not giving up on the comeback

Another 4.4 mile route - I'm not sure how I have so many of those

Hot - but not as bad as the past few days
feeling more like normal

4.4 @ 7:20 ave pace

PM - I didn't get out until 8:45 PM, but I had a nice run.  My watch messed up, but it felt around the 7:20 pace or faster. 

6PM - 6.1 miles @ 7:19 ave pace - temps were lod to mid 80's so not as bad as the rest of the week.  But it was way too hard to feel like a good run...

ate too much last night - but at least I had plenty of fuel for the run this morning.  :)

9.3 @ 7:26 ave pace

After that we took the kids up to the mountains to do some inner tubing on the river.  I've not done that since high school.  It was a bit crowded but AWESOME!

Happy 4th Everyone!

Cooking some yummy things for the concert on the square tonight.  Ribs, pork butt, and who knows what else.  

felt pretty good - only mid 80's at 1:30 today.   

6 @ 7:24 ave pace

Before Supper- 4.4 @ 6:58 ave pace -  now that is more like it.  I need to get these sub 7 runs to be the norm.  It has been a while. 

 I've had very stiff hamstrings recently.  It isn't a pull or anything.  They are just really tight.  I'm not sure if I'm running with a different gate or something. Other than that, I felt fine today before lunch on my easy 4 - ave pace 7:30/mile. 

 PM - went to the track for my first intervals in a long long time.  It was 88 deg and sunny so I just did 8 X400 with 200meters walk/jog in between.  I did speed up in the last 4 and was very consistant so I wasn't too horribly disappointed.  I wanted to do 4x800 but basically chickened out.  But my effort was there and that's the point I suppose.  It looks like those times (except for the 1:24) were inside my McMillan suggested interval times from my last 5K.

1:21, 1:24, 1:21, 1:21, 1:17, 1:17, 1:17, 1:17

 Boy this is a good article.  It is very recommended.  

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19997&PageNum=1

This year I've really been thinking the same thoughts that he discusses in this article.  I'm not sure I want to do a marathon this fall.  Maybe I should shift my focus a little bit.  I'm very torn about what I should do.  I've thought about racing the 1/2 at Chickamauga and/or Atlanta 1/2 in November.  Will these goal races me the same satisfaction as trying to race the full at Chickamauga?   Or do I want to run some ultras this fall?  Will training for them make me a better runner?  Can I put in the miles and trail time that those would take?  Or should I pick out a goal 5K or 10K to try to rock?  I just don't know. 

PM - after watching over my sick son all day and feeling a bit sick myself I set out for 6 tonight at 8:30 or so.  I just about stopped and turned around at 2  miles but I pressed on at a slow pace for almost 6

5.95 according to google maps - 7:39 ave pace

Today registration opens for next month's Hot2Trot - 8 hour race.  Debating if I should do that or not.  I have a 5K the following Saturday which is usually a goal race.  But I've wanted to do this 8 hour for a couple years now.  It starts at 7AM and goes for 8 hours through the HOT Atlanta summer.  It would be a great challenge.  Of course, my wife might kill me if I do it.  

8 miles really slow - 98deg.  

I ran long today - in the heat.  It was a longer than I planned earlier in the week.  Since I totally missed yesterday I wanted to make up a few miles and get to 50 for the week.  Things went well - as well as possible in the summer heat. 

15.5 @ 7:53 ave pace

I felt so good after my long run yesterday that I wanted to get in a short run today before Chrys had to go to work.  It was hot but I managed to hold things together reasonably well.  

6.1 @ 7:32 ave pace

Track night with Tim.  I have a race this Saturday so I moved this up a day.  Plus I won't be able to do it tomorrow night cause Chrys has a meeting.  It was in the low 80s and overcast when I started.  Much better than last weeks track night.
4x800 at 5K-pace  I was aiming for 2:45's.  I think that was a good goal.  It is in my McMillan recommended pace for 800s based on my last 5K PR in May.  I know 4 isn't many, but I need to work back up. 
1 lap jog in between

followed another guy around on the first lap of the 2nd interval. His lap was slightly slower than I needed I had to really chug on the final lap just to get a 2:46. 

