3.04 miles in 30 minutes

Far too rainy outside to run, and after Saturday's hard run I needed an easy one. I hit the gym after work.

30 minutes, 1% incline, Bad Religion's "All Ages" on the iPod nano. I set the speed at 6.1 MPH (or a 9:50 pace) and just let it stay. I didn't adjust it down at all for the entire run. I just kept up, tried to keep my stride short and my turnover fast, kept my arms moving and my head up.

When I hit about 2.8 miles I pushed the pace up to 6.3 MPH/9:30 pace, and at 2.9 I pushed it further to whatever an 8:57 pace is (I forget) just to finish fast. Then 5 minutes of brisk walking to cooldown and I was out of there.

7 miles total - 3 hills, 2 tempo

Ugh. I barely want to log this run, mostly because I didn't exceed or even meet the same time and pace I've done before.

But maybe I'm just training too hard. There are good days and bad days. Today wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as it could have been.

Woke up at 6:30 to eat something (bagel with peanut butter and raspberry preserves; 342 calories). Discovered I had a bloody nose during the night. Not sure why.

Weather was humid and 40° F when I left the house around 9:30 AM today. Wore tights, long-sleeved shirt, and basketball shorts and a dri-fit jacket over for another layer.

Approximately one mile warmup and cooldown to get to my starting point.

12 times up the hill, 400 meters, aiming for 2:00 or less. Only achieved that three times out of six. Fastest time was 1:58; longest was my last run up when I walked a bit (running out of energy), 2:13.

Ate 2 Cliff Shot Bloks (67 calories) and drank copious amounts of water after the hills.

Then I went to do my tempo run, 2 miles at a (planned) 9:30 pace or better. First mile was 8:49; second mile was 10:35; total time was 19:26 for an average pace of 9:43. Not bad, but not what I planned.

The Christmas train that ran from Oaks Park to points south this weekend and next meant I had to run through crowds twice. I want to blame them for my slow time but I honestly can't, not entirely.

Oh, well. Next time will be better. And my next two runs are going to be shorter and slower. Well... at least slower.

6.0 miles - times two

On Tuesday and Thursday night, I ran my 6 mile loop. Both nights were cold, but Tuesday was colder than Thursday. Tuesday was in the mid-30s, Thursday was in the low-40s.

Neither night did I wear a watch, nor bring music. Wore reflective gear (of course) since it was dark out. Stopped for water in the only place that had the water turned on, at the north end of Westmoreland Park. Didn't eat anything during the run.

Tuesday night I felt faster than Thursday night, as I did stop to walk a bit Thursday night. Tuesday I only stopped for traffic, twice.

It's invigorating to run in the cold, as long as I'm prepared for it! I warm up pretty fast as long as I keep moving.

I didn't see any other runners on Tuesday night, just a lot of bikers. Did see a lady out running with her dog last night.

6 miles - 4 miles hill intervals

Originally planned to get up early and do my hill work plus a 2 mile tempo run, total of 8 miles. I got up at 6 AM to eat a little something, just a 230 calorie scone, and then went back to bed, intending to get up 2 hours later and head out.

Too frickin' cold. 33° F, and nevermind the wind-chill. Also, I had a lunch date with the family at noon, and I had a present to pick up. So I decided I'd do my run in the afternoon when it was (at least theoretically) warmer.

Yeah. At 3:00 PM it was 43° F; with wind-chill factor it was still 34° F. But I had to run.

I suited up in at least three layers; runderwear, tights, and baggy basketball shorts, and a short-sleeved, long-sleeved, and jacked on top. Brooks, of course, on the feet. Stocking cap and gloves.

Sunset was supposed to be at 4:28 today, so by heading out at 3:30 I only had about an hour of sunlight. My running clothes were all black; I didn't know if I'd want to go running in the twilight in all-black. Didn't want to get hit by a car. I worried that this would cut my run short. And it did.

I did my warmup to get to my starting point. I brought a bottle of water and stashed it at my starting line for the hill work; pain in the ass to run carrying it, and it turned out that the water fountain at the Oaks Pioneer Church was still turned on, so I didn't need to bring the water. Still, better safe than sorry and I didn't have to carry it during the hard part of the workout.

I aimed for less than 2:00 up the ~400 meter hill section, and I hit that goal on the first four runs. The last two were tougher because my digestive system was ready for the elimination round, but I still managed a 2:05 and 2:07 on the last two.

I found an open public restroom, and when I was done, it was steadily getting darker. I cut short my 2 mile tempo run and just jogged back home.

I've got a total of 18 miles this week, and next week I plan on doing better. I've got some ideas for doing longer runs but not having to carry water - like running out-and-back from my house for 2 miles, several times, to get an 8 mile run in, with me stopping at my apartment at the midpoint for water and Bloks.

6.0 miles

Forgot to log this Friday night.

Ran my 6-mile loop, in the cold and dark. It was 38° F when I started, around 6 PM. Wore my long Sugoi pants and a short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirt, stocking cap, and gloves, in addition to my trusty Brooks and my reflective gear and headlamp.

Un-timed. Kept about a 10:00 pace, though. Only stopped a couple of times to see if my normal water fountains were working; one out of three were. The one that was working was the one about a mile from the finish, the one in Westmoreland Park. I'm going to have to start carrying water with me on my long runs, now; what a pain.

I also stopped at least once for traffic, which isn't bad. Overall, it felt like a base-building run, just as planned.