"There are no compromises." -Once a runner

Traveling back to school.  Soon to be back on a good schedule.

AM: 4.25 black ice everywhere, a little dangerous

PM: 6.5 back to it. 

AM: 4.25 sidewalks a bit better now, but still enough slickness to slow me way down.  But slow is fine for now.

PM: 6.5 

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5 

AM: 4.25

PM: first threshold workout of the season.  Did 2 miles warmup and then did 2x1.65 miles on blackstone blvd at 6-6:05 pace (10:02 and 10:07).  Didn't push it much.  Just wanted to get it in.  Was alone so just getting out there for a workout was decent.  Times were fine for first workout.  It was pretty windy and the course isn't very fast though not slow by any standard other than a compared to a track. 

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5 

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5 feeling very good.  Might try a speed workout soon.   

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5

AM:4.25

PM: 6.5

You guessed it.

AM: 4.25 Its getting extremely cold.

 PM: 6.5

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.75 inc 3x2k @ 5:55 pace on the indoor track.  It was seriously like 85 degrees in there.  Why?  I wonder if anybody would care if I went shirtless in there...

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5

AM: 10.2 before breakfast is not always a good idea.  It was fine today but I am always worried that I am gonna just feel like crap after a couple of miles because I have no calories in me.  Temperature at start was 3 degrees.  But I wore this technical 'bandana' thing that I won at a trail over my head, ears, and chin and my normal hat on top of that which made me nearly hot.  But when I got back it took me a min or 2 just to get my keys out and open the door my hands were so cold.

PM: 1.5 inc 8 stridors and 4x200 in 29.96, 30.18, 29.61, 32.31 The last one I wasn't trying for that fast, I was really trying to relax and just see what the time was but I probably wasn't all that relaxed.  These sessions (which will only ever be up to 8 200s at a time) are to improve my all out speed.  They are done with pretty much full recovery (I took 3-4 min walking in between all of these except just 2 min before the last one because the gym was closing in subsequent workouts I might take even 5-6min walking rest). 

AM: 5.15 mi in the 6+inches of fresh snow.  Took 51 minutes and my legs didnt feel great because of the speed session.

 PM: 6.5 mi better conditions but not great 1hr.  I took it real easy and finally started to feel good in the last mile.  Tomorrow is my first VO2max workout of the season.  Its not gonna be very fun even with expectations low.  Its a bit of a mix of vo2max and speed -- 4x800 @ 2:40-45, 4x400@75-78, 4x200@34-35 all with 200m recovery.  I think I will aim for the higher end to make sure I don't crash and burn.

AM: 4.25

PM: 7.3 The gym was closed due to MLK day so I just did the workout by time.  4x2:45, 4x1:15, 4x35s with a min to a min:15 recovery jog from each.  Felt bad to my stomach after the 3rd 800 but got the rest in.  Felt like I was really moving for all of them.  Probably wasn't going very fast but it felt good.  For the 800's I just went at the highest speed I could maintain a 2 stride in/ 2stride out breathing pattern.  Probably was good to do my first vo2max without knowing the real distances and times.  This way I dont get discouraged but I still get it in.  And Im not looking forward to vo2max on the indoor track anyway.  I hope all this snow melts soon so I can use the outdoor track.

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5 Everything is going according to plan. Feeling pretty good when I actually run with any calories in me. Otherwise I can still get the miles in just fine.  I doubt I could do singles at this mileage while on a diet but running a max of 6.5-7 miles at a time isn't too bad on an empty stomach.

AM: Surprise! 4.25 miles

PM: 6.5 Saw several obvious posers out on blackstone today.  One passed us and then immediately turned off and started going much slower.  It is to be expected though.  Yesterday was the first day of classes for the undergrads.  The posers will all be sleeping in or huddled by their radiators by next week so whatever.

AM: 4.25

PM: 7.25 including 3x2k in 7:09 (5:43 pace), 7:18, 7:19 (5:50 pace) with 200m recovery then 4x200 in 37, 33, 35, 35 (was shooting for 35's to get some controlled speed on fairly tired legs).  Thought about doing 4 2ks but I went a bit too fast (although it felt controlled I was feeling worse throughout the last rep so I deemed it not benefitial).  I'll be trying for 4 next week.  It is part of the progression.  Later in the spring I will be doing the 5 mile continuous tempo runs.

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5  Pretty fast because henry was there and is still fit but hasn't been doing lots of miles recently so he is tapered.  Probably a little faster tan 7:30 pace.  It was not uncomfortable at all but I don't see a reason to push it at all the day after a good workout.  Gonna do 9-12 tomorrow morning so I'll probably either go out for another few in the afternoon or do a sprint workout just to hit the big 80.  I might not hit it again for a while considering the workouts will be ramping up more and more.

AM: 10.25 fairly easy.  Felt a bit fatigued from my workout on thursday.  Legs were just a little weak.  Aerobic system felt fine.  Might or might not go out for run later to hit the big eight zero.  Its silly but I will probably get antsy from all the coffee i drink in the afternoon anyway which a run always seems to cure.

