Running with Pump

Indy Monumental: W9D1 - 6 x 800 (3:00 goal) 

Week 9 of training and I'm still doing speed work in 90+ degree weather? Screw this. 

Highest mileage month to date. 

Indy Monumental: Week 8/18 - 53.11 miles

Monday: Easy 6 with a buddy.  Now that we don’t work in the same office, it’s nice to catch up over a run.

Tuesday: 3 x 1600 (6:00 goal)  Actual splits: 5:59, 6:03, 6:02

Wednesday: Rest day easy 4 miles.  I’m not up and moving nearly as much throughout my work day right now, so rest day shakeout runs are going to be necessary.

Thursday: Easy 9 miles after work. 

Friday: Easy 10 miles after work.

Saturday: Tempo 7 (6:45 goal pace).  Actual pace: 6:43.  This tempo run was much better than my previous two attempts.  It probably helped that I was listening to “California Love” Pandora.  Tupac led the way.

Sunday: Easy 8 miles this morning.  4 miles to music, 4 miles to a podcast.

Indy Monumental: Week 7/18 - 54 miles

Tuesday: Easy 8 - ran these at home.  I don’t even really remember.  

Wednesday: The Ladder -  with a shortened warm-up and no cool down. Let’s just say that the track was closed by the time I got downtown and that I had planned on using the facilities at the track before running. My head, stomach and legs were all very angry during that one.

Thursday: Easy 6 - with a buddy. We haven’t had a chance to talk much since I left the old office, so the company was nice.

Friday: Tempo 7 at 6:45 pace - Better than last week’s tempo, but not much.

Saturday: Easy 8 - Perfect weather and actually felt great.

Today: Long 14 at 7:22 pace - Wiped out pretty hard on some loose gravel while avoiding a moped at mile 7. That was a first. A little bloody, but finished and now I don’t want to move.

Indy Monumental: W6D7 - Tempo 7 (6:45 goal) 

Indy Monumental: Week 6 - 53 miles

Today's tempo was rough. My legs are dead, my motivation is waning, and I'm strongly considering running the Half instead of the Full. I've always prioritized training over everything else, but I'm not sure how much longer I want to do that. Or even if I'm capable of doing that. 

Indy Monumental: W5D2 - 5 x 1K (3:42 goal)

I didn’t hit all my times, but this speed workout felt a lot better than the previous ones.  I’m sure the fact that it was closer to 80 than 90 helped a bit there.   I did manual laps again because of the terrible GPS on the track.

I probably could have left a little more on the track, but this was day 7 in a row of running and I’m trying to keep the hip/butt pain in check.

So, I suck at yoga.  I mean, really suck.  I can’t even begin to explain how bad my flexibility has always been.  I met with a personal trainer once back in 2008 and he couldn’t believe how pathetic I looked trying to stretch (I was also 40-50 lbs heavier).  

I tried to do some of the Runner’s World yoga with Amy a few weeks ago and I ended up having to go for a run so we didn’t get in a fight.  I’m not the happiest person when I’m failing miserably at something.  She’s a damn pro.  That didn’t help.

I say all that, to say this.  I finally purchased DDP Yoga.  I have said this before on here, but I am a HUGE professional wrestling fan* and have been since I was a small child.  I listen to wrestling podcasts during every single easy run. So, about 7 hours a week of wrestling podcasts.  I find the stories of past wrestlers absolutely fascinating.  

Anyway, DDP is a former pro wrestler that started a workout company.  I’ve heard so many people swear by how much the program improved their flexibility that I just had to give it a shot.  Amy got me a yoga mat for my upcoming birthday (she’s terrible at surprises just like I am), so as soon as the DVD’s arrive, I’m going to give it a shot.  It honestly can’t hurt.

Indy Monumental: W5D1 - Easy 9 miles (8:09 pace)

I had speed work scheduled for today, but this is supposed to be the hottest day of the week so I moved my plan around a bit.

I also just wasn't in the right mental space for speed work today. I've got a lot going on at work right now and I kind of needed the "easy" mileage. 

Indy Monumental: W4D4 - Tempo 6 (6:45 goal) 

2 warm, 6 miles at 6:44 pace, 2 cool. 10 total. 

This run looks great on paper, but in reality it was brutal. I had to stop a couple of times and convince myself to keep going. It's only week 4 and I'm already whining. This might be a record. 

Indy Monumental: W4D3 - Easy 8 (8:02 pace) 

Didn't want to do a tempo at 5:30 this morning, so I pushed it until tomorrow. Storms tonight and temps in the 90's so a morning run was a must. 

Indy Monumental: W4D1 - 6 x 800 (3:00 goal)

I used the track with the horrible GPS again, but this time I did manual laps on my watch. I failed the last 3, but holy shit was it hot. It felt even hotter inside that stadium with the sun beating down on the track. 

Much needed rest day tomorrow. 

Indy Monumental: W3D7 - Recovery 5

I had 8 scheduled, but the boss would only allow me 5 because of I’m still having pain in my hip/ass area. We ran the first mile together and then went our separate ways on the 606 path. 50 miles on the week.

We just so happened to plan our meet-up location in fairly close proximity to Glazed and Infused. Whoops!

I’ve been here since Tuesday, but have to head home shortly. The awful feelings of anxiety are already setting in. Back home, back to work, back to 4 hours away from Amy. Harrumph.

Indy Monumental: W3D6 - BigTen 10K: 40:51 (6:33 pace, 116/8,028) 

As you can see from my splits, I had some “traffic issues” in the first mile. I don’t understand why people would line up in Corral A and then not actually race. I guess I’m just too competitive. The course was also WAY too narrow for a 8,000 person race. I thought it was dangerous at certain points. 

Indy Monumental: W3D5 - Easy 8 (8:04 pace) 

Eight more miles on the 606 path. 

Indy Monumental: W3D4 - Easy 9 (8:00 pace) 

Sitting in Wicker Park people watching and enjoying my Sbux. 

Speed work on Monday, 10 yesterday, 9 today, 8 tomorrow, race on Saturday. 

Indy Monumental: W3D3 - Long 10 (7:12 pace) 

Had to move my long run up this week because of the 10K this weekend. It was kind of weird doing a "long run" on a Wednesday, but I had absolutely perfect weather here in Chicago. I wish I could take this weather home with me.

I love the 606 trail. Watching out for other runners and bikers is so much better than having to watch out for cars. I took a Gu at mile 6 and a drink of water every mile. I'm trying to simulate race conditions as much as possible. 

I used the Spring app again today for this run. I turned off the GPS voice over and I enjoyed it a lot more. I forgot to stop the app while I was walking to cool down, so that's why the paces are so different on the last couple of songs. I don't think a single one of those songs is on my normal Spotify playlist, yet I never really had a problem with the song choices today. I think that means the app is working. 

Indy Monumental: W3D1 - 8 x 600 (2:14 goal) 

So, this was frustrating. The "real feel" was 92 when I started this run, but I was mentally prepared for that. 

The college track that I've been using is also the home of the local minor league soccer team. Because of that, there are temporary grandstands set up at both ends of the track and apparently those stands are messing with the GPS. 

I have all the workouts saved in my watch and I had no idea that I could still use manual splits. I ran the first 6 intervals according to the GPS and then ran the last two according to the lines on the track. I'm still a little pissed for missing those two in the middle, but I think had I been doing manual laps I might have been fine. 

Anyway, I came home and had some Five Guys and things are looking up. I really need to pack for Chicago, but right now my ass is glued to this couch.