week of 23 Oct - 10k 50:06

Tapered fort the race.

Mon.  easy 3.3@10:20/133.

Tue.  6x800 EIM.  8.23@10:08/140.  36 degrees. Felt great.  performance +6.  First 0.5 rep was 7:21 pace.  Wish the race were this day.

Wed.  recovery 4.8 @10:36/130

Thu. gcc 7.0 easy with 30' pickups @10:14/135

Fri.  easy 5.5 @ 10:30/133

Sat.  easy 3.3@10:46/133

Sun.  10k race.

Weight was 184.0 race morning.  Guessing being fresh means more glycogen and associated water?

It was quite warm and humid.  66 at the start and very humid. 87% humidity.  At least it was cloudy.

Wanted sub-50 at a minimum.  No 5k sign, but from my 3 mile split at the 3 mile was 23:56 and with 8:05 pace that would be 24:49 at the 5k.  I was redlining and kind of gave up in mile 6 and ended up at 50:06. The steep uphill to the memorial was rough.  Grade adjusted pace was 7:50 but it was 8:40 actual.  17 sec positive split isn't terrible and first two miles are easiest.  Flat and you can get in a groove.  Not a flat race, but reasonably fast.  The hills are gradual except the steep uphill at the end.

Garmin was off, giving 6.28 vice 6.22.  Splits were (missed my 1 marker).  GAP is grade adjusted pace per garmin's optimistic miles.  Gives indication of evenness of splits adjusted for hills.

2. 15:46.  7:53.  GAP 7:47.   AHR 161.  MHR 173.

3. 23:56.  8:10. GAP 7:58.  AHR 170. MHR 174.  Might have been bad on tangents.

          5k.  assuming 8:05 pace.  0.11 * 485 + 23:56 = 24:49.

          4. 32:02.  8:06.  GAP 7:57.  AHR 172. MHR 181.  Was grooving and saw 181 and hit the brakes!

         5. 40:02.  8:00.  GAP 7:59.  Welcome net downhill.  AHR 173.  

         6. 48:12.  8:10.  8:09 GAP.  Gave it up here and knew it.  Very bad.  Was running with someone and could have stuck with them but didn't want the pain.

         6.22  50:06.  8:40/mi!  7:50 GAP!  Up the very steep hill to the memorial.  Didn't have enough in the bank to survive this and get under 50.

Hearts rates.  161/173(2), 170/174, 172/181(!), 173/177, 174/179, 177/179.  Overall avg 169.

Really disappointed in myself in giving up in the last mile and missing sub-50 by 7 seconds.

Total  38.4 miles @9:59/139.  First week under 10:00.  4619 calories.  10k race in 50:06.

BP last 3:  120/71/55.

week of 16 October

Mon. 5.5 recovery @11:03/129

Tue.  6x800 EIM CCT 8.25@10:24/138.  Ran these a bit easier as I think I've been doing faster than prescribed and want to make sure I'm recovering.  Still first was 8:07/mi with 144AHR/154MHR.

Wed. 5.5 easy @10:34/132

Thu.  6x800 EIM CCT 8.25@10:26/139.  again relaxed.  first @7:57/145/158.

Fri. 5.5 easy @10:30/133.

Sat.  2x1600@7:45, 7:34 with 400 jog between.  Then relaxed 400 in 1:59 just to get pace sense.

Ad hoc track run.  8 days from 10k. Wanted to go to track and get an idea of where I am, but nothing crazy.  Also wanted to confirm track resurfacing was done. It was, thankfully.  Kinda thought I'd do 5 min/k by three or four with shorter rest than the EIM, but not that short.  maybe 400 jog.

Also picked a random running book off my shelf and it had a schedule for a 49-minute 10k that had 2x mile @7:45.  Hmm.  Just decided to play it by hear.

Jogged 1.5 mile to track.  1600 in 7:45.  max HR 168.  AHR 160.  jogged 400 in 3:08 walking first :30.  1600 in 7:34/MHR 173/AHR167.  Easily felt I could have done another couple.  (Looked at book when got home.  Was supposed to do 800 jog.)

Wanted to see how 8:00 pace felt. Switched to track mode (duh) and did 1200 jog (10:25 pace), 400 in 1:59, and 400 slow jog (11:20 pace). MHR was 161 on the 400.

Sub-50 seems very doable and maybe should go for more?  Runalyze says 47:43, but it was probably too ambitious for my 5k.  49 seems about right, but will be crowded and probably not much chance to warm up.  Will probably go out at 5min/k and try and pick it up.  Have to leave a little pad for the steep uphill at the end.

Sun.  8.6 easy on CCT-g.  @10:31/133.  picked up 30' each mile.  easy pace getting naturally faster.  Cognizant of using right glute and noticed some welcome pronation on right foot.

