King or Queen?
Monday, 03-14-2011
9 miles around Patterson Park in 1:00:14
* 7:02, 6:42, 6:35, 6:53, 6:27, 6:32, 6:24, 6:30, 6:09 (avg. 6:35/mile)... damn, I've turned a page in fitness. I was working quite effortlessly out there and could not believe my time or my splits. Finally, I am back to my old fitness level, pre-Blues Cruise, however, that stupid blister bothered me the whole run. Will pop it tonight and start the healing process.
Tuesday, 03-15-2011
7.5 miles total with 20' easy + 1'-2'-3'-1'-2'-3' uphill/jog down rest in 54:26
* Was feeling pretty good today... results were 5:14-5:18-5:11, 4:48-5:02-5:05/mile pace. My mantra continues to be "I am not training for a 10K". Today was hilarious, as everything tried to get in the way of my workout, including work construction, cars, and then a funeral procession! I am not kidding.. unbelievable. Great sign that I get faster as I warm-up and build into the workout. Need to note this for racing/workouts.
Wednesday, 03-16-2011
8 miles out to Patterson Park in 50:01
* Avg. 6:24/mile... once again, quite surprising pacing today. Legs are turning over sharply and quickly, which is great. Had some depletion issues thanks to yesterday having to avoid everything in the world in order to get my fartlek in, but it caused a lot of stress on my legs (interior). Anyway, held up well and hopefully am good to go tomorrow.
Thursday, 03-17-2011
8 miles around Ft. McHenry with 2 x 20-minute (rec. 3 min) efforts in 55:16
* Splits, 3.36mi (5:57/mi) / 3.41mi (5:51/mi)...Good, solid workout, which I managed to keep controlled. The loop was Ft. McHenry, relatively flat and fast, however, today I was blessed with a tailwind on the way out but a fierce headwind on the way back. I saw sub-5:40's on the way out and 5:50's on the way back and actually covered more ground on the second 20-min effort, which was surprising. Only minor issues, but should be set up well for tomorrow and this weekend. Amazed I got this in with my work schedule.
Friday, 03-18-2011
6 miles around Ft. McHenry in 41:13
* Avg. 6:53/mile... got some good nerves going. Seriously, nothing hits me until two days before a race and then today I was off-kilter until my run. Didn't feel great on my run. Tight right quad was an issue, as was my left foot, but managed through the run well. Tomorrow is going to be interesting. Seems like weather will cooperate.
Saturday, 03-19-2011
17.5 miles during The HAT Run 50K in 2:06:09
* 6:28, 6:47, 8:57, 2:34, 8:31, 8:57, 6:40, 6:56, 8:27, 7:52, 6:42, 6:55, 8:28, 8:33, 7:41, 8:58, 6:35...obviously, Garmin was messed up. Well, gotta learn my lessons the hard way. I am paying a coach and yet I don't listen to his advice. I was not recovered from the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail Marathon, even though I completely thought I was. Training was going well and I only had minor issues in the two weeks leading up to the HAT Run, which I forced an entry. Next time, I need to not be so greedy. Coach is right, in training we can feel like Superman, and then it can all come crashing down one run to the next. I started out comfortably and felt quite good, actually. I was rolling along nicely, taking it real easy, basically training-run pace for 3+ hours. The first sign of difficulty came when I got off the trails and started about a 2-3 mile segment of road and my right hip flexor was just fired up (complete bummer). However, I was keeping a good pace, so I kept at it, stretching it, all solo, but I soon knew my hip flexor would not let me finish the race and it would jeopardize my health for Bull Run. So, I quickly figured I would do one loop and call it a day (17.3 miles). With about 2 miles to finish the loop, I noticed a runner approaching from behind (Michael Dixon, 2:27 Marathoner) but kept him at bay until we hit another downhill road section where he passed. The hilly section leading to the finish line did me in, as I was feeling the fatigue at 17 miles that I usually feel at 27 miles. I was just depleted from not enough recovery between races. My body at 2 hours was just calling it a day, and that was fine with me. Whereas two weeks ago I was able to accelerate off this pace, today I was empty. Oh well, lesson learned. I figure I need about 1-month between ultra events and I can't continue to underestimate my efforts in these races. That 3:12 from two weeks ago, although I thought it was comfortable, was still 3+ hours of running. So, to answer my title: Joker.
