Race Report: Love The Run You're With 5k

Race #1 for the season was a success. I didn't meet any "high in the sky" goals but got in a good fitness test, ran smart, and PR'd for a road 5k.

Despite what the website said about this being a flat, fast course, there was a decent sized hill in the first half mile. The rest of the way out on the out and back course was a gradual downhill, but accompanied by a strong headwind. The way back was pretty much all uphill until the last 600-800 meters also seemed pretty windy.

After getting out comfortably, I held a steady, controlled pace for the first mile. I was expecting to come in around 5:20, so when I saw 5:31 I immediately picked up the pace and realized I had been running a bit too comfortably. The second mile was better, the pace felt a lot faster and I felt more competitive as I passed a few guys who had passed me near the end of the first mile. That being said, my left shin tightened up a lot early in the second mile which somewhat negatively impacted my form but didn't seem to be a huge hindrance. I came through the second mile in 5:27 (10:59) and headed into the nearly all uphill third mile where I pushed harder. Unfortunately there was nobody near me at this point, so I chugged on alone. I hit mile 3 in 5:28 (16:27) and sprinted to the finish in 29 high for 16:57, a road PR and my first time under 17 in almost three years.

With this being my first race in three months, I'm happy. I felt pretty well recovered within about five or ten minutes, so I know I can go faster, especially if I go out faster. This is definitely a good benchmark, but I need to take it down from here. As my workouts change from fast long runs, tempos, and leg prep workouts to more structured intervals as well as more racing over the next few weeks, I should have no trouble dropping my race times drastically. Goal for the St. Patrick's Day 8k: hold my race pace from today (5:28-5:30). I've got a lot of work to do, but this was definitely a great start!

Race Results: http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/results/search.php?ID=1472

Week 12

The name of the game this week was run hard and recover. I have found that at 70 mpw, my body is having a bit more trouble feeling sharp each day as it did at 60 or 65. Because my recovery days are now always hour long runs instead of 45 minutes, or 90 minutes split into a double, my legs don't have the same pop on a daily basis as they have for most of this base period. On each of my workouts this week, both longer aerobic sessions (nothing even remotely anaerobic!), it has taken me two days to feel fully recovered.

Running a few weeks at this mileage and getting used to the load is definitely necessary to be ready for the increased workout intensity and race schedule I have planned for the spring. That being said, when I did plan to run hard this week I felt great. My pacing, day-to-day recovery, strides, and diet have been as close to ideal this week as I could hope for and I'm glad I've been smart about my running, and the success I had this week definitely shows.

Despite two great workouts this week, the highlight has to be from my run today on Beach Drive. As I was doing my strides, a woman from a large marathon training group came over to me and told me "all the ladies think you have beautiful legs." Can't resist a man in tights!

I have my first race tomorrow, and I can't wait to see where I'm at. Hopefully, I'll run fast but in any case it will be a good test of fitness! Results to come.

Totals:
Week 12: 70
February: 262
Season: 636

Big Mileage and WOW

This has been a pretty big week for me running-wise. After Sunday's fast long run I put in 20 miles on Monday and Tuesday in 3 runs, finally feeling recovered from Sunday on Tuesday evening. Wednesday evening was my one big workout this week.

After plans with the Chicken Tender Runner fell through once again, I headed home to run cruise intervals around the two blocks surrounding my house. I began with a 2k in trainers which felt great. After taking a generous 2+ minutes to change shoes and strip down a bit, I rolled straight into 6 x 1k with 60 second recovery. These felt phenomenal, fast but still smooth and relaxed. The entire workout was untimed until the last interval, which I clocked at around 3:17--a full 6 seconds faster than my last 1k 2 weeks ago. While this last one was certainly pushed a bit more than the others, my cruise pace has definitely improved in the last two weeks.

Progress progress progress! I can't wait to see where I'm actually at this Sunday at the Love The Run You're With 5k in Pentagon City.

