Fri 11/11 - AM 75 minutes easy

Lincoln woods, with drills on Pine Hill. A dreary putter, barely awake and both legs stiff and sore as well. Couldn't help thinking that an easy easy run yesterday might have helped alleviate some of the soreness today. Ended up doing all manner of direct pressure and cross fiber friction on the left SI joint as well as right hammie, and some rolling on the right IT band/TFL. Blustery conditions, trees blocked the worst of it but still not the greatest.

Thu 11/10 - off

tiredness and crap weather combined for a predictable result. Had a thought during the day that taking the zero wouldn't be a bad idea and the downpours on the drive home did nothing to change my mind.

Wed 11/9 - PM 70 minutes incl. 10x800

Something of an upset, able to complete the planned workout and then some. Originally planned on doing this on the Longfellow Loop but the darkness made me think better and so headed to the track instead after getting part way down Waltham Street. Given how flat I've been feeling lately, set the bar extremely low at 2:50 per rep to start, hoping to get through eight of them. After five it became clear the effort was sustainable enough to do ten instead. Splits:

2:49.6, 2:47.8, 2:47.5, 2:46.7, 2:44.3, 2:46, 2:42.6, 2:44.9, 2:42, 2:43.3

recovery was a 200m out and back jog which took between 65 and 67 seconds. Relaxed and under control throughout, although I was worried I may have dug a little too deep on the seventh rep. Nothing spectacular overall but I'm happy just to get through a longish workout in one piece. Right hammie sore during the day but not an issue during the run. Continued warm temps, something of a breeze but not overpowering.

Tue 11/8 - PM 45 minutes easy

Area 51. The malaise that's plagued me of late continues unabated. Mostly of my own making, although it does seem to be something of a November tradition as well. With the recent marathon thrown in the mix as well, who knows. Energy levels remain low although not as disastrously low as yesterday. Plenty of aches, right hammie, left SI joint, left ankle all stiff and sore through most of the day and then most of the run. Out of obligation, did some strides on the way in but they were much shorter and slower than the norm. Trying to dig myself out of the hole by getting to sleep earlier, with mixed results so far.

Mon 11/7 - PM 30 minutes easy

Caught by surprise at how flat I felt today. Had trouble getting out the door and within a few minutes it was clear that the length of the run would be cut short. Ended up walking it in. Calves sore from yesterday but really it's more about the overarching tiredness. Too tired even to bother with the full post-run stretch and core routine. Ended up crawling into bed "early" although that in part is due to the time changing yesterday.

Sun 11/6 - AM 70 minutes incl. 5k road race

Second time around for this particular race, felt like I had to work much harder this year although the time wasn't that much faster. Course just as I remembered it, a pain the butt with almost no straight sections and two decent stretches of climbing in the second mile. In fact, from about 1000m to the turnaround the course was mostly uphill and into a pretty stiff wind. More company than last year, as suspected. Tried to play some tactics by letting others lead on the windy headwind stretch. Shook all but one by the turnaround, quickly gapped on the way down and by two miles it was over. Packed it in for good with about 400m to go. As expected, underlying fatigue presented itself when the going got tough. Still a worthwhile sandbagging experience and served my purposes. The most excitement of the day resulted from coming across one of these sunning itself in the street while on the cooldown.

Sat 11/5 - AM 70 minutes easy

Lincoln woods with drills on Pine Hill. As early as I've started in some time, not really awake yet but this was the only time of day available. Ran out of gas on the run back from the hill, not that I was going great guns before that. Very flat and tired, not surprising at all. Right patellar tendon sore after yesterday's uneven terrain. Brisk and breezy morning.