You're faster than you think!

Splits (thanks to Dennis Simonaitis): 71.2, 78.7, 74.9, 74.5, 76.5, 76.3, 75.0, 75.1, 78.1, 74.8, 78.0, 72.4, 33.5. (68 last 400). 15:39.92 is the official time on the meet web site. This a PR for me, though just barely. But the other 5k PR was a 15:41 on the roads. This was my first 5000 on the track. Basically felt I ran a smart race. I had to do a lot of the work in the second and third miles. Dennis said the first two splits might be off a bit.

pm: 10, 1:13:59, Wisconsin Ave., after returning from CA.

noon: 10, 1:15:09, Clopper

pm: 6, NIST, forgot watch 

noon: 4, shakeout, NIST

pm: 11, speed work 10 x 400m with 400 rest + 2 min.

66.3, 66.0, 65.0, 66.2, 66.7, 67.0, 66.6, 66.3, 66.4, 66.7

First 5 in flats, second 5 in spikes... still trying to get use to them.  Cannot relax on second 200.  I guess that makes sense, since I have yet to complete a 200 workout.
 

noon: 10, Clopper, forgot watch

weights: lunges, hip sled, curls, knee lifts

pm: 6, NIST

noon: 10 miles, 1:18:28, easy, Clopper Lake

pm: 6 miles, NIST campus

Very hot today!

 

20 x 200 with 200 rest

32.5, 32.8, 31.7, 32.3, 32.6, 33.5, 32.3, 31.8, 31.9, 31.8

31.7, 31.3, 31.1, 31.7, 30.9, 30.9, 31.2, 31.7, 31.3, 31.4

First 10 in flats, second 10 in spikes.  Still experimenting with different mental tricks to improve my form.  So, on various intervals I'll concentrate on different things.  For example, turnover, staying on my toes, driving my knees, leaning forward, relaxing.  So far, "driving my knees" seems to yield the best results and "leaning forward" the worst.

I have done a lot of weight lifting and drills, etc. this week (in addition to the miles) that have made my legs tired.  So, that probably accounts for why I could not do the last few under 31.  I was definitely tying up on the last couple.


 

16+ miles. 2 hr run on Capital Crescent Trail from Bethesda to Georgetown at about 7:30 pace.

My right hamstring was feeling tight, so I took it really easy.  Feeling better today, though.

Easy 10 on Clopper, 1:19:31.  Went out slow because my hamstring was still bothering me, but it loosened up on the way back, which was more like 7:30 pace.

Took the afternoon off due to time constraints.
 

Easy 10 on Clopper, 1:15:16. Felt much better today.

Easy 6, NIST campus, 43:14.

noon: 3, NIST, 21:32, shakeout

p.m.: 10 treadmill, 1:13:04

Tonight was suppose to be a track session, but we had bad thunderstorms so I put it off until tomorrow.
 

a.m.: 4+, CC trail, 30:03

p.m.: (11 miles total) drills + 3 x 1 mile with 800 rest

4:55.0 (2:28,2:27)

4:57.2 (2:29,2:28)

4:55.8 (2:28,2:27)

Probably the best set of miles reps I've done.  Did them all in spikes, which I am getting use to, but still make my calves pretty sore.  Pretty happy with these considering that I felt terrible during warm up.

 

10, Bethesda, CC trail, 1:12:52

Then I got in the car and drove to Nashville to see the folks... 11 hours.  Took an ice bath when I got there.

10, Belle Meade Blvd. plus Percy Warner Park, Nashville, 1:12:15.

Thanks to my friend Camellia, who use to live across the street from us in SLC and now lives in Nashville, I found some great trails.  This is also part of the Thanksgiving Day 8k course, which is a great race.
 

a.m.: 2 miles (14:38), morning shakeout run, Smokey Mtns!

p.m.: 10 (1:12:46), Wisconsin Ave., after an 8 hr drive from Knoxville to D.C. 

noon: 10 (1:14:59), Clopper, low 90s

Lifted weights after noon run: lunges, knee lifts, leg press

p.m.: 6 (44:24), NIST

Yoga

Long day!
 

noon: 10 (1:16:06) Clopper, 95 degrees and humid!

