10 Miler

Well, 9.4 miles anyway, according to MapMyRun. I started at Columbus Circle and headed onto the Park Drive with traffic, counter-clockwise. After about 3.5 miles I approached my apartment and took a pit stop for water, the bathroom, and to drop off my cap, into which I was sweating heavily as it prevented my body from ventilating. I got back out on the Park Drive after about 10 minutes and had a rough 4 miles, slowing to a crawl at some points just to keep moving. But the last two miles were inspired. I found a guy running just a short distance ahead and stayed with him from the Met back to the Great Hill, where I turned for home. It was a real grind of a workout -- start to finish, with pit stop and crawling, nearly two hours end-to-end. Nipples are raw. (Agricola, I picked up some BodyGlide for the race.) I'm feeling fairly well worn this morning but pretty confident about next Sunday.

Given the flat course for the first eight miles, I am aiming to maintain a steady 10 minute mile pace for that distance to keep some gas in the tank for the long climbs and sharp drops in the last 5 miles.

I am planning to run 35 to 45 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday this week, then sit tight for the race. More later.

Slog

Today's run was a serious slog.  Summer running can be tough.  Everything hurt for the first 15 minutes -- my ankle, my head, my lungs.  I went short, 3.3 miles, and had one of the toughest runs at that distance that I've had in a while.   I attribute the pain-level in my lungs to the humidity -- it was brutal today.  I got in a run, that's good.  It was far from the best but not the worst; it got my heart rate up, my blood pumping and got some sort-of-fresh air, and a huge sweat -- all good.

Whatever

I ran four miles today. I have no data. My watch went missing. It made the run difficult because I had no gauge of pace -- I think I went out too hard because it it was painful. It was not a fun run. Not much is fun right now . . .

Weekend Labor

Not much to report on my weekend running -- there wasn't much of it. I went Saturday for 4.02 and today for 3.3. A real lethargy set in over the weekend and I found it hard to motivate. I'm also discovering that if I don't get out in the AM, I don't get out in the afternoon. I'm also finding my current working situation less than ideal, bordering on the toxic -- incredible levels of frustration every day that are infecting other aspects of my life, running included. I need to make a change, and am working hard on the search front.

Saturday Data
Time: 32.39
Avg HR: 153
Peak HR: 175
Calories: 523
Distance: 4.02
Start Time: 8:04 AM
Training Effect: 3.9
Temp: sunny & dry
Date: 9/1/07

Tuesday Data
Time: 26:03
Avg HR: 152
Peak HR: 177
Calories: 403
Distance: 3.3
Start Time: 6:44 AM
Training Effect: 3.5
Temp: sunny & dry
Date: 9/4/07