FIT:
(Yesterday/Sunday: 40 min strength, including 3 min plank not too hard, tired at first and almost wanted to quit after entering the gym and again after first set of crunches but stuck with it)
I just wanted to get in some miles today and was thinking about an LR, since at 4:30 the track was likely taken by varsity, and I was in no mood for an all-out tempo again, since I was satisfied with the PR from the other day and don't want to have to see a slower performance. I kept procrastinating, though, for fueling and prepping reasons, which I guess are legit, and there weren't 2 hours left before dinner to get in a 14, so I decided to just do whatever I could before 6:30. It was "feels like" 34 degrees, with sunset at 7:15. I wore Pton sweatpants and a cotton tee comfortably.
I ended up doing about 10.46, which I'll qualify as a long run, since it's over 10. I need these longer runs b/c at Philly, my body kind of ran out of gas at about 7, since I had been so used to only doing staple runs at the time. It's good for my body to get accustomed to still having to go beyond the 7. It was 10.46 according to my calculations of 1.15*2 (campus to tow path) + 1.57*4 (tow path to bridge) + 0.95*2 (bridge to walmart).
Splits: 8:52 b (estimated b/c I forgot to push button after I stopped and considered going home due to left hip issues), 3:55 p, 4:01 h, 4:11 b, 4:41 x, 2:50 w, 2:52 x, 4:44 b, 4:15 h, 4:02 p, 4:04 t (slowed down on the way back from walmart, now turn around and go back to b), 3:57 p, 3:52 h, 4:04 b (really picked it up after the turnaround, faster even than 1st time), 4:02 h, 3:49 p, 3:52 t (even faster!!!), 9:24 2 (uphill and a strong headwind). Total time: 1:21:38.
According to my super handy predicted PR pace graph, the pace of 7:48 is just a bit slower than what my PR pace would be. Sounds about right. I had intended to take it kind of slowly and over time decided to pick it up because I was already out and might as well make it a quality run. Plus, my left hip is okay enough to run on but bothersome. Plus, right before t, there was a metal ring on the ground. I must've stepped on one end with one foot and then gotten my right foot caught on the opposite end, because suddenly, I found myself smack on the ground. It was kind of surprising. My right knee took a hit, and my right side was covered in dirt, but the effect of it on the running was nearly negligible. I may need to ice it later, but nothing permanent, I think. Last time something like this happened was after a BM pyramid, as I was running back up to campus. I didn't clear a chain that fenced off the road when I tried to leap over it, and my arms somehow broke the fall, with my face nearly hitting the ground. I was fortunate to not have broken teeth. I had a big black welt on my left shin for a long time afterwards, and my arms were sore from the force of breaking the fall (thank goodness for pushups) for a day or two.
Cumulative mileage: 184 + 6.2 (recovery post 16) + 5.5 (track) + 7.5 (wm tempo) + 10.5 = 213.7.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Mar 21
FIT:
It was so hard to get out the door, and I couldn't decide between a Wm tempo vs. a 14. I need to do a LR some time soon b/c I'll be out of town next weekend at a tournament, and 3 weeks is a long lag. I wouldn't have time, though, b/c of a CW shift. I ended up doing the Wm b/c of the time constraint, so maybe MTW I'll do the LR. I can't do it F b/c it'd put me at high risk for injury at the tournament and impact tourney performance.
The run itself was good, and it's amazing how tiredness melts away once you get started. My left glute/hip/back hurt a bit, nothing serious, but bothersome. It's okay now, though, and everything feels mostly good. Tempos are tough, like go, go, go the whole way. Not as painful as a track workout, but it requires persistence.
Splits> 8:44 t, 3:42 p, 3:46 h, 3:59 b, 4:22 x, 2:37 wm, 2:41 x, 4:31 b, 3:46 h, 3:44 p, 3:49 t, 8:46 2. I'm pleasantly surprised about how I kept it up fairly well on the 2nd half. Total time: 54:41. Time at the b: 20:13. Turnaround time: 27:12. 2nd half split: 27: 29. Not bad. I think it's a PR on the course. Temps were good (45ish), but the cotton shirt retained all of the sweat, so it felt hotter than it actually was.
