Amazon rain forest.

I took today off mostly out of tiredness due to a lot of beer yesterday and I had no will to run. I tend to end up taking a day off once every 7 or 8 days as a natural course, so I've noticed.

4 easy @ 6:00 am.

11 min WU

30 min tempo @ 10 Mile/Half Mary pace

11 min CD

Humid as hell once again but the allergies are not so bad.  I ran a different course for my tempo and I should have known how hilly it would be.  Kept throwing me out of my tempo pace into vo2 efforts. 

7 easy at lunch.  

I really wanted to get a morning run in but after that hard effort yesterday it was really tough to wake up early. I will try again tomorrow morning.  Damn it's humid...feels like the amazon just cooler temperature wise.  It is gonna be 92 degrees the next two days.  Where is fall at?  It's been like this most of the time since May.

7 easy in the humid rain.

5 Miles easy + Drills and strides

Yesterday morning was humid and disgusting and the high almost reached 90 by 3:00 pm. I was worried that the 5K race (gun time 6 pm) would be cancelled. At about 4:00 shit his the fan and a massive storm swept through.  Luckily I was on the Metro on my way to the race when it happened.  By 5:00 it was a steady rain.  The storm lowered the humidity and temperature by over ten degrees!  Once I warmed up I was only slightly wet.

I was a little perturbed when they delayed the start from 6:00 to 6:15 and then 6:20.  The gun didn't go off until 6:30.  Everything else about the race went really well.  I focused on my form and the pace while trying to keep up with the leaders.  I did not get my mile and two mile splits but when I looked down at my watch for the 3 mile split it read 15:43.  I knew then I would destroy my personal best at the distance.  I ran 16:13!  My goal this fall was to break 16:30!

I then finished and celebrated with some former Bowdoin Cross Country runners with 5 cups of free beer and pizza.  It was a great time! 

I attribute the success to planned and relatively consistent training.  This is the first time I've counted mileage and this blog is great for doing that. Also, I've trained in some hot-ass weather and it was cool at the start. I couldn't be happier with the result.

Results 

12 easy through Rock Creek.  Beautiful day.  It was 77 Degrees and felt amazing

7 easy at lunch.  Light lifting

12 min WU

30 min tempo @ 10 mile race pace

12 min CD

VFF run + 5 x 12sec hill sprints 

4 easy about 8:00 pace

7 easy about 7:00 pace + abs, pushups, etc. 

Hash run.  I decided not to run this afternoon due to very dead legs.  I felt a little niggle in my plantar fascia and I realized I wasn't getting enough recovery after last week's race then long run and workouts.

4 easy with some strides. I feel much better today after the rest day I took yesterday.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that I can only push as far as my body can recover.  With a long run, race, tempo, and a double run day in four days it took it out of me.  Ready to race tomorrow!

This morning was a beautiful morning for a race although the wind was a factor in today's event. The Georgetown Running Company racing team brought out a large contingent of fast men to race and I was counting on this when I signed up.  

We started the run in West Potomac Park aided by the wind for 2.5 miles.  My first mile was a very swift 5:02 and I felt good so I only backed off a little.  I was still with the leaders at that point. My second mile time was 10:10 and the third was 15:23.  Although there was not a 5K marker, I'm fairly confident I was close to my 5K PR at that point.

The wind sucked as we ran around the turn-a-round.  This is where I began to buckle due to the pace.  I did my best to relax and keep from slowing down and tying up.  It also sucked because the small pack I was running with took off, leaving me in no man's land. As I started my long kick for the finish, a huge runner sprinted past me going like miler pace.  I tried to keep up but I didn't have the spring speed.  After the finish I learned that this guy is a miler/800 guy for the GRC.

Great PR and better (based on equivalency) than my 5K PR set last week!  Lets see what I can do with a 10K next week. 

Results 

I didn't run today because my legs were shot.  Sore as hell.  I think it has something to do with me racing in my Saucony Grid Type A5s.  There is not a lot of shoe there and I really pushed it yesterday.  It could also be the fact that I drank a little too much at my buddy's birthday party Saturday night.

