Pool Running is Fun

AM: 10 easy + lifting routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy + 6x100m strides

very humid but cooler, light rain in the am.

AM: 21 mile progression run. 1.5 CD to work. 

PM: 45 min pool run. Too tired to go longer.

early, cooler today. Longest run since Philly marathon last November. My legs were just too heavy to go with Greg when he broke away at mile 17-18. Just out of juice to break 5:30. I belive this is because of the high volume of training that I've been doing. I've got to get used to very long runs again.

Noon: 13 miles around Jamaica Pond in Boston. Bill Rodgers used to run hundreds of laps of this pond while preparing for his international breakthrough. It's a nice little place to run with packed dirt and fine gravel. Beautiful low humidity weather too. For the first time in months my shorts weren't wet when I finished.

That's 106.5 land miles for the week (slightly inflated due to two long runs in one week) + 19.5 pool "miles" for a total volume of 126--some serious mileage

AM: 7 easy in Massachusetts

PM: 7 easy + standard core routine

Low humidity but terrible hay fever. It's bad

AM: 12.5 easy at Carderock

PM: 4 easy

nice day today. Allergies are still pretty bad.

AM: 10 easy + lifting routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

AM: 2.7 WU 25 x 400m 2.2 CD

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

@ 10k pace. A great threshold workout. I attempted to keep splits but was off an on with hitting the split accurately. However, it was a good workout since George was monitoring. I noticed that I was not really tired until much later in the workout compared to last year. Averaged 75.8 per lap for the workout, something around 5:03-05 pace

AM: 1 hr. 41 min. pool run.

PM: 9 easy. very hot tonight, 96 degrees which made it feel like shit outside

Stayed in the pool a little longer which it turns out is the longest I've ever pool ran. Good thing Jill and Skylar were there otherwise pool running alone is pretty boring.

AM: 10 easy + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling.

PM: 5 easy + 6x100m strides and drills

Very humid this morning, dewpoint was 74 and the temp was 78 at 6:00 am. You'd think it be a little cooler since we're well into September, but I guess not.

AM: 10 easy. Very humid

PM: 1 hr. Pool run

Gross outside. Very hot and humid. It is 94 with heat index over 100 so very tired of the heat

That's 95.5 miles + 16 pool "miles" for a total volume of 111.5

AM: 2 WU 4MP, 1E, 3MP, 1E, 2MP, 1E, 1MP, 2CD

PM: 1 hr. pool run

Started more conservative which paid dividends because it was easy to run fast at the end of the workout. We ended up going faster than MP at the end. It was hot at the beginning but the dew point plummeted throughout the run so that it was downright enjoyable at the end. We got lucky in this regard. Feeling pretty damn good going into next weekend's half. If only the weather will cooperate next Sunday for us. It's not looking that great so far. the humidity dew point needs to be low. (5:45,5:45,5:33,5:25) (5:29,5:27,5:19) (5:28,5:16) (5:09) AVG: 5:27

AM: 8 easy + lifting/core routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

backing it down slightly for a recovery week before the race this weekend.

AM: 2.6 WU 1600,1200,2x800,400 2.7 CD    (5:09, 3:40, 2:26, 2:20, 69)

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

Short workout this morning as I recover this week for the race on Sunday.

AM: 1.5 hr. pool run

PM: 5 easy. warm outside

recovery week continues

AM: 7 easy + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

feeling a little odd with the reduced volume. You get so used to high mileage and being tired for so long, even a slight reduction changes how you feel during the day.  I feel energized and hyper one minute then very tired the next and this is only a light down week. Marathon taper is going to be unnerving at best.

AM: 6 miles with one pick-up mile in 5:15 + 4x100m drills/strides

PM: rest

AM: 4 easy + a few light strides and drills

Getting humid. Not really looking forward to running in this soup tomorrow.

that's 70.5 land miles + 15 pool "miles" for a total volume of 85.5. Pretty good down week as I'm feeling recovered and ready to roll

This was a tough day to run fast.  When the dew point creeps past 70 and it's 72 degrees at the same time at 7:00 am, it's really tough to run fast. Humidity was 97%. That's just a physiological fact. The sweat your body produces to cool itself simply does not evaporate and falls to the ground while your body cooks and your shoes are soaked.  I really couldn't believe my shoes were soaked on a mid-September morning, but indeed they were. It's really tough psychologically to accept this fact and still be ok with your time even though our coach told us not to worry about the time and just race. I didn't race too bad actually as I was 4th even with an Olympic Trials qualifier (O'Connor) and recent former NCAA D1 fast guys (Blake Taneff, and Daniel Samet.  Jordan Tropf came out of nowhere in this race though.

