week of 27 August

Mo - 10.07
3 nbrhd loops (3x2.93), plus the 1.11 loop, plus running back to my house (0.17). Had to get to the scheduled 10! I ran this
wp7-3

Tu - Rest
Flew out to California and drove into the desert as is my custom. Couldn't get myself out of bed early enough to run and make it to the airport. I'm really having a hard time getting motivated to get up lately. My flight was canceled and I got there too late to consider running without screwing up tomorrow's VO2max run. Running after flying all day is usually a no-no anyway. (I always pull something.)

We -- 9.0 w/ 6 x ~2min @ 5K w/ 90 sec jog
Jogged from my hotel 2.25 out to the "2-mile square" (a block of roads a half mile on a side). Each side of the square is within 0.01 of a half mile on gmap. Gotta love the desert. Continued another 0.5 down the first side (2.75 in 25:17, 9:12 pace), then did the 6 intervals:

1. 2:13/169 (peak 176), jog 1:33/164
2. 2:04/170 (174), jog 1:32/167
3. 2:07/174 (183), 1:38/171,
4. 2:04/181 (171 -- HRM graph looks wrong), jog 1:33/169,
5. 2:19/174 (172 -- HRM graph looks wrong), jog 1:34/170,
6. 2:09/179 (184).

The six intervals left me in the middle of my sixth "side." I felt like I was going too slow in the first couple of intervals and didn't get going until the third one, where I managed to hit 187. I was just dying in the last two. I didn't really tie up, I just was tired like running the last 500 meters of a 5K. I don't know what the matter with me. I'm also wondering whether my HRM was messed up. The graph only show normal looking peaks for intervals 1, 2, 3, and 6.

I can't quite tell how fast I did the intervals but it felt very slow. 5.5 sides is 2.75 miles. I'm not sure where I was on the side, but I'm guessing I was in the middle to within .1. The total time (including jogs) was 20:53 in 2.75 +/- 0.1 is 7:36 +/- :17. If I exclude the jogs (8m10s) and assume they were 10 min/mi that's 2.75 - 0.82 = 1.93 in 12:43 or 6:35 min/mi. That's pretty funny, because my PR 5K is 5K in 20:32 or 6:37 per mile. It looks like I ran a reasonable pace, but that was too hard for 5K pace probably. It felt pleasant, but looking at the weather it was 79 degrees, which is still pretty warm even if it's dry.

Jogged 12:10 to complete the last 2.5 sides, this jogged back to the hotel really slowly and even took some walk breaks to try and get my heart rate down (2.75 in 27:22, 9:57 pace, 154 bpm average).

I could still really feel my right hamstring from Sunday, but the knee felt fine and the achilles thing is gone.
wp 7-2

Th - 6.5
Ran out to the square, did one lap around, and ran back. Forgot the HRM belt, so I have time only. 9:58 min/mi. I'm a 10 min/mi machine :) It was crazy hot at 5:30 in the morning. The desert is usually nice at this time but not today. It was a dry 84 degrees, but it was still 84 degrees. Still felt the hamstring.
wp 7-2

Fr - 11.0
Compared to recent runs, the weather seemed fantastic and I ran a little faster. I got to lake A in under 21 for the first time in a long time. As I've said, I'm trying to make these medium long runs stronger. I got up to 145 bpm and was feeling great. My heart rate started to climb a little more than expected though, but I kept up the pace and increased it on the way back. It felt harder on the way back and I was wondering if maybe the weather wasn't so great or maybe I wasn't in great shape. The first 41:09 was 141 bpm average and the last 57:26 was 158 bpm average.. The out was about 51 minutes (9:16) and the back was about 47:30 (8:38), but I screwed up deleting the wrong splits and lost the exact numbers. Weather was 71/67 (dew point) the whole time. Overall average was 8:58 @ 151 bpm, which isn't really good at all. A couple of weeks ago I did 20 at 8:51 and 149 bpm average. Ugh. I think I need to improve.

