Cool Runnings!

AM - 5.5 easy miles.  No soreness from the long run on Saturday, which is a good thing.  Still hot out - wishing it would cool down a bit before SGM so that I will be a little better acclimatized to the conditions.  Total time for the morning run was 46:52, average pace of 8:31/mile.  This run felt good.  As a matter of fact, the only sore part of me was my ankle, which I turned at the 5K on Friday when we were running on the gravel that was not well-lit.  Everything else feels good.  I am looking forward to doing 20 miles already.

PM - ran 4 miles.  Started off fairly easy, although a bit faster than this morning, then gradually sped up.  At first I was going to run 3 miles, then I decided to do 4 miles.  At the half-way mark, I decided I was feeling a bit frisky, and sped up.  Last two miles at MP, final mile in 7:07.  Mornings seem to be the time for me to have a nice relaxing run, and for some reason, I tend to want to run faster in the evenings.  However, I need to remind myself that any MP effort mileage should really be at about 7:30/mile, no faster.

On a side note, I was overjoyed to find out that Lybi won her age division - first medal for her!  Again, I am so proud of her.  Running is just one more thing that we can do together to grow closer and stronger. 

AM - Ran 6 easy miles.  Legs were a little bit tired from the MP miles last night, but no complaints.  I got to see the very end of the lunar eclipse - that was pretty cool - just wish it would have been a bit later in the morning so I could have seen it entirely.  Oh well, there are certainly more important things in life (like getting enough sleep!).  Total time for the run this morning was 51:13, average pace of 8:32/mile.  This seems to be about the pace that my body has decided is considered "easy run" pace, as this is also the pace that I did my long runs at.  I am not going to try to slow down any more and end up messing up my form, I'll just keep things where they are, especially with less than 6 weeks to go.

AM - 5.5 easy miles.  Legs felt very spunky, I had to concentrate on keeping the pace around 8:30/mile.  The entire run felt easy, I take this as a good sign.  Total time for the run was 36:40, average pace of 8:29/mile.

PM - AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!  I did another easy run, felt out of sync and clunky, but was determined to slog through it.  At the end of the run, my left calf (more lower soleus) started to tighten up, and continued to do so until it was painful, at which point I immediately stopped and walked the last .25 miles back home.  It was hard to control the feelings of disappointment and discouragement last night.  I iced it immediately, did a little bit of stretching, and had my wife rub it last night.  Feels a <little> better this morning, but I will obviously be taking a couple days off to see how it feels.  I may have to either shorten or cancel my long run this weekend.  Right now, the most important thing is St. George.  I know that I have been preparing extensively, and I will still be able to get in a 20-miler, but I may not be able to do the two I was originally planning on - one this week, then one next week.