Back on the wagon

So I fell off the wagon. After a very crappy run Tuesday before last, I didn't run for 9 days, due to work and motorcycling. I'm not going to go into long explanations. The short story is that I preferred sleep to exercise and that I was forced into making that choice. But now I'm back on the wagon and picking up on training again.

I wasn't sure I'd be able to do the full 10 miles the plan called for today, but I did get it done. The first three SUUUUUUCKED. As usual. The first mile, in fact, was so slow and so awkward I wondered if I should cut the day's mileage in half. But by the time I was well into the third mile, I began to feel warmed up. I did not tackle the big hills with gusto, I'm afraid; just dealt with them best I could. I kept in mind that this is Long Slow Distance run and that when one's short run speed is little better than one's long run speed, some walking may be called for in order to last the entire distance.

However, I managed to cut the amount of walking down gradually as the run progressed and had a couple of really good miles, especially between 5.5 and 6.5 and the last mile of the run.

It was warm and humid today, with few breezes, but was nicely overcast and not outright hot. It was humid enough that my sweat did not evaporate, but not so humid I couldn't breathe, so I was in just that narrow window. I remembered to bring hydration and filled up at water fountains frequently.

The last stretch home - the "dessert mile" was very hard to run. I struggled through it and used the downhills as best I could. The last half mile, especially, was a battle to keep my legs moving and not slow to a walk. But when approaching my last intersection, where I usually end my run before the light, the light changed and the walk sign changed to the white walking man outline, beckoning me across the intersection and as far as I needed to hear the voice announce a full 10 miles. And I finished strong. As hard as that last 1.7 miles from park to home was, once the voice announced 9 miles and the time, I felt that a good effort could get me home under the 2 hour mark. I pushed hard and managed a sub-two. More training like this and I should do very well at the Queens Half in September. (Which reminds me, I need to get signed up for the Staten Island Half right away.)

So here it is, my definitive 10-mile route; EXACTLY 10 miles from my house to the park, around twice, and back home:



For the record, here are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday's runs. Not quite up to the training plan, but at least it got me back on the wagon.

Thursday:
Get back on that wagon; extremely difficult. Very sore from the motorcycle ride still and very tired from mounting IMPACT. 2 miles near my house; not bad, just too short.

Friday:


Saturday:

tough 5 miler

Yesterday's "easy 5" didn't happen - had to squeeze in a gym workout between job and going to see Fuerzabruta. The gym workout wasn't terrible, but I had no energy. 20 minutes bike, 18 minutes (1.5 miles) treadmill. Far short of my goal. See new sidebar widget. I have no idea how to share the run inline in the post. Whatever. Nike+ will be used for treadmill runs, RunKeeper for road runs.

Had no energy today, either, and struggled through the "easy 5" on the calendar. If you go see the full stats of the run below, you'll see a fairly uneven pace - lots of walking. I had oh so carefully mixed up a bottle of HEED - first time in months, as I'd been opting for water, Gatorade, or Sustained Energy. Yes, mixed up a full bottle of HEED for the hot run -- and promptly forgot it. Realized almost a mile into my run that I wasn't carrying it. :( It hurt me as much mentally as physically - degradation on both ends, for realz. In the map, you can see my trip out to the end of the pier - it's that short jut into the WATER. You can also see my walking sidetrip into Owl's Head Park itself in search of a water fountain. I found one! Now I know where it is, I'll take advantage of it more often.



Ended my run at DD for much-deserved iced coffee and muffin. They have never kicked me out for being shirtless, but it seems to help get me served faster. :)

I must do better tomorrow. I only hope I'll sleep better tonight than I did last night and that I can get up early enough to take advantage of the cool morning for my planned nine miles. I hope I don't forget my damn water bottle. I hope things just go better.

Also, I can't seem to get my motorcycle fixed. Lots of delays keep me from tearing into it, but that WILL happen before this weekend is over. Funny thing is, if I weren't running, if I weren't training for a marathon, this would be done already. Motorcycling has definitely taken a back seat to my other activities this year. It is partly a matter of money - subway is cheaper and so is running - but also just that my health maintenance must come first - that includes therapy, running, AND sleep. Log time for all that plus work and being a biker begins to fade.

And now, late at night, my gout is kicking in for the first time in several weeks. Well...kicking in hard. It's always present now to some degree, but usually it's just a dull ache. Right now, it's getting difficult to walk again. :(

Wednesday after-work hills

Training plan calls for 6 miles of hills today. I did 4 last week, so I went 5 this week and upped the hill ante - this was a central park run, where the only flat section was (thankfully) towards the end of my run. This workout kicked my ass. I could not have finished six. I was walking a lot, but then I wasn't in any hurry. I concentrated on running UP hills and DOWN hills and walking moderately flat sections. I mostly succeeded.

Seems like everyone is following Yasso's plan - many, many people out in the park jogging the loop.

Tuesday's run

Supposed to be four, but it took all I had just to change clothes after getting home and running at all. 3 is respectable.

1st long training run

More neat-o details here.

Will add words and blah blah blahbbity blah after nap.