Week of 18-23 APR2016

Short version of the week … not much running, trying to get the body right, and my time and energies were spent elsewhere.  The longer version below is the play by play, day by day overthinking of all that (written as I went through the week).  

I have encountered spring injuries in the past.  I think the difference then was that I had a specific goal or objective on the race calendar and that in turn pushed me to be aggressive in cross training (like on a bike).   I am not sure if the fumbling around I did in such circumstances made a lot of difference for me significantly physically, but at least mentally I was engaged.  This time around as there is not a clear timeline or race day, and I have other activities as a priority, I am not getting to those sort of cross training games. 

This week in how management of PEDs is completely an arbitrary thing …TUE’s for masters who are “recreational” could be given an okay.

Monday
I decided to try to not worry as much about miles today, and instead make at least half my time spent exercising today to be as much about strength / gym work.  I headed over to the HS with the kids in the afternoon, and jumped in the workout with the milers.  They did 6 x 200 at mile pace on 200 rest.  These came at 36-37.  Again, I felt a bit sore, over reaching a tad, and fighting the Achilles some.  With the short (20 minute) warm up and cool down (10 minute), and pre-workout strides – the entirety of the run was 5.3 miles.  I then spent about 35 minutes in the gym moving from planks to squats to box jumps to leg lifts and other ab work, repeating that, etc

Big props to Shad for putting up a 2:44 at Boston.  It has been fun to watch this guy get fit over the start of this year, put the work in, struggle to keep it together, but then to get it done race day.

Tuesday
I headed over to the HS with the kids in the afternoon, but as soon as I got there, TZ called to let me know that gutter drain was quickly draining into one of the window wells of the basement.  I bolted back to the house, corrected it to some degree and then headed back out.  8 easy miles solo.  T

Still sore.  Some of it is from the strength work I did yesterday but some of it is just that odd general soreness I have been feeling.  The Achilles did not feel great but it was manageable.

I picked up Shad at the airport, and decided that he ran well enough that I was not going to make walk any of the distance home.

Wednesday
So for probably the hundredth time in my running life, I came to that realization.  The one where I figure out I am actually not better off continuing to run through that ache and pain even though I can.  Big fight with pride and shame but it ends the same.   Today, two miles in, I stopped and finally came to terms.  Yeah, I can run, but running for the last 18 days has done nothing but continue to aggravate this Achilles.  I have been down this road before, and frankly – often I can just run through and things will be fine.  About half the time I can’t and this is one of those times.  So then I kick myself mentally trying to figure out why I could not figure this out two weeks ago.  But okay.

Of course I might still try to run tomorrow.   Although this general soreness I have in the legs is sort of weird too.  I might just need a reboot. 

Played around in the weight room too.

Thursday
Day off.  Actually not running is pretty easy.  Went up to the Horizon JV track meet.  JZ PR’d in the mile in 5:32.  He was irked however that he did not PR in the 800 just 45 minutes later, but it was clear he was running on dead pins. 

Fun video making its way around. 

I stayed at the Grande in Malahide once. 

Friday
So the two most beautiful days we have had in a while have been the last two.  And these are the two days I have not run.  I was pretty tempted today because I did not have the ache in the Achilles that hasbeen there when I am walking around.  Given I have run 2 miles in the last 3 days, I guess it should feel better. 

In some regard it has been a bit easy to override my desire to get out.  I have taken on a new significant work venture, and it can easily consume all my time (in a good way).  I have considered blogging about it, but I realize that would be probably even less entertaining than reading about a forty something coming to terms with his running while aging.

If not focused on work, I have been spending a fair amount of time doing spring yard chores.  This year it is a lot  - as we have had to drop a couple of trees due to the big snows, clear branches, plant new bushes … and there is at least 2 more bushes to plant, 3 more trees, and one tree to drop.  And then there will be the stumps.  Whenever I dig though, I seem to have help.

