Thursday, June 11, 2015
Tuesday 6/9/15
Another standard base builder, but today's run was far more enjoyable than yesterday's since I had some company along the way in the form of Vasilis and Matt. I met up with Vasilis in the North End, and we headed over to the Charles then Harvard Bridge to meet Matt. We kept the pace easy and conversational since Vasilis will be racing the JPMCC on Thursday night. Matt headed back to BU when we crossed back over Mass Ave, and Vasilis and I finished up the run as Vasilis showed me a 'secret' path back to the North End. Okay, it's not really a secret, but I've lived in the North End for 5 years and had no idea it was there. It also allows you to completely bypass running in front of North Station which is a huge plus. The foot traffic over there can get really annoying even if there isn't a game going on. 11 miles in 71:52.
Monday 6/8/15
Standard base builder today. Very forgettable run. I got a late start, my stomach wasn't feeling great, and my heel has been acting up a bit (looking into some possible changes to help improve things there). The pace was slow, but it still felt like normal effort since I wasn't feeling so hot. 20 mph winds on the Charles didn't help. I finished up without any major issues though. I'm really looking forward to the end of the week when I can start ramping down the mileage in preparation for Market Square Day on Saturday. I think a few easy/off days may be in order after that. 11 miles in 70:53.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Sunday 6/7/15
Got out for a nice long run today. At 6:0X, the pace was a bit hotter than it needed to be, but thoughts of yesterday's poor workout were still in my head. The weather was perfect as I followed the familiar 11 mile loop out to the Harvard Boathouse and added on a few extra miles down to Charles River Canoe and Kayak. Overall, it was a pretty good run, but concerns about my heel and yesterday's workout are clouding my mood slightly. 13.1 miles in 79:39.
Saturday 6/6/15 - 6 x 1200m
Not an encouraging workout today. I was back in Rochester, so I headed over the Spaulding High School track in the morning. After a 3 mi warm up through the Pines and the surrounding neighborhood at 6:40 pace, I put on my Nike Flyknit Lunar 1+ and got right on the track. My plan was to run a similar workout to the 4 x 1600m 10K workout that I ran last week. However, today's goal was 6 x 1200m at 5:05 pace with 600m rest at 6:00 pace. Since last weeks workout had gone so well in the rain, I thought today would be just as easy with the weather actually cooperating. Unfortunately, things didn't pan out that way. Splits below. I switched the final 600m rest with a 400m rest so that the workout would be exactly 10K.
1200,600,1200,600,1200,600,1200,600,1200,400,1200
1200s: 3:47, 3:51, 3:57, 4:05, 4:09, 4:08
600s: 2:09, 2:18, 2:26, 2:28
400: 1:39
Total for 10K: 34:57
The workout started off well enough as I was able to hit the splits for the first 1200 and rest. The effort felt a bit fast, but I didn't foresee any problems. By the second 1200, I knew that I would need to slow the pace. I had increased the pace from last week's workout (5:10 to 5:05), and during that second 1200, it became clear that I wouldn't be able to hold it. Not a major issue. I backed off to 5:10 which felt hard but not overly so. By the third 1200, I felt like the whole workout had gone out the window. After that, I struggled with the idea of just finishing, and my pace during the rest of the workout dropped dramatically.
I just didn't have it today. My legs felt sluggish and refused to hold the speed. I suppose that is the difference between coming off a day with no running, like I did last week, and coming off an 11+ miler only 12 hours before. I'm really trying to move on from this workout and not think about it, but it did shake my confidence a bit. If you had asked me after last week's workout, I would have said 32 flat wasn't out of the question for the Market Square Day 10K next weekend. After today's workout, I fear that breaking 33:00 could be difficult.
Finished up with a 3 mile cool down at ancient marathoner pace for 12.2 miles on the day.
