A clydesdale no more!

Too much sugar yesterday made for not such a great run today.  The first couple of miles were rough then I started to get in a groove and felt better the second half of the run.  Today was the first day of Pfitz's 12/70 training plan.  I think that the structure of a training plan will do me some good.

I'm not sure that I am mentally ready for the mid-week medium long run.  I just have to look forward to the recovery runs and convince myself that the total time on the road for the week is not changing that much.  Physically, the second half of the run felt really good. My legs had a little more spring in them than I expected.  It helped that I had some positive things to think about on my run.  It has been a long time.

Easy recovery run on the LPT.  My Garmin died during the first mile so I really have no idea how far I ran.  I started on the dirt trail at 500 S then crossed over to the paved trail at the overpass.I went to the 1.5 mile marker which I think put me a little over 5 miles.  Legs a little tired but I feel good otherwise.

I took Smooth's advice and mixed up the route this morning and ran the Davis Blvd loop.  The old standard loop was getting very boring.  I felt really good during the run.  My knees were really sore on the big downhill but other than that it was a good run.

Nice easy recovery run.  My legs were very unenergetic.  Even though my mileage will be the same this week as it has been in the past, the miles are distributed differently and I'm finding it a little more difficult to adjust.

(I typed a question for Kathie and Teena but deleted it)

I wasn't in the mood to run this morning but I know that every day is better if it is started with a run.  After a couple of miles things started to feel good.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  I started with 7 miles before the club run.  It was a good sized group this morning - probably due to the earlier start.  Half of us ran the Davis Blvd loop and everyone else went their own way.  I ran the first 2 miles with Trevor then he turned back before the hill (he was pushing a stroller).  I felt good going up the hill and running along Davis.  Coming back down was better than when I ran it on Thursday but still a bit of a struggle.  I saw a lot of people going up 400 North which is a nasty climb.  I am thinking that they are doing some last minute preparations for the Ragnar leg of WBR. 

Alright Kathie and Teena, I need some last minute advice.  Do you have any tips for me to make everything perfect?  I don't want to mess this up.

I'm going to have to shift my schedule this week by one day.  Here is my list of excuses: I was up late working, I woke up early to work, I have an early morning dentist appointment.  I know I should find a way to run but it is just not going to happen today (tonight is Gracie's gymnastics show and who knows what else).

Warmed up with 3 easy miles then started a 4 mile tempo run.  I was really tired during the warm up.  I was really questioning whether or now the tempo miles were going to happen.  After the warm up, I decided to just try tempo pace and see how things went.  First mile 6:29 and felt pretty good.  I guess I just needed a little jump start.  Second mile 6:23 and I was still feeling good.  Third mile was 6:25 and I was starting to fatigue.  The last mile took a lot of work.  I was getting really tired.  I started to push harder the last quarter mile to get the split down.  Ended up finishing in 6:19.  Cooled down with 2 easy miles.  I was a little more tired than I would have liked to be at the end of the run but other than that it was a really good run.

You can't beat this weather.  It is perfect for running.  My legs were pretty dead this morning so I started out really slow.  Gradually picked up the pace as I started to feel better as the run progressed.  Nothing too exciting.  Just putting in the miles.

Easy recovery run.  Feeling pretty run down before the run but a lot better afterward.  Another day of perfect running weather. 

A little chilly this morning but it felt good.  Yesterday's recovery run seemed to do the trick.  I felt really good during the run.  Started out at 8:00/mile and gradually progressed to 7:20/mile.  

Started with 11 miles before the club run.  I wasn't sure that I was going to wake up early enough to get in the full 11 but fortunately I did and ended up timing it perfectly.  Started at the rec center and ran out to the Farmington cemetary then back again.  The first 4 miles were pretty slow but as I warmed up the pace started to improve.  Eventually settled into 7:30/mile and felt really good.  Ran the Davis Blvd loop with the running club (actually ran it solo).  As I started the big climb, I started to feel really hypoglycemic.  I trudged up the hill and felt better once I hit the rollers.  Picked up the pace and actually felt really strong during the last 2 miles. I beat the rain so it turned out to be another day of great running weather.  

Felt really good this morning.  It was just a general aerobic run but I kept the pace a little faster than I normally do.  My upper legs were a little sore but felt really good otherwise.

Started out a little early so I could get the extra miles in this morning and walked out the door to an amazing sunrise.  What a great way to start the day.  I'm finally getting back to the point where I can turn on the auto pilot and get through these longer runs without too much trouble.  Started out at 8:00/mile pace and gradually moved to 7:30/mile.  I didn't eat enough yesterday so running by Dick's bakery was sheer torture.  With 1/4 mile to go, my lap pace was 7:18 and I wanted to see if I could get it down to 7:05 so I started to push it a little.  Finished it in 7:05:82.

