This week sucks

Not sure why.  Just couldn't get going the last two mornings.  I ran 4.1 today after work.  Did the middle two miles faster: 7:30 and 7:17.  I'm planning on trying one more over the next 3 days - and then another run over the weekend.
update: another 3.1 tonight - running out to get olives...

Saturday Long

Rounded out the week with 7.2 miles today along the bikepath.  Average pace was 8:20 - felt very easy - although the legs are a bit tired with this combined with yesterday's tempo.  I want to work up to about 75 minutes of running heading into the mile-training plan.  7.2 took 60, so 75 will be about 9 miles.  A pretty good week in the end: 4 runs including a real solid tempo and a decent longing run - plus a bike to work round trip and some strength work.

Friday Tempo

I did my first loop from my new workplace - my first non-pfe lunch run.  It was a really nice day out - so I couldn't resist.  The road down to the river is a bit longer than before - and felt like more lights.  Once on the river - it is very nice - in some ways a little better than the science loop.  Less crowded - although less people as well.  I decided to do a tempo today.  3 miles: 7:03, 7:20 and 7:08 - really was hurting that last mile - but i'm pretty happy with the overall pacing: 7:11.  I'll try and maybe do one of those over the next few weeks leading up to the 5k.  Total distance on the new loop is a little over 5.4 miles - probably extendable to 6 if I go to the anderson foot bridge.  Of course - it can be a good 8-12 if i push further east.

Miles make you faster

The mantra for when you are struggling.  I was feeling pretty good heading out today - nice sunny weather.  Since I'm 4 weeks out from my first race (5k) - i decided to try a bit of a tempo run.  I started at the 14 minute mark, deciding to head up the bike path for 10 minutes, then head back down. Going up felt hard - as it often does.  Pacing was probably in the 7:30-7:40 range.  Thinking I'd put the hammer on the back half after the turnaround - but felt pretty bad after two minutes - then just kinda cruised the the last 8 minutes.  Pace was probably about the same pace.  A little disappointing - considering i should be able to knock out 20 minutes at a 7-7:10 pace - but maybe not so bad considering the lack of tempo work. Doesn't bode well for the upcoming race - but i probably deal with this every year.

Making Trax in the snow

for the first time since i've been running - i went out this morning with my yaktrax on.  They worked really well.  The ones i have are not the running-specific ones - just the corded ones shown - but they didn't seem to have any problems.  I did 6 miles total - very slow - but that is ok.  Felt great to get out.  Complete white out now - with more snow on the way...

Spring Running

Last night i did, what felt like, a spring run - nice and warm - about 50s.  Felt great.  I did 5.1 - would have been longer but I promised I'd take my younger to petsmart to buy a hamster.  Little shit is pretty cute.  Paceing was nothing special - but it was arlington - so lots of hills.  Today I did a good workout in the basement.  Monday I did a short 3.4 in the morning.  It's a blizzard out now - so we'll see what I can manage the rest of the week.  I'm glad i've got in what I did.

Elephant Run

My longest run of the year.  8 miles today.  Ran down to Alewife, Davis - and then back up the bike path - past the HS and then loop back up and home.  I had kind of a bad week last week - so it felt good to get in two good run mid-week and a nice long run today.  The pace today was moderate - but not slow.  Pace was 8:17 overall - but I was down below 8:10 for most of the run.  Now I can chill until beer drinking/super bowl watching time.  And probably bed by half-time.

A good run.

Last week ended with a fun two days of skiing at mt. snow.  Love getting out on the snow.  Kids did great.  Awesome weekend.  Went back to running on Monday - another in a series of slow slogs: 3.3 miles at a 8:53 pace.  Incredibly bad.   Didn't know i was capable of such a shit run.

Did a little better on the run home Wednesday: 4.1 at an 8:17 pace - but managed the first 3 under 8min/mile - so feeling better - and had a nice uphill to end it.  Nice and warm out that afternoon.  Managed to bring almost everything into work.

Thursday I did the reverse - back into work.  4 miles at a 7:43 pace.  Nothing to fancy here - downhill at a 7:38 pace (easy) - then did 7:54/7:53 - but felt like i was working for the next two.  Finished strong with a 7:32 mile.  Hopefully can get out for a longish run or intervals this weekend.