Long Run

Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:39:09
Pace: 9:55 min/mi

Comments: After skipping last week's planned long run due to the mystery illness, I was pretty determined to get it done this weekend. I gave myself the option of skipping it this morning and going with Sunday depending on how I felt. Turned out, I woke up a little early but about as ready as I could hope.

The weather was about the same as what I have been contending with the last few weeks. I clearly went way too fast in the early miles my last long run so I didn't want to repeat that. The goal was keep to the 10 min/mi pace and push the last portion of the run if there was anything left in the tank.

There really wasn't that much left in the tank. It wasn't as brutal as last time but the back half was a challenge and the last two miles were a legitimate grind. Still, I kept it under the main goal time of 100 minutes so that's not too bad.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 34:32
Pace: 8:37 min/mi

Comments: The run went great yesterday but the rest of the day was pretty awful. I hoped to get a decent nights sleep and take a stab at another reasonable effort. In that sense, I have at least accomplished something today.

I didn't set a target time or pace again, just got started and tried to keep a steady but not exhausting effort. The first mile was a prototypical warm up and the next two were a pretty solid 8:30-ish pace that I seem to be a lot more comfortable with.

I made an attempt to pick up things a little on the last mile but my final time/pace doesn't really reflect it. And, once again, my heart rate over the workout is much more consistent. Hopefully that translates into a better long run performance down the line.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 34:16
Pace: 8:33 min/mi

Comments: The last few days have been rough. I don't know what hit me this weekend but I've felt pretty awful since Sunday. After sleeping 10 hours on Saturday, I put in 11 on Monday -- feeling awful the next day in both cases.

This morning I finally woke up feeling rested rather than absolutely drag ass. The run went much better than Monday's as well. Hopefully, I've turned the corner on whatever it was.

I wasn't really trying to push things today. Rather, I just wanted to ride it out at whatever my legs felt up to. Surprisingly, that meant a pretty nice clip. The slowest mile was the first and that was well under 9 min/mi. It's encouraging but we'll see if this kind of effort is sustainable going forward.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:04
Pace: 9:45 min/mi

Comments: I should have expected this. I had that extraordinarily strong run of workouts last week and was ready to build on it and then... splat. I couldn't get up Sunday to run; ended up sleeping 10+ hours and then was a zombie all day.

I had a tough time getting up today and felt like I was starting over completely when I got started with the run. I dialed back the goal to just holding the pace under 10 min/mi and was able to meet that mark.

The heat and humidity have something to do with it but I think I need to be a lot better with refueling when I make hard efforts.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:24
Pace: 9:35 min/mi

Comments: After the speed workout yesterday, easing up a bit and settling for a recovery run seemed like the best idea. Getting up this morning, it was clear that was the only option. I always forget how much speed efforts whip my ass. They always remind me.

That said, I didn't have any real problems with this one. Started fine, made myself slow down when I caught myself increasing the pace. The splits and overall pace came out a lot faster than I expected when all was said and done. My heart rate was ridiculously low as well. Time to recuperate and prepare for the long run Sunday.

Tempo Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 32:43
Pace: 8:10 min/mi

Comments: The last two runs have been nudging my fastest regular workout pace for the year so I decided to saddle up and see what my legs could do. This wasn't a speed workout as much as an effort to push myself to what we used to call "3/4 race pace."

The first mile turned out to be a warmup mile but I was conscious of not letting it get too comfortable. The route I ran meant the first and last mile had a bit of a hill so I used that to get my heart rate going. Then, for the second and third mile, I just tried to keep the pressure on. Not all out sprint, but not letting my pace ease off either.

The last mile was focusing on keeping the effort going for the uphill and cruising the downhill to make up any time lost. The result; one of my fastest runs in years.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:14
Pace: 8:48 min/mi

Comments: Some pretty heavy rainstorms trundled through this morning, postponing today's run. I tried to get out reasonably early but it was already sweltering when I got going. And the sun was full on as well.

The result was something of a slog although I made it a point to not look at the pace the whole way. Just worked on keeping my feet moving and fatigue at bay. Things went reasonably well to the last mile and it's little uphill.

Still, a sub-9 minute pace with this kind of humid heat is a pretty good effort.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 34:47
Pace: 8:41 min/mi

Comments: The long run beat the hell out of me and I was pretty much toast the rest of the day. Surprisingly, I felt pretty good yesterday and this morning. I was slightly stiff getting started (the new burpee effort may have helped there) but that was about it.

The performance today also attested to that. Each mile was faster than the first, by about 15 seconds or so. Overall it was the fastest average pace for a four-mile workout since March -- and only two seconds off that. Which surprised me because I wasn't really striving to push the pace, just keep it steady.

Long Run

Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:38:28
Pace: 9:50 min/mi

Comments: The forecast today is for record-breaking heat. Which I tried to avoid the worst of by keeping to the early start. This avoided the worst of the day's onslaught but it wasn't pleasant either.

The first half of the effort went extraordinarily well. I knocked out five miles in good order and felt pretty strong doing it. I probably should have dialed it back a bit because the uphill sections on the west side of the lake whipped my ass.

I stumbled through miles seven through nine and tried to regroup a little for the last section. In the end, I kept under my 100 minute goal but it was not fun at all.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:41
Pace: 8:54 min/mi

Comments: Third day in a row. Didn't set a real goal for the run since I didn't know how my legs would be holding up. And I wasn't optimistic given the wind this morning.

The first mile was unexpectedly unpleasant but I warmed up well and got into the groove of it. Like most of my recent runs, I really have been able to stride after mile two or so. Not sure if that's improved strength or what, but it's encouraging.

Now for a much needed rest day and the chance to actually sleep in a little.