4 Easy @ 8:00 min pace

7 Easy @ 7:00 min pace 

10 Easy after work.  There was a big-ass storm this afternoon but it returned to a calm light rain by 5:00 when I went out for a run.  It was dead around Haines Point.  No walkers, tourists, cyclists, nothing.  It reminded me of running down there in the dark on a cold December evening. It was cool because it was just me, the pigeons, seagulls, and the mallards.

12 min WU

6 x mile by perceived effort (around 10K pace) with 1:30-1:40 jogs in between reps

*into the wind

5:41, 5:37*, 5:24, 5:37*, 5:21, 5:44* 

10 min. CD

Very windy in one direction today.  Great workout though. I remember in high school coach got us ready to do mile repeats and everyone was afraid of the workout.  We were supposed to do three at 5k pace but he let us out of them at two.  Doing workouts like these I laugh at the workouts I used to do...man if I were a coach.

7 easy at lunch.  Beautiful cool fall day today.  My legs are tired from yesterday.  I'm going to do a nice and easy 4 miler tomorrow so I'll be ready to go for Saturday's 10K.  

Third week in a row with a race.  That's a lot of racing!  Next week I won't have a race.  I'll have two in October and two in November.  My goal race of course will be the Veteran's Day 10K on November 11.  This has got to be the fastest 10K in the D.C. area during the fall and it will be great to see how I fair next to the local elites.  I will get a dose of that at Parks on October 7th.

4 easy at lunch

Today Started off alright but the race was starting at 9:00 and the temps were going up quickly.  It was also very windy.  I began the 10K running with a local guy (like myself) and British female Olympian Claire Hallisey and went through the mile in 5:20.  We went through three miles in 15:55 and I was right on pace for a new PR.  Everything changed once we got out on that long stretch of freeway.  The heat was back and the wind was bad so I took turns breaking the wind in the lead with another guy.  At the turnaround it started to get a bit difficult to keep up.  I went through 5 miles in 27:00 and the pace worsened from there.  It just wasn't in my legs today.

Not that many quick people showed up for the 10K and I won $75 for my second place finish so it wasn't too bad.  The guy who won also ran the 8K last week and was much faster there as well so I'll take it for today.  I have three more chances at the 10K distance in cooler weather and quicker courses.

I've decided that two weeks in a row with races is doable but three weeks in a row is too much.  You get stale by the third week.  I need my long run and regular schedule back to run 10K at my potential.

Results 

12 miles easy through Rock Creek Park.  A beautiful day today and the temps were cool and pleasant at about 68-69 degrees.  My calves are destroyed from running that 10K in my Saucony Grid Type A5s.  They are a great shoe but they are a 3K-5K flat.  I am not going to use them for anything longer than an 8K.  I'll stick to my Kinvaras in my next race.

7 easy at lunch.  Tired. Beautiful day.

7 easy at lunch.  My legs still feel dead...normal I suppose after running a 10K and a 12 mile long run the next day this weekend.

11 min WU

36 minute tempo run @ about 1/2 marathon pace.

8 min CD 

7 easy.  Actually hot today.  I had to run shirtless.  I guess today could be called the last day of summer.

12 min WU

4 x 4 min. and 1 x 3 min. @ 5K pace with 1 min. 40 sec. recoveries.  I attempted a 5th interval but only made it 3 minutes.  I was spent. 

7 min CD 

12 moderate pace with a friend who I met at a race.  He is a lot quicker than me and puts in 90mile weeks but we decided to put in 12.  The miles fly by when you have someone to talk to.  I want to get a few more guys to come out and make it a weekly thing for our long runs during Boston Marathon training.

10 easy.  I was tired today because I went out until 4 am last night and slept like crap.  I still managed to drag my ass outside and I felt great after a few miles.

7 miles easy

2 miles VFF + 5x10sec steep hill sprints

In case anyone ever reads this for training purposes, please note that I do push-ups and core work 5 days a week. I also do some light lifting.  

