Pool Running is Fun

AM: 12 miles. Beautiful warm day. More like spring than winter. Hope it lasts.

PM: 1 hr. 10 min. Pool run

AM: 10 miles easy. Legs are pretty tired after the last few days

PM: rest.

AM: 3 WU 8x1100m hill circuits 3 CD

PM: 4 recovery miles + standard core routine

steady, freezing rain this morning. It was certainly not a comfortable start to 2017 today. Add to that I get to the gym soaked and cold just to discover it's closed. No hot shower this morning. Damn college schedules. 

AM: 8 miles easy + core work, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

legs are heavy this morning and I ended up running slow. My shoes are done. Time to start some new Triumphs and Glides. I've noticed that the shoes go really downhill after 500 miles for me. I think this is mostly due to running on asphalt all the time

AM: 8 miles + standard core routine, stretch

PM: 5 easy with 6x20sec strides included

AM: 2.5 WU 5K tempo, 800,400,200,200 2.5 CD

PM:  4 easy

16:51, 2:21, 64, untimed 2x200m 

George kept us slower in the tempo today. It was windy and cold though.

AM: 10 miles easy. very cold

PM: rest

tired this morning, about 12 degrees at run time

AM: 14 miles, last four progression. 6:05,6:05,5:48,5:35

PM: rest

Very cold again, about 15 degrees with packed snow and ice on the trail which slowed the pace down considerably. Going to be in the 60s by Thursday though.

AM: 8 miles

PM: 5 miles with 6x20sec strides included

cold. about 17 degrees this morning. Windy too.

AM: 3 WU 8x1100m hill circuits 3 CD + lifting/core circuit, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 slow recovery miles home

good workout on the hills, the last hill session of the base period. Very cold again, like 17 degrees with a wind chill of 12

AM: 8 miles + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

much warmer today. Feels almost hot 

AM: 8 miles + standard core routine, stretch

PM: 5 miles with 6x20sec strides 

warm, about 55 degrees this morning and 68 this afternoon. Shorts and tech tee.

AM: 2.7 WU 5K tempo + 800,400,200,200 2.7 CD

PM: rest

16:23 (5:19,5:14,5:12,38) 2:19,63,untimed 200s 

Nice and warm today. Legs are coming along nicely. They've got some good strength in them after the base season hills. Now we'll slowly turn that into speed and get really specific in later Feb/March.

AM: 11 miles in the rain

AM: 15.5 moderate to marathon pace. I think I was about 5:39,5:37,5:26,5:29,5:32,5:28,5:22 for the last seven.

Feeling good

AM: 8 easy

PM: 5 easy

decent weather, off from work. 

AM: 2.7 WU 2x(1600,800),800 2.5 CD  (5:03,2:24) (4:52,2:22),2:19

PM: 4 easy + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling

Pacing wasn't the best and went a little too quickly to complete the full 3 sets but that's alright since it's so early. 

AM: 7 easy + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

Warm weather

AM: 5 miles + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 with 6x20sec strides 

late night at work but ran out of time for core this morning. I have a cold, it's minor but I'm sniffling and sneezing. Getting lots of rest before my 5,000m indoor race Saturday. Ironically the weather will be perfect for an outdoor race.

easy 4 plus a good stretch.

racing the 5,000m indoors against college guys tomorrow.

As usual, I went in with big expectations to this meet and as usual, those expectations went to shit after about two miles. I don't know what it is, whether it's my diet, my routine, my age, my training, or whether I'm under thinking it or over thinking it, but I'm sick of under performing in races.

George was there and after a decent mile in 4:51, I began to slow as the leaders pulled away. He kept yelling at me to speed up and catch them for just a lap. I ignored him, and kept telling myself I'll put the hammer down the last mile. By then it was too late and my legs were all but dead after going through 3200m in 9:54. Rolled home in 5:09, lapped by the top two runners. Kind of embarassing.

George mentioned that he thought I could run 15:10. Going in, I also believed I could run 15:10. He said I nailed he workout Tuesday (which I did) but looked like shit today. I'm afraid that's my problem. I'm down for great workouts but suck in races. Somewhere along the lines of belief, self confidence, and positive self talk, I fall short. I'm not sure why. He recommended I get back in there next weeka nd run at George Mason or Navy. This time I'll throw away the watch and race, without regard to the pace, like I did in the good old days. Burned a lot of people back in the day, and I know it's still there. Sometimes we have to work hard at getting the best out of ourselves. It's never easy.

Results

PM: 1hr 6 min pool run

AM: 12 miles

PM: standard core routine, foam rolling then 1 hr. pool run

still at it. Possibly racing Friday

AM: 8 miles + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 miles

rain and wind

AM: 2.5 WU 6x800m 2.5 CD  2:31,2:27,2:23,2:22,2:21,2:18

PM: 5 easy + alt. core routine, stretch, foam rolling

decent but short workout as I am running the 5K this Friday evening at George Mason. A little pissed that the recoveries for these reps are longer than the efforts which I inevitably bump heads with George on since I feel like the recoveries should be no longer than 90% of the interval time. Maybe I'll bring it up again but I never usually win that argument.

AM: 7 miles + alt. core routine, stretch, foam rolling. 150 lbs this morning.

PM: 5 miles

5 miles with a few strides + stretch.

great weather. Too warm for January 

After last week's shitty return to racing, I thought it would be best to hop right back in with a new race. This one was much better. I did not wear my watch but rather focused on my breathing, my form, and the competitors around me. Instead of thinking baout the results, I thought about what i was doing in that particular moment and let the results take care of themselves.  If you noticed the detailed splits below, you will see that I was able to just settle in and cruise 36s, which is 15:00 pace. The problem is right about half way through when it starts to get quite difficult. I tried to concentrate and inserted surges but the lactate buildup in my legs was too great. I held it together much better than I did last week though and I'm headed in the right direction. I need to add in some threshold work to extend the time I can handle 72/lap. Pretty happy with this. you can see in bold where I need to work to improve.

AM: 11 easy

PM: 1 hr. pool run

Legs pretty tired and stiff after yesterday's run

AM: 14 miles progression, last four averaged 5:41. A bit tired still from the race.

PM: off

AM: 8 miles

PM: 5 miles

ran out of time this morning for core, stretch, and foam rolling

AM: 2.7 WU pyramid of 4,8,12,16,12,8,4 2.5 CD   73,2:27,3:41,4:54,3:39,2:19,64

PM: 4 pretty easy + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling

chilly this morning with a stiff breeze. Did alright with pacing but slow to stop the watch. Warm this afternoon at 59 degrees