Saturday Track Action

AM: 6 miles easy
PM: 2.5 mile w/u + strides
Target: 5x1k @3:20, 3:20, 3:19, 3:18, 3:17 w/2 mins. jog; 5x300 @58, 57, 56, 55, 54
Actual: 3:22, 3:20, 3:19, 3:17, 3:18; 53, 55, 54, 54, 52
2.5 mile c/d
Total: 9-9.5 miles
Daily Total: 16-16.5 miles

After feeling surprisingly fresh on an easy morning run with our boss, Eric--who himself knocked out a 15-miler well below his goal marathon pace--I got the go-ahead from Coach Jordan to tackle my second workout of the week this afternoon. Dropping out of Wednesday's session and pushing it to Thursday meant I potentially needed to push my track session to Sunday, but I was hoping I'd feel recovered enough to do it Saturday and take part in a group long run instead. But, as Jordan reminded me, the point of the second workout was to run fast, not just to "try really hard" or "give it my best effort"--in other words, if I wanted to move it up to Saturday, then I better make it count.

Just before 3pm, after getting a haircut at my old salon in Marblehead, Jordan and I met up at the Village School track. I haven't worked out here in almost a year, but when we lived just a few miles down the street we were regulars. It's not the fanciest facility--and, as I would soon be not-so-gently reminded, it often feels as though it's been dropped down smack in the middle of a wind tunnel--but for our purposes it would do just fine. After a relaxed warmup and some strides, my queenmaker and I were ready to go. With blue skies and the sun shining brightly, it almost, sort of, nearly felt like spring. We'll take it!

From the outset, however, I could tell this would be work. It was never designed to be easy, and this wouldn't be one of those elusive perfect days where everything snaps effortlessly into place. But as we clicked off the laps, I found myself feeling more and more locked into the rhythm of 5:20 pace. The wind proved to be quite daunting on the home stretch, but fortunately Jordan didn't tap me to alternate the lead like he has during other recent workouts. Had that been the case, I know I would've struggled mightily.

As it was, I finished the fifth kilometer feeling quite tired. I hoped that starting the 300s at 58--only slightly faster than what I'd maintained for the k's--would be a breeze. Instead, I found myself straining to stay in contact with Jordan in what felt like an all-out sprint. Was I really that exhausted?! Crossing the finish line, I frantically looked at my watch, only to see that we'd started faster than the fastest interval was supposed to be. At that point, I simultaneously panicked and got really angry at Jordan. He was sabotaging any chance I had to keep it together! Sensing my delicate emotional state, he wisely offered 90 seconds rest, during which I ambled along for the slowest 100-meter walk ever. This pattern would be repeated after each subsequent 300, and with the generous rest I was able to finish feeling fast and strong. I actually think I could've hit the same splits off 60 seconds recovery--not that I was complaining about an extra 30.

Overall, though this wasn't executed perfectly and didn't feel easy, I'm happy at the quality and quantity of sub-5k pace running only 48 hours after an equally challenging tempo workout. All week up until today I've felt uncharacteristically fatigued and sluggish, so hopefully this was just the shot in the arm (leg?) needed to turn things around. And if I actually got a little bit of sun in the process, even better!

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16x300 (Moderate) Success

Noon: 3.5 miles easy
PM: 4k w/u
Target: 16x300m: first 4 in 60, next 4 in 59, next 4 in 58, next 4 in 57 all w/35-40 sec. jog (100m)
Actual: (58, 60, 60, 61); (59, 57, 59, 59); (57, 57, 56, 57); (55, 56, 56, 55) all w/33-36 sec. jog
2k c/d
Total: ~7.5 miles
Daily total: 11 miles

A mere 48 hours later, Jordan and I found ourselves back at the Beverly High track for another, shorter speed session. I've done variations of this workout before, and it's always the same: on paper it looks so simple--"80-second quarter pace with a nice recovery jog in between? Piece of cake!"--but inevitably I end up struggling. The kicker is that the "nice recovery jog" ends up feeling mercilessly short by halfway through the workout, while at the same time the interval pace is (supposed to be) gradually getting faster.

