Maria's Running Blog

I blew it by running first mile too fast and then had to slow down. I was aiming for 7:40 pace, but in reality I did 7:30, 7:46, 7:49.

Blisters from Sunday's run are bothering me, otherwise felt ok.

3 loops of Jane Dr. and Roberts Rd. I felt good (not counting the blister on my left foot, I think I'm getting another one on top of the first one).

Slow run on dead legs, especially in the beginning.

Felt really good and ran 7 min. faster than last week. Definitely felt less tired at the end.

Still feeling good, no effects of yesterday's run.

Did 10x(1min. on/2min. off). First 7 were comfortable, the last 3 were harder, but overall it was a good run. Very mild out - around 50F!!

Slow run, but I didn't push it. I still have to do a lot of running this week.

tried Oxysox. They felt good, but they're thicker than my usual socks, so I got blisters again - in teh same spot as 2 weeks ago. Arrrgghh...

Very tired, heavy legs. Feeling all that mileage I did for the last 2.5 weeks.

middle 40 min. at medium pace - 4.95miles, 8:05 pace. Felt better than last couple of days but still not great.

Very tired, legs were dead. I think I need time off. Last 1.5mi I ran out of energy, it seemed, and slowed down even more!

easy run, trying to recover from too much mileage last week.

Started slow, on the way back picked it up a bit.

actually was an enjoyable run on the treadmill while watching American Idol.

middle 5.53mi in 45:00, 8:09 pace. Didn't feel easy. Weather is nuts - 56F in January!! I'll take it though!

Last 5 mi. I had bad stomach cramps. Otherwise felt pretty decent!

First hill workout on Summit St. hill. I was supposed to do 6x1', but was only able to do 6x50sec before my legs refused to lift anymore. Very hard. Not very encouraging, but I hope I'll get stronger gradually. As bad as I felt running repeats, by the time I finished my cooldown I was pretty well recovered.

20min warmup + 8x1min @5% elevation @8mph + 15min cooldown

used Manhattan Half Marathon to do this 16 miler. Ran 3 miles before the start, then half in 1:53:24. Until mile 10, I kept it really easy (8:50-9:00 pace), last 3 miles were 8:15, 7:45, 7:35. Felt pretty good, but my blister is raw again :(.

very easy run for recovery. Felt good, but didn't want to run any faster on purpose.

did 8x50-55sec (~150m) hill bounding on Summit St. hill. Very hard, my ankles and quads were killing me.

felt very good today. Dropped the pace to 8:41 for the last 5mi. and it felt the same as 8:49 before.

12x30-35sec. moderate hill springing, no more than 50-60m.

I think I started too fast and then had to back off. It wasn't easy.

I had to switch around my long run and recovery run this week due to time and scheduling conflicts. Hope it doesn't affect me next week.

Felt pretty good, even my blister didn't bother me that much. Legs tired last 2 miles.

8x160m uphill bounding (53-55 sec). I switched to Johnson Ave. hill, which is less steep than Summit. Still very hard workout, especially next day after the long run.

14x30-35sec. moderate hill springing. Bounding is still harder for me. Maybe I need to find steeper hill for springing...

Last 10 min. should have been at half marathon pace. I did 1.2mi in 8:59 (7:29 pace). A bit too fast, but there are 2 downhills on that stretch, so effort was ok, regardless of time.

Got my long run in before the predicted storm. Felt good and ran a lot faster than last week. Got tired at the end, but still was able to maintain the same pace and even picked up a bit.

Well, the Northeaster is here and it's still snowing, so it was treadmill for me today. So glad I got my long run in yesterday!

Did 8x1'@7.5mph @5.5% elevation + 2' off.

Didn't feel that great today for some reason.

12x30sec. @8-10%elevation @7.5mph with 1-1.5min. rest

Feeling tired.

middle 5mi @7.47-7.41 pace. Hard to keep focus for 5 miles at this pace, more mentally than physically. Glad to get through it.

Tough run today. I felt tired to begin with, and a strong (up to 20mph) headwind just about killed me. Combined with temps in mid 20s it made for a pretty miserable conditions. Glad to get it over with.

Ran very easy and relaxed today. Sunny and clear out, I enjoyed that after horrendous winds on Saturday!

Very windy, gusts to 40 mph. Off to x-c skiing!!

That was fun! Lots of climbs on the trails. Distance is approximate.

45min. @8:13 pace. Felt ok, just boring.

4x1mi with equal time jog rest. Hard workout, first ACI session this year. I did 7:24, 7:19, 7:19, 7:22

This was 20K, not half marathon (no entry for 20K in this log). I felt great and had a very good race, my winter training definitely paid off. Mile markers were all screwed up, so they were useless, I ran by feel. First 5K was 24:51, 10K was 49:10. That makes last 10K 46:24. This is a new PR by a minute. My last PR was set on the same course in 1998! It's nice to know that even though I'm 8 years older, I can still set PRs.

I took it really easy today. Quads almost not sore anymore.

I'm really enjoying warmer weather with no wind! Mid 40s feels warm now.

Middle 5.72mi in 45:00 - 7:52 pace. It wasn't an easy run.

Ran very easy today, felt kinda sluggish.

Very warm out, I'm not used to it this time of year.

Stride workout: 10x100m with 1' jog between strides. Did it on track, times were around 18.5, last one 17.8.

Fort Lee HS Track, 6x800m with 400m jog. The wind was ridiculous on one straighaway, but was pushing me on another. It was hard to breathe into the wind. Splits: 3:31(3:27) 3:28(3:26) 3:27(3:33) 3:33(3:28) 3:33(3:27) 3:24

6mi. easy, then 5.7mi in 45:56, 8:03 pace. At about 10 miles in, I felt my right achilles, it started hurting for no reason. It's going to be very frustrating if it ends up being a problem.

My right achilles is definitely acting up :(. I iced it and am doing strengthening exercises, but I worry it might take a while for it to heal. Ran extremely easy today, and only 3 miles, but it still hurt.

my leg was fine all day today, so I decided to try running. I was ok for 3 miles and then the pain set in, so I stopped immediately. Going to the doc. on Friday. But it doesn't hurt at all walking or going down the stairs, or in the morning, so I'm wondering if it's achilles after all.

went 6 miles without any pain in my achilles!! Yay!

elliptical wasn't easy for me. My hips got tired, especailly the right one.

my AT was fine the whole time, yay!

felt good today, massage certainly helped a lot!

ran a pretty good pace today. Right hip and under the knee kept getting tight on and off. Went in the ice bath afterwards, hope it will help.

did abs, back and hip exercises after the run

Did 3x2000m with 2min recovery jog. Times were 9:12 9:18 9:14. I was struggling the last 800m so I stopped at 3. Right knee bothered me a little, but better than last few days.

middle 5.55mi in 45min - 8:06 pace. Came down with a cold yesterday. Zicam is helping though, hope to be free of it by Sunday's race.

warm-up and cool-down

legs felt good, but the cold is still bugging me.

middle 6.3mi in 50:21 (7:59 pace). I felt pretty good today.

