Whew…thank God the month of April is over.  As you can see below the inconsistencies continue. There were a few improvements made along the way, but not the continuous running I need to have those major breakthroughs.  This month my body really told me that recovery was needed.  When I gave it time, it was evident that I needed more.  Two rounds of antibiotics for a sinus/ear infection and a glute/hamstring issue that I’m working through were just a few of the main issues.  Combine that with the fact I had another bachelor party to go to and I’m getting married in a few short days and you can see how my schedule has been a bit hectic and recovery time has been slow.  On the positive side of things, it gave me a chance to recover mentally and physically for the upcoming marathon cycle.  I’m still weighing a few options but hope to have a decision in the coming weeks.

Needless to say I’m excited to be feeling back to 100%. As it is Tuesday, this current week will not be included, but I’m starting to get back into form.  After Saturday’s nuptials (WOO HOO!!!) we are headed to Italy for 10 days.  Being that the wine, desserts, and pasta will be flowing like…well, wine, I’ll be sure to get some miles in as well.

I’m always looking to make improvements to my running. Whether it’s form, core work, diet or anything else that I pick up on, striving to get better in all areas of running are key to being as complete as possible. Right now, I’m focused on getting my cadence (number of times my feet hit the ground in a given minute). Most professional marathon runners hover around 180 steps per minute.  After testing myself for a week or so, I was consistantly around 170.  I’m hoping that I can subconsciously do this within a month or so.

Upon my return I look forward to embracing the coming months and making some significant improvements.    Until then, thanks for reading!

Here is an aritcle that I thought you may appreciate:  http://m.runnersworld.com/race-training/elite-state-mind?page=1

March 18^th-24^th

March 18^th: 12 total. 7.5 warm up. Drills. 5:48, 5:51, 5:46.  1 mile cool down

March 19^th: 14 total. Am – 10. 2 x 3 miles (16:23, 16:19). Workout was supposed to be 1000 at 3:07 (5:00 mile pace) with the remaining 600 (5:57 pace).  Was supposed to do this for 4-7 miles but it wasn’t happening. Readjusted the work out to do 2 x 3 miles. PM  4 miles in 31:15 on the soccer field.

March 20^th: 9 miles in 1:03:24. 7:03 avg.

March 21^st: 21 miles. 1 mile warm up. 20 miles in 2:04:25. 6:13 avg. (see below for mile splits)

March 22^nd: 6.5 miles. No watch as it was a recovery run.

March 23^rd: 8 progression. 49:21. 6:10 avg.  Splits were:  7:16, 6:40, 6:30, 6:13 , 6:01, 5:49, 5:37, 5:13

March 24^th: Rest

Mileage Total: 72.5

Long run. 6:15, 6:19, 6:19, 6:20, 6:23 (5 mile total 31:38), 6:19, 6:16, 6:16, 6:11, 6:14 (10 mile total in 1:02:57), 6:16, 6:15, 6:13, 6:16, 6:17, (15 mile total in 1:34:17), 6:02, 6:07, 6:04, 6:02, 5:39 (20 mile total in 2:04:23)

March 25^th-31^st

March 25^th: 12 Total. 7.5 warm up, Drills, 5:45, 5:46, 5:48. 1 mile cool down.

March 26^th: 15.5 Total. 11.5 AM. 1:18:55 – 6:52 average.  16 x 300 meters in the street in my regular trainging shoes. 52-54 seconds. 100 meters in between each interval.

March 27^th: 9 recovery in 1:03:48. 7:05 average

March 28^th: 11 Total.  5 x 2000 on the track in my racing flats. 6:28, 6:29, 6:31, 6:30, 6:30

March 29^th: 21 Totoal. 2:17:01. 6:31 Average Mile pace. Newport Beach – Hilly. Fairly tired. 1 minute hard every 6 minutes.

March 30^th: 6.5 recovery run in 47:54. 7:15 Average. Ran up on Stanford’s campus

March 31^st: Rest

Mileage Total:  75

Long Run. 7:21, 6:25, 6:37, 6:48, 6:32 (5 mile total in 33:44), 6:41, 6:36, 6:37, 6:35, 6:32 (10 miles in 1:06:47), 6:31, 6:21, 6:18, 6:14, 6:15 (15 miles in 1:38:29), 6:30, 6:31, 6:23, 6:25, 6:11 (20 miles in 2:10:30), 7:01

April 1-7

April 1: 3 w/up, drills, 5:35, 5:40, 5:37 1 c/d.  7 total. Forgot stomach medicine – newpor

April 2. Rest – sick

April 3. 10.5 in 1:13:07  6:58 avg.

April 4. 14 total. 10 am 3 w/u. 5 miles on track. 400 in 71-74 with 1200 @ 5:40 pace. Did 6 400’s and stopped. Went one direction and think I hurt my hip.  4 pm

April 5. 6.5  in 44:47  6:54 average

April 6. sore knee

April 7. rest

Mileage Total: 38 miles

Apil 8-14

April 8: 10.5 in 1:02:05  6:52 average

April 9: 12 Total. 1:23:09 – 6:56 Average. Sore Hamstring

April 10: Rest sore hamstring

April 11:  45 min spin

April 12: rest sore hamstring Chicago

April 13: rest sore hamstring Chicago

April 14: rest sore hamstring Chicago

Mileage Total: 22.5 miles, 45 minute spin class

April 15-21

April 15:  6, no watch

April 16: sick, ear infection

April 17: sick, ear infection

April 18:  6 no watch  hip still sore

April 19: 7.5 in 50:29   6:44 average

April 20:  9 in 58:00   6:27 average, mini fartlek

April 21:  4 in 32:00 with Lindsay

Mileage Total: 32.5 miles

April 22-28

April 22:  9.5 total. 5 warm up, Drills, 3 miles in 5:40, 5:47, 5:38. 1 cool down

April 23:  10.5 total.  1:12 and averaged 6:43 miles.  4.5 Warm up. 15 x 400 on the roads in regular training shoes. Times were 72-75.  Labored through it as I hadn’t done any speed work lately.

April 24:  8 – focused on a quicker cadence

April 25:  9 Total. 3 warm up. 1 x 3k in 9:42. 1 x 3200 in 10:58 – was on pace the first mile. 1 cool down. Legs were still tired. Was supposed to be 4 x 3k in 9:45. This was on the roads

April 26:  10 total. 1:07:47 and averaged 6:47 miles

April 27:  8 total. 50:45 averaging 6:33 miles.  Del Mar Loop – a .25 mile long road.

April 28:  10 total. 58:14 averaging 5:49.  Last mile in 5:07. I went two minutes hard every 6 minutes.  6:40, 5:59, 5:50, 5:47, 5:40 (5 miles in 29:56) , 5:43, 5:47, 5:51, 5:43, 5:07 (10 Miles in 58:14). I did this work out on my the cirlce that my fiance’s parents live in. It’s .25 miles in each direction, but the only flat land in the area.  Was hoping to go further, but my excitement causing me to start out too fast combined with my boredome got the best of me. I was pumped about the last mile in 5:07. Glad to see I had the strength to do that at the end of a 10 mile run.

Mileage Total: 65 Miles

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