Pool Running is Fun

AM: 3.2 WU 2x3200, 4x200 2 CD

PM: 5 miles. hot

Stupid humid out. The temp at 5:52 AM in Arlington was 72 and the dew point was 68. George had us split the tempo into cruise intervals. Ended up going pretty fast for the second mile of the last one. 10:34 (5:20,5:14), 10:20 (5:14,5:06). Then some 200s in around 30,31,31,30

AM: 10 miles

Legs are tired from the 200s yesterday. Very humid

AM: 12 miles with the last three average in the 5:30s 

PM: 57 minute pool run 

Shorter run today since we are racing next week and we don't really need to go that far on long runs this time of year.

AM: 8 miles + standard core routine

Great weather with less humidity today which is nature's way of telling me "happy birthday." 

AM: 3 WU 800,1600,1600,800 2 CD

PM: 5 miles + kettlebell routine

Nice and short because we are racing on Saturday. George told me not to crush it toward the end. I was feeling quite good after a shorter two days of mileage and the great weather. 2:26,4:58,4:53,2:23

AM: 7 miles

PM: 5 miles + 3x12sec hill sprints, 3x10sec downhill strides

Beautiful weather

AM: 5 miles

PM: 5 miles with 5x20sec strides + standard core routine

amazing low humidity weather. I have had the windows open for a few days and love to just sit outside. It's a rare thing for June in this part of North America. Sadly the humidity is slowing returning beginning tomorrow. Hopefully the race Saturday morning won't be too bad.

I am running the open race and not with the elites. I'm glad I'm not in the elite section as it seems every Ethiopian (or EPOpian in some cases) on the east coast is coming to run the elite race.

AM: 5 miles plus some stretching

racing tomorrow. Legs are not super recovered, mostly due to the moving/lifting the last few days but I should be good to go tomorrow morning. Going to be a humid 70 degrees at 7:00 am race time. It's gross but that's what happens when you decide to race a 10K in DC in June. I wish it were only a 5K.

33:03. It was very humid--of course it's June in DC.It was 72, 69 dew point, 91% humidity at 7:00 am. I knew it would be slow and it would suck but since there was prize money involved I decided to do it. Knowing that the big money would attract fast Africans, I payed for my entry and entered the "open" race. There was separate prize money purse for open and elites. Good thing too since I was able to win $300 in the open division. My time sucked but the course is not easy. It's hilly and there are at least three 180 turn-around cones. I ran just "alright" as I feel I could have run miles 4 and 5 faster had I been smart or in race shape for that matter. Basically it ended up being my half marathon pace. 

The start was confusing AF since the race website indicated that the start time was 7:00 am. I went all over the site looking to see if the elite field started in advance of the open field. I could not find any time other than 7:00. When we warmed up everyone was ready at 7:00 then they said they were starting the elite at 7:15 then the open at 7:20. We finally line up and no one could decide whether the elites were doing an advanced start or not and no one knew. The announcer was useless as none of the info about the elite start was being announced. Once the gun went off we just bolted ahead and rant with the elite field.

It felt hot from the get-go. I did not take splits and just ran on feel as it would have been quite demoralizing seeing my splits since I knew I was running slow due to the heat. I basically ran with two Kenyan women elites and watched as male elites began dropping out. One of them puked during the race right in front of me and I almost stepped in it. By mile 4 and 5 it was quite hilly with rolling hills and it got hard. 

I had no idea who was elite and who was open but did what I could and my mission was accomplished. I hate seeing a slow time but I ran "alright" and secured the top open prize. Most others also ran slower than normal times. My gambit to enter the open race and pay my entry paid off.

Time to do some mile and 5K training for a few weeks. It's humid AF in this area this time of year.

Results

AM: 12 miles then moving/packing/cleaning/lifting all day

AM: 7 miles + moving/lifting/cleaning all day.

Body is already tired from moving heavy things like beds and dressers up and down stairs all day. Good weight training and core work I guess

PM: 8 miles slowly + lifting/moving/cleaning all day.

My body is really tired/sore from all of the lifting. It's gotten weak from sitting in an office instead of loading and lifting at work like I used to do. Too much running also makes me weaker for lifting things.

AM: 7 miles 

PM: 6 miles. humid

New run commute today involving running to the metro. Morning was pretty straight forward. It's just going to take a bit more time. I'll have to figure out how to get some workouts in and still come to my team workouts when I can.

I made a mistake and ended up on a silver line train in Mclean instead of orange and West Falls church. That added time to the evening commute. 

