Getting back to Boston

Back locked up again this morning. Not unusual for a Sunday, I'm sorry to say. But this time, it waited until AFTER I got up to tighten. I felt good when I got up around 8, but by the time I finished my first cup of morning coffee, it was stiff. I remembered a few weeks ago when it took a little run to get the blood flowing and loosen my back, and decided to try that again. But then the thunderstorms moved in. Still went to run, just went to the treadmill at the fitness room. By the time I finished an easy 5, my back felt better, and it was pouring. So I jogged home to get out of the way of any stray lightning.

Legs feel remarkably good after yesterday's 24-miler, and even felt pretty good last night. I must admit that I briefly entertained the thought of adding another 2.2 miles yesterday just to say I'd run 26.2 in training, but I discarded that notion pretty quickly. Another 20 minutes on top of 3:46, when I wasn't in any real distress the way I was going, probably would have been OK, but why risk it?

Went to do my second 5-miler at the AC after the Masters finally ended, then hit the whirlpool for 10 minutes (it was working again), then went to the supermarket. Then finally got to eat dinner at 9 p.m.

Back on the dreadmill for a VO2 max run -- 5 X 600 at 6:35 pace. Almost seemed to get easier as I went through the reps, like the legs were getting used to 9.1 mph running again. The sweat was flying, but otherwise not too bad. With warmup and cooldown, 9 miles in 75:57.

Down to 47 days and counting to Newport. Even more important, 36 days until my son is a high school graduate. Yikes. And 39 days until we leave for Boston (for which Delta keeps changing our itinerary; it's like a game show -- Name Your Flight). 

Decided to push the midweek MLR a little harder than usual tonight. Basically after a pit stop at about 3.5 miles, I put the hammer down, and the rest of the way was well under 9:00 pace, even taking into account water stops and attempted water stops (two fountains out of order). And the last mile and change was under MP. Overall average, stops and all, was about 8:32. Which for me is a pretty darn hard push, considering that 8:03 would get me to Boston. I thnk the legs feel a little stronger now; whether that's due to a little better nutrition, a little better quality sleep, or the supercompensation for last week's 90, hard to say. I'd probably credit sleep one,diet two, and there hasn't been enough time for supercompensation yet IMO.

Seven-mile recovery run tonight on the dreadmill with7 X 100 strides at the end. Legs were really rubbery early, came around later and I actually had some good knee lift for the strideouts. It's been a long time since I had that much knee lift for strides or anything else; it actually felt like a sprint. So an encouraging run even for a semi-meaningless RR.

Decided to take a mental health day off from running today. I can only be so placid and so calm when forces beyond my control are kicking me in the gluteus maximus, and that's what Thursday was. I needed to unwind, and 12 miles did not constitute unwinding. So I skipped the run. ending my consecutive days streak at 40.

Back on the horse again for an easy 4 on the dreadmill, just to get the kinks out. Then I sent my only child off to his senior prom, dateless (just like his dad was 31 years before). Oh well, I sort of turned out OK, and he should do the same. He hasn't stressed out about being a loner nearly as much as I did at his age; he kinda seems to prefer it.

Don't know what gave me more trouble -- the hills at Oucho's or the three hours of sleep before the hills. Probably a combination of both. Humidity didn't help either, although the breeze and a bit of mist kept it more tolerable than it could have been with the relative warmth (low 60s, 95% humidity). But the legs had no spring left by about the halfway point, so the last nine miles was pretty much a slog. I was the only Crackhead who ran more than 10 miles this week, so Tom and Hobbit probably had to wait almost an hour for me.

OK, I survived this week and the associated stressors. Hopefully next week, with no prom and hopefully no occupational drama, will be better. Six weeks to Newport -- and three weeks to taper. And I'm over 950 miles -- which took me until August to get last year. My year end total was only 1900.