training Mar. 29- Apr. 4

3/29- comfortable 3 miler. Felt good. Untimed.
Grade: B+/1 credit/distance=3.0
3/30- Planned an easy 10. Felt good early, not so good later. Ended up putting forth tempo effort to run what I was able to do last month in "easy mode" Still, managed to avoid a really bad fade. Felt like giving up after 8 miles but I kept slogging to the finish. Time was 80:46 with splits of 40-flat/40:46 and a worst mile of 8:15. Average overall. I hope I don't have to pay for this effort later in the week. Again, I should be 100% by now and I am not. No way that I can run a 3:30 marathon now. I'd be hard pressed for a meager PR. Weight: down again to 145.
Grade: B-/2 credits/distance=10.0
3/31- Glad that March is over. Not a good month for me. It did end on a note of hope. Easy 6 in about 49-flat (watch died in Mile 2 and pace was steady around 8:10). Much easier than yesterday and actually felt fresher. Form was much smoother also. I loaded on SBF and cut my Lithium dosage. Perhaps that was the difference. I felt more like the CrazyJ of Jan-Feb. Cough has improved and I only coughed up phlegm one time today. Weight: 147.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.0
4/1- 5 mile tempo run in 36:49. Good steady pace. A bit more tired than I should have been in mile 4-5 but I'll take it. Nearly even splits and plenty left at the end. This was approximately half mary race pace and I don't think it was too much of a stretch that I could have gone another 6 miles at that pace. Not quite back to Mercedes form but not far off either Very long and very easy tomorrow.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.5
4/2- 11 miles in 92:12 (8:23 pace). On the day after a tempo run, I'll take it. Fairly smooth and relaxed. Never slowed beyond 8:30 and I was not spent at the end. This was about a minute slower than half mary pace and I could have gone another 2 comfortably.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=11.0
4/3-drove to Atlanta. no running.
4/4- Hilly 5K race in 20:22. Long cooldown. Also hiked up Brasstown Bald, the highest mountain in Georgia. More details in RR to come.
Grade:B+/3 credits/distance=4.5
Weekly summary: Rounding into form just as marathon training is ending. The next few weeks will be key. I fully expect to PR. The question is by how much? Weight is still 145 despite pigging out over the weekend and taking all the pills supposedly needed to slow down my racing metabolic rate. BTW- I don't gain when I don't run because my appetite diminishes.
Distance= 40.0/ GPA= 35.7/11 credits= 3.245 (5 week high)