Fri 1/2 - AM RLTAC 70 minutes incl. 1600, 4x(600,400)

Too early for my tastes to be doing a workout but I had no choice. Right calf a concern from the moment I woke up, still feeling tight but I made it through the workout in one piece. Definitely wound up by the end though, and will need daily TLC from here on out to avoid a repeat of last year's strain. Felt predictably stiff and dismal on the warmup, which I did outside in colder temps than what I was hoping for. Warmup routine abbreviated somewhat by the need to get things started. Given the early hour I knew I'd need a 1600 as an icebreaker. Splits as follows:

5:01 (2:33, 2:28)

1:47.0, 69.6
1:47.3, 69.9
1:47.2, 70
1:47.3, 70

Rest of 90 seconds before each 400 and avg. 2:20 after. Overall hit about the numbers I was looking for, trying to hit the 600s at 5k pace with a faster last 300 and the 400s at something approaching 3k pace. It wasn't especially easy, but still doable. Negative split on the 600s wasn't as pronounced as I would have liked. Cooldown was minimal as coaching responsibilities took over, and it included an 800 in 2:28 as a pacing exercise for one of the kiddies about half an hour after I finished the actual workout. Obscenely cold in the gym this morning.

Thu 1/1 - double, 90 minutes total

AM - 30 minutes, 4 miles on the treadmill. 6.5 to 9.1 mph. Took a while to loosen up. Right calf feeling ominously stiff, will bear watching. I don't want to strain it again.

PM - 60 minutes easy, Longfellow loop. Footing less than ideal with packed drifted snow everywhere, which contributed to the pace staying very relaxed. I wasn't going on the treadmill again today. Still miserable wind chill conditions, but avoided a repeat of yesterday's frozen finger episode by dressing better and spending the time before the run in a warm bed instead of having to shovel the damn driveway.

Wed 12/31 - PM 35 minutes easy

Miserable run on the streets of Maynard. Hands still cold from shoveling the driveway and as a result my fingers got unbearably painful in the bitter wind chill conditions that followed up the snowstorm earlier in the day. Thought I was wearing enough clothes but it wasn't the case. Right calf noticeably tight as well, depressingly predictable after the long workout last night.

Tue 12/30 - PM RLTAC 80 minutes incl. 8x1000

Long workout with relatively short recoveries (2 minutes), effort-wise it fell somewhere between 5k and 10k pace I suppose. Under control but not easy by any means. Legs felt heavy on the warmup and drills and while this went away eventually it was replaced by more of an overall fatigue. Made a conscious effort to hold something in reserve the first few reps so I would be able to finish in one piece. Led three of the eight reps including the first. Splits as follows:

3:07.2
3:05.8
3:05
3:09
3:05.7
3:03.2
3:04
3:03

recovery went 10-15 seconds long after the first three reps as the group was large and took forever to get organized. Some tightness in right calf after the workout but nothing major.

Mon 12/29 - PM 65 minutes easy

Levittown to Sheridan. Still in recovery mode, I had wanted to do strides at the end of the run but it wasn't happening. Left quad feels like I strained it somehow but I don't remember when or how that could have happened recently, an unwelcome mystery. There's also a knot in my right lower back, no mystery how that got there following Friday's workout. Temps returning to seasonable levels, still tolerable as there wasn't that much wind.

Sun 12/28 - double, 1:50 total

AM - 45 minutes very easy. Painfully slow putter around Maynard. Right adductor stuck pretty good, overall both legs feeling quite sore. DOMS has set in. Windy and abnormally warm already.

PM - 65 minutes easy, Mossman to Ruddock to Longfellow loop. Moving a bit better than in the morning but not by much. Sore legs the constant of the day. Active recovery every step of the way.