7 easy

15 min WU

6 x 3:00 min @ 5K pace with 1 min recoveries

15 min CD 

8 easy.  I tried out my new Timex Marathon GPS today and it works pretty well.  I kept looking at it to see my pace which I figure has a 30 second delay.  This is a low budget GPS and I bought it mostly for marathon training, repeat miles, tempos, and knowing how far I've gone on unfamiliar routes.  Once I get my more familiar routes accurately marked out the turn-a-rounds, I won't where the GPS on my easy day.

7 easy.  Hot again today....shirtless runs in October yay. It's supposed to be cold and rainy Sunday for the race...I just hope it's not too wet.

4 easy

That was really piss poorly run race at least at the beginning. I was going to ride my bike but I knew it would be raining hard at the end so I bussed/ran there. I got there at 7:10 and waited in line until 7:45 to pick up my packet, then waited in another line for the bathroom until 7:55. They didn't delay the race despite the fact that people were still in line....so I didn't get to warm up and I could tell as the rain fell in the first mile it wouldn't be my day. I guess you can't have a great race every time. Although the course markers were off and I didn't get to warm up, I still managed to run within 3 seconds of my PR so I'll take it.   I went ahead and ran four more miles within 5 minutes after finishing....I guess I was warmed up by then.

I ran in my Kinvaras hoping that they would provide more support than my A5s...unfortunately they are shitty shoes to race in but they did provide more support.

As I was running, I realized that a 12 mile long run is not long enough for a good 10K.  I need to work on keeping my overall mileage up and aiming for at least a 15 mile long run.  Marathon training should take care of that but I want to increase at least before my target race on November 11th. 

Results 

11 easy through Rock Creek.  Beautiful day, overcast and 54!  No I'm not being sarcastic, it is beautiful running weather!  It's been since early April that we had a nice cool day like this.  Last week it was 84 and humid.  What a difference a week makes.

10 Easy.  Another awesome day for a run...I dropped sub 7:00 minutes for the majority of the run and it felt really easy in the 54 degree air :)

10 easy.  Great weather for a run. Hit 10 miles exactly at 1:09:00.  Felt great.

15 minute WU

3 x 5:00 minutes 10K/5K pace with two minute jogs in between.

20 minute CD

 Today my legs were dead from all of the recent mileage.  I set out to do the workout but after the first five minute interval I knew I wouldn't be able to make it.  I could barely get up to 5k pace and settled just off that pace for the remaining two intervals.  After the third one I knew I had to pull the plug on the fourth.  I took it easy the rest of the way.  It's a fine line we walk between proper cumulative fatigue and injury.  

8 miles easy from work.  Nice out today. Still tired. 

scheduled day completely off.  It's been a long while since I took one.

I usually like to run races that draw fast competition so that I am pushed to do my best. However, I like doing great smaller races every now and then and today was amazing.  I went out in 5:25 for the first mile but all of the other mile markers were off and it was really windy.  I went through the 5K in 17:07, exactly the same as last week.  Unlike last week however I still felt great.  I surged away from the guy running with my and dropped him at about mile 5.  I won the race and established a new PR of 33:38 so it was a great day. (although if it wasn't so windy I may have PRed by even more?"  I hope I get the chance on Veteran's Day)

What made it even better was the award that I received.  It wasn't advertised on their website but it was a very sizable cash prize :)  That will go a long way in helping to cover race entry fees and perhaps a new pair of shoes that I need to get soon.  It was a great surprise.

 Running this race on this weekend is advantageous for decent hobby runners like myself because the local elites are gearing up for the Army 10 miler next week or are preparing for the Marine Corps Marathon in two weeks.  In addition the local Ethiopians were at a race in Arlington that did in fact advertise good sized cash awards.

Great run, good weather, a solid PR and cash in my pocket.  Can't complain there! 