AM: 10.25 Diana showed up to the run and wanted to do 10.  And I can never say no to an attractive female runner.

 PM: 5 Studying got too boring.  On the upside, I'll definitely hit 80 this week.

AM: 4.25

PM: 7 including 4x800m, 4x400m, 4x200m all with 1min recovery in 2:38, 2:38, 2:40, 2:39, 74, 79, 77, 77, 32, 33, 32, 33.  The 1min recovery was pretty hellish.  The 400's were the hardest part as you can tell from the times.  I just couldn't much speed up from the 800 speed and still recover.  Then when I got to the 200's it was difficult but doable to muscle through them.  Probably went too fast on the 800's for just 1min recovery.  And I opened the first 400 of the first 800 in 75 lol (had to slow way down on purpose to hit a reasonable time for my fitness).  Anyway, got it in which is what is important.

 My diet is going well.  I am 158 (down from 164 at the beginning of Jan) hydrated now and was 156.5 after the workout (which is an all time low for me... since I was full grown at least).  I hope to keep losing 1-2lb per week until I am down to 145.

AM: 4.25

PM: 8.5

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5

AM: 4.25

PM: 7 including 5x1k in 3:18, 3:20, 3:19, 3:22, 3:21 with 2min recovery jogs then 4x200 all in 32 low with 200m recovery jog.  Solid vO2max workout with some speed at the end.  First one felt super easy then it got harder.  That is probably because I usually take 3-4min recovery with this workout by doing 400m jog really slowly.

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5

AM: 10.25

 Finally hit 80mpw again! Probably won't do it often this season.  The workouts are pretty draining and I feel like 70-75 is working well for me now.

AM: 5.15

PM: 7.5

weight PR! 156.  Lowest I have hit since growing up was the 157 during a GI bug last semester when I was pretty horribly dehydrated.  My diet is going well.  Basically I am counting calories roughly, cut out coke, snacks, and am eating a lot of fruits and vegetables.  I still get full at meals but I do sometimes get hungry between meals.  I have been doing a 200cal carb snack on workout days if I am feeling hungry 1-2hrs before the workout.  Otherwise just the 3 meals a day.  Hoping to keep this going down to 145 by the end of next month.

AM: 4.25

PM: 7 including 4x800 in 2:46, 2:44, 2:43, 2:43, 4x400 in 72, 72, 73, 69! 4x200 in 32, 32, 33, 33 with 1min recovery between reps and 2min recovery between sets.  This time I slowed down the 800's so that I could get some quality 400's in.  And the strategy did not dissapoint.  If I can do that back to back in a race (which I suspect I can) I can pull a 4:46.  Then maybe by late spring I can pull that down further.  The 400's were relaxed except perhaps the second 200 of the 69.  After that I just got the 200's in... nothing special.  Was a bit sick to my stomach at that point. 

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5  This winter is really getting to me.  It snowed another 4 inches today.  AAHH.  Why wont it stop already?  All I am asking for is clear roads to run and drive on.  It can be cold.  I can deal with that pretty easily with layers.  But the slipping every step making me go sooo slow I just can't stand anymore.  We just need 3 days in a row in which it doesn't freeze overnight (fat chance until march, we havent had a single night that didn't freeze since early december).  Bah! /end rant

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5

Feeling a little bloated despite sticking strictly to the diet.  So I cut another 300cal from dinner cause I was already very full.  I think the vegetable mooshoo I made yesterday really fills me up for how many calories it has!  It might be my new go-to dish.  I have been doing a spagetti with tons of vegies in the sauce.  But the mooshoo is just vegies and some oil with some hoisen sauce (which honestly is sugar, msg, and fat, but I dont use that much).  Im really looking forward to 154.  I will be racing the mile on the 14th and 22nd of this month.  I will have to make sure I get enough carbs the night before each which might put me back a little bit in the diet, but I should be racing at something like 152 and 150lbs if all goes well.  Next week I am gonna do the gold standard 10x400 w/1min recovery to see what I can expect on race day.  I am thinking right now that 4:46 will be in the cards, but 4:45 or below will be a real stretch.  When I am feeling good 72's can be relaxed now, but 71's are pushing it.  Definitely by mid-late spring I will break 4:45.

AM: 4.25

PM: 9.15 including 4x2km with 200m recovery in 7:28 (5:59 pace), 7:18 (5:50 pace), 7:22 (5:53 pace), 7:18 (5:50 pace) then 4x200m in 33, 33, 32, 31 with 1min recovery.  On the 2ks I was willing to just go 6 pace because it was more volume than I am used to in a workout and we had two guys who were just starting workouts for the season.  But on the second one jamie lead and put the pedal down.  Then I led the first few laps of the third one and then jordan took over and sped up.  And on the last one I led the first half mile right at 6 pace then jamie took over and must have really sped up as we averaged 5:50 pace including the first half mile at 6 pace.  During the 200s my left quad was weak as anything and I didn't have much but I managed alright.  I think I might have really gained some speed.  I want to do another 200 workout on fresh legs to see if I have.

