A Great Weekend

I can happily say that I have to log four workouts from Friday night to Monday morning. So here goes.

Friday - I got home from work late and had some things to do around the house before I could think about a workout. I probably would have bagged it but I had mentioned in this blog just that morning that I wanted to break 22 consecutive days of exercise and I wasn't going to ruin the first chance I could.

So At 8:30 I headed out to L.A Fitness for a dip. I ended up completing what is by far the best pool workout I've done. 1.25 miles in 42 minutes. I find that if I set my watch on a 1 minute repeating countdown it motivates me to keep pushing. At an easy pace I can complete a full lap in 50-60 seconds, so I try to get as far as I can into the next lap before I hear the beep indicating a minute. After 15 laps I was 3/4 of a lap ahead. I also worked in 6 - 50 meter repeats, I was gasping for air by the end.

Saturday - I joined the group run at the Art Museum. I knew Seebo had been somewhat regularly attending these runs and I was hoping to run with him. He showed up at the last second and we were soon headed up MLK. After a somewhat brisk 4 miles up to Falls Bridge we turned for the Bloody Nipple and without us really trying, the pace picked up. We huffed and puffed up the steepest section of the hill and kept things going to Monument Road after it flattened out. We weren't pushing hard, just keeping things moving.

Seebo has run this length for time on many occasions and he was surprised by his time check at the top. Apparently we were moving along pretty well. This inspired him and I to run the next portion of his circuit to Belmont Mansion at a faster clip. With a few hundred meters to go things really picked up. It was great to do somewhat of a speed workout with Seebo. I have run with him numerous times but it has just about always been at long run pace.

The rest of the run was at an easy pace across Strawberry Mansion and back to the AM. I continued with Seebo across Spring Garden and over to Market where we split ways. I wanted to run over 14 miles and I figured breaking 1:50 would definitely get me over that mark so I looped around a little on the way back to my car. 15 miles in 1:52. Longest run so far this year.

Sunday - An easy 6 miles with Heather on Forbidden Drive. My legs felt better than expected. 52 minutes.

52 miles of running and a long trip in the pool. If I can string together several more weeks like this I'll be in great shape for the spring.

Monday - Another attempt at morning running and this time I got up. I ran a Roxborough loop in quickly brightening skies. Morning runs are great for that fact. Instead of running into the darkening night you get to anticipate the sunrise. Mentally it brightens your mood. I think it was just about officially up when I got back to my house at 7:00. 6.2 miles in 50 minutes. I felt that I had run faster than this but the map and my watch don't lie.