canova this, daniels that...doesn't anybody just run?
I'm progressing nicely in my training though short of where I had hoped to be by now. I wish I hadn't run a marathon a couple years ago as I'm struggling to avoid comparing myself to that training block.
Anyway, I ran 80 miles in 8 runs (one 2mi barefoot shakeout was the 8th run on saturday).
Monday and Tuesday were 10mi easy runs
On Wednesday I had no plan so did a 4mi warmup to loosen up and think of a workout. Still had no concrete plan other than doing some tempo stuff plus some faster stuff. Nothing too hard as I had a 4mi race on Saturday. I did 4k on a road loop at tempo pace, ended up 5:39s. Did a half mile jog in ~3.5min then 2x800 in 2:35-2:36 with about 2min jogs, then 2x200 accelerating, about 35 for each with a 200 jog. Turned into a sharpening workout but also my first time doing 800s or 200s in a long time. the 2:35s were too hard but part of that was that I was on the road and not a track.
Thurs and Fri were 9mi then 8mi...not exactly an ideal taper. Both ruuns were too fast too...7:0x/mi
Saturday I felt bad warming up 4 miles and the few strides I did may not have even been under 5:20 pace. The race ended up having way more competition than I expected. It was a flat 4 miler on asphalt but with a good amount of turns. Weather was great. My 10k was equal to about 20:50s I figured so the goal was to run about that. My plan was to hit about 5:17 for the first mile or slower if I was leading. We went out pretty slow and I was still dragging off the pack but just before the mile I felt the pace dragging and I went around the chase pack I was in to split 5:16ish. Carried on solo until a buddy pulled behind me and eventually began to lead our chase group. Hit 2 miles in 10:32ish according to the course markings, as my watch ended up reading 4.04. Started to fall behind my buddy during the 3rd mile but stayed close enough. The pack I had ditched was right on my heels and I wanted to stay ahead and not let myself be content to join the group. We split 15:58 according to the marker for 3 miles. I was in 5th at this point but the man in 3rd was slipping back of the leading pair who had split about 15:45 for 3 miles. Thinking back, I should have surged to join that group during the second mile. Anyway, I continued to slip back of the 4th place man while he caught #3. With 800m to go they probably had 30 meters on me and I was thinking they'd be too far away to catch. Of course, I was wrong and after kicking far too late I nearly caught 4th and 3rd as well. We were 21:09, 21:10, and 21:11. I had too much left in the last 100m as you couldn't see the finish tape until 40m to go. Last mile was 5:12ish which isn't awful but also nothing to brag about. I definitely am missing some gears and the ability to really push hard.
Sorry for the novel there...short story was that I even split a 21:11 which is a bit worse than the 10k I ran in 33:30 last weekend.
Next weekend I'm racing a tough trail 50k...because I'm an idiot, but mainly because I am trying to become a better ultrarunner and taking the opportunities when they come, as I might end up getting the flu the day before Boston anyway.