5/11 thru 5/17

Monday 5/11

30 min. spin
35 min tready run with lots of mellow incline.

Tuesday 5/12

1:22 9.5 miles with ~1500ft. up. A little hard, but I felt so good. Really controlled things, cruised. Felt good. My Skinfit gear is sick. If you’re not wearing Skinfit gear, you’re a goon. Buy Skinfit now. Do not delay. The marine layer was epic. I ran out to the point and should have repeated the little trail climb, but didn’t. To be continued.

Wednesday 5/13

Off. I wanted to run, but got wise. It’s so easy to be counter-productive. . .

Thursday 5/14

Today was a little “speed day.” My schedule sets up for harder workouts on Tues and Thurs. The Wed. off day makes this a nice mid-week schedule. Tuesday I’ve been doing longer hillier, and the plan is to do a little tempo or interval work on Thursday.

50 minutes (6+ miles) with 1x4min on w/3min recovery and then 3x5 min on w/3 min recovery. My w/u, recovery and c/d were very ez. During the surges I got the turn-over and certainly felt them with a little Madcon, Greyboy Allstars, and System of a Down going, but I wasn’t worked at all afterwards. I guess I didn’t run hard enough, but with six days in a row on the docket, I’ll live with it. I think my “speed work-outs” need to include a little more running (at least an hour), and running a harder. But all in all it’s a good sign. Early season and all. Healthy (knock on wood).

Friday 5/15

50 minute recovery run. Out the door at 5:45. Hitting the road to Arrowhead today, so I knew it was early or not going to happen. Mission accomplished.

Saturday 5/16

At elevation 5500’, I did a 3 mile loop twice that basically went up and down. 6 miles in 51.36 with ~1300ft of climbing. I thought to myself, I should just be running up here since the elevation will do the trick. But no, I had to do hills too. Two big hills.

Sunday 5/17

I had a little of the Sunday blues. . .got up early in Arrowhead, loaded-up and headed home. Didn’t sleep well last night and wasn’t that psyched to run in Arrowhead again this morning because it’s basically just road running and the hills were had yesterday; those kinda worked me. After the first loop, I was having teeny tiny shortness of breath beyond the obvious I’m winded feeling. Like I said, just running would have been great, but I had to do Big Hills too? It was great and the Racer 5 and Chimay tasted that much better.

Because of the blues and the traveling (blues traveler), I got home and then went to the gym and rode the stationary for 1 hour and then had a solid 45 min run. This brick-type work-out might work since I tire the legs some (high/low rpm) and then run. The run had a little incline and I varied the speed, but mostly just an easy “long run.”

1:45 ;-)
______________________________________________________________

A good week. I got in some climbing and a little speedplay. I think today's blues traveler had a little to do with yesterday's run. I haven't run those kind of hills (~mile long 700ft. climbs) in a while. Of course I got to cruise whatever flat I found and that was at ~5,000ft; I felt some fatigue in the body and the mind (the poor sleep didn't help). But the Tuesday run was quality and the Thursday speed day left me feeling a little hungry. Good news. As for today's work-out, I'd like to aspire to a 2+ hour hilly road or mountain bike ride, followed by a 1+ hour run maybe on off weeks. I do need to get in longer 2+ hour runs and eventually 3+ hour runs, but no need to push the work-outs at the expense of my health. It seems to make sense and THAT'S all the research I need.

Things are heatin' up. Stay cool and refreshed!