Fitness Run

Distance: 4.02 miles
Time: 44:11
Pace: 10:59

Comments: This was a slog and a half. The weather is still swealtering and my legs ain't any closer to race ready. I went out with zero expectations and pretty much got what I expected.

The plan was pretty simple, just keep putting one foot in front of the other. At the midway mark I realized I was going to feel awful no matter what so I might as well try and push it a little bit.

The result of the effort didn't really show up in the pace or cadence but it felt like a solid effort.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.05 miles
Time: 42:51
Pace: 10:35 min/mi

Comments: I was pretty much wiped out all of Sunday after the hard effort. Taking a rest day after seemed like a good idea since my quads were a bit sore still. I wasn't really jazzed about this morning since my legs were still a bit achy and it's hotter than the bejesus right now.

So I started out slow and let myself speed up a tad when I warmed up but not much. It went well enough to the halfway mark and then I really had to fight the urge to cut it short. I stuck with it to the end but there was nothing pretty about this one.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.04
Time: 39:29
Pace: 9:46 min/mi

Comments: With  the two day rest and comparatively decent weather conditions (humidity wasn't as bad) I decided to push it a little this morning.

- Goal 1: focus on cadence
- Goal 2: sub 30 min three miles
- Goal 3: sub 40 minute run

Surprisingly, I hit all three of them. I focused on cadence first, trying to get a bit of a lead on the clock with the downhill. Splitwise, it didn't work out that way but it did warm me up and I got into a strong rhythm for the middle two miles.

I hit the second goal with about a minute to spare so I really focused on the cadence on the big hill. Then I pushed the pace a bit on that last 200 yards or so after the last hill. Overall, a very satisfying effort.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.03 miles
Time: 40:21
Pace: 10:01 min/mi

Comments: Up early but truly did not want to step out the door. Somehow I got the shoes on and managed it. The start was pretty unpleasant and I was resigned to another slog-through-it effort.

After the first mile, though, I warmed up and actually got into a little rhythm. The middle two miles went really well and the stats and splits were actually respectable. Not anywhere near back in full form, but respectable.

The hills on the final mile were rough, as always. But, even then, I felt better powering through them.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.04 miles
Time: 42:05
Pace: 10:24 min/mi

Comments: Finally able to get up early enough to have the time for a morning run. Of course the heat has really started so now it's as awful as it was mid-day a week ago. Still, the only goal is get it done so out the door I went.

This run was not pleasant by any stretch but, arguably, less brutal than the ones last week. I played around a little bit with cadence but I really don't have the energy to do more than just keep moving.

Also swallowed a bug. That was fun.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.04 miles
Time: 43:47
Pace: 10:51 min/mi

Comments: Pretty much the same lineup as each run the past few days; heat, humidity and hills. But today had the added delight of exhaustion. My legs felt burn just walking outside to get started and didn't get any livelier over the course of the run.

These have been really crude efforts. Just slogging through it and focusing on getting it completed. I was semi-staggering at the halfway mark and the big hills were sheer torture. Didn't walk today, though.

On the upside, I again managed to find the window between heavier rains. The light drizzle couldn't really match the amount I was sweating anyway.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.05 miles
Time: 42:24
Pace: 10:27 min/mi

Comments: So instead of brutal sun, I decided to go with oppressive humidity today. And, what the hell, throw in some light rain at the end to make it that much more miserable.

My legs were a bit sore this morning and I seriously considered not doing this run due to the intermittent rainstorms. Finally, I just decided to do it since it looked like there wouldn't be any intense downpours, just rain.

Anyhow. It was a messy slog but I managed to get it done.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.05 miles
Time: 42:29
Pace: 10:29 min/mi

Comments: Heat, Humidity, Hills. Ugh.

Got paid today so spent the morning sorting that out. Despite the heat, I convinced myself doing a mid-day run would help with acclimating to the heat. I just had to take it slow. Ugh.

Maybe. Just maybe if it had been overcast, I could have pulled it off. By the halfway point I was sweating hard and halfway up the big hill I had to stop and walk it. At the end I was drenched in sweat and wiped out.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.03 miles
Time: 41:41
Pace: 10:20 min/mi

Comments: The crisp weather that helped get me motivated to return to running are now well and truly gone. It's the usual North Texas heat and humidity from here on out. Viciously unpleasant but nothing one can do about it but acclimate.

While this was an early effort, the conditions were like a mid-day run last week. With more humidity, of course. The result is yet another sloggy effort. Zero style points. Zero finesse. Just crank it out while sweating my ass off. Still... I got it done.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4.05 miles
Time: 42:31
Pace: 10:30 min/mi

Comments: Took two days off after the three-in-a-row last week. I was determined to get this one in and not lose the little bit of progress I have been able to make. The weather is about to get sweltering awful and I need to have this routine in place.

It wasn't as nice today as recent mornings but it wasn't the full on horroshow it's gonna be. I got a pretty good cadence during the second mile but that didn't translate into a better pace at all. But I didn't suffer as much on the big hill this time so... progress?