Denouement

Easy run 4:48/k ave pace

Core workout in the PM 

AM: 8.08k at 4:56 ave pace

Got a massage from Anthony.  Last thursday my left hip was tight before the track workout, then my left foot hurt during the middle (from the arch up on the inside), then on Fri/Sat my left calf ached.  I got a foot massage from chinese ladies on Friday and Saturday, and it felt much better on Sunday.  Still had Anthony work that whole area over.  He said my ITB was very tight.

PM:  5.12k warm up, stretching, Coach Paul is back from the Olympics with a nasty workout, 6-8x 1600m on the 8 min, 5:50 goal (so 2:10 rest).  28.5C and 80% humidity.  There was also 15km/hr wind.  So our splits were supposed to be 87.5 per lap.  When I did hit 87 laps it was typically with a 42 on one side and a 45 on the other.  My times were 5:50, 5:48, 5:59  By the third one the lack of rest was really getting to me.  You would think humidity wouldn't affect your breathing but it did for me. I felt so demoralized from #3 I took one off, ate a gu, then jumped back in.  Coach was monitoring the workout and told me he wanted me to lead #4 from start to finish and I did 5:49 (Ali was by then in the mid 5:50's because she did not take a break and was thus getting progressively fatigued, while I was fresh off a long break), 5:47, then on #3 again I was tired from lack of rest and was 4:32 at three laps but then did an 82 for a 5:54.  So I did 6, Ali did 7. 4.77k cool down.

So this wasn't the best workout, but the weather was gross, and this is a hard workout for these conditions.  I felt proud of myself by the end despite skipping the middle one.  Ali is training for the half marathon championships in Bulgaria, while I am just training so I don't get out of shape, so my motivation is a bit wavery.  In fact, most of the time when I get on the track I am wondering why I am still doing this, why am I not at home with my family.  I am hoping to training myself into fully caring.  I look forward to the cooler weather and my marathon training cycle.  

11.2k @ 4:41ish pace, then 8 x 100m strides, with 100m walking rest, then jog a bit more.

Started sprinkling right after I stopped :( 

Met Roberto and Ali at 5:45am, and did 20 min warm up, then 16 x 2 min on/ 1 min off.  It felt hard from the get go, perhaps due to only getting 6 hours of sleep.  I just held onto Ali and dogged the 1 min rests.  3:41 ave pace for the fast parts.  Roberto said it was cooler this morning.  As I went to the MTR I thought I might have felt a nip in the air, but I thought I was imagining things by the time we were running.  He was right: it was 24C with 95% humidity starting the run.  

PM: core workout.  Went well.  I was going to do a run with the kiddies but they bailed. 

Ran to Kowloon Tsai park and did 6 strides.  Some people at the track were cheering me on, and seemed concerned when I would stop after 100m, one lady chatted with me in broken English and asked if I was ok, then she asked if it was my first time to this park (it is probably my 20th time).  It was fun to get some kindly interaction with some HKers.

7.15k easy.  

Also sea kayaking.  I was in a double with JJ which meant that I mostly had dead weight.  Then we went to lunch, and then went to Stanley Beach.  Ben and I swam out to the rafts which were further out than some beaches, probably 150m out.  Not ideal to be out in the sun the day before a race, but the sun is not so strong here and there were some clouds.