Town Lake

Time: 42:20
Distance: 6 mi.


Town Lake from my flight out of Austin on Tuesday

Evening run with Brian, Carmody and Ring. We ran from Barton Springs out on Town Lake so that we could finish and jump in the water. We grabbed burritos at Freebirds beforehand, so that we could enjoy dinner after the swim. It was a really nice evening, even though it was dark by the time we were finished. This was a great way to spend my last night in town. My hamstring was a little tight by the end, but running in the evening definitely gave it time to warm up.

Town Lake, Downtown

Time: 80:00
Distance: 11.5 mi.

Brian and I started running with John Ring down at Town Lake. Ring went about 5 miles and Brian and I continued around Town Lake and back up Trinity through campus and back to Larry Lane. My hamstring and legs in general felt much, much better than Thursday, so taking the two days off may have been a good call. Despite being a mild morning, by the time we were done it had gotten fairly hot and we were pretty tired.

East Side, Town Lake

Time: 60:00
Distance: 8.5 mi.

A very easy morning run from Brian, Carmody and Ring's place on the East Side with Burnham, Carmody and Joe. We weaved down the streets on the East Side to Town Lake and then back up. It wasn't the prettiest run, and my legs are totally shot. I probably haven't recovered properly and am dehydrated, but I'm not sure why they feel quite this bad. I think tomorrow will be a day off.

Town Lake, Greenbelt

Time: 92:00
Distance: 13.5 mi.

Fairly easy longish run with Joe from his house. We headed down to Town Lake and the Greenbelt, just going out and back. My legs (and body in general) feels pretty tired, but the run went well.

Town Lake, Track, Greenbelt

Time: 62:00
Distance: 9 mi.

Easy afternoon run with Brian. We started at Barton Springs and ran over to the Austin High track so that he could do a 10 minute tempo. He's basing his getting back into shape plan on the idea that you run at a reasonable tempo pace from the get-go and then just increase the length until you are doing some solid work. I like the idea... get the legs used to running fast off the bat. After that we ran back to Barton Springs and did a short out-and-back on the Greenbelt.

After the run we hopped in the water, got some BBQ, and played beach volleyball for four hours.

Town Lake, Infield

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.

4 Mile Tempo, Fartlek

Time: 66:00
Distance: 10.5 mi.

Target: 2 x 4 mile tempo in 5:15-5:20 (21:00 to 21:20) with 3 minutes rest (like this workout from last fall)
Workout: 1 x 4 mile tempo in 21:47 (5:21.9, 5:24.8, 5:24.7, 5:36.3); 10 x 45 seconds hard, 60 seconds easy

The humidity owned me. When I was warming up I tried to convince myself that it wasn't that bad and that I would feel fine once I settled in. That did not happen. The first mile was rough, the second mile was rough, the third mile felt terrible and the fourth mile I packed it in. It was definitely the day, not me, as last week I put in a similar effort over 10 miles on a relatively cool morning. I didn't want to totally stop, and after a few minutes of standing recovery I didn't feel awful, so I did the fartlek back around Town Lake and to Zilker where I parked the car.

Barton Springs afterwards hit the spot.

Shoal Creek, Town Lake, Infield

Time: 70:00
Distance: 10.5 mi.

A bit of a hodgepodge run out to Shoal Creek where some of the guys were working out (there's a Flocast video coming) and then Darren, Kyle and I went down to Town Lake. I finished with 10 minutes barefoot on the infield of the track. This is the first day this spring that it has been significantly hot and humid, and I felt pretty flat. I like the new shoes, though.

The Full Town Lake

Time: 92:00
Distance: 15 mi.

Target: 10 miles in the 5:30s
Workout: 5:44, 5:38, 5:37, 11:22 (2 miles, around construction), 5:34, 5:32, 5:30, 5:33, 5:22 - total: 55:54, average: 5:35.4



I was looking for a long, hard and steady run that I could push without going to the well. Town Lake is obviously the place to do this, with soft surfaces, measured miles and few breaks. Unfortunately the city is in the middle of tearing up part of the area between miles 3 and 4, which threw this off a little bit--I had to run down some stairs and through another intersection to keep the distance correct. The first few miles were a little tough adjusting to the pace, but I felt pretty good by halfway. I was definitely within myself throughout the run.

Barton Springs Loop Speed Play

Time: 72:00
Distance: 11.5 mi.
Map

Target: fartlek with 5 sets of 3:00 hard, 1:00 easy, :30 harder, 2:00 easy (based on this pre-Big 12 XC workout)
Workout: felt a bit stiff getting started, but we were rolling by the last two sets



Ran from Joe's house down to the road loop at Barton Springs. The loop is about 1.25 miles, so I figured that each set would be close to one loop. It came a bit short on most of them, but we did get closer near the end as we were running harder. The total workout was 4+ loops. I was happy with the effort that we were able to get in. We headed out to Town Lake for a slightly longer cooldown.

Town Lake, Greenbelt

Time: 60:00
Distance: 8.5 mi.

Easy (but dehydrated) run with Brian and Dave from 0.0 over to the Greenbelt. Whew.

Town Lake Lollipop, IF

Time: 125:00
Distance: 20 mi.
Map

Solo long run, which I was actually fairly happy about. It was nice to have a little space. Because I only worked out once this week, I wanted to make sure that this was a decent effort. I figured that I could run down to Town Lake (4.5+ mi.) do the whole loop (10 mi.) and come back for close to 2 hours, focusing on running steady through the middle 10 miles. I got out the door fairly quick and was running just over 6 minute pace by the time I was on Town Lake. I did the loop in 61:00. I was over 19 miles into the run when I got back to the house at 118 minutes, so I added on a few minutes on IF just running easy to get myself over 20 miles.