AM: 4.25 3 degrees.  Gah!

PM: 6.5 Lately I am feeling pretty washed out for my runs.  Luckily this will be my last week at 80 for a while.  Next two weeks I will be racing then I will take a cutback week to maybe 50.  By then hopefully it will be significantly better weather and I can rekindle the running fire and get ready for some 5k's and 5milers in the spring.

AM: 4.25 17F colder than I was expecting.  So instead of doing the 10 today we postponed it to tomorrow to get more 'warm' weather in.

PM: 6.5 38F nice weather but 2 guys came out who simply could not complete the run.  We went about 9min pace for about a mile or two when one turned back a short way to get back and the other one wanted to continue but then at mile 4 he needed to stop and walk for a bit.  Ugh.  So we walked a little bit, then ran some more, then he needed to walk again so we kept on running then turned back after a few min to make sure he knew the way back to campus.  We ended up walking some and then jogging it in.  Took an extra 25 min on the normal 50min run.  I did run the full distance or more though because of the back tracking.  I put 6.5 miles on the email.  I guess I didn't put a pace there but I just assume that people realize that you can walk 10+min miles on roads so by saying running I mean slightly faster.  I go slow on my distance runs, but I do actually run them.

AM: 11 miles wondering around west providence.  Ugly place.  But it was 45 degrees so it was pretty great.

prerun: 154lbs!

postrun: 151lbs eek not counting this one, fairly dehydrated.

 PM: 4.25 did this out of habit/boredom/the extra 400ish calories that could easily be burned.  Felt very good.

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.25 including 9x400 with 1min recovery in 69, 72, 72, 72, 73, 74, 72, 71, 72... So I lead out the first one and feel pretty good, but henry wanted to lead the next few so I let him and I ran fairly on the outside of the lane to stay close.  After he hit 74 I started leading again because I knew I could go faster.  Had to go around some people a few times but it wasn't too bad.  I had planned on 10x400 but henry dropped after number 8 (which he lead and I needed to pass him).  I knew that I would run a 71 or maybe 70 at that point.  But since it is an indicator workout, there wasn't much point in doing it once I knew I could.  And with nobody to run with I just said screw it.  Excuses excuses I know.  But I know what I could run, and that is the point of the workout.  I don't think the last one has much if any physiological benefit and it might be detrimental to go that hard.  Averaged 71.8 (but probably more like 72.2 considering I don't remember the tenths place for any of them).  Should be good for a 4:48 or slightly better.  The new goal is just to break 4:50 this race and then see if I can break that time next week.

AM: 4.25 Turns out the deadline for registration for the BU meet was last night.  Woops.  Emailed race director.  Looks like he still might let me in.  He emailed me back asking what event I wanted to run.

PM: 6.5

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5 Was planning on skipping this run for the taper but the race director hasn't emailed me back again yet.  So I don't know if I will be racing on Saturday or not.  If I don't hear from him by the workout tomorrow, I am gonna go ahead and assume I won't be racing on Saturday and do the workout.  I am not really peaked yet anyway.  And one more week of weight loss can only help.

AM: 4.25

PM: 7.1 including 5x1k with 200m recovery (varied from 1min to 1:45).  Because of the short recovery and a slightly different philosophy I have about workouts this year, they were a bit slow on purpose.  3:27 (henry's fault), 3:23, 3:25, 3:23, 3:23.  Last year I bust my butt to hit every one at 3:20 and take 3+min recoveries.  This year I am more focused on it being controlled fast and reducing the recovery time.  Also I think I am still feeling monday's workout in my legs.  It looks like Im not gonna race this weekend so that is fine.  I'll be ready next sunday.

AM: 4.25 Blackstone is thawed enough to run on the dirt path again! Woohoo!

PM: 6.5

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5

AM: 7.9 - Yep that's right... the Haynes' Classic Training Run.  Trails were more than a bit icy though so I think I'll let this one be it for a few weeks yet.  Tonight I might try out my old 8 mile loop that I used almost every non-long, non-workout day for my first marathon.  No matter how bad I did on that (3:17:23 walk-running the last 3 miles) the loop is still dear to me. 

PM: 8.15 - Did the old marathon training course.  It was pretty nice at sunset giving me nice views over the river and over downtown providence at different parts.  Not too bad.

AM: 4.25

PM: 7.75 including 3x2x400,200 with 200m between reps and 600m between sets.  The 200s were meant to be only a tiny bit faster than the 400s so we went 72, 36, 73, 34, 72, 34, 70, 33, 71, 33, 70, 33.  Recovery was long compared to what I am used to but we kept the 200s to under 90 seconds and the 600s to under 4 min which is almost full recovery except when you are running during it.  Nice controlled speed workout.  Only pushed the last 400 a bit because with 100 to go I thought we would hit 69 but we missed it by .18 darn. 