Next goal, attempt to break 16:00 at the Goblin Gallop 5K on the 28th :) 

Results 

7 easy

7 easy

I got up at 6:00 and went up to the gym at work to get my run in and some light lifting. It is beautiful on the Mount Vernon trail at 7:45-8:00 in the morning and it only takes 10 minutes to get to work because there is no traffic at 6:00 a.m. Definitely going to do most of my running before work.  It will be even better when daylight savings time ends and it will be a little lighter out.  I even made it to work before 9:00, which tells me that I can put in more than 10 miles if needed.

Tomorrow I am going to do a 5K workout...most likely 4 or 5 x 4 min. at 5K pace 

16 min. WU

4 x 4 min. @ 5K pace with 1:30 min. recoveries then 1 minute 800 pace for good measure.

30 min. CD

I really tried to concentrate on the 5K segments on my pace and form.  I may have gone a tad too fast but that is all for the better in this workout since a dose of raw higher end running was what I was aiming for.  

I am doing hash run tonight so I might be adding some more easy miles. 

I went out this morning to run 10 but my legs were trashed from yesterday's 5K workout.  I threw in a good dose of specific endurance and some speed at the 5K level and I'm not that used to that since I've been doing more threshold/strength stuff for the 10K.  I ended up running 8 in a steady rain.  I was soaked by 4 miles in and my legs felt like dead weight.  ran it at 7:20s-7:30s pace and I couldn't go much faster.  Tired.

Gorgeous day with perfect fall weather, about 60 degrees.  I went out and ran the first 6 miles in a little over 7:00 pace then ran 6:58, 6:55, 6:33, 6:28, 6:22.  I backed it back down for the final mile because of the massive mountain that is Harvard Street Hill by the National Zoo.

Felt pretty good and this was a solid aerobic effort.  No doubt you will see longer and better progression runs during my Boston Marathon training over the winter.

I am looking forward to my 5K attempt next Sunday.  Although I have not spent a siginificant amount of training for the 5K, I only need a few speed sessions to get me where I can perform reasonably well.  Tomorrow I want to do an easy run and then hill sprints and drills in my Vibrams.  Then I want to hit some fast repeats with good recoveries on Monday and Wednesday and then do a little 5K taper Thurs-Sat.  My legs should feel pretty sharp by then. 

Decided not to run today.  I was sort of feeling depressed and I ate like shit.

16 min. WU

6 x 3:00 min @5K-3K pace with 1 min recoveries

16 min CD 

8 easy

6 miles easy then strides, plus running drills (high knees, butt kicks, skips, karioca, etc) some core, light lifting.

Tomorrow I want to do some short and quick work.  Most likely 8-10 x 1:00min with 1 min recoveries then take Friday off and do some easy strides after a warm up on Saturday. 

a little sore today from the hard drills yesterday.  I ended up running with the DC Hash House Harriers for a few easy miles and some beer.

off.  Didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I have the sniffles.

16 min WU

2 x 3:00 min. with 1 min recovery

1 minute blast up Harvard Hill

5 min. CD 

I am trying this trick a friend of mine had told me about.  Apparently during your peek week you rest up but do a mini workout the day before your race.  I think the theory is that it puts a sharp edge on your rested muscles to get them ready to race without tiring them out.  Hopefully it will give me that extra pop in my step tomorrow.

My legs feel rested and I felt like I could run a hard 15 miles today no problem so I think my peek is going well. 

Well I was far from my goal today at the race partly because of the amount of crazy hills and wind on the course. However, I'm not frustrated or anything because 1) I had a great time with some friends 2)won $100 for coming in second and 3) the race didn't get destroyed by a hurricane.

I took out the race with a local Ethiopian in 5:05 then a 10:15 and down from there once the Ethiopian took off.  The course was many rolling hills with the 1 of two downhills in the first part of the first mile.  It was also windy since hurricane Sandy is getting closer to the coast.