Fortunately, and due in no small part to a healthy tailwind on the back straightaway, this went fine. Jordan kept the recovery far more honest than I would've on my own, but aerobically I almost always felt recovered after 30 seconds. My legs didn't have enough pop to really pick it up on the last segment, but after Wednesday's mile repeats I wouldn't expect them to. Given my previous challenges with this type of workout, I'm satisfied with today's effort.

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Penn Relays Pre-Race Workout

2 mile w/u
Target: 2x1200 @4:06, 2x600 @2:00, 2x300 @55
Actual: 4:06, 4:07, 1:59, 1:59, 53, 52
2 mile c/d
Total: 6.5-7 miles

Not a whole lot to say about this workout, which was quickly done on lunch at Beverly High. Similar to a few weeks ago, Jordan and I were joined by a few intrepid coworkers who he once again led in a modified version of our workout. Conditions were incredibly windy, gusting at nearly 20 mph, and I was relieved I wasn't really trying to nail any arduous paces or lengthy distances. One of the main objectives today was to throw on spikes--which I haven't worn in basically two years--for the 300s to see whether I feel comfortable racing in them on Thursday night. To be honest, I'm really on the fence about it--I know the spikes will undoubtedly facilitate a faster time, but I may or not be able to train (or walk!) for the rest of the week. They feel particularly uncomfortable on my left foot thanks to a problematic bunion, so I may have to modify the actual spike configuration a bit if I'm going to make it work. Either way this will be a game time decision.

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Good Old-Fashioned Southern Road Trip

3 mile w/u + strides
Target: 200m-300-400-500-600-700-800-700-600-500-400-300-200 w/60-90 sec. rest
Actual: Above, starting at 5:30 pace down to 5:15-5:10
2 mile c/d
Total: 9 miles


Charleston's Cooper River Bridge

After a few hectic weeks of work and travel, I was beyond excited to spend a few days relaxing with my parents and Jordan in Charleston, SC. Though Jordan frequently visits accounts there (and was actually in town the previous week), neither my parents nor myself have ever been. After receiving what turned out to be a fabulous hotel recommendation from a friend and a vague idea of some touristy things we wanted to do, our trip began to take shape. Once my parents touched down in Charlotte on Sunday afternoon we set off for our riverside peninsula destination.


Ma mere et mon pere

In short, though the trip was wonderful from almost every perspective, one area that proved less than pleasant was running. With lows barely bottoming out at 80 and highs cresting the mid-90s (with humidity percentages following suit in the inverse), finishing a run with shorts that looked as though I'd fallen into the Cooper River was pretty much the norm. On Monday morning's easy run with Jordan and my pops I didn't mind it so much. The pace and conversation flowed easily and we were able to steal a few patches of shade, plus it's hard to complain about the gorgeous view with the Battery to our right and the harbor to our left.


Enjoying some R&R on the pier near our hotel

Tuesday morning was a different story.

At Jordan's suggestion, we rose before the sun to venture across the bridge to Mt. Pleasant for a track workout. He's worked out once or twice before with Irv and his crew from On the Run, so we hoped to meet up with them for a few laps together around the oval. As we exited the car and eased our groggy legs into a long warmup jog, I remarked to Jordan that even at 6am the conditions were reminiscent of the sweltering 13.1 Chicago from several weeks ago. An auspicious portent it was not. Even though the workout Jordan had prescribed (read: made up during our jog) didn't sound terrible, my already sweat-soaked shirt indicated that it wouldn't much matter. With a burgeoning bad attitude rising quicker than the sun, I rather petulantly whined to Jordan that he should have to pull me along, just like old times. Though I'm pretty sure he hasn't done so much as a stride in the past few months, he agreed without hesitation. I had my old partner back in action and just in the nick of time. Within the first few intervals I could tell that my breathing was unusually labored and my heart rate quicker than normal. The hot, damp air seemed utterly devoid of oxygen as I struggled to gulp enough down in between intervals. After the first few I stopped clicking my watch and instead concentrated on not falling off Jordan's hip or, worse, dropping out. I overheard Jordan saying that the 800 was 2:40 and the second 400 was 75, but other than that I honestly don't know many splits. It's been a while since I felt quite so terrible during a workout, and that's saying something. It wasn't my finest hour, but thanks to JSK I got it done.