We started nice and relaxed according to the game plan, just like I did at Shamrock when I ran a PR. I continued to hold back as the lead pack went ahead of Greg and I. We caught the pack at 3 miles after they slowed down but they picked it up again and we let them go, thinking at least 2-3 guys would fall back with the humidity being a big factor. I was well prepared with Generation UCAN and UCAN Hydrate which are great products.

I remained calm, running with Greg while Kieran was slowing falling back (he is an OT qualifier but has not been training a lot as he just had a kid). He said "come catch me" at the turnaround and I started digging into my effort reserves at which point, quite surprisingly, I dropped Greg, which has never happened before. I think the humidity got to him.  Despite gunning it, I was actually slowing, just at a slower rate than those behind me. Taneff, although far ahead, was really dying and I was gaining as I myself began to die. Kept it together to see the clock which was frustratingly slow.  

Despite the slow time I can feel it inside that I'm in shape to PR. I don't say that lightly, but I feel that I can run at least 2 minutes faster in ideal conditions, which I hope to have in October 16 in Columbus.  Although I'm frustrated with the slow day, I'm headed in the right direction. Running is such an unforgiving sport whether you are a pro or an amatuer club guy like me and it still burns me that those young guys in 1-3 were able to beat me today.

Results

Article on the race

Interested to see how incredibly slow Rock and Roll Philadelphia was as well due to the heat. George was not wrong when he said we'd be 2-4 minutes off our PRs even though I didn't believe him at first. Even the Pros at philly were slow. Philly Results

soaked straight through and in pain at mile 12 or so

AM: 1.5 hr. pool run + foam rolling

PM: 8 easy

Legs were rather sore this morning and I'm tired, but nothing I can't handle. I've been at this a little while now. Time to keep truding through to that amazing Columbus half and Richmond full performances. I know they are going to be great races.

AM: 10 easy + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

still very humid this week. Not so super hot anymore, as none of the days are cracking 90 degrees. Next week we are in store for a major cool down to the point where it will be in the 50s at night and 70s during the day. Actual fall stuff.

AM: 12 miles 

PM: 5 easy + 6x100m strides and drills

A little longer this morning because I've surprisingly recovered quite well after the half. No hard workouts for about a week from race day but easy mileage is fine. Having issues at the gym. The student health center finally caught the fact that I had gym access but that HR was not deducting the $40 a month charge for the gym from my paycheck. Shouldn't staff members get free access to the gym at a university regardless?

AM: 10 easy + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 6 easy

finally a low humidity day. It feels amazing, and the weather will be prime for heavy training this coming week.

AM: 3 WU 2x3200m 3 CD

PM: 5.5 easy + standard core routine, foam rolling

very nice this morning. took a lap or two to get the legs going but once they were I found it pretty easy to run fast.  10:28 (5:25,5:03), 10:12 (5:12, 5:00). It's supposed to be 87 today and there's an air quality alert. However, this is the final breath of summer and it will die a quick death next week. Beautiful weather ahead

AM: 12 easy alone. Nicer weather

PM: 1 hr. pool run. again alone. Kind of a lonely day

So that's 100 land miles this week plus 21 "miles" of pool running for a total volume of 121. Some big numbers there. 

AM: 16 mile progression run with the final 7 miles: 5:55, 5:38, 5:20, 5:23, 5:27, 5:17, 5:10. Not a perfect progression as some miles were far more downhill than others but still very satisfying to run so fast with so little effort. Weather was gorgeous. low humidity and in the 50s when I started

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

AM: 1.5 pool run

PM: 10 miles

Long day, great weather

AM: 3 WU, 4,8,12,16,12,8,4, 2.5 CD                75,2:29,3:45,5:01,3:39,2:24,69 

PM: 4 recovery + lifting routine, stretch, foam rolling

nothing to write home about. Legs are tired with heavy mileage. Got out and got it done. tired this morning. Damn debate kept me up.

AM: 12 easy + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy

light rain, dark day. I like it. 

AM: 10 miles + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 miles

very windy and raining this morning. It was nice since there were 90% less cyclists and fair weather joggers, but it sucked once my feet were wet and I was soaked for an hour+. still far better than the heat though

AM: 3 WU 8K tempo 2 CD     26:34. 1600m splits: 5:38, 5:20, 5:17, 5:12, 5:05 + standard core routine, foam rolling.

PM: 5 easy

windy this morning with a touch of rain. Getting stronger. working hard.