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Just had an awesome training week. Almost felt like back in the day. Three efficient workouts (mile repeats, 40min tempo and 10x400m), one double day because of delivering our car to/back from annual maintenance.
But just like in some bad films this awesome week was backlashed instantly by nice time spent with stomach flu. With a really angry one. A positive note: Lil' D and I had our first training session together - series of counter abs.
The weather conditions are getting slippery. Temperature is nowadays sub 30s in the morning but above later the same day. The best outcome will be the Sping in few weeks. Really looking for that. True!
Workout Wednesday was awesome even if a strong headwind tried to kick my butt. I did 5x3min with 2 min recovery jog at 6 AM. No one sane was around running in that weather. On Saturday I expected that I will join a large(ish) group of triathletes in their threshold run but it turned out that there was only two guys and lot of icy roads. I ran 5-miler by accelerating the last 3km which weren't that easy because of the slippery conditions.
Yesterday I accompanied youngsters while they were doing their long run, and ran a 15-miler. Roads were again better.
This morning I noticed already during the morning jaunt that roads are again bit icy but it didn't prevent myself of getting a face plant while I was biking to work. And it happened at the last turnout before reaching the University. Actually, I can see that place from my window right now. In addition, I broke my glasses and even had to visit a doctor in order to check out the status of my thumb, shoulder, and right cheekbone. Stupid Monday.
What a race in NYC today!!! 2:05 on that course is fast and solid performance. Kenyans' marathon results during this year have been insane and I feel so lucky that I'm not involved in selected their marathon team for next Summer's Olympics...
On the contrary, I'm pretty happy with this week's running effort. On Wednesday I did hills and yesterday I started a long way back to faster paces by running 5x3min'2min (@ 5:25-5:20s). This morning I joined triathletes long hiking/running workout in the woods. It took 3 hrs and felt totally great. Weekly mileage was 59. Much better than last week's 15...
Tomorrow is the last day of the current 3 weeks rotation so next week will be easy. Oh well, last week was easier than planned but I was really really tired. Today I ran an awesome pyramid workout (1/2/3/4/3/2/1). This short pyramid is relatively easy but it made me run faster than I believed was possible for me anymore. Tomorrow I'll join youngsters while they are working on their long run. And it is supposed to shine, too.
After Wednesday's workout my legs have felt really heavy. And that is just awesome!
Both on Thursday and Friday I did ez runs but today morning I found myself doing 5x3min.'2min. starting at 7:45AM. This workout was a bit more controlled than a week ago which is an indication of improving shape, right?
Today is also time for Karhu-viesti which is the biggest road run relay in Finland. Men run 50k and women's relay is about 35k. Unfortunately, the fastest guys of club are either training in Portugal, waiting their operated thumb to heal or just injured. So no mens team this year. But I'm happy that I can help women's team in their effort to reach city of Pori enough fast.
Runners.... ready....
This week is sort of vacation. I'm having the last week of paternity leave (before I'll be with Lil' D for 6 weeks in April-May). This means a bit different schedule since I don't have to run at 6AM. This makes it special. Hah. No really, the chance to spend some time with Lil' D is the best.
On Monday I had a massage at Roni's. He a talent and he's really popular among triathletes and some runners too. Tuesday I ran 6 miler (@ 7:15) in increasingly slippery conditions. The weather is warming up which generates slippery/icy roads. Accordingly, today I ran WOW on treadmill. I did 2x2000m (@5.50s) + 2x1000m (@5:35) ' 3 min. with WU and CD. Such fun!
Morning temperature was -11F => treadmill. Easy run would have been ok, but I had planned to run a wave run. Conveniently we have baby swimming at 8 AM in a spa which also has a gym with 2 treadmills. After "swimming" and sauna I sneaked out do to the workout. When I entered the gym both treadmills were in use so I had to warm up on a stationary bike. After 25 minutes on bike I was ready to roll.
I enjoyed enourmously when I was running 4+ miles by alternating 1ks (6.40/5.50). Huge fun. Because this was the first "faster" workout for ages, I decided to be patient and do only 4 faster repeats. It worked fine and after the run I felt awesome and ready for more. That's the best feeling!
Yesterday I had an opportunity to run easy with young studs. I joined Jole and Bruni who were getting ready for the indoor nationals which take place this weekend in Helsinki. Rock!
7:00 AM, HCC's track, 6x1000m'400m (3.17-3.13), slightly too humid weather. In general I felt just ok, but more rendo (=relaxed) feeling would have been fine.
In a couple of hours Universalsports.com has a live coverage from Monte Carlo Super-GP, where Finnish Jukka Keskisalo is aiming at the new Finnish NR (~under 8.12,60) in steeples. Hopefully that helps me to get rid of the post-TdF depression...Edit: Damn it! It was so close. Keskisalo ran 8.12,93 (4th place). In addition, Monte Carlo/Monaco GP provided several good results and PRs for US runners.
Today I was not as dominant as a week ago. Still, I'm quite satisfied with 4*2000m tempo runs (5.35-5.29/mile) with 4 min. rest. I ran them at Lake Elkhorn which turned out to be a pretty convenient course for this type of workout. During the first 2k I already started to feel angry because of pace/effort -combination was not I expected, but fortunately the rest tempos felt better. Today was 10+ miles (6.32/mile).
Total 6.5 miles (7.32/mile) including 5*3 min. (moderate/hard effort ~5.30-5.40) with 2 min. recovery runs.Otherwise this felt just fine BUT a) HR shows me that everything is not yet set and b) hamstrings still need some serious work/stretching. May now they are ready to get familiar with "the Stick"... In the evening I met with my running buddies at the Greene Turtle. Some of us were celebrating their marathon success, some others did less that but couple of drinks or Pepsi Max (still waiting for that sponsorship...), some hamburgers and lots of running related chat don't hurt anybody.
