Pool Running is Fun

2.25 WU

5:47, 5:40, 5:45, 6:06

3  CD

Today was humid and warmer. I was going into this workout tired after having donemy first workout on Tuesday...anyway I had to pull the plug on this one.  The plan was 5 from 5:50-5:40 range, starting out at5:55. Well that went to hell. I ended up going out a little harder because my two fast teamates were going high 5:30s pace.  By the fourth mile I was going up hill on the trail and really hurting...I ran the fifth mile easy.

This was bound to happen.  I've been hitting high mileage (for me) and doing that last mile would have beenof no use...just had to pull the plug.  My body needs time to adapt to the increased intensity and mileage.  I will be monitoring it closely to make sure I'm not doing too much.  Feel great now.

10 easy.  Great day out.  Legs are in a general state of tired.

14 long run with the team. Started over 8 pace for the first mile then progressed to well under 7:00 then did a 3 mile cut-down 5:55-5:42-5:38 then two cool down miles.

AM: 10 easy then 4x100m strides with drills(butt-kicks, high knees, carioaca, skips) in between         reps plus some push-ups.

PM: 50 min. pool run.

AM: 1 hour pool run + standard core routine and some jack knives.

PM: quick 6 miles at lunch

Legs feel fine. I'm actually getting a little antsy to race. Patience grasshopper.

2.5 WU

4x 0.5 mile-2:42, 2:38, 2:27, 2:33 with 2:30 jogs in between then 1 mile in 5:23 then one .5 mile in 2:34.  Some of these were uphill, some down.

4 CD

Coach told me I was going to fast after that 2:27 so I eased up a bit.  The rest felt too easy but now I am tired and sore so he probably knows best in this case.  I get a little too excited sometimes.

AM: 5 miles to work + standard core routine.

PM: 5.5 miles home.

2.5 WU with drills and strides

4 "mile" tempo 5:40, 5:37, 5:4x, 5:4x  

2.5 CD

Today was HOT...88 degrees at run time...it really took it out of me. Started a bit fast. Was planning on going 8K but stopped at 4 miles. I was cooked.  Note that those splits are 1600s since this was on a track.  Really did not feel strong.  I've been doing the miles but my specific endurance fitness is really lacking. Distance running results take a lot of time to come to fruition....probably didn't help that I was out for four months and in a boot for two...it's actually pretty amazing I'm running at the level I am now and for that I'm happy at least. Doing a low key 5K next week as a fitness test. keep on truckin.

12 easy. Some jumping jacks and hops in place for height. 

13 mile hilly long run. Started easy then progressed. Very hilly of course. Started raining with about 3 miles to go. Soaked.

10 easy then high knees, butt kicks, skips, fast feet, carioca, 4x100m quick strides. two sets of 20 push-ups. 

10 slow easy + standard ab routine, ab bench, and back machine.

Felt really dead today.  Mostly due to dehydration and the fact that my legs were really sore after that drill/plyo session yesterday.  Normally I would have went to the pool and done 6 after work but today is my late day at work so I would rather go to the pool a different day.  My 890s are about done.  I'll wear them until 400 then they are out.

2.25 WU. Drills and active stretching

2 x .25 mile w/minute jogs. 2 x .5 mile w/2.5 min. jogs. 1 mile hard. 4 min jog. 2 x .25 mile hard

?, ?, 2:38, 2:30, 5:07, 75, 75

5 mile CD 

HOT outside and humid. Good workout. Ran a long cool down then ran home.

10 easy after work. Standard ab routine + ab bench and reverse ab bench.  Stretch trainer

Cooler outside today...got hissed at and assaulted by Canada geese.  What else is new.

AM: 5 easy/slow to work + standard core routine

PM: 5 easy/slow from work

5 easy then 2x100 m strides. Light drills.  Running a race tomorrow. 890s are done. I tossed them.  The shoe life really goes down when you get them completely soaked 2 or 3 times while running.

5 easy + 2x100m strides + light drills

My race was cancelled today!! 10 months without a race and the first one I sign up for  to test my fitness was cancelled due to flood waters in West Potomac Park.  I wanted to do that one since I figured it would be an easy $100 for the win since the local Ethiopians will be at the Capitol Hill Classic 10K tomorrow. I hope they reschedule at least so I can get my entry fee's worth out of it.  

Anyway, I decided to run the CHC 10K tomorrow since my roomate is also running it. I don't know how my fitness will stack up for 10K...I've done the miles but barely any 10K specific work at all. It will be a good fitness test. In other news I felt amazing today, just like I thought I would for a race. I just hope it holds over one more day.  I obviously did not hit my mileage this week due the race cancellation. I wil count this as my down week.  Afterall, I just went three straight weeks at 70. My NB 890v4. feel amazing.

I hopped into a 10K, knowing it would be a rough go after 10 months of no races, 4 months off of running, around 10 lbs of weight gained then lost, and 2 months with my right ankle suspended in a boot. I was just really excited to actually be able to race again.

The 5K that I had planned for 5/17 was cancelled due to flood waters. I knew I had to find another race because I wanted to test my fitness to see where I was at.  I've been doing a lot of miles and I am very strong (at non race speeds) but before I race and train for specific endurance, I needed a baseline to improve upon.

The race started like all races do, people going out way too fast.  I was relaxed and just like coach says, start slow finish fast.  My splits assuming mile markers were right:

5:52, a little too slow, way within myself

5:36, this was more like it, dropped some guys 

5:25, wow I have a lot of energy, like I could do the whole race this fast. Too bad I was all by myself in no-mans-land at this point. 

