Getting back to Boston

Took today off. Orthopedically, I was fine after yesterday's run, but two and a half hours running in subfreezing weather for the first time in eight months seems to have done a number on my sinuses. I went to bed a little early last night and went straight to sleep, but then the drainage kicked in as my bedroom cooled off (the single HVAC vent in my bedroom is at the other end, and there's a large window by my bed, so we get a lot of solar heating in the summer and the room gets really cold in the winter). Then the drainage triggered my asthma, which has not bothered me for months and months, but I was really having to make extra effort to breathe and I was audibly wheezing. It got a little better when I sat upright, so I spent much of the night on the Internet instead of in bed. When I finally went back to bed at 6:30 a.m., I "napped" until 10:00. But the drainage continued off and on all day, and I just decided not to run today. Maybe I'll make up the 6 miles I had scheduled by spreading them out over the rest of the week, maybe I won't (it is taper time, after all).

Strong progression run to MP + 8%, then seven strides at nearly 9 mph. Nine would have been an all-out sprint a year ago, maybe six months ago. Tonight it just felt strong, like I might put in a mid-race surge. Could have gone farther -- or faster -- without much difficulty. I added in a mile and a half of the run I skipped last night, and will probably do the same for three other runs this week. Took me 75:50 to go 8.5. Sub-76 used to be a good 7 miles for me, then 7.5, then 8. In the half at Conway, it was probably my 9.5 split. Hopefully it will be my 9.5 split in Memphis.

Twelve days and counting...

Started out as a recovery run, but kept cranking up the TM as I went and the last mile was darn near MP. I'm getting more and more comfortable at that speed, which is a good thing with 11 days to go. Wound up with seven miles in 62:56.

Wednesday's my last day of work before the race. I'm hoping that not being on my feet at work for nine days before the race will be another source of rejuvenation, if that's the right word.

Last VO2 max run of the cycle -- 3 X 1600 at 6:45 pace, which is faster than my present 5K PR pace. Legs did OK, but for some reason the sweat glands decided to let loose. Last two miles or so I couldn't see for the sweat, which is another reason I like TM running -- I don't have to see where I'm going. Being blinded by sweat when running on Little Rock's infamously uneven sidewalks/streets is a recipe for sprained ankles or worse.

The local Road Runners Club is having a Thanksgiving morning fun run tomorrow. I may go, or I may not. I'll run tomorrow, sometime, but that fun run starts nine and a half hours from now and that just may be a little too soon, even for a light five-mile jog. I have to remind myself that the important run now is 10 days away in Memphis, not a crack-of-dawn trot around the Heights.

Happy Thanksgiving to all in the blogosphere!

Didn't get up for the 7 a.m. fun run, so I took advantage of the fact that our family dinner will  be this evening to accommodate my med-student nephew to get in a midday run -- OUTSIDE! No treadmill for me today, nosirree.

Had the River Trail to myself from a running standpoint, although I got buzzed by plenty of cyclists as usual. Weather was nice, if a little warmer than I would have liked (around 60), sunny with a bit of a breeze. Ran from the bike rental shop past the quarry and halfway down the hill, then turned around and returned. At the Main Street bridge, I took advantage of the flat grassy area between Broadway and Main and ran my strides there on the grass, eight of them in all, then jogged back to my car. Total 7.95.

It had only been about 14 hours since my VO2 max run, and the legs were still a little tight (lack of prerun stretching didn't help either). But the legs loosened up as I ran. In spite of the early soreness, I maintained sub-9 pace for all seven miles of the initial run without any undue strain.

Want time on my feet in training? Spent nearly four hours on my feet at the football game yesterday. And well worth it. The looks on the LSU fans' faces across the aisle after we scored the winning touchdown were priceless. Tyler got worn out at work and didn't go, and Pam didn't go because it looked like (and did) rain. Didn't matter. Had a blast.

Weird to think, though, that the next college football game I attend, I'll drive to, and my son will WALK to from his dorm.

Now to today's run. Rain was gone, but was cold and kinda blustery. Ran in my track pants and neon green tech shirt. Just tried to maintain a steady pace, but once we got about halfway and I noticed that there was a pack of about 10 runners a block ahead of me, I set the goal of catching them. Caught all but one of them, too, once we got over the Broadway Bridge into NLR. Gradual progression wasn't really the plan, but that's how it worked out, and the last mile was in 8:12. I might take an 8:12 final mile in seven days in Memphis. Average 8:56 for 12 miles.

Hard to believe now that the training is about over and I'll be on course in exactly seven days. If I'm not ready to run a good race now, I'll never be. BQ? Well, I'm gonna take a shot at it.