M'kay

6.5 miles in 52:49, 8:07/mi, HR 157. On vacation...

Adrenaline 8 - 224.59 miles.

7.5 miles in 1:02:40, 8:21/mi, HR 158.

First post-vacation run to get myself back into training.  My average HR was quite high for the pace and overall effort so these last two "off" weeks have done their damage in terms of fitness.  Back onto a 5 day/week training schedule next week.

Adrenaline 8 - 232.09 miles.

6 miles in 48:28, 8:05/mi, HR 156.  Muscles whining about all the running the last 2 days.  They'll get over it.

Adrenaline 8s (Blue) - 8.5 miles.

2.5 miles in 20:24, 8:09/mi, HR 147.  Some leg soreness that got worked out during the run.  

Vibram Five Fingers - 7.5 miles. 

12 cycling miles in 53:24, 4:26/mi, HR 128.  Cross-training on my off-day.  Definite leg and back soreness from yesterday's yardwork.  Left glutes sore after ride today.  I think I'll use the bike over the summer to get to my chiro appointments, even though it means fighting a big hill on the return leg and some crazy traffic.

9 miles in 1:10:48, 7:52/mi, HR 162. 

Cold and wet again today.  Back still sore from Sunday's yardwork, quads a bit sore from biking yesterday, and calves sore from the run in Vibram Five Fingers.  Managed to drag myself up the road at a slower pace and again a substantially higher HR than normal (10-15 BPM higher than just a few weeks ago before the marathon recovery/break).  Feels like I've lost tons of fitness in such a short time!  Started feeling a bit better midway thru the run and picked it up the last 1/2 mile or so to finish fast.....really needed to stretch my legs.

Asics GT 2120 - 398.11 miles.

5 miles in 39:42, 7:56/mi, HR 157.  

Fitness feels like its really starting to return...good news.

A Vibram Five Fingers Update:  Today was double the time/distance of my longest run in them to date, which concerned me since on previous runs my calves started feeling sore at the 2.5 mile endpoint.  Considered doing 2 x 2.5 segments with a shoewear changing opportunity in between, but in the end decided on my normal 5 mile route.

Well, I felt my calves by the 2 mile mark and I felt increasing soreness thru mile 4 where another pain drowned them out....the bottoms of my feet.  I'd had a spot rubbed raw on my pinky toe in previous runs, but today when I got back and assessed damage, I had a blister on my left foot under big toe ball callus and three raw spots on my right foot (under left big toe ball callus, fourth and fifth toe underside).  The spot where I'd applied body-glide was better but still a bit raw.  Plus, my left foot bunion was red and looked swollen, although it could be my overactive imagination.

So I obviously have whimpy feet.  I might try wearing my Injinji Tetrasok with the Vibram Five Fingers next time to work thru this blister/rawness problem, at least until my feet toughen up some.  I'll wait until tomorrow to pass judgement on how badly my calves feel....I'm hoping the worst case is that they'll feel similar to my first 2.5 mile run, in which case it's just a matter of time before my calves adapt.

Vibram Five Fingers - 12.5 miles. 

Crosstraining:  12 cycling miles in 52:24, 4:22/mi, HR 147.  

Bike was setup a bit better today, but I could still feel my left hamstring starting to strain around the 10 mile mark.  At least my feet are getting a break after yesterday's blister run. 

6.59 miles in 50:00, 7:35/mi, HR 171.  15 minute warmup, 1.85 miles, 8:06/mi, HR 151.  12 x 30 second Strides w/ 1 minute recovery.  17 minute cooldown, 2.32 miles, 7:19/mi, HR 176.

Warmer temps today (~60F).  Aimed for < 5K effort for the 12 30 second Strides.  HR climbed to near max levels and basically stayed high throughout, probably some due to warm weather but also because I'm still getting back in shape from the break.  Stride form felt good but felt like I was hauling some extra weight....similar to feeling I had back in Jan when I ran a 5K at the start of Base training.  Running in real running shoes after using the VFFs feels like going from a Pinto to a Cadillac...the higher heel and cushioning are easy on my calves and my feet. 

