Week in Review 7.28.13

Lets join the action already in progress.

Tuesday I awoke just in time for it to start raining.  I was almost done with my audio book ('Blackout' book 3 of the Newsflesh trilogy) so I didn't want to leave my phone to run outside, so I headed over to the gym for some speed work.  A mile warm up and half mile cool down with intervals of quarter miles at around a 9 minute pace countered by one at about an 11 minute pace.  Overall I was fairly happy with the time. 5.0 mi in 52:38 a 10:32 pace

Wednesday I was out early to hit the hills.  I started off at the track with a steady 2.5 miles before heading up the street to run a pair of up and downs of the enormous hill near my house.  The hill gains 142 feet of elevation in 0.44 miles.  That's the same as the height of a 13 story building.  It's a steep climb but hopefully something that will pay off down the road.  5.2 mi in 1:01:27 an 11:49 pace

Thursday, I was back at the rack for some fartlek where you run at about 80-90% of your max speed for about 100 meters then a short recovery.  The trick is not running so fast that you need to walk during the recovery.  Using the track I used the straight aways as the speed sections and the turn for recovery.  5.1 mi in 50.05 an 9:49 pace

Friday is my normal an off day and it was just way too hot to run, but I did make my way to the Gym for some cross training. 1 hour of strength training on the various machines since I didn't make it to total body melt on Tuesday.

Saturday was just a slow 5 miles to get me ready for the long run on Sunday.  Running before my long run will help me feel as if I've actually run longer than I have and hopefully allow me to run farther and faster come race day.  5.1 mi in 55:49 a 10:57 pace

Sunday was my normal long run down by the Charles.  A couple of loops on my own but I felt as if I had made some good progress this week.  I had a good pace and with the run the day before, my legs were definitely feeling it towards the end, but it has set me up nicely for August and a return to the half September 1st!  13.1mi in 2:28:12 an 11:19 pace

Miles run last week 33.5

Miles run this year 482.4

Miles left to 1K in 2013: 517.6 (23.53 miles per week over the next 22 weeks down 0.43 from last week)

How to have a sucessful Expo

Go early (no lines)

Check in

Get your bib

Get your swag

And put it in a bag

Get on the bus that says "Free Candy"...or you can just get a gaite analysis but I would much rather have free candy

Get your fortune read by a Fake zoltar....do NOT ask to be big, trust me it does not end well.

Make Friends

Make lots of friends

Seriously there are a lot of interesting people there

Become Gozilla and terroize a city (sorry Seattle it's a requirement of a sucessful expo)

Eat samples

Eat Lots of samples

 

Above all ROCK OUT!!!!

Week in review 7.21.13 (AKA Drewfest)

My birthday week kicked off with my normal rest day on Monday.  We were in the grip of a heat wave which would last until Saturday.

Tuesday I was still a bit sore from my run on Sunday and the lingering effects of total body melt a week earlier so I went out on a slow recovery run. 5.1 mi in 58:05 an 11:23 pace

Wednesday was my birthday and I had every intention of getting up and running but the drive back from the US Gold Cup match in Hartford the night before made me sleep in.

Thursday, I tried to make up for it going a bit farther than needed.  The heat even in the morning drained the energy, as it did the whole week, and the run became more of a death march than an enjoyable run.  5.3 mi in 1:02:51 an 11:51 pace

Friday is my normal an off day and it was just way too hot to run, but I did make my way to the Gym for some cross training.  1 hour of strength training on the various machines since I didn't make the hell class this week prepared me to try it again next week.

Saturday I set out on a 5 mile run that felt like I was running in pea soup.  I was hot tired and had the Mass Ave Mile the next day so after 5K I was done  3.1 mi in 36:44 a 11:52 pace

Sunday was the Mass Ave Mile sponsored by Marathon Sports.  If you didn't guess from the name it was a one mile race from Porter square to Harvard square.  There were just over 300 participants and it was a fun little run.  My goal was a sub 9 minute mile, and about half way through I had the thought of a sub 8 minute mile, but in the end I was happy with my time of 8:26.  After the race we grabbed Julie's bike and she met up with my aunt and uncle in town while I continued to run to get my miles in for my long run.  It got cut a bit short so we could join them for lunch all in all it was a nice little run!   10.1mi in 1:56:27 an 11:32 pace including the race mile

Miles run last week 23.6

Miles run this year 448.9

Miles left to 1K in 2013: 551.1 (23.96 miles per week over the next 23 weeks up 0.01 from last week)

MASS AVE MILE
Overall Place: 206/311 | 66.2%
Age Group: M 30-39
Age Group Place: 40/45 | 88.9%

Week in Review 7.14.13

Monday was my off day recovering from the hot run on Sunday.

