Winning Back What I Lost

Back in the saddle again.  Took almost ten days off after the marathon- if you don't count last Thursday's little jaunt.  Spent all weekend camping w/ my boys and then all day today trolling around Sand Dunes Lake w/ the entire family.  The sun really had me beat down but I went running anyway around 9pm.  My legs feel strong but around mile 5 I felt a little sluggish.  Picked it up on the last two miles and finished w/ a 7:50 pace for the seventh mile.  Overall pace an easy 8:25 per mi.  I'm turning the page on my diet and speed training.  I need to get much faster between now and September if I'm going to make a serious push for BQ time (3:15).  The only way that will happen is if I a) start eating smarter and get down to 160 lbs.; b) build my base mileage up to 70 mpw; c) at least four or five longs runs of 20 miles or more; and d) do some longer tempo runs of 10-12 miles and more speedwork of sub 7:00 mi pace.  It starts now. 

Late evening easy, slow run.  I'm following a Runner's World Training Program for my next half mara based upon my most recent marathon result.  The plan dictated a 9:06 pace but I simply could not go any slower w/o feeling like I was shuffling and ended up w/ an 8:54 overall pace.  Avg 152 bpm.  I tried a new route this evening which took me past the cemetery off Franklin Rd. in Meridian.  I whistled as I jogged past and nearly choked on the irony. 

Late evening 5 mile tempo run @ 7:43 avg pace.  Splits = 8:54 (warmup); 7:48; 7:46; 7:42; 7:42; 7:38; 9:08 (cooldown). 

Got a deep tissue massage this afternoon and it was brutal.  I knew it would rough because my calves and IT band are still pretty tight 10 days out from my race.  But I didn't know that it would be this bad.  The therapist nearly brought me to tears several times.  I finally asked her whether she'd worked as a CIA contractor at any point in her career.  She said that I wasn't the first person to ask her that this week.  WTF???  10 hours later my calves are still sensitive to the touch.  I can't wait to see how they'll feel tomorrow.  From past experience I know that they'll be sore for another couple days before they begin to get better.  A little ice and an epsom salt bath will be in order for this evening.

Late evening run.  Temp was still in the 80's when I left the house and cooled a little bit once the sun went down.  Legs still incredibly sore from the massage but began to loosen up.  Nice recovery run @ slow and leisurely 9:07 pace.  I sprinted the last 1/4 mi and topped out @ 5:53.  Avg HR = 145 bpm. 

I have some family stuff planned for this evening so I did 7 easy, slow miles in the afternoon heat (91 degrees).  I had forgotten how hard it is to run in this kind of heat.  I didn't bring any water w/ me and I really started to struggle around mile 4.  Calf soreness is almost gone.

Late evening slow easy run.  Nothing to special.  Trying to recover from a serious allergy flare up that has me producing copious amounts of phlegm and mucus.  Not fun.  Good week.  Looking to increase my mileage next week to get back in the 50's.