$ Long Run on Beach Drive

When I set up a plan for my training build this winter, I decided I would hammer a long run almost every week. With my inability to focus or hold pace during any longer race this fall, I decided these long runs were something I needed to focus on. The weather, travel, and other factors have really prevented me from making this a true reality, but today was a different story.

With my 5 mile race for this morning canceled, I decided to head over to Beach Drive for a fast 14. I wanted to run a majority of the run somewhere between 6:10 and 6:25, and break 90 minutes for 14 miles.

This run went incredibly well. The middle 10 miles are what I really focused on and were completed in 62:07. Finished the full 14 in 89:27. I stopped at just over 8 miles (most of which were downhill or flat) to use the bathroom and turn around, but even on the remaining 6 miles uphill I held a solid pace. This is something I've been needing to do for a while, and I'm glad it finally got it done.

Week 11

I got some really good running in this week. Hit my first 70 mile week in well over a year and it felt awesome. Traveled to the only cleared track in the area at American University on Thursday for my first workout in a week. It was windy and I was a bit rusty, but after a lousy opening set of 200s I felt pretty good. The workout was another untimed leg prep workout of 6 x 200 (100 jog), 6 x 300 (200 jog), 2 x 150 (250 jog), 6 x 200 (100 jog). The 3s and 150s felt great--fast but relaxed. It was great to get out for a workout again since it had been so long.

I had been planning to do a tempo workout on Friday with the Chicken Tender Runner but our plans didn't work out. Nonetheless Thursday's running definitely jump started me and both of my recovery runs on Friday felt really good. This morning was a different story, as I was on little sleep, tired (probably from the mileage increase) and feeling a bit sluggish.

All in all, my training seems to be progressing very smoothly mileage-wise and I'm looking forward to amping up the intensity of my workouts in the coming weeks.

Totals:
Week 11: 70
February: 192
Season: 566

Empire State of Mind

Although New York is widely considered a terrible city for runners, I have made do quite well while I've been here. On Sunday I did a 12 mile run in Central Park, the first 4.5 of which with Anthony and Kirsten and the rest on my own. This park really is a phenomenal resource in this city and I had a great run. Some tool in sunglasses and racing flats turned off a path right in front of me on my second loop of the park and I had no choice but to pass him and drop him. He tried to hold on for a while, but eventually faded and pushed me to pick up my sluggish 7-7:15 pace to a more crisp 6:20-6:40 clip for a considerable chunk of the run.

Monday was a quick 10 miler with Anthony from Brooklyn across the Brooklyn Bridge and through Battery Park and along the Hudson in Manhattan. This run was both fun and scenic, although it involved a bit more people-dodging than I would have liked. We booked it down the Brooklyn Bridge on the way back in low 6 pace and it felt great. After one last run in NYC tomorrow morning it will be time to head back to snowy Maryland for another difficult week of weather!

Week 10

This week proved very frustrating with all of the snow, but I actually managed to hit everything I set out to do. I moved my Wednesday workout to Thursday. I was supposed to do 6 x 1000 with 60 sec. rest at cruise/threshold pace followed by 4 x 200 at a relaxed, fast pace. With every track in the surrounding area covered by ~35 inches of snow, I ran a loop from my house around the surrounding two blocks which ended up being right around 1k or a bit more. The workout went very well, I felt strong and fast and recovered well in 60 seconds. I timed just the last one and according to Google Pedometer it was around 3:23 for 1k which is a very promising cruise pace for this point in my training. Did 4 x 40 seconds instead of the 200s and those felt very fast.

Rounded out the week with a run through Prospect Park in NYC with Anthony and Mikey Coogan which felt great despite the large amount of alcohol I consumed last night.

I am excited to step up the mileage again next week, and looking forward to racing very soon!

Totals:
Week 10: 65
February: 122
Season: 496

Pushup Challenge PR!

Pushup Challenge in 2:06! Not a bad way to end a 12 mile treadmill double. STOP SNOWING!

