running

Easy no watch. Needed a slower one after last week and yesterday. Feeling good today. Nothing hurts. Will keep slowly increasing the miles.

Legs felt really bad at the start. Combination of too fast run last week, mud run on sat and 12 miles on Sunday. Was very discouraged at the start. Too many things felt bad - feet, Achilles, hamstring. It all slowly loosened up and it turned out to be a good run. Last 3 under 9.

Same loop as yesterday. Slow start only achilles hurt. Last mile 8:08. Not as much faster running as I was hoping for this week. But staying injury free is way better than a couple of faster runs. Have trusted how the body feels and it's kept me going for a long time.

Raining out this morning. I was a total wimp and didn't want to get wet. So I ran on the treadmill instead. 6 miles. It is so boring on the treadmill so I just make stuff up as I go. I felt pretty good again but know that the 3 7:50's I did last week were too fast. So started at 9 min miles and dropped the pace a little every mile. Last half at 7:50. Good and challenging run but not so much that I will feel it tomorrow.

Annoyed that my watch ran out mid run. It's not charging right. Anyhow shooting for 9 min miles. First 6 8:45 average. Not sure about last 6. Think I slowed down on the last 2.

Just a quick run to loosen up.

Ran around Annapolis. It can be hard to find a good route in different cities. It took a while but I eventually found some nice running. Pretty slow run overall but last mile 8:43. Trying to make sure tired legs know what 9 min mile pace feels like.

Legs feel tired. Not a surprise since I have been increasing milage. Last 4 in 8:45 average.

Last 5 in 8:39 average. Felt pretty good. Usually when I lose focus while running I slow down a lot. Interesting that today I did not at all. I think that is a good thing. Achillies is bothering me now. Didn't while I was running.  

Raining off and on for whole run.  Pretty slow and easy for most of it.  Not motivated and trying to rest for tomorrow.  Last mile in 8:14 just for fun.  Nice consistant runs this week.  Happy with that.  It should get even easier next week when I don't have to worry about getting home in time to make sure the kids are awake for school.

I am so lucky to be able to run. I am always filled with gratitude standing at the start line of a race, happy to be with others who are running and thinking of others who cannot.

Pretty happy with the time, on target for what I expected. Unhappy about pacing 7:30, 7:40, 8:10. It was a bit of a downhill out and uphill back and no one passed me on the way back so maybe effort was more even than it looks. But I was more tired the last mile than I wanted to be.

Mostly felt good, just long and boring. Last 6 miles 8:50 average. Last mile 8:30. Just wanted to be done already. Could not have sustained this for 26 miles. Not even close.

Not sure how to get from here to there. Well that's not true I know run further, run faster and lose weight. The devil is in the details of that. It's the how fast, how far and how soon that is the issue. I feel a long way from being able to sustain 9 min miles for a marathon. Typically when I have increased training it felt like I struggled with the new level for a few weeks then it got easier. Seemed like fitness came in jumps not gradually. This time that doesn't seem to be happening. Perhaps it is because the last time I tried to do anything more than run for fitness it was over 20 years ago. I need those 9 min miles to feel effortless. Then I will be ready.

5 easy. Just trying to stay lose after weekend

Could not wake up this morning. 5 on treadmill. 3 in under 8 min/mile.

Hot and muggy. Bailed after 3.5. Hoping to do more on the treadmill but just never had time.

Started slow but then felt pretty good. Last six in 8:34 average. Wasn't really trying to run that fast. That is just what the legs wanted to run. Overall not a great week. Not nearly as consistent as I need to be. Was basically shooting for a long run and the rest 8 milers. I couldn't make it happen this week.

Slow

Wasn't so bad. 8 miles in I was thinking 8 left that's not so bad a little over an hour left to run. Maybe that's the mindset that the long runs develop. Wanted to run last 4 miles at 9 min per mile. Body decided that 8 miles in was a good time to start running that pace. I finished the run at the same pace. The last two weren't easy. After I finished and looked at my watch I realized that I actually ran last ten at 9 min mile pace. Pretty solid run. Pretty tired now.

Slow and easy. Things tight at the start but loosened up ok.

3 in the middle at 8:42 pace. The rest was pretty slow. Some thoughts of the run.

1. One marathon I am considering running is in 11 weeks. Given where I am I don't know if that is doable.

2. Sundays run was too hard. Still feeling tired and flat today. Need to get strong runs in during the week. Every other day is ok, but not once a week.

3. I read a study that said for mid pack runners it is more reasonable to add almost a min per mile to your half marathon time than to use the pace predictors. Results were based on a bunch of runners who did halfs then fulls 6-8 weeks apart. So I should run 8:10 pace for half? 1:47. Seems like a reasonable goal. But not there today.

4. I have been running more and cross training less. Probably should do more core work, stretching, and weights. But where will the time come from.

5. Since I have been at the gym less I haven't been in the hot tub. Is it wrong to go to the gym just for the hot tub?

Felt pretty awful. 75 degrees, 100% humidity. Run itself was good. 8:30 average for last six miles. I was working at keeping that pace but felt fine once I stopped. An hour later ready to do it again. That is how a hard but not too hard run is supposed to feel to me.

Slow and easy.

Much stronger run than I expected. Last 7 miles under 9/mile. Last one in 8:10. Surprised a little coming at the end of a long week. I probably won't run tomorrow or Monday because of work so glad I got this in.