2x3000m with 3'jog break, 13:50(@8.1mph, 7:24 pace) 14:10(@8mph, 7:30 pace). Hard workout. It's harder for me on the treadmill than on track.

I ate too much and too close to my run. As a result I felt heavy, bloated and sluggish and plodded along at 9+ pace. Glad to be done with this run.

strides workout: 10x100m with 1' jog recovery. Did warmup and cooldown on the treadmill and strides outside.

still feel a little heavy (since Sunday).

Treadmill @RIU, Jamaica. THey had a cheap treadmill that was shaking as I ran. I overheated too, although the room was air conditioned. Not a fun run.

easy run, except last 10 min at half marathon pace. Ran 1.51 mi for 11:42 (7:44 pace). Felt good, except the last hill, which killed me as usual.

a bit tired from yesterday and quads a little sore.

warmup and cooldown for the race.

10.5mi progression run in 1:30:53. Last 1.4mi in 10:44 (7:40 pace). Felt good today.

easy run in 53:13. Light rain. I was supposed to do strides afterwards, but the roads were too slippery for my comfort.

Did tempo intervals workout today. I didn't feel the best today, kind of sluggish. Did 2x3000m with 2:50 jog rest on Fort Lee HS Track. It was very hard, times were 14:07 and 14:11. I tried to run second faster than the first, but just didn't have it today. 4mi warmup and cooldown.

I was dragging today. Time was 55:48. So tired... legs are dead. I wore my Garmin with HRM and it just confirmed my feeling bad. HR was 150 on average, and I was running 9min. pace! Ugh, I hope I recover for tomorrow's 14-miler. Did 4x100m fast strides after the run.

another tough run. It was too warm and sunny, 75F - the sign of things to come. This was supposed to be fast finish long run, but my efforts to pick up the pace didn't get me good results. I was working hard and still running slow. Oh well... I was supposed to run up to 8mi at 8:20 - 8:10 pace, but could only manage 4.8mi in 39:45 (8:16 pace). HR was too high again, 159 average, but that also could be from the heat and not enough hydration.

Recovery run, 38:19. Ran really slow and felt actually better than yesterday. HR was 141 average.

Another recovery jog. I ran deliberately extremely slow, 43:19. HR was under 130 most of the time. I think I'm going to take this entire week very easy. I want to run a good 10K this Saturday, and I felt really tired last week. We'll see if this experiment gets me a better time.

another easy jog in 58:55. HR was mostly around 130-135. I think I'm recovered by now, so I'll do some faster running tomorrow, and then more easy runs until Saturday.

did marathon pace tempo today, sandwiched between some warmup and cooldown miles. All that jogging last 3 days gave me extra energy and I ran a bit faster than I intended. I wanted to stay at 7:50-8:00 pace range, but dipped a little under: 5.86 mi in 45:37 (7:47 pace). HR was 164 for the tempo portion and 145-150 for easy portions. 4x100m strides after.

No running today due to my poor planning. Lisa had a spring concert at school at 7PM, and I was hoping to go for an easy 6 miler afterwards. Well, the concert didn't end till almost 10PM, because the band teacher is retiring at the end of the year, and there were several extra numbers, speeches, etc. that were included. By the time I got home, it was too late. One more time, I see how much better it would work for me to run first thing in the morning, before work. It would be much more reliable. The problem is, I feel awful running in the morning, and I try to avoid it whenever possible.

very easy pre-race run, 40:37 and 3x100m strides. I am not sure it's a great idea to run just 12 hours before the race, when I usually have 24 hours between my runs, but I could only do it after work, which means 8PM at the earliest with my commute. I'll find out tomorrow if there'll be any negative effects of this run.

My goal was to break 46 min, and I was able to do that. I ran 45:51, which is the fastest time of the year for me, but still 47 seconds off of my PR. This was a fast (totally flat) course, so it's probably a good indicator of my racing fitness right now. Here are the splits: 7:16(HR 164), 7:23(173), 7:20(173), 7:27(173), 7:33(173), 7:25(176), 1:23(179). It's hard to say how much of an improvement this race was compared to 46:14 last month because this was a faster course.

I'm happy with the result, but not too happy with the way I ran the race. Contrary to the plan to start in 7:20-7:25, I found myself at the first mile marker in 7:16! I think I paid for it by not being able to speed up later. I settled into 7:20 pace on the second mile, but then all I could do was maintain the same effort, and the mile splits began to slide as I was getting more tired. I did push the last mile, but it only gave me 7:25 at that point. One thing I'm happy about compared to my 46:14 time in April is that I ran the last 0.2mi 8 seconds faster this time. I think it's because I was dueling with another woman, and we passed each other couple of times until I went into a full sprint the last 100 yards and finally passed her for good.

I was wearing my Garmin for the first time in a race, and it was interesting to see HR data. My HR stayed exactly the same from miles 2-5, which confirms my feeling that I was running the same effort, but the times were getting slower as I was getting more and more tired - this seems logical to me. I would have to increase the effort (and HR of course) to even keep the same pace. I was wondering what the max HR would be, and I got 180, but I'm not sure if it's my true max HR. I need to run some 5K's and see if it goes higher at the end.

Another interesting fact about this race was that it offered $20,000 in prize money, so a lot of Kenyans showed up, about 20-25 people. The winning time for men was 28:43 (Julius Kiptoo) and 32:00 for women (Ukraine's Tatyana Hladyr) - they won $2,500 each. The first Americans were John Henwood in 29:36 and Matt Downing in 29:39. It was cool to see so many Kenyans at a local race. One thing that is noticeable about them is how slowly they run on the warmup. No faster that 8-8:30 pace, it must be a real crawl for them (probably like 10:15 pace for me)!

long run on pretty sore legs from the race (quads, hamstrings and to lesser extent, calves are all sore). Once I warmed up though, I just felt slight discomfort, but nothing terrible. When I finished, that's when I felt how sore I really was! By keeping my avg. HR around 145 I was able to go 16mi rather comfortably. Sure, I got tired towards the end, but that is to be expected when I'm running this long. There was no exhaustion which would probably hit me if I ran the 8:40 pace I used to run before I got Garmin. Total time 2:27:30 (9:13 pace). One water stop, no other fuel.

super easy recovery run on the treadmill (pouring rain outside). 40:00, 10min. pace. Quads still sore, but a lot better than yesterday. I felt good running, but not so great during the day. It felt like I'm coming down with something - kinda achy.

