Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:59
Pace: 9:44 min/mi

Comments: So I wanted to get three runs in during the (work) week but wasn't able to get one in the last two mornings. Only one other option; a Friday afternoon run. Not my favorite due to traffic alone.

While it isn't as brutally hot as it was this summer, it's certainly warm enough. The first mile didn't bode well and the last mile was some unpleasant work.

Still, I kept every mile under 10 minutes and had identical splits for the last two. That's a far better performance than I was expecting when I got started. It's too early to consider this any kind of breakthrough but it's nice to see a little progress.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:16
Pace: 9:48 min/mi

Comments: It's cooled down a bit and the later afternoon wasn't completely awful so I decided to take a stab at an evening run. And, of course, it was far more uncomfortable a mile or so in than I wanted but that wasn't a surprise either. My pace eroded the whole way with the largest dropoff at the halfway point. Still, the first two miles were reasonably close pacewise as were the last two, so I'll take what I can get. Overall, a pretty solid effort.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:58
Pace: 9:44 min/mi

Comments: Another unintended layoff but this one partly due to travel. I wasn't enthusiastic about getting out the door today but I wasn't dreading it either. The run went pretty well. I didn't lose an enormous amount of conditioning over the last week but I wasn't blasting my way through the last two miles either. Basically it's yet another start and I need to focus on the routine more than anything.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:13
Pace: 9:32 min/mi

Comments: This was the first run that I felt like I was actually running as opposed to just hanging on until the finish. The pace bounced around a bit but I was able to concentrate on the effort and focus when needed. A very nice change from the recent efforts.

Which isn't to say there was a great step forward in terms of speed and conditioning. My splits were all over the place and there were some points I found myself lagging. Still, I hung around the 9:30 pace most of the way and never fell off precipitously. That's definite progress.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 40:10
Pace: 10:17 min/mi

Comments: Three days in a row might not have been the best idea but I needed to do something to take advantage of the cooler weather and get myself back on track. And workday runs have got to become regular so today was a must.

The first mile was just under 10 minutes but the last two were 30 seconds slower which is not encouraging. Those last two miles were both exactly 10:28 which actually is though. Overall, I got a long long way to go to get back into this.

Tomorrow is an off day, and deservedly so.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:41
Pace: 9:55 min/mi

Comments: The run yesterday took more out of me than I expected. I wasn't too sore afterward but found myself dragging the longer the day went on. That continued this morning as I had a rough time getting this run going.

Still, it was a reasonably consistent effort and, although I was concerned about being able to finish, I was able to focus in and finish. The last three miles were within about 15 seconds split-wise.

Not sure if I am going to shoot for a run tomorrow or Tuesday but I definitely want to get better consistency this week.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:15
Pace: 9:33 min/mi

Comments: Finally the weather has gotten back to where it's actually enjoyable to go run. Temperatures are in the 60s again and the humidity isn't completely stifling. That's a real delight out on the pavement.

So I waited a little longer before heading out since the sunshine wasn't my most hated foe anymore. Of course my pace was significantly better than any of the other recent runs but that's as much the expected improvement in conditioning as much as the climatological change.

Tomorrow looks like it could be just as nice so the plan is to take advantage of it as well.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:42
Pace: 9:55 min/mi

Comments: The restart of the running regimen had the expected effect, namely soreness. None of it appears to be unusual, just my muscles getting used to working out once again. I've also had the usual tiredness with weird effects to my sleep pattern. Sleep like a log but wake up at weird times.

So the former had me ready to call this a second off-day in order to recover but the latter conspired to get me out the door anyway. The run, instead of the disaster I was expecting, turned out alright, actually. Maybe running in pitch dark again is the key. In any case, I didn't really go any faster but I didn't feel a complete wreck the whole way either.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 41:04
Pace: 10:15 min/mi

Comments: This went about as I expected. Slow and unpleasant. I was somewhat achy most of yesterday and this one became a slog well before the midpoint. There was no real reason not to finish the full four miles so I just fought my way through it.

Even though temperatures are pretty close to ideal, my conditioning is making these workouts feel like mid-summer nightmare runs. I hope I can bounce back quick enough to take advantage of the weather before it turns nasty again.

Still, wanted two days in a row and I got it. Baby steps.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39.52
Pace: 9:58 min/mi

Comments: So, despite my best intentions, I ended up taking September off. Instead of lamenting my laziness I'm gonna try and focus forward now I've gotten back onto the pavement.

This was very much what I expected of the first run back. I tried keeping it at a jog to start but the first mile still turned out to be my fastest. Not a lot of finesse here, just trying to keep one foot in front of the other.

The weather is pretty much ideal right now so I'm going to use that to kick-start this iteration of my running regimen. Tomorrow is the goal.