Back To Back Speedwork

If I'm going to do two speedwork sessions a week I realize it's probably not prudent to do them on consecutive days. However, until I analyze my routine and re-structure it, it's going to happen from time to time, as it did between yesterday and today.

I met Steve Schroeder at the junior high track yesterday evening for our normal 400x12 repeats. Our times were decent but we weren't intent on setting any records or anything. Here are my splits:

1:23, 1:19, 1:18, 1:18, 1:18, 1:17, 1:18, 1:17, 1:19, 1:19, 1:18, 1:13


Then today at lunch I went and did mile repeats. I haven't done these in probably six months. Man I hate these. I had every intention of doing four but given that I'm not used to them and I just did speedwork yesterday I had to settle for three (sorry Brian, I know four is the magic number - I'll get there). I also wasn't in the mood for speedwork either, and mindset has a lot to do with it.

My times weren't bad though, and the pace didn't seem too awfully fast. I was just too fatigued to do a fourth, even though my recovery was only half a mile, not the old full mile jog we used to do. Anyway, here are my splits for the three mile repeats:

5:45, 5:48, 5:50

10 @ 8

I did 10 miles last night at 8 PM. Actually 10.2 miles over in my old neighborhood. It was cool and windy when I started, and downright cold and windy when I finished. I don't typically wear cotton when I run but I had on a long-sleeve cotton t-shirt and felt like it might be just the middle ground I'd need. That was a mistake because as it absorbed sweat it didn't provide any warmth at all. I didn't wear gloves because it's hard to adjust my Ipod with gloved fingers (I hate the damned thing - a standard MP3 player is much better) but wished I would have.

Anyway, I didn't intend to go too fast but the cool temperature made my legs light and I ran a comfortable 6:56 pace. Not sure if it qualifies as a recovery run but I never felt my cardio-respiratory system taxed.

Tempo Run With Brian King

I met Brian at the Greatwood loop this evening for a two loop tempo run. Steve was unavailable so it was just the two of us. I suspect that Brian took yesterday off after doing the Park to Park 5 Miler Saturday morning in a stellar 29:26. Add to that the fact that he normally does an aggressive tempo run on Mondays anyway which meant he wanted to hammer. And I'm not usually one to say no.

We hit the first loop in 24:03 (6:46 pace) but I felt there was no way we'd go negative on the second loop. I could really feel the effects of the run I did last night. At the first couple of benchmarks we were slightly behind our pace from loop one. At the final benchmark (.8 miles out from the finish) it appeared that we might have a shot at equalling our first loop, or pretty close. We didn't really hit another gear at the end but definitely kept the hammer down. Our second loop came in at 23:49 (6:42 pace).

Our two loop time was a fairly rare sub 48 minute total - 47:52 (6:44 pace). I think I've earned an easy run tomorrow.

Sunday Double

Today I went out in the heat for some miles on the Greatwood Loop. I had hoped to do three loops (or maybe even four) but I've never done well running this loop in the early afternoon on sunny warm days like today. What did it hit today, 82? That's what it was here at the house. I managed one meager loop, but at a decent seven minute pace.

Then tonight I went over to my old neighborhood for a little more of a brisk pace. I tackled the 4.4 mile route in 27:01, a 6:08 pace. I might have had a little more in the tank but certainly not enough to have gone sub-six. The weather was perfect - around 58, very little wind. Ideal for flying.

My weekly milage this week was pretty weak but I had some good intensity in there. Will try to get it over 50 this next week.

Saturday Afternoon Run

I set out yesterday (after having taken a much needed day off Friday) to do two or three loops on the 3.2 mile New Territory loop. The warm temperature limited me to two but they were both at a decent pace. Here are my splits for the two loops:

21:56, 21:30

Total time - 43:26, 6:47 pace.

Double Duty Thursday (Again)

Sorry I'm behind in posting - been busy.

On Thursday I did five miles at lunch again. My pace was probably too fast given that we had speedwork that evening. I covered it in 33:39, a 6:44 pace. Not terribly challenging, but again, I should have taken it easier with the track on the agenda.

The track workout was murder but we got through it. Brian King showed up loaded for bear and Steve and I did our best to hang on. Brian is clearly a step ahead of us now but it's not necessarily a bad thing to have a training partner who is just a little better than you, right? But it's hell for speedwork. Brian mentioned a couple of weeks ago that he'd like to see us someday turn 1:15s as a matter of routine, instead of 1:18 to 1:20, like we've previously done. Well, Steve and I aren't quite there yet but Brian blew through that benchmark with room to spare on Thursday. Steve and I had a pretty good workout as well, though as I mentioned, I didn't have in the tank what I should have had. I had to approach every 400 like it was the last one. They hurt. Here are my times:

1:17, 1:16, 1:16, 1:18, 1:18, 1:18, 1:17, 1:18, 1:17, 1:18, 1:18, 1:16.

Back To The Oval

Yesterday I headed over to the .4 mile oval for some speedwork. Last week when I did these they really hurt and did again yesterday. The distance is deceiving. Seems pretty short, maybe because the most you can see of the loop at any one time is about a third of it. So you take off at a pretty good pace but after about a minute and a half reality hits. You're blue in the face from lack of oxygen by the time you mercifully get to the end of the loop. Then you get to recover for about two and a half minutes and do it all over again. Sounds like fun, huh?!