Stride workout: 12x100m with 100m jog. Most were around 18 seconds. I felt pretty good, but I could feel some lactic acid in my legs after 8th or 9th repeat.

Very easy recovery run today, HR ~130-135. Quads feel a little sore from the workout yesterday.

Tomorrow I'll do another strides session, then 2 more easy runs, and 15K race on Sunday! I should definitely PR, because I'm in better than 1:16 shape now. If everything lines up and I pace it right, maybe I can even dip under 1:10, but I doubt it. I think 1:11-1:12 is more realistic.

Did second stride workout of the week. I was concerned with thunderstorms all around the area, so I did warmup and cooldown on the treadmill, and actual strides outside on a flat street by my house. It worked out pretty well. Most strides were again in the 18s, with couple in the 17s range. The first couple felt slow, but once I got into the rhythm I felt fine and pretty consistent.

I decided to take a day off. I ran 7 days without a break, which is unusual for me, but the main reason is that this whole week I feel a bit off. Something is going on with my throat, but it's less than full blown cold or infection, it's very mild, just kind of scratchy feeling. Some days I also feel a little achy, as if I'm getting a fever, but I don't have any fever. It's really weird, some sort of low grade thing. I'm getting worried about the race on Sunday. I think I'm still going to run, because I need points for USATF-NJ Grand Prix in category 3 (>10K), and such races are hard to find, especially 15Ks.

easy pre-race run, 40:09. My throat is still scratchy, but I feel a bit better than yesterday. Don't know what to expect tomorrow. I'll shoot for 7:35-7:40 for the first 4 miles, and then speed up if I feel good. If not, I'll try to hang on at the same pace.

15K race today. I woke up with the same scratchy throat as all week, but decided to go anyway. The course was flat with 5-6 bridges over the river that had short steep inclines. Othwerwise flat. My time was 1:11:36 and I got 2nd in F35-39, which is a rarity that happens when no one faster shows up.

I started at 7:39 pace and... got stuck there. For three miles I was running comfortably, and then it started getting harder. I found myself running alone, with a person ahead of me about 150 yards and no one close behind. Mile markers were off, but I think I slowed down to about 7:45 in the middle miles. I felt fatigue in my legs, kind of a heavy legs feeling. It may also be partially mental, I may be losing focus in those middle miles. Or afraid to push the pace as if to not die prematurely. Not sure. I took one gel at mile 7, and it seemed to help. I was able to speed up the last mile and actually had a pretty strong finish. I also recovered fast and now don't feel as worn out as I was last week after my 10K. All that makes me think I could've run faster, maybe 1:11 or slightly under. Here are the splits and HR: 7:39(153), 7:37(167), 9:31(169), 5:40(169), 6:09(168), 9:24(170), 7:46(170), 7:44(169), 7:37(171), 2:06(174). Max HR hit only 178 today.

But considering how I felt all week, it's an OK race I guess. A big PR as expected (by 4.5 minutes). I'm going to see my doctor on Friday and do some blood work and check my levels of B-12. I may need an injection (a consequence of losing 12 inches of my small intestine in a surgery 4 years ago).

Easy recovery run after the race, 57:53 (9:20 pace).I felt fine, not sore at all, but my cold (I'm pretty sure now that's what it is) has progressed to my sinuses now. This is one of teh slowest moving colds I ever had! It's attacking me for the second week! Time to start Zicam again.

The plan had an optional day off, and I decided to take it. Not feeling great from the cold. I had pretty miserable night last night, waking up million times because I couldn't breathe. Started taking Zicam today, and it's definitely helping. At least I can breathe through my nose (well, most of the time).

easy run, 1:06:38 (9:23 pace). Felt pretty good, did 4x100m strides afterwards.

the humidity killed me today. Middle 5.5mi in 43:38 (7:54 pace), but I started at 7:47 pace and then just died. HR was 171 for the fast portion (compared to 164 2 weeks ago).Tough run, and I was sweating like crazy. Got injection of B-12 today and had a blood test. Results next week.

it was not as humid today, and I felt better. Temps still in upper 70s, but that's how it's going to be now that summer is here. Hopefully I'll acclimate in a week or two. Ran easy today, 1:15:53 (9:02 pace).

very easy pre-race run, 30:12 (9:26 pace). Legs felt kinda heavy, didn't like that feeling before the race, but oh well... we'll see what happens tomorrow.

Ridgewood Run 5K - 22:01, 3rd in F35-39.

Today was way too hot to expect good results, so I'm happy with my time. It seems it's either I'm not 100%, or conditions are less than perfect with my races lately. It was 80F at the start and the sun beating down from clear skies. I was drenched in sweat after very easy 1.5mi warmup. Found water and drank two full cups about 20 min. before the start and then tried to stay in the shade.

When the gun went off, it took me about 9 seconds to cross the starting line mat, so I started my watch when I actually crossed it. First mile was 6:55 and I felt pretty good. Soon, however, there was a tiny hill, and after it, the pain set in and I felt my pace dropping significantly. From that point on I tried to hang in and not to slow down more. Second mile in 7:16. Not too good, but I'll take it in this weather. Third mile, I tried to set my focus on some people to pass and take my mind off the pain, but it wasn't easy. My last split for 1.1mi was 7:50 for a total of 22:01 on my watch. Official time was 22:10. I feel like this was a better effort than my 5K a month ago where I ran 22:15. I started a bit faster today and felt better longer. I need to work on my second mile.

HR recorded higher numbers than ever before, both due to effort and the heat, the max hit 186 and average was 182 I think.

When I got back into the car to go home, the car thermometer read 90F.

easy recovery run (59:30) plus some strides. Still hot today, but at least not humid. Legs felt heavy and a bit sore in the quads.

I felt fine in the beginning, but when I picked up the pace after 1.5mi warmup, it felt like I was running too hard for the slow splits I was seeing. And I can't blame the weather either this time, it was cool and dry. HR was mostly around 160 on the faster portion (which is where it should be?). I did 6.1mi in 50:44 (8:19 pace). I was able to do 7:54 pace last week, although for a slightly less distance. I also got bad stomach cramps half way through that never went away till the end - that probably slowed me down somewhat. Oh well, there's always another day. Total time for the run was 1:20.

easy run in 56:52. It was still drizzling, but at least no lightning. I switched my runs around - today was supposed to be long run, but tomorrow should be a better day for it weather-wise.

long run, 2:10:32 (9:11 pace). I definitely ran out of fuel after about 10 miles, and I was really tempted to cut it short at 12.5, but decided to stick around for 2+ hours of running, hoping it's better training. I had just one water stop about half way through, but no carbs. Was really tired at the end, but bounced back quickly after some fluids and food. I feel pretty good now!

recovery run, 40:45.

tempo run on a treadmill, 4mi at 7:35 pace. Felt good, but the last mile was really tough.

easy pre-race, 37:08 + 4x100m strides. Not expecting much from the race tomorrow, given 3 missed runs this week. But maybe I got good rest and will race better, who knows. Our imminent move to London is definitely affecting my running. It is a stressful time, and running is taking second seat to various things that have to be done. Not only it is more difficult to find time to run, but my mind is not so focused on running now, and so I'm less driven. All the stresses of uprooting and most likely losing my job are keeping me worried and my mind elsewhere.