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5

AM: 4.25

PM: 4.5 including striders

AM: 4.25

PM: 5.15

AM: 4.25

PM: rest-taper

Instead of going to boston and paying 20 dollars race entry 30 dollars usatf membership and cost of travel I decided to have jamie pace me here.  The main reason was really the time though--I have an exam on tuesday and I didnt want this to take all day.  And although I didnt hit my time, I doubt that being in boston would have been any different.  I also don't think that I am overestimating my fitness.  I think that I just had a really bad day.  I didn't feel good even from the start.  My splits were 70 (including the first 9 meters), 73, 73, 79 -- I was completely rigging from 300m to the finish.  I almost shuffled the final 100m because I simply could not pick up my feet like I should.  I was willing myself to go faster but that is all I had.  There was a fair wind on the back straightaway which might have cost me some time but I doubt much.  And I also think that competition would not have helped me a great deal because I know I went as hard as I could.  Pacing was alright had I been able to go sub 4:50 which was my goal but the pacing was pretty bad for the time that I did run.  I am gonna use this as a stepping stone and try again in 2 weeks with jamie and henry.  After the race it took me a good 10 minutes to not feel like I might fall over and start remembering stuff.  Then we warmed down 2ish miles and for the first half mile I felt like 9min pace was tempo - I was breathing really hard and felt light headed.  But it got much much better after that.

 Well, as of 2pm my arms feel like I lifted weights today (probably just from the flood of lactic acid during the race) and I feel like taking a nap.  And my lungs feel like death, but my legs actually feel pretty good.

 PM: 6.5 Why do I keep doing this if I don't improve at all?  To punish myself?  Or because I really enjoy it?  I think I do enjoy the lifestyle on the whole.  But getting out there for a second run in the freezing rain was not very pleasent today.  Felt pretty good though.  Any soreness will come tomorrow though.

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5

AM: 4.25

PM: didn't run, was worn out from appartment hunting, staying up most of last night, and the test.  I did ride my bike all around prov looking at appartments.  Mainly when I got back it was late and I was super cold and hungry.  Oh well, this week is gonna be a cutback week anyway.

AM: 4.25 slow and hurting

PM: 6.5 fast and feeling good.  It seems that the worse the morning run is the better the afternoon run is.  It is an interesting dicotomy.

AM: 4.25

PM: Breakthrough workout! 8 including 5 miles on the track in 29:24!!  The plan was to start around 6:15 and bring it down slowly to slightly sub 6 pace.  And it started out reasonably.  And as I sped up it just continued to be relaxed until about the last mile when I finally started feeling it.  But it was never uncontrolled.  Splits were 6:06, 6:02, 5:50 (5k split of 18:40), 5:46, 5:40.  I kicked the last 400 a bit (something near 80) but besides that it was just steady as she goes and relaxed.

AM: 4.25

PM: yay, didnt think id get this run in because of flying home for the weekend but my class got out 1hr early so I had time: 6.5

AM: Bainbridge loop (which incidentally is an out and back course but called loop because it runs partially on a road called bainbridge loop--dont ask me why the road is called loop because it is not a loop either) 10.15 miles.

AM: 8.1 around the farm... bad wind on the return

7 including some trails in the wheeler state park I think it is called.  And I did 2hrs of straight DDRing which was pretty intense.

5 miles no time because of traveling.  Of course this is a lie.  I thought I didn't have enough time but really did have enough time to go much further.

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5 back on track

AM: 4.25

PM: 5.5 - taper? The week's mileage is shot already but I am racing on saturday.

AM: 4.25

PM: 6 - yes, dropping .5 miles today will make me run faster tomorrow.  But really running these days is a chore and mostly just to burn calories.  I need to get back the fire but i don't know how.  I am racing tomorrow but how can I do well without really wanting it?  Probably wanting it doesnt help me very much at the race particularly.  Racing is about taking the pain.  No amount of desire will change my pain tollerance or allow me to break through the pain or something.  I am thinking about running the 5k instead of the mile because I am afraid of the mile right now.  I will leave the decision for the last minute.

Splits: 73, 75 (thought I sped up but guess not), 73, 71 (including the extra 9 meters).  Except for the 2nd lap I think it was paced pretty well.  I think my problem in the 2nd lap was that I was behind this guy who slowed way down and I waited too long to pass him.  Overall I am pretty happy.  Tied my PR.  Ran it smart.  Ran all out.  Can't ask for much more than that.  Felt good enough to pace a friend in a 20min 5k after a while.  Unfortunately she hurt her hip and had to drop a little after 2 miles.  The 6:24 pace from lane 2 felt easy despite having done the mile only 20min before.  I am feeling good about this half marathon next week.  My only real goal will be sub 1:23 but I will go out at 6:15 pace and see how I feel.  With the half marathon I feel like as long as I keep it comfortable and smooth I should be able to hold that till 10 and maybe speed up a tad towards the end.

15 mile trail run on the pachaug trail in arcadia.  It was pretty wet and a bit snowy in places but I managed.  aprox 2:45 min.  (11 min pace lol I forgot how slow trail running is).  I turned around when my gps said 7.5 miles but I accidentally turned it off for a while so I don't know exact time. I didn't take food or water on this run but that is about as long as I would want to be out there without it even in cool temps. 

