Fri 11/30 - AM 55 minutes easy

Area 51. Unable to get to work thanks to unexpected car trouble, wound up sleeping in a bit late then heading out for what was supposed to be a pre-breakfast shakeout. A bit longer than that though in the end. In the back of my mind I think I knew this was the only run I'd be doing today although I harbored vague ideas of doing some kind of leg prep session in the afternoon. Between the calf which continues to feel quite vulnerable, the cold with a sharp breeze, and overall tiredness I bagged it and took a long nap in the afternoon instead. I'd like to chalk it up to discretion but more like paying the piper.

Thu 11/29 - PM 60 minutes easy

Lincoln woods, with drills on Pine Hill. Treading lightly and gingerly with the calf flareup from Tuesday's workout. Held up through the drills but very tight and stiff. Just barely beat the darkness today, started just in time.

Wed 11/28 - PM 70 minutes easy

Area 51. Very relaxed at the start, made sure to keep it that way throughout. Despite this, the right calf started twinging late in the run after not reacting well to yesterday's workout. I'm constantly underestimating the degree to which the fucking thing can be reaggravated, and how problematic it is once that's happened. Ugh. Did compressions on it afterward which hopefully will have some beneficial effect.

Tue 11/27 - PM 60 minutes incl. 10-8-6-4-2-1 minute pickups

Levittown. Revisiting a standby workout, done before at this time of year in this neighborhood. Went with 5-4-3-2-1 minute recoveries between reps which is a little much at the start but seemed like the best move. Feeling a bit pooped at the outset, the longer reps felt like they were on the slower side as a result. Warmed to the task as the reps got shorter, not exactly surprising. Right calf started twinging on the last two reps, as the fatigue mounted and speed increased. Light drizzle to go with cold temps but very little wind thankfully or else it would have been pure misery.

Mon 11/26 - PM 60 minutes

Lincoln woods, with drills on Pine Hill. Fewer leaves on the route I chose today, shorter run, so less leg fatigue. Right hammie remains a bit stiff and tight. Got started as early as I could but still didn't quite beat the sunset. Even with a headlamp, which I didn't have, these aren't the easiest trails to negotiate in the dark.

Sun 11/25 - AM 85 minutes

Lincoln woods. Originally thought I would do a threshold run on the Longfellow Loop, but after the travel this weekend I could tell that wasn't happening. In hindsight I would have had to cut it short. I should have stuck with the flatter gentler trails of Area 51, but wanted to get a little variety and figured my opportunities to run here are diminishing with the onset of winter. Between the leaves and the rolling terrain I was slipping much more than I would have liked which of course led to legs tired before they should have been. I couldn't help noticing that the coaching season has had the effect of recalibrating notions of training volume. This was the average day's length of effort a few months back, now counts as the week's long run. Such as it is. Dismal NW wind blowing stronger as the morning progressed made for a difficult time figuring out what to wear.

Sat 11/24 - AM 45 minutes easy

Up before the sun for an easy jog out and back on the main drag in Fishkill. Regrettably, I started out with the wind at my back, a decision I was regretting at the turnaround. The wind wasn't too strong but it was cold enough to make a difference. Feeling spry enough even with the early start to do a few strides on the way in. Later on did a fair amount of running back and forth at the races, back and forth and up and down Bowdoin Park. The final time I'll be doing that for a good long while.

Fri 11/23 - double, 70 minutes total

AM - 45 minutes easy, Area 51. Pre-breakfast shakeout. Great morning to be outside, sublime even, no wind with frost melting and sublimating all over.

PM - 30 minutes, Bowdoin Park. jogged most of the course and then a few strides from the starting line. In need of a shakeout after the long van ride. Some soreness/stiffness in right medial knee, near goosefoot. Pleasant afternoon, mild for this time of year.

Thu 11/22 - AM 80 minutes incl. 5k road race

Unexpected win given lateness of last night's bedtime and earliness of the start time. Putting a bow on the NVGP, which required merely finishing the race, anything beyond that is gravy. Pleasantly surprised with how relaxed the pace was up front at the start, and found myself leading by the mile mark (about 5:20) without wanting to. I was thinking about making a move as early as halfway, but I was relieved of the lead by the halfway mark and fell into second as we dropped the rest of the field by mile 2. By this point I was starting to feel like I was reaching my limit and vulnerable to being dropped. Surprisingly, instead of delivering the coup de grace the guy leading sort of stalled, once with maybe 600 to go and again with less than 400 to go. I took this as an invitation to go and held the surge long enough that I was in the clear by 50m to go. Felt pretty good to change gears, such as it was. Felt like it took something out of me do it, although that may have been the underlying tiredness. Chilly morning, but the sun showed up just before the start and made a difference. Cooldown happened in two chunks, before and after awards. Enjoyed a nice putter on the rail trail for 25 minutes or so on the second part.