Portugal Day 5K. As I expected, it wasn't a good race for me. 22:20, no splits since there were no mile markers. The time doesn't surprise me given lack of training this week, but I feel like I wasted a great chance to run a fast time - the course is flat and fast and the weather was almost perfect, upper 50s and sunny, only a bit too windy. I was okay for 2 miles (I think they were around 7:05), and then died on the third mile into the headwind. I had no one to run with in the end, everyone I targeted ahead I eventually passed, and then there was only a group of runners more than a hundred yards away, couldn't catch them. It seems like I can only keep it together for 2 miles, either 1 and 3, or 1 and 2.

The idea was to run 50 min. at marathon pace (7:55 - 8:05). Didn't happen today - 5.9mi in 50:02 - slower than marathon pace (8:28), due to bad GI cramps. Not sure what caused them today, maybe the peanut butter sandwich I had for lunch. Total run time 1:13:39. At least I got out there and put the miles in.

Travel Day - Flagstaff, AZ for a Running Getaway with Greg McMillan.

First run at 7000 ft. Buffalo Park, Flagstaff. 2mi flat loop on a wide gravel trail. My hear was racing like crazy first half a mile, then it got a bit better. I didn't expect I would feel altitude that much! Total time 36:45. It's also very dry up here, I keep drinking water all the time and I'm still thirsty. Great fun running with people, and scenery is awesome.

Sedona Park, 5000 ft. A beautiful red clay trail. Time was 44:45. Felt a bit better than yesterday, but still it was a tough run. Very rocky, and hilly at times. Saw rattle snake right in the middle of the trail! I took water with me and was glad I did. I almost finished the entire bottle. Tomorrow is 5K race at 8000 ft, that goes up 350 ft in the first 1.5 miles. It's called Gaspin' in the Aspen - a telling name!

Gaspin' in the Aspen 5K trail race. Elevation 8000ft +. Completely new experience for me - forget about time, just try not to sprain your ankles or fall! Spectacular scenery with very poor footing at times, course is in Flagstaff Nordic Center, on x-country skiing trails. Second mile had a brutal, very prolonged climb. I walked a bit on it, because it was counter productive to try running up. Last mile, I recovered enough to pick it up and I actually finished with Greg, Jonas (my coach) and another guy from our group. Time was around 33min. Turned out I got 3rd in F30-39, and many of our runners placed as well.

Later we went hiking in the Grand Canyon. I was really beat by evening.

Last run in Flagstaff, Shultz Creek Trail. It was a long run for everyone, but since I have a race tomorrow, I just ran 5 easy miles. They weren't all that easy though, because this trail went up and up and up as far as the eye could see. I ran 26:30 out and turned around, hoping to get 50 min. total. But the downhill made me run the second half much faster and I finished in 47:10.

President Cup 5K Night Race. 22:17, splits 7:15, 7:05, 7:57. Very hot and humid, 85F, 80% humidity. Strong thunderstorm and downpour just 10 min. before the race, so it was steaming when we ran. The start was very congested, it took me quarter mile just to speed up to my pace. That's why first mile was 7:15. The course had one long moderate hill, about quarter mile long and we had to go through it twice. Generally I felt good and strong, despite the weather. But the second time going up that hill certainly got the wind out of me and I slsowed down a lot after it. Still, considering the conditions, it was an OK race. Definitely a better effort than a week ago, when it was cool and totally flat and I ran 22:20 (although there was some headwind there).

easy run, 56:14 + 4x100m strides (20.8, 20.6, 18.5, 17.4). Warm and muggy, but at least below 85F. Some vague soreness from the race, but nothing even moderately uncomfortable.

Great run today! The weather was cooler and not as humid as yesterday, and I felt very much in control. I even had to add on at the end because I finished 5 min. earlier than expected. Total run time 1:15:56, middle 6.3mi in 50:12 (7:58 pace).

Ran to Fort Lee HS track and did tempo intervals. The plan was to do 2-3x3000m in ~14min. with 2 min. jog between intervals. The first one was comfortable, in 13:55. The second one was hard, in 13:53. I considered not doing the third, because I was really hurting, but decided to start and see how long I would last without dropping off the pace completely. I managed a very hard 2000m in 9:19, which I was pretty happy with. But it was a very hard effort, and I was dead by the end of it. Jogged home at barely 10 min. pace. It was a great workout though!

total run time 1:48:55 with 6 mi. in 48:27 (8:04 pace). Light rain and extremely humid, I was sweating like crazy and was really tired after faster portion. Jogged very easy home. 2 water stops. My right IT band is acting up again, I felt it by the end. Need to stretch and I really need to get foam roller.

easy recovery run on the treadmill, 38:05 (9:31 pace). Felt good.

I'm in PA for 3 days and it was flooding here all day today, so I had to go on a treadmill in the hotel. Very boring... Progression run 50' easy and then 10' at half marathon pace (I did 7:41). I felt okay, but these last 10' were not easy. I hope this crazy rain stops and I can run outside tomorrow. I have to do stide workout and it's really hard to do it on the treadmill!

Stride workout in the hotel's parking lot. 12x150m, all in 29-31 sec. I really felt lactic acid in my legs after about 7, and I struggled on the last 4, which is good. The rain held off for my warmup, but started again when I started strides, and was a full blown mansoon in 5 minutes. It was one of my more "interesting" workouts. When I got done with strides, I went back in for a cool down on the treadmill (good thing I had extra change of running clothes!).

easy recovery run, 39:37. Hamstrings and quads both sore after yesterday's speed workout.

Tempo run on the roads. I didn't want to run a lot of laps on the track in fear of repetitive turns, but at the same time I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep correct pace on the road. So, I took my Garmin and tried to pay attention to the first half mile to hopefully tune into the right pace. It worked for the most part, despite some undulations in the road which caused some pace fluctuations. I decided to do 4.5 miles and took splits: 7:34 7:30 7:36 7:34 4:35. Total 34:49 for 4.62 tempo portion (7:32 average pace) and 1:08:11 for the entire run. The skies opened up again half way through my run (and rain wasn't even in the forecast!), but it didn't bother me too much. I could do without lighting, but it wasn't too close so I was safe. Overall, I'm pretty happy with this run because I felt stronger than before and was able to hold the pace better. But both my quads are still tight from that speedwork 2 days ago, despite taking a day off yesterday.