The hamstring thing has spread more over the back of my leg, but is much less intense.
wp7-3

Sa - 8.3 w/ strides
The weather was fantastic. 63 degrees with a dew point of 51! (Warmed just a bit to 66/52 by the time I got back.) Didn't feel the hamstring except at the very beginning. I slightly tweaked the balky left knee stepping off a curb, but it seems OK. Weather is supposed to be good again tomorrow. I'm scheduled for 15, but I'm considering doing 20. Despite the absolutely perfect weather, I was still slow for my heart rate -- 9:19 min/mi, 143 bpm average. I'm really doubting I'll run 3:15 at the moment.
wp 7-3

Su - 20.3
Excited about the dry weather, I tried to repeat my 20-miler from two weeks ago. It didn't go as planned. The run was much harder (average 5 bpm higher!) than two weeks and was only 30 seconds faster. I'm not even sure of the time because I forgot to start my watch again after a bathroom break. I figure I'm +/- 30 secs though. Checking the weather, it still wasn't a spring like day. 72 degrees/ 58 dew point at the beginning and 81/59 at the end. It was dry, but still pretty warm. It's hard to compare to two weeks ago when it was 61 to 71 degrees and I had an off day the day before. I considered abandoning Pfitz and going back to Benji, but I guess I'll stick with it for now.
wp7-3

week
65 miles, 10h1m
(scheduled 59 -- I was right on distance, but decided to do 20 instead of 15 today because the relatively few number of 20-mile runs in Pfitz's schedule made me nervous)
shoes
wp7-2: 312 + 15 = 327
wp7-3: 135 + 50 = 185

week of 20 Aug

Mo - 6.0 am, 3.8 pm
AM Out to lake hodges (2.4), one lollipop (figure out how to do the loop), and back (2.4). I'm guessing 3.8 miles on the lollipop. I tried to gmap, but I get 3.35 which is clearly way off (I wasn't doing over 11 min/mi). PM. I drove to lake hodges and did one lollipop (3.8). Left knee still very balky tody.
wp7-2

Tu - 9.1 am, 4.8 pm
AM out to lake hodges. One lollipop and a 0.5 mile detour. PM. Did out and back to trail head (It was dark and I ran by moonlight. No chance to run on the trail.) Balky knee again, but strangely it seemed like it improved a little for the pm run. wp7-2

We - Rest

Th - 5.86
2 nbhrd laps. Felt the knee just a little at the beginning but then OK. wp7-3

Fr - 13.0
Overslept and ran in the afternoon on the treadmill. Got up to 6.5 mph (9:14) over maybe 30 minutes and then after 7 miles went to 6.9 mph (8:41) then the last three at 7.2 mph (8:20). Overall average was 9:00 min/mi, average 145 bpm. The knee was completely fine (but of course it was flat). I did something to my left achilles (about 5 inches from the ground) though. Started out as a little niggle and then just got worse. I hate treadmills. wp7-3

Sa - 2.93
Crazy hot and humid at 9:30am. Scheduled for 7, but it was so hot, my achilles was bothering me, and I ran last night. Cutting it short was wise. wp7-2

Su - 14.7
Scheduled for 15 w/12 at MP. Used the annapolis 10-miler as a training run. I did a very slow 4 laps on the path around the stadium (4x1.18 = 4.72 per gmap) in 48 something. I didn't drink any water this and I think I started the race a little dehydrated. Heart rates were 162, 169, 171, 172, 172, 172, 172, 173, and 181 (got impatient). Splits ranged from 7:55 to 8:50(!). Time was 1:23:46. 8:23 pace. Holy crap am I slow. Weather was 73 degrees with a dew point of 72. Holy crap was it humid. Is humidity that bad? Lots of self doubt on making my qualifier this fall.
wp7-3

week
60 miles, 9h25m (scheduled 66 -- most was shorting Sat run)
shoes
wp7-2: 285 + 27 = 312
wp7-3: 102 + 33 = 135

week of 13 Aug

Mo - 5.0

SSI. Out and back to corner of demere and frederica on demere side of airport loop. wp7-3

Tu - am 6.0, pm 4.0
AM. Out and back like yesterday but went farther to make it 6.0. 24:30/129 (demere out to frederica), 4:57/136, 5:30/136 (stopped at light), 22:32/142. total 57:28/136. PM same route cut to 4.0. 19:39/133 (demere to stewart), 19:29/145. total 39:08/140. wx was 91/76. Holy crap. I'm glad that's over. wp 7-3

We - 14.0

Ugly, hot, and slow.

Th - 5.0

Easy out and back. I didn't bring water and I think my HR rise might have actually been from dehydration. 23:28/128 out, and 22:22/145 back. total 45:51/137. It seems too fast, but I checked the distance again (roughly) with gmap-pedometer and got 4.96. wp7-3

Fr - 8.5
Counter-clockwise around airport and back. Warmup to Stewart (2.0) miles. Tempo around to beach store (2.24 miles) in 16:28/170 (7:21 pace) and back in 16:39/180 (7:26 pace). It was of course hot and humid. I felt like it was close to, if not, 10-mile race pace. Jog slowly back (2.24 miles). wp7-3

Sa - Rest
Drive back almost 12 hours from beach. Ugh. Wx fantastic in Virginia tonight though. It's supposed to hit the 50s overnight. 20 miles tomorrow.