AM: 4.25

PM: 10.5 including 4x5x400m w/ 100m reovery between reps and 400m between sets.

Times:

81, 81, 84, 83, 84

80, 82, 82, 83, 79

77, 80, 80, 79, 79

77, 76, 76, 76, 71!

Good workout.  Worked into it slowly and at the end really only thought I had a 75 left in me but ran 71 with a lot of traffic on the track (like 5 groups of guys jogging who refused to stay out of lane 1--it was on the indoor track and this was a problem almost the whole time.  Averaged 79.5 not shabby considering the 83s and 84s in there.  Thats 5 miles of 5:18 pace just broken up a lot lol.

AM: 4.25 - hurting.  aerobically fine but my hams are shot and the rest of my legs dont want to compensate.

 PM: 6.5 still hurting.  This was the first time this season that I was able to really feel a workout or race though so it is probably good.  I want to peak before my boards on april 25th because I will basically be forced to not run consistently for 2 months after that (Ob/Gyn rotation is first for me and it involves 12 hour days, some night and weekend call, and a difficult exam at the end for which I will have to use my 'leisure time' to study.

 today and tomorrow are all about recovering from the 3 hard days before.  Thursday I hope I am feeling good enough for a tempo and saturday I will do only 5 easy in preparation for the half marathon on sunday.

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5 Still feeling my hamstrings are weak especially my left one.  Hopefully I will be feeling good enough tomorrow for a workout.

AM: 4.25 Feeling much better.  Still a little weak in the left ham.  Will do the tempo today.  Enjoying writing sentences with implied noun or even noun and verb.

 PM: 8m including 8k in 29:46 on the track in a hell of a wind.  It was harder this week than 2 weeks ago but I think it was all due to the wind.  Still, not shabby at all being sub 6 pace.  Splits were 6:11, 6:05, 5:56, 5:47, 5:46.  I doubt that I will be sub 6 pace for threshold on the road when the 5 milers start down in warren, RI.  The road is not the track but we will see.  I will not race the clock unless it is very close.  I do like the sound of 29:XX 5 mile tempos.  Of course I could also make the pace more even which might make it easier. 

AM: 4.25 Felt pretty good.  A little aerobically tired but nothing abnormal for a week with this many miles.

PM: 6.5 Lentils caught up to me at the wrong time and made this run rather unpleasant lol.  But once I got rid of 'em I felt good again.  I can hit 80 with only 1 run tomorrow as a slight taper for the half marathon lol.

I have decided, against my better judgement, to shoot for sub 1:20 on sunday.  And even more so against my better judgement, to make this goal public lol.  That is 6:06 pace for the half marathon.  It is folly, and I know it.  But who cares about 1:21 or 1:22?  If I blow up and run a 1:26 who cares?  But a 1:19:59 would be glorious.  My plan is to go out just a bit easy--6:10-16 pace and then pick it up to about 6:04 pace (the mid miles of this course are slightly downhill usually with a slight tailwind) and try to hold that through 10.  Miles 10-12 of this course are slightly tough usually into the wind and a slight hill.  I will try to maintain or just not lose too much and then go for broke in the last mile.  The key will be relaxing.

 The reasons that I think I might have a chance at sub 1:20 are as follows:

1. 5:55 paced 5 miler in training was easy, very negative split, would have been more like 5:50 pace even split

2. 5:59 paced 5 miler in extreme wind.  Wasn't easy but I wasn't tapered and it was very negatively split as well.  It would have been more like 5:55 pace had I ran it evenly.

3.  Based on these times in training, I feel like doubling the distance at these paces in a race situation would be reasonable--not a certainty, but not crazy either.

4.  A 60:00 10 miler is of equal or greater performance to sub 1:20 half--meaning that anyone capable of a sub 60 10 miler should be capable of a sub 1:20 half. 

Here are the reasons that I am being stupid

1.  The road is NOT the track.

2.  3min 44sec PR?  PR by 17sec/mile? In 5 months? Unlikely.

3. I have only done 1 run over 10 miles since before christmas.

4. I have already run too much this week.  A proper taper is out of my reach at this point.  If I do 4 miles tomorrow and carbo loading is my best bet.

 Like I said before--it is not likely that I make it, but why not try?  6:06 pace seems pretty easy on the track for me right now, but will it on the road, at mile 8? 10? and 12?!?

5.75, cause I couldn't stand being so close and not hitting 80 for the week.  Felt good.  Looks like good weather for the race tomorrow.  I looked up the course elevation profile and it isn't just flat.  And there is that wind in the last few miles.  So there are my pre-excuses (besides not being in the shape I need to be to hit the time I am shooting for lol).  Here goes nothin'.

Unofficial time 1:18:45 -- exactly 6 min pace... exactly.  And 10 mile split was 59:47.

