12/28/2013

And then...

All is good. A short period of flu with no fever took 2 days off but other than that I've been rolling steadily. Pace is awful. Two weeks ago I ran our monthly test run and did actually stopped running at 5K mark. However, I saw the faces of persons who did appreciate my efforts back in the day and I just couldn't let them down. So I jumped back on the course and ran back, but it was awfully slow and painful. Then I decided to stop running for good.

Luckily, on the next Sunday morning I found myself running a long run and I was back on the track.

Next Tuesday after this sad event (retiring, not the long run) I was again running hard with the Turku Area's Sports Academy's young crew. This usually means that I'm following them from the distance. Far from the distance. But no matter what this is the way to push my current limits further and further. This time the workout was 2x3.1K + 1x3.5K with acclerating pace. Total fun.

The current week will be the first week since 1000 years when I will hit 62 miles. Happy happy joy joy.

12/10/2013

Workout Tuesday

WOT (Workout Tuesday or Workout of Today): 2x(1500m, 1000m, 500m) + 1000m + 2x500m with 2min. rbr.

Today I had another opportunity to run with the Turku Sports Academy's guys. Even if they are way faster than me (a 41-year old old fart), running behind them is a learning process. To my body that is. This engine is covered with so many layers of rust. Yes, I know that my PRs are already done, but the holy request for finding a way to run faster one more time is putting me into these situations.

The main take home message from today's workout is that without running fast, you will not generate any progress. If the last time when you have ran anything faster, is from last March, do not expect anything magical to happen on track in December.

Even if I missed the first two repeats due to bad schedule at work, I felt my limits quite vividly during the entire workout. Can I have some more, please?

12/08/2013

Back in snow

The time in the US went fast. After returning the hoods in MD, I had a change to meet the guys and run one (short) Bagel Run with the HCS crew and one another morning run with Jason. No races or fast workouts this time because of family constrains. But until the next time.

The half marathon in SLC hit me pretty hard. My right foot was pretty sore during our stay in MD, but back home it has been loosing a little. That is highly appreciated since icy and snowy roads are not the best company for initial injuries. This week was the first "new" training week comprising a tempo run on Tuesday and intervals on Saturday. On Tuesday I joined the Turku Sport's Academy's Workout Tuesday. They (World Champ in orienteering, National champs in orienteering and XC running as well as on roads and triathlons) are pretty talented pack of young hungry wolves, and of course their pace is different than mine. In all, I ran a great 12km steady state workout far behind their heels.

On Saturday our family unit has usually a pretty hectic morning. That usually means that by 11:30 AM both sweetie and I have swim and run workouts under our belts and Lil' D has enjoyed an hour of swimming, too. Yesterday, we were heading out already at 10:50 AM since we were in a hurry. I did 5x1600m on treadmill (5:45-5:25). An easy start...

Today's long run looked something like this...(photo by J. Kero)