Though the workout conditions weren't ideal, our recovery protocol certainly was. The expansive whirlpool tub in our room and easy access to the hallway ice machine made a post-workout ice bath a no brainer. I replenished (possibly over-replenished) my lost calories with pumpkin french toast at breakfast at our hotel, the Vendue Inn, and a huge burger from Pawley's in Columbia on the drive home (as seen on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives"). Not surprisingly, a few good meals proved to be a great way to cap off our trip and erase any lingering disappointment from my workout! I can't wait to travel to Charleston again--only maybe I'll wait until autumn next time.

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20x300 Fail (Sort Of)

2.5 mile w/u + strides
Target: 4x(5x300m); first set in 60s, then 59s, 58s, 57s
100m jog @30-35 b/t reps; 500m jog b/t sets
Actual set avgs: 59.5, 58.5, 57.5, 57-flat
2 mile c/d
Total: 10 miles

Every time I attempt a version of this workout, the same thing happens. I look at it on paper and think it's going to be a complete breeze. I mean, come on, starting at 80-second quarter pace? That should be cake. Never mind the fact that I'm in Austin and it's a million degrees and I only have 30 seconds between intervals. Pish posh.

In reality, inevitably, this workout kicks my butt. Every time. I'm still not entirely sure exactly what it is that does me in, but by halfway through the second set--that is, only a third of the way through the entire workout--I was already bargaining with myself for legitimate excuses to stop. Each set went something like this:

First 300: I feel great! Nice and relaxed. This is so easy.
Second 300: Not bad, not bad. A little short of breath but my legs feel strong.
Third 300: Hmm...this is getting a big harder...wait a minute, am I wheezing??
Fourth 300: This sucks. I hate running. I can't believe I have to finish two more before I get a break.
Fifth 300: (Cannot be printed here.)

So, how can I put a positive spin on this? The reality is that this workout directly exposes my weaknesses; namely, well, running fast. I can maintain 6-minute pace virtually all day long, but ask me to break 5:10 for a mile and things will get ugly in a hurry. So as much as I have to drag myself kicking and screaming through this kind of speed work, it's probably one of the absolute best things I can do to increase fitness. With the 8k coming up in 10 days, I'll take any boost I can get.

Also, I choose to look at it this way: When I finished the final interval, my watch read exactly 39:00. If you subtract out the three one-lap jogs and Nuun breaks in between sets, each of which lasted almost exactly 3:10, that would bring the total to 29:30 for 20x400m, or five miles. This means that, including each of the 100m jogs after each interval, I averaged 5:55 pace almost continuously. Not great, but not too bad. (Actually this could be completely wrong. I calculated it all out during my cooldown when my brain was certainly devoid of oxygen. But I'd appreciate it if you don't burst my bubble.)

Overall, though I'm still inclined to label this workout a fail--I honestly thought I could average 55-56 pretty comfortably--I'm just happy to have completed it. And yes, that's the second time in less than a week I've said that about a running performance. Deal with it.

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13.1 Chicago Pre-Race Workout

3 mile w/u + strides
Target: 2xmile @5:35-40 w/4 mins rest; 2x1k @3:25 w/3 mins. rest; 4x300m strides
Actual: 5:35, 5:29, 3:21, 3:22, 54, 54, 54, 53
2 mile c/d
Total: 10 miles

Though I haven't done one in some time, pre-race workouts were a staple of my training while at Queens. Rather than being designed to elicit fitness gains or blazing fast times, the objective is simply to turn the legs over at race pace or faster and emerge feeling comfortable and confident in your upcoming race plan. In theory, it makes perfect sense. In practice, it often works like a charm. Today, I felt like death.

To be honest, I have no one to blame but myself. And perhaps Mother Nature. Sure, I could've started before sunrise, but I naively thought that departing my house for the AG track at 7:30am would still give me plenty of time to complete the relatively short workout before the heat and humidity became too oppressive. I was grossly mistaken. I'd also forgotten how much of the track--really, all but about 20 meters surrounding the starting line--is completely exposed to the sun. By the time I finished my warmup and strides I was already wilting rapidly. The first two mile repeats and their lengthy rest should've felt easy and relaxed, but instead every part of my body felt tense and heavy and almost unbearably warm.