I also felt a bit flat while yesterday I felt amazing.  This tells me that I did not peak correctly.  When I ran my 10K PR, I took the day before off without cutting too much mileage earlier in the week.  This time I did the opposite. I feel that my best PRs are on regular mileage with a day off before hand.  I will remember this next time.  Peaking is very subjective to the runner and since this new method didn't turn out too well (just like it didn't turn out well last May in the Capitol Hill Classic 10K) I am returning to my normal peak routine 

In addition, I ran tough and on the edge of "anaerobia" but I could tell that I haven't spent enough time there since my focus has been on the 10K.  It also sucks to run by yourself for the second half of a 5K.

 All in all it was a fun day with some new friends and $100 in my pocket.

Next up, Veteran's Day 10K.  I want to ramp my mileage back up and do some high end aerobic work this week.  We'll see how bad the hurricane gets in the next two days. 

Results 

The first place guy and myself

9 miles outside in wet, flooded, cold and windy conditions.  Everything is closed including work.  I ran through a deserted Rock Creek pre-hurricane.  Crazy chaos but rather peaceful at the same time because no one else was out there except for a few pedestrians admiring the gushing river.  The hurricane will make landfall in about 4:00 hours.

11 easy through the damage left over by Sandy.  Rock Creek Parkway was closed and most of the trails were under water so I ran on the parkway with the millions of leaves and debris everywhere.  The Potomac looks like a sewer.  Most of the damage was minor however.  Back to work tomorrow.

10 miles easy before work.  I ate cheap mexican burritos last night for supper and I knew it was a mistake even while I was eating it.  Anyway today at mile 7 my GI system couldn't take it anymore.  Luckily I found a port-a-john.  Well there was no TP so some leaves had to do.  I should really eat better....no more cheap processed Mexican food.

10 mile steady state progressive run.  I was going to run a tempo run but I really didn't feel like it so I started slow and increased the pace from there (more or less) with the last mile as a cool down.

8:30, 8:08, 6:53, 6:47, 6:50, 6:29, 6:28, 5:58, 5:57, 7:26 

I was lazy today

Today I felt good so I decided since I was lazy yesterday that I would hammer out a good workout today. During and after this workout I could tell it was a perfect way to train all levels of the aerobic system and the legs. It's long - 12 miles total - and it covers warm-up, easy b, easy a, steady state, tempo, and strength paces.  I have never done these types of progressives in the past but I can tell they are important for the half and full marathons.

splits:

(7:31 WU), 7:12, 6:52, 6:48, 6:54, 6:26, 6:02, 5:53, 5:30, 5:31, 5:51, (8:15 CD)

I was hurting on that last split.  The hills on the trails got me good but all in all I got in a good workout.  

10 easy.  Beautiful day today.

10 easy on the towpath.  Much brighter this morning since Daylight Savings Time ended.  Of course it will suck when it's dark at 5:00 p.m. but I am now running early so that won't matter much.

3 mile WU

10 x 1:00 min at 3K-Mile race pace with 1:00 min jogs in between.

3 mile CD

It was freezing this morning (literally).  I should have worn tights since my legs are not yet used to running in the cold.  I haven't run when it has been 32 degrees or colder since probably March are February. Eventually I warmed up and got some higher end fast stuff in my legs.

10 easy.  My 890s are done.  I tried to get them up to 500 miles but they are worn through and my joints are starting to ache.  I'm tossing them.  I have a new pair in a box at home.

16 min. WU

5 min @ 10k pace

  2 min jog

5 min @ 5K pace

  4 min jog

4 x 1 min @ mile+ pace w/1 min jogs 

18 min. CD 

I joined some friends and ran a non-timed "5K glo run dance party" with about 6,000 other people out at Stadium Armory.  I felt really lame at first but ended up having a good time at the dance stations and mostly skipped, kariocaed, high kneed, etc.  I stopped and dashed and jogged.  Fun time.

Day Off

Today was an amazing day for distance running in our Nation's capital on Veteran's Day.  The weather was perfect--sunny with a slight breeze. The course was the typical West Potomac Park course that's flat and fast. 

I can only describe this race as "sick" compared with other local races. I'll put it to you this way:  I was 21s overall!  Both the Georgetown Running Company and Pacers New Balance racing teams came in force. 

