Last weekend was abysmal. There were weather issues, there were health issues, there were injury issues, there was all kinds of work-related busy-ness issues. The long and short of it — short, really — is that I missed both my weekend runs, one of which was an 18-miler. Now, given that I’ve got two 20-milers scheduled for the rest of this cycle, I’m not too worried about it.
This week was a “step-back” week, meaning the long run is shorter, as are some of the mid-week runs. It’s meant to help the body catch up and recover in preparation for another push upward in mileage. Considering that I missed 26 of the miles I was supposed to run last week, I was already kind of stepped back. But nevertheless, I followed the plan–5 miles each Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, all on the Tropical Rainforest Treadmills in the University of Chicago Amazon Gymnasium. Well, not really, but they do keep it hot in there. And when you’ve gotten used to running in like 12 degree weather, 75 is really, really hot.
Yesterday I did an 8-mile pace run, actually beating my projected marathon pace (1:08:32, for an average pace of 8:36, 24 full seconds faster than I hope to run in the race). It was “warm” outside — 34 degrees — and I used the balmy weather as a chance to practice my pace out of doors and to start to break in my new pair of running shoes, the ones I’ll be racing in in March.
Today I did 13 miles. I was trying to keep it slow, because, you know, that’s what they tell you to do for the long runs. I ended up averaging 9:19/mile, which is probably 20 seconds faster than I should have taken it. But it felt like I was slogging along and would never get anywhere. I’m tired and all, but I really felt like I could have pushed it harder. Which is probably how I’m supposed to feel at the end of a relatively easy week. Today’s run totaled 2:01:02. Splits after the jump.
My first 20-miler of this cycle is in seven days. Let’s hope my ankles make it.
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Tags: Chicago, equipment, health, long run, running, shoes