FUEL:
In fueling news, I thought I'd have to give up desserts for a while and just savor dark chocolate bars to get my fix. That wouldn't have been too bad. But tonight, I remembered an old delicious favorite, which also happens to be an even better solution: dessert sandwiches. Toasted Protein Bread + Almond Butter + 9 Chocolate Chips = party. It's so good and good for you, it's ridiculous. Everything you like about desserts in supercharged form. You get 15g of protein + good whole grains + healthy fat + fiber + vitamins and minerals + bit of cocoa. It doesn't get any better than this. I haven't tried it since sophomore year, I think, since we haven't had almond butter in a while. It works w/ PB, too, but AB's really good.
It was so hard to get out the door, and I couldn't decide between a Wm tempo vs. a 14. I need to do a LR some time soon b/c I'll be out of town next weekend at a tournament, and 3 weeks is a long lag. I wouldn't have time, though, b/c of a CW shift. I ended up doing the Wm b/c of the time constraint, so maybe MTW I'll do the LR. I can't do it F b/c it'd put me at high risk for injury at the tournament and impact tourney performance.
The run itself was good, and it's amazing how tiredness melts away once you get started. My left glute/hip/back hurt a bit, nothing serious, but bothersome. It's okay now, though, and everything feels mostly good. Tempos are tough, like go, go, go the whole way. Not as painful as a track workout, but it requires persistence.
Splits> 8:44 t, 3:42 p, 3:46 h, 3:59 b, 4:22 x, 2:37 wm, 2:41 x, 4:31 b, 3:46 h, 3:44 p, 3:49 t, 8:46 2. I'm pleasantly surprised about how I kept it up fairly well on the 2nd half. Total time: 54:41. Time at the b: 20:13. Turnaround time: 27:12. 2nd half split: 27: 29. Not bad. I think it's a PR on the course. Temps were good (45ish), but the cotton shirt retained all of the sweat, so it felt hotter than it actually was.
FUEL:
In fueling news, I thought I'd have to give up desserts for a while and just savor dark chocolate bars to get my fix. That wouldn't have been too bad. But tonight, I remembered an old delicious favorite, which also happens to be an even better solution: dessert sandwiches. Toasted Protein Bread + Almond Butter + 9 Chocolate Chips = party. It's so good and good for you, it's ridiculous. Everything you like about desserts in supercharged form. You get 15g of protein + good whole grains + healthy fat + fiber + vitamins and minerals + bit of cocoa. It doesn't get any better than this. I haven't tried it since sophomore year, I think, since we haven't had almond butter in a while. It works w/ PB, too, but AB's really good.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Mar 20
FIT:
Just had to run. Haven't run since Monday's recovery run. Track workouts are probably the best of all the types of workouts. It increases turnover, raises VO2 Max, burns excess fat, and is still a decent distance (5ish for a BM Pyramid). It had been a week and a half since the last one, and even that one was only half. Sad story - the cookies and muffins that I mentioned two days ago have taken their toll. Blaaaah. It's okay. I'll just have to work it off.
As for the run itself, most things have healed up during my three days off of running. Knees generally feel fine, and the top of the foot just has a big knot where the bruise is, which is tolerable compared to me hardly being able to handle the simple act of wearing sneakers. The time off was good, even if the cookies and goldfish weren't. The temps were chilly in shorts and a tee and perfect for running. It seemed more difficult to breathe, maybe b/c of all the dust and dirt I breathed in during my two days tearing down houses in Philly. When the team blew our noses at the end of the day, the result was black stuff. Not a good sign. Worth it, though. God has given me this body to serve others.
And back to the run again, I wanted to quit after the first 200's, if you can imagine that. I just felt out of shape, even with PRing the mile a week ago. I thought it was the cookies. I kept at it, though, eager to finish so that I'd be on time for chapel watch. That gave me incentives to take no water breaks. I didn't even do an 800 warmup, since time would be tight. I pulled through, though, by God's hand, and finished the 5.5 miles in 37:32. Hey... if I added an 1200 in let's say 5.5 minutes, that'd be about a 44 minute 10K.
I was so dreading the run and kept procrastinating. I was tired. During the run, I'd close my eyes as much as I can to mimic sleeping. My arms felt tired from pumping, but my legs didn't feel tired until the end of the last 200. Afterward, though, I felt energetic. Aaah, the power of sports.
