training 6/7-6/13

6/7 AM- Hoped for a good long run and settled for an average tempo. The humidity was lower today but it was still 75 and sunny. Lakeshore 5 in 35:54 (7:11 pace). Struggled in Mile 4 but bounced back with a 6:30 last mile. 2 mile cool down at 9:00 pace. Still need more Lithium. ARRGGH! Just last week, 1 of those was poison!??
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=7.0

PM- 10x400 with 2 min R. That's right. I did a tempo and an interval session in the same day. Am I nuts? Just refer to my screen name. How did it go? Quite well. Thank you.
Splits: 79-79-80-79-79/ 78-80-79-79-69. Pace per mile was 5:14. I want that under 5 by the end of the summer. Of course, that tempo took something out me and that 69 at the end shows that I was holding back a bit too much. Can I beat my 5:22 mile from last year? I'd like to think so. I feel better emotionally as well. It looks like I'll need the Lithium for the forseeable future but I can cut the dosage.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=3.0

6/8- Easy 6 on Lakeshore in 47:55 (7:59 pace). Slowed down in the last 2 miles but that was by design. I got about what I expected today and hope I can bounce back with another hard day tomorrow
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.0

6/9- AM- Run with Adam, Geoff and Eric at 5:50 AM, not something I normally do but it went okay. I did get left behind after 6 miles but only because the group picked up the pace (all 3 have run BQs). Finished in 61:50 (7:44 pace). 1st half in 31:30, 2nd half in 30:20. Still a bit worn out from Monday's workouts but performed in line with expectations.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=8.0
PM- Trak Shak group run. Part of me was upset that the pace was faster than we planned but part of me was loving it. 5 miles in 90 degree heat with a time of 37:24 (7:29 pace) plus a painful cool down. Lungs were burning and legs were tired. It's nothing more than natural fatigue and part of me likes the way it feels.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0

6/10- Well deserved day of rest. I hope that I'll feel fresh on Friday and Saturday.

6/11- Mile time trial. Hoping to beat last year's time of 5:22 but just had too much working against me. Temp was 88 with a heat index of 95. I didn't feel fresh despite the rest day. Sore throat and feel like I am coming down with something.
Started off at the same effort as Monday's intervals but it felt like I had done 3 or 4 already. Tried to pick up the pace early in lap 2 and 3 and held it for the first 200 then lost it. A hard fought last lap brought me home in 5:28.7 (best time of the year).
Splits were 80-85-86-77.
It's frustrating that I have yet to beat last year's best time at any distance except for the marathon, which was unofficial on 1/1. Still, overall not too bad. The lifetime goal is 5:15 solo but if I have competition, it drops to 5:10. I was 13 ticks away so I get an 87 on the day. Long cool down at glacial pace.
Grade:B/3 credits/distance=3.0

6/12- Tough AM run at the Shak. Hot and sunny. Struggled. I am down with pharyngitis (I hope that's all it is). I have all the symptoms of a viral infection. Very sore throat but no fever. Felt okay through about mile 4 then faded. Overall pace was just over 8 with stops.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=8.5

6/13- 1.5 on the 'mill at 8:30 pace. I am still feeling sick but I actually could have gone longer today but played it smart by not pushing it.
Grade:NG/0 credit/distance=1.5

Weekly summary:
Another disappointing week. What's been so frustrating about the first half of 2010 is that I have shown flashes but no consistency and have been unable to get into the groove like last Fall. I hope that this sickness is just bad luck and I just picked up an airborne infection. If this setback came as a result of overtraining for 3 days, it does not bode well for a fall marathon. That 5:28 mile doesn't look bad now considering that I was already a little sick. I'll have to go to the doctor tomorrow (arg) to make sure it's not bacterial. I had bacterial infection last winter and it also started as a horrible sore throat. So far, it's mostly head congestion.
Distance=43.0/GPA= 32.5/11=2.95 (inflated by the NG)