In the evening, the kids and I headed down to Cherry Creek High School to the Stutler Bowl.  It is a varsity meet and the kids were not running in it, but they enjoyed going down, cheering on their classmates, and seeing some great performances.  Watching the 4 x 4 is a blast, particularly how the crowd gets into it.

Saturday
TZ and I were going over the pans for the day today and she asked, “are you going to run?”  I told her I thought I would take until at least Sunday off, as that would get me above five days off.  Then I dropped the kids off at practice and Greg asked if I was jogging.  Without a second thought I agreed.  It was only two and half miles, but it was enough to let me know that the Achilles is still not right.  It was completely manageable for this sort of short run, but I know if it was five miles or ten miles or more, I’d be gimping.  Did some weight work post.

And later I did some grilling.

Sunday – not a damn thing in terms of exercise.  Thought about it and then thought better of it.  The Achilles feels better “enough” to run on but I know from the little playing with it yesterday, I’d screw it up if I started putting time on it.   Definitely was impacting my mindset a bit today, as I think I would have been a bit better off in the noggin’ with a good hour of sweating.

Really, the pace at London is mind boggling.

Weekend 16-17APR2016

The weekend storm lived up to its predicted levels, and we were looking at over a foot in the backyard Sunday AM.  I got nothing in for running on Saturday.  I accomplished a small amount of strength/core work but succumbed to feeling generally lethargic and didn’t do much (other than shovel some, clear trees a lot). 

Some shots from the weekend.  I ended up down in Denver and wandered through the Church of the Holy Ghost.  Quite a room.


Rosetta Stone came for KZ.  Figured it would be good to give her a jump before she takes off in 10 weeks.


Dogs … and squirrels

Sunday afternoon – after a morning of some good shoveling I got out.  I thought I’d do some half mile or maybe three quarter mile intervals.  But almost immediately I was having second thoughts.  The left Achilles was a bit achy, and I was just generally sore.  Nothing specific but almost like DOMS.  I was contemplating an interval at the corner of Main and Eagle when Neeraj came jogging up.  I griped about my general soreness and wondered if my night time leg flexing might be the cause.  After yapping for a bit I decided to jog with him and I headed home.  Mixed in some of the strength circuit post, including squats, BSS, etc.  I have been a bit lower on the reps as I am trying to move a bit more cleanly and deeper.

I am obviously dealing with a bit of a setback … soreness, the Achilles, and not getting in the work I want to get in to move forward with mile training.  I got in some good workouts, but not the longer key at pace workout.  It is not a problem other than me thinking it is a problem.  It will come along.  I will get through this Achilles thing and press on. 

Watched The Barkley Marathons  and Buck on Netflix over the weekend.  Both very good, and really enjoyed Buck given the equine connection.

Friday 15APR2016

Latest ATC … with a question on cadence from Neeraj.

I saw a woman on the trail yesterday when jogging with TZ and she said she was doing loops to get hills for the Steamboat Marathon.  I suggested the little Ridgeview Loop that I once did with Bob, but she was not keen on the idea – as she was out for a 20 miler (each loop is 1.5).  Coincidentally, I saw this article later in the day about the “20 miler.”

Really wish Parkrun would take off here in the US.

Following up on yesterday’s pic:

Mid day – I got out with Lucy (is she really 11 now?) and jogged her for 3 and change and then added on another 5 and change on my own.  I was a bit sore.  Left hammy, right Achilles.  This shot is from the middle school … which is 300 yards down the street.  They are putting in a track.  300 hundred yards down the street.  Awesome.  The next shot is where I saw a dead bird.  Or what was left of it. 

A few more pix from yesterday:

Thursday 13APR2016

Transistion.  Pretty much this is a theme of a variety of things I have been dealing with.  My daughter is in a natural transition as she is on that short runway to graduating high school, but then will shortly thereafter embark on a year long journey to Germany.  My son is in transition because, heck he is 15 years old and all of a sudden his whole perspective is in transition.  My work has been in serious transition for the last quarter.  And my training from uphill longer run guy to short flat guy is a transition unto itself. 