Long hot run, 85F, but at least not humid. I felt good until heat got to me, felt tired after that. 3 water stops, no carbs. 2:05:25 (8:49 pace).

Stride workout 14x100m with a jog back to the start. Another hot day, 88F. I did warmup and cooldown on treadmill, that only left me about 20 min. outside, not too bad. Times:

20.69 20.09 18.84 1:25.66(forgot to hit the split) 17.79 17.94 17.99 18.13 17.72 17.75 18.25 17.83 18.87 17.56

hot and humid (86F), miserable run in 56:27 (8:49 pace). Stopped for water half way through, but it was still too hot.

easy run in 1:03:43 (8:58 pace). I felt like I was running faster than 9 min/mile. The weather was humid, but cool, only 75F, so no excuse there. I'm often amazed how my perception of effort doesn't correspond to the actual pace. Right ankle was sore on the inside, but got better towards the end. Did 4x100m strides afterwards (21.6, 20.1, 19.2, 18.3).

Tempo intervals - 3x3000m with 2' jog recovery, on track. Today was the first time I was able to complete the entire workout, even if I fell off the pace on the third interval. I still consider it a success, with a lot of room for improvement. Times: 13:54, 13:54, 14:16.

very easy run, 38:54, plus 4x100m strides (18.9, 17.7, 17.8, 16.7). On the last stride, I really focused on bringing my knees up, and I immediately ran a second faster. In fact, this is my fastest recorded 100m since I started doing strides.

Trying to rest up for a 5K tomorrow. Unfortunately, we got invited to a friend's birthday party tonight. I'll have to stay away from alcohol and overeating (sometimes, both can be a challenge at Russian parties!), and I need to make sure we get home not too late, so I can get enough sleep. I still want to try and break 22 min.

YMCA 5K. I ran the worst time of the season, although not by much (22:24). I got 3rd in F35-39, but it didn't mask my disappointment. I was doing well the first 2 miles (7:03, 7:10) and then I died a horrible death on a short steep hill that just knocked the wind out of me. I couldn't recover, both my cardio and muscular systems going at once. My legs felt like they were full of lead, and my breathing was out of control as well. Last 1.1mi was 8:11, which means I ran third mile in about 7:25-7:30! Not sure why I hit the wall so hard. The weather was nasty (77F with 80% humidity), but I should be acclimated to it by now, it's typical for this time of year. Really not happy with this race.

I have one more 5K left next Saturday, and then I'll probably go back to base building, it has worked for me better than anything else so far.

Progression run,1:25 easy and last 1.2mi in 9:26 (7:51 pace). Total time 1:34:51. I felt pretty good today, despite the humidity. It's gotten a bit cooler while I was running and around 8 miles I got into a really good rhythm on a slight downhill. It gave me an illusion that I can run at this pace forever. I didn't have that feeling for a long time, so it was nice.

easy run on the treadmill due to tornado watch in my area. It wasn't too bad because I found "So you think you can dance" show on Fox, which kept me distracted enough not to get bored. 4x20 sec. strides after the run. Continious run 7.1 mi in 1:07:11 (9:27 pace), the rest is stride mileage. Felt good today.

Felt great today! It was a late run, I started after 9PM and it was somewhat cool and breezy, although weather.com was reporting 73F and dewpoint of 66, hardly comfortable combo. But somehow it never bothered me. I warmed up and slowly accelerated to a comfortable high-end aerobic pace. I started at about 8:10 pace, but gradually I must have dropped it, because in the end, I did 5.65 mi in 44:56 (7:57 pace). I think I felt so good because I didn't try to always run the same pace regardless of the terrain. I think I have a tendency to push too hard on these runs, and I'm more tired by the end that I should be. Today I kind of went with the flow and tried to run the same effort, rather than the same pace, and the result was more relaxed (but not slower!) run. Total run time 1:11:10.

very easy run on the treadmill. My last 5K race of the season is less than 12 hours away. Tomorrow is supposed to be the beginning of the heat wave here, so I'm not hoping for a good time. This is an unusual race in that it is run entirely on the airport runway at Teterboro Airport, the main executive airport in NYC area. There is a lead plane instead of a lead car. For me, it's a special race, because I used to fly out of TEB in my student pilot days. It's a different feeling running on the same runway that you used to see only from the cockpit, either accelerating for takeoff or rushing at you from below on landing! So, needless to say, it is a completely flat course, but it's not fast, because in July the weather is just too hot. Of course there is no shade and you're running directly under the sun on the pavement.

So I show up at the airport at 7:30AM and it's already 75F and humid, with dewpoint of 69. On my warmup, I met couple of people from my club, who asked why I'm running, I should just walk. It was very hot when the sun would come out, and the race turned into another sweat bath. Interestingly, I saw several Kenyans and 2 Ethiopian women jogging in full warmup suits (the ladies had suits of Ethiopian national team), long pants and long sleeve jackets. That was quite amazing to see in such conditions.

Anyway, at that point it was clear to me that I will not break 22 min. today and I decided not to kill myself, run an easier first mile and focus on getting the most points for this race in the Grand Prix circuit.

I ran pretty relaxed, and there was minor congestion in the first 0.3 mi. with one runner going down right in fron of me, so I had to do an evasive maneuver in order to not fall myself. I hit first mile in 7:20 and I felt good. I kept the same pace on the second mile, which included 180 turn on the runway, and hit it in 7:09. I felt myself getting a little tighter and slowing down somewhat in the third mile, but I felt much better than in the last week's race and generally I was running strong. It was very hot under the blazing sun, and I kept catching up to and passing people, which was encouraging to me, that meant that others were slowing down and suffering at least no less than I was! No one passed me in the last 2 miles, and I must have passed about 10 people. I kicked in the last 0.2 mi and tried to pass one more guy, but he heard my breathing (it was loud :)) and sped up away from me. I ended up finishing in 22:38, the worst time of the year. Apparently, I slowed down more than I thought, but given the conditions, I think it's okay. Afterwards, I couldn't stop sweating for a good 40 min, it was incredibly humid. I made a mistake of getting back my bag right after I finished, because I needed a towel, but then I couldn't check it back in, or leave it unattended, so I couldn't run my cool down. I also couldn't put it back in my car, because due to very tight security (they required 2 forms of ID, one with picture, to enter the grounds), once you leave the race, you can't come back.

easy run in 47:31 (9:08 pace). Still very hot and humid out, even at 9PM. It was 100F today. Good thing I only had to run 5 miles. I'm going to do couple of easy running weeks and then start another base buildup.

