Getting back to Boston

First "speed work" in almost a year, even if it consisted of 800s at what used to be MP. Wasn't sure I could manage even that, with 10 extra pounds and nothing resembling speed work since November, but it went well. Ran with Brenda Hook and another Brenda, who was faster than (the current) me, if maybe not the me of 18 months ago.

Kinda pushed it at MAFC today, in part to keep the chica from lapping me. But it actually felt pretty comfortable. I have a new form thought, to drive my knees through instead of dead-leg swinging, Rex style, and that helped to pick up the pace right there. Then when chica came up past me, I said to myself "heck no" and picked it up some more to keep up and later pass. Then just kept it going. Wound up with sub-9 pace for 80 laps. Also now within range of 1000 for the year.

Out in 50ish weather (yay!) in later afternoon for 9ish to take me over 1000 for the year. It rained all morning and was still very humid, so I worked up quite a sweat, but not what I would have 20 degrees ago. Lots of hills on the route, which the legs handled OK. I guess I'm getting back in shape, even if the love handles don't show it yet. It's my fifth straight year of 1000 plus. So I got that going for me.

Indoors at MAFC after the Hog game. Could have run outdoors, but yesterday gave me the sniffles and I don't need to be getting sick now, and it's even cooler today than yesterday. So I chose 68 degrees over 55. I definitely needed to get the kinks worked out of my legs too, so the run was needed. Helped that we finally played well on both sides of the ball.

Good 13 with Kathy M., Lalita and Kay (dunno last name) at Ben Geren. Pushed Kathy to run faster than her mental block allowed which is good. Also found a partner for RVR -- Kathy, who is looking for something else besides teaching high school English. This will definitely be worth exploring. Run went well, took me up to 38 for the week, which except for that one week in June is as much as I've done in a long time. Temps were high 30s at the start, maybe mid 40s at the finish, felt really good. Shorts and long sleeve was plenty.

Progression run at MAFC after work. Decided to stretch a fish into a 50-minute run. Finished the 73rd lap in 49:58, figured that was close enough. Legs felt really good. Left trapezius still doesn't for some reason. I did some shoulder shrugs, curls and triceps work after the run to try to work some of that out. We'll see if it helps.

 I need another 375 miles in the next 12 weeks to get to my secondary mileage goal of 1400. That's 31ish a week. Doable. Hope I don't need to load up with 70 mile weeks in December to get there. Doing 38 a week would get me to 1500. Maybe. We'll see. 

Up at the crack o' chickens for 10K along Phoenix. Knew how far I was running, so didn't look at the watch and just cruised. Cruising turned out to be a 9:31 average and a one-minute negative split. Felt pretty good, especially only 8 hours after my last run ended. Guess the legs are finally coming around. Now if the insomnia would come around...

Took three days off because I screwed up my left arm and shoulder lifting weights the other night, and it's not letting me sleep. But I actually slept well last night, with a little chemical encouragement, and got up at 5 to run. Did 8, slowly going out, accelerating coming back. Arm didn't hurt much then, but it does now (typing seems to irritate it). So I'll quit typing...

Mile reps at Ramsey at 7:30 pace with Rose, Lionel, Kay and Brenda R. Brenda is a good partner for reps basically because she's faster than I am. She keeps up with me running in lane 3 or 4. Rose is too hyper; she can't stay down at the right pace. But I got through it OK, held the pace I wanted without too much trouble,

Good, solid predawn progression run. Thought the gang would be running from Marketplace, but they weren't, so I went solo. That's OK. Very slow for the first half, like 10:26, then negative split 2+ minutes on the return. Not bad for less than 12 hours after I finished the tempo work at the track last night. Now back to bed.

Slow and easy (but sweaty) to and from SHS. 70ish and kinda humid. Maybe it will turn to fall eventually... Working tomorrow to pick up a few extra bux, but might get in a shortie after work.

Easy run with accelerations and strides, trying to sharpen up for the 10K tomorrow.

Second mile up Old Greenwood really, really sucked. Other than that, I did OK, although it felt like I really didn't get warmed up until the 5K mark. Plan was to run with Rose. That lasted less than a half mile; she ran off and left me. Staci and Lionel did too, but I caught Staci around the 5K mark. Rose and Staci both won their AGs. I, uh, didn't, but it would have taken a 45-second PR just to get a medal, so I don't feel so bad about it. Lionel is in my AG too and he didn't get a medal either.

