Prince of Fatness
Not at it at all.
This week I'll do 40 miles again, with a 6x800 track workout and maybe a 3 mile tempo with my running club. If I do the tempo, I'll try to keep it at tempo pace rather than racing it like I did a couple weeks ago.
I think I have a touch of piriformis syndrome in my right hip, but with stretching and ibuprofen I avoided missing any runs this week. I ran 40 miles, as usual. I did an interval workout of 6x800m with 400m jogging recoveries, and I finished all reps between 3:11 and 3:18, which was right where I wanted to be. My total mileage for the month was 171.4, my 3rd highest mileage month ever. I'm sticking to the RA mantra: Run lots, mostly easy, sometimes hard.
Next week I have a 4x1200m interval workout planned as well as a 3 or 4 mile tempo run. I am thinking about running a 5k race either next weekend or the weekend after. I'll see how I feel later this week.
Future running partner.
I think I have a touch of piriformis syndrome in my right hip, but with stretching and ibuprofen I avoided missing any runs this week.
I've been mostly posting the sub-20 5k goal thread, but here's a quick update. The past two weeks I was in Dublin. I found it very difficult to find time to run there, and was only able to get in 16 miles the whole time I was there.
Today I ran a 5k race. I felt very nervous about it because of my poor training while out of town, and I really didn't think I was going to do well. I set my goal at sub-21, hoping to run right around my previous PR of 20:59. But the race went surprisingly well. My mile splits were 6:45, 6:38, and 7:00 (1.1 miles) for a final time of 20:25. The course was certified so I know I really did run that fast!
I'm very happy with my progress, and I feel the sub-20 is within reach. I will probably shoot for another 5k around the end of July and see what I can do then.
It's been a while, so I thought I'd give a report. I've been reasonably consistent since I got back from Dublin. I ran 168 miles in July and should hit around the same in August.
I've been increasing the paces on my interval workouts, and now I'm at the point where I don't think I could run them any faster. It's either the pace or the hotter weather, but my interval workouts are now very difficult. I suppose that's how it's supposed to be.
I ran a 5k on 7/23 and aimed for sub 20. I hit my first two miles in 6:27 each, so I was right on pace, but I couldn't hold it through the third mile. I totally blew up and gave in, and finished in 20:52. I was pretty disappointed with myself, but it has definitely given me motivation to work hard through the upcoming month. I will probably try again on 8/22, on a 5k course I know very well.
I also signed up for a half marathon on 10/18. I am in pretty decent half marathon shape as is, and I will continue to focus on the 5k distance until I get my sub 20. Once I get the sub 20, I will bump up the mileage a bit (probably by adding to my long runs) and switch my weekly quality workout from intervals to longish tempo runs at HM pace. I'd like to be running 6-7 mile tempos at HM pace and 14-15 mile long runs by the time of the race.