// 3/21 update:
I just realized that going at the 5.5-mi pace of 6:49/mi, I could finish a 5K in 21:09!!! And that's with running the extra 2.4 miles. My 5K PR was 20:40, unless I remembered wrong and it was actually 21:40. Either way, I think it means that I could beat that. I didn't think I'd ever be back to HS shape mid-distance-wise. 5eeK Justice run, here I come!
I used to think it was crazy that a 5K was chosen as the HS distance b/c (at least according to one teammate) it's right on the border between what you can sprint and what you can't. Now, I see a 5K as something you more or less sprint. Pain all the way.
Just had to run. Haven't run since Monday's recovery run. Track workouts are probably the best of all the types of workouts. It increases turnover, raises VO2 Max, burns excess fat, and is still a decent distance (5ish for a BM Pyramid). It had been a week and a half since the last one, and even that one was only half. Sad story - the cookies and muffins that I mentioned two days ago have taken their toll. Blaaaah. It's okay. I'll just have to work it off.
As for the run itself, most things have healed up during my three days off of running. Knees generally feel fine, and the top of the foot just has a big knot where the bruise is, which is tolerable compared to me hardly being able to handle the simple act of wearing sneakers. The time off was good, even if the cookies and goldfish weren't. The temps were chilly in shorts and a tee and perfect for running. It seemed more difficult to breathe, maybe b/c of all the dust and dirt I breathed in during my two days tearing down houses in Philly. When the team blew our noses at the end of the day, the result was black stuff. Not a good sign. Worth it, though. God has given me this body to serve others.
And back to the run again, I wanted to quit after the first 200's, if you can imagine that. I just felt out of shape, even with PRing the mile a week ago. I thought it was the cookies. I kept at it, though, eager to finish so that I'd be on time for chapel watch. That gave me incentives to take no water breaks. I didn't even do an 800 warmup, since time would be tight. I pulled through, though, by God's hand, and finished the 5.5 miles in 37:32. Hey... if I added an 1200 in let's say 5.5 minutes, that'd be about a 44 minute 10K.
I was so dreading the run and kept procrastinating. I was tired. During the run, I'd close my eyes as much as I can to mimic sleeping. My arms felt tired from pumping, but my legs didn't feel tired until the end of the last 200. Afterward, though, I felt energetic. Aaah, the power of sports.
// 3/21 update:
I just realized that going at the 5.5-mi pace of 6:49/mi, I could finish a 5K in 21:09!!! And that's with running the extra 2.4 miles. My 5K PR was 20:40, unless I remembered wrong and it was actually 21:40. Either way, I think it means that I could beat that. I didn't think I'd ever be back to HS shape mid-distance-wise. 5eeK Justice run, here I come!
I used to think it was crazy that a 5K was chosen as the HS distance b/c (at least according to one teammate) it's right on the border between what you can sprint and what you can't. Now, I see a 5K as something you more or less sprint. Pain all the way.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Mar 18
FIT:
Yesterday: 9pm 45 min strength. kinda tired. spent all day watching friday night lights.
Today (Wed): 50 lap swim (lap = 50m) = 1.55 miles, alternating btwn free, breast, and back. I had to keep my knees kind of bent/tense during the breaststroke b/c my knees were kind of out of whack from the 16 on Sunday. On the backstroke, I had to keep my ankle kind of bent, too, b/c of the tendon/ligament/whatever issue there caused by the too-tight laces on the mile on Friday. Bent = suboptimal, but I didn't want to have to cut a swim short.
150m splits > 11:01, 11:13, 11:50, 11:52, 12:03, 6:24 > total: 1:04:24.
FUEL:
I wonder what percent of my calories from the past 3 days or so have been from either Whole Grain Goldfish, Chocolate Chip Walnut Muffins, and supposedly Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. Probably a lot.
Yesterday: 9pm 45 min strength. kinda tired. spent all day watching friday night lights.
Today (Wed): 50 lap swim (lap = 50m) = 1.55 miles, alternating btwn free, breast, and back. I had to keep my knees kind of bent/tense during the breaststroke b/c my knees were kind of out of whack from the 16 on Sunday. On the backstroke, I had to keep my ankle kind of bent, too, b/c of the tendon/ligament/whatever issue there caused by the too-tight laces on the mile on Friday. Bent = suboptimal, but I didn't want to have to cut a swim short.
