5/19 - 5/25

Mon: 6-miles; core
Tues: 4 sets of 200-200-800 (42-44-2:59, 42-43-3:00, 42-44-3:00, 45-42-2:58); core
Wed: 4-miles; spin class
Thurs: 5 x Chip Trail 1000's; core
Fri: 4-miles
Sat: 12-miles
Sun: 7-miles; pilates class
Total: 45.5 miles

It was nicer weather this week. Since my weekly mileage is lower, I've been trying to eek down the pace of my easy runs. Nothing too crazy. I figure that if I get used to running at this slightly faster pace, maybe 5k/10k pace won't seem as bad because the difference won't be as great. Plus, my form gets sloppier when I run slower and I don't use my full range of motion. My hamstring seems to hurt a little less when I go a little faster, although my back hurts a little more. We'll see how this experiment goes.

Tuesday's track workout was a surprise. I've noticed that, over time, my short distance (400 and below) times have gotten slower. In college, a 40sec 200 seemed easy, and I routinely hit low 80's for 400's in high school. Granted, I wasn't running as many of them, and my weekly mileage wasn't nearly as high, but still. Conversely, I've also noticed that my longer distance times (800 and up) have gotten faster. In high school, I struggled to hit 3:10 for 800's in practice, and my 2-mile PR was 13:48. That being said, I ran the four 800's from Tuesday's track workout at or below 3:00. I don't think I've every done that for four 800's... maybe one... but definitely not four. Score?

Thursday's workout went better than the last time we did chip trail 1000's as well. That workout always gets me mentally. I can definitely see the benefit of not doing every speed session on the track. The track is so much easier in terms of pacing. Even though I'm wearing a Garmin, I don't exactly 100% trust it's readout.

Saturday's and Sunday's runs went decently well. Saturday's run was the longest since Boston. It felt a lot better than last Saturday's run (I had also gone to see Elaine on Friday, so my hamstring/back was also feeling better). The pace was a little slow, but eh... can't have it all. Sunday's run was a little faster, especially the second half. I was chasing Oyler and Matt up the "Cameron Village hill". It felt like an old school Thursday morning run where I used to chase Oyler and Jennifer up that same hill!

Lisa, Matt, and I also did pilates on Sunday. Matt and I totally lost. It was definitely a good core workout. I think I'll try and do that every other week or something. My hips were definitely tight afterwards though. I could barely sit Indian-style (or whatever the new pc term is) by the end of the class.