For Whom the Dogs Bark

77F, 100%, NNW 1 mph.  Thank goodness we got a stiff north wind blowing in today.  Ran 12.17 miles in 1:53:28, 9:21 per mile, 150 bpm, 166 max.  So much for the concept of progress.  Actually, I think the extra 4 degrees makes a big difference.

73F, 100% and calm.  Lots of rain the last week and it appears that it will continue for the rest of this week.  Ran 12.04 miles in 1:52:54, 9:23 per mile, 146 bpm, 152 max.  The object today was to keep my heart rate at 150 or below for the entire run, even if it meant not making a 9:20 pace.  I'm pretty sure I am not getting much base-building, fat-burning benefit when my heart rate goes over that threshold.  \

It worked out better than I thought it would.  Miles 3, 4 and 5 my heart rate was already climbing, I was over a 9:20 pace and I figured it was going to be a slow, sweaty disaster.  Then miles 6, 7, and 8 came in nicely:  9:07, 9:00 and 9:10.  Mile 9 ballooned to 9:36 and I was just hanging on after that.  The heart rate bumped over 150 a few times, especially at the end, but I would always slow down.  Even though mile 12 was 9:52, I was under a 9:20 cumulative pace through mile 11.  I missed it overall by 31 seconds, so better than I anticipated, I figured I would go over at mile 6. 

Joe and I have discussed this before, I think, but if you are holding to a particular heart rate, there seems to be a sweet spot somewhere between miles 6 and 10 which usually lasts 20 minutes to a half hour.  Then I fall off the cliff, in heart rate terms.  I don't know the physiological explanation, but in practical terms it means don't get excited during a marathon just because I am feeling good at mile 8.

Near miss in the mud this morning.  With all the rain some of the construction sites in my neighborhood are shedding a thin layer of clay onto the street.  I stepped on some wet clay right before dawn and nearly went down.  Not sure of the consequences of a fall onto the concrete, possibly hitting the back of my head.  Last time that happened was a winter morning in Albuquerque -- I was partially cushioned by an inch of snow and a beanie.  There would have been no cushion this time, really felt lucky.

It was raining hard again this morning.  Yesterday's rain was heavy but didn't have lightning.  I didn't run anyway because I was in a hurry to get to work.  So this morning when I got up it was dry, but by the time I got ready there was a heavy, intense thunderstorm underway.  So I went to the gym and ran 10 on the treadmill.  Started out at about 6.0 mph but was at 6.5 mph within a few minutes and stayed there through about 7 miles, then started upping the pace, finishing at 9 mph.  It felt good, surprisingly.  The TVs all went out about halfway through and the place emptied out.  By the time I headed out all the roads were flooded and it rained steadily until early afternoon, so I never made it to work today.  But I got the most important thing done.

72F, 100% and calm after the storm.  Back out on the streets this morning, there was some lightning to the northwest but it never came any closer.  It was raining again shortly after I finished, but in the meantime I was able to run my usual 12 in the neighborhood, 1:54:18, 9:31 average, 144 bpm, 151 max.  Definitely had some fatigue left in my legs from running faster than normal yesterday.  Tuesday on the roads was 9:23 per mile at 146 bpm, 152 max, same temperature, so today was 8 seconds slower, probably 5 or 6 seconds slower adjusting for the difference in heart rate.  I left a little early for my chiro appointment and was still 20 minutes late.  Turns out with all the flooding there is only one route from my neighborhood to the rest of the world.  I was stranded and didn't even know it.  Apparently we are on TV and everything, the rest of Houston isn't that bad.  Kind of fun being the victim of a natural disaster.  I think I'll start a relief fund.

72F, 100%, calm and foggy.  Actually saw the moon this morning, what little is left of it in this cycle.  Started at 5:00 a.m., met Wade close to his house at 5:45 and ran until just before 7:00, dropping Wade off with about a mile to go.  Our pace was all over the map, 9:05 up 9:51.  Altogether 12.27 miles in 1:57:04, 9:33 per mile, 140 bpm, 149 max.  So better than yesterday.  The miles went by quickly this morning, as Wade and I were reminiscing about how fast we used to be, not only when we were in high school but 3 months ago.  It all started when a high school kid went sprinting by.  We laughed that he could hand us our rear ends on a paper plate for a 5K, but probably couldn't even finish a half marathon no matter the speed.  Sure enough, he was walking a couple of miles later.

I had designs on 20 today, but it was just as well, I was plenty tired.  I had to get back in time for my granddaughters to wake up, so it was a good excuse.  My wife brought them back with her, they are here for the week and I have the morning shift so my wife can sleep.  But they are sleeping in, so I have time to blog.  Traveling next week, so getting in a respectable running week probably isn't going to happen.  I'll do the best I can.