April 8th-14th Training

Monday: 5.9 miles (6:43); 10.2 miles (6:46)

Tuesday: 9.9 miles (6:33). Attempted a 12x400m hill session but after about .20 miles on the first interval, I knew my legs weren't ready for hard running.  Looking back, I had a hard, long session Wednesday, a hardish 5k Saturday and bombed long run Sunday.  Too much, too soon.; 6.1 miles (6:57) with 6xhill blasts

Wednesday: 4 miles (7:04); 12 miles (5:50) with 11 mile medium progression (5:42). Goal was four miles at 24:40, 4 miles at 23:00, 3 miles at 16:00.  I slowed it down about 5s a mile because it was 82 degrees and I don't think I've run a fast workout over 62 degrees all year. Ended up at 24:43, 22:34, 15:30. Started out too fast in the beginning, then put on the brakes, and had some hills.  Second portion felt rough at first but better the second half and the last section wasn't bad at all.  Didn't have to force the pace but was getting pretty thirsty the last couple of miles.  Faster than two weeks ago, with an easier effort and much warmer temps.

Thursday: 4 miles (7:14); 10.9 miles (6:55)

Friday: 8 miles (7:15); 4.7 miles with 4xstrides (6:57)

Saturday: 17 miles with half-marathon in 64:35. Great race.  Wasn't expecting much and felt like I would finish 3rd or 4th with a good race but ended up winning by almost 1.5 minutes. Planned to hang back, watch the race and then pick off people the last half but lead at the gun.  After about two miles, I was leading a pack with Daniel Kirwa, George Towett, and Boniface Biwott. Dropped Daniel and then he caught back up around 4-5 miles. Then dropped George, and dropped Daniel again, so it was just down to me and Boniface. He ran right on my butt until a little over nine miles in and then I turned around and asked him to help out because I was sick of doing all of the work into a headwind for the past three miles.  He then dropped and I kept my rhythm until the end. I was really pleased with the effort level and I feel like I could have ran 20 miles with a sub 5:00 average.  I know I had a lot left because the last 5k has a lot of climbing and since I'm really bad at hills, they should have beaten me up.  But I didn't feel anything running up them.  Definitely think I could have broken 64 if I pushed the last four miles all out. I never made any moves in the race, just ran a steady effort. Great confidence booster.

Sunday: 5.4 miles (7:25); 9.6 miles (6:48)

Week total= 107.7 miles. Because of the race, it was a motivating week.  I haven't done much specific work lately, so running a PR with a controlled effort and being five pounds over my racing weight was a huge confidence booster.  I've been pretty bummed this week with the whole Boston thing. I hated reading anything about it and secretly wished it was 100 degrees with 100mph winds. Instead, it was very good conditions. And to make matters worse, the race unfolded exactly as I was hoping.  Other than some Nashville friends and Fernando Cabada, who is always an interesting guy to watch, I just tracked Michael Eaton, Craig Leon, Tim Ritchie and Daniel Tapia.  Leon and Tapia were my darkhorse picks to surprise some people and I felt they were a little out of my range but I had the possibility to maybe get close at the end (sort of like Mike Reneau and Sergio Reyes at Houston).  I felt those four guys would be somewhat close to each other until the Newton Hills started and I wanted to keep them within 20-30s at halfway.  They were all together through 25k and came through the half in just under 66:40 (I was planning on a little under 67:00).  On the rolling hills from 16-21, I figured one of them would fall back, just based off the logic that at least 1/4 would most likely drop. My plan for that section was to try to close the gap on 1-2 of them and then hammer home the last 8k. One of them fell back on the hills and another fell back in the last 8k.  Frustrating that it went like that, but plans are just plans and aren't a prophecy or definite reality. After Tom King, I got too greedy with my workouts and jumped into it too quickly.  The plan for next week is to wait until Wednesday to do anything "fast" and then get in a good, solid workout on Saturday and a token long run Sunday.