My times were better yesterday than they were last week but I absolutely milked every second out of my body that was available. I have also finally gotten rid of the crap in my lungs that was making it hard to breath. Here are my repeat times:

2:09, 2:11, 2:09, 2:11, 2:11.

Last night I was hoping for some additional milage when I drove down to Memorial Park. A Strider group run was planned as a farewell to Jessica Alexander, a fellow Strider and great person. Either I missed the group or no one showed up due to the weather (more likely). I stood at the assigned area in the drizzle for 10 minutes then went home. By the time I got back to Sugar Land it was coming down just too hard to run. But I'm going to get in some lunchtime milage today, and track work this evening.

12.65 With The Guys

I met Steve Schroeder and Brian King Saturday morning at 6 AM for a long-run. Our plan was to do the 3.55 mile Greatwood Loop four times. None of us were feeling it so we managed three loops and an out an back mile for a total of 12.65 miles. I continue to have congestion in my lungs, which didn't help Saturday morning, as well as the pain in my left knee, which also didn't help Saturday morning. I'm going back to the doctor tomorrow.

Total time: 1:1:35:04 (7:31 pace). Splits: Loop one - 27:22, Loop two - 26:37, Loop three - 26:25, 14:40 (mile out and back).

Back To The Track

I met Steve Schroeder this evening at the junior high track for a resumption of our normal Thursday 400 meter repeats. We haven't done these since before the Dallas marathon. Add to that the fact that I was tired and still dealing with some lingering crap in my lungs and it added up to pessimistic expectations on my part. Steve wasn't sure what to expect either but we were both pleasantly surprised. I mean, really surprised. I would have been happy turning 1:22-1:24. None of the twelve we did were that slow. In fact, our times almost match what we were doing back in October and November. Not sure where it came from but it sure was nice to hit good numbers even though we should have been rusty. Here are our 400 times:

1:20, 1:17, 1:19, 1:17, 1:18, 1:18, 1:19, 1:19, 1:18, 1:20, 1:18, 1:16.

Whataya think Brian K.?

Thursday Lunch Time Run

Today I went out with my Nike Ipod gizmo to measure the route I ran Tuesday night. Sure enough, it's 5 miles, exactly. It was very windy and warm and I just didn't feel like doing this run today. I had a good pace going out but slowed considerably on the return. Got it done though.

Wednesday Speedwork

I went over to my old neighborhood yesterday to do repeats on the .4 mile oval I used to live on. I haven't done any speedwork to speak of since before the Dallas marathon two months ago and still have some lingering congestion issues, so I wasn't expecting much. And that's about what I got. When I'm at the top of my game I usually do these in 2:08 to 2:11. My times yesterday were:

2:16, 2:16, 2:17, 2:15, 2:14.

It was tough. Speedwork is no fun at all if you haven't done it in awhile.

The Corner Has Been Turned

After another weekend of dealing with congestion in my lungs that was causing me to wheeze and often be unable to take a deep breath I finally sucked it up and went to the doctor on Monday. Got two prescriptions then met Steve Schroeder and Brian King at the Greatwood Loop before I even got the prescriptions filled. Brian had gotten there before us and hammered one 3.55 mile loop, then was going to do two more with Steve, with me doing whatever I felt I could. One quick note about Brian's solo loop. When I say he "hammered" it, that's a severe understatement. He's threatening to pull away from Steve and I. The fastest I've ever covered that loop is in 22:54. I've only managed to go sub 23 one other time, 22:57. Brian's previous fastest loop was about 22:39. He completed the loop in 21:19 on Monday, a flat 6 minute pace on a tough course. Then still had something left in the tank to hammer two more with Steve and I. Brian's been training like a mother and it's going to show in his next race, which will probably be the Park to Park 5 Miler.

The three of us hit loop one in a brisk 24:49 (6:59 pace). It felt nice to be able to really get out there and run but I told the guys I didn't think I'd be able to go negative on the second loop. I guess they didn't hear me. Loop two came in at 24:33 (6:55 pace). Well, actually that was my time for loop two. With about 200 yards to go Steve picked it up significantly. Brian hesitated for just a bit then took off to catch him. I was content to finish with the strong pace I'd been running - the lungs weren't ready for sprinting. Brian caught Steve and I watched as they both reached for another gear. They finished about eight seconds in front of me on that second loop. My 7.1 mile two loop total was 49:23 (6:57 pace). Anytime we cover two loops in under 50 minutes it's a good day.

Yesterday morning (Tuesday) I tried to get out and do some speedwork but just wasn't ready yet. I went to the Houston Strider meeting last night then came home and laced 'em up. I went out for what I'm guessing is about five miles. I'll have to measure it with my Nike Ipod sensor. I'm sure my pace was sub seven. Everything felt great, although I still have some pain here and there in that left knee. I can't believe that with all the time off I've taken that's it hasn't completely gone away. Will have to monitor.

The Flu From Hell

As I wrote last week, I came down with the flu last Wednesday. Man did it bite. In fact, I'm still not 100%. I did get out and run yesterday and today though. I got in 3.5 yesterday and 6.7 today. Decent pace (low sevens) but I felt really rusty. Hopefully it's due to having the flu and not the nine day layoff. Some important races coming up and though the shorter stuff isn't my strength I still want to do my best.