Adrenaline 8s (Blue) - 15 miles.

5.5 miles in 46:17, 8:25/mi, HR 149.  

Pleasant cool morning recovery run.  Legs and adductors a bit sore.  Plenty of yardwork on tap today to keep the HR up.

Adrenaline 8 - 237.59 miles.

13 miles in 1:43:14, 7:56/mi, HR 164.

Sunny and warm (~63F). The distance felt difficult and the HR was high again...some was likely the warm weather but mostly its still lost fitness from the post-marathon recovery and 2 week break. I'm really wanting to never do that again. I am a bit sore and tired from yesterday's yardwork.....building a short retaining wall that requires digging below the topsoil level, leveling with sand, moving sod, laying the bricks, etc. I'm so not into this physical labor...

Crosstraining:  16 cycling miles in 1:25:38, 5:21/mi, HR 142. 

Decided to take a late afternoon bike ride on some of the logging trails near home.  Wound up getting a better appreciation for the hills on this route....I was in gear 1 of 24 and laboring to get to the crest more than once.  No wonder they hurt when I run them.  Otherwise, just a nice day for a bike ride in the woods.

Asics GT 2120 - 411.11 miles.

Crosstraining:  8 cycling miles in 35:21, 4:25/mi, HR 134.  Biked to Chiro appointment and back.  Going there was a great coasting downhill for nearly two miles.  Coming back was a torturous uphill.  Legs are sore from all the running and cycling abuse.

8.79 miles in 1:08:00, 7:44/mi, HR 161.  25 min warmup, 2.98 mi, 8:23/mi, HR 151.  Fartleks:  6 x 2 minutes on, 1 minute off.  25 min cooldown, 3.36, 7:26/mi, HR 160.

To steal a phrase from Matt Fitzgerald, this was a "Rust Buster".  The fartleks were hard enough I could *feel* myself shaking off the cobwebs and the slow runs, recruiting all the muscle fibers that've gone unused the last few weeks.  Quads were a bit sore this morning to start with, probably from the recent cycling.  Temps were cool and the sky was cloudy.  The warmup started feeling like a more normal warmup with my effort/HR getting back closer to normal.  My goal for the fartleks was just to run hard and steady.  The intervals were hard....I was walking for half of the recovery just to catch my breath...but they felt good and tiring.  I was dying on the last couple during the second minute so I probably went out a bit aggressively on the first few, but a good workout nonetheless.  I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight.

Adrenaline 8s (Blue) - 23.79 miles.

5 miles in 39:12, 7:50/mi, HR 150.

Another VFF run.  Like the last one, calves started feeling it by mile 2, hot spots on feet by mile 3, just wanting to be done by mile 3.5, survived to mile 5.  I tried putting some BodyGlide on my feet prior to this run, which helped in avoiding the blisters I'd gotten last time.  Running on the road (asphalt) probably doesn't help matters any.  I think 5 miles may be too far in the VFFs for me right now and I might be better served running 1 or 2 times/week shorter distances in them (2-3 miles).  Unfortunately, that means a shoe change in mid-run, or tacking on a shorter run just for these.  I'll think about it over the next few days.

Vibram Five Fingers - 17.5 miles. 

9.5 miles in 1:14:25, 7:50/mi, HR 163.  

Warmer today (66F) and sunny.  Calves were a bit tired from the VFF run yesterday.  A bit tired all over this morning for some reason.  Felt good to get a longer mid-week run in though.

Adrenaline 8 - 246.59 miles.

5.5 miles in 44:11, 8:02/mi, HR 156.

Warm (69F) and sunny again today. Felt better rested today but the legs were tired.  I've been doing different core routines most days since my break and I think that's contributing to the leg tiredness.  A rest day is scheduled for Sunday.

Asics GT 2120 - 416.61 miles.

13 miles in 1:45:38, 8:07/mi, HR 158.