150m splits > 11:01, 11:13, 11:50, 11:52, 12:03, 6:24 > total: 1:04:24.
FUEL:
I wonder what percent of my calories from the past 3 days or so have been from either Whole Grain Goldfish, Chocolate Chip Walnut Muffins, and supposedly Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. Probably a lot.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Mar 16
FIT:
I think I know what "recovery run" means now. I took a rest day yesterday for my body to reset after the 16 on Saturday and wanted to do a shopping run today. I didn't make it a few steps before the bruise caused by the mile race's too-tight laces brought me to a halt. I tried relacing a few different ways to ease up on that pressure point, but it's kind of in an unavoidable spot, and undoing a level of laces didn't feel right, so I ended up just loosely tying it like I did for the 16, and it was okay. Aside from the bruise issue, my knees also had issues, forcing me to have to pause and readjust about 5 times before I ever did a half mile. Finally, things seemed to be going okay, thank the Lord. I was probably really slow the first mile, but I didn't get a time on it because with all of the stopping and starting, I missed some button pushes.
It ended up being a good day to run/shop, though, b/c at Wholefoods, they had a Nutrition Festival, complete with free samples and a goodie bag of samples of powders, supplements, and bars. They may be good to mix into whatever sports drinks I concoct for summer long runs. Oh, the summer. I'm afraid already. Today was a nice 55ish, and the Nike track shirt and basketball shorts were good, if a bit brisk at first.
Splits: 9:30 t (totally estimated), 4:21 p, 4:04 h (you can see me picking up some speed now as I feel better), 4:08 b (est. 22:05 here), 2:40 wf (est 26:45 here), 5:04 b (did the extra bit here), 4:33 h, 4:08 p, 4:06 t (was using fairly hard effort here, with pack and all, felt like this recovery run was needed to get my body back into running mode and cash in the gains from the 16), 9:13 2. Total: 51:53 (est) over 6.2 miles.
I think I know what "recovery run" means now. I took a rest day yesterday for my body to reset after the 16 on Saturday and wanted to do a shopping run today. I didn't make it a few steps before the bruise caused by the mile race's too-tight laces brought me to a halt. I tried relacing a few different ways to ease up on that pressure point, but it's kind of in an unavoidable spot, and undoing a level of laces didn't feel right, so I ended up just loosely tying it like I did for the 16, and it was okay. Aside from the bruise issue, my knees also had issues, forcing me to have to pause and readjust about 5 times before I ever did a half mile. Finally, things seemed to be going okay, thank the Lord. I was probably really slow the first mile, but I didn't get a time on it because with all of the stopping and starting, I missed some button pushes.
It ended up being a good day to run/shop, though, b/c at Wholefoods, they had a Nutrition Festival, complete with free samples and a goodie bag of samples of powders, supplements, and bars. They may be good to mix into whatever sports drinks I concoct for summer long runs. Oh, the summer. I'm afraid already. Today was a nice 55ish, and the Nike track shirt and basketball shorts were good, if a bit brisk at first.
Splits: 9:30 t (totally estimated), 4:21 p, 4:04 h (you can see me picking up some speed now as I feel better), 4:08 b (est. 22:05 here), 2:40 wf (est 26:45 here), 5:04 b (did the extra bit here), 4:33 h, 4:08 p, 4:06 t (was using fairly hard effort here, with pack and all, felt like this recovery run was needed to get my body back into running mode and cash in the gains from the 16), 9:13 2. Total: 51:53 (est) over 6.2 miles.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Mar 14
FIT:
I set out to do 14.2 but felt decent and was already way out there on the tow path so I did 16.2. I stopped at the half-way overpass to swallow some Expresso Love Gu and wash it down with a bit of water. I used 20oz in the "feels like 44"ish heat. It was a good temp for running. I got the 7-mile chills again at about mile 7. I got a sweet 8.5 hours of sleep last night after a week with many 3-5 hour-ish nights. I had tied my left laces waaaay too tight for the mile yesterday, so it hurt to just wear my sneakers today, but when I kept the laces on that shoe loose today, it felt okay. I usually keep laces tight because my dad told me in middle school that it would be more energy-efficient for your feet to not move around much, and it may prevent ankle-turning injuries, too, if there's a snugger fit. Who knows how much good it does. I think I should keep them a bit looser than I have been doing it, though, especially when I'm running on ground that I know is pretty hole-free.
