10/1/17 to 10/21/17: Three Weeks in the Right Direction

The past three weeks have gone well.  I'm in a relatively good rhythm with training, and I have been able to make sure I'm getting in the miles one way or another.  Three weeks ago that meant tripling on a Monday so I could go pick up my car at the mechanic.  And two weeks ago it meant going for ~5 miles during the Tufts 10k volunteering - and that was followed up by driving to and from the Cape for a rental cleanup.  The driving alone is exhausting, but I'm glad I made the time to get in a second run because otherwise it wouldn't have happened.

The other two things that have been going well are the consistency of a simple XT routine, and the Thursday night hill repeats.  Each morning once I arrive at work, I'm able to squeeze in a quick plank routine and some crunches.  While it's not much, I'm slowly creating that 'pathway.'  The Thursday night hill repeats - I can thank Terry for that.  It's not a super challenging workout, but taking that little bit of extra time and putting in the work is going to pay dividends this indoor season.

Whether due to consistent mileage, the addition of hills, or the addition of a simple XT routine - I can feel my fitness moving in the right direction.  2017 is still the 'year of no meaningful PRs,' but that has a chance to change.  I'm not sure when I'll race again, but I'm looking forward to it.

YES! It is is good!

1-Oct		Battle Road Long Run		2:03:06		16.21		AM: 16+ at Battle Road w/CSU.  Averaged 7:36/mile.
		Shakeout		0:35:52		4		PM: 4m shakeout at whatever w/Eli and Raleigh.  A double for Eli!
2-Oct		MLR Moderate		1:16:31		10.17		AM: 10+ at 7:31/mile.  Niiiice weather.
		Tripled it up!		1:35:28		11.82		NOON & PM:  Ran home to get the car in the afternoon a bit quick, then a slower pace in the evening meeting up with Eli and Raleigh.
3-Oct		Easy		1:04:52		8.07		AM: 8+ at 8:02/mile.
		Harvard Track		1:53:39		14.38		PM: Commute home and to Harvard. 800/1200x4.  5k then surge pacing for the 12s.
4-Oct		MLR Easy		1:19:00		10.07		AM: 10+ at 7:50/mile.
		Easy		0:50:36		6.33		PM: 6+ commute at whatever.  Really tired.
5-Oct		MLR Easy		1:17:30		10.04		AM: 10m at 7:43/mile.
		Commute & Hills		1:37:38		11.23		PM: 11+ tot.  Commute home and hill repeats with Eli & Terry.
6-Oct		MLR Easy		1:19:04		10.15		AM: 10+ at 7:47/mile.
		Easy		0:51:22		6.35		PM: Easy 6+ at 8:05/mile.
7-Oct		Tempo		0:48:39		7.1		AM: Fresh Pond 2 Lapper.  Made sure I got to 5 total for a solid tempo.  Averaged 6flatish.
		Off		0:00:00		0.00		PM: Off.
8-Oct		Battle Road Long Run		2:02:52		16.19		AM: Battle Road!  16+ at 7:35/mile.  Solid finish.  Last 5 at 7flat roughly.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
9-Oct		MLR Not Quite Easy		1:15:51		10.01		AM: 10m run to do the Tufts 10k volunteering at 7:35/mile.
		Easy		0:35:47		4.75		PM: More like 2pm, but just under 5 running around during the race before getting back to helping at the baggage drop off.
10-Oct		Easy		1:02:41		8.05		AM: 8m at 7:47/mile.
		Harvard Track		1:46:51		13.58		PM: Commute home and to Harvard. (800, 800)x2, 200x2.  3k/5k pace for the 800s, mile for the 2s.  3k pacing was excellent.
11-Oct		MLR Easy		1:18:07		10.02		AM: 10m commute at 7:48/mile.
		Easy		0:57:36		7.15		PM: Commute home, 7+ at 8:03.  Some bit with Eli and Raleigh.
12-Oct		Easy		1:11:04		9.09		AM: 9m commute at 7:49/mile.
		Hill Repeats		1:29:35		10.5		PM: Commute home and 6 30s hill repeats with Eli, Terry, and Amory.
13-Oct		Easy		0:46:36		6.11		AM: 6m easy at 7:38/mile.
		Easy		0:38:14		5.02		PM: 5m easy at 7:37/mile
14-Oct		Easy w/accelerations		0:38:05		5.07		AM: Fresh Pond 1 lapper, but not really.  Averaged 7:30/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off
15-Oct		Paddy's Shuffle 3m *Pub		0:48:00		6.82		AM: 6th place in 15:52.  Not a bad result today.   I think I would've PR'ed had it been a 5k (albeit by only a second or two).
		Shakeout		0:32:21		4.5		PM: 4+ at 7:11/mile.  Nice shakeout.
16-Oct		MLR Moderate		1:12:59		10.03		AM: 10m at 7:16/mile.  Ok, not bad!
		MLR Easy		1:19:48		10		PM: 10m at 8ish.  About 5 quicker miles before 4m around the Charles with Eli and Raleigh.  Awesome sunset.
17-Oct		Easy		1:10:59		9.09		AM: 9m commute at 7:49/mile.
		Harvard Track		1:51:28		14.19		PM: Commute home and to Harvard. Workout was 800/1000x2/600x2/400x2/Magic 800.  5k/3k/mile pacing.  Magic pace=accelerate the straights/float the corners. Went after it.  Went well.
18-Oct		MLR Easy		1:18:42		10.11		AM: 10m at 7:47/mile.
		Easy		0:50:47		6.34		PM: 6+ at 8per.
19-Oct		Easy		0:39:36		5.06		AM: 5m at 7:50/mile.
		Hill Repeats		1:40:12		11.51		PM: Commute home then 8 hill repeats at 60s.
20-Oct		Easy		1:02:41		8.1		AM: 8m commute at 7:44/mile.
		Easy		0:48:51		6.39		PM: 6m commute at 7:39/mile.
21-Oct		Fresh Pond Tempo		0:31:14		4.48		AM: Fresh Pond 1 lapper.  Averaged probably 5:40 per.  Won.  Yahoo!
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.