 I went out with the first mile in 5:07 and I purposefully slowed a bit because I knew I was going way to fast too early.  I forget the next mile split but I believe it was 10:20 something.  Three miles was 15:55, four was (I think) 21:06, and 5 was 26:42 or somewhere around there (it was pretty hazy at that point).  

I caught a lot of people who went out too fast and had a surging contest was a GRC member who found another gear at the end.  I saw the clock and gave everything I had in the hopes of breaking 33:00  I saw the clock hit 32:59 when I crossed so I had hoped my chip time might put me under.  Unfortunately it's hard to tell since the BazuSports instant results are always a few seconds slow for some reason.  I'll have to wait for the printed results to see for sure but since Bazu says 33:01 and I had 33:00, I'll go with 33:00.

 All in all I'd say a 38 sec. PR is a good day!  Not to mention I feel that I definitely have the fitness to break 16:00 in the 5K.  Hard to believe I can do this averaging my mileage in the 50-55 mpw range.  I wonder how I'll do at shorter distances after averaging 70s  while building up for Boston.  should be a great year next year. 

Results 

10 miles easy on the towpath.  Nice and warm this morning.  Legs are sore.

7 easy.  Still sore from Sunday.

I feel a little sick today and achy.  I went home early from work and just slept for a long ass time.  No run.  Trying to stave off any sickness that might develop.

I did a little cut-down strength run after work today to get the wheels moving.

2 mile warm up (7:20, 7:21)

5:47, 5:39, 5:31, 5:23

2 mile cool down (7:38, 7:48) 

10 easy this morning.

I felt kind of lazy today and a little hung over.  I also had a work event. I just didn't feel like running.  That's ok though since my season is over except for one race and the hay is in the barn.

20 min WU

6 x 3 min. @ 5k+ pace with 1 min jogs in between.

20 min CD.

10 easy before work. 

3 miles easy plus strides and drills.  That's pretty much all she wrote for this season.  Just the Turkey trot on Thursday then 5 days off then the Boston build-up.

off

I wanted to run this charity race as a last attempt to hit a 5K PR this fall before the long buildup for Boston.  I took it out in 5:04 in first because no one else wanted to push the pace. Hit two in 10:12 and died after the winner and 2nd place passed me.  I was pushing but I could tell that I didn't have the speed skills under my belt for this one.  10K was a much better race and a better distance for the training that I've put in. 

I still PRed and it was all in all a good way to spend Thanksgiving morning. 

I am going to take 5 days completely off.  With the holiday and days off from work who knows how much weight I'll gain!  But I plan on lifting and doing some core work then start running next week.  

I have my Boston plan all made up already.  I've adapted the Hanson's Marathon Method advanced program to my mileage goals.  It's going to be tough and I'll have to stay focused but I will emerge a different runner come April.  A sub 16:00 5K will be cake then if I'm still standing.

Results 

Sitting here on a beautiful day forcing myself not to run.  I'm not even sore from yesterday.  I was destroyed after Veteran's Day.  Hell I might just start back a few days early with easy 5 milers or something. No running today.

successfully had the day off.  I ended up drinking beer and had some late night fast food which I quit doing when I was training.  It tasted amazing but my stomach hurts this morning. I used to eat like this all the time.  ugg.  Trying to stay sane for the next few days and not worry about too much or a little weight gain.  After 6+ months of training it almost feels like I've lost a friend.  I know my muscles, joints and ligaments need the deep rest but I don't really like it. I'm sure a few weeks into training I'll be feeling dead wishing for a day off.  Life is ironic.

I couldn't take it anymore.  This weekend was boring because everyone was out of town back home for the Holiday.  I laced up my shoes and jogged around Adams Morgan for a bit. I felt like shit from not running for two days, drinking a lot of beer, and eating like shit.  It still didn't stop me from eating 5 Guys for dinner.  Although I don't feel the greatest, my better eating running diet is coming back tomorrow.  I'm planning on hitting the gym tomorrow morning for some lifting, do the same Tuesday, and then start the long Boston Marathon training quest on Wednesday with an easy 6 miles.