I had just finished the second mile repeat and was slowly trotting around the top of the curve when I spotted a familiar face jogging toward me. My friend and CRC teammate John Fillette had just arrived for his own workout but graciously offered to run with me for the remainder of mine. What a difference his presence made! My first 1k, which I did solo while John finished his warmup, was as much a chore as the preceding mile repeats. But I felt instantly, inexplicably better once John jumped in for the second one. Just having someone else running alongside me translated to a tangible difference in my level of perceived exertion. Thanks to his company I finished out the 300s feeling relaxed and strong--albeit indescribably thirsty--and to offer a small token of my appreciation I stuck around and cheered him through a solo mile repeat at the end. He even joined me for part of my cooldown, which was an added bonus. I have no doubt John will crush it at the King Tiger 5k when he toes the line this weekend!

As for myself, this workout did little to affect my confidence in either direction for my upcoming race. On the one hand, the entire thing was a struggle. On the other hand, I was still able to run faster than my prescribed paces despite feeling terrible from the first few steps. I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed for better weather in Chicago this weekend, but either way I know I'm in solid shape. And it's not like the weather is going to improve any time soon, so I might as well get used to it. Game on, summer.

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First (Short Bus) Workout

AM: 3.5 miles
15 mins. core
PM: 2+ mile w/u
Target: (600m @6:00 pace, 100m jog, 300m @5:20 pace, 200m jog) x 6
Actual: Basically that
2+ mile c/d
Total: 9 miles

For my first workout back post-injury, Jordan devised a "fun" (his words) track workout involving changing gears while running continuously. I thought/hoped the 6-minute pace segments would seem fairly easy--after all, I'd just run that pace for a half hour last weekend and today was only being asked to do so for a few minutes at a time--but I figured that the shift in pace, combined with the whole "jogging rest" aspect, would wear me out pretty quickly. The 80+ degree, 80+ percent humidity certainly wouldn't do me any favors either. The only thing I had going for me was my trusty pacer, a one mustachioed Jordan Kinley, who promised to keep me on target pace throughout. He's never let me down before, so I was more than happy to let him take the lead.

I wish I could say that I knocked this workout out of the park, but to be honest it kind of just solidified the reality of where I am right now. As predicted, the 600s felt easy and relaxed, almost a jog, but as soon as I tried to ratchet things down to a faster clip I just felt off. My left hamstring and glute tightened up, my stride felt jerky and the pace was just plain uncomfortable. Knowing that this was my 5k pace just a few short months ago was a bit humbling, but I was determined not to allow myself to get discouraged and wallow in self-pity. Where I'm at is where I'm at, and the silver lining here is that any sort of workout will equal significant fitness gains at this point. I may not have set the track on fire today, but I'm willing to accept this as a starting point.

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Myers Park All-Comers Pre-Race? Sure, Why Not.

PM: 3 mile w/u + strides
Target: 2x1k @3:25, 2x600 @2:00, 4x300 @fast
Actual: 3:25, 3:22, 1:59, 2:00, 48, 49, 50, 49
1 mile c/d
Total: 7 miles

You may be asking yourself: "Why is she doing a workout? I thought she had sworn off intense training for the rest of June." Well, for the most part, that still holds true. However, I had to modify things a bit when my boss, RFYL owner Tim Rhodes, challenged me to a race; to be specific, he challenged me to beat him by a minimum of two minutes at the Myers Park HS All-Comers 5k next Tuesday. At stake? Loser does the winner's job (and earns the winner's salary) for a day. Simply put, it was an offer I couldn't refuse.

That's not to say that it will be a cakewalk. Sure, Tim is just a few ticks shy of 50, but this spring he ran 38:30 for 10k and 3:05 on an "off" day in the marathon. I would estimate that his potential 5k time next week could range anywhere from 18:40 to 19:15, which means I'm going to have to hustle to beat the two-minute mark. Also throwing a wrench into the plans is the midterm I have for my summer class that same evening. The all-essay exam is scheduled to begin at 6:00, while the 5k is tentatively set for 8:00, which means I'll be lucky if I can squeeze in a few laps and a stride or two for my warmup. Needless to say, the confluence of these factors is why I decided I should probably cobble together some semblance of a workout tonight. You know, seeing as I haven't done so much as a stride since the Boston 5k two weeks ago.

