WHAT HAVE I BEEN UP TO?

Not all that much honestly. Just keeping on keeping on. I feel like I have slightly re-dedicated myself to running in that I started doing longer runs again and am trying to do more during the week. I am still only running maybe like twice during the week though and then my long run on the weekend. When I am in full on marathon training mode I'll need to run at least three, if not four, times during the week. Just hard after work when I'm tired and it's cold, dark, and wet out there. I've bitched about that enough though.

I've been modifying my normal 10k route to accomodate longer runs. The attached run was 11.35 miles. It was supposed to be closer to 12 but I took a wrong turn off Sexton Mountain and ended up only doing two extra "humps" instead of a whole detour onto Carolwood Drive. Oh well. I also like the start of the run down that powerline park. No traffic and it's pretty. However, I can only do that during the day time otherwise I would find myself doing it more. Only need light for the first 2 miles though, after that it can get dark.

Long runs also seem easier. Six miles is again no big deal and now doing ten or eleven isn't really a big deal either. My legs feel a little worn after but nothing too bad. That is definitely an improvement from this fall when I had my little shoe fiasco and got pretty out of shape. So it's nice to be back to this level.

I also am running a bit faster. I really think most of my "slowing down" since the start of summer is a combination of two things. First, moving into the hills. I cannot discount those, although I'm only going myself a 15 sec/mile grace for them. Second, my body getting used to my "long run" pace so I tend to default into this pace. I used to haul ass every day but I just did a 5k over and over. Now I have to adjust my pace based on the length of the run.

The last couple of shorter runs I actively decided to push my pace past the "bracket" I was settling into. While at first my lungs screamed, pretty soon I was used to the pace and the run wasn't bad at all. Last week I ran 4.35 miles at a 8:14/mile clip. While I'd like to get that back down below 8, even with the hills, that wasn't too much of a struggle. I still have the "speed" in me, I just need to tap into it (and keep using it more than just races so I don't lose the lung capacity).

Anyways, that's the update. No races for January, but those will start back up in February. Then marathon training for Portland... will probably start that in April. Going to suck during the heat of the summer!