Winning Back What I Lost

PM:  Speedwork on the TM. It was nasty outside but I would have gone inside anyway for this workout. I find it much easier to hit an appointed pace on the TM than on my own. Did a couple fewer intervals than last week but they were 200m longer and 14 secs per mile faster: 1M warm then 5 x 1000m @ 6:39/mi pace w/ 600m jog in between. 9M in 71 min. overall followed by a cooldown mile. 

Noon: Nice midday run on the GB. Sunny w/ temp in 50's w/ a cool breeze. Had a few detours due to the high water raging over the GB in places. Parks and Rec will have some work to do once the water recedes- at this rate it will probably be in August.

Warm; 5M @ 7:55/mi; Cool. Last 2M @ goal marathon pace. Hamstring started to act up right away but then subsided.  I'm gonna have to stretch it out real good after work and take it easy on this evening's run.

PM: 8.53M on a cool evening. Didn't push too hard. Kept it comfortable w/ an even effort throughout. Headwind on the way out which made me slow down a bit but the last half, w/ a tailwind, was right at or just slower than current MP. Took several readings of my resting heart rate at work today and it was 40 bpm. Don't remember it ever being that low. 

PM: Beautiful evening. Temp in the mid 60's w/ no wind for a change. Started out kind of stiff and a little winded.  I was able to recover on the second half of the run. Ran the last 4.5M @ goal marathon pace (7:28/mi) and just under current MP overall.  I was able to use my Ipod shuffle tonight which doesn't sound like a big deal but considering that it went through an entire wash and dry cycle while clipped to my shorts it might qualify as a minor miracle.  I bought the thing because its so lightweight and barely noticeable. Turns out that it was virtually invisible. 

PM: Moderate to easy run (current MP plus :08/mi) at dusk on the nicest day of the year to date. Temp in the mid 70's this afternoon w/ a light wind. Love being able to run in t-shirt and shorts again.

PM:  Easy recovery run on the TM.  Looks like the nice weather is done for a couple of days, just in time for the weekend.  I was last night w/ a sick kid so what little sleep I got was interrupted.  I did get to watch and listen to the Mavs take a 3-0 series lead on the Lakers though- which was more than a little enjoyable. 

Noon: It rained this morning but cleared up nicely by midday w/ temp near 70. Pretty good long training run. Easy pace for first 9M then I progressively increased the pace by :05 sec/mi the last half of the run.  Last mile @ 7:40/mi pace.  Ran down Locust Grove from Overland to Spy Glass Golf Course and back.  The out is a gradual downhill which means that my progression run the last 9M was a gradual uphill.  Felt pretty strong, especially since this training run came at the culmination of my greatest mileage week ever. 

AM:  Speed interval workout on the TM; warmup; 6x600m @ 6:39/mi w/ 1000m jog in between; cool.  Tweaked my left calf. It started hurting during Saturday's long run but got even tighter today. Surprisingly, it hurt more during the jog portion than the intervals.  I was able to get through it but I'll take it easy the rest of the week.  Running a half on Saturday as a long tempo run. Goal is to run it 20 secs faster than goal marathon pace.   

PM:  Medium-long run. Ran the first 9M right at current MP then I had to back it off because my left calf started to become too painful.  It's now painful to the touch.  I'm sure this is a byproduct of the above avg (for me) mileage I've been logging this year.  Crossed the 1k mile threshhold tonight which is a couple of months ahead of my typical workload.

Noon: Tried to run at lunch but quickly turned around and shut it down. Left calf is super tight and painful. Walking is ok but the impact of running is just too much.  More than a little dismayed right now. I'll do some intense therapy tonight and see where I'm at. 

PM: Took yesterday off to rest my ailing left calf. Massaged it, rolled it out good on a foam roller, iced it, used a heating pad and dang near threw the kitchen sink at it. It feels better. Still a little tight but not painful like it was yesterday.

Took me a bit to warm up but I was able to run the last 4.5M @ 7:35/mi pace. Another beautiful evening for a run and it looks like the race on Saturday will be the warmest day of the year so far. I'm a little worried because that was the scenario last year and it didn't turn out so well. Granted, I'm only running the half this year so I should be done before it gets too warm.

PM:  Easy run on the TM to keep the legs tuned. 4M in 33 min w/ 6 x .1M strides @ goal HM pace (7:10/mi); cool.   

Today was really nice but the evening looked like it would storm at any minute. The wind just ended up blowing real hard and a light sprinkle.  Probably just as well that I ran inside and kept the impact on my calf to a minimum.  It's feeling better but not all the way back yet.  I'm hopeful that it will hold together for tomorrow's race.  I guess we'll find out soon enough. 

Ran this race as part of my training w/ no real taper.  Took Wednesday off this week but that was due to calf tightness and not any conscious effort to decrease mileage.  

The course is mostly flat to gradual downhill course.  A good crosswind was blowing from the Lucky Peak Canyon until we reached Barber Park. It then seemed to turn around and hit us in the face once we were in town until the finish at Ann Morrisson Park. 

I was supposed to do a 14M goal marathon pace run last weekend but I figured that running a Half at greater than goal MP might be even more effective.  My A goal going into the race was 7:10/mi pace and the B goal was 7:15/mi pace- so I fell right in the middle of both goals.  I was on pace for the A goal through 10M but I started to fade in miles 10-12 due to multiple factors including a horrible stomach ache, a slight headwind, dodging 10kers and slow marathoners, etc. I also walked through at least 3 aid stations to make sure I got enough fluids down later in the race. It wasn't super warm but probably a little warmer than ideal.  Despite all that, I was able to recover and finish the last mile @ 7:15, so evidently I did have something left in the tank.