I felt great today despite the heat. I can't explain why. It was very hot and sticky evening, but my breathing was easy and I maintained a pretty good pace - 53:50 (8:40 pace).

it was much cooler tonight, only in the 70s, but I did't feel as good as last night. Maybe Jonas is right about hydration, although I don't remember drinking a lot yesterday. 46:34 (8:57 pace).

just a regular run, nothing notable about it. It was very humid again. Time was 54:26 (8:46 pace).

ran on my treadmill today due to thunderstorms, lightning and hail outside. Today was unbelievably humid, 93% humidity all day long. My basement has no a/c and wasn't much better. I did 5.6mi in 53:00 (9:27 pace) and then did 4x20 sec. strides at 9.3 mph (6:27 pace). I felt good except for humidity. Watched CNN while I ran, which only made me more worried. I have relatives near Tel Aviv and friends in Haifa. They are all okay so far, but I still worry. One of my relatives may be recalled by IDF now... I hope he'll be spared because he has two small children.

incredibly humid again today. I was trying to beat the weather, but it caught up to me in the last 25 min. of my run - pounding rain and wind. Total run time was 1:40:15 (8:38 pace). I felt good, except for the humidity. The air was thick and I had a feeling like I can't take a full breath.

Cool evenning for a change! I actually felt the breeze. Easy run on my regular route - 47:03 (9:02 pace).

Today I was hungry and thirsty on my run and it showed. Felt heavy and it was an effort to just pick up my legs. 56:38. Crazy day at work, 3 meetings, no time for afternoon snack or drink. Oh well, I got my miles in. Consistency is more important than anything else now. But I'll try to have a better fueling routine tomorrow.

Felt a lot better today. Made sure I drank at least 24 oz. before I left work (~3 hours before my run). Hydration is key in this hot and muggy weather, more important than food. Time was 1:03:18 (8:54 pace).

Felt great today despite sauna conditions. There was lightning and thunder all around me the entire run, but it never rained, for a change! Lucky me, I was fully expecting to get soaked, again. Time was 44:47 (8:36 pace). Probably a bit too fast for an easy run, but I felt good, so I went with the flow.

very hot and humid. It was 88F by the time I finished, in 1:50:36 (8:59 pace). 2 water stops, no carbs. I didn't care about time today, just tried to find shade by weaving from one side of the road to another if it looked like I could get more shade on the other side.

easy recovery in 38:45 (9:13 pace). Already hot and humid at 10AM. All next week is supposed to be upper 90s-100s. I REALLY have to shift my runs to early mornings, because I need to start pushing the pace a little on some runs, and it's just going to be so miserable out there in evenings.

Still very hot at 9PM (morning run didn't materialize due to going to bed at 1:30AM). Felt a little sluggish. Total time was 55:14 with middle 2.9mi in 23:31 (8:06 pace). That's right about my marathon pace now, so I'm pretty happy with it, especially considering the heat.

One of the less enjoyable runs - had to go on the treadmill in my muggy basement. Still better than outside where heat index is up to 110F and unbearable no matter what time of day. I put fan next to the treadmill, but it was too weak, I could barely feel it. I took it easy, 1:17:10 (9:38 pace).

The heat wave finally abated, but at the price of severe thunderstorms. I ran on the treadmill again, but hopefully tomorrow I can venture outside after the cold front passes overnight. I was sweating buckets again in my stuffy basement, and my HRM was playing games with me - it was showing steady 164-170, while I ran only 9:40 pace for most of the run. Only at the very end it showed 143 which I think was the only correct reading. 5 miles, 48 minutes.

A lot cooler tonight, although it was still 80F. But it felt cool after the last 3 days. More importantly, it was not as humid, dew point "only" 66. I felt slow on the warmup, and was disappointed that I can't run faster in cooler weather, but when I sped up to my "booster pace" (supposed to be ~1 min. slower than 5K race pace), I could finally see the difference on my watch. My perceived effort was the same as Monday, and I ran the same exact course, but my time for 2.9mi was 22:27 today (7:44 pace) vs. 23:31 on Monday (8:06 pace). That is quite a difference! I found this very useful article today through letsrun.com by Tinman: Summer Running Did 4x100m strides after - 24:01, 19.7, 19.2, 18.7. On the first stride just as I was accelerating, a motorcycle appeared in my way blinding me with his headlight, so I decided to slow down and stay safe, that's why such a slow time.

Long and very hot run. I had to run at noon, because before that I had to clean up the house for a showing at 12:30PM, and then we had our London send-off party with friends, so running was out of the question at night. It was dry, but very hot in direct sun. I struggled in the last 4 miles, made 3 water stops, but they only helped a little. Time was 1:48:00 (9:18 pace). Also, my quads were sore, and I wondered why - until I remembered that I did strides yesterday, and I haven't done strides in 3 weeks, so that's likely what caused soreness.

A lot cooler tonight, really a nice night for a run. Ran middle 3.86mi in 29:56 (7:45 pace). Felt good after 2 days off!

This week is a wash. It's my last week of work, combined with the upcoming weekend of camping. Could only run twice the whole week. Not good, but all the extra rest is giving me extra energy. I ran 3.9mi today in 29:28 (7:33 pace).

Back from camping and sporadic running last week, I did not feel all that great today. I was supposed to run 8 miles, but miscalculated a bit and came up 0.2 mi. short according to gmap-pedometer. I took it easy, and ran middle 4.6mi in 37:51 (8:13 pace) - actually pretty close to marathon pace.

This week is going to be a nightmare, with movers coming on Friday, and still tons of things to sort out. I spent all day shredding old documents and cleaning up drawers.

I survived a week from hell, and was able to get out for a run for the first time. As expected, I felt horrible, and heat and himidity didn't help either. Dewpoint was 70 this morning. I wanted to turn around after 3.5 miles, but when I got there I felt half way decent (=not entirely dead) so I pressed on to 4.2 mi. turn around point. Perhaps it was a mistake as I really slowed down to a crawl at the end, but I wanted to put at least 16 mi. for the week. Definitely feel some lost fitness, but hopefully I can get it back this week before I have to fly over to London next Saturday. I'll be staying one block away from Hyde Park initially, so I'm looking to run in Hyde Park and Kensigton Gardens. Total time today was 1:16:41, 9:07 pace.

Another tough run, but at least I ran 4.1mi in 32:39 (7:57 pace). After that I had to crawl home again. Not sure why I feel so spent, but I'll just get back to my schedule and hope I feel better soon!

Easy recovery run today, 53:02 (8:33 pace). I tried to keep the pace easy, but I still ran too fast for recovery run. My recovery pace shouldn't be faster than 9:00-9:15, but it didn't happen today. By the end I was tired again, which was totally opposite to the purpose of this run. I'll try to run slower tomorrow on my medium-long run.

