August 5th-11th Training

Monday: 4.6 miles (6:49); 10.1 miles (7:04)

Tuesday: 7.5 miles (6:43); 9.9 miles with 4x.31 mile uphill with jogdown recovery and 4x.31 mile downhill with jogup recovery.  Trying to be non-lazy on workout days now and did a full set of drills for probably the fifth time since college and then 8x120y strides on the football field. Wanted to run this at around 5k intensity, which wouldn't be too tough, especially with the long recovery jog.  Just wanted to get a feel for some faster running.  The hill wasn't much of a hill and only rose 35-40 feet in the .31 miles.  At first I started at some median thing and it felt a little longer than I wanted (.36 miles). I then switched the starting point to where the road turned to a lighter shade of gray. I don't know why, it just seemed like a good idea at the time.  Each uphill felt better than the prior one and I ran them in 1:44 (longer hill), 1:30, 1:27, 1:27.  The first two downhills felt relaxed and the last couple were a little tough, especially since I pushed from the flower bed to the finish on the last one (about 10s long and again, it seemed like a good idea at the time).  Times on those were 1:18, 1:17, 1:18, 1:16.  Since CIM has a  net drop, I figure I need to slowly get used to pounding the downhills. Not a bad way to spend your 32nd birthday.

Wednesday: 10.6 miles (6:13).  Super muggy.  The first time this summer I felt like I had to push through the air. Ran this quicker than normal but with two easy days in a row, I'm experimenting with running the first one closer to my long run pace; 7 miles (6:52)

Thursday: 10.2 miles (6:39); 4.8 miles (6:59).  Super rushed run and felt like crap. As soon as I got home, I had less than 45 minutes to change into my running clothes, run, get a shower and head out the door.

Friday: 10.2 miles with a bailed workout.  The plan was a mile warm-up and 10-11 miles around 5:35ish average.  Ended up stopping after five faster miles with a 5:39 average. The temp was over 80 with a dew point in the mid 70s and I was soaked with sweat after the first mile.  I probably should have run this closer to 5:45 pace because I doubt I could run 5:30 pace for a marathon right now in this weather (I've been calling my marathon pace 5:20).  Also had less than five hours of sleep because of the Matt and Kim concert and I could probably think of more excuses if I tried; 2 mile gait analysis.  Yes, I'm counting this; 3.8 miles (7:20ish).  Was going to run longer but felt like crap.

Saturday: 9.6 miles (7:13); 5.8 miles with drills, 8x120y strides, 5x60m sprints

Sunday: 22.4 miles (6:29). Ran two loops of the 11.2 which has over 1500 ft. of elevation gain and loss on each loop.  Ran the first loop at 6:48 pace with Daniel Simpkins and Andrew Kellum.  I felt really good on the first one and didn't have any issues with the hills, even though there are three killer ones.  The second loop I was solo and picked it up a bit and ran it at 6:10 pace.  I felt really good, even though the temp and d.p. were both over 70 and it was probably the best I've felt on a long run this summer.  I was feeling like a gangster for running this route twice in a row but then I ran into Meredith Smith and Theresa Saupe who were also running it twice (and they also have 10 and 19 years on me. Tough ladies. Then I remembered that John Ramsay sometimes runs it three times.

Week Total: 118.9 miles.  I was shooting for at least 120 but Friday was a few miles less than planned. At one point in the week, I was over 120 for a seven day period, so I'll take that.  I feel like my endurance is good and after spending the past week or two slowly moving to faster stuff, I may try some more traditional workouts now. I was happy with the long run since those hills normally jack me up and steal my soul.  I ran the same route exactly a year prior and this year, I ran a faster pace, even though I was at the tail end of a speed phase and somewhat fit at this point last year. Plus it was mid 60s with a 55 dew point last year. I'll probably do one of my workouts on the grass and mix in a little bit of easy grass running as well.  I hate running on grass and like to pound the 'crete but I don't want to get whooped by the college kids next month in the Commodore Classic cross country race.