Sat 3/13 - AM 80 minutes easy

Area 51, now 99.9% clear of snow and the rest of it will likely be gone after the latest rain apocalypse. Avoided the worst of the nor'easter conditions by starting relatively early but still quite dismal and it only got worse later in the day. Tomorrow will be horrendous. Four longish pickups at a relatively relaxed speed, somewhere between 10k and half-marathon pace I'd guess.

Fri 3/12 - PM 80 minutes total, all easy

three separate short runs of 20, 25, and 35 minutes with about an hour or so between each to take in the spectacle of the swoosh kiddies meet. Feeling some ill effects during the day at work from last night's workout. Just fast enough and long enough to tweak the iliopsoas/adductor that I aggravated two months ago. Workout was just long enough and fast enough to have this effect. Not something that bothered me on the runs today given their easy pace. Gray and windy day, just a taste of what's coming.

Thu 3/11 - PM 75 minutes incl. 1600, 8x200, 1600

Dragging a bit by late afternoon today, but more alert by the end of the warmup routine. Looking to bookend a set of 200s @3k pace between two negative split 1600s. No idea if the final 1600 would come off or not but it did. First 1600 5:06.7, 2:36/2:31. Hit the 400 just under 80 and got progressively faster from there, final 400 just under 75. Then a 4.5 minute break, then the 200s which fell between 36.3 and 37.2, avg. 36.8. Recovery interval of around 75 seconds, long enough to catch my breath but maybe should have been a bit more to keep things relaxed. Followed this with a 6 minute break, mainly due to a bathroom visit that dragged on longer than desired. Second 1600 started out in 81, which felt plenty relaxed but I overcompensated on seeing the number and dropped right away to 75 for the next 400 and the pace ended up staying there the second half. Not nearly as smooth a progression although the 800 splits ended up being almost identical to the first one. Feeling the left adductor after this workout, which put more stress on it than any of the longer slower workouts I've been doing of late.

Wed 3/10 - PM 80 minutes easy

Putter around Area 51. What a difference a year makes as I safely negotiated the stretch of track road where a year ago I came to grief on the hockey rink stretch of ice. Today 98% clear with only some muddy spots. Unseasonably mild weather of late did the trick. Pace started easy and got slower from there, kind of similar to Sunday's run in that regard. Extremely relaxed. Took a few breaks at scenic stops here and there. Right calf remains tight from yesterday's workout and no chance to stretch after it was done.

Tue 3/9 - AM 65 minutes incl. 3x3200

The rare weekday morning workout, squeezed in between various work commitments. Brief warmup, still waking up.

11:21
11:28
11:21

90 seconds recovery between reps. Looking to run around 11:30 or so, so of course immediately started clicking off 85 second laps on the first rep. Worried that I had bit off more than I could chew, esp. when the second rep went at 86/lap, but the last rep ended up back 85 on average, although the last lap was a triumphant 81. The wind was of course a factor, a breeze at first that got steadily worse as the workout wore on. By the end of the last rep it was going 10-15 mph consistently, quite obnoxious. Core held up well enough to the workout, right calf got progressively tighter though.

Mon 3/8 - 70 minutes easy

back and forth across Wellesley, eventually ended up going around Lake Waban, path clear of ice if a little muddy. Still not feeling that energetic, I had delusions of doing strides or pickups of some sort near the end but it wasn't happening. Another pleasantly mild day but with gusty NW winds nonetheless. Unlike the past two days, had time to stretch afterward.

Sun 3/7 - PM 1:50 easy/very easy

Meandering putter around Area 51 and track road. Bit off a bit more than I can currently chew, going so slowly most of the time I didn't realize how long I would be out there until it was too late. No real distress more boredom. Legs had nothing in them after seeing the best live band in the world last night.

Sat 3/6 - AM 70 minutes incl. 12k threshold run

Repeat of last Saturday's workout on the 4k Longfellow loop, no snow showers this time but a little windier. Stiff and lethargic on the warmup and drills. Like last week, pace progressed due as much from waking up/loosening up as the thing went along. Also like last week, thoughts of tacking on an extra few minutes after the third loop went by the boards as I got a bit pooped after 10k. Still a solid session. Splits by lap:

6:12/6:15/2:59
6:11/6:13/2:57
6:03/6:08/2:56