Sunday, 03-20-2011
Rest
Total
56 Miles
9 miles around Patterson Park in 1:00:14
* 7:02, 6:42, 6:35, 6:53, 6:27, 6:32, 6:24, 6:30, 6:09 (avg. 6:35/mile)... damn, I've turned a page in fitness. I was working quite effortlessly out there and could not believe my time or my splits. Finally, I am back to my old fitness level, pre-Blues Cruise, however, that stupid blister bothered me the whole run. Will pop it tonight and start the healing process.
Tuesday, 03-15-2011
7.5 miles total with 20' easy + 1'-2'-3'-1'-2'-3' uphill/jog down rest in 54:26
* Was feeling pretty good today... results were 5:14-5:18-5:11, 4:48-5:02-5:05/mile pace. My mantra continues to be "I am not training for a 10K". Today was hilarious, as everything tried to get in the way of my workout, including work construction, cars, and then a funeral procession! I am not kidding.. unbelievable. Great sign that I get faster as I warm-up and build into the workout. Need to note this for racing/workouts.
Wednesday, 03-16-2011
8 miles out to Patterson Park in 50:01
* Avg. 6:24/mile... once again, quite surprising pacing today. Legs are turning over sharply and quickly, which is great. Had some depletion issues thanks to yesterday having to avoid everything in the world in order to get my fartlek in, but it caused a lot of stress on my legs (interior). Anyway, held up well and hopefully am good to go tomorrow.
Thursday, 03-17-2011
8 miles around Ft. McHenry with 2 x 20-minute (rec. 3 min) efforts in 55:16
* Splits, 3.36mi (5:57/mi) / 3.41mi (5:51/mi)...Good, solid workout, which I managed to keep controlled. The loop was Ft. McHenry, relatively flat and fast, however, today I was blessed with a tailwind on the way out but a fierce headwind on the way back. I saw sub-5:40's on the way out and 5:50's on the way back and actually covered more ground on the second 20-min effort, which was surprising. Only minor issues, but should be set up well for tomorrow and this weekend. Amazed I got this in with my work schedule.
Friday, 03-18-2011
6 miles around Ft. McHenry in 41:13
* Avg. 6:53/mile... got some good nerves going. Seriously, nothing hits me until two days before a race and then today I was off-kilter until my run. Didn't feel great on my run. Tight right quad was an issue, as was my left foot, but managed through the run well. Tomorrow is going to be interesting. Seems like weather will cooperate.
Saturday, 03-19-2011
17.5 miles during The HAT Run 50K in 2:06:09
* 6:28, 6:47, 8:57, 2:34, 8:31, 8:57, 6:40, 6:56, 8:27, 7:52, 6:42, 6:55, 8:28, 8:33, 7:41, 8:58, 6:35...obviously, Garmin was messed up. Well, gotta learn my lessons the hard way. I am paying a coach and yet I don't listen to his advice. I was not recovered from the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail Marathon, even though I completely thought I was. Training was going well and I only had minor issues in the two weeks leading up to the HAT Run, which I forced an entry. Next time, I need to not be so greedy. Coach is right, in training we can feel like Superman, and then it can all come crashing down one run to the next. I started out comfortably and felt quite good, actually. I was rolling along nicely, taking it real easy, basically training-run pace for 3+ hours. The first sign of difficulty came when I got off the trails and started about a 2-3 mile segment of road and my right hip flexor was just fired up (complete bummer). However, I was keeping a good pace, so I kept at it, stretching it, all solo, but I soon knew my hip flexor would not let me finish the race and it would jeopardize my health for Bull Run. So, I quickly figured I would do one loop and call it a day (17.3 miles). With about 2 miles to finish the loop, I noticed a runner approaching from behind (Michael Dixon, 2:27 Marathoner) but kept him at bay until we hit another downhill road section where he passed. The hilly section leading to the finish line did me in, as I was feeling the fatigue at 17 miles that I usually feel at 27 miles. I was just depleted from not enough recovery between races. My body at 2 hours was just calling it a day, and that was fine with me. Whereas two weeks ago I was able to accelerate off this pace, today I was empty. Oh well, lesson learned. I figure I need about 1-month between ultra events and I can't continue to underestimate my efforts in these races. That 3:12 from two weeks ago, although I thought it was comfortable, was still 3+ hours of running. So, to answer my title: Joker.
Sunday, 03-20-2011
Rest
Total
56 Miles