Total: 48.7 @10:27/135.  5871 calories

Weight:  182.3 (n=3)

week of 9 Oct

 Plan was roughly to try and do 5.5 on MWF and the 6x800 EIM on Tu Th and then something totally around 20 between Sa and Sun and get to 50 this week.  Pretty much how it played out except I did only 2 on Wed because life.  I also decided to see if I could get away with 10x400 on Sat and then a longish run on Sunday. I did. I can't get over how easy it is (even at my advanced age) to recover from the easy intervals.

Put together a new functional trainer on Saturday so maybe some strength training in my future?

Mon.  recovery 5.5 @10:56/129

Tue. usual 8.25 EIM 6x800 with hills last 3.  8.2@10:23/128.

Wed.  recovery 2.1@11:17/125.

Thu.  same 8.25 EIM 6x800.  8.2@10:28/138.

Fr.   easy 5.5 @10:31/134.

Sat.  10x400 EIM.  7.4@10:19/142.  Last was weird as I hit a stop light and looped through a parking lot to get to 0.25  Some steep hills.  7:29, 7:26, 7:33, 7:30, 7:22, 7:33, 9:28 (GAP 7:37), 8:05 (GAP 7:40), 8:32 (GAP 7:52), 7:50 (couldn't quite squeeze in).  Might change to do this on the 8.25 or maybe on the track if it's back open.  Steep uphill was highest HR -- 160 AHR/174 max.

Sun.  13.3 long easy w 30' surges each mile 10:56/134.  2h25m.  felt the left knee the tiniest bit (not even a niggle) and stopped to stretch a couple of times in the last few miles.  Wondering whether this was worth it at this pace, but it was after a new session and didn't want to risk faster.  But I think this was right.  Duration definitely adds another stress.

Total:  50.3 - first week over 50 over 50 :-).  8h55m.  10:39/135 average.  6163 calories.

last 3 BP:  122/69/55.  Really poor sleep this week.

Weight. 182.6 (n=5).

Running a 10k in 2 weeks.

weeks of 25 Sept and 2 Oct

Week of 25 Sept

• nhrd 3.  3.3@10:56/.  early work thing.
• treadmill 1.  very little sleep
• CCT-g 8.6.  6x800 EIM.  8.63@10:45/141
• svbgc 5.5.  5.56@10:39/132
• CCT-g 8.6.  6x800 EIM 8.63@10:35/141
• svbgc 5.5.  5.52@10:41/134.
• burke lake 3 lapper.  13.74@10:30/142.  Stopped each lap for gatorade in car.

total 46.33 miles.  8h16m.  5738 calories

weight:  183.8 (n=6)

EIM intervals seeming having a magical effect.  Switched from out and back route where all 6 flat to a loop where first 3 flat.  4th steep uphill.  5th rolling hills, and 6th uphill, but not as steep as fourth.  Getting much stronger.  Feel good the next day and doing every other day almost -- but not quite -- sustainable.

Did longest long run.  Abs very sore and kept me up.  It's upper abs.  I don't think I was using them before and maybe not every.  Shoulder improving and trying to keep from artificially raising it while running. Effects right hip and leg lift.  Lifting right knee straight up pulls left shoulder don't and make pains and tightness clear.  Been working on balancing on one foot which has strangely helped stretch shoulder.

Week of 2 October

• Rest.  Sore and raining.
• gc 5.  4.8@10:44/132.
• hv-CCT-g 8.25. EIM 6x800.  8.24@10:28/139.  Modified route to do first on road because it's too dark.  Did this without a headlamp and required a lot of concentration with strong moonlight shadows on trail.  First one was 7:48/46 AHR/158 MHR.  Caught me off guard how "fast" it was.
• gcc 7.  6.98@10:26/133.
• hv-CCT-g 8.25. EIM 6x800.  8.23@10:15/140.
• CCT 7.7.  7.78@10:28/137.
• burke lake 2 lapper.  Felt like going a little faster and kind locked into 151 bpm on second lap, which climbed a bit.  9.13@9:53/145.  First run under 10:00/mile.

Total.  45.15.  7h46m.  5566 calories.

weight:  183.3 (n=5)

Really feel like I've turned a corner.  Focus of faster long runs is strength/muscular endurance.  Thinking of treating sat/sun as a block for steady longer runs.  Then EIM on Tue/Th.  Wasn't really ready for EIM on Tue after faster 3 lapper on Sun.  Maybe do longer run on Sat.  Thinking of alternating and even split like 9/9 and unbalanced 14/5.  Eventually do something like Hanson's wekeends.

In that model, EIM replaces the strength and tempo.  A lot less continuous instensity.  Eventually probably do miles instead of half miles on thursday subsituting Hanson's MP runs.   (Like the 2k intervals in EIM but cut down to 1600.)

Trends

Really dramatic improvement lately it seems.  Mileage has been level but more "quality" with EIM and more steady pace long runs.    I've been doing more static stretching and balance exercises, which I think has helped to a surprising degree.  Weight loss has leveled off.  Probably going to need to change something up. Better diet (hard) or more mileage.  Maybe strength training could help?