5:32, pretty decent, plenty left, in the wind by myself.

6:18, came by a turn all by myself, no course marshal...I ran too far in the wrong direction before realizing....I may be an idiot but the course marshal should have caught me before the bike cops did. At this point I am ticked...ticked that I signed up for a race for the competition but there was none (at my pace)...I'm always ahead of the fun runners but way behind the local elites. Every. freakin. (local) race. It gets old.

6:50 for the last 1.2  I picked it up at the end but I didn't feel that dead. More sad that I couldn't run faster, that I've lost so much fitness, but happy that I could even run at all. More indifferent than anything.

Pros: 1. I felt strong throughout....I'm sure I could run a decent half right now.  2. My achilles heald up well to my flats.  Of course I had heel lifts in my flats. 3. It was fun to get out there and enjoy a race again. 4. I'm so very thankful I can actually run races! 5. I will no doubt get faster.

Cons: 1. I ran slower than I did 2 years ago at this race when I was only doing 40 miles a week. Seriously. Of course I was dead by mile 2 in that event and I really dug deep. Today's race was within myself which brings me to the next point. 2. the mind is a muscle that must be exercised in race situations....I was not super tough today. 3. It's frustrating to see how far I need to go to get where I want to be.

Results

AM: 1 hour pool run.

PM: easy quick 6 at lunch + standard core routine.

came home after the race yesterday and went to the pool for an hour pool run. Did a pool run this morning.  The pool runs are very helpful for recovery and getting extra aerobic work in after races and hard efforts.  Feeling a little more positive about my crappy race experience last week and am looking forward to racing in June and July (despite the inevitable heat).

AM: 2 mile WU. 400m fast/relaxed. Drills and strides then 40 min easy

PM: 5 miles easy at lunch. Standard core routine

showed up to the team workout.  My legs were tired and my calves sore but not too bad so I figured I would give it a whirl. Coach said that it's better to be cautious only a day removed from my first race so I went on an easy run instead.  It was the right call I think because my legs are indeed tired. Used my lunch hour during a slow day at work for a short run.

AM: 5 easy to work. Ab bench, dipmachine, seated row machine

PM: 5 easy from work.

It was a good call not to do Tuesday's workout.

2.25 WU

2 mile cruise interval 11:00...1 mile easy...1 mile cruise (a little harder) unknown time, .5 jog...1 mile cruise (a little harder) unknowntime, .5 jog.

2 mile CD

I went to the temo thinking it would be steady state 5 miler so I didn't bring a watch.  We were out on the trails and not on the track.  I was the only one in my pace group. I listened to coach but I still messed up the mile markers (as always).  i think I'm not right in the head when I run.

Also, forgot my heel lifts and I was using a 4mm heel-to-toe shoe...no real issues! Achilles feels great. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop wearing my heel lifts but I might reduce them another layer soon.

10 easy then 4x100 m fast but relaxed strides with drills between reps and some burpees.

2 mile WU up to my buddy's place.  Then 10 mile run..we ran most of the run 6:50s-7:20 pace.  A quick glass of water then 2 more miles back down 16th street to the metro.

AM: 12 easy. Very sunny today.

PM: Standard core routine plus some jack knives and sit-ups 

Good thing there were drinking fountains along the way. It's getting later into the spring and now summer is here. It's getting very sunny and now it's warm. Going to have to start getting up early on the weekends to get my runs in during cooler weather.

AM: 7 miles easy/slow + 3x100m strides with drills in between

PM: 1 hr. pool run

1.5 WU

800(400 jog), 800(400jog), 1600(800jog), 800(400jog), 800(400jog), 400(200jog), 400(200jog), 200

2:40, 2:37, 5:13, 2:27, 2:26, 71, 68, 32

2 CD

PM: 5 easy/slow+ standard core routine, ab bench, row machine

Great workout today...will probably run more later, just wanted to get this written down before I forget my splits.

5 easy/slow to work + standard ab routine

5.5 easy/slow back home

legs are tired. it's very humid outside.

2 WU. Drills and a few strides

8K tempo run (on track): 5:39, 5:39, 5:35, 5:31, 5:25 per 1600

2 CD

felt amazing! a lot cooler out plus I am starting to feel the strength and endurance from all of the consistent work I've been puting in plus running more relaxed and keeping my easy days easy. Add in a better diet, less drinking, and a lot more sleep than I used to get. Hopefully this bodes well for my "mini season" this July and the best racing in the fall. Ran this by myself, no one from my club in my pace group was there so I focused on being relaxed and not straining.  Sure enough, I ran faster with less effort.

5 easy at lunch. + standard ab routine.

I was going to double and run another 6 after work but I am going to back off so I know I'll get a great long run in tomorrow.  My legs feel fine and I was planning on shooting my mileage up to 76-80 this week but I really don't have to.  I've had two great workouts on Tuesday and Thursday and an easy 5 today is enough. I'll probably end up running 71 or 72 miles this week.

15 miles extremely hilly.  "Hills are speedwork in disguise" Frank Shorter used to say. One thing I know is that these long runs over hills make me strong and hopefully will make the last mile in a 5K or the last two miles in a 10K much faster.  My legs are really tired now. Nice day out though.  I didn't use my GPS since my splits would be all over the place on this one due to the hills.  That was a tough one.