Fri 7/18 - PM 35 minuters plus 16 minutes in Walden

As predicted, conditions were abysmal today with high temps and humidity and resultant poor air quality. I was starting to feel some airway irritation even with the short duration of the run today. Thank goodness for the pond for what mitigation it offers.

Thu 7/17 - PM 80 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

Put off a planned shorter day until tomorrow as the weather promises to be truly awful then and merely hot today. Still relatively dry, although hardly comfortable conditions. Unless you're a deer fly. This forced me to be patient and not force the pace early on. Things did wind up a bit the last 20 minutes or so, incl. a sustained pickup on Thoreau coming in. Right hammie/IT area continues to be a bit sore, feels like a mild strain, but not debilitating.

Wed 7/16 - PM 85 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

To Farrar Pond and back, counterclockwise this time. Not nearly as spry as yesterday, a few degrees hotter as well so I was pooped by the time the run was over. Still not as exhausted as this past Sunday though. Some twinges in right hammie/ITB going uphill and slipping on roots and rocks. While warm, still relatively dry which won't be the case in the near future.

Tue 7/15 - PM 90 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

Around Sandy Pond, with a brief loop through Mt. Misery. Yesterday's straight recovery run paid dividends, feeling much better and moving at a quicker pace throughout. Sustained pickup on Thoreau on the way in. Sunny and warm but relatively dry.

Mon 7/14 - PM 65 minutes very easy plus 20 minutes in Walden

It took about 10 minutes for me to realize that straight recovery was needed today, dropped any pretense of pushing the pace from then on. Cut the length of the run a bit short as well. Right hammie had been sore from Saturday's effort but not so bad today. Left tibialis muscle and associated tendons still a bit tender, although difficult to tell at the slow pace I was going. Ideally, there'll be more variation in daily training volume this week than last week's string of 85 minute runs. Warm and a bit humid, not nearly as bad as it has been recently but the pond was still a welcome relief.

Sun 7/13 - double, 1:40 total plus 20 minutes in Walden

AM - 75 minutes in Northfield/Winchester incl. climbs up Burt Hill Rd. and Gunn Mtn. Cut the length of the run short due to the rising temps and humidity as well as overall fatigue. I had planned on going up and over Schofield Mtn. as well but it would have been very ugly, esp. as I left the fuel belt behind. Despite feeling the flatness, able to keep a steady rhythm up the hills. A long break to soak in the Ashuelot before the last climb helped in this regard.

PM - 25 minutes to and from the pond plus 20 minutes in the water. Dead dead dead tired. Getting in the water was nice what with sticky conditions but I should have parked closer and walked over. Legs had no life whatsoever in them after the morning.