Effective Little Run (I think)

223.6

RHR = 38

9.8K in 50:44 with the middle 3.2K (2 miles, marked) at AT. Ran the AT bit in 14:19, with AVE HR at 135. I think I'll do the same run tomorrow.

Hot, Humid, Hard

222.6

RHR = 39

Unusual (for Portland) hot and humid morning--it was a bit of a shock. Ran 12.5K with 4 X 1200m as follows:

4:50
4:51
4:52
4:53

Recovery intervals were 3:12. It was a good, hard, tough workout. HR audits at the midpoint of each sesssion revealed HR approaching max (96%) by the third interval.

I'm ready for a nap but they frown on that here at work.

Gym Day

223.2

RHR = 38

5K on the rower plus a thorough streching session. I'll be ready to run hard tomorrow. It's 1200s!

Rest Day

222.2

RHR = 42

I'm going to drop my junk run this week, and row (ergometer) on Tuesday and Thursday. So it'll be a repeat of last week on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. I found yesterday's run (16K at 5:00/K) appropriately challenging while running. In addition, I really found a need to take it easy the rest of the day.

A Shorter, Faster Long Run

223.2

RHR = 47

The plan today is to run Scott's 10 mile course and bring it home in 80 minutes. That'll give me a solid week, with two fast sessions, a brisk long run, 10K of junk, and a gym session.

This photo is one that Shoji-san took of our Tamagawa run a couple of weeks ago. I'd previously posted the drinking beer scenes, this captures the spirit of the run nicely.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ran 16K in 1:20:35. Since we ran the first mile in 8:30, we were spot on the desired 8 minute mile pace for the bulk of the run. Average HR was 123 but I was in the 130 range for the second half of the run. A pleasantly fatiguing workout.

Morning Tempo

222.8

RHR = 43

A pleasantly tough workout this morning: 13.5K in 1:10:48. 27:36 warm-up (ran the roundabout route to the track) followed by 5K of AT:

4:30 Ave. HR = 136
4:31 139
4:29 143
4:29 142
4:29 143

I kind of backed into my threshold pace using the assumption that I'm a 20:30 5K runner right now. Since my most recent (mid-May) 5K race was 21:39, this seemed optimistic but the HR values (143 is 89% of Max) support the pace I ran being my threshold. Another test that I use when running at AT is that I find that it is the slowest pace at which I am forced to concentrate 100% on my running. In other words, if my mind drifts at all, I fall off pace. This morning's run was validated by that test as well.

I ran directly back to my place, in 20:45, to complete the run.

Rethinking my plan

Today:

221.4

RHR = 43

Yesterday:

221.8

RHR = 42

I'm thinking about changing my weekly running routine in an attempt to get faster while remaining uninjured. Specifically, I'm planning to add a second "speed" (i.e. do both a VO2 Max and an LT workout each week) workout, shorten and quicken my long run and replace "junk" miles with cross training (specifically, the rowing machine but also some stretching designed to avoid back troubles). Beyond thinking about it, I will implement. At my current pace I'm very concerned that I won't hit my BtB target. I need to shake things up.

Yesterday's workout was good:

5 X 1K in 4:02 with 2:49 recovery. HR right where it should be. I ran the first couple of intervals too fast (3:59) and as a result ran the last 2 too slow (4:04) but all in all a quality run. With warm up and cooldown, 13K on the day.

Today:

5K rowing plus stretching. My back feels better already!

Back at it

Ok, the vacation's over, time to get back to work!

I had some decent runs in Japan, including a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday streak that totaled 53K and included a decent track session.

I'll run 10K this morning, back on the track tomorrow, 10K Thursday, 15K Friday, rest Saturday, and get 20K in on Sunday. That's the plan, anyway. I'll report in as it goes.

10K run in 52:04

My low,low back still hurts

I ran for an hour this morning. Let's call it 11K. I'm still nursing a bit of an injury.

Catching Up

I have some catching up to do. I'm now in Tokyo and the scrambling I did to get everything done before I left aided a disappointing end to May, running wise. I snuck in one more run, of 6K. I need to go back and total my month but I suspect it'll be a little disappointing. To balance things out, I'm off to a slow start in June. I've run twice: 11K and 17K. Yesterday's run (17K) was great fun, we finished at an onsen and a brew pub after running along the Tama river. I've attached some pictures.