The plan was for Jordan and I to drive out to Providence Day just past 6pm today. He had 5xmile on tap, and I would have him there to encourage me in case I completely imploded. My prescribed workout was neither fast nor long, but I'll admit I was a bit nervous since I've been slacking off so much the past few weeks. It didn't help that I'd developed a pounding headache and sore throat--the beginnings of a cold?--a few hours earlier, or that I was still rather full from a late lunch. As we finished the warmup, I was just hoping to get through the intervals in one piece.

Surprisingly, and 90+ degree temperatures notwithstanding, I felt great on the k's and 600s. I'm sure it helped that Jordan abandoned his own workout attempt after a few laps and offered to pace me instead. The pace and effort felt very smooth and controlled, which I wasn't expecting after several weeks out of the saddle. The 300's were a different story. I'm really slow, and getting below 50 is an epic struggle for me. After three I told Jordan I couldn't possibly do another one, but he wiped my arms and shoulders down with a cold washcloth and nicely (but firmly) told me I needed to finish. Somehow I managed, but I'm thankful no one but him was there to witness me flailing about on the final 100 meters.

Afterward, my stomach was wrecked. Blame it on the heat, or the shock to my system, or the aforementioned large lunch; whatever it was, I felt nauseous throughout the cooldown and insisted we cut it a few minutes short. I couldn't even muster up the desire to eat dinner later that night--which, if you know me, is about as dire as it gets. Despite my body being in shambles post-run, I'm pretty pleased with how this baby workout went. More importantly, I'm fired up to throw down with Tim on Tuesday night.

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25x300

AM: 3 mile w/u + strides
Target: 25x300m w/1 min. rest; hammer #15, 20, 25
Actual: #1-14: 55s; #15: 52; #16-19: 54, 55, 54, 54; #20: 52; #21-24: 53, 54, 53, 53; #25: 50
1 mile c/d
Total: 10 miles
PM: 25 mins. pool

I came into this workout knowing that it would be my last hard track session before Nationals. Although short intervals are not typically my forte, I really wanted to nail this. I wouldn't have Tanya to help me with pacing (she worked out last night, but I couldn't due to my summer class starting), but Maraya was planning to do 12x300 at the same time. Her workout would be much faster than mine (she was shooting for 50-52s, while I was hoping to hit 55s), but I knew it would help just to have someone else to start with.

From the first interval, this felt hard. Have I mentioned I'm no good at short distances? I kept reminding myself that it usually takes a while for me to find my groove in this type of workout, so I tried to push all the negative thoughts out of my head. Still, I was a bit discouraged for the first five or ten. It didn't help that the rest felt incredibly short; we barely had enough time to jog the remaining 100 meters and catch a few quick breaths before taking off again. (Of course, the positive side is that this makes the workout go by fairly quickly, but who's thinking of positives in the heat of the moment??)

So there I was, feeling crappy, when all of the sudden something strange happened: halfway through the workout, I began to feel better. Like, a lot better. Like a completely different person than the one who started 12 intervals earlier. Instead of being cautious and hesitant, I found myself relaxing and opening up my stride from the gun. I also noticed that my breathing in between intervals was much calmer than at the beginning as well. Sure enough, as my body began to come around, my times began to drop slightly. With five laps to go, I was ready to really start pushing. I hammered #20 in 52, then came back in 53. This confused Coach Simmons, who was running himself ragged trying to time four different workouts at once. Our mini-convo as I jogged down the backstretch went like this:

SS: Okay, five to go!
MN: Um, no, I only have four.
SS: Really? You were supposed to hammer 20, not 21.
MN: I did. I ran 52 on #20.
SS: But you just came back in 53. That's pretty legit. You sure there's only four left?
MN: Absolutely, positively sure.

I finished the final few intervals strong, running close to all out on the last one but still staying controlled. Mechanically I felt more efficient than I have in a long time (which isn't saying a whole lot, since I have the worst form in the entire world). Both Simmons and Jenna commented on how far I've come physiologically in the past few months, which was pretty cool to hear. All in all, for a workout that started with me feeling so poorly, this turned into one of my most solid runs in the past few weeks.

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Norman High Track Workout

18 min. w/u (2.5 miles)
Target: (800 @3:00, 200 jog, 300 @55-58, 300 jog)x5
Actual: 26:40 for 4 miles; 800s @2:53, 2:55, 2:57, 2:57; 300s @60, 61, 62, 61
2 mile c/d
Total: 8.5 miles
Wind: 13-15mph

The workout we had on tap today was sort of an interval session within a longer run, giving it the feel of an extended fartlek or a disjointed tempo. Jordan had the same effort planned (obviously at a much faster pace), so we decided to jog over to Norman High before work this morning and get 'er done.