Tuesday I made my way down to the track for some speed work.  After I did a mile warm up I alternated between a half mile fast and quarter mile slow with another mile cool down at the end.  After my run Julie asked me to go to a class with her at our gym called total body melt after work.  Being the good husband that I was I joined her after work and set up shop at the back of the all female room.  High intensity low weight strength training made for 50 minutes of non-stop movement working from your shoulders down to your legs.  I was completely tired but felt it gave me a good base to start more cross training on. 5 mi in 50:45 an 10:09 pace

Wednesday I was up again for a slow recovery run.  I was starting to get sore from the two-a-day the day before but I made myself get up and out to stretch the legs. 5  mi in 1:02:00 a 12:24 pace.

Thursday, I got up early and decided I hurt really badly (2 days after lifting is when they say you hurt more and I believe it) so I reset the alarm and went back to bed.  This was also the day that my company had its summer outing.  My arms hurt so much I could barely lift my beer but like all athletes who face adversity I fought through it.

Friday is normally an off day to get ready for the weekend runs, but since I slacked I had to go out for a short one.  I had to do it after work because I was still pretty sore when I woke up in the morning.  3.1 mi in 33:40 a 10:51 pace

Saturday I was up and out early again as I headed to the track still trying to shake off the lingering soreness, but at least I could scratch my nose without nearly breaking into tears!  5.1 mi in 55:53 a 10:57 pace

Sunday started the third heat wave of the summer, but I gathered myself feeling about 98% recovered from the hell class on Tuesday and made my way down to the Charles.  We got down there early (before Memorial was closed) and made my way around the river.  The heat was oppressive and once Memorial Drive was closed I decided to run up and down the three-quarters of a mile between it's start and JFK as it's in the shade.  Once I was done it was over to Moozey's for a well deserved smoothie. 9.8mi in 1:55:34 an 11:48 pace

Miles run last week 28.0

Miles run this year 425.3

Miles left to 1K in 2013: 574.7 (23.95 miles per week over the next 24 weeks down 0.16 from last week)

Week In review 7.7.13

Vacation over and fully recovered from Seattle it's time to get back on the horse.  A new training week starts as I get back on the Sunday long run schedule for the slew of September halfs we have coming up.

Monday: OK maybe not fully back on the horse yet.  A couple of birthday celebrations over the weekend and I still needed to sleep in despite going to bed at 8:30 the night before.  Tomorrow I promise.

Tuesday the heat was still in effect and running made me feel slower than molasses but I got back out there.  5 miles around my part of Watertown and by the end felt as if I had been swimming.  5 mi in 56:18 an 11:16 pace

Wednesday misfiring fire alarms woke me up and when I couldn't get back to sleep I made my way down to the track to do some interval training.  I didn't get all 8 miles run keeper wanted me to, but I was able to get in 6 at a pretty good pace of a half mile fast (around 9:45) then 30 second slow.  with a 2 mile warm up and cool down.  6 mi in 1:01:18 a 10:13 pace.
 
Thursday, I got up early trying to beat the 4th of July heat.  It didn't work.  I did a slow 3.2 miles and headed back for some air conditioning  3.2 mi in 35:52 an 11:13 pace.

Friday was a recovery day as I got ready for a hot weekend!

Saturday legs were a bit sluggish in the heat so another 5K was in the cards as I got ready for my long run on Sunday.  3.2 mi in 34:09 an 10:40 pace

Sunday and the heatwave was still in full effect.  We headed down to run along the Charles on a 4 mile path that I offers some sun shade and a nice run along the river.  I hoped to get 10-12 but after 6 miles in the heat it was clear that I was only going to be able do to two laps so I finished them up and went in search of a smoothie to cool me down.  Three places later and we found one a great way to finish the July 4th weekend.  8:05mi in 1:33:34 an 11:38 page

 Miles run last week 25.4

Miles run this year 397.3

Miles left to 1K in 2013: 602.7 (24.11 miles per week over the next 25 weeks down 0.05 from last week)