THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

8 recovery miles on the home dreadmill while attemptin to entertain my munchkin.  later in the afternoon did an hour of weights and core and got a good workout in.

am.  5 at 6:59 ap.  this is my every other Tuesday routine--fartlek after being up 24 hours while Vanessa is at her appointment.  temps were decently cool and conditions were good, so although my legs felt like spaghetti, this was quite a drastic improvement from 2 weeks ago.  4 minute warm up, then 15 x one minute on/one minute off.  minutes "on" were much improved, 7 at 6:10ish pace, 5 at 5:45ish pace, and 3 at 6:30ish pace*(taking a break?).  only about one minute cooldown since this brought me to 5 miles and back to the office to get my daughter.  it is questionable as to whether or not I will roll out of bed in 5 hours and squeeze a recovery jaunt in before work.

5pm.  5 through the southside recovery pace before work

ez afternoon jaunt, only 84 degrees, felt good.  no watch.  4 mile race tomorrow.

This went pretty well I think.  I measured the course a little long per Garmin, which is neither here nor there.  Either way, this is a 27 second improvement from 3 weeks ago on  a not-so-flat course, so the improvement continues slowly but surely.  splits 6:09(downish), 6:31(uppish), 6:25, 6:24, last .05 in 16 seconds(5:38 pace).  jogged 1.5 to warm up and 2.5 to cool down.  This needs to be my hmp in about 6 weeks, which judging from two years ago at this very same race, it did become my hmp 6 weeks later so I can dream.  I am feeling kinda emotional and greatful today, 10 weeks ago I was laying in a ditch with a broken leg and lucky to be alive.  Seems almost like it never happened.  God has been good to me.

The usual work weekend grind.  worked my shift, met the morning group.  I was tired but felt good during the run.  Off to sleep so I can work and run long tomorrow!! s

30 minutes core--basically consisted of 15 minutes abs/pushups and 16 minutes of Tabata-like stuff--burpees, squats, mountain climbers, triceps dips, planks, mason twists, situps, and one-legged squats

7:48 pace.  gross.  Got off work, tired, and started.  It was 70s and humid and windy.  As puny as I was feeling the first 14 I had a feeling that a tempo the last 4 would be an epic fail but I decided to at least try.  Miles 15 and 16 were 6:42, 6:58, and then I backed down and jogged it in.  My legs were shot and I felt like a zombie.  I will try this again  next week when I have slept the night before.

Nice ez run at Miller's Meadow, a nice little singletrack trail outside town with Zach from the Gorun team.  First time on the trail, enjoyed it, felt good on my legs.  no watch.  yay a few days off and time to catch up on a little sleep!

It was 104 nasty humid degrees at the GoRun track workout tonight, so although the workout was toned down bigtime, I am feeling beat up by the heat.  Ran 3 miles to "warm" up, then did sets of 400 meters--300 relaxed with the last 100 hard.  we did these in sets of 4,3,2,1 with decreasing rest between sets.  cooled down 2.25 to make a round 8 miles.  At this point I had a headache and needed to barf so made it to the gas station for a big purple Gatorade and drank it on the way home and now that I am laying on the couch in air conditioning am starting to feel a little better.

8:21 ap.  Recovery run.  With the shady tree-lined course and breeze, this was the most comfortable I could ever hope for in 90 degrees.  Hit the Y afterward for 50 minutes weights and core plus 15 minutes rowing.

7:27 AP.  800s on the mill.  Usually this is a tempo day but with a possible 10k race Saturday morning I did a workout I've always wanted to do, Yasso 800s, modified a bit for the treadmill.  warm up 2 miles, then 8x800 with 400 recovery in between, 2.25 mile cooldown.  The pace for the first 6 was 5:56 then the last two at 5:52, 5:49.  Recovery jogs at 8:49 pace.  I felt pretty strong during these!  The plan is to repeat this workout about a month down the road, hopefully 10 at somewhat faster paces.

I slept the extra hour instead of running.  I am a tired, tired girl, and I have this bright idea that I'm gonna work all night tonight and try to get off on time to run a tired 10k in the morning.  remains to be seen.

