6/14/15 to 6/20/15: BEER MILE!

This week went very well, though I'm feeling a bit nicked up after getting back to a good mileage.  I'll need to recover a bit in the coming week, but the addition of short hill sprints and strides after my commute home on off days is something I would like to continue throughout the summer.  First I need to be fully healthy.

The week ended on an exceptionally fun note.  My first attempt at the beer mile.  I have to say, I was very nervous in the days leading up to the run.  I like beer, probably a touch more than I should.  However, I don't often drink four beers a night, let alone four beers in under 9 minutes. So I was worried how my stomach would handle the whole event.  But once I was on the starting line, which was a simple line in the sand on the path around a cranberry bog, I didn't have any nerves - I think that perhaps it had something to do with the great crew (and maybe my attire...).  Sure, I wasn't nervous, but that didn't make up for the fact that my ability to chug beer has greatly diminished since I've left college.  Come to think of it...I don't recall the last time I have chugged a beer...that's probably a good thing.

SPLITS!!!

1st Beer: 27s
1st Quarter: 1:12
2nd Beer: 56s
2nd Quarter: 1:14
3rd Beer: 70s
3rd Quarter: 1:14
4th Beer: 78s
4th Quarter: 1:13

Final Time: 8:44

Notable performances by Greg Stearns and Doug Bisson for their ridiculous ability to chug beer and Stearns' 70 second quarter(!), and Tom Dumakauskaus for being the only other party goer to complete the full beer mile.  Also notable that no one fell into the cranberry bog - maybe next time!

This week in running:

14-Jun		Battle Road/Easy		0:07:45		21.08		AM: Battle Road with Kevin and MattC.  17+ in the heat, but I felt pretty good. PM: 4m, first couple with Eli and Raleigh, then a bit more finishing with a 6min mile just because.
15-Jun		Easy/Easy + Hills		0:07:35		11.06		AM: 4m commute at per. PM: 7m commute including 10x10sec hill repeats.
16-Jun		Easy/Intervals				18.72		AM: 4m commute at 7:40 per. PM: Commute home and to the track, (1000/800)x3 at 5k-8k pace and 5k pace.  It was very humid and had a bit of distress towards the end.  Still a very promising workout.
17-Jun		Easy/Easy + Strides		0:08:00		12.06		AM: 4m commute at 8 per. PM: 7m commute including 8 Poplar Strides.  Left shin has been a bit funky and right calf a bit tight.
18-Jun		Easy/Tempo + Bees				10.71		AM: 4m commute at 8 per. PM: ~6.6 run to Eli's work.  Easier first mile, averaged ~6:40 overall.
19-Jun		Easy/Easy				8.1		AM: 4m commute at 7:55 per. PM: 4m commute at 7:50 per.
20-Jun		BEER MILE				3.67		AM: Easy warm up, BEER MILE - 8:44ish.  I was ham & egging it a little bit - I wasn't going to risk a penalty lap.   Beers were also ICE cold.

Tuesday Splits:

1000-3:28.39

800-2:44.14

1000-3:29.12

800-2:43.55

1000-3:32.61

800-2:43.12

Total: 85.40

6/7/15 to 6/13/15: I love the 80's

The mileage is back in the 80+ range, albeit on the low end.  But I'm not complaining!  It's good to be able to run pain free and commute to and from work, now the next step is getting some speed back.  Most of these runs felt heavy legged, but part of that can be attributed to the warm weather.  Still, I could tell there are still some cobwebs that need to be cleaned out.

On Thursday I skipped the Hollis 5k.  A wise choice since downhills had bothered my Achilles the most when attempting to return, and that is an all downhill course.  Added bonus is that I don't have a crazy outlier of a PR.  Then on Saturday I ended up with an impromptu day off after a timing mix up on travel plans.  I was miffed at first, but during the drive back I gave it some more thought and reluctantly decided that it was for the best.  I'm am too easily addicted to streaks, and killing this 20-something day streak now will hopefully make it easier to back off later on if necessary.

The stuff!:

7-Jun		Battle Road		0:07:43		15.17		Battle Road - easy 1m on my own, the rest with the group.  Felt pretty good.
8-Jun		Easy/Easy				12.12		AM: 4m in 7:35min.
9-Jun		Easy/Intervals				19.64		AM: 4m commute at 8min. PM: 7m warm up, 800/400/600/800/1200/800/300. Rain/lightening shortened intervals.  Started out ok, then slowed down due to heavy legs.  Very warm out. Saw double rainbow on run home and then a huge family of geese cross Mem Drive.
10-Jun		Easy/Easy				12.47		AM: 4m commute at 8min. PM: Commute home + Raleigh + jog to Chipotle, no time.
11-Jun		Easy/Fartlek+Strides				11.17		AM: 4m commute at 8min. PM: 1m w/up and 5m farlek followed by 10 Poplar strides.  Hot out, felt sluggish.  Strides in old racing flats felt great.
12-Jun		Easy/Easy				10.11		AM: 4m commute at 7:50 per. PM: 6m commute at 7:30 per.
13-Jun		Fresh Pond				0		Had to leave earlier than originally thought to get to Truro, and I decided on the drive home that I need to accept days off here and there without all the fuss.  Still…I was fussy.

