Getting back to Boston

Came off the DL tonight with 84 laps at MAFC after work. First of all, 70 degrees in there felt damn hot. But the AT felt good and the tight gastrocs loosened up in a mile or two. Wasn't completely twinge-free but as good as I've had in a while. Even the glute niggle behaved (that won't last). Ran 6 miles in 55:xx then walked 4.5 laps to cool down. May be my last run ever at MAFC, although the blue norther coming in this weekend may dictate otherwise. Hoping I'll feel like another run tomorrow. Right now I feel better than I did before I started.

Easy run after work. Left calf is still very tender to the touch but doesn't hurt to run on it at all (shrug). So I just kept going past Souhside, around the horseshoe and back to complete 7.5. AT felt fine. Lots of endorphins on the eve of my last day at Apogee. I skipped watching the second half of a Hig blowout to do the run.

Cold front blew in last night and it didn't mess around. Went from 45 earlier today to 18 now and still falling. Wind chill currently 5, Didn't stop me from getting in 10K+ at SHS after concluding my employment at Apogee (woo hoo!!). I was bundled up like crazy, probably overdressed, was sweaty and cold at the same time. Definitely one of my colder runs. I seem to recall a run in Springdale when it was around 0 but it wasn't windy like this, and it was daylight too. Got it done though. Legs were Ok; I seem to have weathered that and can get back to full training when I can quit wearing three layers (slows down the leg speed a bit).

It's been icy, and I've been lazy. And distracted. So five days of training wasted/missed. Got back out today for 5.76, pushed it for the last 2+

Billat intervals at SHS after dark. It got up to 70 today with 30 mph winds, so I let the sun go down and the winds subside before I went out. Didn't go as well as my last Billat session, which makes sense with all the training I missed, but I got 18 reps done at something resembling the proper pace. Range on the paces was all over the place, from 6:06 to 6:48. That may have had something to do with the wind which was still picking up from time to time, and whether I was running into it.

Windy progression run. I was going downwind the last three miles on Phoenix, which helped the progression for sure, but felt pretty comfortable although it was warmer than I would prefer. Starting the new job in a little over an hour. We'll see how I adjust to vampire hours.

Took two days off adjusting to the overnight shift and the new sleep pattern, but felt up to an easy 6 at dusk tonight. Garmin was kinda haywire in the first mile so I think the mileage is a bit off, but a decent run regardless.

Hilly progression run at dusk before work. A day late, but I wanted to get in some Meg's Miles, and I did. Old Greenwood, Free Ferry, 66th Street, etc. Lots and lots of hills.

Broke in the new Virratas with 6 indoors at MAFC, which probably will be my last run there. Ran the first 5 at 10:00 pace and then the last 14 laps at MP. Felt pretty good once I got going, which as usual on a recovery run took about three miles. Shoes were fine. Did some lifting and even some explosive moves like Anderson recommends. Quickly discovered my knees don't like explosive moves any more. I'll have to look at other ways to work on that. I think his concept is valid, it's just trying to figure out how to execute it at 53.

I got home at 7:10, got to sleep by 8, got up at 1:30. Hopefully I'l get a decent night sleep tonight and be back on day schedule tomorrow. Only to start this all over again Monday.

Wound up sleeping most of the afternoon so my run was after dark. It was plenty chilly, about 27, but OK with a couple of layers once my hands warmed up. Which took about two miles. Took it easy for the first four miles before I accelerated a bit, but it was still an easy run.

Joined the gang at Creekmore for a progression run. We started out around 11:00 pace and I wound up under 9. As usual from Creekmore, lots of hills. Not a bad run. Weather was very nice, around 45 with no wind. Very comfortable in shorts and T-shirt. Wore gloves but I'm not sure I needed them. Weather won't be so nice tomorrow; it's supposed to get cold. It was good to see Sherrie, Jill, Terry, David, Ronda and Sheri out there.

Progression run down to the loop past Rheem and back. Got a little quicker on the return than I had intended, possibly because my late lunch had finally cleared my stomach (in the proper direction, fortunately). Enough hills to make it interesting and I could feel it for the last two miles but got it done nicely.

Well, that sucked. No life in my legs whatsoever. I felt more like going to sleep than running. Not sure how I got home without going to sleep in fact. Finally in the last 20 minutes I got going, slightly. But I did 2.5 laps less than last year -- and last year I was 7 days out from a marathon. I think the main issue was indeed sleep deprivation. just generally sluggish and plain old tired.

Double today but not on purpose. I ran 6 inside at Mercy at 5 p.m., planned to go home, shower and get ready for work. But I ran over something on the way home (like a curb), got a flat, destroyed my tire limping back to the house, and didn't have time to change the tire (didn't help that I couldn't see what I was doing with that alleged light in my garage). So I got the shower, put on track pants and ran to work, another 1.5ish. Which of course means I get to run home tomorrow morning.

Ran home from work this morning. It was really, really, really cold. I had on the fleece headband and the WR gloves, along with the track pants I wore to work. They didn't keep me warm. Face felt like it was gonna freeze. Plus the run home is uphill all the way which didn't help. I think I managed about 10:00 pace, maybe a tad quicker, but I didn't time it or anything. Emma's package arrived at 10:30 with the mail person ringing the bell to get me to sign for it, so I'm working on 3 hours sleep. After that, I spent an hour getting the flat changed, took the car in to get a new tire (had to order it) and went to the gold shop. So I'm ready to sleep now. Probably will not get in a run this evening. Definitely will not run to work.