AM: 7 miles

PM: 5 miles with 5x20sec strides + yoga poses and stretching

had to pack two shirts, one to wear and one to change into before getting on the metro. I had to wear a shirt because my pack chafed the shit out of my back last night. I will have to keep a shirt on even in crappy heat. At least it will keep my shorts drier.

AM: 2.5 WU 6x1100m hill circuit 3.2 CD + core, stretching, foam rolling

PM: 3 mile shake-out + core, sticking of the legs

Good longer hill session today. Circuit includes a 500m climb at 5K effort, a jog for a bit over a minute, then about 200m downhill fast stride, 50 sec jog. Mean to work on form, power, and turnover. Pretty food workout.

AM: 12 miles

PM: cleaning, scrubbing, moving shit in my old place

AM: 3 WU 2x200m,4x400m,2x200m 3 CD + standard core routine, foam rolling

PM: 1 hr. pool running

Intro to mile training or "we're not in high school anymore." I decided to get away from the monotony of the same old training for a month this summer and work on mile pace where I will attempt a sub 4:30 in a race in July. The legs need a new stimulus. 32,34,66,66,65,66,32,31

I ran to the track and did some warm up twos and hopped in. I got that feeling in the legs like I used too but after only 3 400s my legs were feeling it. They are certainly not used to this type of training which is why I'm doing it. Going to try a bit tougher workout next week and vary the recoveries.

AM: 7 miles

PM: 5 miles + stretch routine

Very hot and humid on the way home, about 91 with dew points in the low 70s. Really gross

AM: 2.5 WU 7x800m 2 CD    2:33,2:30,2:27,2:25,2:26,2:24,2:24

PM: 4 miles + standard core routine. Disgusting. only 79 but with a 74 dew point.

very hot/humid. Felt decent since the pace seemed slow after Sunday's foray into 400s at mile pace. The recoveries were pretty long-longer than the reps which makes no sense but since it was so hot it's not that big of a deal as our heart rates were higher than usual anyway. 
 

AM: 7 miles

PM: 5.7 miles + standard core routine

much cooler this morning. Felt much better. This afternoon it was 77 but the dew point was 74. It was disgustingly gross. Sweat doesn't evaporate in those conditions.

AM: 7 miles

PM: 5.7 miles plus alt core routine

AM: Mile workout 2 : 1000,600,400,3x200

2.5 WU, strides 
1000m cutdown (71,66,33) 5 min break 
600m (66,33) 2.5 min break 
400m (65) 1.5 break 
3x200m (31,31,32) with 1 min breaks 
2.1 CD

light rain, breezy. I was able to jog the 5 min break after 30 seconds and was able to jog after the 600 but after the 400 It was just a walking break and the 200 breaks were also walking. I wanted to hit 4 200s but my legs were done when I went backwards on the third one.

You end up breathing quite hard after the reps. It's not like doing 5K paced intervals where you can just keep on running and do a lot of volume. Running mile pace is pretty tough in any great volume. The lactic acid builds up rather quickly if you're not trained for it.

PM: 5 miles 

Noon: 10 miles easy with Tom and Greg

AM: 14 mile long run with the last two 5:28,5:26

PM: 1 hr. Pool run and foam rolling

Very humid today, like a rain forest. The last two were uphill but my effort was 5:10 and I ran high 5:20s. Gross 

AM: 7 miles + stretching

PM: 5 miles + 5x12sec hill sprints + standard core routine

lower humidity today. Feels great. I wish the weekends had the amazing weather and not Monday but I'll take it when I can get it

AM: 3 WU 2000,4x1200 2 CD

PM: 4 miles easy

really good weather for a change with lower humidity and 62 degrees. I wish July 4 was like this but alas I live in a humid sub-tropical cesspool during the summer months. But today it was actually quite nice so we had a good workout.

6:21,3:43,3:41,3:39,3:37. Recoveries weren't too bad as they were actually less time than the interval.

AM: 7 miles

PM: 5.7 miles + standard core routine

AM: 7 miles. very humid

PM: 5 miles with 5x20sec strides

Getting hot and humid

AM: 2.5 WU 2x600,2x400,2x200

Legs were heavy warming up and I didn't quite feel right. Just didn't have that pop this morning and it was evident from the first rep. I meant to do 3x600,3x400,3-4x200m but had to abandon my plans once I got out there. Legs started going slower than 70 sec pace and I just called it and did 200s. Splits were slow.

I think the accumulated fatigue and the heat are catching up to me and that I need a day off or a few light days. It's been since May 10th that I had a day off

For God's sake:

with dew points in the 70s

PM: off. too tired

AM: 10 miles with Greg and Tom