Dallen

AM: 10 easy miles to work.

PM: Back home with 3 miles at threshold pace. Garmin had me at about 5:50 for each of the miles, but I think I was closer to a 5:40 equivalent. It had my laps at 5:40 pace or better until I did things like cross bridges, make turns or go up hills, then it would drop quickly. Either way, I was probably working too hard as my heart rate made it to 190.

10 easy miles.

5K tomorrow. Definately not tapered for this one.

This is the first race that I have won in a long, long time. Not really very impressive. Small race. Still fun. A couple people were ahead of me for the first few minutes, but they quickly faded. No splits on this one, except that I hit the turnaround in 9:00. The course had lots of hills, so I was slowed down quite a lot.

10 miles at 6:23 average pace. Thought about doing a long run, but decided my body probably needed a break. Despite the fast pace, this actually did not feel very hard.

The lecturer before lunch was boring, so I took an extended run and put in 20 miles. I like to do my long runs fast, but this time I went with good old-fashioned LSD. I went for 2:35. Unmeasured, but hopefully colse to 20 miles.

Against my better udgement I decinded to do the 10 mile run home 4 hours later. Averaged a 7:10-7:15 pace. Suprisingly this did not feel much harder than any other 10 mile run. Hopefully I don't pay for this tomorrow.

10 to work, 10 more home. I expected to be sore from yesterday, but wasn't. By the end of the day I was feeling fatigued. Tomorrow will be a true easy day.

This finished up a stretch of 120 miles in 7 days, a new record, surpassing the old total of 107 that I set in 1999. I also did 100 in 6 days, as well as last week, both also a new records.

Easy day, just 10 slow miles to work.

The recent increase im mileage is mostly due to the fact that I currently have the time to do so. I also need a good mileage base heading into the summer/fall racing season. The mileage will probably drop again once I go back home from this month of classes in DC.

Took the day off yesterday. I was overdue for a zero. 8 easy miles today. 5K tomorrow.

I am going to have to hope that my times in recent races are not an accurate indication of my fitness. Way too slow.

This was a rather big race. About 2000 people registered, but it was raining and I think only about half actually showed up.

For the first half mile I stayed with the front group of about 10. They gradually dropped off and I ended up 3rd in a close string of 4 or 5 feeling really good. I missed the first mile marker, but it think it was in the 5:15-5:20 raange. Then we hit Capital Hill. That hill part is no joke. About 400 meters of a decent uphill. The front two pulled away from me immediately and #3 got me at the top. I never really recovered. I have no hill running ability right now. I wanted to catch the guys in front of me but couldn't. Mile 2 in 11:18. Mile 3 5:53. Got passed in the final stretch and finished 5th. In Chicago an equivalent time in this big of a race might be about 20th. Just not as much talent out here.

The next race will be the Soldier field 10 miler in 2 weeks. It will be the first race of the year that I will actually care about.

8 easy miles. I was hoping to do a long run, but I wasn't feeling up to it after yesterday's race, and I didn't really have time. It is Mother's day after all.

10 miles on the treadmill due to several inches of rain in the past day. Gradually increased pace to 6:40. Averaged about 7:05.

10 easy miles at lunchtime.

10 more miles in the evening with 2x1 mile. 1st one in 5:15 with slight tailwind, going back was 5:28. I hate mile repeats They hurt.

AM: 10 easy miles. Most of this on a trail which was occasionally below the level of the Potomac River. For some reason I kept running through it or through the brush rather than just turning around. I am stubborn.

PM: 10 more miles. I really wasn't feeling up to doing this run, but I forced myself out of the door and felt really good by the end of the run.

AM: 10 easy mile to work.

PM: 10 miles home with a 4 mile tempo run. Actually 4.02 in 22:48. I hit 5K in 17:37, 10 seconds faster than my race on Saturday. Same course that Garmin had me at 5:50 pace over 3 miles 2 weeks ago. Hopefully this is improvement from the recent mileage increase and not just Garmin measurement error.

I did say last week that I felt I was doing 5:40 equivalent, but the bridges and hills were dropping the average pace. Say thin for this week, but my pace was dropping from 5:30.

Either way, not a bad effort for a run at the end of 60 miles in 3 days.

Half on treadmill, half on roads.

Felt a little off. I never feel great after a day off.

10 easy miles.

10+7,  with 6x400 on the track with 400 rest between intervals. Times: 72, 73, 73, 73, 72, 70.  This was a little more rest than I should have done, but I also ran these intervals faster than I have done in years.

I am going to do a little bit of tapering for Saturday's race, so I am only running 8 miles today.

4 easy miles, tapering for tomorrow. Anything less than this and I will probably will feel stiff.

Not exactly sure what to hope for tomorow. Official PR for 10 miles in 58:17. I am probably able to break this, but really I will be happy with anything under an hour.

Big PR today. Knocked about 30 seconds off of the official best time for 10 miles. I have had splits in half marathons quicker, but never on a fair course.

Decided to wear the Garmin in a race for the first time. I think it worked out well, especially by keeping me from going out too fast. It did measure the course at 10.09, but I will trust the official distance on this one.  

Went out with the idea of not passing a guy from my club who is consistantly a little faster than me. I ran behing him for the first mile (5:46). Good start for my planned pace of 5:50 which would have tied my PR. Felt great. Passes the guy that I planned to stay behind and never saw him again.

Ran through mile 5 with some other guy who also wanted to run 5:50's. We were going a little too fast, but I felt good. At the turnaround I did a 5:42 mile and dropped him.

Spent the next two miles slowly cutting into the 20 yard lead of the next guy. Then dropped him with another 5:42.

In the last 2 miles I tried to catch the next gut who was 20-30 yards ahead, but he maintained his lead. I think the 5:42 was a little too ambitious and the last two miles were tough.

Mile splits: 5:46, 5:44, 5:42, 5:50, 5:48, 5:44, 5:48, 5:42, 5:50, 5:51.

Final time: 57:49. 14th place?

Finished on the 50 yard line of soldier field. Kinda cool. Would have been cooler if it was in the middle of the field rather than the sideline.

First big race that I wasn't passed in the last few miles. I usually die because I go out too fast.

Weather helped, 55 degrees and less wind than usual for Chicago. Mostly a cross wind than became a headwind at the end.

A little sore from yesterday. Not too bad.

Still feeling tired and sore from the race on Saturday, maybe worse than yesterday.

4 mile tempo run on the treadmill in about 22:50. This felt rather easy cardiovascularly, but I'm not sure my legs were ready. I'm already sore. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

10+8

AM: 10 miles. Half very easy, then I started the watch and worked my way up to a 6:10 pace.

PM (only a few hours later): 7 miles on treadmill with 3 x 1 mile with 800 rest.5:15, 5:10, 5:05. Did the rest in about 7:30 pace. I was suprised to see that I did the 4 miles in 22:55, only about 5-15 seconds slower than my recent 4 mile tempo runs. I guess that mesns that I was working too hard today, or I can increase the speed or distance of the tempo runs. Maybe both.

Moving today and tomorrow. Going 2 doors down the hall to a 2 bedroom apartment instead of the current 1 bedroom.

10 easy mileis in the morning. Then on to moving. Completely moved into the new apartment by noon. Not bad.

Finished the month with 373 miles. This beats the only month record of 372, which beat the older mark of 371, which beat the older mark of 369. Maybe some month I will make a bigger bump.