Tonight I have to meet people in D.C., so will have to skip the evening run.  We're having t-storms anyway. 

noon: 4 (31 min), NIST, shakeout

p.m.: Washington-Lee H.S., 12 miles total, 3 warm up, 2 drills, workout, 2 cool down

6 x 1000m w/ 400 rest in spikes

3:02.3, 3:05.5, 3:05.6, 3:05.3, 3:05.2, 3:03.5

Plus 9 laps of drills, 3 sets each of: walking high knees, walking butt kicks, skipping high knees, with 100 striders after each drill.  Dennis also wants me to add jogging high knees and jogging butt kicks, and I plan to work up to this.  As it stands this is three times more drills than I have done previously.  By the time you are done with 3 sets of the 5 drills you have done 15x100m, which is almost a workout in and of itself.

As for the 1000s, went out a little fast on the first one (72), but then settled in and felt pretty in-control for the next four.  The last one hurt.

We had a cool front move in last night, so the weather was nice, in the high 70s.



 

noon: 10 (1:17:44) Clopper, plus weights: lunges, curls, knee lifts, leg press

p.m.: 6 (42:46) Bethesda

noon: 10 (1:16:19) Clopper, knee lifts

drills (3 x walking high knees, 3 x walking butt kicks, 3 x skipping high knees, plus 100m stiders after each)

12 x 400m w/ 200m rest

69.1, 68.4, 69.4, 69.0,

69.6, 68.7, 69.9, 69.8,

69.5, 68.9, 69.5, 69.0

This was a good set of intervals for me.  I was really in control and had a good sense of my pace.

16.5 (2:03:04) Georgetown trails

noon: 10 (1:17:51) Clopper.  Tired.

weights: lunges, curls, knee lifts, leg press

pm: 6 (40:56) Bethesda, CC trail. Felt surprisingly better than a felt at noon. 

noon: 10 (1:16:36) Clopper.  About 99.9% humidity!  Stepped on a sharp rock on the trail and bruised my foot.  Great.

noon: 3 (21:46) NIST, shakeout

pm: Washington-Lee H.S. track

Well, some days you are better off staying in bed... especially if your room is air conditioned!  I was not mentally up for the humidity tonight...

So, tonight was the first workout in awhile that I was not thoroughly happy with.  I just lost concentration and did not finish strong.  I have excuses readily available, but the truth is that for some reason I was mentally out of it.  I am not totally disappointed because I still managed to hit my target average pace.  The workout was 3 x 1 mi with 400 rest.  I did an abbreviated version of  drills (I am still working up to the full list), which amounted to about 9 sets.  I hit the miles in 4:52.2, 4:57.6, 5:00.5.  Ave = 4:56.8.  I was hoping to ave 4:56 (15:20 5k pace) and with the short rest and given that it was hot and disgustingly humid, I guess I can take some positives from that.  I just wanted to do it in a much more controlled and evenly-paced way. But the first one felt so easy that I just thought I was on my way to a breakthrough workout. Then I just did not want to push.  I mean, I should have been able to just hit 73 for the first quarter in the last rep and then hang on.  Ya know, just focus... 36.5 per 200.  Instead I go 76,75,75,74.  I guess the reality is that the first mile was too fast and I just never recovered. But still, I do not remember hurting at all in the workout.  And that was sort of the aim of this workout, with the short rest, to make myself hurt.  But I could not do it.  I am looking forward to resting and a couple of sharpening workouts this weekend and next week.  I think I am ready for the 5k... I just need to not do anything stupid.  Another positive I can take from this workout is that my bruised foot did not bother me in spikes.  That could have been trouble.
 

noon: Clopper 10 1:15:49. Ugh! The humidity. I know I sound like a broken record, but it is getting so old. We had a hard rain tonight that I hope cleared the air somewhat.

pm: Bethesda 6 plus 1 extra mile 49:37

I did my usual 6 mile out and back at a pretty good clip. Then jogged to the gym about a half mile to lift weights and jogged home. Did lunges, curls, knee lifts, and leg press. 3 sets of each.

Clopper 10 1:16:38. Still humid, but overcast and a little rain has cooled things off from this morning.

Landon H.S. track

2 x (800, 400, 200) with equal rest after 8s and 4s and 600 after the 2... i.e., full recovery, the purpose being just speed work.  Did the workout in spikes.

2:17.9, 65.4, 30.5

2:18.3, 65.5, 30.3

Well, that's about as consistent as I can be, I think.  Given my mileage this week (94) I am pretty happy with this workout.  I think my speed is where it needs to be.  With some rest this week, I think I'll be ready to go next Saturday.