Oh Yeah, Now I Remember What Normal Feels Like

Today, for the first time in at least two weeks, I felt good. No, I haven't been sick. I just haven't been myself. I've been tired everyday and can't seem to get past it. I have no energy and just can't wait to go to bed each night. My running has been uninspired to say the least and my racing has been worse. A week ago yesterday I went out for a hard tempo and struggled to hold a 6:30 pace for a few miles. So, thinking I might need a break, I took it easy last week and went into the Law Week 8K with about 9.5 miles under my belt for the entire week. But I couldn't stay on pace in the race and performed terribly. My pace for 8K was slower than it was for the 1/2 marathon just two months ago.

So I saw the doc this morning to have blood work done and check for that old anemia nemesis, or thyroid issues. My pulse at the doctor registered 80! Geez, I'm a runner - it should be around 50.

But on the bright side, I felt great today. I felt like I used to most days - full of energy and actually wanting to come home and hammer out a hard run. I hit the weights too, when I first got home. Then tonight I went out for what I hoped would be a solid training run at long last. And that's what I got.

I did a 14 mile progression hard-tempo run. Average pace was 6:45 but my final mile was around 6:34 and the final four miles were around a 6:40 average. It felt great and even when I went just a little too fast I was able to ease off the accelerator and get right back in a groove, something I found impossible to do on Saturday at the race.

I'm signed up for the Bellaire Trolley Run on Saturday but am not sure whether I'm going to do it. If I feel great on Friday like I did today I may do one more long-run, at an easy pace. And if I'm not feeling good I don't know why I'd want to go out and lay an egg again.

Week Ending 3/21 Summary

I wasn't able to get in the type nor quantity of workouts this week, but I still pretty much hit my milage goal and had two key workouts that went well. So a mixed bag.

I was only able to run four days this week due to being too tired and too busy two days, and the wife going to dinner with a friend the third day that I missed. But I totaled nearly 50 miles the other four days, including a great speedwork session Wednesday night, a 9.8 mile run Monday that included 3.2 miles of tempo, and a great 21 mile long-run Friday night at a 7:08 pace.

Gonna focus on shorter, more aggressive runs this next week heading into the 8K on Saturday.

Week of 3/8 Summary

I was a little sluggish, okay alot sluggish, last Sunday after the 21 miler on Saturday morning. All I had the time or energy for was a measly 4.05 miles.

On Monday I went over to where I used to live and did repeats on the .4 mile oval. I felt better than Sunday and gave 100% but my times weren't what they used to be.

On Tuesday I put in nearly 12 miles here in New Territory but wasn't worried about pace. In fact, I left the watch home.

On Wednesday Steve and I did speedwork again around the .7 mile lake path, and this time we were joined by Assynt McCleod, another Strider runner. Assynt has been running well lately and I wanted to help him take it to the next level by mixing in some speedwork. I was worried about throwing too much at him but he held up like a pro, even volunteering to lead the last repeat. After speedwork we did our customary cool-down three miles.

On Thursday I got in 7.35 miles, but again, at a comfortable pace.

On Friday I wanted to get in a few miles before the Bayou City 10K the next day but the rain prevented that. I also realized on Friday that the one element that has been missing from my training might impact what kind of race I had on Saturday. I haven't been doing any tempo runs lately and it showed on Saturday morning. I did a 38:57 but should have been faster. I will mix a few of the hardcore tempos that I'm known for and should be ready to go for the 8K in two weeks.

Finished the week with around 53 miles, second week in a row of a total like that.

Brutal

I don't think I'm ready for old man winter to go away for at least another month. This mornings long-run was one of those runs where you say to yourself, "why do I do this?" I went 21.13 miles alone, at a 7:33 pace, but it was very difficult going in the high humidity and temps in the low 70s. I started off fine, hitting the first six miles at about a 7:15 pace, but dropped into the 7:20+ range after that. All the fun was gone by mile 12 and I really struggled the final three or four miles. My final mile was an 8:12, yikes!

Post Marathon Recap

Since the marathon a little more than two weeks ago I haven't been able to get in the training that I had planned but then I didn't really plan much in the way of recovery and I'm lucky I didn't end up paying for that decision.

After the marathon I took the following Monday and Tuesday off but went nearly 8 miles that Wednesday with Steve, though at a comfortable pace. On Thursday we did speedwork and the calfs were sore. On Saturday I went out to see what I could dredge up for the Park to Park 5 Miler. I got slower each mile and obviously wasn't fully recovered from the marathon. And the calfs were still very sore. I took Sunday off then tried to run on Monday, 8 days after the marathon, but the calfs were still tender so I headed home after a mile or two. I took the next day off and tried to do speedwork Wednesday night of last week but wasn't able to complete the workout because my calfs still hurt. Given the injury I suffered last summer that sidelined me for 3 months, I was very nervous about whether it was just soreness or the onset of an injury.

So I took Thursday and Friday off and was able to run 8 miles on Saturday without pain. Sunday I went 10 miles, again with no pain. But then my wife went to Boston for work so I wasn't able to do anything last night but play Mr. Mom with my two little buddies. Tonight, after they went to bed, I hooked up the old baby monitor that we haven't used in two years, put it on the porch, turned it up to max volume, then ran laps around the .24 mile loop I live on. It was boring but I got in six miles and mixed in some speedwork.

I should be able to get a workout in tomorrow night and go long this coming Saturday morning. Anyone up for joining me for 22 or so, 7:30 pace or better out here in Sugar Land? Chris R.?