Super easy recovery run.  What I feared was a hernia a few months ago I think is just a strained groin.  It started really bothering me yesterday and it hurt most of the run.  Hopefully it will not get any worse than it is now.  I lucked out with the weather.  The rain stopped as I started the run and did not start again until I finished.  I must be doing something right.

I had a difficult time sleeping last night.  The plan called for 12 miles but I knew that wasn't going to happen.  Whenever I cut runs short, I try to add hills tricking myself into thinking that the extra effort makes up for the missed mileage.  I ran the Davis Blvd loop and felt alright once I got warmed up.  I didn't feel as good as I would have liked but it wasn't as bad as I feared.  The groin is only mildly sore so I think that it is going to be one of those nagging things that I can keep in check.

Recovery run.  A lot of weird aches and pains in my legs.  Nothing serious - just annoying.

I got a good night's sleep in a nice comfortable bed last night (that's for all of you running WBR).  Woke up and decided that I didn't want to meet the club this morning since most would be running the relay anyways.  Ran to the LPT then followed the trail to the end.  It started to get a little warm on the way out but at the turnaround the sun snuck behind the clouds and it felt really good (except for the slight headwind). The trail is only 12.5 miles long which is a little shorter than I thought.  I have now run the entire trail and all of the mile markers are right on except 4.5-5 and 10-10.5.  Started to wear out with 4 miles to go when I ran out of Gatorade.  Considered going to the convenience store for a refill but decided it would be good practice to run with less fuel.  Felt decent the rest of the way but had a hard time holding the pace for the last mile.

The plan called for 10 miles with 5 miles at LT.  After a weekend of eating garbage, I woke up a little nauseous and didn't feel like running fast.  Started the run with 3 easy miles then started the tempo run.  I was hoping to just keep the pace in the 6:30's.  First mile was 6:32 and felt really comfortable.  I was surprised at how good I felt.  Second mile was 6:24 and third mile was 6:25 and I felt really good.  The last two miles were 6:18 and 6:12.  Average HR for the tempo run was 161.  It was one of those days that reminds you of how good running can feel.  I will have to remember this on the days that running feels like a chore.  Finished by running 2 easy miles to cool down.

My lower legs were absolutely fried from yesterday.  I knew that today's run was going to be painfully slow.  It's crazy how great I can feel one day only to feel so beat up the next.  It's just part of the whole process of training.

Today was a much needed recovery run.  My achilles tendons are killing me.  I've always suspected that my form is not good enough for racing flats and a couple of runs in the flats confirms that.  I believe that is what has caused the achilles pain.  I will still use them to race 10k's and shorter but do not think that I will use them for tempo runs.  Felt a lot better after then run than before so the recovery run served it's purpose.

I slept in until 8 this morning.  I can't even remember the last time I slept in that late.  I guess my body needed the sleep more than it needed the run today.  Too much going on today to get a run in.  I feel like such a slacker.

As bad as this weather is for other things, it has been great for running.  It was cool and overcast this morning.  Yesterday I took my niece and her friends to the lake for her graduation present.  Other than being stranded in the middle of the lake because of a dead battery at the end of the day, it was a perfect day.  My body definitely appreciated the rest I gave it yesterday.  I was really feeling beat up from Monday and Tuesday and felt much better today.  Kept the pace pretty steady throughout the run and did start to wear down a little towards the end but felt good for the most part.  I did take a 10 minute break in the middle because I had to stop at the store to get something for one of my daughter's school activity today.

Started off with 9 miles before the club run.  I was hoping to get in 11 but I was a few minutes late getting started.  My legs still feel a little dead so I kept the pace super easy.  Ran 5.2 miles with Trevor and we pushed the pace.  I wasn't sure that I would be able to keep up with him today because I was so dead but once we got going I felt really good.  It was a tough course and we averaged 6:52/mile.  So I ended up getting in some MP miles on tired legs which was good.  After we finished I had to get in 2.8 more to get to 17 so I just meandered through the neighborhoods.  I was hoping to get back in time to ask Kathie's advice on tonight's "soccer game" but she was too fast and was gone by the time I got back.

Today was just a general aerobic run.  It seems like I haven't had one of those for awhile.  My lower legs were really tight and my feet were slapping the ground more than usual.  I keep trying to convince myself that this is all part of improving.  If I was comfortable all of the time then I wouldn't be making progress. 

My legs feel a little beat up. They were pretty unresponsive for most of the run.  The last 2 miles felt really good but I'm not quite sure why it took 12 miles to warm up.