For Once I Did More???

Yep, I actually did.  My legs I don't think really recovered from that 16 mile Saturday run/race.  The race had hills, steps, sand, hills etc... and pavement, and I needed new shoes.  So needless to say I really had sluggish legs last week.  I woke up Monday morning early, and the legs didn't feel good again.  It was one of those mornings where I was up at 3 or 4 even though I had the day off.  Yes I do this on my own for some reason.  I am up at 3:something again.  :)  I almost don't feel like blogging either, can you imagine?  What is going on with me?  I must really be in vacation mode.

So after some coffee and reading I decide to go for my run.  BTW I am reading Anne Frank again. Didn't finish it last time if you remember.  She was such a remarkable young girl.  My plan is to do my 8 mile loop.  When I hit my 8 mile turn around, I was like screw it might as well do 9.  As I am at mile 7 I realize, crap my legs are doing pretty good now.  In my mind I remember a little route I have.  It is a 1.25 mile route, which actually is 1.27, but I just put 1.25.  I think to myself I have not done that repeat in a few years.  I used to do one as a warm up and 4 @ 2 minute rest.  I decide since my legs are good to do a couple of those.  This isn't an easy repeat, as a matter of fact this route has most of the steep hill we use at the start of Fall marathon training.  When I turn off the hill, I still have to climb.  I expect it is around 200 M climb in this route.  Pretty steep too.  After the climb there is some downhill, which helps the recovery, and at the end just a bit of an incline.  I think the 200M climb may take 5-10 seconds off the pace maybe??? who knows??

Anyway the first one I went out too fast... forgot how hard that hill section was.  I did the route in 9:18.  SHEESH  usually did that route in low 10:00's, but like I said that was a few years ago.  The second one I went out more conservatively, and planned on finishing strong.  The plan went fine.  It hurt, and it was freaking hard.  My time on the 2nd one was 9:17.

If nothing I am happy to say on a planned 8 mile day, I went over 9 miles, and added two hard 1.25 mile repeats.  More than planned and good legs.  Being off this concrete is nice!!!  :)  Most of the time my longish Monday runs are after work.

Still some concerns, the 9 miler was 9:03 pace, I would have liked it to be like 8:40.  Am I slower than this spring???  or is it just running with people makes us faster.  I don't push on my long runs, but can still get a gauge for how fast I am by how fast/slow those runs are.  The repeats were 7:25ish.  Is it the hill?  I'd like that to be lower in the 7:00s, or is it just the 9 mile warm up, or both.  Not sure, I still have plenty to worry about.

That is it for today!!!  :)

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Hope Everyone has a Great and Awesome Day!!  :)

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Love You All!!!  :)