Thu 9/25 - 60 minutes incl. 2(4x1000)

Surprisingly, happily, I was able to do something of substance on the track. Not so sure about what if any running I'd be doing after a long day at work followed by errands that kept me from getting home until 5:30. Desperately tired but felt better after a nap, decided to try doing the 1000-200j-200-200j workout and pull the plug if the calf acted up too much. Felt terribly frayed during the warmup jog over to the track, decided the 1000s would be very conservative. Then decided at the end of the first km that mixing in shorter faster stuff would be stupid even for me and it would be better to stick to the longer reps exclusively. Took a 4 minute break after 4 of them, reversed direction for the last 4. Somewhat faster splits than expected, I wasn't expecting much at all. Tried to progress the pace within each rep. Felt better than expected at the end, both in terms of effort expended and the right leg. Splits:

3:41.0 (56.5)

3:37.9 (54.3)

3:36.6 (55.0)

3:35.8 

4R

3:37.8 (57.5)

3:37.1 (57.0)

3:34.6 (57.6)

3:30.0

felt somewhat cool stepping out the door but the humidity asserted itself once I got going. Did the cooldown with my sweat rag of a shirt in my hand. 

Wed 9/24 - PM 75 minutes easy

Lincoln woods, with drills on Pine Hill. I had originally planned on heading home and running in Area 51 but realized that there was time to go to Lincoln instead and jumped at the chance. Alas, the right leg continues to feel like crap after Sunday's lackluster race, calf in particular. Should have given the drills a pass but I soldiered on anyway and it wasn't a pretty sight. Along with twinging hamstring I was barely getting off the ground for most of them and the single leg hops were a joke. Feeling heavy-legged and quite tired by the end of the run. Cool afternoon that only got cooler with the sunset.

Tue 9/23 - AM 60 minutes easy

Swellesley. Brook Path to the College, around the pond and back. Felt like listless garbage until the last 10 minutes or so. Right leg quite stuck at the moment, more so than I expected it to be. Apparently sub-mediocre 5k road races take more out of me than they used to. Clear sunny dry breezy day as most have been of late.

Mon 9/22 - PM 75 minutes very easy

Area 51. Low key recovery run. Right leg feeling rather dinged up, esp. the calf which I stopped to stretch a couple of times. Squeezed this run in before it got too dark, at least while I was in the woods. Autumnal conditions with a return of the cool dry air.

Sun 9/21 - double, 80 minutes total incl, 5k road race plus 20 minutes in Walden

PM - 60 minutes incl. 5k road race. More sandbagging, not on the original schedule but couldn't help myself. Feeling better than a few days ago but still dealing with a heavy fatigue burden. As such I knew this race wouldn't be anything to write home about. Disgustingly muggy conditions and a noontime start didn't help any. Not able to do much of anything right now at this (or any other) distance, after 3 minutes or so it became clear just getting through the thing would be all I could muster. Reached the turnaround point on the out and back course in around 8:20 and knew the trip back would be slower, just not by how much. As it turns out it took over 9 minutes. Won the age group which was all I was there for. Right leg feeling somewhat pinched afterward, took at least 90 minutes between the finish and the cooldown which wasn't by choice.

later PM - 20 minutes very easy plus 20 minutes in Walden. Started out as close as I could get to the western shore, shuffled over and went for a dip. Water was very bracing at first but felt reasonable after the initial shock. Just what I needed in fact. The high humidity and temps in the low 80s made this trip to the pond possible, getting out afterward in conditions like Friday's would have been torture. Quite possibly the last dip of the season alas. 

Sat 9/20 - AM 80 minutes easy plus 75 minutes elliptigo

Lincoln woods. Dork biked my way to Lincoln, taking the scenic route by Baker Bridge and Sandy Pond as it took less time than anticipated to get there. Downright chilly and not especially pleasant even with gloves, a vest, and pants. Warmed up fast though as the sun came out. Run was relaxed and easy but compared to yesterday I was moving briskly. Right ankle annoyingly stiff during the run, not sure if the elliptigo beforehand contributed to this. The hamstring and piriformis feeling much better than the last two days though. Much lolligagging around the parking lot before heading back just before lunchtime, under totally different conditions. Sunny with a blustery SW wind ushering in the muggies. I think I liked the morning chill better.

Fri 9/19 - 75 minutes easy

Area 51. Decided sleeping in a bit later was more important than the pre-breakfast shakeouts that seem to be contributing to the massive fatigue I've been feeling of late rather than helping with fitness. Feeling better today but still nowhere near out of the woods and because it's Friday, the exhaustion is of course cumulative and of course I had to take a nap before doing anything. The run was a continuation of yesterday's slog except perhaps even slower. Determined to go a little further which I did but also ended up walking it in the last 200m or so, there was no point in continuing. Rather than feeling like 10 pounds of shit in a 5 pound bag I'm feeling like I'm at the bottom of that bag at the moment. At least I had the free time and inclination to do some rolling on the lax ball after the run, piriformis was of course locked up tight and benefited greatly from the work on it. Rolled the IT/TFL as well. Decidedly chilly day, pants long sleeves and gloves a necessity.