Listened to Steve Runner's profile of Eric Liddell and the podcast on Sheehan's Personal Bests today. Both excellent. Eric's my hero. Check out his story on wiki or something. The following paragraph I just yanked from http://www.virginmedia.com/sport/galleries/great-sporting-scots.php?ssid=11 doesn't do the story justice, but just to give you a crumb of the cake you should eat...
"Eric Henry Liddell was immortalised in the Oscar winning movie ‘Chariots of Fire’. During the 1924 Paris Olympics, committed Christian Eric Liddell refused to race on Sunday and was forced to withdraw from the 100 metres, his best event. Instead, Liddell raced in the 400 metres and little was expected of him. As Liddell went to the starting blocks for the race, an American masseur slipped a piece of paper in his hand with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30, "Those who honour me I will honour." Liddell ran with that piece of paper in his hand and not only won the race but broke the existing world record with a time of 47.6 seconds."
Listen to the podcast at steverunner.com to get a fuller picture of this great man.
Splits: 9:29 t, 12:42 b (forgot to push the splits - 22:12 at this point), 7:42 w (29:54 at this point), 15:35 d (45:30 at this point), 12:41 g (58:11 at this point), 9:33 o (1:04:45 at the turnaround), 9:26 g, 28:22 w (forgot to hit it at the d - 1:45:34 here), 2:55 x, 5:03 b (1:53:33 at this point), 4:26 h, 4:10 p, 4:10 t, 9:47 wright. Total: 2:16:08. Slower than when I ran it w/ AB and J, but that's okay. I just wanted to get the run in, since it's been two weeks since the last LR (which was the 16.2 with them).
I saw a strange squirrel-like thing with goose poop or something in its mouth today. It was so weird, so I tried to take a picture with the phone's camera. Then, it started running away, and it jumped into the water!!! ** not a squirrel**. I tried to track it in the water but failed. A couple came along and asked what I was looking at, and I described the above (I left out the poop part), and they said it must've been a muskrat. I'm looking at google images right now, and the one I saw seemed a lot skinnier and squirrel-like, but w/e. On the way back, no real lead legs like last time, although that last hill was very arduous.
I did a bit of stretching and iced my knees afterwards. I also downed an orange, a turkey sandwich, milk, and raw cake (made up entirely of raisins, walnuts, and I don't know what else). Sooo good. My knees will probably be a bit testy in the next 40 hours once the feel-good chemicals wear off.
Cumulative mileage: 163.3 + 3.5 (track) + 1 (fc) + 16.2 = 184. Don't you love how the LR's just shoot up the count?
I set out to do 14.2 but felt decent and was already way out there on the tow path so I did 16.2. I stopped at the half-way overpass to swallow some Expresso Love Gu and wash it down with a bit of water. I used 20oz in the "feels like 44"ish heat. It was a good temp for running. I got the 7-mile chills again at about mile 7. I got a sweet 8.5 hours of sleep last night after a week with many 3-5 hour-ish nights. I had tied my left laces waaaay too tight for the mile yesterday, so it hurt to just wear my sneakers today, but when I kept the laces on that shoe loose today, it felt okay. I usually keep laces tight because my dad told me in middle school that it would be more energy-efficient for your feet to not move around much, and it may prevent ankle-turning injuries, too, if there's a snugger fit. Who knows how much good it does. I think I should keep them a bit looser than I have been doing it, though, especially when I'm running on ground that I know is pretty hole-free.
Listened to Steve Runner's profile of Eric Liddell and the podcast on Sheehan's Personal Bests today. Both excellent. Eric's my hero. Check out his story on wiki or something. The following paragraph I just yanked from http://www.virginmedia.com/sport/galleries/great-sporting-scots.php?ssid=11 doesn't do the story justice, but just to give you a crumb of the cake you should eat...
"Eric Henry Liddell was immortalised in the Oscar winning movie ‘Chariots of Fire’. During the 1924 Paris Olympics, committed Christian Eric Liddell refused to race on Sunday and was forced to withdraw from the 100 metres, his best event. Instead, Liddell raced in the 400 metres and little was expected of him. As Liddell went to the starting blocks for the race, an American masseur slipped a piece of paper in his hand with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30, "Those who honour me I will honour." Liddell ran with that piece of paper in his hand and not only won the race but broke the existing world record with a time of 47.6 seconds."