Did 4x100m strides after the run: 21.1 19.4 18.1 17.3.

I was supposed to run this yesterday and take today off, but I swapped the days due to my schedule. Ran 9.5mi today, making sure I ran really easy, and it came to 1:24:01 (8:50 pace). Still, I was tired at the end. But maybe it's normal as I am trying to build my mileage. My biggest challenge will be to stay consistent in the coming weeks after I move, and my routine will go out the door. My husband (who is already in London and started his new job) is telling me it rains every day approximately every 4 hours with various intensity - and it's only August :). I can wear waterproof clothing, but what do I do with the shoes?? I'll have to ask London runners what they do in the winter - maybe there are some waterproof socks or something... Running in water clogged shoes is very annoying and a sure way to get monster blisters.

First run in London. 1 loop of Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens + 1 loop of Hyde Park. We now live 0.3mi from Hyde Park. The weather is awesome, cool and dry. I ran at an easy pace, but it didn't feel easy. Time was 1:02. I walk a lot here, so that may contribute to general fatigue feeling.

Two loops of Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens. I walked hours again hunting for apartment, so was really tired and didn't feel like running at all. Time was 1:20. These parks are not completely flat either, tiny but long inclines are getting to me.

1 loop of the parks, feeling tired again. I think I found a place for us to move in on 9/16, so no more endless walking to look at apartments. Did 4x100m strides after the run.

2 loops of the parks + 1 loop of Hyde Park. There was a huge women's race here today, 5K. 20,000 participants and Paula Radcliffe was running. I went running in the afternoon and the place was still very crowded. I found only 1 drinking fountain in Kensington Gardens, and I needed more fluid. I guess authorities assume people will buy water from multiple stands, but I hate carrying anything with me :(. Maybe I'll have to, because I certainly suffered from the lack of fluids today. Also, it was a warm day, around 80F (my guess on conversion, it was 24C).

easy run with my GPS working the entire way, for a change. The outer loop of Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens is exactly 4.3mi, as Serpentine Running Club says on their web site. I felt pretty good after the long run yesterday. Time was 41:41 (8:30 pace). It's getting too warm here,supposed to be 27C tomorrow!

Did my first marathon pace run in 2 weeks and had the same result as in my last 2 weeks in NJ - felt really good at a fast pace first 1.5 miles, and then died. I did 4 miles in 31:33 (7:54 pace). The overall pace is the correct pace for me, but it's deceiving, since I started at 7:30 pace and felt great, and then when I hit a slight incline with cobblestone/sand on one corner of the park, it totally broke my rhythm and I couldn't recover after that. I must have slowed down to 8:15-8:20 pace and saw my average creep up to 7:54. I have to start slower on these fast portions, but I feel so good I think I can maintain this pace for the entire 4 miles. Apparently I can't. Total time for the run was 1:16:01. It's also very warm today, 28C and a littel humid, believe it or not! Supposed to be 21C tomorrow. It gets very hot on the tube here, because there is no a/c, I can only imagine how bad it was in July when London had a heat wave!

easy run on a much cooler day. 7.2mi in 1:01:35. I felt ok today, but not super fresh, which is probably normal since I ran 9 miles yesterday. The weather is still gorgeous, it's 20C with a slight breeze and sunny.

Did the same workout as on Wednesday, but with much better results. I started slower and was able to hold a steady 7:40 pace throughout the entire 4 miles, despite having to come to a dead stop in the middle of it and waiting for the green light for 30 sec. or so. 4mi in 30:36 (7:39 pace). Total time 58:29.

Long run - 3 loops of Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens - 1:59:12 (8:49 pace). I felt pretty good and managed to complete my run before sunset, when they close Kensington Gardens.

It was humid today and I didn't take it into account. Started too fast again on the faster portion and had to slow down last 2 miles. Total time 1:07:00, middle 5mi in 39:13 (7:50 pace).

Easy run in Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens. I did 2 loops and then added on on paths in Hyde Park to make sure I get 10 in. I felt pretty good, although it was another humid day. Tonight the skies are supposed to open up and it should rain (heavily!) all day tomorrow. I'll have to see if I can sneak out for a run. Time today was 1:26:48 (8:38 pace). My left quad was bothering me a little today, it's been on and off for the last month. It's strange as all my injuries are usually on my right side, left leg is my "good" leg. I'm not too worried though because it's right in the middle of the quad so not a ligament issue, probably just a mild strain.

I'm back filling on 09/18. Unfortunately, last week and beginning of this week has been very inconsistent due to our move to the new apartment and various appointements that didn't leave more than 2 hour windows. I wasn't super efficient and found myself skipping runs as other things took priority. Really not happy about missing long run.

Total time 59:02, middle 4 mi. in 30:33 (7:39 pace). This was a good steady paced run, but it came after 2 days of rest, so no real accomplishment. Afterwards did 4x100m strides.

First run from my new home. Ran through Primrose Hill towards Regents Park and around the park. This was an exploration run, I tried to measure the perimeter of the park, but I don't think I took the most outer path possible - there are so many paths there. I tried to always stay as far to the right as possible, but I think I missed some. I was looking for a running track, as it is marked on the map, but the first time round, I ran past it and didn't see it. Second time, I found it. It's interesting - a packed gravel track without lane markings. Not a standard track for sure, in fact it looked like a sausage, long and narrow! The infield looked too narrow to me, and I remembered reading somewhere that this track is less than 440 yds, so I decided to measure it. I ran it twice, once in the first lane, and once in the second (approximately, since there are no lanes!). Both times my Garmin showed 0.24mi. Pretty close. I decided to run stride workout since I was at the track anyway. Did 8x30 sec. at a fast, but relaxed pace. I ran the straightaway and barely started to turn when 30sec. were up. Garmin showed 0.1mi on the fastest repeat, so that means the straightaway is almost 160m, and that makes turns very tight, only about 50m - not good for speedwork. There is a real, standard, athletics track in Hampstead Heath, but it's further away and I have to go through busy streets to get there. I'll explore it too soon and see how bad the run there is. It's pretty annoying to stop for lights all the time, but on the other hands I don't want to risk an injury running tight turns. For strides though, Regents Park track is just fine. Strides splits:

0.33 - 491 ft

0.34 - 498 ft

0.33 - 511 ft

0.32 - 520 ft

0.31 - 491 ft

0.31 - 498 ft

0.31 - 504 ft

0.31 - 0.1 mi

Went home back through Primrose Hill. It's also a park, although much smaller than Regents Park. It does have a very steep hill in the middle, and from the top, there are some nice views over London. The main path is way too steep, but there are many on the sides with various degrees of incline, and they would be good for hill workouts.

