Distance: ~35 mi.
My last week in Austin was another easy one running-wise. I finished school by turning in a paper early last Friday, but had to pull together my life and try to enjoy the city for one last week. Taylor got in late Wednesday night and we got in a couple fun easy runs on IF. Sunday morning, I hit the road… Goodbye Texas.
Time: 105:00
Distance: 17 mi.
Target: 105 minute run with a 4 mile tempo in 5:35s in the middle
Workout: 48:40, 4 miles in 21:36 (5:24 avg), 34:51 (including 8 diagonal strides)
I met the guys for their Sunday run from the track. Apparently they have been doing this mid-long run tempo for a few weeks (not including last week). This worked fine for my "get Wednesday and Sunday hard efforts" plan leading up to the half. We got rolling on the east side of Town Lake, down to close to 6 minute pace before starting the tempo at 0.0. It didn't take long to get into the pace, as the first mile was about 5:28 and the rest were faster. They have finally cleared out the construction near the South First and Congress bridges, so we could do the "normal" (i.e. 80m long) 4 mile tempo. I felt fantastic aerobically the whole way, but my legs got tired.
The guys finished up on the infield for about 5 minutes when we got back at around 85:00, and I added on another 15 with some diagonal strides with a quick jog in the middle.
I also got back in my Elite 2s for this run, my right peroneal still hasn't warmed up, so to speak, to the Elixir's.
Time: 120:00
Distance: 18.75 mi.
Map
Mid-way up Mt. Bonnell (View Larger Map)
I met the Texas guys at the track for a bit of an easier Sunday run than Vig usually has planned. It was a recovery day for a bunch of them, so the long group was just 90 minutes at a fairly easy pace. We ran Mt. Bonnell and Scenic, skipped Stratford and headed to Town Lake on Lake Austin. It was a beautiful day and everyone seemed it good spirits. My knee is still stiff, but it loosened up.
When they finished up at 90 minutes, I got on the track to try to get a bit of an uptempo effort in. I was shooting for 3 or 4 miles depending on how I was feeling. I ended up running 5:26, 5:27, 5:26, 5:18 (21:37). Birdsong ran the first two miles with me and then I ran the rest on my own. I finished up with an easy mile on the infield.
The most inspiring race of the weekend had to be Darren's 3:59.99 in the mile. He's been on the cusp for a while, and I think has felt a lot of pressure to do it, especially as he was trying to make his father and him the first American father-son sub-four duo. Hopefully he'll be able to have a breakthrough now that breaking four isn't his day-to-day focus.
Time: 105:00
Distance: 17 mi.
Met the guys at the track for their 80 minute taper long run (Big XIIs is next weekend). We ran easy down to Town Lake (1.5 mi), then ran 30 minutes out and back at 6 minute pace or under (10 miles) and back up to the track easy (another 1.5 mi.). I then did a 25+ minute add-on up around Hancock and back on Speedway (4 mi.).
I didn't feel too settled at the uptempo pace on Town Lake, but it will take a few of these type of runs to get back on it so I was happy to ease into it with only one hour really hard. It was easy to run 6:15ish pace for my solo add-on.
Time: 80:00
Distance: 12.5 mi.
Target: 4 mile track tempo in 19:30 (4:55, 4:55, 4:50, 4:50), though honestly I was just hoping for a good effort over 4 miles
Workout: 4:55, 4:55, 4:55, 5:00 (19:45)
Overall not a bad workout, but I was hurting a bit running with Leo (who the target splits were set up for... he ended up running 19:20 by dropping it to 4:45 the last two miles). Darren had run the first 3 miles with Leo and then jumped in for the last half mile to help me out, which was, well, quite helpful. It was pretty warm out on the track. I finished up with a 30 minute cool down with Darren and then 10 minutes barefoot on the infield, including 8 x diagonal strides decently hard.
Time: 100:00
Distance: 16.5 mi.
Solid, hard Town Lake run with the boys. Got off at a decent clip quickly and headed out into the woods past Pleasant Valley Rd. We turned around at 50 minutes and then really started rolling... we were under 6 minute pace by 5 miles to go and ran mid-5:30s the last 3 miles. I tried to help Rob out who was hanging tough in the last mile and Erik, Leo, Kyle and Jake took off on us a little bit. Finished at 0.0 in 95 minutes and then jogged 5 more minutes easy.
Time: 64:00
Distance: 10.5 mi.
Target: 4 mile track tempo, 76 pace down to 72 (19:48 total); 6 min rest, 2 x 1k with the first in at least 2:50 and the second one faster than that, 200m rest.
Workout: 4:53, 4:54, 4:56, 4:52 (19:38); 2:51.0, 2:51.7.
This was a very encouraging workout. I met Erik, Kyle and Leo in the morning because one of them had a class conflict, which I much prefer to afternoon workouts. Their plan was the tempo and then a hard 800 after, so Vig gave me something different that would hopefully be more geared for a longer race. The tempo felt great... Leo took the first mile out about 10 seconds too fast, so it changed from being a progression run to being an even, quick tempo. I felt great the whole way--when the pace slacked a little bit in the last mile, I felt good enough to get up to the front and push it some. This is a complete change from the other workouts I've done in the last few weeks where I've really been hanging on. The 1ks weren't terribly hard, but definitely felt uncomfortable and I didn't really settle at all, probably because I haven't run anything near that pace. So far my training has been tempo pace or 200s in 30ish. Next week I should do a 1k repeat workout, or something similar. The other guys ran fairly well for their 800s (run separately)... Leo went 1:53 easing up a bit at the end. Not too shabby, eh?
