Training 4/23-4/29 (race week)

4/23- Stayed with the 5:6 ratio and was very pleased with the result.  Easy 5 in 36:21 (7:16 pace) plus a cool.  Slightly negative split despite making no effort to pick up the pace.  Very smooth and relaxed.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=5.5

4/24- 4 days away from race day and guess what?  I'm sick.  How bad?  I'll know tomorrow.  Right now, my primary symptoms are body aches, a nasty sore throat and an annoying runny nose.  Even if it's just a cold, it seems unlikely that I'll be fully recovered in time.  Against my better judgment, I did try to run today and did surprisingly well early then my energy ran out midway through Mile 3.  I stopped at the end of that Mile with a time of 22:36 (7:32 pace) with splits of 7:26-7:30-7:40.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=3.5

4/25- This feels like a bad dream.  Day 2 is normally the worst day so this is as bad as it's going to get. Race day is on day 5. My throat is killing me and I'm congested but the body aches are not severe and the infection appears to be contained to my head.  No running today.  I've got 2 more days to decide whether or not I will even go to Kentucky.  Unless I am significantly better, it's a no go.  Even if I go, I will probably just jog it.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=0

4/26- Planned rest day so there will be no grade today.  Barring a miraculous turn for the better tomorrow, I will not be going to Kentucky.  I see no point in driving 6 hours to perform so far below my peak.  Jogging 13 miles serves no other purpose other than to set my recovery back.  The Kentucky Derby half will certainly be around long-term so it will be pushed back to '13 or '14.  Today, the sore throat pain has diminished but the fatigue and malaise is still considerable.  At best, I'll be up for some light workouts this weekend.

4/27- The scheduled workout for the day was a junk run, which I managed to do.  1 Mile indoors on my way to work in a time of 7:49.  It required little effort but I don't think I could have even broken 7 all out.  I might be able to finish the race tomorrow but the "no go" decision is still the right call.  The weather forecast has turned nasty for Louisville (60% chance of storms with severe weather possible).  I don't feel so bad now about missing that.  No grading today either.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=1.0

4/28- Definitely a good call on not going to Kentucky even though the weather held off.  I did make it to the BTC social and slogged 4 miles in 35:00 (8:45 pace). Splits were 7:38-8:02-9:05-10:15.  Even if I Gallo-walked it, I'm not sure I could have finished.  This is not just a bad cold.  This is a definite case of the flu.  I fit all the symptoms.  It could be 2 weeks before I'm all the way back.  I get an automatic F for the missed race but a plus for completing an easy workout.
Grade:F+/4 credits/distance=4.0

4/29- Got a little bit stronger today.  5 miles in 39:41 (7:56 pace) plus a walk.jog cool.  Nice step forward but still far from where I want to be.  Felt easy for the first half but by Mile 4, the pace was really getting to me.  Managed to keep all 5 miles below 8:00. Clinched a 1.0 for the year.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=6.0

Weekly summary:
Back to back blows.  This hurts.  Once I got the Cal/Mag lined up, I catch the flu.  Ouch.  This is my worst weekly GPA since Oct '10 when I was injured.  After the red hot start, I am now only one more bad week from dropping below 3.0 for 2012.
Distance=20.0/ GPA= 9.5/8= 1.19