Monday- Speed day, after a great 4th of July weekend, I had to get back into rhythm of things.I had a fartlek today 5x4 minutes on with 2 minutes off. I was feeling good. I was dreading it at first, but getting into the workout just gotta go with it. I started out off at 6:56 pace then when 2 minutes hit I drop to a 5:26. It was definitely one of my tougher workouts, I could tell because I was about to throw up after, and I’ve never thrown up after a workout. Luckily I didn't. I overall in the workout got around 5 and a half miles. I warmed up with a mile, did my stretches and all that stuff, then I did a mile cool down. Overall 7 and a half miles today. Then I go to the gym and DO my workouts, I did Legs today. Usually I’ll do squat, weighted lunges, leg press, and just stuff like that, usually will be sore when I start walking out. Luckily, Tuesdays are recovery day.
Tuesday- Another 4 hour sleep night, but this run was really relaxing actually. I had a recovery run today. It was an optional for a double, so I did just to see what a double recovery run day felt like. In the morning I did a mile warm up, all the stretches,etc… then I got into my run did 25 minutes. I got 3.6 miles in without warm up, strides or any of that stuff. Then I did my cooldown add another mile.
Later in the afternoon I went to go do my weight training, on tuesdays I will usually have a lighter day and focus on core strength, balance and all that good stuff. Usually will take about an hour.
The evening rolls around and I have to start my second recovery run. The run goes real smooth, smoother than what I was expecting. I started my run at the park as usual then I noticed a little opening from the trails. I went on it and found a trail about 2 miles long. Then I found short little trails in the woods. So I learned that for me at least I more likely to run faster in unknown places than the same trail, every single day. Some people like change most don’t. I liked it recently. Its always fun to explore. Back to the runs. This is the first time in a while where I have had back to back good days. Overall mileage 10 miles today including cooldowns. I did a 5 mile run in the evening.
Wednesday- I was dreading this workout, on the workout plan it was 2(6x200) with 400 recovery. Like I've said in earlier articles I am not big on speed, never have even though I need it. So I wasn't looking forward to it. When I did my warmup I had a good feeling about this. I didn't do the workout on the track, just cause I wanted to do it. I did it at the community park around the soccer fields. My high school coach was there and their team was working out up there. Which was good cause if I needed help figuring out pace. It was at 3k pace which was 5. So me and her said around 35 for the pace should be right. The first couple of them, I hit 35 feeling real comfortable. So I sped it up to around 32 for the end of the set still felt comfortable. I did a 800 jog in between the sets. These last 6 hit I hit 30,30,31,32,30,28. This is the best I have felt in a long time. Overall with a 2 mile warm up and a two mile cool down. I got 7.5 miles today.
Thursday- Today's workout was 50-60 minute run, I didn't know how long I wanted to go for or how far, so I just started running, later in the run was when I decided how long I wanted to go for. The morning started off awful mainly cause I forgot my trainers at home, I had to run in my old nike pegasus. Which was awful by the way. Before the run I saw Coach Watts, we got to talking about the team on the boys side, and she was giving me advice to help me have more better runs. Last week I was struggling to have back to back good days, it was just a roller coaster. A roller coaster that felt like it would not stop. As I get into my run, I was just cruising at 6:56 pace. Still didn’t know how I would feel. It sucks running alone especially the course you ran everyday last year with your training partner. Memories come and go. As I gradually get into the run, I start feeling better, and didn’t move the pace, just continued. I just was in my own zone, then my watch beeps telling me I just finished a mile. That got me out of my zone and back to reality. Pace slowed down a little bit but not much. Next 3 miles were between 6:58-7:05. Then the last mile I went down to 6:50. I finished my run at 6:59 pace running 8.60 miles. Then I did my cool down so I got 10.6 miles today. Then I planned on going to ice, but they removed the ice baths to redo flooring, so I got all the ice packs and put them on my legs, covered up in ice packs. Everyone who walked in looked at me funny. Just had to sit there and take it.
Friday- Today’s workout was a 45 minute run with 10 strides after. I felt real good today, I started out at 6:56 and ended around 6:40. My average pace was 6:50. I did 48 minutes tho, to finish up the mile and I was feeling that good. The strides were about 150 meters. I did those at our track on the turf though. My cooldown was 2 miles and relaxed. Later today, I got a call from Brock. He asked me to come up to the high school and work steeplechase with him. We made a wooden steeple that we put out before the sand pit so we can somewhat simulate water jumps. We used the long/triple jump runway. Setting up two on one side, run around the sand pit, go back jumping over two more. We run down the middle jump over one more hurdle then we did the steeple. Pretty tough actually, we did that 3 times. Cooled down with a mile. Overall today I got 10 miles. 7 mile workout with a two mile cool down. Then a mile cool down later with brock.
Saturday- Today was an awful day to start off with. I had to wake up at 6 for work, worked a long shift, then came home. I tried to take a nap but that didn't work well. Then I went for my run. Edwin and Steeven were going to go on a run earlier but they moved it back so I could join them. We went to Rowlett Creek Preserve, never heard of it, but apparently its real popular. Its a 14 mile dirt trail. It was good to explore on my run. I had Steeven who is going to be my teammate next year, and Edwin a former runner at SFA and transferring to Houston.. They kept the run interesting. It wasn’t like me and Brock running where we had all types of conversations. We either told short stories, or asked questions. The rest of the time it was quiet. Me and Edwin went for 80 minutes, then Steeven ran for 70. The trails were beautiful and a lot of hills, and turns kept the run interesting. We were around 6:40-7 flat pace the whole run, we had our Nike GPS watches, and I have noticed when in the forest they were inaccurate. I found out Nike stopped making them and all that good stuff. The run felt real good and I was just enjoying nature. Overall I think me and Edwin got 13 miles. Not sure how many Steeven got. After our run we ran into Evie and Julia after our run and we talked to them. Then I grabbed my camera and took some cool running shots. What’s better than a free post run slurpee from 7/11? I forgot it was 7/11, then I remembered during my run. So those times where we were just running. I was thinking about a free slurpee, and taking a nice homemade icebath.
Sunday- Today I was supposed to cross train, but things came up, so I texted him asking if I can take the day off. He said yes. So after a long day at work, I get to go home and rest. Not having to worry about what I am going to do for my workout. Actually felt good to take a break.
Week In Review: This week has been one of my better weeks. I felt good for the most part, but there were a couple bad days. My long run was great, and my speed days felt better. A lot of things can change how you feel when you run. Like diets, how much sleep you get, just simple stuff. It truly is the little things that count. I am just glad I found my rhythm back. All I’m doing now is just counting down the days till I move in and when I can put my two-weeks notice in.