M'kay

LM warmup (10 reps), 16 mile progression run in 1:57:11, 7:19/mi, HR 149 w/ last 7 miles @ MP, 1.5 mile walk w/ dogs, PU/SU/Leg ladder (7/7/4) & stretching.

First three+ miles felt bad...made a pit stop and things magically felt better so I started pushing the pace on the steeper uphills.  Just kinda gradually kept upping the effort until I was in full-blown progression run.  Another pause to talk to the security officer, out patrolling the Hancock managed forest lands at mile 11, then really picked up the pace for the last few.  Started tiring with about 3 to go but kept at it to the finish.  Better than expected after yesterday's adventure and hole digging exercise.

LM warmup (10 reps), 8.09 miles in 1:01:42, 7:37/mi, HR 147, w/ 15 x 12 sec Hill Sprints, 1.5 mile walk w/ dogs & stretching.

Sunny and pleasant (62F).  Back is a bit stiff and tired from yard project work over the weekend; otherwise a good run feeling pretty decent.  Hill sprints good but not magical and my legs were really tired for the last 5.   

LM warmup (10 reps), 12 miles in 1:31:24, 7:37/mi, HR 151, w/ 3+ mile warmup, 2 x Strides/Drills, 8 x 2 min Hill Repeats, 3+ mile cooldown.  PU/SU/Leg ladder & stretching.

Mostly cloudy and humid (58F), but I did manage to miss the rains.  Warmup felt okay, strides & drills felt really good (legs weren't nearly as "weak" feeling as they normally are doing these).  2 min repeats versus 90 sec repeats from 2 weeks ago, so the goal was to go out a tad slower in the beginning, focus more on form and running the entire repeat without fading.  Nailed it, except for the first and last.  The first was too fast (6:02/mi)...fresh legs.  The longer recovery jogging back to the start actually helped keep the recovery pace up in a more reasonable range, or maybe it was because I wasn't killing myself early in the repeat and then hanging on.  In any event, the next 6 were all in the 6:09-6:15/mi range....strong through the entire repeat but teetering on the edge by the end.  The last was a tad slow (6:21/mi), which is either because I decided to go harder for the last and faded at the end, or was just tired by the 8th repeat.  Either way I won't complain.  6:12/mi versus 6:03/mi average on the shorter (90 sec) repeats with faster recoveries.  Still a bit of a death march during the cooldown though....the legs were toast.

LM warmup (10 reps), 8.06 miles in 1:01:50, 7:40/mi, HR 149 w/ 6 x Strides & stretching.

Consistently drizzly.  Fairly easy miles with some tired legs, especially the quads.  Can't seem to get my calves loosened up, which is to say that once/day calf stretches don't seem to be enough for me right now.  They're pretty strong right now but the range of motion I have in my ankles just plain sucks, and tight calves are at least partially responsible.  Guess I need to find more time in my day to get them loosened up.

LM warmup (10 reps), 11 miles in 1:19:02, 7:11/mi, HR 157, w/ 3 mile warmup, 2 x Strides/Drills, 5 Tempo miles in 6:03 (down), 6:49 (up), 6:51 (up), 6:28 (rolling), 6:13 (down), 6:29/mi average, 3 mile cooldown.  PU/SU/Leg ladder (7/7/4) & stretching.

Cloudy and cool (56F).  A good night's sleep but I was still pretty tired this morning.  Hamstrings and quads felt a bit sore during the warmup & strides.  Jumped into the tempo aiming to focus on effort and not pace, especially after my last disastrous attempt at a 5 mile tempo run 2 weeks ago.  Somehow I managed it....stayed away from watch watching and just kept the effort honest.  My legs were pretty tired and ready to be done by the end of the tempo....didn't even really want to run the 3 cooldown miles.  

So here it is.  Logically, I know running tempo's on courses with terrain that's not flat (and has two 180s) will be slower than the same effort tempo on the flats.  I'm just having trouble wrapping my mind around how much.  4-ish weeks ago back in pancake-flat VA, I ran a 4 mile tempo at ~ 6:15/mi average.  Today on a double out and back course (so zero overall elevation gain/loss) with some relief to it (nothing more than a 2-3% grade at the most), I'm 14 seconds/mile slower.  That just seems like a lot.  The $64,000 question:  Does the terrain account for all of that time or is something else negatively impacting me?  Anyone? 

LM warmup (10 reps), 6.57 miles in 49:30, 7:32/mi, HR 150, & stretching.

Light rain and cool (50F).  Today is a recovery day so I didn't look at the watch much during the run, which mean I was surprised by the overall pace.  Felt like I was seriously dragging the whole time.  Didn't help matters that I was soaked by the first mile. 

LM warmup (10 reps), 20 miles in 2:35:34, 7:46/mi, w/ 2275' climb & equal descent including a 600' climb in 1 mile.  

Ran a fairly quick 20 in the mist and light rain up the long gradual hill into the Elbe forest land and down the steep backside & return. Pushed the downhills a bit since I was only doing 20 and need to condition the quads.  Ran-walked the steep climb at mile 10-11 but still made decent progress up the hill.  

Done in time to wolf down some food and head to meet up with Dianna @ the barn crew for some paintball.  Always wanted to try and never gone until now....a day later and I'm exhausted, but not sporting the bruises that most everyone else has.  What does it mean when 90% of the time I got killed were headshots?  Definitely buying my own face shield/goggles if I ever go again....couldn't see 5 feet in front of me most of the time due to google fog.  Still, a good (and muddy and exhausting) time had by all.