Saturday, December 08, 2007

On the ball Week 8

The Indiana Running Company group has started a Saturday morning group run, so we rolled out of bed at 7 a.m. to meet them at 7:30. For me, this is super early. I mean, it was still dark when we woke up! Not a morning person, to be sure, although I often wish I could be. It sure was nice to get the run done so early, and now I have the rest of the day to do whatever. Maybe I'll try to catch up on reading and Christmas shopping...

Anyway, my running week is over, so I might as well recap now:

Week 8

Sunday, December 2: 11 miles long (11.13 in 1:40:47 > 9:04/mile)
Monday, December 3: 5 miles GA (weights) (45:35 > 9:07/mile)
Tuesday, December 4: 4 miles easy (38:22 > 9:36/mile)
Wednesday, December 5: LT workout, 9 miles total (weights) (4 tempo mile repeats in 7:38, 7:38, 7:39, 7:41, total: 1:17:54 > 8:40/mile)
Thursday, December 6: 5 miles easy/GA (47:27 > 9:30/mile)
Friday, December 7: off (weights) (30min on stationary bike)
Saturday, December 8: 6 miles GA (6.45 in 54:10 > 8:24/mile)

Target: 40 (40.6)


Today we ran with Tom, an elite steeplechaser based in Bloomington who works at the store and with the running group. So of course the pace was quick. For him, it was an easy recovery run (well, a jog), just to get the legs moving, but for Mark and I it was just a nudge below "conversational" pace. It felt hard, but good. I was a little sluggish at first, but loosened up and felt pretty decent. We ran on the IU golf course, which is very hilly. It sure brought back some memories though! They used to run the state meet here when I was in high school, and this was the first time I'd been back. Pretty nostalgic. We also ran with Becca, who we hadn't met before. She ran her first marathon last fall and is training for another in February in Austin. Hopefully we can get Laura and Chuck and a few others to come out on Saturday mornings too!

So, my first 40-mile week since September. I'm glad to be running this much again, and I hope I can keep it up. I'll need to average about 38, I believe, to hit my 2008 goal of 2008 miles (haha, I couldn't resist). Still, I am looking forward to an easy recovery week. Because of that and the race that weekend, I probably won't do the tempo run on Wednesday and just go easy instead.

Week 9

Sunday, December 9: 9 miles long
Monday, December 10: 4 miles GA (weights)
Tuesday, December 11: off
Wednesday, December 12: LT workout, 7 miles total (weights)
Thursday, December 13: 4 miles easy/GA
Friday, December 14: off (weights)
Saturday, December 15: 4K race, 4.5 miles total

Target: 28.5

4 comments:

DawnB said...

a new running group thats nice. I like running in the morning to get it done. I don't think I'm a morning person any longer though. I I will not give up my morning runs.

Very nice week.

Russ said...

impressive week. keep it up. i'm struggling mightily with the morning runs but have to get focused. i'd like to run with a group, but right now i need to focus on my hr training, so a group would be counterproductive.

Jason The Running Man said...

I'm so impressed with your running. You can keep that mileage up.

jen said...

Great runs all week! Especially strong pace on the tempo repeats.

I love the 2008 miles in 2008 goal! That is quite a stretch for me, I've only ever hit 1600 or so in a year... but maybe I'll go for it!