In some regards, nothing has really changed:  there are principles we live and work from and those are constant.  My daughter is my daughter, work is work and running is running.  MY rlationship with my wife has changed in many regards in the 30 years I have known her but in our 20 years of marriage, there are basic underlying principles that are constant. 

In all of these, wile the day to day tactical is a bit different, the broader view of who we are and how we interact is the same.  Left right repeat. 

Still, the changes are significant and cannot be ignored.  Like a race, when you get a rock in your shoe, you have to deal with it.  But there is still a race to be run.  And just that alone is a good thing. 

Heck, we are always in transition as we age.  I was contemplating the other day how I was not sure if I were to race fastest self on the track in 400 meter intervals from today if I could beat myself at anything less than 5k.  In other words, if I took what I could do my best 5k in, could 12.5 of me today pass a baton and beat that guy?  Probably.  But probably not at anything short of that.  In 15 years, this body has transitioned.  Supposedly I am all new cells from that time anyway, so I guess I am a whole new person by some measure. 

Today I went to the track.  The track has been a constant for me for 30 plus years of running.  Oval.  400 meters.  Well, maybe 440 yards.  About the same.  Surfaces have changed a bit, but it is still a place where distances are measured and the watch is what counts.  The effort feels the same but the watch seems to run a lot faster than it used to.  While I have transitioned to an older and slower athlete, it is a place that sets you up for transition:  you look to work here to improve, test yourself, and detect weaknesses that you can address. 

For a few years I did workouts with Andrew Crook on the track.  Andrew used to kilo repeats in lane 7.  He did these because the wider curve meant less strain on his hips and joints.  And he also did them there because he had done them that way for over a decade – and he did not want to change the variable in the data.  Doing these in lane 7 at Potts meant we were often blowing by the folks near the start at sub five pace in the area where they were milling about, stretching etc.  It also meant we finished at some weird mark for a hurdle about half way up the back stretch.  We actually started on the lane 7 stagger as well.  And so we’d have just over 200 to recover.  I have transitioned away from those sort of workouts … the ones that leave you sitting in your car for 20 minutes before you have your wits to drive.  At least I have transitioned away from them for now.  Maybe forever. 

Anyway … to the task at hand.  I did 2 miles with TZ and then jumped on another 2.5 miles for myself for a long gradual warm up.  4 x 100 (18 mid down to 17 low).  And then 8 x 200 with 200 rest.  It was a bit breezy so I took the reps from the south end of the track doing the half circuit back to the north (breeze was coming out of the southwest).  The first was a 38 low and I carved these down over the set to 35 high, with the bulk of the set falling into 37.  I was clearly fighting myself, as I could feel how my right Achilles was still a bit compromised.  In turn, that seems to make my left hamstring work more to compensate. 

I think I previously said here that I have all the speed I need to break 5 in the mile.  I said that when I was rolling these at 34 and even 33.  Yesterday gives me pause with such a thought however.  If I can’t break 70 for a quarter, I don’t have the speed I need.  Basically if a 70 quarter is an all out effort, then holding 74.x is too tall a task.  I am not throwing the towel in on the goal, but I see that I need to consider both aerobic strength (say past 800 meters) as well as shorter speed so that I am comfortable for that first 800 (and keeping it aerobic).

I finished with 2 x 100, again both 17 low.  In other words, my 100 speed ain’t much more than my 200 speed. 

A little more than 9 on the day.

I headed over to Fairview in the afternoon to watch the boy run in the JV meet over there. 
No PRs for JZ, as the winds blew up pretty significantly and he fell asleep a bit in the mile, but it was all good fun nonetheless. 

It is funny how the kids consider the mile a long event and the 3200 is a ridiculously long event.  Most of the kids that are in those events did do XC where every race is 5k.  I asked some of the kids how they would feel if they showed up for an XC race and they were told it was only going to be 2 miles. They agreed it would drive them to attack that race as if it was a short fast race.  But put them on the track for 8 laps … well that is a marathon.  All about the head there I guess.  All about how they transition that in thier brains.