Well.  This was horrible.  :(   We had a busy night at work, but I got off on time to make it down to the race.  It was in the high 70s and gross sticky humid.  I warmed up around a mile with two strides and my legs felt very heavy.  First mile I felt okay, second mile I felt terribly fatigued, third mile I completely blew up.  I was toast from then out. Done. My legs were logs, I was breathing like a freight train, and I struggled mightily just to keep my miles under 7 minutes.  I ran beautiful reverse progressive splits.  I was in third but the second place girl apparently dropped out somewhere in the fifth mile so I got second, barely, third was only 3 seconds behind.  This was a confidence killer.  That said, I am very tired, and I noticed the leaders from last year consistently ran around two minutes slower this year.  The course was very flat, so for all intents and purposes a fast course.  Came home and shook my legs out with a very slow 3 mile jog.  Now off to bed, and I will be seeking out a revenge race to make this one a distant memory!!

It was raining!!  Felt great to be in the cool rain, ran 16 easy then last two in 6:40, 6:28, which felt gloriously easy.  Something about that 14 hours of sleep I just got....

later in the afternoon hit the Y for 65 minutes of weights and core

morning:  9.75 at 8:34 pace.  As far as I got today before the motor on the home treddy had enough for the day.  Hopefully it's just being cranky and still works later.

noon:  6.25 in circles at the downtown Y, no watch.  started at a plod but ended pretty fast because the songs kept getting better and better

Best speedwork ever!  Headed for the GoRun track workout.  Temps were in the 80s and it was so humid we were glistening just standing around, but wow I felt good.  I came home from work and slept 8 hours, and I felt rested, and good.  3 mile warm up.  Then the 800s started.  I took out with the lead guys and hung on for all 7 of the 800s.  we were so humid sweat our sweat was sloshing on each other gross!  800s were 2:56, 2:53, 2:49, 2:47, 2:45, 2:52, 2:54.   1.5 mile cooldown.  I didn't even know I could run 800s this fast.  It dawned on me, I can run faster than I think.  I just need rest.  I didn't even feel strained, the first 3 felt easy, then it started to be work, but not an all-out strain.  I think I am on some kind of runner's high.

am.  7 easy on the home dreadmill early in the morning when I couldn't get back to sleep.  one hour core and weights

pm:  2 mile warm up, 8 hill repeats at the soapbox hill, cool down to a total of 7.  met up with Shelby, was nice to have company to that's why I jumped in on the hill repeats

another early morning on the home hamster wheel. dunno what has gotten into me this week but my legs feel great and so do I. ran super slow so as not to be a total fool.

This has to be a record for the home treddy, but the more I use it the more I realize this is the way to go to get miles in on my limited time while my daughter is sleeping.  20 minute warm up, 12 x 1 minute on/off with "on" minutes at 5:27 pace, 5 minute jog, 10 minutes at 6:27 pace(which feels like a jog after the 5:27 minutes), cooldown 20 minutes.

ez with the HS group.  no watch. long run tomorrow!  legs felt tired at first and then after a while they grew springs and felt great.  my body loves to run right now.  off to bed

Work wasn't too bad, it had rained all night so although it was ridiculously humid this morning it was overcast and cooler than usual.  Started out nice n easy with Pre, Betsy, and John, picked it up a bit at the 6 mile mark, did a transitional mile at 14 with a 7:14, then hit the tempo for the last 4 6:36, 6:37, 6:37, 6:27.  Last 4 felt under control but still working like half-marathon pace.  I feel good about this run!  I feel so strong right now!  I hope it lasts, off to bed I go!

8:11 average pace.  Had to force myself to hold the reigns in because my body wanted to go faster.  The voice that tells me to run run run these days is still very loud and happy.  55 minutes weights and core afterward.  Weight is lowest it has been in years.  This is awesome, because I love my current diet.  I live off of ugali, cabbage stew, sushi, hummus, dehydrated vegetables, fruit, and beer.  sometimes I have a clif bar or eggs.

am.  5 at 6:38 pace.  I needed to be brisk to squeeze this in during Vanessa's appointment.  I probably should have held the reigns in a wee bit more since I have track tonight but it felt good so I just went with it.

pm.  3 mile warmup easy, 4x200 around 37/38 seconds, 1 mile in 5:45 and then a severe thunderstorm rolled in and we had to cut it short.  bummer.  :(  The mile felt like 5k pace, I think I can run 18 on a good day.

