This past week was supposed to be a mid-level training week. It was not. It ended up being a full-on leg burning, air sucking hammer-fest. Highlights- on Thursday Mash and I hit up Love Circle for a mid day hill sesh. I ran from work and we rolled up and down the winding streets for repeats.
Friday a.m. I got to work at sunrise and headed out the door to Centennial Park. A friend asked me to pace him for his fitness test for the Marines. He said he needed to break 18 minutes for 3 miles. He was on pace after 2 (12:01) but blew a gasket at 2.25. I tried to get him to fight through it but his breath was shallow and it was not his day. That said, he did manage to rock 21 pull ups and 109 crunches in a minute each right before the effort. He ended up at 18:38. I think with a few weeks of training or so he'll be ready to make his time.
Saturday Mash, Matt Vest and I rolled out from Loveless Cafe for a biscuit run. Mash and I would run 26 while Vest would hit 22. Our goal pace was 7:45-8s in preparation for Strollin Jim 40 miler and Matt for the Country Music Marathon.
I watched with concern as the diminishing figures slipped into the darkness over the crest of the next hill. My legs felt haggard and I had no clue where they had stashed the water, miles 7, 19, and something... but likely under some leaves, behind a stump covered with a camouflage net. I had managed to keep up until the first water drop but now they were moving fast. My legs ached and my feet thudded against the pavement. This was the Natchez Trace Parkway, which boasts a long series of climbs and descents and very little level ground. We would end up with about 3750 ft of vertical climb.
I struggled to keep them in sight and as dawn illuminated the brilliance of the spring countryside. I started to gain on them, determined to not miss the water. Out 13 miles was a struggle and on the way back I found my legs and was able to get into a rhythm. Mash and I traded lead and finished with an average of 7:41.
Swiftwick has some new Aspire 12s compression socks coming soon. I had a pair of prototypes and pulled them on after the run. They felt smooth and held the muscles really well. My recovery was aided in a big way by the new compression design and a cold water bath.
We were met by Matt who had already secured 3 dozen biscuits, tons of homemade preserves (peach, blackberry and strawberry) and big black coffees in styrofoam cups. We sat on the shaded deck of Trace Bikes next to Loveless and relished our reward. Biscuit Run #1 complete and 61 miles for the week.
Friday a.m. I got to work at sunrise and headed out the door to Centennial Park. A friend asked me to pace him for his fitness test for the Marines. He said he needed to break 18 minutes for 3 miles. He was on pace after 2 (12:01) but blew a gasket at 2.25. I tried to get him to fight through it but his breath was shallow and it was not his day. That said, he did manage to rock 21 pull ups and 109 crunches in a minute each right before the effort. He ended up at 18:38. I think with a few weeks of training or so he'll be ready to make his time.
Saturday Mash, Matt Vest and I rolled out from Loveless Cafe for a biscuit run. Mash and I would run 26 while Vest would hit 22. Our goal pace was 7:45-8s in preparation for Strollin Jim 40 miler and Matt for the Country Music Marathon.
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Natchez Trace Parkway photo by Brent K. Moore |
I watched with concern as the diminishing figures slipped into the darkness over the crest of the next hill. My legs felt haggard and I had no clue where they had stashed the water, miles 7, 19, and something... but likely under some leaves, behind a stump covered with a camouflage net. I had managed to keep up until the first water drop but now they were moving fast. My legs ached and my feet thudded against the pavement. This was the Natchez Trace Parkway, which boasts a long series of climbs and descents and very little level ground. We would end up with about 3750 ft of vertical climb.
I struggled to keep them in sight and as dawn illuminated the brilliance of the spring countryside. I started to gain on them, determined to not miss the water. Out 13 miles was a struggle and on the way back I found my legs and was able to get into a rhythm. Mash and I traded lead and finished with an average of 7:41.
Swiftwick has some new Aspire 12s compression socks coming soon. I had a pair of prototypes and pulled them on after the run. They felt smooth and held the muscles really well. My recovery was aided in a big way by the new compression design and a cold water bath.
1 comment:
Wow man. Thats some nice mileage. You looked good when we saw you heading back in. nice pace!
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