May the Mass x Acceleration be with you

8 miles on Military in 1:04:55 (8:07/mile)

Cooler today, but muggy with some rain. I hate it when I forget my Garmin. I hate it even more when I forget to bring a towel. Had to use 16 paper towels to dry off after my shower.

Splits:
3 - 24:30
4 - 32:15 (7:45)
7 - 56:34 (24:19)
8 - 1:04:55 (8:22)

Easy 3 through Pleasant Valley in 24:17 (8:06/mile)

10 miles to Interurban trail and back in 1:20:44 (8:04/mile)

Feeling pretty OK, overall. I started out thinking I was going to run a bit faster today, but that only lasted a mile.

Splits: 7:24 - 8:02 - 8:09 - 7:59 - 7:43 - 8:22 - 8:19 - 8:06 - 8:12 - 8:29

4.07 easy miles through Pleasant Valley in 34:06 (8:23/mile)

Knee has been getting more sore as of late.

Splits: 8:31 - 8:23 - 8:28 - 8:10 - 8:33

12 miles on Vickory in 1:35:25 (7:57/mile)

Good run, but a little warm. I had intended to go at 11, but discovred my Garmin was low. So, I recharged it and ran when it was quite a bit warmer out. Not hot, but I wished I had brought some water.

Splits: 8:22 - 8:05 - 7:59 - 7:59 - 7:41 - 7:46 - 7:50 - 8:00 - 7:59 - 7:50 - 7:55 - 8:00

Easy 4 on the trails in 34:46 (8:42/mile)

Not sure this is accurate. I think my Garmin is getting pretty inaccurate when in the woods.

Splits: 8:30 - 8:33 - 8:56 - 8:48

HR: 140 - 149 - 151 - 157

Warmup jog in 13:17

Really hard to know the distance as my Garmin seemed to be way off. The first mile it said I was running 8:45 pace, but I got to the mile in 7:50.

4x100 strides

Workout

I was going to run this on the trails, but with the Garmin acting up I decided to use a course where I know the split marks. Garmin seemed to be just fine out in the open.

4x1/2 mile intervals with 1/2 mile jogs. 1 mile cool down.

This was just a first taste of some speed work. It's been a LONG time since I did any intervals. I took way too long of breaks between for a normal workout. Also, wasn't feeling too good before, during or after the run. Just feeling a little under the weather.

1/2 mile intervals: 3:15 - 3:10 - 3:05 - 3:20

That last one I goofed. The first 2/3 was uphill and I just sort of sluffed it. By the time I realized how slowly I was going it was too late to knock much time off it.

1 mile cool down in 8:40

8 miles on Military in 1:04:42 (8:05/mile) Average HR 163

Splits:
1 - 7:59 144bpm
2 - 7:43 158bpm
3 - 8:01 168bpm
4 - 7:47 164
5 - 8:13 163
6 - 8:09 166
7 - 8:24 168
8 - 8:28 170

Easy 4 through Pleasant Valley in 32:14 (8:03/mile)

Splits: 8:07 - 7:47 - 8:11 - 8:08

2 mile warm up with a 4 100m strides in the last 1/2 mile

7:52 - 7:30 = 15:22

Interval workout on the roads and on the track.

I think I'm ready to break 20, at least, at the 5k on Thursday. I'll be shooting for around 6:20/mile pace the first couple miles and see if I can pick it up the last mile. That should get me under 19:45, and let me pass some of those high schoolers over the last mile.

1/2 mile in 3:06.7 (6:12/mile)
400m recovery
1K in 3:56 (6:20/mile)
600m recovery
1K in 3:55.4 (6:13/mile)
.35 mile recovery
.51 mile in 3:07.4 (6:09/mile)
1.5 mile cool down

6 miles on the BPA in 45:45 (7:37.5/mile)

Felt really good today. I'm really pleased to be feeling good the day after an interval workout. Granted it was a pretty moderate workout yesterday, but still. I'm used to hobbling around for a day or two after any hard effort.

Splits: 7:30 - 7:38 - 7:45 - 7:44 - 7:43 - 7:25

Really, really, really, ridiculously easy 4.06 miles on the trails in 35:13 (8:41/mile)

4 miles through Pleasant Valley in 31:29 (7:53/mile)

Feeling pretty good today. I threw in a few strides the last 1/2 mile just to refresh the muscle memory for tomorrow.

