My conversation with Blake

With yesterday being a rugged amount of tempo running (40min total) lets chill until the next day you feel great.

This is a combination of weather too.

Try to find a day when you really feel you can attempt this, after the next 4-6 days (today day 1) the w/o is a large block tempo of one hour to 75 mins @ 6:45-6:55.

If you feel good after 40min you can pick the pace up, but make sure you get at least 60 min.

I completely understand if you do this on the road.
I however would use the track bc it is more accurate for pace and distance.

If you do it on the track try to do it when the team is practicing bc you wil pull strength from their accountability of you.

Garmin's tell you the distance you cover, yes. But in a race it is about covereing a tangent, and that is best practiced with lines, in my opinion. Try it the next time you are on the track, and it will be slightly longer than you ran.

Anyway, for the amount of time from here until the half it is about harnessing race specificity, and that is exactly what you are doing. After the race, heading into your fall marathon, there will be time for more diverse work.

Keep it up!

And theres no stopping us right now

So we run. On treadmills, tracks, roads or over paths and dirt we whirl our legs. Acting alone, or in groups, this deed is undertaken in different manners and at varying intensities but always with a shared experience. We run, not because it is original, but because it is natural. It is part of who we are, and for those who admit this, happiness awaits.

Like a Polaroid

So I’m going outdoors today and about to run 4x1000 @ 5:36pace/2.5min rest and a few 200’s @ 33’s/35sec rest.

I head off to the track and I’m already in a bad mood that started this morning. It’s hard to shake it off and I know I have to since I’m already putting this workout on a pedestal. I’ve been known to do this, as many runners do. Sometimes it’s the pace, sometimes the workload, sometimes the work itself.

Lately I’ve been dealing with tight hamstrings, one of which suffered a minor strain a couple weeks back that really made my mind uneasy today; especially about working out at any intense paces. Mind you the 1000’s were not at an intense pace, but my mind is racing here so all logic goes out the window.

Now, on top of my bad mood there’s the weather. It’s cold, very windy and very gray. It’s funny how mood can affect even the weather at times. Okay I suppose not literally, but it changes our perspective of it. Instead of feeling a wonderfully chilly, yet crisp and breezy day I was full of resentment and cursed Mother Earth. Then I started to feel the tightness of my hamstrings tug at me.

That’s when I realized not only do our moods affect our environment but also our physical being. I had to put a stop to this.

So I shook off that veil of angst and reminded myself out loud; “Thousands. I’ve done this before, I can do it again.”

Off I went down the back bend of the track and full force into the wind.


By Jennifer Dagan

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Ripping, roaring, running, ‘round. Rallying, racing, rushing runner; rightly reaping returns. Rift resolve revolves ringing rays, rammed ruefully.

Indore

The weather ushered us to our indoor track, Reggie Lewis. The last week’s unseasonable warmth had lured eager runners to outdoor settings. This pleasant but rare for the year climate was dashed away by extremely strong winds blowing cold air, leading individuals indoors feeling blessed and adoring this haven.

Dichotomy

I feel strong but weak. With a knot in my calf and my butt still sore, there is a damper to the steps taken. But there is also a marked springiness. A zest to work hard mired in a calf which ties up on the trails forcing a short stretch. Continuing through the rest of the run the calf feels better but still tight. Hamstring/butt area also is sore. Maybe some quality tomorrow, don’t know how much.

Heading down the road trying to loosen my load

Trance like it takes you within yourself. A blanket of clearness, blocking out the hub-bub of life’s little irritating necessities, leaves a relaxing freedom in which the run is fed. Moving on your feet the day’s callings quiet, if even for just this outing, there is release.