Training 1/1-1/8

1/1- Not an auspicious start to the new year but it was better than last year's New Year's debacle in which it took more than 9 minutes to cover one mile. In 2010, I began the year with a still standing marathon PR so it's impossible to predict what the year will bring based on its first workout. It was an uninspiring 3 mile run on Wisteria (my neighborhood). The running routes suck here but will suffice for a junk run. Finished with a time of 23:13 (7:44 pace). Even pace but I was struggling because I still have lots of crud in my system. It may take another 5 days before it's gone. Set a new best time of the year in the Mile (7:39). I hope to get back up to the 6 mile range tomorrow.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=3.0

1/2- Another step forward. Typically, when coming off an illness, it's baby steps first followed by a breakthrough. Today was decent progress and a nice improvement over yesterday. Indoor 10K just to get on the board at that distance. My time was 47:11 (7:34 pace). I also set new best times of the year at the 3 shorter distances along the way. Times are nothing special but here they are: 400: 1:42, Mile: 7:19, 5K: 23:33. One good thing about a slow start to the year is that I can show a lot of improvement from one workout to the next.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=6.5

1/3- Back to the grind at work again. A great step forward today. I am still coughing but I am feeling a lot less congested. I actually felt somewhat like myself today. It was the coldest day of the winter thus far so I wisely opted to stay indoors. Comfortable 8 miles in 58:35 (7:20 pace) plus a tribute to Ochocinco. Never hurting. Very enjoyable run. New best times of 2012 in all 4 of the shorter distances. Great.
400- 90, Mile- 6:58, 5K- 22:40, 10K- 45:39.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=8.5

1/4- Trak Shak 5 in 37:17 (7:27 pace). Added a full mile cool down. Solid but unspectacular performance. Still do not need any Thym-Adren pills. Still clearing the gunk out of my system and it's not a pretty picture if you know what I mean. My biggest concern is GI issues again. It's probably related to the virus but I'm taking some pro-biotics and yogurt at least for a few days. I've had worse than this before. Good mileage so far. Slight groin pain. I may or may not do my scheduled prolo appointment. If not, it will be done after Austin. I need to train now.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0

1/5- The negative thoughts from yesterday are gone now. Easy 6 indoors plus a final mile hard. Passed the 6 mile mark comfortably in 43:45 (7:18 pace) then kicked in the turbo with a 7th mile in 6:02. Even that was fairly comfortable and I really didn't feel the effort until the final quarter. Finished with an overall time of 49:47 (7:07 pace). New best times of the year are as follows:
400: 84, Mile: 6:02, 5K: 21:32, 10K: 44:15.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=7.0

1/6- Planned rest day. Hoping the weather will cooperate for my long run.

1/7- Yet another all time great long run workout. 22 miles in 2:43:20 (7:25 pace). That's a marathon pace of 3:14. Passed 13.1 in 1:36:20 (best time of the year). This workout was GREAT but I still intend to err on the side of caution on race day with a 7:30 speed limit until Mile 20. I felt the effort around Mile 13 which is sooner than I would like but fought through it well. Every mile was below 8 but I could not have kept this pace for another 4.2 miles. I'd estimate around an 8:15 pace to the finish, which would bring me home in 3:18. Since my PR is so soft, I'd rather leave 5 minutes on the course than shoot for a 3:10, be on pace through 18, then bonk something awful. Pretty even splits today too.
1st 5: 36:40, 2nd 5: 36:40, 3rd 5: 37:06, 4th 5: 37:49. Mile 21: 7:54. 22: 7:13.
If I average 7:30 through 20 miles, I need a 50:00 last 10K (even 8 pace) for a 3:20.
Grade:A+/2 credits/distance=22.0

1/8- Easy 5 indoors (rain) in 39:49 (7:58 pace). I certainly will not call this 5 miler uninspiring. I felt appropriately tired and sore today. I did fade some in the last 2 miles but slacked on purpose. 8 minute pace was as fast as I could go without pushing but that's just about what I expected. Hit my quota on the week and that's all I will do today.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.0

Weekly summary:
Despite the inauspicious start, it was a solid first week overall. Outstanding long run but outside of that, it was rather ordinary. Barring disaster, I've got a PR coming in the full and a very good chance at one in the half before I shift gears to speed work. I've completed the hardest long run of the cycle so it's all downhill from here.
Distance=58.0/GPA= 26.6/8= 3.33