Something wasn't right today.  First, sleep last night was fitful at best.  When I got started, my HR was pretty high for the effort level, despite relative cool temps (upper 50s).  Chalked it up to the humidity.  Halfway through the run I started getting bad stomach cramps, the type where it feels like all the blood is rushing to your gut.  Wound up walking those off a couple of times and never quite recovered.  Even the return trip downhill was difficult and I found myself taking a few walk breaks...not normal.  Nearly called my wife to come get me...Instead of doing the 2 hrs/15 miles I had planned, I packed it at 13 miles in 1:45.  All I can think of is that the ice cream I had last night kicked off my lactose intolerance (which it hasn't in the past) or that the Schezwan Chicken I had last night was bad (doubt it...it tasted great!).  Tomorrow's an off day so I hope this resolves itself quickly, but it has put some doubts in my head about running the half-marathon next weekend.

Adrenaline 8s (Blue) - 36.79 miles.

Rest day.  Traveled to Chesapeake, VA for the work week.

5.5 miles in 43:53, 7:58/mi, HR 158.

Warm (73F) & humid.  Glad this run was an easy one.  Tomorrows Strides workout will be a sweat-fest.

Adrenaline 8 - 252.09 miles.

10.33 miles in 1:22:30, 7:59/mi, HR 158.  30 minute warmup, 3.64 mi, 8:14/mi, HR 143.  Strides:  15 x 30 seconds on, 1 minute rest.  30 minute cooldown, 3.85, 7:47/mi, HR 165.

Early morning run before work to beat the heat (71F & moderately humid).  Kept warmup very easy.  Felt pretty loose and easy on the Strides.  A bit tougher on the cooldown but not bad.

Asics GT 2120 - 426.94 miles.

7.5 miles in 57:42, 7:41/mi, HR 156.

Cooler (66F) and less humid this morning.  Fairly easy miles.

Adrenaline 8 - 259.59 miles.

9.31 miles in 1:10:00, 7:31/mi, HR 160.  27:30 warmup, 3.43 miles, 8:01/mi, HR 142.  15:00 Steady State, 2.27 mi, 6:37/mi, HR 176.  27:30 cooldown, 3.61 mi, 7:37/mi, HR 170.

Warm morning (76F) and humid.  Good easy warmup.  Aimed to keep SS miles at 6:40/mi or below.  Took some effort but not overly hard.  Easy cooldown but HR stayed high because I was overheated and couldn't cool down in the humidity.

Asics GT 2120 - 435.98 miles.

6.25 miles in 47:10, 7:33/mi, HR 159.  

Temps read 80 at the start of the run and 78 at the end, so it was another warm humid run.  Feet must've been smelling the barn because my pace was on the aggressive side of easy for the whole trip.  Flight back home today....hopefully I make it thru the T-storms scheduled to hit Atlanta this PM.

Adrenaline 8 - 265.84 miles.

5 miles in 38:31, 7:42/mi, HR 162.

Long flight home yesterday brought me back to....74F temps at 10am?  Supposed to get to 90+ today and tomorrow???  At least the humidity is lower.  Tomorrow is race day....half-marathon.

Adrenaline 8s (Blue) - 41.79 miles.

13.1 in 1:36:02, 7:20/mi, HR 175. 

Another hot weather race with hills.  Went into this race with fewer expectations than normal since I'm just getting back into base building after May's marathon.  I figured I'd at least beat my time here last year although this year's route was brand new.  As it turned out, I ran slower than last year but I think the course was harder and the temps were definitely higher.  Start temps were close to 70F and warmer at the end, with much of the route exposed to the sun.  I actually ran pretty well the first half, which was the flat half, but the second half cooked me and the hills and then the heat reduced me to walking in spots.  I'd hoped this would give me some confidence going into the Northwest Passage Relay but instead I'll just be praying for cooler weather.

Adrenaline 8 - 278.94 miles.

5.5 miles in 44:17, 8:03/mi, HR 160.

Hot again today...77F in the shade.  Pace slow, legs tired, and still felt drained by the heat at about the 2 mile mark.  Slog to the end.  Instead of moving my runs to the morning, I'm going to continue to run in the hotter part of the day for a while to attempt to acclimate.  Unfortunately, I've never been a fan of hot weather, and hot to me is everything above 70 when I'm standing still, 50 when I'm running!

Adrenaline 8s (Blue) - 47.29 miles.