10/3 Splits:

800-2:42.8

1200-4:06.6

1200-4:07.1

1200-4:05.9

1200-4:01.9

10/10 Splits:

800-2:29.0

800-2:42.1 SLOW!

800-2:28.4

800-2:37.9

200-34.4

200-32.6

200-34.8

10/17 Splits:

800-2:39.8

1000-3:17.2

1000-3:16.7

600-1:52.3

600-1:52.9

400-1:11.8

400-1:10.2

800-2:41.4

Totals: 125.92, 105.54, 106.62

9/24/17 to 9/30/17: It's not always pretty

This week started well with a solid performance at the Lone Gull 10k.  I was 12 seconds off of my PR, which was set on the same course last year.  The conditions were sticky, and runners were generally about 50s slower this year compared to last.  That leaves me thinking that a PR is lurking somewhere.

For the remainder of the week - the race took more out of me than I realized.  Conditions for running didn't improve over the next few days, and my body didn't recover or hydrate quick enough.  At least that's my theory as to why I had to cut short the track workout on Tuesday.  Another explanation is that Kevin simply ran me into the ground!  It took a few days to get my legs under me, but I felt good about the tempo on Saturday.  I didn't look at my watch, going by feel instead, and ended up running each mile progressively faster.  Nothing like an unplanned progression tempo!

Also worth noting that I'm sleeping well, but remain super tired as of late.  The past few weeks looks a lot like marathon training, and it has me feeling that way too.  The temptation to sign up for the Baystate Marathon is minimal, but not non-existent.

While I look at this week's training...it doesn't look pretty.  But the week after a race doesn't always look pretty.  Still...gotta put in the miles.

(note: this week included my first triple in quite some time on the 28th)

The week:

24-Sep		Lone Gull 10k *GP		0:34:21		6.2		AM: Lone Gull 10k.  Not bad for a warm day.  A PR is lurking somewhere, I know it.
		Warmup/cooldown + Shakeout		1:31:00		11.54		PM: This includes the warm up/cool down/ shakeout.
25-Sep		MLR Easy		1:19:13		10.04		AM: A bit longer at 7:53/mile.
		Easy		1:06:59		8.41		PM: 8+ home at 7:53/mile.
26-Sep		MLR Easy		1:21:13		10.19		AM: A bit longer at 7:58/mile.
		Harvard Track		1:32:04		11.36		PM: (400/600/800/600/400)x2.  Mile/3k/5k pacing.  I was out of it.  Cut it short after the 1st 400 in the second set.
27-Sep		Easy Easy		0:43:54		5.02		AM: Morning meeting.  Went super slow with a heavier than usual back pack and just wanted it to be easier.
		Easy w/10 Strides		1:19:58		9.56		PM: 9+ at 8:22.  Eh?
28-Sep		Easy AM & Noon		1:12:45		17.9		AM: 9m commute averaging 7:57/mile. Noon: 8+ run home for Raleigh and back averaging 7:49/mile.
		Easy w/Hill Repeats		1:03:39		7.25		PM: Ran to pick up the Jeep, then ran over for Hill repeats.  Soooo tired.
29-Sep		Easy		1:04:01		8.03		AM: 8+ at 7:58/mile.  Good normal route on the Cape.
		Off		0:00:00		0.00		PM: Off.  On the Cape.
30-Sep		Tempo		0:38:34		6.2		AM: Back in Cambridge, and did a 5m tempo averaging 5:57ish.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.