Splits:

800-2:46.99

400-1:15.68

600-1:58.84

800-2:49.42

1200-4:23.05

800-2:53.11

300-54.84

Total: 80.68

5/31/15 to 6/6/15: I'm Back Baby!

In the words of George Costanza: I'm back baby! I'm back!

Well, not 100% back, but close enough.  I had to skip the track on Tuesday when my Achilles tightened up a little bit, but I was still able to double Monday through Friday - and that's close enough for me to be happy.  I'm itching to get back on the track, and to run some faster 150's or 200's in particular.  Those will have to wait a little longer though, since I think that'll put the most stress on the achilles...but at some point the reigns need to come off.

Data!

31-May		Long Run		0:07:40		12.2		AM: 12+ on Battle Road.  It was a bit warm and I felt fatigued at the end. PM: Afternoon nap, and then opted to just totally rest.
1-Jun		Easy/Easy		0:07:45		11.12		AM: ~5m bike, 90min sports massage with Sam Peck.  Good stuff. 4m commute to work. PM: ~7m commute home plus 4 Poplar-Strides.
2-Jun		Easy/Easy				14.32		AM: 4m commute. PM: Commute home at 7:30min and to track and back at 8min.  Felt a pinch and just did drills and strides.  Really frustrating as I felt like I was back.
3-Jun		Easy/Moderate				10.11		AM: 4m commute at 7:30min. PM: 6m commute at 7min.
4-Jun		Easy/Easy + Bees				10.36		AM: 4m commuteat 7:45min. PM: 6m commute at 7:30min + warm up for Bees game.
5-Jun		Easy/Easy				10.13		AM: 4m commute 7:30min PM: 6m in 7:45min.
6-Jun		Fresh Pond		0:06:09		8.19		Fresh Pond in 29:59. Felt sluggish after the first mile, but held a steady pace and won the two-lapper.

Total: 76.43

5/17/15 to 5/30/15: Two Weeks of Meh

Looking back, that May 16th run at Fresh Pond probably set me back a few days.  Nothing crazy, but enough to know that I need to use it as a learning experience in the future.

At this point, I would say I'm very nearly back to full health.  I have a new injury in the form of a back issue, but that's something I've dealt with for the past 10 years and I should be able to keep that at bay.  Hopefully things keep progressing quickly and I'm able to lay down some good mileage once more.

The Meh:

17-May		Easy		0:08:11		4.34		AM: 4m on Battle Road. I knew this wasn't going to work, but I needed to get out there for my sanity. PM: Found a bike trainer on the side of the road (kind of worked).  Did an interval session and was drenched.  Sanity partially restored.
18-May		Biking				0		AM: ~5m biking. PM: ~5m biking.
19-May		Biking/Rest				0		AM: ~5m biking. PM: Work event.
20-May		Rest/Easy				5.65		AM: Rest. PM: 5+ home, not there yet.
21-May		Biking/Biking				0		AM: ~5m biking. PM: ~5m biking.
22-May		Biking/Biking				0		AM: ~5m biking. PM: ~22m biking.
23-May		Trainer				0		1hr on the trainer
24-May		VCM (NOPE!)				0.5		Half mile warm up, then a hodge podge of drills and body weight stuff.
25-May		Biking				0		1hr on the trainer
26-May		Biking/Biking + Easy				6.14		AM: ~5m biking. PM: ~5m biking then ran to track and did warm up and drills, ran home.  6+ tot.  Felt good.
27-May		Biking/Biking + Easy				2		AM: ~5m biking. PM: ~5m biking + 2m easy.
28-May		Easy/Easy				11.25		AM: 4m commute easy. PM: 7+m commute home and to TJs, easy but felt tiring.
29-May		Easy/Easy				10.16		AM: 4m commute easy.  Warm out. PM: 6+ commute home. Still warm.
30-May		Easy/Easy				7.4		AM: Easy 4+ with 4 very relaxed strides. PM: Very easy3+ with Eli to Marathon Sports and home.

Weekly totals of ~10 and ~35...Trending in the right direction!  Next up I need to do a track workout and a real long run.