Cleaning up a computer and I found these older pix.

Wednesday 13APR2016

Mid day – 5 minute plank (2 front, a minute per side, then a minute front),.  20 B-squats each leg.  With these, as I have gotten a touch stronger, I am trying to extend the range a bit and go a bit deeper.  It still is not much but even the slightest changes to the motion-range leaves me feeling it.  40 push ups.  20 B-squats. 

Afternoon 30 minutes of easy jogging. 

JZ was complaing of shin splints.  KZ offerred to help.  The result:

Good report from Paul T on his sub 2:30 attempt at the age of 50.

Some science on how training in the heat might help with altitude training.

I don’t have bad days, just less-good ones …

Just in case you did not think PED use was determined arbitrarily. 

Tuesday 12APR2016

Justin pointed out that Levi Thomet, a pretty fast prep runner, is currently participating in the CBYX program (the same one KZ was just notified she is in next year).

Afternoon – did the Lac Amora loop, and after 2 miles I got on a 20 minute / 3 mile tempo.  The Achilles was still arguing a bit but it actually (if this makes sense) felt a bit better going a touch faster.  8.7 miles.  I was still a bit sore from yesterday’s strength work.  A quick turn around at the house and then another 4 and change helping folks at the track and jogging with Greg.

No strength work today.  At least nothing specific. 

Monday 11APR2016

AM  routine – 5 min of planks, with 2 min on the front, a minute on each side and then another minute on the front.  20 unweighted squats (trying to go deeper than I typically do).  20 Bulgarian split squats for each leg, with trail leg on the stairs.  40 pushups.  20 squats again.  20 Bulgarians each leg again.  Other leg kick mobility drills.  I suck at this crap. 

Six miles for a shakeout in the AM.  Achilles is still a bit aggravated but I am tired of hearing it grump at me. 

I watch medical device news.  So this story where a Fitbit data was used to assess a patient’s medical history is interesting to me.  Because a Fitbit is not a medical device.  And when the FDA is starting to talk about consideration of “context” or items that are not written into actual regulation … apparently the FTC is concerned that your mobile app might be regulated. 

Sub 50 for the 400 for a 47 year old?  Wow.  Speaking of 50 year olds: He wears flats instead of spikes when he races.

Post the run, another 3 x 20 unweighted squats, 30 push ups, 20 more Bulgarians for each leg.   

Afternoon – another 5 and change with Greg and the kids at the track.  A bit gimpy.  Post another couple sets of 20 of Bulgarian squats, 4 minute planks and then a bunch of other general ab work, some dips and a set in the leg press sled. 

Oh the places you’ll go …

Well, this little explorer is not so little anymore.  She got word over the weekend that she has won a scholarship in the CBYX program – and that with that she will be off to Germany for a year for language and cultural immersion, along with an intership.  She heads off in 11 weeks!  FOR A YEAR!

We can’t help but recall as a 5 year child when she announced to us (after parasailing) “MOM – I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD!”  Awesome to see her take this next step.  Admittedly, the protective parent in me is a bit freaked but we do raise these buggers to leave the nest – right? 

I love you KZ and I am so freaking prund of you.

Weekend ending 10APR2016

Friday – felt like crap.  Jogged around the track and did some strides to see if it would wake me up, but it didn’t.  10 miles. I did some good gym work though. 


Saturday – it the Fort Lupton rendezvous area, camping with the boy and a few hundred other Scouts.  This event has really grown.  When  JZ and I started going to probably six years ago  it was like 70 Scouts.  There were like 400 this weekend and the event just keeps going bigger with its events.  Flight For Life came in and landed for kids to get a tour of it. 

Got out mid day from camping with the boy on the dirt roads west and north of the campsite, out of the Platte River.  It was dry, dusty and felt hot.  10 miles.  Sore from yesterday’s gym workout. 

As aways, the food was good for the camp out.

Bill and Jack came up in the evening, along with Blaster and Mr. Ziffel.  It is awesome that Bill comes up for this.  A lot of kids don’t get to interact with animals, and many don’t know the difference between a donkey and a horse. 

