Denouement

Ran 50 min easy.  Turned out to be a 10k.  I do have some soreness in my left knee area which is concerning.  Will get a sports massage on thursday (that's the earliest I can since we have chinese new year celebrations right now) and have a PT appt next monday I think.

MTR'ed to University, then ran to a bathroom stop about 3k toward Tai Po.  That would be my base for my workout.  For a 5x1,000m I would prefer a track, but they are closed since it is New Year's, so I am on the road.  Had fast shoes (these are 5k pace) and a long sleeve I stuck in a bush then completed my warm up.  Rest were 90 sec, so some walking, standing basically trying to catch my breath, but never fully recover of course.  First one went out crazy fast, but settled enough to get at 3:25.  Wanted 3:35 for the first one and hoped to drop to 3:30 by the end.  But pacing on the bike path was a challenge for me.  I had chosen a flat area (no under or overpasses, nothing to mess up the gps), so just did it back and forth.  The rest pretty much felt similar, like "what is this pace, this is fast. . ." did 3:31, 3:31, 3:30, 3:30.  I am happy with the workout.  Hopefully this means I am in a position to break 18 min on my track 5k that is coming up in the second half of February.  Haven't raced on the track since college.  

Ran 16.3k in 1:16, 4:42 ave pace/k.  Was happy to have that feel easy. Rainy and cold.

Met Phillipe, Tom, and Kate at the west side of Bowen Rd.  They had already warmed up, so we ran to the middle of Bowen Road, so just a 3k warm up for me.  Kate peeled off to do hill reps.  I was nervous.  This was a 10k tempo at HM goal pace, so basically as fast as the dud 10k I did a couple of weeks ago.  Plan was 3:50 and I was so grateful to have guys to help me through this because this was hard enough with help.   I told them I didn't want to start out fast, but kind of a tall order, isn't it?  We started the tempo going toward the east, so had 180 after 2k, and after 6k and finished at the east end of Bowen Rd (bowen road is 4k long and has markers each 500m) Our first k was 3:42, I hung back but didn't want to lose contact, then 3:50 (then 180), 3:44, 3:47, 3:49 (5k was 18:52), then 3:44 (this k is 8 seconds short per Phillipe, so add 8 gets us to 3:52, includes 180 turn around), 3:41 (again add 8 seconds, so 3:49), 3:51, 3:45, 3:32.  It was only after 6k and the final turn that I felt like I could definitely finish the workout at desired pace.  The men were strong and motivating.  Tom pushed the whole last 4k stretch, and on the last k he told me to take the lead, and encouraged me to push with 500m to go, with 250 to go, with 100 to go.  I was just surprised that he could talk as we're clipping along.  I am so happy with the workout. The final time was 37:25, or 37:41 when you add the 16 seconds.  That's better than I hoped for.  Ave pace for the whole thing is 3:46, (3:48 for the first 9k, since the last one skews the average).  

I am soooo grateful to Phillipe and Tom for pacing me and encouraging me.   There have been so many generous souls who have paced me over the years and it's a wonderful tool and I need to look for opportunities to do this for others.

This workout does a lot to boost my confidence going into my half marathon in 10 days.  I've been doing some negative self talk that hasn't been productive and which this workout and other workouts in the past month have disproved, and I am happy to report that I am back. 

Ran around my home because squeezed for time, so some hilliness. Feeling tired from yesterday's workout.  Squeezed for time because our family were getting together with my friend Angela's family.  We were leaving the kids at her house to play (with her domestic helper) and we drove to Hong Lok Yuen, met up with Angela's friend and we did a hike that was 15k, but was about 17k with walking to/from the trails, and the hike was so very hilly, that it was about half stairs/steps, and it took us 5 hours!  No joke.  It was crazy hard.  I am a faster runner than Angela, but on trails I am just trying to keep up with her easy pace.  Thankfully Paul was with us (my Paul) and he was the slow poke, so the pressure was off me pace-wise.  That type of hiking is not as enjoyable as more gradual inclines, but it was lovely just the same.  Went up to Cloudy Hill (definitely cloudy, couldn't see the wonderful view the mist was obscuring, then to the eight fairies (eight hills) to Tai Mei Tuk.  I only brought an orange and a banana and lots of water (how much fuel do you need for 15k--cmon!).  Well this was 15k like no other.  So I was starving at the end.  Angela showed us a divey noodle shop in Tai Mei Tuk that we would have never been brave enough to go to alone, and all four of our dishes were very good and only $4usd each, so I am sure we will be going back.  

With all the stairs up and down I was concerned about my knee, but no soreness in the evening.  Did a nice thorough stretching/rolling session in the evening.  Saw Salt with Paul on cable--fun movie. 

26.14k, 4:41 ave pace overall, but that includes a 5k fast finish.  I was tired and not feeling so great from yesterday.  Was a warm morning, about 60F at the start and rising.   Bought a gatorade at 7.5k, and drank about 5 oz then and 5 oz at 17.5k, when I returned back to that spot. 5k's were 25:24 (5:05), 24:23 (4:53), 23:44 (4:45), 24:21 (4:52), then 5:00/k pace for 1.14, then started fast finish, target was 5k at goal HM pace (3:50). I started the tempo a bit fast, but got 3:47 for first k, second k had some funky turns and a bike forcing me to slow so that was 3:52, not feeling so hot and wanting to quit.  Stayed strong though, despite needing a bathroom the last k. I ended up with 18:50, 3:46 ave pace, and that was without any type of sprint to the end.  Happy I could do the workout on beat up legs.