Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:29
Pace: 8:52 min/mi

Comments: Another unintended week-long layoff. Most of it due to work demands but I deliberately skipped the weekend long run to get some long overdue writing done. I've found post-run exhaustion makes me worthless for creative activity. So I was productive, just not in terms of running.

Today's effort was very smooth and uneventful. Good time. Good effort. I've still got the strength, but conditioning is the bigger question. With a half-marathon set for this weekend, not knowing that is something of a concern.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:48
Pace: 8:57 min/mi

Comments: After a short night of sleep due to a game I kind of wish I didn't watch at all, I had serious reservations about this run. But, I figured, I might as well get it done since I was already exhausted and miserable.

It went much better than I thought.

I felt strong the whole way and even shaved a few seconds off the pace from yesterday. Still had to contend with the damned wind (see photo) but it seemed to come from a direction that was less of a factor than the last run.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:54
Pace: 8:58 min/mi

Comments: Another unplanned and unwanted break in training. Keeping up with the routine is going to be a real challenge with my new work responsibilities. And the weekly arctic blast isn't helping any either.

This run went very well except for the blasted wind. Obviously, my legs are pretty damn fresh and I did try to eat better over the past several days. Sleep has been uneven but I felt rested for once this morning.

So while I felt good strength-wise, there was a bit of a raggedness to my conditioning. No remedy for that except for getting out and getting the runs in. We'll see how the rest of this week goes.

Training Run

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 55:16
Pace: 9:12 min/mi

Comments: Cold front coming in later this week. And while I'm prepared to endure it for my miles, I'm planning on having my rest days during the worst of it. So six miles for me this morning.

I started a little stiff and my legs felt a little rubbery. Thankfully that eased up after the first mile and I dropped back into a comfortable pace. I didn't really have any issues at all after that, just cruising to the finish.

Haven't decided if I'll run tomorrow morning or afternoon but definitely one of the two.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:22
Pace: 9:20 min/mi

Comments: After the 20 miler this weekend, I was willing to take whatever I could get this morning. And my expectations were not particularly high. I was completely wrecked after that long run.

So I was very cautious at the start and nervous about the achy spots that showed up to say "Hi" as I got going. But then, to my delighted surprise, they all faded away as I got warmed up. After the one mile mark I pretty much cruised the whole way.

In short, nothing less than a fantastic run to start the new year.

Long Run

Distance: 20 miles
Time: 3:52:16
Pace: 11:37 min/mi

Comments: I knew I wanted to get a 20 miler in at some point this New Year's weekend but I was undecided on the exact day. I was doubtful about my readiness today but with ideal temps and the possibility of rain over the next two day forced my hand.

I knew it was going to be rough and so it was. I started extraordinarily slow and I focused on keeping my pace down the whole way. A lot of this run was mental and it was a battle the whole way.

The last five miles were unpleasant to the extreme. No need to regulate the pace at that point; I took whatever I could get. The fatigue was relentless and every step of the last mile or so was its own little death. Ironically, since walking would be as agonizing as running, I really had no reason to stop.

Got it done with a reasonable average pace. Hopefully this is a building block for better things to come.

Training Run

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 56:03
Pace: 9:01 min/mi

Comments: The goal this week is the routine. I got a strong night of sleep and felt pretty good when I woke up. I got out the door and eased right into this one without a lot of hesitancy and apprehension.

Not surprisingly, the run went rather well after that. I started at a nice pace to warm up and slipped into a very good rhythm after that. I let my mind wander a bit more than I should but never needed distraction to handle fatigue.

It's very clear the strength is still there despite the inconsistent schedule recently but I can't afford to let the conditioning slip.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:04
Pace: 9:31 min/mi

Comments: The goal this week is to get fully back into the routine. I know what I want to get as a long run next weekend but that's not the focus. Three runs during the week is the priority.

This one started a little slow but I warmed up rather well and was doing a nice clip toward the end. The temperatures have been unseasonably warm and humid this week so I prepared for it to be a slog.

It turns out the cold front came through while I was out there so it was actually a few degrees cooler on the second half of the effort. Not sure if it helped but it kept things from sucking so bad.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:09
Pace: 9:32 min/mi

Comments: This run was pretty awful. I've not been consistent at all in my routine and I had the arrogance to think I could just zip out and grab a long run. Well, I think I can say with some confidence that the time off has cut into my conditioning a bit.

Of course this morning it was chilly, rainy, foggy and blah. I figured it would be like that all day. Then the minute I step out the door to run, the sun comes out. And with the humidity, it was not pleasant at all. Needless to say, the long run didn't happen.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:00
Pace: 9 min/mi

Comments: The last two days have not been fun. The 18-miler took a ton out of me and I felt it through this morning. Then, weirdly enough, I was fine. Getting started with this run wasn't a chore or battle. I had a moment my legs felt a little rubbery but that was about it. I just got started and churned it out.

I did the usual effort at starting slow with shorter steps but gradually and naturally let myself speed up. By the end I knew I was going a pretty nice clip but never really raised the exertion level to anything seriously uncomfortable. The nine-minute-mile pace was a nice surprise at the end.