Pretty happy with the result- a 3 1/2 minute PR.  I always feel like I could have done better but I suspect I'm not alone in that regard, especially amongst runners.  Now its time for a great couple of weeks of training and focusing on dropping some more weight before the taper for UVM in 4 weeks. 

AM: Easy recovery run on the TM. Absolutely no soreness or ill effects from Saturday's race which was a pleasant change from my post-Robie Creek recovery. It was snowing this morning. It didn't stick, but that's really not the point when its May 16th!!  6M in 50 mins then a cooldown.  Another short run this evening.

PM:  Short progression run. Just short of 5M in 38 mins. Last mile @ goal MP. I felt really tight, not tight as in sore but tight as in strong and springy.

PM:  Ran over to the gym for a speed workout on the TM.  5 x 1200m @ 6:39/mi w/ 800m jog in between; cool.  These were the longest intervals I've done so far in this training cycle.  I'm pleased that I was able to complete these w/o too much strain and w/in a few days of racing a half marathon. I feel stronger then in any previous training cycle. Now if I can just get my diet squared away I'll be set. 

Noon: Easy run (current MP) at lunch on the GB. Out and back from Ann Morrison Park to Willow Lane. Legs were a bit heavy and my hips were sore after last night's speed session. UVM announced via Twitter/FB that "The Original Creamies" will be an official sponsor. This made me very happy. 

930PM: Another 6.14 easy miles on the TM.

Noon: Easy out and back run on GB from Municipal Park. Bright sunshine and temp near 70 but breezy. The headwind occurred on the way back but I was still able to pick up the pace on the last half. 7:58/mi overall w/ last mile @ goal MP. Last 20 miler planned for tomorrow.

AM:  20 miles on the 20th of May. Mostly even splits with miles 19 & 20 being my quickest.  Last 20 miler before UVM 3 wks from tomorrow.  Took the day off so my dad, the boys and I could go fish the Duck Valley Res.  Now its time to hop in the car and drive 3 hours. 

930PM: Sunday is usually a rest day for me but I wasn't able to run yesterday due to travel and I didn't want to go 2 days in a row w/o any training. This is my last hard week of training before I begin to taper for UVM and the last week where I have any hope of making any fitness gains that may have an impact on my performance.  Making a conscious effort to be smart about my diet, substitute water for my habitual diet mt. dew and get more sleep if possible. 

PM: Recovery + speed: 1.42M to the club; weather was perfect for running outside but I wanted to catch as much of the Dallas v. OKC game as I could; 4.42M in 37 mins. on TM w/ 8 x 100m strides; 1.34M back home.

PM:  Slow, easy medium long run; got a late start because I wanted to see the end of the Chicago v. Miami, Game 4; felt really sluggish tonight; hip flexors were sore for some reason and I just couldn't get any turnover; saw a really weird scene about a block from my house as I was finishing my run: 3 cats sitting in the middle of the street evenly spaced about 5 feet apart from one another just staring in the same direction off in the distance; looked like something out of a Hitchcock movie. 

PM: Hard driving rainstorm tonight so I headed inside again; Not exactly a bad thing because it allowed me to catch the Mavs close out the Thunder in a pretty good game.  Easy run; 6M in 50 mins + cooldown.  Still experiencing some mild pain in the hip flexors and a flare up in my PF.  Nothing too painful but I'll need to stretch and ice good before it gets much worse.

Noon: Lunchtime run on the GB from Ann Morrison to Vets Pkwy and back.  Started raining and hailing halfway through the run.  Bad weather just in time for the 3 day holiday weekend.  It happens every year.  5+ miles in 40 mins w/ 6 x 100m strides. 

830PM: Rained pretty hard this evening and then it cleared up rather nicely.  Temp in upper 50's w/ no wind. Progression run starting out at current MP and finishing the last 5.5M at goal MP (7:30ish).  Felt really good despite eating a really big dinner and running on a full stomach. 

5PM:  Little bit of everything on today's run: sun, wind, rain.  Temp in the 50's, perfect for running but certainly doesn't feel like the unofficial beginning of summer.  Last long run before UVM.  Start a 2 week taper next week. Aside from a rogue toenail that was digging into another toe (always seems to happen w/ the Kinvaras due to the narrow toe box), felt pretty good.  Started easy and finished strong.  Overall pace was 2 secs faster than current MP.  Last 10k was around 7:48/mi pace.  Didn't take in any fluids or stop for bathroom breaks.  Felt relaxed and easy. I'm hopeful that my current MP will now become my slowdown marathon pace.  We'll see in a couple of weeks.

830PM:  Another beautiful evening for a run.  Temp in the mid 60's w/ no wind.  Gen aerobic + speed: Forgot to charge my garmin so I got the mileage from Google maps. Finished in just under an hour so overall pace was excellent, somewhere around 7:45/mi.  Mixed in 8 x 100m strides.

PM: Recovery run- easy 4M then last mile + @ goal MP (7:27/mi).  Closed out another month w/ 250+ miles.  Prior to this yr I'd only run that many mile in a month once, now I've done it 3 straight months. This is undoubtedly the best mileage base I've ever had going into a marathon.