Winning Back What I Lost

Mesa, AZ

10AM: Traveled to AZ for the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday and Friday of last week so I haven't run for awhile.  I decided to take advantage of the wonderful weather down here (sunny and low 70's in the afternoon) and get in a run before heading over to the UOP Stadium in the afternoon.  Kinda breezy, w/ the temp in the high 50's to low 60's, but otherwise very pleasant. I ran in a t shirt and shorts for the first time in months but passed some locals wearing a coat, scarf and hat.  That's some perspective for ya. 

Easy TM run.  A really tough week for running.  Travelled all day on Tuesday back from AZ.  Spent Wednesday and Thursday working late and catching up on sleep.  Looking forward to a 10 miler tomorrow.

Mid afternoon easy, slow run outside.  Temp around freezing w/ no wind.  First time I've run in the double digits since September or October.  Feels good to stretch it out a bit and go longer.  Legs feel fine but started to get a stomach ache and a side stitch the last couple of miles.  Getting my diet in order is the #1 priority right now.  Need to drop some lbs. quick so I can start some tempo runs. 

830PM: 5+ easy miles on the TM.  I really didn't want to go today because I haven't gotten a lot of sleep lately.  I took 2 Tylenol PM last night and I was still feeling some lingering effects almost a day later.  I cut the run the little short and rode the stationary bike for 3+ miles.  I didn't count those miles. 

Did a little strength training (upper body) before a moderate run on the TM.  My wife is really sick again and I feel like I'm fighting something off too.  This is the week that I wanted to get my mileage back to at least 35-40 miles.  I think it will come down to whether I get a long run in on Saturday. 

Easy to moderate pace on the TM.  Starting to pick up the pace a bit more.  Doing that longer run on Saturday has already helped me regain some of my stamina.  Getting better sleep and eating right is the next step.

Another boring TM run.  Didn't press the issue.  I just tried to 'stay alive' and put in the miles.  Trying to preserve my legs for a longer run on Saturday. 

Late evening long run.  It rained all day and I waited until around 7pm before I hit the pavement.  Temp was cool (around 30 degrees) but not cold.  Light wind in my face until I turned North and then West to head back toward the house.  Extremely slow pace.  My legs were very stiff and not springy at all.  I'm carrying too much weight in the off-season for these longer runs and higher mileage weeks.  Its started to come off though as I've lost 5 lbs over the past couple of weeks.  It should melt away fairly quickly once I get back to my usual 40+ mpw. 

I had the day off for MLK day.  I contemplated a midday run outside but it was just too darn breezy.  Settled for an hour long run on the TM.  I'm starting to incorporate some faster paced finishing miles. 

A little bit of leg strength training and then some easy TM miles.  I didn't sleep at all last night so I was more or less content to get whatever I could. 

Interval training.  Repeats of 15 min fast followed by 5 min slow. 

Interval training: 5 min slow, 15 min MP, 5 min slow, 10 min MP, 5 min slow, 5 min MP.

Easy TM run at a very relaxed pace.  I wasn't winded but my legs felt lifeless so I didn't push it, especially since I'm planning a long run for tomorrow.

Worst run in quite some time.  I just didn't have any energy and a stiff headwind was enough to just totally wear me out.  I had planned on a long run but about 1.5M in to it I knew it just wasn't going to work.  Hopefully, a day off tomorrow will get me back into the flow of things.

Another non-descript TM run.  I need to find some sort of immediate goal to drive up my motivation.  My energy level is cyclical and typically coincides with fixed and immediate running events.  Right now I'm too far from my next race to instill any sense of urgency but close enough and wise enough to know that the training I do now will have just as much impact as the training I do a month out. 

Decent interval run: 5 min warmup, 15 min fast, 5 min slow, 15 fast, 5 slow. 

A pretty good TM run.  1 hour w/ each mile faster than the preceding one. 

Another good TM run.  Quarter mile warmup then held a solid pace (just under MP) through 6M then cooldown.  Feel like I'm getting some of my base back.  Just need to keep shedding my winter coat (3 lbs this week) and I'll be back to my pre-winter form. 

Lunchtime run.  Out and back from Municipal Park past WS Golf Course toward Barber.  Horrible stomach ache on the way back but otherwise a pretty good run. 

No long run.  It just wasn't in the cards.  The wife was gone all day running errands and by the time she returned it was late and snowing.  I stayed out there as long as I could til my face froze.