Listen to the podcast at steverunner.com to get a fuller picture of this great man.
Splits: 9:29 t, 12:42 b (forgot to push the splits - 22:12 at this point), 7:42 w (29:54 at this point), 15:35 d (45:30 at this point), 12:41 g (58:11 at this point), 9:33 o (1:04:45 at the turnaround), 9:26 g, 28:22 w (forgot to hit it at the d - 1:45:34 here), 2:55 x, 5:03 b (1:53:33 at this point), 4:26 h, 4:10 p, 4:10 t, 9:47 wright. Total: 2:16:08. Slower than when I ran it w/ AB and J, but that's okay. I just wanted to get the run in, since it's been two weeks since the last LR (which was the 16.2 with them).
I saw a strange squirrel-like thing with goose poop or something in its mouth today. It was so weird, so I tried to take a picture with the phone's camera. Then, it started running away, and it jumped into the water!!! ** not a squirrel**. I tried to track it in the water but failed. A couple came along and asked what I was looking at, and I described the above (I left out the poop part), and they said it must've been a muskrat. I'm looking at google images right now, and the one I saw seemed a lot skinnier and squirrel-like, but w/e. On the way back, no real lead legs like last time, although that last hill was very arduous.
I did a bit of stretching and iced my knees afterwards. I also downed an orange, a turkey sandwich, milk, and raw cake (made up entirely of raisins, walnuts, and I don't know what else). Sooo good. My knees will probably be a bit testy in the next 40 hours once the feel-good chemicals wear off.
Cumulative mileage: 163.3 + 3.5 (track) + 1 (fc) + 16.2 = 184. Don't you love how the LR's just shoot up the count?
Mar 14
FIT:
Yesterday (Thur): Stadium ulty. Funny story... not really funny, but a story. We were doing there and back races of only about 25 yards where you touch the line. The 11 of us were split into 3 heats to group similar speeds. In the first couple, Bock and Vicki were ahead in heat 1, and at one point, I came in last in the heat, so I got bumped down to heat 2. I don't like to lose when I know I or my team has the potential or should win. So I kicked hard and won heat 2 by a lot. I got bumped back up to heat 1. And there, I finished first for the rest of it. I don't know whether it's just that I have more endurance, or whether being in heat 2 brought out the fight in me. If it's the latter, maybe I can use those feelings for the next time I want to be fast.
Today: FC 3 - I slept 2.5 hours spread over 3 or so naps the previous night. At the psych experiment today, it looked like the dots I track were spazzing out because the computer had issues, but it seemed like it just as likely could have been my eyes. I was in no condition to be doing that reaction time and eye focus task, but I managed to pull of $21 in 45 minutes. Oh yeah, the buildup for the mile: I got myself pumped up the previous night by listening to Steve Runner's podcast on The Mile twice. Every time I thought about having to run it, my stomach would turn. It made it hard to sleep, because I'd really want that precious nap time, and then I would think "mile" and then I would feel nauseous. I could feel slight soreness the races yesterday. My arms were also tired out, which was kind of strange. It was either ridiculously delayed-OMS, or the sprints or something took more out of the arms than I realized. My knees were also giving me issuse today, but I knew they'd be able to hold for a mile. I was pumped. Finally, after forcing myself out of a quick rest in the bed, I gathered the gear for the fc. I went with spandex - first time in public - since I wanted every advantage. The temps were pretty much ideally brisk. Happened to see LD coming through the grass and said hello. After an 800 warmup and dynamic stretching, we got on the line. I kept wanting to put it off a bit rather than jump right into it, because I knew that the next 6 minutes would be painful. The first lap went by quickly and easily, with 1:28 for the 400+the 12 or 18 or whatever that little distance is. The second lap, I was slower, and I thought, "ok, today's probably not the day," and I came in at 1:32. There was so much that I'd have to recover in the last two to stand a chance. It seemed unlikely. The third lap is usually painful, but today, it wasn't, since I had taken the seecond slowly. I kept thinking, "alright, I can keep holding this," and I finished at 1:32. In the last lap, I felt incredibly good with lots of kick in me. It was strange, since I'm usually dead by then. I wasn't breathing death-hard like last time, but hard. I finished strong but with still more left in the tank at 1:26. It was a total of 5:59, perhaps minus around a second because I had trouble locating the watch button. Just barely made it, oh man. I was so surprised to see it. I wonder what I could do with more sleep and no workouts in the preceeding days. My next goal is sub-5:50. Seems kind of crazy to imagine a 5:4x time, but then again, anything with a 5 in it once seemed like a crazy goal. I'm pretty sure it can happen by June. I'm serious, each BM pyramid I do, I shave off 5s or more. I'll reach the asymtope at some point, but for now, bring on the pyramids! Oh yeah, hot weather is coming - boo. That'll put a dent in all of it, but we'll pull through. In 2 months, I shaved 28s. I have another 2.5 months before graduation. The steeper part of the improvement curve is at least partially gone. Weather's coming. Maybe I can get 15 more seconds off before graduation? We'll do 10 first and then talk more after that.