EDIT: Official time 1:18:47

Yes.  It is true.  My gps even said it was 13.24 but I probably just cut the tangents poorly.  You had to to work with a pack in the wind.  I will get the splits off my gps later, but it was pretty much 5:55 pace the whole way except for a few hills which slowed me down.  I would say the course is fast, but not blazing.  There were at least 4 significant hills... Im talking 1/2 mile long hills--the worst of which is in miles 12 and into 13.  I do much better with rolling because I can recover on each downhill.  I would have run at least 30 seconds faster on a truly flat course.  But the weather was almost perfect.  It was high 40's and I actually went shirtless after the first 3 miles.  The wind was significant but was actually the opposite direction than it usually is.  Working with a pack really decreased its affect on me.  So miles 3-9 which are slightly downhill had the headwind instead of the first 3 and last 3 which is usually the case.  That was really good for my confidence because I was hurting at 10 miles though thought I could maintain pretty well.  Knowing that I had quite a bit of time in the bank and a tailwind to boot really helped psychologically.

 So, based on the mcmillan running calculator, my mile and half marathon are almost perfectly equal performances.  1:18:45 equates to a 4:55 mile.  And other equivalent times are 17:02 for 5k ouch, and 28:14 for 5miles another ouch.  I would really like to break 17 and 28 this season.  Let's hope I am up to the task.

Now the question is: why am I so slow for the mile?  My speed isn't that bad.  I can pop off 70-72's pretty easily in workouts.  And my aerobic capacity is obviously very strong compared to last year.  What is wrong with me?

AM: 4.25

PM: 8 Felt really good despite the race effort yesterday.

Today was the last exam of my 2nd year of med school.  Now I have a 38 day study period to prepare for the boards.  After that 3rd year starts and my running will really suffer for 6months-a year because of the tough schedule.

AM: a little bit hung over and it is the start of my boards study period so I got the extra hour of sleep so I could be productive today.

PM: 6.5

AM: 4.25

PM: 8.75 including hill workout - 4xdoyle hill (just short of 800m with 250ft vertical so a steady rise) in 3:14, 3:14, 3:07, 3:03 wow didn't think I would neg split this workout at all let alone by so much.  Then did 4 longish sprints up the same hill with a min or so rest in between.

AM: 4.25

PM: 5.2 woah look at that taper. 5k on saturday.

Ran down to the 5k course for tomorrow and ran the course.

 Edit: official time 17:19, 6 second PR.  Still not great but better than I thought.  The finish line must have been not where I thought it was.  There were like 3 or 4 mats so I thought it was under the last one. 

HAHA best thing is I was 7th out of, get this, 2100 lol.  Of course the winner did go 14:25 but wow that is a lot of slow people.

 Ugh.  I just felt bad right from the warmup.  But I may know why now.  I think it might be due to the bendryl that I took last night.  And I also took benedryl the night before both of the mile races.  But I didn't the night before the half marathon.  I think it might be a risidual effect.  

 Splits were 5:24, 5:41, 5:35, 44 (died horribly in the last 800 meters totally rigging by the end).

 Mark my words.  I will split 5k faster than this in my 5miler on thursday and it will feel easy.  I know I am in better shape than this. EDIT: Now that the official time is in I take back this statement.  I may yet split the final 5k faster but since I plan to negative split the 5 mile race I will come close but will not be faster than this time.  I am aiming to break 28 which is 5:36 pace.  I will go out closer to 5:40-45 then ratchet it down and if all goes well I should be able to close sub 5:30.

pm: 4.25

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5 Feeling yesterday's 5k a bit.  No wonder though with how long I was rigging.  For a few minutes after the race, the amount of lactic acid I had built up made me feel like I had lifted weights earlier.

I am rethinking racing this thursday.  There is a 5k this saturday that I want to do and since the thursday race is weekly, I can race that whenever.  So I am probably just going to tempo thursday and race saturday and maybe race next thursday.

AM: 4.25

PM: 7.5 added on a mile to my normal loop to run to the gorcery store to pick up something I forgot earlier when I went--sugar free syrup (the kind made with sugar alcohol, not the gross splenda sweetened kind).  I basically have been living off of oatmeal and oatbran lately and this makes it so much better.  I put frozen fruit in it, a bit of soy milk (because it tastes creamier than regular whole milk and has less calories), maybe some nuts, a bit of sugar free syrup, some unproccessed wheat bran (healthy and has that undefinable nutty bran flavor).  By the time I am done adding stuff it is twice the volume that it started at lol.

AM: 4.25

PM: 7.75 including 4x1mile with 200m recovery in 5:31, 5:35, 5:35, 5:49 :(  It was simply too fast for that much rest.  Maybe with 3min rest I could have done it but with only 60-90seconds recovery it was too much.  The last one I simply gave up on.  I could have run another 5:35 but it would be racing.  I could have run 5:40 with hard effort but I decided that the first 3 were too fast anyway so I just made it tempo pace (not that that was easy at that point).  The first 3 alone though predicts a significantly better 5k than I have.  Most people can run 3-5 seconds faster pace in a 5k than they can handle for 3 mile repeats on 60-90sec recovery.

AM: 4.25

PM: 6.5 Felt yesterday's workout and took it easy on both runs.

