Winning Back What I Lost

Late evening run. Just can't get up in the morning consistently. I set my alarm and sleep right through it. Probably something to do with the fact that I don't get to bed until midgnight every night.

Trying to ramp up weekly mileage to near 40. Daily runs should increase by 10-15%.

Starting to feel just a tad stronger. I've lost 15 lbs and it's taken roughly :30 sec/mi off my easy pace. My goal is to lose 10 lbs a month over next 4 mos going into race day. That corresponds perfectly w/ my median race weight & should land me precisely on my previous "easy" pace.

Noon: Lunchtime run on the GB. Awful run. Back was sore. Stomach ache. Ran the evening before so I had no energy. Just a horrible, useless run but for the miles. Not at the point where I can pull doubles. Need to get better rest and commit to my strength exercises (core, back, legs). 

Back still sore but the bigger problem is my legs are extremely stiff and weak. I suspect that the leg weakness is attributable to my back condition as before. I just took things very slow and tried not to worry about pace and just be in the moment. That's harder than it would seem.

Longest run yet. Felt reasonably comfortable. Legs not as stiff as yesterday. Doing my strength exercises and hoping that will pay off. Need to be smart about what sort of projects I do around the house. Setting up the kids pool made them happy but it almost injured me again.

More easy running.

Easy plus faster finish.

Included some faster miles. Faster being relative. Still 1 min/mi slower than my typical easy pace. I've also started doing some specific running drills to improve the efficiency of my stride (buttkicks, high knees, etc.).

 Very warm (high 80's) and breezy evening run. Keep improving my easy speed a few seconds pe mi. every run.  

Lunch: Easy run w/ David from Muni Park. Comfortable temps and nice breeze but still a little tired from last night's run and less than mediocre sleep.

8PM: First double digit mile long run. Felt great, no issues. Weather was perfect, near 70. Ran :30 sec/mi faster than my typical easy pace. Getting there, week by week. Starting a more formal training plan. 16 weeks left until SGM.

Noon: Easy out and back lunchtime run on the GB from AM Park to VM Park. Couldn't get up this morning. I'll try again tomorrow.

Late evening: Very windy. Easy + 2.5 miles at a quicker pace. My training schedule says marathon pace but since I have no idea what that is right now I just ran about 1 min/mi quicker than easy pace into a headwind most of the time. Felt good to stretch it out and run a little quicker even if it's still really slow.

Easy run. Super tired but I got through it. Passed a group of teenagers in full camo w/ air soft guns on the out and back. I sped up a little and ran zig zag pattern each time I passed them. :)

9PM: Easy + 3 x 1000m comfortably hard (marathon pace). 

Easy.

9PM: Medium Long Run: Was supposed to go 12 mi but I had a long day on my feet and in the sun so I cut it short. Disappointed but wasn't getting much out of it anyway. Need to concentrate on getting better rest and fueling better.

9PM: good workout. 2+ miles over to the MVHS track and then 2 x (800m-600-600) w/ 90 secs rest between. Then 3+ miles cool down. Been a looooong time since I ran on a track. Felt good to stretch it out and run faster. No pain. My biggest problem still remains all this excess weight that isn't falling off as quickly as it did back in '07 when I started this crazy running ritual I'm in. I shouldn't complain. I've lost 16 lbs in 2 months but I just have so far to go to get to my old racing weight which I always thought was 20 lbs above ideal. I guess it's just a matter of perspective as u get older. Maybe the cure all is to increase mileage up to 50+ Per wk before I see any rapid weight loss?

9PM: Windy and muggy. Easy run.

9PM: 2M easy + 15 min hard before a rainstorm hit. Also, had 2 imbeciles w/in 5 mins of each other yell and/or blare their horn as they passed. Why is this such a favored pastime for these idiots? What compels them? Most of the time I ignore them but other times, like tonight, they make me furious and I wish I could drag them from their car & beat them senseless. :)

930PM: Late start because I was watching the Cards game until Wainwright lost his no hitter. Listened to the rest of the 1-0 heartbreaker on mlb radio on my phone. Easy + 15 mins fast + cool.

930PM: Easy

830PM: Medium long run. Perfect conditions but just felt blah from the beginning. Ran by the Meridian Speedway which failed to inspire me to pick up the pace. Obviously it's gonna be a challenge to lengthen my long runs carrying so much weight. It's a catch 22: need to run longer to drop the weight and need to drop the weight to make my long runs more tolerable.

830PM: Warm day; had an upset stomach from the get-go which caused 2 potty breaks, the 2nd one I almost didn't make; haven't had a close call like that in years so maybe that's a good sign?

Warm, 3 x 2000m intervals w/ 3 min rest, cool.