Splits:

400-1:14.0 SLOW!

600-1:58.4S LOW!

800-2:47.6 SLOW!

600-1:59.5 SLOW!

400-1:15.0 SLOW!

400-1:12.9 F it

Total: 111.70

CVS Downtown 5k & Lone Gull 10k - 2017 Race Reports

CVS Downtown 5k

Race morning was a lot more warm and humid than I would've liked.  And the 11am start time was a double edged sword, the extra sleep was nice, but with the morning fog burning off we received the full impact of the sun.

I had decided that I wanted to try getting in a longer warm up than usual so that I could simulate what I generally do in training (run a lot before a hard effort).  I've done this in the past, but got away from it for some reason - and since 2017 is the year of no PRs, I thought I'd see if this would help.  So Eli, Tom, and myself showed up early, and Tom and I were able to get in just under 6 miles worth of a warm up.

Once the gun went off, I went out quick trying to keep an eye on a couple of runners who always beat me (and continued to do so on this day).  I stuck with them out of the gate and after the left turn onto Memorial Boulevard and felt pretty good, but soon started to find my own rhythm, which was a little bit slower than theirs.  Before I knew it, I had passed the mile marker and I was extremely surprised to see it read 5 flat (confirmed by my watch as well).  I knew I went out a little quick, but the first mile actually felt fairly easy - so a 'fairly easy' 5 flat opening mile is extremely encouraging.

Mile two had a few turns and potholes, but was otherwise flat and easy...easy if not for the humidity starting to weigh on me like a warm wet blanket.  I wasn't quite on the pain train, but I was right on the cusp of over heating.  Still, I felt alright and was passing a few people and had yet to get passed. Mile two in 5:20.

I had gotten my hopes up after the first mile, but I knew it was far too sticky to have high hopes on getting a PR.  At the start of the third mile, I was passed by a Whiralway guy who I see around the Charles every once in a while.  He's a strong runner and so I tried to stick with him for a bit, but that lasted only a quarter mile or so.  At this point I was entering no man's land and was just trying to run smooth and not overheat.  Mile three was in 5:26, and I was happy to see that I hadn't slowed down terribly.  The female winner, Aisling Cuffe wasn't too far behind me as we turned towards the finish, and I was doing my best to kick past the guys ahead of me while also getting the heck out of her way so she could break the tape unimpeded (I was successful in doing so).  All in all, this was an encouraging race.

Final Time: 16:25
Place: 49th


Lone Gull 10k

Yet another warm and muggy race morning...what the hell!?!

Prior to the race, Kevin had mentioned that he would be taking a knee for the national anthem, and I told him I would join.  So while Kevin was doing his own warm up and getting a little nervous about others' reactions - I was off doing strides and not even thinking about it.  Not until I heard the anthem start, oops!  I ran up towards the start looking for Kevin, but I couldn't see him and so I found my own little spot that was out of the way and took a knee.  I saw another guy parallel to me doing the same, and a young kid on the grass to the side of the start with his fist in the air.  I'm not sure why the national anthem has to be played before a simple road race...but...it is...so that happened!

The actual race went very similar to the 5k.  A quick opening mile before I settled into my own pace.  I don't think the quick opening miles have much of an effect on me in the latter stages of the race, but this race was really tough.  The first half felt pretty good, but the second half was really a grind.  Mile four, in particular, really hit me hard.  I don't consider that section particularly hilly, but what little incline it did have, caused me to shorten my stride and was the ugliest part of the race for me. 

I was able to recover a bit and find my groove, but that was a bit of a torpedo for the race.  On the run back along the coast, I was able to start picking off a handful of runners who were struggling with the heat.  I suppose that's a good sign that I'm able to handle it, but I'm still frustrated as I look to pop a good time.

Splits:
5:18.5
5:30
5:25.2
5:42.4
5:32.4
5:36.8
1:19.1

Final Time: 34:21
Place: 54th