Rode the stationary for 10 minutes then lifted all major muscle groups on the machines plus another 10 minute ride.  Awkward being in the weight room.

nada

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." First day back. Easy 6 this morning. legs felt kind of shaky.

8 easy before work plus typical core routine + push-ups.

8 easy before work. Cold, 32 degrees. I did some barefoot sprint strides plus my drill routine at the gym.

met up with some friends who are also running Boston.  I wanted to get in 10 easy averaging 7:00.  here were the splits: 7:13, 7:03, 6:48, 6:42, 6:37, 6:31, 6:34, 6:37, 6:31, 6:37.

It felt pretty easy talking the whole way and I'm now more confident that I will be able to hold 6:30 pace for my long runs. 

8 easy this morning.

8 miles easy in my kinvaras.  Averaged about 7:00 pace.  typical abs and pushups.  Exciting week this week.  I have 8 easy scheduled everyday for the next few days.

8 easy. Avg. 7:00 pace then typical core and push-up routine.

8 miles easy + core and push-up routine.

8 easy plus core and pushups.  

6 easy plus barefoot strides and drills in the gym.  Ran out of time this morning.  It was an early run since I had to be at work at 8:00 but the gym didn't open until 6:30.

off today although I didn't plan for it. I woke up at 5:30 am to run but I couldn't stay awake and fell back asleep.  I had to work so I did that and was tired so I didn't run.

10 miles with Scott. Drizzly weather but only 52 degrees. Great day for a run.  I had a lot of beer and queso and chips last night so it was a close call towards the end. I will have to really watch my diet more closely when I get into heavy training.  Averaged 6:58 pace

8 miles before work.  Warm and wet (50s) not too bad. Averaged 6:58 pace. Abs and push-ups.

8 miles easy.  Averaged 6:58.  Pushups, core, standard routine.  Still warm.  Good for running.

2 mile WU

Marathon pace run: 5:51, 5:56, 5:53, 5:50, 5:55 

1 mile CD. 

Today was the first day for me to attempt marathon pace.  It felt strange and a little labored at first since I haven't run any faster than 6:30 pace for more than a mile for three+ weeks. I couldn't quite nail the 5:55-6:00 target range I was aiming for so I ended up going a bit quicker.  I think this will definitely level out once I get into the 8-12 mile range for these workouts.

All in all I think I'm training at the right pace but we will find out how I can do with longer mileage and more workouts in the same week. 

8 easy.  Push-ups, core routine.

7 easy then barefoot drills (karaoca, high knees, butt-kicks, skips) and barefoot strides + core work.

well this run did not go as planned. I ran with Lavar and his friend Thomas. The plan was 1 mile WU then 8 miles at 6:25-6:35 pace then 1 CD mile for 10.  It went like this:

7:18, 7:01, 6:38, 6:36, 6:25, 6:13, 6:10, 6:07, 6:11, 6:19, 6:46

It turned out to be a bit longer and I was way too fast in there and I tried to go slower but I felt so good I just kept clicking the miles off. I felt great and I did get 9 miles in 6:22 average range so mission accomplished.  I'm sure this will get closer to goal range as the length of the long runs and mileage weeks intensify.

10 easy.  Again I tried to slow it down but cranked out mostly 6:40s. Tired a bit from yesterday. Took a long nap.

2 mi WU

12 x 1:00 at 5K-3K pace w/ 1:00 min. jogs

2 mi CD

First day of workouts.  The Hanson's plan calls for speed work early in the marathon cycle and then it turns into "strength" work or longer intervals at faster than tempo pace but slower than 5K pace.  Mondays will be my speed-strength day while Wednesdays will be my marathon pace runs, what the Hanson's call "tempo runs." I will be doing 6 at marathon pace on Wednesday.

7 mile recovery run.  Started at 7:30 and went down to 7:10.  Averaged 7:19.