Back Sunday, I just went easy with Tracy and the a couple more with Lucy.  Still a bit sore and just spent from the weekend with the Scouts camping.

The week in terms of training … ugh.  I ended up spinning a bit through most of the week on recovering from banging up my Achilles.  It was (is?) definitely one of those injuries where I could keep running through it – and so I did.  It probably would have benefited from a few days off and just doing other leg and strength workouts but I plowed through the running anyway.   While I got some miles, they were pretty slow, and more times than not I was sore and tired.  I had a workout in the middle of the week, but it was nothing really that pushed mile specific fitness forward.  I just need to let the week go, but learn from it.  Spikes ain’t a great idea for me, and if I am banged up, I need to shift things up. 

I am targetting get back on it this week – with the focus being on hitting key workouts and strength work.  I’d like the key workouts to be at least a 25 minute tempo, a 3-4 x 800m workout where I do the second lap faster and closer to mile goal pace, and one shorter workout at mile pace or faster on rest that has been a bit shorter than what I have been getting.   The strength stuff is to be core work, the squats (regular, light weight), and split squats.  I might even get into a sled for some leg presses. 

Thursday 07APR2016

The Achilles had a tad of ache in it today but I basically said, “eh, screw that” and tried some work anyway.  It was not pretty.  Whatever.  Better than not trying I guess.  But if my skin continues to wrinkle up at the same pace it has in the past year, I am gonna be a raisin by the time I hit the half century.

4 and change warm up, and then I got to 10 minutes of threshold (I was fading) and then did 10 by a minute on 90 seconds off.  I’d love to say the pace for those was less than six, but only a couple were – and just barely.  Sure, some were uphillish, but it was not great.  But it sounded like I was working. 10 miles, I guess with 20 minutes of “quality.” 

There was some dull ache in the Achilles throughout.  I’d love to say it was completely a non issue.  But honestly I was a bit aware of it.  Sort of the aware I felt when it was singing a bit in Carlsbad at the half.  But small enough where I could say, “umm, yeah, whatever.” 

Almost immedately afterwards, I headed over to BHS, jogged with Greg some and then did a bit between with the kids.  Another four.

I ain’t a huge country fan, but I do find that some of the old school stuff seems to strike a string – particularly as I age.  Hat tip to Merle for this one. 

Oh, I after skipping additional work Mon-Wed, I got back on that today with lunges, squats, planks, etc. 

There was this in China recently.  Then again this is how they run the hurdles.  Careful … if you click on that you may spend 35 minutes watching some horrible but in a warped way entertaining video of hurdle failures.  Please – no disrespect to hurdlers.  That crap is hard.   There is a reason why I kept the coordination simplified to left right repeat. 

But okay, I did laugh at some.

Wednesday 06APR2016

How not to carry a professional conversation.

Wearing the spikes the other day for my baseline trial was just a stupid mistake and I am paying for it with an Achilles that left me hobbled on Monday, and is still a bit achy today.  In reality, I really didn’t gain anything by wearing them.  I only wore them to move the head space a bit (sort of like putting on your favorite racing gear) and to see if I could get ready to wear them.  Reality is that I might just need to shelf them for a bit and then maybe intro them in a bit more slowly.  If at all.

I also need to face that the work I want to do for a quicker mile is likely to have me dancing with injuries to some degree:  the left hamstring and the right Achilles have both barked since I took up this campaign a few weeks ago.

I am not targeting a specific race to say where I am going to try to go sub five.  Frankly at 5:26 I am too far removed to pick that race.  Instead, I will see how this training cycle progresses some and then pick one.  That could be a road mile or a BRR track race, or maybe even my own thing.   Unlike some races, there is a lot of opportunity to throw that sort of thing down and around. 

