Getting back to Boston

This run went better than I could have imagined: 240 laps at MAFC, at least 3 miles at something approximating MP. I broke it into two-mile segments again for hydration purposes, changed shirts once and headbands once, and it worked. The glute behaved itself for the most part, although the last four miles were not real comfortable. Still maintained sub-9 pace all the way to the end and averaged 8:28. I could have gone longer, too, but thought it would adversely affect my runs for the rest of the week if I did so. I hope to get in a 60-mile week in spite of the trip to Branson.

Treadmill progression run. Went pretty well for having done 18 miles the day before. Even got to MP for the last mile. Running with Cindy tomorrow at 5 a.m, then driving to Branson. Maybe a double TM run when I get there.

Running date with Cindy, first of what I hope will be many, many. We met at Marketplace Grill, I think is the name, at Phoenix and Massard. I got there at 4:55 a.m., she was waiting on me, and we just ran down and back on the sidewalk on Phoenix. As usual in July, it was a sweatfest, and the conversation noticeably lagged in the last mile as we just tried to keep going. But it was fun, and we had a good chat for the first half-hour. And we have another date Sunday night. Leaving for Branson this afternoon after I finally get tires put on the Prius. I may do a treadmill run this evening when I get there. I'm hoping to get in 60 miles this week; treadmill doubles might be a good way to do it. Addendum: Yep, got in the double once I got to Branson. Forgot that the mill here (singular) has a 30-minute time limit, but no one was waiting and another 16 minutes got me through the fish. Last half mile at MP. Once again, the glute felt better as I went faster, although bending over to tie my shoe with about a mile left was pretty agonizing. Keep doing nine miles a day, I'll get that 60 this week. New tires are pretty sweet, too; felt smoother, less road noise, and I'm willing to bet the mileage improved a bunch. Shoes: Kinvara am (4.10), Green Silence pm (5.00).

10K on the mill in 55:00, last mile at sub-MP. I keep thinking that mill is going to blow up, but at least it can handle 7.7 mph for a few minutes. MP is getting more and more comfortable, so much so that I'm thinking of 7:55 pace. Probably not smart, since 7:48 caused a blowup in Boston, but we shall see. Next week, I definitely need some HMP/10KP interval work.

Shoes: Kinvara.

Tomorrow, planning a double, with the dawn half maybe outside (felt pretty good at 6:30 when I went out to the car).

Sasha, I really wish you'd change "easy miles" to "slow miles" in the format. Today's run was slow, but it darn sure wasn't easy. Green Mountain Drive in Branson, Mo., has absolutely zero flat areas. It's uphill, then down, then up, then down, then up, then down, then up, then up some more. Then I turned around and ran back the way I came. Mapmyrun says it's 4.51; I'll take its word for it, since the Garmin is at home on my desk. Glute was not happy all night and didn't do much better today, although I guess it loosened some after a couple of miles.

More conference today, then probably an easy 4 tonight on the mill. If I hit my 60-mile week, I'll also hit a 200-mile month, which are a couple of nice round numbers. Getting to 200 ain't bad with the way the glute has been misbehaving, and the heat.

 ... Well, that easy 4 became 6.5. Still easy, but the legs (and glute) felt good on the mill. So I did 3.2 in the first 30-minute block, and 3.3 in the second (finished with five seconds to spare). Which gets me to 51 for the week, I guess, with two runs to go (maybe 3 if I get crazy and do a double on Sunday). But 62 or 63 would be a pretty good week. I probably need to be taking ibu before I go to bed, or at least at some middle-of-night point of which I have several, so I'm not so stiff in the morning. Since TOU will be a morning run, being loose at the start would be really helpful.

Been kinda stressing out all day about emotional issues. Which may or may not even exist. I guess I'll start finding out Sunday night if there was any reason for concern.

Tempo run on the mill. Or attempt at same. Forgot it was going to cut me off after 30 minutes at a time, and started tempo segment after 17+ minutes of a segment. Which allowed me to get in 12+ minutes at tempo pace. Probably just as well, as bad as I was struggling. I might not have finished those last 7 minutes.

Anyway, did 8.54 total, which IIRC puts me at exactly 60 for the week, and should be over 200 for the month. Hoping to do a double tomorrow to get 10 more miles. I think 210 would be a pretty darn good month for missing five days, although I got two, maybe three runs back doing doubles.

Shoes: Kinvara. (yeah, I know you can set the blog up to track shoe mileage, but I've been doing it in my handwritten log, which I left at home Wednesday. So I'll transfer this info to the log when I get back.)