Su - 20.3
What a day! The weather was overcast with a very light drizzle off and on. The temperature was 66/51 I started according to my local weather station although my car said 61. The wx station said 71/61 when I finished. Car said 72 degrees. 2:59:28/149 (8:51 pace). My last 20-milers before Frederick were 9:07 @ 148 bpm. I'm probably 10+ secs/mile faster accounting for the 1 bpm (yes, I'm anal). I feel I need to be 20-30 secs/mile faster at 148 on these 20-milers and I'll have a very good shot at 3:15 if the weather is as good or better. Today was upper 60s compared to those spring runs in the 30s and 40s, so I think I'm on track. My left knee was puffy again. The week on the concrete seems to have brought back the pain in the medial part of my left knee when running dowhill or taking the first running step (aka the hitch in my gitty-up). wp7-3

week
63 miles, 9h36m

shoes

wp7-1: 379

wp7-2: 285

wp7-3: 39 + 63 = 102

week of 6 Aug

Mo -Rest

Tu - 8.3
Pfitz calls for 10 miles w/5 at tempo. I'm still feeling tired even after my cut back week, so I decided just to do my 8.3 mile route. I also did my fast to slow guy conversion. 5 mile tempo = 25-30 minutes. I did 25 minutes warmup, 26:40 over 3.35 miles (7:45 pace), and 24 minutes cooldown. I was probably more at marathon intensity for the first third to half of the tempo, but I was definitely at tempo at the end despite my slow pace. I'm hoping it's heat and humidity. Dew point was 71. wp7-2.

We - 12.0
Scheduled for 14, but there was no way. I couldn't run in, so I didn't have time and it was crazy humid outside. The dew point was 73, which is the highest this year by a couple of degrees. My pace ended up as something like 10:20 per mile and I was just glad to be done. wp7-2

Th - 5.0

Ran on treadmill. Mostly ran slowly, but got up to 145 for a little at the end to see what the pace was -- ~8:30. wp7-2

Fr - 10.66
In Atlanta. From parents to 1-mile loop (2.33), 6 laps around, and back. It actually felt better than DC. Once I got out of the shade though, the direct sunlight made it pretty tough. wp7-3 (new shoes)

Sa - 7.66

Same route as yesterday, but only 3 laps. Got out earlier and beat the sun. Wx felt like the best I've had in a while. 77/68 at 6am. wp7-3

Su - 20.4
Down at St Simons Island, GA. I've been dreading this run for a week and thought I'd have to break it in two (the forecast said 80/76). It turned out to be 77/73. I did an out and back past frederica until the road ends (you loop around a neighborhood) for 16.1 and then tacked on an airport loop (4.3). I took it very slowly and slogged through 10 minute miles. My heart rate was very low for the first 8 miles (less than 133) and kept the pace there. I picked it up a little around the airport. Overall average was 140. I drank a ton: 70 oz of gatorade. Used 3-3 breathing (higher rate helps when it's hot/humid I think). I tried recoverite. We'll see if that makes any difference. Didn't have any problems.

week

64 (pfitz scheduled 69)
shoes

wp7-1: 379

wp7-2: 260 + 25 = 285

wp7-3: 0 + 39 = 39

week of 30 July

Mo - Rest

Tu - 8.3
round the lake with 9 strides sprinkled in there.

We - 12.0
I did an out an back on the CCT. This time I stayed on it and looked to turn around about 4:15 after my usual 11.1 turnaround. At 4:20, I turned around at the beginning of a bridge. Ran back a little faster than I went out. I love out and backs for some reason.

Th - 4.68
nbrhd 1.5 laps. HRM didn't work (I couldn't connect.)

Fr - 11.1
Usual CCT out and back. 9:17 pace out, 8:46 pace back. 145 bpm average.

Sa - 5.05
1 nbhrd loop, to the track, 20 laps around -- MAF test like 2 weeks ago. *Much* slower today. 8:56 1st mile, 9:08 second versus 8:37 and 8:40 two weeks ago. Weather today was 75/67 versus 68/49 then. The dew point is evil. I should do these on the treadmill from now on, but I hate the treadmill.

Su - 13.8
Scheduled for a 14-miler thankfully. Ugly humidity. I planned to start at about 9 min/mi and cut it down each lap, but ended up at about 9:10 each lap. wp7-2

week
55 miles, 8h57m
shoes
I really didn't keep track of my shoes this week, so I'll just split the difference.
wp7-1: 356 + 23 = 379
wp7-2: 238 + 22 = 260