not giving up on the comeback

same route as the last three Thursdays.  I just added a half mile each way.  I took it really easy - There is no pop in the legs at all... It was stuggle the whole way.   It was an even split at least. 

13 miles at 7:29/mile

Ran my long run on Friday before we went to Cub Scout camp.  I thought I hydrated properly and ate enough, but I bonked pretty bad after 15 or so.  I ended up dehydrated I guess.  I was sub 130 afterwards...no wonder I bonked.  I will learn from it.  At least I got lots of on feet time and most of the time my pace was ok.

22.5 7:59 ave pace

took a few days off after a hard week last week - this is a step back week for me so I guess it's ok.  I didn't intend to take yesterday off totally, but that's what happened.  

Today - AM - 5.56 in 7:33 pace  - My legs are feeling a lot more fresh that's for sure. 

PM - 7.2 tempo miles - 6/mile pace

5.2 warmup cooldown miles around 7:45-7:55/mile

Last night I had an issue with dizzyness and an upset stomach.  I ended up going to bed without supper.  Thus, for my lunchtime run today I had only a little energy.  I made it through and my legs felt better afterwards than they did before I started.  

Tonight I'll do another easy 4-6 miles before a walk with the kids. 

 4.6 @ 7:30 pace

 PM - 5.5 at 7:23 pace - stomach cramps almost the whole way. 

4 this morning at an easy 7:35 pace.  My legs actually feel pretty good today.  We'll see how they feel tonight after my 12-13 this late afternoon.  I'll try to do a few at MP as well. 

 PM =- 6 miles warmup  at 7:25ish pace then 4 at MP at 6:21 ave pace.  I felt ok - better each time I do this which is the goal I guess.  2 cooldown at 7:20ish pace

felt out of blood sugar I got really wobbly and such at the turnaround and walked for at least 5 min - then jogged it in...but I saved a little box turtle that was stuck on the side of the road so not all was a waste of time...

PM - 4.8 - 7:21 pace- I felt better than at lunch at least...I ate a lot of fruit after the first run.  I think that helped get some carbs in there...

It was a shorter week so I didn't want a super long run.  Hence I went with the fast finish long run.  I went out conservatively and gradually upped the pace after the half. Felt great at the end - I was clipping along pretty well. 
1:02 for the first half (7:41 ave pace)
53:36 for the 2nd half  (6:39 ave pace)
overall 16.17 m at 7:09 ave pace

took an easy run while in chattanooga for the weekend  -- 

took it easy tonight after we got home from our trip

6 - 7:42 ave

I really didn't feel very motivated to get out today so I told my coach (me) that I'd switch the MP to today and do my tempo on Thursday.  My coach said ok and I took my MP route from the last 2 weeks.  I felt pretty good actually, as I seem to when I feel unmotivated. I went faster than MP by around 10 sec/ mile.  My legs don't feel too bad right now. 

first 6 at 7:18 pace

last 6 at MP - 10

1 mile cooldown

ran at lunch - felt good today

4.55 - 6:57 ave pace

5.65 at night - love running in the rain -- 7:02 ave. pace

finally shed all my vacation weight - felt yucky all bloated and heavy.  I told myself I was fueling my last two big running weeks.. so far so good

I threw a few speed ups in there but I didn't try to hit any tempo miles.   I don't know where this run fits in other than a mid week long run.  The pace felt good for the most part.  I'm feeling a lot better about my form recently. 

I did 14.4 today at 6:54 ave pace.  The out and back were at the same pace - maybe negative split by a few seconds.  

just took it easy - my left achilles seems to be a little sore
i think i've been hammering too many curbs recently
no speed the rest of the week and I'm going to try to stay on the roads as much as possible.

looking for new shoes too

4.6 at 7:20 per mile

After work - 4.4 at 7:12 pace- getting cold -- only like 50 and misting and windy...

tomorrow morning's run will be hard to get into.  It's supposed to be in the mid 40's at daybreak.  I'm not used to that yet. 

felt pretty good today despite the windy and cold weather.  luckily i was able to pick the right clothes and I wasn't too hot or too cold at any point.  

last year i ran this route 3 weeks out from my marathon and it went really well.  This year it is 4 weeks out from my race, but I still wanted to have a good one like last year.  Plus, the last 20+ 2 weeks ago went really badly, and I didn't want a repeat of that one.  

bottom line - it went well and I was able to keep pace or speed up slightly in the last 4 miles, which are really difficult. 

