October 2006 :: 292 miles [27 runs]

A good month coming back from injury. Took four zero days, all intentionally, just riding bike and recovering so as not to ramp up the miles too quickly.

43:45 :: 6 miles

Easy run on the treadmill. Didn't get to run this morning due to some work stuff. Originally planned on 10-12, but wasn't feeling good on the mill, so I stopped. It's been a long day, and just wasn't feeling up to it. There is ice on the roads now with the snow and 20 degree temps from last night. Running is about to get interesting! Ready for a pair of these...

1:10:07 :: 10 miles

Mixed up paces. Had to run a quick 7 miles outside, final mile of 6:15, then add on 3 more slower miles on the treadmill. Decent run, but a little tired and sore from the long run yesterday.

2:33-ish :: 22 miles

Hit the wrong button on the watch and missed timing about 8/10s of a mile at 6:40 pace. I'll figure it out later. Good run overall. No problems with fueling. First 10 miles in 1:13 or so, 7:15 pace, then down to 6:35-6:45 pace for the second 10, and finally 6:25, and 6:18 for the last two miles. Started to feel tired around 18 miles, so there was a good 25 minutes of tough aerobic running at the end. Drank half-liter of GEF from miles 8 to 11, which seemed to work very well. Enough to get me through the majority of the run, but not so much as to prevent feeling gassed the last few miles.

October 22-28 2006 :: 76 miles [6 runs]

1:03:12 :: 8 miles

Super easy run on the treadmill. Avg HR was 134. Trying to recover from the last couple of days, get ready for tomorrow's long run, and moderate the toll of increasing mileage. Eight today should get me 75 for the week, a nice total for six days of running.

1:02:53 :: 10 miles

Moderately hard run. Trying out the idea of running relatively hard after a long day. By the end I was feeling like I had finished a well-run marathon, at least how I've heard a well-run marathon described. Good but not great, tired but not exhausted. 6:17 pace, 157 avg. HR. Splits 6:26, 6:41, 6:15, 6:22, 6:12, 6:03, 6:17, 6:20, 6:10, 5:59. About a 10mph wind and 35 degrees.

1:57:07 :: 17 miles

Another good run. No food or anything prior as I am fasting for a cholesterol test this morning. I was expecting to have some problems around 14 miles, but ended up feeling strong the whole way. Average HR 142, 6:53 pace. Nice morning, just about 40 degrees and light winds.

No Run :: Rest Day

Just a couple of hours sleep last night. Getting a cold. No sense in trying to jack the miles up too fast anyway. Still averaging ten a day with a zero today. Should still hit mid-70s for the week.

1:18:46 :: 12 miles

Good progression run. Still have a ways to go to get back to pre-injury fitness, though. I was able to find my steady comfortable aerobic speed at about 6:30-6:35 pace. This registered an average of just under 145 heart rate. Overall, 6:33 pace, average HR of 150. Last few miles in 6:17, 6:11, 5:54 feeling strong.

57:07 :: 8 miles

Felt like the day after a 20 miler. Legs were tired, so eight miles was about right. I let the pace slip to whatever felt comfortable, which was well over seven minute miles toward the end. Good recovery run.

2:19:14 :: 20 miles

Really great run. Felt like going for another few miles after finishing, and my legs still feel that good 12 hours later. No tightness or soreness at all. Last three miles in 6:40, 6:40, 6:31. Averaged 139 HR, 6:58 pace. Very excited to be running 20 milers again.

October 15-21 2006 :: 64 miles [6 runs]

47:28 :: 7 miles

Didn't feel like going out this morning, but was better after a mile or two. Except for the first and the last, seven minute miles was the order of the day. Finished with a 5:23 mile averaging a 164 heart rate, which is about what a 5:43 did to me a week or two ago. Legs felt good throughout the run.

56:37 :: 8 miles

Recovery run. Heart rate consistently under 140, although I wouldn't call this easy. The recovery runs seem to cause more suffering than the other runs sometimes. Legs were wooden today.

1:38:24 :: 14 miles

Good run. I got that pleasantly tired feeling in my legs at the 12 mile mark. It was good to feel that again. Ten miles outside in 1:10, then another four on the treadmill. Nice morning, although it was 25 degress. Wind died down quite a bit. No problems with right leg or hip. Feeling tired, but good.

52:02 :: 8 miles

Medium pace run. Somewhat windy, so it was tough. Didn't feel very good, not strong today. Another day when a 5:55 mile felt like a 5:35. Just frustrating. Also got stopped twice by trains.

1:11:00 :: 10 miles

Nasty weather outside, 20+ mph winds and raining. Ran four outside in 27 something and another six on the treadmill. Ticked up the incline on the mill to between one-and-a-half and three percent. Good run. Right hamstring a touch sore and tight from the day off. WTF?

30:00 bike :: Rest Day

Felt fine on the bike. Right hamstring actually started to get tight and sore later in the day. Ridiculous.

1:58:30 :: 17 miles

Longish run. Bonked between 13-14 miles, struggled home for 17. I would have gone longer otherwise, because my legs felt the best they have in months. No tightness or twinges anywhere. Average HR of 140, 6:58 pace for the run.

October 8-14 2006 :: 54 miles [6 runs]

Sunday - 8 mi - 55:54 - 6:59 pace - 135 ahr
Monday - REST - 30:00 bike
Tuesday - 9 mi - 57:27 - 6:20 pace - 154 ahr
Wednesday - 12 mi - 1:23:10 - 6:56 pace - 141 ahr
Thurdsay - 8 mi - 56:16 - 7:01 pace - 138 ahr
Friday - 7 mi - 46:20 - 6:40 pace - 151 ahr
Saturday - 10 mi - 1:07:03 - 6:42 pace - 142 ahr

1:07:01 :: 10 miles

Easy run. Feeling better toward the end. Average heart rate in the low 140s, with the last three miles in the high 140s to low 150s at sub-6:30 pace. Final mile of 6:15 with 155 average HR. Fitness is coming back slowly.