(Not So) Epic Long Run

With my personal life collapsing around me and the D.C. area being hit with upwards of 28 inches of snow, I thought the conditions were right for an epic long run.

The first half did not disappoint. I headed out and ran straight through downtown Bethesda to East-West Highway and took it to Beach Drive. I hit that at around 3.5 miles and proceeded another 3.5 on Beach before I turned around. With all the downhill heading into Beach I was rolling at a pretty good 6:10-6:20 clip at pretty minimal effort as I got to the D.C. line where the next 1200 meters to the second gate had not been plowed. I muscled through that at a very honest effort and completed the rest of Beach pretty quickly.

The way back is when it all started to fall apart--the second time through the snow was a lot tougher (and slower) than the way out, and then all of a sudden as I hit just over 10 miles I pulled over and threw up 3 or 4 times. Not really sure why, but afterward I felt a lot better.

Going back through Bethesda was tough. The combination of hills with snow and ice really took it out of me, and by the time I was on Wilson again I was pretty beat. That being said I finished the run at a good clip and felt great at the end. I definitely needed to get in a good long run today, and I'll probably need a solid, long run tomorrow to keep me sane.

Week 9 and Pushup Challenge

A very snowy end to an eventful, up and down week. Ran on the treadmill today because of the snow, and because I couldn't go to the gym did various strength exercises afterward in my house. Finally attempted the infamous "pushup challenge" (timed completion of 100 pushups) and did it in 2:46--not bad for my first attempt but I think I can do better.

With all the snow falling yesterday and today and forecasts for snow in the middle of next week I'm sure my plans will have to be altered. Hopefully, however, I will be able to get in my miles and workouts with minimal treadmill use. I am feeling strong for this being my first 65 mile week since July, and am looking forward to building further from here.

Totals:
Week 9: 65
January: 249
February: 57
Season: 431

Workouts Before the Storm

After running long on Monday and easy Tuesday, I needed to get in two quality workouts before Friday's snow began. After a 4 mile shakeout on Wednesday morning I headed around the corner from RnJ on Wednesday night and measured out 400 meters on Nebel Street to do my weekly leg prep workout. I completed 4 x 200 (100 jog), 3 x 300 (200 jog), 3 x 400 (200 jog), 2 x 150 (250 jog), 4 x 200 (100 jog). Not only was this workout longer than previous weeks, but it was much more epic. I didn't time anything, but I was rolling. The 400s felt like they were in the 65-67 or under range and the 150s were probably sub 20. I felt amazing--but to be expected as this was my first night workout in a long time and I always feel better as the day progresses.

Heading to the gym after my Wednesday workout topped off a pretty intense day of exercise. Even after an easy hour on Thursday morning I was still pretty tired and stiff on Friday morning when I headed out for a 4 mile tempo run with Anthony. We got started and I felt fine, the pace felt easy enough and my legs felt a bit more recovered than I thought they would. It did not last, however, as I started to really feel it about 2 miles in when Anthony stopped. I hit the miles in 5:59, 5:52, 5:50, 5:58 for 23:42 which was very disappointing. That being said, this workout was a bit forced on little rest and was done on a crappy road circuit that had several nasty turns to it. This probably would have been more effective tomorrow, but it seems as if the weather has other plans for me.

Early Week Travel

I began the week by heading to West Hartford with Anthony and meeting up with Schuyler for an hour long run from his apartment. Although it was a cold, windy morning we got in a great recovery run through some neighborhoods, a park, and the West Hartford town center. It was nice to run in a new place as well as seeing and running with Schuyler and Anthony. A great brunch afterward too!

Back at Vassar on Monday morning Anthony and I made the trip out to Ron's house to run the Tower at Mohonk. We took Lenopy Lane both up and down to save our legs a bit and navigated a fair amount of snow and ice to finally make it up to the Tower in 51 minutes. We threw our stones off the top but were unable to break the ice--and then headed back down and hung out with Ron for a bit before calling it a day.