Though we arrived at the track just after 8:30, it was already quite warm and sunny out. It was also fairly breezy, particularly through the turn preceding the home stretch. I've decided that since I now reside in what has to be the windiest city in America, I'm going to start noting the wind speed and direction when possible along with the rest of my daily stats. That way I can have a convenient excuse at the ready whenever I bomb something.

For me, the workout today was a mixed bag. My times are certainly indicative of what I need to work on, as I breezed through the majority of the 800s but floundered miserably on the 300s. Because of the way the intervals were set up, the first 100 meters of each 300 was run directly into the wind, which didn't exactly facilitate me breaking any land speed records. The wind and the heat wore me down enough that I opted to stop after four controlled sets rather than flailing through the fifth one, but in hindsight I should've probably just slugged it out. It definitely helped having Jordan on the track with me, and even though we weren't exactly running together I still felt energized by his presence.

One positive that I'm taking away from this is I felt a hundred times more relaxed and natural than the track workout I did last week in Charlotte. I still don't have any speed in my legs, but at least today I felt like an actual runner out there instead of a clumsy, awkward imposter. At this point i've got to just keep plugging along and hoping things will fall into place sooner than later.

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I Hate it When I Can't Think of a Title

AM: 3 miles
PM: 2 mile w/u
Target: 1 mile @6:20 w/3:00 rest; 12x300 w/100 jog cut down 61, 59, 57; 8x100m strides @17 secs
Actual: 6:02, 12x300 w/100 jog for total 3 miles in 18:17; 8x100 strides hard
1.5 mile c/d
Total: 8 miles

The track workout this afternoon was unlike anything I've done recently, in that it sort of combined a tempo-like mentality with bursts of shorter (and harder) efforts. The first mile was prescribed in 6:20 but 90-second quarters felt easy and smooth so I just went with it. Besides, I told Jilane I would run this interval in honor of her dog so I had to kick it up a notch. I wasn't even really breathing hard at the end, which was a nice feeling, but I knew the 300s were going to hit me pretty hard. Jess joined me for the 300s and it was nice to know someone else was hurting with me. About halfway through she fell off the back so I was pushing through on my own. I don't know all the splits, but the ones I heard Jeff call out were anywhere between 62 and 58. I doubt I ever hit the 57s I was supposed to be cruising at toward the end, but my legs were pretty shot by that point. That said, the end result including the 12 easy jog 100s was a total of 3 miles in 18:17 which isn't too bad. I certainly don't recommend running your next 5k with this strategy, but it got the job done nonetheless.


Downtown Charlotte skyline at night, similar to the view from
Johnson C Smith track where we work out

After full recovery from the 300s, Jess and I put on our spikes to do some hard strides on the back stretch. We ran the first one right around 16 seconds and then decided to forego the watch and just go by effort on the rest of them. I gotta say, I am so slow right now. Foot speed=zero. It's depressing to recall that I used to run the open quarter in 60 seconds in high school and now I can't even do strides at that pace. Man, I'm getting old.

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Back to the Track

AM: 27 min. w/u (3.5 miles)
16x300 w/100m jog (35 sec.) recovery
Target: 4x60 sec., 4x59, 4x58, 4x57
Actual: (58, 60, 61, 60); (60, 61, 61, 60); (60, 60, 59, 59); (59, 59, 58, 58)
20 min. c/d (2.5 miles)
Total: 10 miles
PM: 29 mins.
4 miles

My hamstring was a bit stiff upon waking up this morning, but I think it might be more due to the massage than anything. Regardless, I took an extra-long warmup to make sure it was nice and loose before hitting the track. Today was a preview of what fall workouts will be like: lower temps (70 degrees at the start), lower humidity (51%) and a light breeze. It was even overcast the entire time, which kept things mild throughout. Definitely best case scenario weather conditions for a morning track workout in August.

