Getting back to Boston

Progression run with Langford from the WAR room, cut short due t being up late and need to work later. Started really slow, hammered the last half mile. Not bad, but not the 16 I wanted.

Recovery jog. That is all. Other things on my mind, much more important than running.

Getting the long run done I didn't do Sunday. A little cooler but still soupy and I chose a course for the last 10 miles with plenty of hills. In spite of that, managed a bit of progression and wound up with 9:56 average and a fastest mile of 9:11. But basically it was just getting 16 miles in the books with 32 days to go.

I'm kinda guessing about the marathon pace part, because I forgot my watch, but I was definitely pushing the pace on a 4 mile route. It could have even been sub MP. Felt much better after I finished, so much so that I might do a shortie indoors this afternoon.

Went back and got that double done, with some weight work before and after. I didn't even notice pace, just tried to keep the HR below 130 (mosty succeeded but not entirely). Got the new Vittaras, my race shoe for St. George, and took them for a test spin. So far OK. I'll get in one LR in them at least before the trip.

Note: the miles listed for WEdnesday the 4th were run on Thursday the 5th. 

Out to the Necessary Loop this morning for a recovery run, to shake the kinks out before I drive to Batesville. Kathy and David ran off and left me; I was doing 10:00 pace and they dusted me while Gallowalking. I got a little faster as I went on, averaged 9:15 overall, but I never did catch them, and I didn't see them again once they topped the hill going down to Crimson.

The Last Lap for Sara today. They're not doing this race any more. And I was one second from getting a trophy. He wasn't GP, so I didn't know him and I couldn't come up with a kick to pass him or anyone else. Or maybe I just didn't. I was very disappointed when I saw the results, and I was more disappointed when I saw that Sara's father was handing out the awards. I didn't have much life in the legs, and the course was very, very hilly, but I did a good job of hanging on. Splits were 7:31, 7:30 and 7:37; last mile had a big uphill. Actually it shows I did kick, but not enough. Good GP points; I'll get 16 for third place.

Shakedown run indoors. Had planned to do somewhere in the 6 to 10 range but shut it down after 4 when the leg went numb again.

Crack o chickens run, six with the crew, six alone. Sheri and Cindy S. pushed the pace pretty good for the first 6 and made me work. Then I did the Phoenix run and decided to keep going past the planned 10 to get 12. That 12 was about my limit though. I was starting to hurt te last mile. Averaged 9:12 overall even with walk breaks in the first 6, so we were moving pretty good.

Eight miles after work at MAFC with 5 at MP. Could have gone farther if I'd started earlier, but didn't want to go too late with a dawn run tomorrow and then work. I finished at 9:07 pm as it was. Glad I got it done though. I've been neglecting MP runs, in part because the legs don't want to go that fast at 5:15 almost every time.

Progression run with Kathy L, David, Jill and Erica. Struggled to keep up for 2.5 until I got warm, then ended up dusting them.

Finally a decent MP run with the fasties. Brett dusted me and everyone else, but I outran Jamie and Terry. Of course Jamie had 11 more miles to do, but it's been a while since I outran her at any distance. Didn't quite get under 8:00 as the last uphill got me, but averaged 8:02. Weather was finally decent, about 64. I probably would have done better with another hour of sleep, but I'll take this. With 21 days to go and the taper about to start, I think all my quality work from here on will have to be about like this, although distance may vary.

Recovery run, the one I should have done yesterday. Kept it slow with AHR below 130. Still averaged 9:50 pace. Never even came close to getting out of breath. Still quite sweaty though.

Tried to do 16 this morning. Legs didn't cooperate after a pitstop at 6ish; they tightened up and refused to loosen. And I was miserable anyway so I bailed at 11.2. I've done some 16s. I'll do 12 .4 this weekend. If that ain't enough, oh well.

I don't even want to try to describe yesterday. No sleep, enormous emotional stress. And no run. I crashed at 7 p.m. and slept pretty well. Out to the Schoolhouse at crack o chickens for a run with the high five group. Legs cooperated, unlike Tuesday, Went ahead and did 7 but no real stresss before the 20k.

Easy 5 in the rain with Kathy. Kept the pace comfortable and the rain helped keep us cool even with high humidity. We'll see if I'm up to 20K in the morning but it should be cooler.

Back for another try at the 20k in Benton. Legs weren't fresh with taper just beginning. I decided to basically do an MP run for 20k, then darn if I didn't run the first 5k in 24:06. Couldn't hold that pace of course, and didn't, but averaged 8:05. I need to run 20k a minute faster in two weeks then hold that pace for 22k longer. Yikes! Fortunately the downhill will help. The uphills sure didn't help today.

Intended to do 10 easy this morning but I let the gang drag me along too far before I realized it was too late to turn around and go back. And on the last downhill on Massard, decided to pick it up to MP to practice that on tired legs, and held it for 0.8. All in all not bad. Overall a 10:00 avertage even with walk breaks.

Recovery run at Ben Geren at 9:30, still actually cool and comfortable in spite of bright sunshine. Legs were OK after a mile or so. Now for my meeting at Mercy.

Mile repeats at Ben Geren with the crew. I don't know if I'm stronger or it's because the weather finally cooled down, but reps around 7:45 were no trouble and the last two were 7:26 and 7:31. Might actually be ready to do something special in St. George.

Interesting morning on the amphitheater loop. There was a pit stop. There was nausea. There was a minor twinge on the left tibia that put me into full taper madness panic. But  got six good miles done anyway. Nice to see Jamie the day after she got accepted for Boston. Had to give her a hug of course.

Low and slow with Sheri this morning. Three on our own, three with Kathy and her bunch. Or watching Kathy and her bunch cruise off into the distance. Hip flexors never fully loosened until the post-run stretch.

Pushed the pace a bit with Lia at the Schoolhouse. A friend of hers named Larry was there with his daughter and she rode her little bike the whole way as we ran. It was pretty cute and she was a sweet girl. Took me a couple of miles to get going then I actually left them behind in the last mile or so. Overall 9:19 pace, 

Eight miles of taper/stress reduction after work. Given the stress reduction part, you could guess it would be a progression, and it was. despite not getting pushed by Lia like yesterday, it still wound up around 9:31 average. Checked my pulse when I stopped and it was about 120, and I'd pushed the last mile pretty hard.

Easy run after dark through Ben Geren. Legs took a bit to loosen, but wound up around 10:00 average which is what I wanted.