monday
Tonight’s 8 mile recovery run along the parkway and neighborhood run felt better than expected after yesterday’s 20 miler. I’m expecting the soreness to hit tomorrow, during the scheduled hill repeat workout in the park. It usually takes a couple of days for the bill collector to come knocking…
friday
10 tired miles after work yesterday in the park. Maybe the light lunch affected me, but after a good first few miles, nearly bonked during the last several miles. So it ended up being a sort of a workout.
Today was a real workout, a 5 mile tempo run at 6 minute/mile pace within a 10 mile run in the park. The run was a bear, especially the tempo run, as the right hip was sore throughout. A little setback after a couple of weeks of improvement. It’s recovery tomorrow in more ways than one.
sunday
8 miles in the park on another cool afternoon, a shorter route than usual to let the legs recover a little for tomorrow’s planned intervals workout, trying to get ready for a regional USATF championship 5k coming up next Friday in my neighborhood. Not exactly sure what I’ll do tomorrow except that it’ll involve pain and then relief afterwards.
tuesday
the road to new york
Thankful that the weather cooperated for today’s track workout with the club, raining much of the day and washing away the heat and humidity. By the time 6 o’clock rolled around, the temps had dipped to the 60’s, nice. The turnout was low because of the threat of more rain, on nights like this I feel like I have a personal coach.
The workout was 2 tempo runs, 10 minutes of sustained pace each, staying around 5k pace as long as we could, a lap rest between them. Painful. At moments time seemed to crawl. On the first one, I stayed around 5:20 – 5:25/mile pace; on the second run, 5:25 – 5:30/mile pace. Painful. But felt like I got a lot out this workout.
Ended with 7 x 100 meter strides. Including warm up/cool down, 8 miles total. Feel really good about this one, good prep for July 4th’s 10k.
sunday
3 weeks til Boston, we’re tapering
Ended up running a 5k this morning, with goals of staying sharp and reintroducing the body to the wonderful experience of oxygen debt – not sure about the first goal but certainly accomplished the second. The result: 17:25, 3rd overall, 2nd master, 14 miles total including warm up/cool down. Tired and not fully awake, unsure how much the race ‘sharpened’ me up – it probably did. It did shock the body with some anaerobic pain, and ultimately this part will help in a couple of weeks in Boston.
Wasn’t going for a PR (not in 5k shape for that!) and not going for an even pace (too short for that and had no sense of an appropriate 5k pace at this point), instead wanted to just push the pace hard enough to get into oxygen debt and feel that pain. Hung onto a couple of runners early then led the pack for a couple miles, really pushing the pace even though I knew I was going too fast (I think I went through the mile in about 5:20), then hit ‘rigor mortis’ in the final mile, struggling to hold form.
I did hold form for the most part, and this was the most valuable aspect of today’s run – to hold form and hang in while in pain, like maybe in the final couple miles or during a surge in pace in the middle miles of a marathon.
It was a brief wild dance, but one which should fit into a longer performance.
saturday
Didn’t get to head out til dusk, but the day’s warmth remained, so made it easier to get started on today’s 14 mile run in the park. Had circled the week earlier as a big one, as it was going to be a busy work week along with high mileage. The body is feeling it, aches and pain; the run was tough, but got it done. One more day to go to accomplish the week’s goals and something to have in the pocket for April.
saturday
9 morning miles in the park with my son before he heads back to NYU tomorrow. The springlike weather was so nice and to add some mileage, had to get out again for a 6 miler in the afternoon around the neighborhood. Tons of people out in this mid-winter treat.
The feet ached and the legs tight, but what a wonderful run. Sublime pain, then endorphins the rest of the afternoon. Couldn’t do this marathon training without the pleasure.
goal race: Buffalo Marathon 5/29
sunday
Finished off the Mother’s Day weekend double this morning with a 4 miler in 23:15 and 2nd place after yesterday’s 1:17 half marathon. Not a 4 mile PR, but a good painful one, the muscles were sore and tender from yesterday, and had a hard time loosening up the right foot. But mostly met the goal of today’s run which was to stay as relaxed as possible while in pain, kinda like in a marathon. A small race, the winner was a very capable runner who lead the entire way, finishing in 22:55. Went thru the mile in 5:30, kept up with him until about a mile to go, where I had to drop back. A solid weekend of speed and endurance (10 miles for today, including warm up and cool down; 17 miles yesterday including warm up and cool down).
The marathon is 3 weeks away, the weekly mileage starts winding down this week.
goal race: Buffalo Marathon 5/29
saturday
Got a good number of hours of sleep overnite, but did not feel rested all, heartrate up. Still hadn’t recovered from this past week’s training and work. But it was a beautiful sunny spring morning, and was going to be fun running with my son, he the 10k and I in the half marathon. We separated at the start to go our separate courses.
The legs – in the fact the entire body – felt heavy from the start, and I ended up latching onto a runner from the 2nd mile on. I hung onto Mike, a runner I know, for dear life the next 6 miles just trying to find some rhythm and relax. He got me through the halfway mark, and I managed to pick up the pace a bit, still feeling tired. At this point I got myself up to 2nd place overall and Mike right behind me. And the healing plantar fascia, while not painful, still made itself known after the halfway mark. Managed to hold on the rest of the way, with a runner passing me with a half mile to go. Finished 3rd overall, a masters win, in 1:17:33.
Gutted through this one. While painful, was a great training run for the marathon, the last 6 miles or so definitely simulated the latter miles of a marathon. While not 100%, the right foot held together. So overall a good encouraging day (and won a nice beer growler from a local brewery:) Now going to crash for a few hours, and extend this pain with tomorrow morning’s Mother’s Day 4 miler…
Last but not least, my son, Adam, won his under 20 age group in the 10K! And won a beer glass that, unfortunately, he’ll have a wait a few years to utilize properly.
A great day for the Park boys!
Couldn’t run the 5k this morning. The tightness in the left calf turned to pain during the warm up. Tried to loosen it up but couldn’t run more than a few yards before it hurt. Not going to panic, will just have to see how it feels the next few days. For now, rest. Very disappointing.
running in t shirt 