AM: 4.25

PM: 8 including 5 at the Red Rooster Ramble in 29:31.  It was just a tempo because I want to race the 5k this saturday.  I came in 2nd with this time which would have won almost any of them last year.  But this dude came down from mass.  He is training for sub 2:50 at boston and ran a 28:30.  His pacing was hillarious though.  He gained 250m on me in the first 1.5 miles and then stayed exactly there for the rest of the race.  I ran it pretty even.  5:52, 5:50, 5:48, then decided I was pretty tired and was running darn fast so I backed off a bit with 5:56 and 5:58.  It is not the track for sure, but it is a darn fast course.  It would be nice if they cleared off the salt/sand from the sidewalks.  Parts were like running on a firm beach.  I don't really understand how I went just 7 seconds slower per mile for the whole half marathon (which was hillier lol).  Maybe I am wearing myself down racing so much?  I am not heavier than I was for the half.  I did gain some weight towards the end of feb but I am back to 154 now which I think isn't too bad.  I could be skinnier but I don't think I could diet and do hard workouts at the same time and stay healthy.  I will taper a little bit tomorrow and see what I can put together for the 5k this weekend.  I don't think it is a fast course though.

6 miles

8 miles

8 "easy" miles.  Running at all isnt very easy for me right now.  Ive kept up exercise pretty well (at least compared to the general population) just not run much.  I have biked, rollerbladed, lifted weights, at least 4 days a week usually more.  But I have also really gained weight from overeating due to stress.  At this point I have been dieting for a week and will take a baseline weight tomorrow morning so I can then track my progress.  My breakthrough half marathon came when I was at pretty much the trough (ironic pun) of my weight curve which leads me to believe that if I can get my weight back there and keep a decent running schedule then I can run well.  

Weight loss going even better than expected.  Prerun post breakfast 168.5, postrun 164.5 its hot out there.  I figure im really in the 166-168 range hydrated with an empty stomach now. Lol, only like 14lb to go to get back to my HM PR weight.  Surgery is destroying me but so far I have managed to only miss 1 day per week because of it.  Hopefully I can even stop missing that much.  

This is very concerning.  My friend jordan who is usually a total flake when it comes to consistent running but has run a 1:59 800m off of basically only speed work in HS is running 8 miles a day consistently.  My only salvation is that he is studying abroad next semester.  But he is going to kenya, lol, so when he gets back he might be a force never before heard of on the brown running club. This guy can beat me at 5k with 10mpw vs my 70mpw.  But longer than 5k has been my domain until now.  I know he could destroy me at everything up to the mary right now.  When I get back in shape, we will see where he is.  Hopefully kenya...

5am: 6miles

 Today is a momentous day: the start of my comeback. Ive been getting 40-50miles per week, but now my schedule is freeing up enough to really hit the road.  Im gonna shoot for 70 miles this week and 80-90 after that for 2 months.  At that point my schedule gets somewhat bad again (but not as bad as it has been) so I will have to reevaluate then.

5pm: 7.5 miles

AM: 6

PM: 7.5

This is a momentous day: the first day of my comeback.

AM: 5.7

PM: 7.3

AM: 5.7

PM: 7.3

Still on surgery rotation so next two days I work 5am-5pm so I'll only get one run in.  Today I had my oral exam so we got the day off besides that.   But it works out because this week I want to shoot for 70-75 as a good transition week.  I already feel fatigued and am a little bit sore.

PM: 9.2

PM: 8.3

9.2 including 5 miles in 29:45 at the red rooster ramble.  I am very happy that I broke 30.  It was a bit hard for a tempo, especially the last mile.  I would put my true tempo pace for 5 miles at 30:00 to 30:15 right now.  But given that I am 15lb heavier than I was in the spring and coming off 40-50mpw vs 80mpw I am very happy with the time.  I just need to focus on losing weight and getting the mileage in.  Speed is not the issue.  The first mile was 5:38 and felt easy.  I just need the 5th, and the 13th when it comes to the half marathon to feel just as easy at a good pace.

AM: 6 to roger williams park and back

PM: 8 around a long term parking lot near the philly airport.  I had a long lay over lol.

AM: 9 -- the wilson dam to patton island bridge loop

AM: 8 - the bainbridge loop (actually an out and back but one of the roads is named bainbridge loop)

8 on bainbridge loop

AM: 6

PM: 8 - haynes classic

Running club looks like it might actually be good this year in terms of people.  We will see how many stick it out.

AM: 6

PM: 8 with 7 at about 7min pace or faster.  It was ridiculous, this dude ben who I can crush at every distance in a race kept pushing the pace.  So annoying.  I was pretty uncomfortable given that I didnt have many calories in me. 

AM: 6

PM: 8 with last year's triumvirate - jamie, henry, and myself on the Haynes classic course.  Legs feel pretty dull though.  Instead of the run getting easier after the first 4 like most of my runs, it got harder on this one.  We didnt go fast just sluggish from all the miles I guess.