1200,600,1200,600,1200,600,1200,600,1200,400,1200
1200s: 3:47, 3:51, 3:57, 4:05, 4:09, 4:08
600s: 2:09, 2:18, 2:26, 2:28
400: 1:39
Total for 10K: 34:57
The workout started off well enough as I was able to hit the splits for the first 1200 and rest. The effort felt a bit fast, but I didn't foresee any problems. By the second 1200, I knew that I would need to slow the pace. I had increased the pace from last week's workout (5:10 to 5:05), and during that second 1200, it became clear that I wouldn't be able to hold it. Not a major issue. I backed off to 5:10 which felt hard but not overly so. By the third 1200, I felt like the whole workout had gone out the window. After that, I struggled with the idea of just finishing, and my pace during the rest of the workout dropped dramatically.
I just didn't have it today. My legs felt sluggish and refused to hold the speed. I suppose that is the difference between coming off a day with no running, like I did last week, and coming off an 11+ miler only 12 hours before. I'm really trying to move on from this workout and not think about it, but it did shake my confidence a bit. If you had asked me after last week's workout, I would have said 32 flat wasn't out of the question for the Market Square Day 10K next weekend. After today's workout, I fear that breaking 33:00 could be difficult.
Finished up with a 3 mile cool down at ancient marathoner pace for 12.2 miles on the day.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Friday 6/5/15
Yesterday was the first time in 4 years that I've run with someone on a training run (a college runner visiting BU came up behind me at a traffic light and asked if I wanted to run together). Imagine my surprise this morning when I saw that I had a message on my blog about another runner in the North End looking for a training partner. Vasilis Kariolis, a 3 time winner of the Buffalo, NY edition of the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge, moved to the North End of Boston this spring and came across my blog post about last year's JPMCC in Boston as he was preparing to run the 2015 JPMCC in Boston next week. He decided to shoot me a message about running together, and before my run today, I replied back that I could always use some company on runs. If there are any other runners in the area looking for a training partner, definitely send me a message.
I headed out on the standard 11 mile loop around the Charles, and as I was heading passed North Station, I saw a runner who looked vaguely like the pictures I had seen of Vasilis when trying to figure out how to reply back to him. I thought there was no way things were going to work out that perfectly, but as I caught up, I became more sure. It turned out to be him, and we ended up running together. The pace was relaxed, and we chatted as we looped around the Charles. He was looking to finish his run by Coolidge Corner, and I decided to tag along for some city running. It's odd because while I live in the North End of Boston, I don't consider my runs true 'city runs' since I spend 80% of the run on the paths along the Charles River. I actually don't think I have run through the city during the last five years expect for the JPMCC last year.
After about 9 miles, I turned around and headed back. I decided to stick with the city run though and made my up Comm Ave to the Boston Common then on to the North End. While I wouldn't want to do this for every run, the change of scenery was nice. I need to branch out a bit more. 11.75 miles in 74:55.
I also tried out some new training shoes today! I feel like the Nike Pegasus 31 are a great shoe, but with my existing heel issue, they just aren't what I was looking for right now. I also had to resign myself to the fact that the Lunarglide series is a no go for me. I tried on a pair of the 6's and the 5's (which I've had multiple pairs of), and the arch just doesn't feel right anymore. I've been looking at a bunch of shoes over the last few weeks and ended up picking up a pair of Saucony Kinvara 5 today. I'm a bit concerned with how light they are, but the cushioning is great. We'll see how things go. They felt great during today's run.
I headed out on the standard 11 mile loop around the Charles, and as I was heading passed North Station, I saw a runner who looked vaguely like the pictures I had seen of Vasilis when trying to figure out how to reply back to him. I thought there was no way things were going to work out that perfectly, but as I caught up, I became more sure. It turned out to be him, and we ended up running together. The pace was relaxed, and we chatted as we looped around the Charles. He was looking to finish his run by Coolidge Corner, and I decided to tag along for some city running. It's odd because while I live in the North End of Boston, I don't consider my runs true 'city runs' since I spend 80% of the run on the paths along the Charles River. I actually don't think I have run through the city during the last five years expect for the JPMCC last year.
