training 11/8-14

11/8-slow 8 through Homewood and Mountain Brook. Pretty hilly route. Average pace was 8:14, which is acceptable on an easy day especially after a race. However, the soreness felt "abnormal" in a way that only I understand. I drank a recovery drink containing taurine and today felt like I had too much of it. From now on, I will avoid that stuff altogether. Not a debacle but a bit of a downer after yesterday. I'll be fine tomorrow.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=8.0

11/9- Veteran's Park 6 in the dark. Not a very enjoyable run but I did beat the rain just barely. I was off form today again but I'm not worried yet. If I suck tomorrow, then I'll be worried. I forgot to take the GABA last night so I doubled it in the morning (bad call, I should know better). Overall pace was around 8:15 so that's barely acceptable. The energy was there but I was sore in the groin area and legs would not produce. There was enough light to see when the trail was near the road but about a quarter of the trail was pitch black. In the 2nd lap, I had a head on collision with a bike but fortunately, neither of us were going fast and nobody got hurt. I will avoid Veteran's Park in the dark from now on.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=6.0

11/10- I am officially concerned. This feels like a GABA issue. I started taking glutamine for my digestion, which raises GABA. Taurine and SBF both cause groin soreness so both will be eliminated. I may replace TravaCor (contains a small amount of taurine) with glutamine after the medical report but until then I will stick with what worked before Vulcan. Workout was 3x800, 3x600, 3x400 indoors. I won't list the times because it was overdistance @ the Hoover Rec Center. I got through the workout but just didn't feel like myself.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=5.0

11/11- AM: Trak Shak 9 @ 7:52. It was the 8 mile route in reverse plus a 1 mile cool down. Very uneven pace but I just ran whatever speed with Adam and Jason. Fastest mile was 7:12, slowest was 8:21. Jason was struggling with stomach cramps. "I feel your pain" (said in Clinton's voice). No SBF+ no taurine+no GABA= quick improvement.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=9.0
PM (still daylight)- Trak Shak 5 with brand new shoes in 37:57 (7:36 pace). Last 3 miles were 7:40-7:42-7:40. Can't get much more even than that. A bit on the fast side but I felt fine at all times. When I am in balance, even if I'm sore from hard workouts, I usually still feel good in workouts and have plenty of energy during the day. I've done 19 miles in less than 24 hours. Am I running tomorrow? Hell yeah! I won't get another chance to go high mileage before Baton Rouge because of a busy upcoming schedule (football game then Thansgiving w/family).
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0

11/12- Lakeshore 7 in 54:53 (7:51 pace). Lakeshore is safer than Veteran's Park because it's paved rather than gravel and there's no traffic except for a couple of intersections. Solid performance and a pretty even pace. Not an "A" only because of minor groin soreness. I had another bizzare dream last night. I was in CVS and had to hide and cover myself with a small towel because I was naked. I'm not worried about this and for the most part, I'm laughing about it. The increased training could be a cause but I'd rather have goofy dreams than extreme soreness any day.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0

11/13- If I ran 4 today and completed my long run tomorrow of 20 as planned, I would set a new mileage PR. Instead, I am taking a well deserved day of rest and will be going for 21 tomorrow. I need 23 to tie and 24 to break it but probably will not go for that yet. I hope that it will be my best long run ever. Last night, I dreamed that I was out on a date and the girl decided to smoke one cigarette for every mile that I ran, which was 7. I've been laughing about this one all morning.

11/14- I was shooting for 20 @ 8:00 and ended up with 18 in 2:43:44 (7:59 pace) so that's a 91 on the day. I slept in (no weird dreams) and didn't get started until 9 AM so by the time I finished, it was 70 and sunny. That's not the best conditions. Miles 3-12 were all between 7:56-8:03. I passed 13.1 in 1:44:33 but after that point, I faded. I was able to hold on to 8:06 for the next 2 then an 8:03 but slipped to 8:15 in the 17th mile. By that point, I knew that I wasn't going to make sub-8 and the first half of Mile 18 was worse so I decided to run the next half mile hard that call it quits. I rallied for a 3:40 in the last .50 so I was not completely spent. This was my 2nd best long run ever (best was 18 @7:50 just before the sinus infection.
1st half: 71:33, 2nd half: 72:11. That's not too bad. Final thoughts: If I had kept going and maintained a 9:00 pace for the last 8.2, I would have run a 3:37:xx. Mercedes is not for another 3 months but I don't think that I am in sub-3:30 shape yet. I do think I could run sub-3:40. I thought about a 3:23 goal but don't think it's realistic yet. Just give me a 3:29:59.
PM- 2 mile recovery jog on the 'mill.
Grade: A-/2 credits/distance=20.0
Weekly summary:
I'm pleased overall. GPA was 3.4 from Weds-SatThat LR would have been better if I had been a bit fresher. Still, I know that I need more work on the long runs. Yes, I like that distance on the week. I won't be able to run high mileage the next 2 weeks and it's almost time to taper for Red Stick. I'll take a sub-1:35 but my stretch goal is a 1:33:xx.
Distance=60.0 (2nd highest)/ GPA= 25.6/9= 2.84