Long (hot) run

I slept in today and paid the price when I did my run. It was 75 when I left and 80 when I finished. I dropped 3.5 pounds during the run, 173.5 to 170.

I ran 7.6 miles in 51:46 (6:48.6 ppm). I did the 4.2 loop (28:59 - 6:54 ppm) plus the 3.4 loop (22:47 - 6:42 ppm). I ran the last 1.2 in 7:45 (6:27.5 ppm), which is the same as the second and last 1.2 of my first hard run of the year on May 4.

I hit the pacing just about right. I was definitely spent when I finished, and it was getting quite warm.

evening run

6.6 miles easy tonight in 45:49 (6:56.5 ppm). I don't know what had me moving relatively fast tonight, but I generally do run better in the evening. It was 80 degrees, but not too much humidity and the sun was pretty low so lots of shade.

Long run

7 mile long run at Silver Lake in a.m., 51:04 (7:17.7 ppm). First mile 7:30, last mile 7:01. 25:50 at half. Didn't feel too bad, as can sometimes happen on long runs the day after races.

Tibits

I was wheezing like Tibits this morning on my run. I don't know if it was allergies or my exercise-induced asthma or what. It happens to me every once in a while. It feels like I'm breathing through a straw and makes it very difficult to run. My legs actually felt good this morning.

Anyway, I got up early and ran 6.2 in 42:48 (6:54 ppm). Mile 1.1 was 7:26, then I ran the next two in 13:40. I was halfway at 21:06 and ran each of the next two miles in 7:01. My last 1.1 was 7:40.

Since I averaged under 7 ppm, it counts as a tempo run and long run. I tried to go a little faster because I figured I wouldn't get in a hard workout tomorrow.

Long run

Long run in a.m. from Val's house. Val couldn't come with me because she had "to pack." Time was 37:34. Went out 18:45 and then turned around hoping to run 5 miles based on 7:30 pace. One of the miles was marked on the trail I ran on, and I ran 7:17 for that mile, so based on the fact I ran even pace the whole way, I figure I ran about 5.15 miles.

Long run

4.2 mile long run in 30:05 (7:09.7 ppm). About a minute faster than last week. Shin hurts but other than that it was the first time I've "felt good" since starting up again.

long run

4.2 easy around Lisa's block. 31:01 (7:23 ppm). Nice evening.

The Great Purge

Easy 10 tonight in 1:13:57 (7:23 ppm). 36:00 at 5 miles.

I've been waiting for the weather to cool down before I started up again, and since it was snowing today I figured it was the perfect time.

My body has been feeling increasingly toxic lately, and I really needed this run. I needed to purge, and that's one reason why I went 10 miles. I really needed to get the poison out. I feel good now.

The bad thing is I have big blisters on each foot. I think it is from the socks I wore.

Long run

10 miles this morning in Bloomington. 1:16:55 (7:41.5 ppm). 37:24 at 5 miles.

Pretty much felt like crap the whole time. Shin and IT band were flaring up. Miraculously, they stopped hurting after six miles, but then with about two to go I got "the spell," which for those of you who don't know is uncontrollable diarrhea. Go faster and it gets worse, go slower and you've got to deal with it longer.

Came back pretty slow. Nearly got hit by a car pulling out of a driveway and also stabbed myself in the face with a tree branch that I didn't see until it snapped off on my forehead.

9 mile run

Long run in Bellaire this morning. It was 59 and foggy when I started and 70 and clear when I finished. Ran 9 miles pretty good this morning. Did the 3.5 mile loop twice and tacked on two more. Ran pretty consistently. First 3.5 was 25:00, 50:02 at 7, and then last two miles were 14:00 (7:11, 6:51) for a total time of 64:02 (7:06.8 ppm).

This was definitely my best long run of the summer. I felt a lot more fresh than in previous weeks, probably because I didn't run a race and then swim and run around in the sand all day the previous day. Probably shouldn't have finished with a 6:51 mile, but I just wanted to be done.

long run

8 miles at Silver Lake in 58:26 (7:18 ppm). 66-70 degrees and 84% humidity. Definitely felt better than last couple long runs. Not great, but better. Legs were just more responsive and had better breathing. 29:20 at four miles, so I ran the last four miles in 29:06. Just gotta keep chuggin' along.

Long run

8 miles on a humid morning at Silver Lake. 61:43 (7:42 ppm). 30:20 at 4 miles. Went very slow and easy, but was quite tired at the end. Definitely was not just an easy run. Legs are pretty beat up right now it seems like. Right shin and left hip/quad continue to cause problems. My shirt probably weighed 5 pounds at the end of the run, and that sucked. Might revert back to running shirtless.

Long run

7 miles in 50:13 (7:10 ppm). Felt absolutely horrible. Heart was beating out of my chest, legs felt like rubber and it was like I was breathing through a straw. 25:10 at halfway. 7:00 first mile, 6:55 last mile, which was probably the hardest 6:55 mile I've ever run in my life. Just wanted to make it back under 50:20. Almost threw up at the end trying to do it. Strong headwind last half mile didn't make it any easier.

Took a three day layoff to try and heal my IT band. It didn't bother me today, but the layoff probably had something to do with how horrible I felt today. Did some shock therapy in the shower afterward.

long run

7 miles in a.m. at silver lake. 51:45 (7:23 ppm). 7:30 first mile, 15:00 at 2. 26:23 at halfway. 45:03 at six miles, 6:42 last mile. Still pretty tired.

Saturday, June 28

Long run in a.m. with Van. 1:40:33 (8:58 ppm). 11.2 miles. 14.5 mile canoe after that. A bit sore today.

Long run

Ran at the Grass River Natural Area (on the far side of lake bellaire between bellaire and alden). Have no idea how far I went. Ran for 53:23. I'll just call it seven miles. Wasn't going very fast. Running on boardwalks, very narrow trails, and around a lot of turns.

6/8 hills, long run

5.5 mile Vandemark hill loop (which features a 1.6 mile straight climb up a glacier-carved hill from mile 1.1 to 2.7) plus an extra mile. 6.5 miles total in 48:37 (7:28 ppm). 41:13 after 5.5, so 7:24 last mile.

Had to pee whole time. Thought about stopping and going in the woods but didn't want wang to be devoured by a bajillion mosquitoes. Bad news is that caused me to cramp up a bit last half of the run. Not too hot but very humid. At the top of the hill was literally running through a cloud.

Calves a little sore. Shins so-so but I fret now over every little twinge. If I wasn't obsessing over it I might not have felt it. Didn't feel them all day or yesterday, then mysteriously right before I left to go run started to feel something.

First day in new shoes, Asics DS-Trainer 13. The DS-Trainers are as old as my running career and I've had at least one pair of all 13 of them. They felt great today. A couple years ago I started using insoles for more cushion when I started getting shin splints. Even though I'm having trouble with my shins now I'm not using the insoles in my new pair based on the theory that the insoles flattened out my arches thereby causing my shins to actually absorb more shock. The insoles also caused the shoe to be heavier and less flexible, which I think made my foot strike harder and caused the shoes to wear out more quickly. This is my theory anyway, and the insoles obviously haven't been working in the last two years so I'm sticking to it.

The shoes felt like a million bucks today without the insoles, much lighter and more flexible, and reminded me why I've only used these shoes my entire running career. Hopefully my theory pans out. The fact that my calves are sore and they've never been sore before after doing this run makes me think I'm getting more muscles involved.

BTW: Last week's total mileage was 18.5. I took yesterday (Saturday) off.