AM: 6

PM: 8

Might just do 8 tomorrow.  Still feeling sluggish even though I slowed the pace of the runs significantly.

AM: 8

PM: 5

I wish I were skinny.

AM: 10.5 hungover. Gotta stop drinking so much.

AM: 5

PM: 11.4 ran to the scili then 8 miles with the running club then back to my house.  We got 15 people for just the fast long group.  And like 50+ total. If we can retain 1/4 of that it will be amazing.

AM: 5

PM: 8.5 

AM: 5

PM: 8

AM: 4.25

PM: 11

Take that epicdistance. Who tops the mileage board now?  Ok so maybe he also biked 38 miles today, w/e.  Running is all that matters.

On a serious note, some stupid kid came out with the running club and put me through 5 miles of the afternoon at sub 7 min pace.  So freaking annoying.  He has probably run 10 miles this week and is totally fresh to race his training run but im not.

AM: 5

PM: 11

Racing on sunday so either not running or just running easy 5 tomorrow.

AM: 6.1 including 5k in 17:57 -- really thought I was gonna be around 17:30 but there are a lot of factors that could have gone against me.  I am losing weight which I think is the #1, 2, and 3 most important things for me.  Bedoukian was right when he said that if I run 80-90mpw and just dont eat much more than I have been I will lose weight.  Unfortunately I cant even hope to be back to my svelt 152 in time for the mohawk hudson river half.  Im somewhere in the 163 range right now.  Down from a high of 178 just after my Ob/Gyn rotation.  Lol I gained as much as we suggest pregnant women to.  Of course 152 was after losing 12 pounds last winter.  Before all this my weight has been between 165 and 170 since highschool.

PM: 7.25

AM: 5

PM: 11

AM: 5

PM: 8

AM: 5

PM: 7.5 including 5x800 with 200m recovery in 2:42, 2:45, 2:45, 2:50, 2:48 ouch that was bad. Felt bad from the begining.  Only 2 days after the race.  But I need to start somewhere.

AM: 5

PM: 8

AM: 5

PM: 11.5 including 5 in 30:13 on blackstone so not completely flat and on dirt.  Felt like I was dieing toward the end but my last leg was faster than my first by a few seconds.

8

AM: 5

PM: 8

PM: 11

AM: 5

 PM: 8

AM: 5

PM: 8 including 3x400, 300, 200 with 60sec recovery in about 73-75s, 51-55s, 31-34s

8

14 at a decent clip given the distance maybe 7:30s

8 with the club, well just with jamie --the club had a mini meet and times were as follows (only including people i remotely care how they did)

henry 4:58

David 4:52 (damn him I thought he might run fast, but I didnt think it would be that fast)

Diana 5:34

Thats the mile if anyone wasnt sure, english not metric so full mile.

Yay I doubled.  Felt good to double again.

5 and 8

Well im actually just heading out the door, but if anything crazy happens I'll try to remember to post it.  And yes it does go against my OCD nature a bit to post the run before I do it but I can always delete it if I somehow dont finish it.... Unless I get hit by a truck... Oh well then I wont care.

AM: 5

PM: 8 jamie took us out pretty fast for the first 5 and nobody spoke up so we just kept getting faster and faster.  I ended up leading/pushing toward the end.  I just get pissed off and want to make people suffer for taking us out fast.  Unfortunately I was probably the 4th most fit guy out of 5 in the group today :( so probably hurt me more than them.  Funny how jamie sometimes pushes the group now.  Last year with just henry and me he would always hang back and let us decide the pace.  I think its that he wants to show some of the newbs that they arent all that but its the wrong way of doing it.  If THEY start fast on a training run I think its fine to keep them honest and keep it at that pace or increase the pace slightly throughout.  And I think its fine to pummel them in workouts.  But to take it out fast yourself you arent teaching them good training habits.  You have to take the high ground.  The pace probably averaged 7 or just under with the last several miles definitely under 7.

New routes suck.  Gotta stick to the haynes classic and the haynes classic modified for darkness (no trails sucks but 2x blackstone still makes way more dirt than any other route).  I hate not knowing exactly where I am in my run.  Its not that im lost or that im uncomfortable running or dont like running.  There is just something very comforting about repetition.  What I am trying to say is that I hate change alright? 

8 miles truckin' I had some processed carbs today and they really help with the running.  But cant do that too much.

'10 mile river bikepath' route. i do the whole path which is actually less than 3 miles but getting there and back makes 14. nice route. the bikepath is named after the river it follows.

11 in the freezing rain. This is when it matters to have people to run with.

am 5

pm 8  both slow today

Should have run but didnt.  Flight home wasnt a good excuse.  I could have even doubled I just didnt.  Was a little depressed for no apparent reason. Got off work at noon but flight wasnt until 5 but I just watched tv.

15k run with some people from the club at home (soo slow, but anyway) then ran a while extra to wait on some people to get back.

Bainbridge loop

stupid family crisis.  Not worth going into.  But this time it really wasnt my fault for not running.

ditto from yesterday

back in providence, haynes classic loop modified for darkness.  And in the rain.