Another exploration run, this time to Hampstead Heath, another park a little over a mile from my house. I found it okay, althought it was a bit too many street crossings and stopping for cars, but not too bad. The Heath is great for running, it's very large with many paths criss crossing it, including some dirt paths. I ran on the main paved path for fear of getting lost, but in time I'll try others as well. Saw the track there - nice, full regulation track with 8 lanes, but there was a sign that it costs 2.40/day. Not too happy about that. Not sure it's if you want to use their locker rooms, or even if you just want to run on the track. Saw few people, both kids and adults jump the fence, and then saw one gate open as I ran around, so I got in and did one lap. So, I'm not sure about this payment situation. Then ran back home. Couple of times my left glute locked up for about a minute and hurt on every step. This is something new, I never had problems with this before. I hope it's not piriformis or something like that. The pain wasn't shooting down my leg, so I have no clue what it is and why would bother me on a really easy run. Anyway, I backed off the pace and it went away both times. Time was 57:00 (9:11 pace).

Today was the first day of "typical" London weather. Overcast and light rain, and forecast says the same or worse till Monday. Since I didn't run yesterday due to having to sit home all day waiting for BT engineer to come and fix our faulty phone line (turned out, there was nothing wrong with the line, just some idiot in customer service put the wrong apartment number in our address, so they activated phone line in the wrong apartment!!), not running today was out of the question.

I couldn't get a signal on my Garmin, not surprisingly in this weather. So the total distance is estimated. I ran in Regents Park. Once I did a loop of the park, I saw that my Garmin finally kicked in, so I did 0.73mi on the track in 5:07 (7:04 pace). It felt good, around 5K race pace. Then jogged home. By that time it was raining pretty hard, and I got soaked. It didn't bother me much, I can run in the rain as long as my shoes don't fill with water.

Very tough run on Hampstead Heath. Hilly, mostly off road on narrow dirt paths. I managed to get lost a little, so I had to stop couple of times and figure out what direction I need to go. I tried to run some miles at marathon pace, but it was very hard to get into a rhythm due to hills. I did 4.5mi in 37:00 (8:12 pace). Total run time was 1:53:36.

Overcast and light rain today all day. I ran to Regents Park and did 8x(1min on + 1min off) fartlek run on the track, then ran around the park and went home for a total of 8 miles. I ran fast intervals at about 5K race pace and it came to 6:35-6:50 pace on my Garmin. It was a good workout, I really had to push on the last 3 repeats, and I definitely felt anaerobic by that point.

I am planning to run 10K race this Sunday in Hyde Park, just to see where I am. I also picked up UK entry application for London Marathon 2007 and will apply. It's a ballot system (essentially a lottery), so not too many chances to get in, but who knows. I think it would be cool to run London, and it's a fast course. I would like to run around 3:30.

Today was an eventful run, but not in a good way. I started feeling slow and my HR was up (I wore HRM for a change today). Then, about 0.5 mile from the house, I tripped on the concrete tiles that line the sidewalk, and took a spill. Scraped one knee and one elbow pretty good. I probably should've gone home and wash the blood off and put some bandages, but I was already near Primrose Hill, so I just continued on. The knee continued to hurt all the way, my HR was still up despite moving very slowly, and by the time I got home I had a nasty headache on top of all that. One of those days I guess. I hope the knee feels better tomorrow because I have MP workout scheduled. Total time was 56:57 (9:20 pace). Avg. HR 158

Warmed up 15 min. and ran 5mi. in 40:13 (8:02 pace). It was a tough going, don't know why, heavy breathing and just felt hard. This was almost 20 sec/mi slower than I ran just couple of weeks ago in Hyde Park. Afterwards, did 4x100m strides and jogged home. Total time 1:08:20 (excluding strides). Left knee still hurts, and maybe affecting my stride. I am also being paranoid about falling again and slow down on dirt paths when I see roots or rocks sticking out.

easy run in Regents Park, time 35:59 (8:33 pace). Then did 4x100m strides. Still didn't feel all that great on the run, although strides felt good. 10K race tomorrow.

Stride workout, 8x30sec. strides with 1-1:15 jog in between. I felt pretty good on strides, but I had to cut it short (supposed to do at least 10 of them) because I had to be home for my daughter's return from school.

easy run, 1:10:23. It was supposed to be a 6mi. run, but I extended it to make up missed mileage yesterday.

15 min. warmup, then 5.5mi in 43:23 (7:53 pace), then cool down. Total time 1:07:51. The tempo pace felt hard, I still think I'm running these runs too hard, more towards my anaerobic threshold than aerobic.

Fast finish progression run. I ran 5mi. easy and then 0.7mi in 5:00 (7:08 pace). It felt like I was running at the limit and couldn't really speed up any more. Then jogged home a little over a mile for a cool down. Total time 1:01:50.

My alarm went off correctly this time, and I left the house 1hr. 45 min. before the start. It's only 40 min. trip to Dulwich Park, but I wanted to give myself extra time. Well, the transition to National Rail took longer than I planned due to a ticket line and I missed my train by 1 minute! The problem with that is that National Rail trains run on half-hour schedule, so I had to wait 30 min. for the next one!! I made it to the race ok, but I was stressed out and there went my warmup, since I only had 10 min. before the start - barely enough time to put on my race number and retie my shoes. Oh well... the race started and I settled into a comfortably hard pace, which my Garmin said was about 7:22-7:25. Current pace on Garmin is not very accurate and can really fluctuate wildly especially with hills or even slight inclines, but the lap avg. pace is always precise, so that's what I used. This race used km markers rather than miles, so it was a bit strange, but I kept taking km. splits since that was all I had. This was a nice flat course, 3 loops around the park, some mild inclines and descents, but nothing major at all. Good PR course and the weather was good as well. Some running on sidewalks, with curbs and cobblestone stretches, but not too bad. So I have no excuse for a poor result. I started hurting right after 3km mark, and I knew then it's going to be a long day. Here are the splits:

2km - 9:10 (avg. 4:35)

3km - 13:50 (4:40)

4km - 18:37 (4:46)

5km - 23:16 (4:39)

6km - 27:59 (4:43)

7km - 32:58 (4:58)

8km - 37:30 (4:31) - this km may be short, and the previous one long.

9km - 42:18 (4:48)

10km - 47:08 (4:49)

Total distance was measured at 6.27 by Garmin, so the course might have been a bit long. Still, I thought I was in better shape. Looks like all the missed runs and reduced/inconsistent mileage brought my fitness down a notch. My last 10K was in May on a similar, even faster, course and I ran 45:54 there, so this is quite a step down. I ran regular tempo runs at 7:40-7:50 pace but they didn't make a difference. Very disappointing. I'll try another 10K on 10/29 to see if I can improve.

Easy run, 55:44.