Buttsweat Towel© season has begun

79F, 78%.  7:53 AP.  Usually run 12, but there was a big hill @ 5.5 miles that I wasn't in the mood for.

AM:  80F, 74%.  7 @ 8:18 AP.  

PM:  4 more w/strides (TM).

AM:  76F, 75%.  7 mi total.  Track day - the high school teams are starting their practices.  The football team and the runners were out there, though only a few kids were using the track and we stayed clear of each other pretty easily.  The others were using some other field, thankfully.

Today I ended up doing 7 x 400 @ 1-mile pace, 90 sec rest.  It was supposed to be 8, but I was pooped after 6.  I averaged 75.4 (75.4, 76.9, 72.7, 73.5, 74.9, 74,7, 79.4).  Interesting that the first one was right on pace and then I proceeded to have all kinds of weird repeats after that.  I think #3 and #4 killed the rest of the set for me.  My legs were useless gummy worms for #7 so I stopped.  Here's my history for this one this summer:

I think at this point I'm starting to get diminishing returns from the faster speedwork, which is ok; the timing is good because next week I start my HM block.  I'll be doing the 3k and 1-mile paced stuff half as often, and HMP/LT stuff twice as often.  Mission accomplished on the 5k/10k block, I think.  Still looking for a couple short races to run, but I can tell this block has been effective.

PM:  5, count 'em, 5 on the TM.  Had a little extra time so I threw in a fast mile after my usual 4, with the middle 1/2 mile @ 10 mph.

AM:  79F, 82%.  6 @ 8:44 AP.  Somewhere around halfway, I got a weird urge to curl up in the grass along the path and go to sleep.  Fought it off.

PM:  oh yeah, I did 3 TM miles, but I'm not sure why - the large quantity of Tex-Mex in my gut was begging me not to jostle it around, my legs are kinda tired and I didn't really have time (had to hop off a mile early).  But my spreadsheet said I was supposed to do an easy double, so...

AM:  80F, 76%.  9 @ 8:06 AP.  Supposed to do a workout tomorrow but it's too hot to try it outside.  Not gonna feel like doing it on the TM either, so might finish this cycle with a longer heat slog out on the trail, with the excuse that it'll help me get ready and be rested for my HM cycle.  But I also don't want to wake up too early or get to work too late.  Solve for x.

PM:  4 TM miles with some 5k strides.

79F, 79%.  8:09 AP.  Decided on the 90-minute slog instead of a workout.  It was probably the right call - took me until mile 8 before I logged my first sub-8 mile.  Day off tomorrow.  Pretty junky week, but the mileage will be decent with a 12'er on Sunday.

Just been noticing my shoe mileages; it's been a long time since I've bought any shoes.  None this year, actually.  Probably time to start hunting around for deals, although they all seem in pretty good shape for now.