I decided to force myself to a slow pace in order to try the concept of the recovery run.  In the past I've always done my easy runs at a medium pace but I've heard that this is not always the best.  Even Kenyans who run 3 times a day will devote one run to a slow recovery run.

I'll need that bit of recovery after yesterday's speed and tomorrow's marathon pace run. 

2 miles WU

5:54, 5:52, 5:49, 5:50, 5:48, 5:54

2 miles CD

I wanted to get a marathon paced "tempo" run in.  At first it was uncomfortable and felt faster than "marathon pace" and of course it is faster than my current ability to run a marathon although I may be able to do it by Boston time.  I ended up going faster than expected and it took concentration to keep the pace not too fast but not too slow.  I wanted to hit 5:55 every mile. turns out I averaged about 5:52.  good enough for now.  I was thinking about how it will feel when I get this tempo up to 10 and 12 miles. ouch!

easy 7 before my flight back to Ohio

10 easy-medium back home in Ohio.  Holy wind. cold and windy.

14 mile long run.  I ran out from my parents' home to Leipsic.  It was out in the country with nothing but fields and water towers in the distance. Very flat here compared to DC with the smell of manure laying fallow in the fields.  That wind was ridiculous.  I didn't choose a very good route.  Most of the way was into the wind and going into the wind, a 6:20 pace effort was 6:45 pace! you can probably tell from my splits below where I was going into the wind! Averaged 6:33 minus the two warm up miles.  good enough with that wind.

7:26 (WU), 7:07 (WU), 6:39, 6:38, 6:37, 6:35, 6:43, 6:30, 6:27, 6:23, 6:25, 6:40, 6:42, 6:24 

"Out here in the fields,

I fight for my meals.

  I get my back into my living" 

8 miles easy.  I ended up running in the 6:40s most of the way even though I was dead tired.  That 14 on Saturday really took it out of me.  The wind and the effort were rough.

2 mile WU

8 x 2:00 min. @ 5K-3K pace with 1:30 min. jogs.

1 mile CD

Cold and quiet.  Tired but able with all of my systems on go.  Good place to be.  The cumulative fatigue is there but no niggles or sore tendons or joints. Ran on the track back home. 

10 easy on Christmas morning.  Dead quiet outside. 27 degrees but the wind wasn't too bad. Heard a rooster croak.

1.5 miles barefoot on my parents' treadmill. 

10.5 miles on the treadmill at the YMCA with my dad back home.  There is a winter storm/blizzard outside and the wind is ridiculous. I'm glad I at least got the treadmill miles in and I even maintained a quick 6:30 pace for 3 miles and 6:00 for 2 miles in there. Looking forward to going back to the slightly warmer DC weather where that slightly warmer temperatures mean rain instead of snow.

Still back home and a blizzard warning was in full effect.  The wind sucked and there was no footing.  Pretty much leaped and dodged and got wet attempting to run.  I went back home and shoveled snow.  A lot of snow.  Good core workout and some cross training.

felt hungover from Christmas and the bar yesterday and didn't get a run in before my flight.  Turns out the flight was delayed many times and I didn't get home until late.  No running today I guess.

15 miles starting easy and picking it up from there.  On the way back there was this massive and long hill that I always run on Harvard street by the National Zoo.  It hurt like a bitch today as I was hitting the wall at the same time.  Here were my splits:

7:33, 7:02, 6:45, 6:48, 6:42, 6:43, 6:40, 6:50, 6:39, 6:31, 6:37, 6:30, 6:35, 6:48, 7:27 

8 recovery run.  Legs are destroyed after yesterday's solid effort.

20 min WU

6 x 3:00 min @ 5K pace

20 min CD

Legs are tired from the hard 15 on Sat. I feel like it is easier time-wise and leg-wise to train for faster races.  Sometimes faster paced workouts are tough but at least you don't have that deep glycogen depleted feeling in your legs sticking around many days after a workout.  This marathoning stuff will give me one hell of an aerobic base to destroy my 10K and 5K PRs next spring/summer.  Who knows maybe I will eventually like the longer races better.