Fitness Run

Distance: 4.06 miles
Time: 43:43
Pace: 10:47 min/mi

Comments: The last of a three day stretch of runs and I was really feeling exhausted at the end. As a result, this one was slooooooow and felt it. From the start I just tried to crank it out. Zero style points today.

Despite feeling like I was just hanging in there, my heart rate stayed right in the super long run mode (Zone 3) and none of it at the highest level. I can't decide if that's progress or not. I really just need to see how I recover on this next off day and come back for the long run.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.03 miles
Time: 37:59
Pace: 9:25 min/mi

Comments: I've felt kind of tired/exhausted the last day or so and starting this run, my hopes weren't high. Most of the first mile my legs felt empty and I was worried the whole effort might become a slog.

I decided to just focus on cadence and grind out what I could and just hang on to the end whenever the fade hit. Weirdly, it didn't. When I got to the hills on mile three I was doing pretty good so I really focused on attacking them.

The result was my fastest effort since May of last year. Not bad for a mid-week run.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.04 miles
Time:40:53
Pace:10:07 min/mi

Comments: It got chilly and wet and unpleasant overnight so getting out the door was a challenge. Did it though. The weather was not fun -- doubly so when the breeze showed up -- but there are worse conditions for running.

I'm still feeling a bit worn down and didn't run this one especially hard. I just wanted a strong, consistent effort to build on during this week. My cadence was pretty good most of the way and I didn't feel I was struggling on the hills. So that's positive.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.05 miles
Time: 43:15
Pace: 10:41 min/mi

Comments: This was a gen-u-wine, 100 percent recovery run. Slow as the bejesus and nothing fancy at all.

My legs really didn't feel worse for wear yesterday after the long run, which was a little surprising. When I woke up this morning I was a bit stiff and, heading out on this run, I was a lot stiff. Still, nothing that edged into actual soreness.

Basically, I just tried to keep my feet moving steady and not do anything crazy. I can at least say I accomplished that.

Long Run

Distance: 8.05 miles
Time: 1:28:10
Pace: 10:57 min/mi

Comments: Got the eight miles I planned which, it turns out, is the longest single distance I have run since March of last year. Yeesh.

Nothing fancy here. Just focused on an easy, regular cadence without pushing it too hard. At the end, it turned out I put in almost 85% of the run in the Zone Three heart rate effort. That's pretty much perfect for long running in my conditioning level.

I'll put in a recovery run tomorrow and then start working on the 10 miles I'd like to get next weekend.