Up early to give Shelby his 330am wake up and run call, then slept a few more hours before trotting at my happy slow recovery pace on the home mill while Mini-me slept and I rocked out to tons of great tunes.  I am considering some races this weekend--a 10k at 7am followed by a 5k at 8:30am.  If nothing else, a lot of good threshold work?

easy afternoon 8 in mugginess, but only in the 80s and overcast so not bad.  I am racing a 10k at 7am followed by a 5k at 830 am on Saturday.  Plan is to PR the 10k and hope there is some juice later for a decent 5k.  Should be a painfully fantastic workout!

8 easy with a few surges of 10k race pace.  ready to get tomorrow done!

Today was a big experiment doubling on races.  Woke up at 4:30am after 8 hours of sleep(yay!). had a cup of coffee, ate a clif bar, then rousted up my little one.   Dropped her and two dozen doughnuts off at the Martinez household, then off to Park City. 

Warm up one:  1.36 miles, very slow with two strides.

10k:  total time 39:29(huge pr!!).  this is two loops of the 5k, first mile has a lot of uphill, my garmin lost satellite so I didn't get it started until about 30 seconds into the race so splits are a little off but still pretty reflective--6:28(up), 6:06, 6:14, 6:32(back up), 6:21, 6:19, and then some change to the finish.  I feel like I kept a pretty even effort, didn't feel too bad at the end at all!  I got third and won $150!

between-races:  I had about 45 minutes before the 5k.  I walked to my car, drank some Gatorade, pinned on the next bib, and then basically just walked around and tried to stay loose.  When it got closer to go-time I jogged 1 mile with some strides, then put music on( I never race with music) but this was an experiment and I was hoping it would distract me from fatigue.

5k:  19:39.  yep, I was fatigued.  I didn't feel terrible but I just couldn't seem to get into another gear, so this was basically run at the same pace as my 10k. Splits 6:15, 6:21, 6:15, 5:44 pace for the .14 to the finish.  Fourth place.

cooldown:  2.67 mile jog.  Good workout today!

Despite a busy night at work on a shift exchange, I felt pretty energetic this morning and my daughter was at a slumber party, so I took advantage of the opportunity to run outside.  18 soaking wet easy miles in a cool and steady 60 degree rain, lots of puddle running.  no watch--felt great and it was fun! legs aren't sore from yesterday but I skipped the end-of-long-run-tempo this week since I had all the faster stuff yesterday.

am:  8 ez home mill

afternoon:  70 minutes core and weights at the Y

pm: 5 ez around the post before walking in the door at work.

busy with my girl in between all of that.  everyone have a great night! 

78 degrees.  87% humidity.  muggy, but tolerable since it was overcast.  speed combo workout today, I think these are incredibly beneficial to me at this point.  Legs were a little heavy at first from yesterday's core workout so I wondered how this would go, but it wasn't too bad. 

20 minute warm up

8 x (50 seconds hard, 90 seconds easy).  hard paces were 6:05, 5:37, 5:29, 5:18, 5:34, 5:15, 5:29, 5:33

5 minute jog

2 mile tempo 6:22, 6:25

cooldown to a total of 10

Hills in the heat.  Why not?  Shelby invited, and I went for it.  Vanessa was awesome, she sat at the base of the hill in her chair and played with her toys and my phone, so she was of course rewarded with a trip to the frozen yogurt shop after.  2 mile warm-up, then 14 repeats up the hill, jogging down for recovery.  The hill is .2 miles long.  2 mile cooldown afterward.  Ran the repeats at a moderate pace, around 6:20-6:30, not bad for uphill, it starts out about 2% grade and gets steeper and steeper as you go up, probably 8-10% grade if I had to guess.  It was only 86 degrees, not bad for July in Kansas!  Legs felt pretty good.