After about 9 miles, I turned around and headed back. I decided to stick with the city run though and made my up Comm Ave to the Boston Common then on to the North End. While I wouldn't want to do this for every run, the change of scenery was nice. I need to branch out a bit more. 11.75 miles in 74:55.
I also tried out some new training shoes today! I feel like the Nike Pegasus 31 are a great shoe, but with my existing heel issue, they just aren't what I was looking for right now. I also had to resign myself to the fact that the Lunarglide series is a no go for me. I tried on a pair of the 6's and the 5's (which I've had multiple pairs of), and the arch just doesn't feel right anymore. I've been looking at a bunch of shoes over the last few weeks and ended up picking up a pair of Saucony Kinvara 5 today. I'm a bit concerned with how light they are, but the cushioning is great. We'll see how things go. They felt great during today's run.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Thursday 6/4/15
Got out for an easy 11 mile loop around the Charles today. Perfect running weather in the mid 60s and sunny. I'm hoping to run a track workout tomorrow or Saturday, so I didn't want to push the run today. I kept my heart rate in the low 140s, and I felt relaxed even though the pace was 6:0X. With about 5 miles left in my run, a runner came up behind me while I was stopped at a traffic light and asked if he could run with me. I agreed, and we ran together for about 3 miles. Turns out Matt is a runner for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (D3 College in California), and he is visiting BU this summer to study. We exchanged info, and I'm looking forward to some company on my runs for a change. 11 miles in 67:04
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Wednesday 6/3/15
I had plans at 7pm tonight which didn't really give me time for a full run after work, and since I didn't want to get out for a full run before work, I ran my first double session of the year. As today is also National Running Day, it felt like a good day for it.
AM: I was up for an hour before this run. so it didn't feel quite like the typical morning run slog. I was still a bit stiff though. It didn't really matter because the plan was for a nice easy run. 10k loop around the Charles. This was the first loop I ran after moving into the North End of Boston, and just about every run I did between 2011 -2013 incorporated this loop. While I still run on similar parts of the Charles, I got a bit nostalgic about running the Mass Ave bridge and seeing the familiar smoot measurements. If you aren't familiar with what a smoot is, the lore behind it is pretty funny.
6.2 miles in 38:15.
PM: After work, I got in another run on the same 10k loop that I ran this morning. However, I added in some pick ups after mile three. I didn't really hold back at all in the first three miles as I split 5:55s, so my heart was already north of 150 going into the 30 seconds pick ups. The pick ups went surprisingly well though. I felt comfortable and was able to put in a solid effort. I ran out of real estate on the Charles after 10 pick ups and decided to end it there because I didn't want to start sprinting through the city. Splits for those two miles were 5:30 and 5:28. 6.2 miles in 35:56
AM: I was up for an hour before this run. so it didn't feel quite like the typical morning run slog. I was still a bit stiff though. It didn't really matter because the plan was for a nice easy run. 10k loop around the Charles. This was the first loop I ran after moving into the North End of Boston, and just about every run I did between 2011 -2013 incorporated this loop. While I still run on similar parts of the Charles, I got a bit nostalgic about running the Mass Ave bridge and seeing the familiar smoot measurements. If you aren't familiar with what a smoot is, the lore behind it is pretty funny.
6.2 miles in 38:15.
PM: After work, I got in another run on the same 10k loop that I ran this morning. However, I added in some pick ups after mile three. I didn't really hold back at all in the first three miles as I split 5:55s, so my heart was already north of 150 going into the 30 seconds pick ups. The pick ups went surprisingly well though. I felt comfortable and was able to put in a solid effort. I ran out of real estate on the Charles after 10 pick ups and decided to end it there because I didn't want to start sprinting through the city. Splits for those two miles were 5:30 and 5:28. 6.2 miles in 35:56
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