 I tried to go out a little conservatively, try to save some energy. I think the plan overall worked OK, except I just didn't push that second mile up the hill enough while I was still warming up. Weather was perfect -- 45, sunny, very little wind, not an issue at all. Then, at the top of the hill with my legs finally in gear, I hit the gas. Mile splits coming home per Garmin (which was reading about 2% long) were 7:51, 7:49, 7:42, and then hauled tail down the hill to the finish at 6:35 pace.

 I blame that on race rustiness. Haven't raced enough to do anything. This was my first real race since Russellville in February. Stockholm was in no way a race for me. Another 10K in Hot Springs in four weeks. Hopefully I'll be in better shape with better strategy and at least get under 48, although this HS course seems to be pretty similar as far as a long uphill to start and then downhill to the finish. I'll just have to run the uphill harder -- and smarter. 

Same distance as yesterday's rate, same negative split, 30 degrees warmer, nine minutes slower. Not bad, though. Soreness completely gone, and the pace was comfortable even as I picked it up and sweated. Some kids showed up in midrun and played lighted Frisbee or something on the field, which looked pretty interesting in the dark. I got 1.5 shifts at work thanks to Yeshu being too sick or something to round on her patients, so a pretty good slam, then a run. Got through it OK, in spite of lack of sleep (that's gonna catch up to me eventually; an hour nap here and there ain't cutting it).

Very bad day at work. Rohit blatantly crapped on me (11 admits) and gave zero to his wife. I didn't see another one of the docs all day except at lunch, and they darn sure never set foot in ER. So I unloaded on him after he gave me #11, five hours after ER called him with that patient. Then I asked Liza to move me back to nights. Request granted as of November. So I needed stress reduction when I got home. Went to SHS after eating and did five slow while the Ultimate Frisbee game went on in the dark. Still too darn warm for late October, but got through it OK, and felt better as a result. Only need 320 now for my mileage goal of 1400, with 69 days to get there. Do 64 five-milers, I'm there.

Did the flat part of Phoenix tonight from Marketplace to the overpass and back, after 11 hours of work. Felt OK, was able to negative split by a couple of minutes (temperature was quite a bit cooler on the return trip, which helped). Got over 100 miles for the month. Still on pace to get to 1400 for the year. Who knows, might get enough miles in to get to 1500.

Slow 4 at MAFC at 8 pm. I may regret this when I'm running at 8 am tomorrow....

Met Kathy M. and Kay for a beast starting at Marketplace. Took it nice and slow, which was good considering I was still feeling last night's recovery 4. But we got it done. Kay's birthday was yesterday, so we had a joint birthday donut-and-hot-chocolate party "catered" by Dunkin Donuts at Kathy's place. Met Kathy's family. They definitely like Halloween... Good run, though.

Pushed the pace tonight in the new Kinvaras after driving home from a rather disappointing game at WMS. Perfect running weather, high 40s and no wind, and I took advantage. Once I got warmed up, I was well under 9:00 for the last seven miles or so. Six tomorrow will get me to 40 for the week and a nice start to the newly revised goal of 1500 for the year; I'm now at 1110 with 65 days to go. Exactly 6 a day will get me there, and a few runs like this will build up some cushion.

Greatly enjoyed my date last night with Terrie, and we're going to the game next Saturday at RRS. Hopefully the outcome will be a little better, but the company will be fun. 

Recovery run after work. Took two miles to loosen up again, then felt pretty good for the last 4. Got me to 40+ for the week, which ain't bad for working five days and traveling the other two. Staying on track for 1500, too. Hope to get to 150 for the month. This is already the second best month for mileage this year after the 270 in January. Then I got sick, fell in love and all hell broke loose.

Woke up Monday morning with my right Achilles tender and full-feeling, just like the left one was in January 2011. So I took two days off and iced it a few times. By this morning, no pain, no fullness. So I tested it tonight at SHS. Felt OK for 25 laps. We'll see how it feels in the morning. I'm going to ice it in a few minutes as a preventive measure.

 Finished October with 141 miles, best month since January. Hope to do much better than that in November, especially if I decide to run Corndog City.