Still Sick

I've made it for 2 runs in the last 10 days.  I did manage the track last weekend.  I did 1 mile in about 6:40.  Then I tried a 2 mile 'interval' - but it was probably pretty slow - maybe 7:20s.  I was suppose to do 2x800 after that - but skipped it and went home - not feeling great.  I felt worse Sunday and Monday - so no running.  I postponed my long run for later in the week.  I was going to try it Wednesday - but I was still iffy and the weather was still hot and humid.  So I took a half-day today and did 12.5 at lunch.  I was aiming for 8:00s for 13, and managed 8:00s for about 11 miles - but couldn't close - really died at the end.  Did 8:25s and stopped after 12.5 - good enough.  Clearly still feeling the effects of whatever I had.  Weather was wonderful.  Looking forward to feeling better and running in cooler weather.  Feel awful now.

Sick Daze

Had a very good run Monday.  I did 8 miles: 7:38, 7:35, 7:31, 7:37, 7:44, 7:49, 7:35 and 8:32 (uphill).  Overall pace was 7:46 - about HMP+15 - which was the goal - would've been better without that damn hill.  And that was the week!

Felt kinda sick Tuesday, but ok.  Felt worse Wednesday - left work early Thursday.  Felt a little better today - but not great.  Hoping to get a good workout tomorrow - but not real optimistic.  Sick sucks.

Lots of Humidity and Town Day

So the humidity hit this week.  Thursday I headed out at lunch hoping to do a 5 mile tempo at 7:20.  Pacing was a bit off.  I started at 7:40 - which was good since I wanted to start a bit slow and ramp into it - I then did mile 2 at 7:21 (ok) and mile 3 at 7:11 (probably too fast).  At that point the humidity was on me like a blanket and I stopped thinking I'll break it into 3Mx2M at 7:20 - but I just couldn't get going again and jogged it in.  Still, not a bad workout.  Realistically, trying to squeeze these into lunch during some hotter end of summer days, these things are going to happen.  Take away a good workout, even if it isn't what was planned.

Today was the Town Day race - 2.7ish miles up Mass ave and down the bike-way.  Last year I finished 2nd overall and 1st in my age group.  This year, facing a stacked field, I came away with 5th overall and 2nd in my age group.  6:44 up, 6:23 down and 6:38 for the last bit.  6:35 overall.  Love that distance - just when you think you'll have to dig deep to keep going - the race ends.  Perfect.  Like thursday - super humid - if it did go longer I would have really slowed.  I'm good for the week now - time to celebrate.  I'll be back at it maybe Monday morning for an 8 miler - with more humidity all week.

Week 3

Started off week 3 with an easy run.  First one of those in a while.  Had a friend in from the CT work site, so we did 5 miles around the Charles at a nice conversational 9:20.  Felt great - wonderful weather - lots of stuff to look at.

This morning I decided to get in my 12 miler - which i had originally planned to do after work.  Left at 6:45 and headed down towards Alewife.  Original plan was to do 8s - but I was hitting 7:50s and just kept pushing that for the first 4 miles.  Then I started up the bike path and tried to keep the effort about the same.  Pacing was 8:04, 8:19, 8:13 and 8:11 for the middle four - all an easy uphill.  At the turnaround I did 8:00, 7:45 and 7:39 - before crawling up the last mile at 8:59 - always brutal that last one.  Overall was 8:03 - the first 11 were a bit under 8 but not much really - so probably good thing i pushed the first 4.  The GAP pacing looked pretty good as well - 7:50s most of the way.

A day off tomorrow - i'm going to bag the last bae 5k and do a tempo run at lunch instead, and then the town race - 2.7 miles Saturday.  Total mileage this week is at 17 and should be around 27 by Saturday.

Week 2

I followed up last Saturday's track work with a tough 10 miler on Monday.  I headed out in the morning - ran to Alewife/Davis - and back up the bike path.  Pacing was right at 7:50 through 9 miles - which is the HMPp goal.  The last mile uphill was slower - but the GAP was 7:54 - so i'll take that.  Pretty hard run.  I took two days off - partially due to weather, and partially because I was gassed - and then headed out yesterday for a 6 miler from work.  The goal was 6 miles at 7:30; but I hit 5 at 7:20, and then slowed up a bit.  Ended up with 6 at 7:30 anyway - but I'm calling this one 5 at MT pace (10 seconds slower than HMP).  I think that reflects the effort - and what actually happened a little better than 6 at 7:30 pace.  I didn't have my watch - which probably effected pacing.  It was a really hard run - but weather has been perfect - and I'm pretty happy with the fitness, speed and my ability to hit these paces.  On to track work, then week 3.

Update:  Did the track yesterday.  15x300s.  These were a lot of fun.  The first 6 were pretty fast - 67 seconds - which translates to about 6 min/miles.  They got harder after that - and the last 6 were closer to 70 seconds - which is more of a 6:13 min/mile.  The next scheduled track run is next week - but I may do the town day race instead.

6x800s

Some intensity this week.  6x800s at the AHS track.  I think I did 3:15s-3:20s - which is a little off pace.  Was aiming for 3:10s - but just didn't have it.  It's probably a good reflection of where my 5k pace is right now (just over 6:50s).  I may move my 10 miler from Tuesday to Monday - since it's suppose to get pretty warm Tuesday.  At the track next weekend, I'm going to try 300s.  Should be able to do those in about 69-70 seconds.

August 5K

Last night I did my second bae 5k of the summer.  Almost the same time as the July race - but i'm a little disappointed with the effort since the weather was so nice out.  I started slower this time, then was over 7 for the second mile - and the last mile was in the 6:50s.  Ok pacing - just may need to get out faster and push it more next time.  And next time may be in two weeks when the last race in the series is.  There may be an Arlington race next weekend - so I can try that as well.

I ran for the first time in 8 days on Monday.  8 miles - at a 7:50 pace - although the pace was very varied (?).  And with those two runs my half training is officially started.  My knee has been very sore - but seemed to fair well during the race.  I have a new knee brace - maybe it helped.  I also have a new rowing machine - i think that it may actually be aggravating the pain a bit.  Will a 6x800 workout help?  Probably not.