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Week 259
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Greetings, 50+ers! Well, I promised to interact more with the thread last week, and somehow that didn't happen (not that I didn't enjoy reading every word of your posts.) Glad to see some of you folk on the mend and feeling more optimistic. And thanks for the props regarding the race last week. This week, I made it about 33 miles on six days of running. Log read as such:
Sun: 7.6 easy run + form drills
Mon: 3.8 easy (7:52 pace)
Tues: 6.1 Intervals 3x(1200,30s rest, 400, 2 laps jog recovery)
Wed: 4.1 easyish (7:43 pace)
Thur: 5.2 w/1 mile@6:11
Fri: off
Sat: 6.0 progression starting @8, last two @7:00 pace
Was hoping to run all 7 days, but just wasn't feeling it Friday (the afternoon rain didn't help my demeanor.) I'd also noted that from the previous Friday through Thursday, I'd run every day, and logged 40 miles, so that's a first since last fall. Tuesday's intervals are the only real highlight for the week. Under cold and rainy conditions, completed 3 sets all right at 4:44 for the 1200's and 1:22 for the 400's with a 30s break in between the two and 2 laps of jog recovery between sets. My buddies kidded before we started about the 2-laps recovery, but once they got into it, and how hard the 400's were run, they recognized the need for 2 laps. I should add that the 82sec 400s are not feeling as clunky as they did a few weeks back. Glad to get some form drills in on Sunday; still would like to establish a pattern of doing them twice/week; I need to build in the extra time.
@KP--Old Guy II does rowing machine, wonder if that might help. Care to pipe in OGII?
@Hoser, Eh--First, welcome to the thread! Other than the ice hockey, you sound a lot like me, too. I think that you should have no troubles reaching your goals--mindful persistence would be my terse advice. If 5k is your main objective, I personally, wouldn't go long every week (maybe every other week). I would substitute a progression run (or tempo) late in the week and give up on the second rest day afterward. I don't have a feel for how the hockey would play into all of this, though. That's something that you'll have to gauge.
@Mike and Dave--nice races! I know 6:00/mile feels slow to you, Dave, but cold (and coming off a cold) and rainy and unmotivated, seems like it ended up a pretty good day.
@AlanB--there are so many variables one year to the next. Who really knows. Not going out as fast might be a small part, but there are so many other factors to consider--weather, weight, race preparation, etc. (not to mention being a year older)--that I'd be hard pressed to pin it on one thing. Also, I've found that unlike in longer races where I really struggle if I go out too hard, with a 5k it almost always evens out. Certainly I feel better about it if I go out slower and bring it home, but from my experience, if I go out fast and wilt in the third mile, or go out easy and run hard the third mile, there's very little difference in the time (after all, for a 5k, the first mile is already 1/3rd of the race.)
Been wondering how Spikez and Co-57 are doing.
OK, that's more than a mouthful for this week. Hope you've all had good weeks!
All the Best!