Yesterday (Thur): Stadium ulty. Funny story... not really funny, but a story. We were doing there and back races of only about 25 yards where you touch the line. The 11 of us were split into 3 heats to group similar speeds. In the first couple, Bock and Vicki were ahead in heat 1, and at one point, I came in last in the heat, so I got bumped down to heat 2. I don't like to lose when I know I or my team has the potential or should win. So I kicked hard and won heat 2 by a lot. I got bumped back up to heat 1. And there, I finished first for the rest of it. I don't know whether it's just that I have more endurance, or whether being in heat 2 brought out the fight in me. If it's the latter, maybe I can use those feelings for the next time I want to be fast.
Today: FC 3 - I slept 2.5 hours spread over 3 or so naps the previous night. At the psych experiment today, it looked like the dots I track were spazzing out because the computer had issues, but it seemed like it just as likely could have been my eyes. I was in no condition to be doing that reaction time and eye focus task, but I managed to pull of $21 in 45 minutes. Oh yeah, the buildup for the mile: I got myself pumped up the previous night by listening to Steve Runner's podcast on The Mile twice. Every time I thought about having to run it, my stomach would turn. It made it hard to sleep, because I'd really want that precious nap time, and then I would think "mile" and then I would feel nauseous. I could feel slight soreness the races yesterday. My arms were also tired out, which was kind of strange. It was either ridiculously delayed-OMS, or the sprints or something took more out of the arms than I realized. My knees were also giving me issuse today, but I knew they'd be able to hold for a mile. I was pumped. Finally, after forcing myself out of a quick rest in the bed, I gathered the gear for the fc. I went with spandex - first time in public - since I wanted every advantage. The temps were pretty much ideally brisk. Happened to see LD coming through the grass and said hello. After an 800 warmup and dynamic stretching, we got on the line. I kept wanting to put it off a bit rather than jump right into it, because I knew that the next 6 minutes would be painful. The first lap went by quickly and easily, with 1:28 for the 400+the 12 or 18 or whatever that little distance is. The second lap, I was slower, and I thought, "ok, today's probably not the day," and I came in at 1:32. There was so much that I'd have to recover in the last two to stand a chance. It seemed unlikely. The third lap is usually painful, but today, it wasn't, since I had taken the seecond slowly. I kept thinking, "alright, I can keep holding this," and I finished at 1:32. In the last lap, I felt incredibly good with lots of kick in me. It was strange, since I'm usually dead by then. I wasn't breathing death-hard like last time, but hard. I finished strong but with still more left in the tank at 1:26. It was a total of 5:59, perhaps minus around a second because I had trouble locating the watch button. Just barely made it, oh man. I was so surprised to see it. I wonder what I could do with more sleep and no workouts in the preceeding days. My next goal is sub-5:50. Seems kind of crazy to imagine a 5:4x time, but then again, anything with a 5 in it once seemed like a crazy goal. I'm pretty sure it can happen by June. I'm serious, each BM pyramid I do, I shave off 5s or more. I'll reach the asymtope at some point, but for now, bring on the pyramids! Oh yeah, hot weather is coming - boo. That'll put a dent in all of it, but we'll pull through. In 2 months, I shaved 28s. I have another 2.5 months before graduation. The steeper part of the improvement curve is at least partially gone. Weather's coming. Maybe I can get 15 more seconds off before graduation? We'll do 10 first and then talk more after that.
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