I got out mid morning and while the Achilles was almost normal, I could still feel a dull ache in it.  I decided again to not push on it – and so no quality work today.  I had considered that if it felt good I might get after a tempo run, but I think that may go down tomorrow instead.  The week is starting to turn a bit into a wash from a training perspective, but with no hard time line – that might be okay.  8 miles.  Windy but at least today was sunnier.  A few more at the JV track meet in the afternoon.

I enjoy a good Cassidy reference.  I think I could manage more miles physically, but I am less inclined to take on more time to train.  

Tuesday 05APR2016

A typical April day here – which means WINDY.  My head was ready for a harder workout, but a couple of strides out the door I knew I needed to baby the Achilles for at least another day.  The wind made it no faster.  5.6 miles.

I headed over to Holy Family HS for the local meet in the afternoon.  It was so freaking windy they canceled the hurdles because the gusts were actually blowing the hurdles over. 

But I should not gripe about the weather.

In my opinion, there is the race winner, then everyone else.   You either win or you didn't, so I have no sore attitude just because I missed the Ticket by one spot.

Having trolled around Mosquito Pass and attempted to get to know the history a bit … I have an awareness of why Father Dyer is.  There was a ski event up in Leadville named after him this past weekend.  Named in honor John Lewis Dyer, a minister and postal carrier who crossed this range on skis as to the mining camps in Alma and Leadville in the 1800’s, the event was conceived by Leadville locals as a benefit for the Leadville Trails Association, and all profits go directly to winter trails maintenance and development in the area.

The carb battle rages on and on.

Monday 04APR2016

I woke up and my right Achilles was not good.  I was gimping pretty badly and could not even walk straight.  As is often the case, a bit of movement and motion helped it and it loosened some but it was still pretty bad.

I got out in the afternoon for a very light jog.  The intention was just to move a bit to see if I could “massage” the Achilles a bit through some motion.  The pace was very light (10 min/mile, down to 9).  Initially I was gimping a bit and it was visible in my stride but the work was actually a bit helpful.  5 miles.

I then headed over to the track with the kids.  Different kids had different workouts based on when and what they are racing this week and so I bounced around giving 200 splits for their 400s, and jogging lightly with them on recovery laps.  I am surprised at how this totals up but over an hour it gave me another five.  Over the course of this light work, the Achilles seemed to lighten up a bit more.

Cool article on Colorado tracks.

Sunday 03APR2015

Lot of track chatter in the house this weekend given the Friday meet.  JZ PR’d by 5 seconds, but was disappointed as he wants to break 2:20 for the 800.  There had been some talk about the 800 WR by Rudisha. so I threw that up on the screen.

It was pretty cool to see him a bit awe struck at that run – a sub 1:41 run. “What?  There is no kid on the team that can run under 50 for the quarter and they just went faster than that for the first 400 of the 800!”   It might really be the best mid distance race in Olympic history.  It is worth watching again.

JT:  I give him crap, but he is a general all around good guy.  It would be great to see him break 3 at Pikes.  That might actually motivate me to go do that again.

Shad:  This guy says sub 3 is the goal but in reality he ought to go a helluva lot faster than that.

A 50 year old just run under 31 for 10k.  Only four minutes better than my PR at any age.

I had no idea that Nick Symmonds was an Eagle Scout.

Given last night’s fun (which included several salutes to Don Julio as we cranked through various riffs of “Hardest Button to Button” by the White Stripes, I slept in.  Then it was an AM of some more yard work (including moving the remaining root ball of the felled tree).  And then I got out for a run.  I convinced Bob to come over and heckle me … and I figured I need it.  I wanted to get a baseline for the mile to see where I was at, but admittedly I was a bit fearful it might not even be a sub six effort.

It was about a mile warm up over to the track, and then a mile over there.  I then did a few harder strides (18 down to 17 low).  At the harder push I could feel that left hamstring protest ever so slightly.  On the fourth stride, I backed it off to dial in the race pace (it was 20 high).  I thought it would be appropriate to start at 85 and if I felt good, dial back from there.  If not, well … hold on for whatever.  I did choose to “spike up” – not because I thought it would make a huge bit of difference but because I want to get use to those now … for when it might make a difference later.

