Up and running

I believe I am fully back to normal. The way it worked this week was that I had done all my runs on the way to work in the morning, what accounted for 5M each day. I had decided to go with "easy/hard" idea, so Monday was a hard day and I pushed all the way and wore HRM. I ran all the hills including last monster straight up to Marquam hill and made it in 50 min. I don't have a precise measurements of the path, I just guesstimated my routes back long time ago and keep track of times, so 50 min was actually exactly my best time here, and I was happy about it. On Tuesday I power-walked the hills and ran relaxed the rest, and the time was 56 min, what kind of surprised me. As I mentioned in comments to Rob, I can either be happy I walk fast or be upset I run slow. I often joke I have one pace for any distance, sometimes it's not even funny anymore, because this "one pace" is getting slower for every distance. Oh, well. On Wed, since it was a holiday, I ran trails in Tryon park, getting out just as the heat came, and kept a good effort. What I found out, wearing my HRM and looking at it often, was that I run flats at 160 bpm and hills at 170-175. Looking back at my own post it is my T pace (treshold) or at least above M (marathon) pace, what is reserved for longer track intervals and hill repeats. I am not quite sure what to make out of it, any slower and would have been crawling. I spoke to Van "Pigtails" and she mentioned that her HR is always very high on the runs. In fact, I don't think my "easy runs" are any lower than 150 bpm, what is Zone II and just over proposed easy effort. At the same time, I can never get higher than 145 bpm on elliptical or bike when I cross-train. Speaking of which (cross-training), I had a great one on Monday night, complete with lots of various squats (thanks, Ronda, for hints on how much to load, the form and how many), machines, jump-rope, walking lunges and step-ups. I spent an hour on elliptical too, trying for intervals at 130 bpm for 5 min and 145 bpm for 10 min. My legs felt it the next day. Thursday was another easy day, and I didn't even time my way to work, while today I ran hard again and got another 50 min. Back time ago that was the time I only hit twice, so I think rest and absence (for now) of long runs gave me some spring in the step.

On Tuesday night Van came over to stay before her Flat Foot Traffic marathon in Portland, and we had great time chatting and catching up after Bighorn. She is a crazy girl indeed, not slowing down after her last years Trail Runner magazine Trophy win. I highly recommnded to her to run a "flattish" 100M as I truly think she can crank her high leg turnover and speed into amazing time there, so we discussed all the ones around the West Coast (driving distnace is her prefference), picking what she should do. Next morning she got out and ran a 3:30 marathon, placing 6th! taking it "easy" for her prep to go after CR at "Climb the Mountain" 50k in Spokane this Saturday. She is something:)

I haven't done any official speedwork as of yet, so all thing good should try next week (consider this week getting base). I want to run 15M on the weekend as first venture back to long going (I am sure I can get out for more, but don't want to) and I also have something else on my plate "to do", what I leave out for now in case something stays on the way to completing it.

Working full time took away my day-runs (or second-a-day) because all I can manage now is drive home, change, get Stephen and drive to boxing (where, yes, I excercise) 3 times a week, and other 2 days I need to cook dinners. I had entertained the idea of not eating after 6 pm, and yesterday was my first day at it. It will be hard on those days with boxing classes (can't eat before, come home 8:30 pm - what do I do?). I did drop 4 lbs in the last 2 weeks, what was weird for not doing much, I just hope it wasn't muscle, although my pants fit looser and my face got cavy.

There are many interesting things coming up (in terms of races) next few weeks, but I'll post on those as they near. On another note, last few weeks had been difficult in many respect, yet showed that support and help comes in many ways. I say more than enough, I am blessed with dear friends, and they make my life much brighter every day, but also sometimes that support comes from where...not that you don't expect (it would be like saying you don't think those people aren't supportive), but where you don't look to ask - yet recieve. While some time ago I argued with Michelle and Craig in his post about generosity of strangers, I stated even there I did it more out of "liking the opposition to find the truth of the argument". In my life I truly believe one should never assume negative things about anybody until it proven (seriously) to be so just based on gossips, outside judgment and because positive things haven't happen directly. I am confused myself when I say that the world in general is going astray with greed, envy and laziness, yet I am amazed how anywhere you turn you see great people with kindness, understanding, will to help and great support of total strangers (or not, it's not the point). It's like individual separately is wonderful, but combine a many, indifference strikes. I don't know why I am even talking about it, I am not the "know it all" in this area, it just something I've been thinking a lot in my life, and by no means I am going to begin another argument here:) What I did want to say is thank you to all I've met on the path we call life.

Enjoy the sunny days of July, PNW! And if you need to be inspired, go over to Bob's and take a see at this clip inside the post. What is YOUR best TODAY?