Dec 5

FIT:
Hills!

It's good to be on my first pull-back week of the marathon build-up.  It's low-pressure, not having to worry about hitting the weekday workouts (1 speed, 1 base) plus my weekly strength session, while saving something for the longer-than-ever long run.

The schedule calls for 3 x 6 mi for this week, and I'll throw in my strength session, plus either a bike or a shorter run session.

My legs were iiiitching for a run today because they were a wee bit x-sore from the long run and wanted to be worked out a bit.  Hills seemed like a perfect fit, because they work you while still being low-impact.  It would also allow me to stay at a slow pace to keep the run relatively easy.  Normally, if I do a treadmill run, I have to keep upping the speed so that I don't keep having to hit the same muscles at the same angles over and over again (b/c there are no naturall hills, uneven ground, speed changes).   I could keep at a slow and steady pace while varying the muscle action with the hills on and hills off.

5.0 in 42:05, 8:25 ave.  435 cal, 68 degrees.
The workout: 1 mi warmp @ 1 degree @ 7mph, 3 x [0.5 mi @ 1 degree, 0.5 mi @ 5 degrees] @ 7mph, 1 mi shakeout @ 1 degree in 7:51 (progression).

FYI, 5 degrees @ 7mph = 7:19... ooh, nice!  Sounds fast, though.  The effort wasn't that hard.  The first rep was hard, but it was easier after that once your legs got used to it.  Not that it was super easy, since I didn't do any more reps than 3, but it wasn't bad.

Good run.  I was looking forward to doing a run all day.  Although after I got home and had dinner (sprouted grain tortilla w/ tomato sauce, cheese, and fresh garlic... roasted pizza!  and tortilla chips with queso and a bit of carrot), I got less and less inclined to run.  Get it?  Inclined?  Oh boy.