23.75 - 7:16 ave pace. 

so concludes by biggest milage week yet -- not sure how all the miles added up.  Even better, my legs don't feel too bad at all, although I will appreciate the day off tomorrow. 

rest day!

I woke up and my foot hurts today. -- It is the same old tendonitis that I've had before.  Not sure why it didn't hurt at all after my Saturday run or when I woke on Sunday.  Maybe it was the shoes I wore yesterday....

no run at lunch at least and if it doesn't feel better by evening, then I'll bail on that one too. 

ARGH

FINALLY hitting the road again - two extra rest days for this foot

felt good as it went along and doesn't hurt afterwards - yea

4.6  @ 7:21 ave pace

After work  4.3 @7:52 pace

did some miles after work - not 100% but taking it easy on the downhills

11.6 @ 7:20 pace

lunchtime - 6.1 @ 7:12 pace  - felt good - a nice run in the rain

evening -  4.75 @ 7:48 pace - felt good - it was dark and there were a lot of uneven sidewalks

did a two hour hike with the cub scouts this morning so I went out at 3 this afternoon
It was windy and chilly but I felt good.  My foot is almost all better. 
out of gaterade mix so I took a thing of slightly watered down apple juice - which I liked actually

20.25 ave pace 6:51

7:12 first half
6:30 2nd half

I never hammered any of the downhills so there is some time in there to make up,  I feel good about my pace in the last half. 

Not a bad week for only starting on Wednesday...

ran after work
slightly tight achilles but it loosened up
never pushed - felt good after the first mile which was really slow

Pouring rain, windy, and chilly today but I got out and did it.  

average 7:13pace out

average 6:30 pace on the way back

it was hard to keep any race pace today with the rain and giant puddles and the overall cruddy state of the sidewalks/roads on this route.  I'm not sure why I always seem to take it.  But when i did get into a rhythm, I did feel quite comfortable at this pace.  I'm thinking the race on Saturday I'll start at this pace and go from there after a few. 

I FINALLY made hotel reservations for the night before the marathon.  YEA!

6 miles at lunchtime - a little creaky for the first two miles but once I loosened up I was ok.  

7:34 ave. pace

5PM - 

just beautiful weather tonight
felt really good for the first two miles and then i started to feel like i was floating along, which is cool when you are running, but now I know it precedes an energy crash...this is the second time this has happened.  I ate and drank well today,  I thought.  I'm not sure what happened there. 

Just looked at last year's calendar and my 15 mile race was actually just one week before my marathon.  Thinking back, that seems a little crazy.   

Will do 12-14 later today - no speedups

beautiful evening
didn't much feel like running - just got through it

7:22 ave pace

lunchtime run -- I felt ok - got to run in a misty rain at work.  I'm not sure if it is my OLD shoes or my legs but there is NO zip in them at all.  I'm not sure if I need to skip tonight's run or if I should do it.  The 15 mile race tomorrow is supposed to simulate race conditions, so maybe racing 15 miles on somewhat tired legs would be beneficial. or maybe not... at least I get to wear my lucky shoes tomorrow.  i am looking forward to that.

A note on my brooks Adrenalie GTS 8's - I like these shoes cause they have lasted a long time with minimal wear compared to other recent ones, but they have always felt blocky.  I'm not sure what that means in official shoe lingo, but they make me feel slow and lumbering.  I guess there is a trade off there- - shoes that feel fast but wear out faster...

5.6 7:17 ave pace

no 2nd run for the day - spent time with the family  :)

Atlanta Track Club Run Around the Rock 15 Mile Race

I felt ok - not great
I tried to do an even pace - I was at 32:xx for 5, 1:04:20ish for 10 and 1:36:40 for 15 - pretty dang consistent.  

The first 10 miles I ran with two 10 mile race guys.  They helped me keep pace.  There were no other 15 mile people around me.  The leader went out at around 6min pace. And my first mile was a 6:15, so I never was in touch with him.  
It was a pretty lonely run with no one in my race with me for the last 7 miles.  good practice for chickamauga I guess.  I just hope I feel better for that race.  I think this course is a little more challenging with some two sets of steep uphills per lap. 
The rain came in the last lap and was welcome to cool me down.  

6:27 ave pace - 2nd overall - 1st AG