Buttsweat Towel© season has begun

33F, S 10 mph.  Today the workout was 15 @ steady state, followed by 2 @ HMGP (~6:20).

15 @ SS - 7:01 AP - (7:16, 7:01, 7:05, 6:55, 7:04, 6:58, 7:04, 7:06, 7:04, 6:53, 6:55, 7:06, 6:55, 7:04, 6:56

Last 2 - 6:10, 6:03

AP for 17 miles - 6:55

I figured that it would be pretty tough to drop a couple 6:20's after 15 moderate to hard aerobic miles.  But the legs just sprung into a nice fast pace, and I let them go.  Not quite all-out-tank-emptying pace, but definitely harder than HMP.  Probably harder than I should have run overall, but this was a really good confidence-building run.

This ends a 75-mile week (biggest since April), and the legs are still very responsive.  80 next week, then down to 65 for the week of the race (mini-taper).

36F, 8:51 AP.

AM - 29F, NNW 14 mph.  10 @ 7:53 AP.  Went out on some muddy/slushy dirt roads for some reason.  I wore some older shoes though, so it's all good.  Going to start the new year off with a double!

PM - 30F, N 10 mph.  4 @ 8:28 AP.

25F, 7:42 AP.  Just a MLR today, but I included a few short time trials at the track - an 800 and a couple 100s.  I felt pretty sluggish today, and it was kinda cold for a time trial, but whatever, I've been meaning to get these done for awhile.  When do you ever get ideal conditions anyway?

The 800 was a 2:29 (72, 77).  The 72 was actually right where I was aiming (well, the opening 35 for the first 200m wasn't), but it became pretty clear that was overcooking it for today.  I had envisioned an even or negative split...instead I got a really painful last lap!

Then I did a couple 100s - 16.1, then a 15.7.  The 16.1 was around the curve - don't ask me why I did that, I just didn't think it would make much of a difference.  Garmin actually recorded a 3:56 AP overall for the 15.7 on the straightaway, but it just goes to show how bad it is at short distances, because that would have been a 14-something.  My legs were kinda mush for the 100s so I might try them again at some point.

Anyway, things that would have helped are 1) fresher legs, 2) my faster shoes - kinvaras aren't exactly ideal for this, 3) warmer temps, 4) knowing what I am doing.  I think I could definitely go at least a few seconds faster in the 800.

Then I left the track, and did another 10 miles or so to get in my MLR - it took a few miles for my burning lungs to repress the memory of that 800....wow that was painful.

AM - 24F, 6 @ 9:08 AP.  yikes!  Must have really needed the recovery.  Tomorrow morning is my last HM workout, so hopefully I'm all better by then.

PM - 37F, 4 @ 8:33 AP.  Felt better than I did this morning.  Most of my problem is this cold that came on around New Year's.  Found myself nodding off at work a couple times...it's hard to take stealth naps.

Anyway, down to the track early tomorrow morning, so I'm going to TRY to get to bed early tonight.

29F, 7:10 AP.  Last-chance workout for my half marathon.  I ended up doing 2 x 5000m, with 400m jog inbetween 5k's.  I thought hard about just doing a straight 10k @ HMGP, and left that option open for myself, but I think this cold/virus has my heart rate artificially high right now (I didn't sleep well and was all achy this morning) so the 2-minute jog between 5k's was perfect to recover enough to finish out at the proper paces, yet keep a good continuous run.  I did this workout on the track, with my excuse being that Houston is flat, and this would help me lock in the pace.  So here's what I did (splits were taken every 1600m):

3+ mile warmup down to the track

5k in 19:44 (6:20, 6:18, 6:19, 47s) - 6:21/mile

2:11 for 400m

5k in 19:44 (6:18, 6:19, 6:20, 47s) - 6:21/mile

3+ mile cooldown back to my house

The consistency is why I like the track - just lock in 95 seconds/lap without worrying about making up time on downhills and crap like that.  The last 2k was pretty challenging, but I held it together and kept good form (I think).  Anyway, good successful workout to finish my HM training.  I think that with a good recovery, getting over this cold, good weather in Houston, and a good mini-taper next week (man, that's a lot of if's), I have an outside shot at breaking 1:23.

43F, SW 16 mph.  8:28 AP.  This cold/sinus thing is more annoying than usual.  Felt like I had just run 20 miles after this run.  The worst part is that now that I've run, I can't act like I'm too sick to go take down the Christmas lights.