I feel pretty confident I can get a 19:45, and feel good doing it. The plan is to go out in 6:25 the first mile, staying relaxed but strong. Then start picking up the pace and picking off the competition. Unfortunately the alumni team won't be well represented this year, but I'll do my part.

Splits: 7:54 - 7:52 - 8:06 - 7:38

Easy 1.28 mile warmup with Randy in 11:50 (9:13/mile)

Just checking out the last mile of the course.

Then did a few strides to loosen up the legs.

5K race at the WHS XC Alumni race in 20:03 (6:27/mile)

I didn't quite meet my time goal of sub 20, but that's OK. I met the most important goals, which were to have fun, and show the high school punks how to race hard.

I went out at a tempo run pace and held that for two miles, then picked it up over the last mile. During the first mile, I held back quite a bit. Here's a time where I might've been faster without the Garmin. I saw early on that I was running a 6:08 pace, when I wanted to run 6:25. So I eased up, and ended up with a 6:36. No biggy. I had started just behind the WHS 7th man, but so quickly moved up to behind their #4. Obviously these guys started out too quickly and soon fell into their slower pace.

That number 4 guy did a good job of holding me off. He was about 30 meters ahead of me at mile 1, and it took be to mile 2 to catch him (still running a tempo pace, though). As I closed in, he sped up. When I passed him, he passed me back shortly after that and we ran together for a bit longer. As we approached 2 1/2, I pointed out to him that we were reeling in the pair of WHS guys ahead of us. They had been way ahead, but were now only about 20m ahead. I told him we had to go after them, and then I went and he didn't.

I gradually gained on the pair, and caught them just as we hit the track with 300m to go. As I passed them on the corner, they both said "good job". I thought to myself, that's not what you say when someone passes you. So I got after them, told them to keep up, get going and not give up with only 300 to go. So, they both went with me. Over the last 100m one guy out kicked me while the other stayed behind me. I was proud of them both for taking me on, though if I hadnd't said anything I'm pretty sure I would've destroyed them both. Fun times.

It's been so long since I've truly raced, I forgot how much fun it is.

Splits (my Garmin is a little off of what they called during the race):
1 - 6:39
2 - 6:39 (13:18)
3 - 6:11 (19:28)
3.11 - 20:03 (0:35)

Easy 1.02 mile cooldown in 8:32

Had a couple crispy crème donuts and some peanutbutter/jelly sandwich before the cooldown.

Easy 2.87 miles in 22:18 (7:47/mile)

Feeling good today. Too bad no time to run.

12 miles on Waller and Vickory in 1:31:42 (7:39/mile)

Feeling really good today. I tried to get the run in between storms. Got caught in some strong winds and moderate rain in the 2nd half, but it stopped for the lat couple miles, so all in all pretty decent fall weather.

Splits: 7:50 - 7:43 - 7:31 - 7:40 - 7:32 - 7:41 - 7:38 - 7:52 - 7:35 - 7:39

Easy 4 (approx.) on the trails in 33:47

8 miles on Military in 1:02:59 (7:52/mile)

7:35 - 7:49 - 7:58 - 7:55 - 8:19 - 7:59 - 8:01 - 7:23

2 mile warmup, with 3 30 sec. strides in the last 1/2 mile.

Workout:

6x800 and 1x400 @ 5K pace, with 400m recoveries

I ran these on the road, so 1/2 mile intervals. I threw in the last 1/4 mile for good measure, just to make the hard part of the workout slightly longer than 5K. The plan was to run around 6:20, or maybe 6:15 pace for each of these, and looks like that was pretty reasonable.

1 - 3:07.9
2 - 3:09.7
3 - 3:08.3
4 - 3:04.4
5 - 3:05.5
6 - 3:08.6
6.5 - 1:24.4
===========
19:26.63 5K

I doubt I can right quite that fast for a 5K, but definitely faster than the 20:03 I ran at the alumni race.

1 mile cool down in 8:25

Easy 4 on the trails in 32:57

2.87 miles in 22:02 (7:41/mile)

7:33 - 7:43

6 miles on DeVry loop in 48:36 (8:06/mile)

Was supposed to do intervals today, but was not feeling up for it. From the first step everything was stiff and sore. I guess two days off was not good for me.

Splits: 7:48 - 7:42 - 8:10 - 8:12 - 8:10 - 8:34