I took us through the first lap in 82 … although this was the 409 lap (as we backed up for a full mile).  Bob slipped to the front at about 350 meters and paced me through the next two laps.  The pace felt fine as came through in 2:42 for 800.  I was even contemplating starting to press and kick with 500 to go as we came through the kilo, but between that mark and 1100 I could feel the shift in my systems … and comfort level.  We came through 1200 in 4:02, and Bob stepped off.  The next 200 would be my slowest, but it would not feel like it.  I reached 1400 in 4:45,  and finished up in 5:26. 

On whole, I am happy with it:  I thought breaking 5:40 would be a chore and I broke 5:30 for the initial “baseline.”   Had I been a bit more focused I probably could have managed a 77 for that last lap and broke 5:20, but my familiarity with the heavy legs left me a bit C.S. in that round.   It was one of those efforts that I know the next time around I will be 5-10 seconds faster – just because I have “blown some rust off” and I have a bit of familarity with what I am doing.

Nonetheless, I do have a big chore ahead:  Dropping 30 seconds won’t be easy.  I think the next 10 to 15 will come “easy” but the next 10 to 15 after that will be where there will need to be effort, discipline and focus.  Generally – I have the speed I need.  I can see that as I can do 200s in 33 on a harder “stride” … but I am lacking the aerobic strength to hold on at that 37 pace.  Bob and I were kicking around work outs to address that … things like 800s at 80 and then 75 or quicker for the second lap.  Or kilos sort of stuff.  Nothing secret or magical – just work.  I also recognize that I need to do a bit of “weight management.”  The old adage is 2 seconds a pound per mile … until it does not work because you are past what you ought to do.  I am still about 10 pounds over my racing weight of last summer, so I have some room to move there.

Most important was that I split my mile faster than any mile JT had in his 5k today.

My right Achilles was pretty hot post and so we kept the cool down to a mile.  I had wanted a longer cool down, and to get at least 10 miles on the day (rather than 5), but I decided that rolling on the bad rubber band for another 40 minutes would be more likely to cause issues.  So I bagged that.  57 and change on the week. 

Bob kept it real – reminding us how in days past a 5:26 would be a slow opening mile in many races of longer distances.  I mean dudes run half marathons in a suit at a pace faster than that.

Next week – more of the same – some miles, strides, a couple of good workouts with one focused on moving into V02 interval stuff (2-4 minutes) and probably the other being a good tempo run.  And weight / core work. 

Saturday 02APR2016

AM – headed over to the school with the kids and got in an easy five with them.  I did a few strides (4, in 17ish) and the left hammy was singing a bit.   The kids headed into the gym so I did some work there as well … typical 20 minutes:  some core, split squats, dumbell squats, etc.

I got home and headed out for another five that started with an easy mile with Tracy.  I felt inclined to do some work today and realizing that harder / faster stuff on the track might not be the best I went with a 20 minute tempo (3 miles).  It gave me the aerobic stimulus without beating on the hammy in an aggressive way.  Mile cool down.

The day was spent clearing a tree that had fallen in the latest storm (bummer because it was a good tree) and then making some noise in the garage in the evening.

I got to get a baseline on where I am with the mile soon. 

Friday 01APR2016

11.1 miles.  Purpose was to recover a bit but also keep the legs moving a bit – so not let it fall to a total slog.  Pace was between 7:20 to 7:50 (for any mile).  Mostly I wanted to flush the legs some, as the hammies and quads are a tad sore.

Post was the four minute plank work, and some squats. 

I spent the bulk of the afternoon and well into the evening at the Eagle 8 (or 9) track meet.   JZ improved his 800 by 5 seconds, so I am pretty sure I’d be hard pressed to beat him at that distance at this point.  It was just an awesome night – seeing a couple of the Broomfield kids break 5 in the mile for the first time … under the lights, a 3200 … under the lights, a girl go 57 in the quarter, and the zip of kids in the 1 and the 200 is just inspiring.