It was a beautiful, clear morning. The air was cool, but the sun was warm. The wind picked up some by the intervals, but wasn't too bad for the tempo. This is close to the fastest (maybe the fastest?) that I've run for 4 miles in practice--we were through 5k near 15:10.
Time: 82:00
Distance: 13 mi.
Target: 6 mile tempo starting in 5:25 and going down; 4 x 200m in 30 with 45 sec rest
Workout: 5:23, 5:14, 5:12, 5:19, 5:09, 5:00 (31:20, 5:13s); 4 x 200 in 30-31
It was a sunny and relatively warm afternoon on Town Lake
This is pretty damn close to what Joe and I did last week, especially adjusted the way I described. Unfortunately Joe is a bit sick, but Vig sent Birdsong and Habben with me. This time we started at the 3 mile mark and ran to 0.0 and back (starting at the 3 mile mark, rather than the conventional spot). I felt better aerobically and physically than last week and it was much windier and very dry (though it was warmer, too). A little bit pissed that I got dropped again, but this time it was in the last half mile by about 5 seconds. Stomach was feeling pretty bad by the end which makes it hard to fight and feel competitive.
Class after workouts sucks. Mild workout stomach... hopefully by next week I'll be done with this.
Time: 91:00
Distance: 14.5 mi.
Map
Good hard effort on the classic hilly run 'round here. Decided that given that this was a bit of a down milage week and that I really need to start focusing a bit more on intensity that I would do what the guys were doing today. It took a little bit to get settled in, but overall I felt good. The only time I was in a little trouble was on the last hill on Stratford, which I got dropped a little bit on. Felt good after that, though, keeping the pace well under 6 min pace the rest of the way (~3 mi.) back. The first few miles were slower than I've often done this run, which means the end was pretty honest.
Time: 65:00
Distance: 10.5 mi.
Target: 19:45 for 4 miles (5:05, 5:00, 4:55, 4:45), try for 2 miles in ~9:30
Workout: 20:18 (5:05, 5:01, 5:08, 5:04), 4 x 200 in 30
Yowza. Welp, I'm not quite there yet. Really unsure how well I would be able to work out because while I have been doing miles (including some steady runs) and the workout tuesday was decent, I haven't done anything at tempo pace. I got dropped by Jake and Birdsong heading into the 3rd mile and it was all downhill from there. I didn't feel terrible but was totally flat. Just had to get it in. Clearly the up tempo 2 miles afterwards didn't make sense, so I jumped in with those guys for 200s just to finish it off. I have to get on some tempos ASAP.
Time: 89:00
Distance: 13.5 mi.
We were originally going to do a tempo today, but it was cold and wet so Vig pushed it to tomorrow. I didn't really care, as I prefer to work out early in the day, but it would've been nice to get it over with (because, you know, I hate running and think that it is something you should just want to get through, ahem). I started with 20 minutes on the track waiting for the guys to get ready and so that I hopefully wouldn't have to add on at the end. That seemed to work out pretty well, as they were shooting for 70 minutes. Headed down to Town Lake and over to the Possum Trot, which we ended up messing up a little bit. It was pretty cold coming back north into the wind, but not too bad. I'm tired from a bad night of sleep last night, but at least feel like I have somewhat of a schedule that will continue for the spring, and I'm happy about that. Workout tomorrow AM.
Time: 90:00
Distance: 13 mi.
Target: 20 x 200m in 30ish with 60 sec. jogging rest
Workout: hit it right on, 30-low down to 29-mid
Very happy with this workout. I feel like I'm back on the train of getting ready to race, rather than just slogging away some miles (not that there's anything wrong with that). Started with some of the sophomores and freshmen for the first 16, then finished up the last 4 with Jake and Wilson. Jake in particular was rocking out on the last few (27ish) and I got dropped a bit, but was happy to finish close to 29 for the last few. My calves will be sore tomorrow.
Time: 120:00
Distance: 19 mi.
Met the guys for a run from the track. They were pretty giddy out the gate (and only going 90+ minutes) and it didn't take long for Hanley, Joe and I (the OBTC) to start bringing up the rear and decide that we didn't want to kill it for two hours. After Scenic we got on Town Lake for a bit and then headed back to the track at about 100 minutes. We ratcheted it down for 10 minutes under 5:40 pace and then 10 minutes barefoot recovery. I felt okay the whole way... a bit tired and my stomach was a little bit off, but this was one of the better efforts I've put in for the last few weeks.
Time: 61:00
Distance: 9 mi.
Easy morning run with the guys from the track. Did their warmup loop with a bit of an add-on (30 mins) and then finished up to an hour barefoot on the infield of the track to keep it easy and work the lower legs a bit. Did 6 x diagonal strides as part of it. Overall feeling pretty good, and it was fun to see a bunch of the younger boys that I haven't seen since before NCAAs.
Got into the training room to try to work out some imbalanced leg stiffness, as well. Right hamstring is feeling much better, but my glute/piriformis is still tight.
