04/17: 4mi - MB Wk12

PLAN: 4mi
RAN: 4mi @ 9:10-9:20-9:20-8:45m/mi
LOC: Blackwell Forest Preserve
EL: 7-

The run felt good in general (very surprisingly) even though I had enough troubles along the way to hate it.  It felt like I was running uphill into the wind the whole time, I started getting really fatigued after about 2 miles, and to top everything off I had 'other' issues for the last two miles making the experience thoroughly unpleasant.

(Note: I "reset trip" after the first mile, which is why it is not shown in screen shot)

I think what made the run "good" after all that is that - despite - all of it, I ran a  really good pace, although I did not feel like I pushed the pace all that much. My goal was to run between 9:00 and 9:30.

I tried something new today - those body wallets for traveling - it fit the GPS perfectly, and the rubber band prevented it from bouncing - WIN.

04/15: 4mi - MB Wk12

PLAN: 4mi
RAN: 4mi @ 9.5-8.75-9.0-8.75
LOC: Hidden Lake
EL: 8+

So I decided that I need to push the pace and I sure felt it. It was no longer the fun "I can do this forever" but back to the heavy breathing and making some serious effort.
I let myself warm up on the first mile - at ~9.5 (it's hard to time the back look b/c it's over a mile), pushed it on mile 2 at 8.75m/mi timed, slowed down just a little on mile 3 at ~9.0m/mi, and ran an exact 8.75 on the last mile again. I told myself to run a pace that I felt is a 9m/mi and not sprint at the end just to get the time, and I think I accomplished my goal. Feels good :)
But hurts a little. In a good way.

04/10: 4mi - MB Wk11

PLAN: 4mi
RAN: 4mi @ 9.5m/mi (timed)
LOC: Blackwell Forest Preserve
EL: 4-5+

Stayed up late last night so my schedule is really messed up and I felt pretty crappy, in addition to the fact that I am getting sick, but the run was still very very great! I think this training thins is really working :)

The new Blackwell route was a *perfect* new 4-miler for me!

04/08: 4mi - MB Wk11

PLAN: 4mi
RAN: 4mi @ 9.5-9.4-9.2-9.1-10-9.2-9.1*-9.0-10-9.5-9.4-6.2m/mi*** :)
LOC: LTF @ night
EL: 4+

I contemplated but finally decided against running outside in 40F and 15mph winds. (My throat has been acting up.)
So I bummed around until last minute, and had dinner just before going to LTF (not smart).
The run was GREAT. Yet again I had that "I could do this *almost* all day" feeling even though I had to consciously  keep my dinner down on a couple of occasions. Therefore I decided to make it more fun and work a little on speed.
I believe I am recollecting my sequence correctly:
6.3-6.4-6.5-6.6-6.0-6.5-6.6*-6.7-6.0-6.3-6.4-6.5mph




I changed the speed after every song which is roughly every 1/4-1/2 mile, which worked out great. The * next to 6.6 is due to the fact that I felt like I was feeling my heart going in hyper mode (if only I knew what that was actually called?), so I walked for a few seconds to make sure I don't pass out. Because I had to smash the "stop" button it killed my workout mileage which I didn't look at for a while, so I am estimating that I ran 0.5-0.75mi more.

The greatest feeling was to drop to 10m/mi and feel completely relaxed at that pace to the point of being able to recover very quickly.
I think I'm getting better, slowly but surely  :)))


Climbing after the run was disastrous. I could barely do a 5.8.

04/06: 4mi - MB Wk11

PLAN: 4mi
RAN: 4mi with a short walk
LOC: Hidden Lake
EL: (-)

Bleh. Today sucked. I felt weak, mentally drained; maybe the fact that I had a bug in my eye for half the run had something to do with it; maybe it's just the abundance of bugs in general - those little tiny white ones that will unavoidably enter once orifice or another; maybe the weather. Yuck. It was pre-rain, very warm, humid, with very little wind. I had to walk for ~2min at the start of mile 4 because I felt like I was getting extremely overheated.
Or maybe it is the pizza and other junk food I had for lunch. Time to start a Nutrition page.
I just hope this is not the result of Monday's extra credit and won't ruin the rest of my week.

Also, HL is getting to be a real drag. I need to find an alternative for my 4-5milers.

I've added "EL" = exertion level to my heading, theoretically a 0-10 scale with 10 being most difficult.
It's a very tough judgment call because it seems that most of the time it's the mental not the physical that gets me down; I think for now this will be more about how I feel about the run rather than how difficult it really was; or at least a (+) for "great" or (-) for "sucky".

04/05: 4mi* - MB Wk11

PLAN: Rest
RAN: 30min elliptical; 4mi @ 9.7m/mi - timed
LOC: LTF @ Lunch; Hidden Lake

I missed 3 days / 16 miles of training (due to long miles of hiking in southern IL - Shawnee National Forest) and after some research on the best way to make up missed runs I decided to warm up my legs and lungs at lunch; and then run an easy 4 miles after work.
I am glad I did 4mi only - no pain today and I feel that I will be OK for the rest of the week, but it was enough to get my body back into running.
I had some inner-ankle pain, not sure why, prob all the hiking.

Today I used my DIY GPS method to track my pace. More later.

03/25: 4mi - MB Wk9

PLAN: 4mi
RAN: 1mi elliptical; 3mi walk/run
LOC: LTF @ lunch

Holy f… this was one of the most painful experiences EVER. I am definitely paying for yesterday. I've NEVER not been able to run 1 mile. I can't pinpoint why it hurts so much, but I think it's because everything is hurting all at once..
My body was losing its voice, screaming "WTF??"