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VRC tempo

November 14, 2013 (Afternoon)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: dark, 50, misty

Comments:
OK day at work; a little "carb fog" in the AM from last night's beer (ugh), but otherwise a good day! I'm working with a bad-ass local ultra guy (Taylor Spike - he ran SOLO from EUG to damn-near Waldo this summer), so it's fun to end my day with him.


The idea is...it's TIME to start some fast running. SERZ. I am having a lot of doubts about my training (Am I fit? Did I REALLY ever recover from WS and the overtraining, pre-race?), but I've been training really smart and super-conservative for three solid months, with nice chunks of rest/recovery. With Bandera 8 weeks away(!), it's time.


The idea was a simple 3-mile tempo - the bread N butter of pre-MAF. So I suited up and headed out in the dark and rain, with headlamp. I'd do it along the river, which is easier than the paved (but darker/more uneven) DeFazio park loop.


Ran about 6mi warm-up along the PRE trails, listening to The Killers. Felt GOOD. Did x5 good strides.


Revelation: My L scap is all locked up. THIS is playing a big role in my L hamstring. I recall back to the spring, when my hammy was acting up: I was also in the mega-SWIVS then. So I worked hard to drive my elbow down, but to be honest - it's locked up and will need work.


Took off down river to some JT tunes. Felt pretty good, but labored quickly. 1st 1/4mi was in 1:22, which was promising, but unfortunately I slipped into a barely-under-6:00 pace thereafter, even though I was working. Kept the breathing in check, but it's clear that VT pace (+/-) is about 6:00.


Felt MUCH better in the 3rd mile (the shock wearing off). Focused on that L elbow down-drive and an overall trunk forward, but both were difficult.

Splits: 5:51, 5:57, ~5:49 (accidentally stopped early, then had to restart: had 5:54 on the watch).


UGH! Wow. I was secretly hoping that I'd pop like 5:3x "Easy" with my MAF-power, but it wasn't the case. You can't discount neuromuscular. My legs have NOT moved that fast in...5 months??