All felt good.  The effort was hard but probably only an 8 effort level.  Rain started to fall during the third which made it harder, but i got through fine

1/2 mile cooldown on the track and 2 miles home.  

Did some miles before eating lunch today.  It isn't too horribly hot yet so the pace was down a bit.  But the sun really takes its toll quickly.  I took inspiration from the Tour de France riders on the big steep mountain climb today and chugged on through it.  Otherwise my form feels decent.

5.6 @ 7:19 ave pace

4 hours later - did another.  Chrys has a meeting tonight and won't be home until after dark, so I wanted to get it done despite not being recovered.  It was ok - and I felt great for a while, but it got to me after the turnaround. 

4.2 @7:28 ave pace

I got out before 10 this morning.  It was in the low 70s but HUMID.  Turned around before the 3 mile mark and still walked at least a half mile.  I don't know what happened.  I should have had a good run,.  I haven't had this bad of a run, especially a 5 miler (supposed to be 6).  

5.1 miles @ 8:52 ave pace

I am a bit of a shuffler when I run (as my wife reminds me often that my form stinks) and have been trying to work on it.  I found this to be an interesting article about form, stride length, and shuffling stride- http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19948&PageNum=1

PM must have been high 80's and still humid
kind of a suck run- it wasn't so hot or anything
tried to lift my knees and stride wider rather than shuffle. 
felt a little better towards the end but not good really 

a sucky run 

its been a weird week - i just don't feel right

7.5 @ 7:39 ave pace

ran at lunchtime - nice cloud cover helped a lot.  I tried running with a longer stride and higher knee lift.  It is hard to do when I get tired but it is something I will keep on working on.

 4.2 @ 6:58 ave pace

4 mile race today.  Lots of long hills.  I held back slightly on the uphills in the first 3 so I had a little left at the end to kick in the last mile.  I'm not sure if that was good or not but I didnt feel that great today- just like last year.  I think it is the humidity  - not sure. v

anyway - I am not overly happy but it is a 1 sec PR and an AG win. 

Added 5.8 warmup and cooldown plus to the Y and back home. 

On vacation in Chicagoland.  Ran before the family woke up today.  Got a little lost and did more miles than I intended.  

7.7 @ 6:47 ave pace   Man, I need to run a race up here.  It isn't totally flat but it sure is close...

Found a forest preserve a little over a mile from the hotel.  Got in a total of 6.1 before Chrys and the kids got out of bed.  

ave pace 7:02 

another nice run on the local crushed gravel trails in IL.  I wish I had one of those close to my house..

8.6 - low 7's pace

Great morning in Chicago - but no running.  Lots of driving though.

finally home!  No running but lots of chores at the house.  

12th Wedding Anniversary - but no running - again...

after3 days off  feel like a complete slug - I hate this feeling

I dragged my tubby body around town for 8.7 @7:09 ave pace.  Hurrah for the thunderstorm that blew in.  I managed to avoid the lightning but got the rain in the 2nd half of the run.  Nice run. 

Practiced getting the kids ready for school.  Then I got out for a quicky before Chrys left for work. 

4.2 @  6:51 ave pace

PM -6 total

2x800 2:35 and 2:38

4x400 1:18, 1:18, 1:18, 1:19

Plus warmups cooldowns and jogs between intervals.  Wanted to do 4 or 5 x800.  I blasted the first 800, 7 sec faster than I wanted.  The 2nd was only a little slower.  By then I was baked and took it down to some 400's.  I was totally wiped out by the end.  Disappointed that I had to bail on my plan, but it just wasn't going to happen. 

ran after work - but before the sun went down.  I got through it without walking but it wasn;t fast.  

8 @ 7:45 ave pace

AM got in 4.2 before Chrys left for work.  Felt good for the most part.

4.2 @ 6:54 ave pace

PM -

4.4 after school open houses - still hot and humid and I kind of petered out toward the end. 

4.4 @ 7:19 ave pace

got in 4 before Chrys left - man it is going to be HOT today

4 @ 7:27 ave pace

did another 4.7 in the evening@ 7:00 ave pace

had a nice run this morning - took it easy tried to enjoy it.  

14.6 @ 7:43