For Whom the Dogs Bark

64F, 93%, S 7 mph.  Joined Wade for a long run this morning, plan was to go down to the Y and back, 20 at an easy 9:00 pace, but the week had caught up with me, the lifting more than the running I think.  If there had been a vehicle at the Y I would have called it a day.  Found some shortcuts coming back and finished with 18.70 at 9:17/mile.  Heart rate held pretty steady, 147 average and 160 max, just tired legs.  Taking it easy for a few days until I feel recovered.  Recovered pretty quickly over the weekend, thankfully.

38F, 93%, NNE 6.  Much colder for a few days at least.  Trying to keep it easy, I ran 5 at LLHR, 11:14 average, last 3 under 11:00.  120 bpm, 125 max.  After Saturday's suffering I was surprised by feeling good today.

45F, 100%, ENE 7 mph and raining.  Notwithstanding the weather report, it was gusting harder than 7 mph, pretty much the bottom of the barrel as far as running conditions go; I loved it.  Had to get out and get done, but trying to run a little less for a few days anyway.  Ran 5.0 miles at 7:43 per mile from a cold start, then cooled down for a half mile back to the house.  Splits were 8:03 (150), 7:54 (161), 7:45 (165), 7:32 (167) and 7:22 (169). Would have liked to see the heart rate lower than that.  Overall 38:36 for the first 5 miles, 162 bpm, 173 max.  Probably not good to start out fast like that, hams feel kind of weird this morning.

39F, 100%, N 5 mph, fog.  5.00 miles in 56:46, 11:22/mile, 120 bpm, 127 max.  Slower than Monday, foot still bothering me.  Stretched and lifted at the gym.

Took the day off, trying to get past the heel pain on my right foot.  It comes and goes, but seems to react specifically to the speed I am running.  Don't know if it is the tendon or something more serious.

35F, 70%, NE 5 mph.  Cold day today, ran 5.00 miles at LLHR, 11:40/mile, 120 bpm, 125 max.  Been getting slower all week, but I feel great.  Probably means I'm gaining weight.  Heel felt OK today.  Need to put some miles together to top off my training for the marathon in three weeks.  Lifted at the gym afterward.

39F, 100%, ENE 3 mph.  It was raining last night but nothing serious this morning.  A little bit of misty moisture but it was quite comfortable and shoes stayed dry, ideal running weather.  Wore two shirts, beanie and gloves but it was a little warm.  Left it all on until the last lap though.  Took Gatorade every 3 laps.  Not good that I am starting to get too comfortable in these temperatures, it does me no good for the rest of the year when I have to run in a sticky mess.

The plan today was to test out my heel with a long run at slow pace, so I ran my 2.53 mile course 9 times.  With the out and back to the course added in I came in at the goal distance a few clicks before I got back to my front door.  23 miles in 3:25:04, 8:55/mile, average heart rate 151, max 162 (watch says 164 max but I never saw it).  Last 4 splits were 9:00 (159), 8:49 (161), 8:44 (161) and 8:55 (161).  Did not break 150 until mile 14, stayed between 145 and 150 from mile 2 through mile 13, then had another smaller plateau at 160, both of which I was happy about.  The mental work of getting through a run like this is harder than the physical, at least at these speeds.  (For what it's worth, I did run this at sub-BQ speed, but it is embarassing to admit that.)

Heel started bothering me at mile 15 but it receded a bit after a couple of miles so I pushed through to the end.  I won't know immediately if that was a mistake, but I will have good feedback by Monday morning.  Depending on how my heel responds I might do two or three more of these to get back to my conditioning level of a couple of weeks ago, nothing fast though and nothing closer than 10 days out.  Race day is 3 weeks from today.

58F, 100%, calm, fog and rain.  LLHR run, 5.0 miles at 11:42/mile.  RHR 50 bpm.  Average 121, max 128.  Not a good run.  Stretching and weights at the gym after the run.  Right heel marginally better, but was hurting by the end of the day.

35F (25 WC), 88%, NNE 14-23.  Was supposed to be a freezing rain this morning but it did not materialize.  Heel was bad when I first woke up but improved so I went back out to punish it some more.  Started with 4 at 9:00 pace or better, followed by 5 at GMP, then 1 miles CD.  GMP splits were 8:07 (158), 8:02 (162), 7:46 (162), 8:01 (163) and 7:52 (163).  Overall 153 bpm average, 167 max.  Much better run than yesterday.  Heel seems no worse so far today, I'm thinking it might gradually fade even under training stress.  Either way, can't really stop training if I am going to run on March 1.  If the heel craters I won't run, which is what would happen anyway by stopping now.

34F, 95%, NNW 9 mph.  Still wet outside, but not raining.  Did 5 slow (11:43/mile, 121 bpm, 126 max), then stretching and weights at the gym.  Heel still bad, but felt better after the gym, not sure what is going on there that is helping but the same thing happened on Monday.

30F, 100%, calm and clear.  Three shirt morning.  Almost a full moon, first time I have seen it in a month, didn't even realize it had cycled through already. The sun came up at the halfway point, pretty much perfect running weather.  Ran 23 miles in 3:26:02 at 8:58/mile, 152 bpm, 163 max.  Last 4 were 8:59 (158), 8:56 (159), 8:58 (160) and 8:56 (161). Very similar to Saturday, but colder.  Heart rate higher today than Saturday by a little bit and I broke 150 a few miles earlier.  My gimpy heel was really bothering me this morning, not sure if it is going to make it to race day.  I may have to alter my training to accommodate it.

64F, 95%, SSW 7 and cloudy.  About 30 degrees warmer than my last run, which was Thursday.  Heel was barking at me real bad for a couple of days after the long run on Thursday, so I won't do any more of those for now.  It feels kind of bad this morning after running somewhat hard, but I think it will improve as the day wears on.  Ran 10.00 miles in 1:25:46, 8:35/mile.  5 at long run pace, about 8:50, then 5 x 1K targeting a 7:30 pace -- had a hard time dialing it in, though, heel was bugging me throughout, kind of a low-level distraction.  Splits (adjusted to 1-mile) were 7:32 (166), 7:34 (169), 7:41 (169),. 7:34 (172) and 7:27 (173).  Average heart rate 155, max 178.  I don't know what I will do between now and the race, it will be a day-to-day decision.  I have already started to gain weight and lose conditioning in the 4 days since Thursday, so I can't just sit back and rest up for race day.  Finished with lifting and stretching.

65F, 92%, S 5 mph.  Didn't run yesterday, as my wife had an outpatient procedure.  But my heel is still bothering me and I might not have run anyway.  It had settled down enough this morning to run again, so I did 5 slow (high 8:50s) followed by 5 at GMP:  8:06 (160), 8:08 (163), 8:10 (165), 7:55 (170), 7:39 (175), overall 10.00 in 1:24:15, 156 bpm, 178 max.  Most of the heart rate results came from the heat and humidity.  Early indications are that it is going to be cool again in 10 days, though it might be rainy.  But the heel bothers me to the point that it alters my stride, I have to concentrate on staying completely on the balls of my feet, which probably isn't bad, but it is too late in this training cycle to pull off a complete stride change.  So still a possibility of pulling out on March 1, just don't know yet.  Kind of a shame because I have pretty good conditioning right now.

Stationary bike for the last two days, one hour each day, hard enough to maintain fitness for a little while, though I am probably gaining weight.   Followed up today with stretching and weights.  Heel is marginally better, chances of running are probably about 30%.