Pool Running is Fun

14 easy to moderate + 5x100m quick strides and full drill set.

Felt much better today.  It helped that it was 45 and I felt much warmer and the wind wasn't as bad. I think I just needed a rest day yesterday after a race, workout and tempo all in one week. I also threw out those 890s...the vs 4 is really kind of shitty compared to the 3 and I am glad I have a new pair of the 3s in the closet which I wore today.

basically the last long run in the season since I'll be racing each weekend here on out

AM: 8 miles easy + standard core routine and stretch trainer

PM: 5 easy

rainy but not too bad since it was warm 50-55.

AM: 2 WU (1600, 800, 1600, 800, 800, 800) 1.5 CD   (5:29, 2:33, 5:06, 2:27, 2:27, 2:27)

you can see from my times that the first 1600 sucked.  It was very cold but not as cold as I thought it would be since the wind was relatively calm. Tights, full hat, double gloves, the works. It was about 26 with a wind chill of 16...but since I wore a lot of layers I was fine. My hands were cold though, I need some warmer quality running gloves.

PM: 1 hr. pool run

AM: 5 easy + alternate core routine, light lifting

PM: 5 easy + 5x100m fast strides, drills, and 6.5min barefoot run

Very cold this morning, was about 25 degrees. It usually doesn't get that cold here until January, and in normal years the highs still get up into the 40s...however, after last winter, we might as well throw out what people around here consider "normal" winter weather, and prepare for single digits in the morning for some days in the winter if we get a cold snap like this in Jan-Feb.  Backing down a bit to recover before Saturday's 5K. Hoping it will be a little warmer then.  My muscles just don't feel fluid and fast in the cold.

5 easy at lunch, a good stretch. Warmer and pleasant, about 50 at run time.  Too bad it's only going to be 28 degrees for my race Saturday morning.  Maybe the warm air will move in more quickly than expected.  However, I'd rather have it 28 and calm than 38 and windy as hell.

4 easy + some light drills and strides

The forecast for tomorrow morning at race time is 26 degrees...but get this, the high for Monday is 74 degrees.  We will have had fall/winter/spring/summer in the course of a week.This weather is f*cked up.  The average hi/low for this time of year is 55/39.  There's a reason we race in November and not in January but I guess in this case the weather forgot what month it is.  Long "warm" up tomorrow before the race.

Brrr....this shit was cold.  Luckily it was not windy.  The course was alright, an out and back but there was a steep overpass to climb twice which slowed things down a bit.  I'm not sure if the mile markers were right but I split 5:05, 5:10, 5:06, xx.  It's still a PR and It was really cold (wearing underarmor, hat and gloves, and compression socks) so I'll take it. However, I thought I would be in the low 15:40s range.  I bet on a warmer day, a faster course, and a little peak work, I will be able to do it. That day will hopefully be Thursday morning for the 5K turkey trot I'm doing. I'm obviously a much better 10K-10mile-half runner than I am a 5K or marathon.  Afterall, my 32:23 converts to a 15:31-35 5K. Of course conditions and course for that 32:23 were near perfect and they were certainly not the best today. Still picked up $75 for my efforts.

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