Looking back on when I attempted this same workout exactly one month ago, some clear fitness improvements are evident. For starters, I actually completed the workout this time instead of bailing at 12. Also I kept every one of the "rest" jogs between 33-36 seconds, whereas last time I was struggling to keep them at 40. That said, I was still nowhere near hitting the desired splits (deja vu from last Thursday), so clearly I still have a long way to go. But my legs felt pretty bouncy on the cool down jog, and my hamstring was loose throughout, so overall I was okay with how things panned out today.

I set out for my pm jaunt about 4 minutes after it started raining. Now I don't mind if it starts raining mid-run, but I'm kind of a pansy when it comes to starting out in the rain. Nonetheless I put on my big girl pants and headed out and back on the Freedom Trail along Ponce. Wouldn't you know, it actually felt kinda nice.

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300s, Sort Of

25 min w/u (3 miles)
12x300 w/100 jog
(60, 59, 60, 59, 59, 58, 58, 59, 59, 58, 59, 58)
25 min c/d (3 miles)
Total: 9 miles

Well. This didn't go quite as planned. The workout was originally billed as 16x300 in sets of four (58s for the first set, 57s for the second, and so on). For some reason, however, I just couldn't get it into gear. I started off hitting the first one in 60 and just couldn't cut it down much after that. Even the 100m "rest" jog, which was supposed to be in 35, I couldn't hit any faster than 38-40. Since I wasn't hitting the splits or getting much faster, I cut the workout after 12. I had been running at Grady High School, just across the street from Piedmont Park, so I headed over to the park to do some of my cool down.




One of the trails in Piedmont Park

What's interesting is that I lengthened the wog home, spent some more time in the park, and my legs felt fine. By the end they felt no more fatigued than they would on a regular run, despite having just run a hard (partial) workout. No flailing about on the Inman Middle School steps, which I suppose is a small victory. Overall I'm not upset about the workout--as I think my effort Tuesday was a more accurate gauge of my current fitness--just slightly perplexed as to why I was struggling to run 300s at a pace I could normally split en route to a 400.

I stretched for a bit when I got home, and man are my hamstrings stiff. I haven't been to yoga in over two weeks and it shows. I'll probably do a short shakeout run tonight to keep the legs loose.

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Chattahoochee River Workout

20 min. w/u: 2.5 miles
5 mile tempo: 6:57 (long, started at wrong marker), 6:45, 6:38, 6:30, 6:30
6x300 w/100 wog in between: 58, 57, 56, 55, 54, 53
15 min. c/d: 2 miles
Total: 11 miles

This morning was definitely the warmest and most humid since my arrival to Atlanta, which undoubtedly made things even more miserable at the Peachtree Road Race this morning, but nonetheless I was excited to drive out to the river for this week's only workout. The river is pretty much an ideal training site, as you can run either the 5k dirt loop or head up into the Sope Creek trails or veer off onto Columns Drive and run a few miles on a straight and flat residential street. Also, the trail is marked every 1/4 mile (although there are several starting points and thus several different sets of markers, which led to my confusion on the first mile of my tempo).

After my warmup, I started into the run and was pleased with how well my legs responded. When I hit the first mile marker and realized that 6:57 couldn't possibly be correct, I tried not to panic and/or speed up unecessarily, but instead held the pace and waited until the next marker to get an accurate gauge of my time. I kept the tempo controlled throughout, and never really felt like I was pushing too hard.

I took a five minute break to wog around and get some water after the tempo before launching into the 300s. Since the trail is marked every quarter mile, I kind of had to approximate where the 300m mark would be. I decided to run each interval for the specified time that Jeff wanted for each interval and just increase my effort with each one. By the last two, I was pretty much running all out, and it felt great to stretch out the legs and speed up the turnover for once. I finished up with an easy cool-down jog and then headed back to Brooke's.

Dirty shoes after running at the river

On the way home, I was greeted with an unexpected holiday treat: a rare sighting of the elusive "Tourette's bum," as Brooke and I have affectionately dubbed him. When I previously lived here, I would often see this bum storming up and down Highland Ave., shirtless and shouting obscenities. He became quite a fixture in our neighborhood and was considered relatively harmless (that one time he exposed himself to Brooke notwithstanding). So imagine my delight when, as I was turning from Freedom Parkway onto Boulevard, I spotted my old friend angrily stomping down Freedom. Shirtless. Shouting obscenities. Best welcome home present I could've ever asked for.

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