Hip flexors and hamstrings were pretty sore by the end of this, but I got in our cold-ass pool afterwards, which will hopefully help.

Reverse Scenic, Town Lake Loop

Time: 90:00
Distance: 13 mi.
Map

Started heading south to pick up Dave... after a short discussion about the fact that we always run the same places, we headed down to do the Scenic, Town Lake run backwards. He was hoping to get some decent volume in today, so I tagged along for a little longer than I was planning on doing. Miles of trails.

4 Mile Tempo, 300s

Time: 81:00
Distance: 12.5 mi.

Target: 4 mile tempo at ~5:10; 6 x 300m in a good effort with 100m quick jog
Workout: 20:46 (5:12, 5:10, 5:15, 5:08); 48, 50, 48, 49, 48, 47 (8:10 for 1.5 mi.)


Mile 1 on Town Lake is on the bridge near Barton Springs

Chilly, windy morning in Austin. Joe and I ran from his house down to the Austin High track. We dropped off our flats and met Stanley, who had run from campus. The tempo was from the 2 mile mark to 0.0 and back. There was a fairly strong wind from the west, so the way out wasn't too bad, but we were fighting it all the way back. I was pretty stiff for the first mile of the tempo, but settled in. If the wind hadn't been so bad it wouldn't have been terrible to make this 5 miles, but the 5:08 at the end was a fight.

Joe and I jogged for 10 minutes and switched into flats before starting the 300s. We knew that one straightaway would have a lot of wind, so we didn't focus on the time other than to try to run even throughout.

Overall, it was a good workout despite the Oklahoma-esq wind. Unlike Oklahoma, however, there has been minimal leg bitage.

Town Lake East

Time: 80:00
Distance: 11.5 mi.

I'm back on a decent routine of running early almost every morning. Today Raul met me at my place and we ran down through campus and downtown to Town Lake, heading east towards the dam. We didn't make it quite that far before we turned around. We were running fairly easy and I felt pretty stiff in my hamstrings, glute and back.

Yesterday the high was close to 80. Today the high is 54 and it is getting colder most of the day. Don't think you're the only one with crazy weather, New England.

Possum Trot XL

Time: 87:00
Distance: 13 mi.

Classic New England weather: 50 degrees and raining. This was actually quite refreshing--I commented to Joe during our run yesterday that I thought we desperately need rain to clear the humidity. To try to make this run a little bit longer I added on by going on the south side of Town Lake and looping around near Barton Springs.

Despite being stiff the first mile or two I was able to get in a groove fairly quickly and was feeling very good clipping along. Unfortunately, the slight soreness from the end of Sunday's run in my left foot started to flare up after about 70 minutes. I stopped a few times to try to adjust my shoes, but to no avail... the soreness just got worse all the way in, so I didn't add on to make it 90 minutes.

I'll try to ice this today... I think it is just a bit of tendonitis. Maybe I tied my flats too tight on Saturday?

Scenic, Stratford, Town Lake

Time: 120:00
Distance: 18 mi.
Map

Early morning long run with Joe. We met near his house and made up this loop as we were going. I was pretty tired and my legs were a little beat, but I was able to get rolling along after we got off Stratford. It felt good to get back on the 2 hour train. I was very dehydrated.

Update: I forgot to mention that my right hip was sore near the top of my IT band at the beginning of the run and seemed to loosen up. By the end of the run I seemed to have some soreness on the top/inside of my left foot.

2k Buildup, 400s

Time: 90:00
Distance: 13 mi.

Target: 800m (2:00 rest), 1200m (3:00), 1600m (4:00), 2000m (4:00), 3 x 400m (1:00); long intervals at 70 pace, 400s under 65
Workout: 2:20.5, 3:31.0, 4:39.9, 5:53.3, 66.5, 64.5, 64.2

Brian suggested a Barry Harwick workout, as I didn't really know what I wanted to do this week and was just going to run the workout alone (yeah, I need a better plan soon). I was happy with his suggestion and it turned out well.


The Austin High track (since redone with red rubber) right on Town Lake

I decided to head down to the Austin High School track as a change of pace--it was nice to be able to warm up and cool down on Town Lake and I was hoping it would be empty. Instead, however, I had the Hot Middle-Aged Women's Track Club doing repeat miles in 7:00. At first I was annoyed, but it turned out they provided good targets to run down during the workout. It took a little time to settle in--the mile probably felt the best of all the intervals--but it was a good combination of strength and speed. It was good to get in a faster gear to end it. I got in a 25 minute warmup and a 30 minute cooldown to keep the volume up.

I have signed up for the Diploma Dash, a 5k in San Antonio this weekend, but am not planning on tapering for it.

Town Lake East, Hancock Loop

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.

Town Lake East

Time: 35:00
Distance: 5 mi.

Evening run from the track after flying in the morning and then heading straight to class. I was pretty tired heading into the run after a long day of travel, but it was fairly nice out so I got into it once I was out there. I definitely felt my knee more than yesterday, probably because of being on a plane and then sitting in class all day without getting a chance to warm it up. It wasn't too bad, but a bit stiff throughout the run and maybe a little sore towards the end. Also, I get the "I must be out of shape!" feeling pretty quickly after resting/tapering.



One thing I like about running on Town Lake is seeing the crew teams that row up and down the river. There was a boat out surprisingly late this evening, and it was cool to see them glide through the dark water... they tend to go fairly close to our running pace.