Lancaster IV

Hadn't realized how long it's been since I ran my .4 mile repeats on Lancaster Road. Hmmmm. Well, I've been injured. What can I say?

March 27: Times: (2:57), (3:06), (3:10), (3:05), (3:02), (3:01), (3:07), (2:59). Average: (3:04). Mean*: (3:04) +/-7.

January 16: Times: (3:14), (2:57), (3:01), (2:53), (2:57), (2:51), (3:00), (2:52). Average: (2:58). Mean: (3:02) +/-12.

January 09: Times: (3:04), (3:11), (3:12), (3:03), (3:03), (2:57), (2:58), (2:59). Average: (3:03). Mean: (3:05) +/-8.

December 19: Times: (2:59), (3:09), (3:11), (3:00), (3:10), (3:00), (3:06), (2:57). Average: (3:02). Mean (3:05) +/-6.

Had a hell of a hard time finding a pace today. Seems like quite a while since I ran up that hill with the intention to run repeats. It felt good, but I couldn't find a comfortable speed.

It might take a few more of these workouts to get back into my previous hill condition -- at this point, I think a good goal would be to hit a (2:55) mean +/- 5, (2:55) average.

I don't have much else to say about it just now, except that I'm looking forward to the next Lancaster run.

Some days it's harder to get back into blogging than running.

* It also occurs to me at this moment that I might not know how to use the word "mean" appropriately.

First Mile Repeats of 2012

I ran about 21:00 minutes to the rec center, so I could run mile repeats on the treadmill. It was too cold and dark, I felt, to run on the bike trail. Worried about injury, I ran to the rec center (21:00 minutes) in order to run three one-mile repeats.

Small diet tip today for anybody paying attention: Think ahead at lunch time. When you go back for your third plateful at the Indian buffet, maybe only fill it halfway. I didn't think ahead about it, and now we're all paying the price.

At the gym, I ran a 9.3 mph pace which put me real close to a (6:30) mile. I ran slowly until 10:00 minutes. Ran another (6:30) mile, slowly until 20:00, (6:30) mile, 30 seconds at (5 minute/mile pace), then slowly until I got 4.0 miles total. I know it's a treadmill, so it's something like cheating, but that's the pace I'm shooting for on a 5K. If I can maintain that pace, I'll hit 20:00 even.

I've been avoiding making goals explicitly, but a 20 minute 5K has been on my mind for, well, fifteen years, since the last time I got in under twenty. Of course, shortly after then, I took up smoking cigarettes and acting melancholy, so the dream kind of faded. Well, I'm healthier now, though still occasionally glum, and I suppose 20 minutes, as Cool Hand Luke once said, "It just seemed like a nice round number."*

I ran 22:30 on the way home, including (4:07) up Lancaster.

Friday: 7.5
Saturday: 3.4
Sunday: ------
Monday: 8.4
Previous: 22.3

Year To Date: 30.7 miles.
Running Days: 5
Days off: 4

*Yes, I really did compare myself to Cool Hand Luke. Let's all take a deep breath, and step away from the blog before somebody gets hurt. More specifically, before someone hurts me.