Catching up

Monday 17/08 - Watchless 8 laps in the Blasco park pretty easy. Legs were sore from the weekend. Hot. Ran after work.

Tuesday - 18/08 - Another watchless 8 laps in the Blasco park but incorporating 6 strides from lap 6 to 8. Felt decent. Felt Good in the strides. After work.

Wednesday - 19/08 - After work, I went to the turia park with my brother. Today we were doing 4 x 1000m with 3:30 rest or something like that. I warmed up 15 mins with strides and form drills. However the firsst 2 repeats were confortable, but I felt sluggish and tired. Were in 4:28, 4:27, then decided to on purpose increase pace, I need to find a better pace, the last 2were in 4:16 and 4:00. That 4 flat surprised me because I felt Good, although I had to move my legs very fast in the last 400s, last 500s were in 1:56. I am happy with that Split, but not so happy with the overall workout. The first 2 repeats were very slow. 15 + mins to cool down. Around 6 miles to 10k total.

Thursday 20/08 - After work again another watchless easy run of 8 laps in the Blasco park. Felt pretty Good after the Interval work the day prior. Kept the effort pretty easy.

Friday - Planned day off

Saturday- In the morning at 08:00 a.m. I did my tempo run of 5k. My brother was determined to run sub 24 mins, and I was confident that I could run sub 24 mins again too. Granted, I did not forcé things. Well, my brother defeated me by more than 100m. He is in pretty Good shape. He did 23:46 for 5k and I ended up doing 24:16. Way off the goal. However, I was controlled, but it hurted though and I wanted to run sub 24 mins. After the first km in 4:46, already pushing, I knew that it was not going to be a Good day, so I stopped looking at the watch and checked the watch again at the end. Splits were 4:46,4:52, 2:23 (12:03 half way), 2:27, 4:56 and 4:49. Did a positive Split of 10 seconds. When I finished I did 2 x 200m in 44 and 42 seconds. We are doing a mile time trial again soon so we better start running fast repeats, also to calm down my frustration. When I was on the cool down I looked like I headed off a swiming pool. Too wet. In the other hand, my brother said he felt confortable and did not pay attention to the heat. He is a better running than me, the only thing is that I am leaner right now. Anyway, I told him that its not that easy on races. I decided to stop doing drills before workouts because I think they are not helping, in fact they are hindering. My muscles between my hips and quads feel tired and tight, after I do those, so I Will limit my warm up to easy running and strides. I think I run better that way, and if not, I feel better during the run. On this tempo I did drills, but they did not help. 16 mins warmup  + drills + 3 x 80m strides. For cool down another 15-16 mins. Around 10-11kms. Felt dissapointed, but did not feel any tired or soreness after this one.

Sunday - In the morning at 08:00 a.m. I did 81 mins, pretty much solo, although some part at the beginning and some part at the end I did it with my brother. It was cloudy, but very very hot at the same time. Again I finished soaking wet. I started the run feeling tired and without energy, I ate a lot in the buffet on Saturday night and that interfered with my performance today. I carried my watch again, because I wanted to do 5k at maratón effort to clean yesterday (Saturday `s )"disaster". The first few kms were easy in 6:21,6:15, 6:09, then when I started my " fast" part did not feel that bad, splits were 5:10 (this is 600m of the first one and 400s of the last one), 5:17,5:13,5:08,5:04. I felt Good, but not great. A bit tired, but I did those 5k in 25:58. Then did 15-16 mins to cool down to home to finish 1:21. No soreness like past week, so I must be getting in shape. Very thirsty though, its hard without wáter given the heat and humidity.

6 runs for the week, 3 harder workouts so I am getting in shape Little by Little. Everytime closer to where I was before quarantine.

Monday - (today) After work in the Blasco park at 7:50 p.m., Felt a bit tired in the first 2 laps, then started feeling better and better and finished feeling pretty Good. Watchless runs, but the pace was not that slow as past Monday, I think. I do not care though, I worry about the hard days. Thats why I am not carrying a watch on easy runs, they are not important to be honest. Felt awesome at the end, given the heat. I was very sweated at the end and the polo shirt was soaking wet. 7.2k total.

Long run: 80 mins

Today I woke up at 7:00 a.m. to get my long run in. I went out at 8:15 a.m. though. Today it was not that humid, so the run felt much more confortable than last week, I finished feeling thirsty at the end. I wore my watch, because I wanted to do 5k at marathon effort ( in reality is closer to half marathon pace), but I felt like crap for the first 30 mins, then when I started the fast part, felt way better. I tracked 3 easy kms there before the fast portion in 6:14,6:09,6:02, to be honest felt much slower. Then the fast part started and the next 5kms were in 26:04 (between the first and last km did 5:12, 2nd , 3rd  and 4th km were in 5:10,5:18,5:05. After the 5:10 I told myself to slow down, since you want to run at marathon effort, not close to your tempo pace, tempo pace you ran it yesterday. Felt ok during the `on `part. Finished the run in 80:56. Did around 13 something kms. 

Felt Good, but the quads a bit burned during the fast portion and right now when I type this. I am sure that tomorrow I Will feel fine.  For me, I think these aerobic runs is what moves the needle. This is an aerobic sport after all.

6 runs this week, given the crazy work week. 3 quality workouts, first time since quarantine that I get in 3 quality workout like I was doing before my 15k race on February. My fitness is coming back slowly.

Catching up: A lot of work and training consistency

This week has been crazy with work, but the running has been going Good. Although sometimes I did not feel like running. 

Monday  - After work  at 8 p.m. I did 8 laps in the Blasco park watchless. I just ran easy. Felt like crap the first lap, but then felt better. 7.2k total.

Tuesday - Again ran after work, Did 8 laps in the Blasco park again watchless. This time I incorporated 6 strides from laps 6 to 8. Felt very flat during the run, but during the strides felt pretty Good. Untimed.

Wednesday - I almost skip the run, because I worked 12 hours that day, but then thought better of it. Becuase on Wednesday you are supposed to do a workout. I went to the Blasco park and decided to run 15 mins easy to warm up, including 5 x 50m striders to warm up. Felt much better after the warm up, then did a couple of legs swings. Raised my knees to loosen up a bit. No formal drills, I did not want to lose too much time on that, since I was already demotivated. Did 4 x 1 lap and then did 1 x 1:40 ( to simulate around 400m). Started the first one controlled but fast, recovered around 3:30 between repeats,and each one got progressevely faster. Did 3:57,3:56,3:52, 3:43. That last repeat really surprised me, since I dont think it was that fast. Then did 1:40 a tad faster  to finish the workout. Then did 15 mins cool down. So from thinking of skiping the day to do a decent workout, after a 12 work day. Not bad.

Thursday - After work did 8 laps in the Blasco park watchless. The pace was really easy, was feeling tired from Wednesday`s workout so just kept the effort really easy. I am running around 8 p.m., since the sun is too strong at 7:Xx. 

I am really liking to do the easy runs watchless, since the main purpose is recovery you dont really need to time these runs. Also, you dont feel tempted to speed up if you see a slow Split.

Friday -  I took the day off as usual. The last 3 days has been 12 hours of work. I have to say that these hours are self imposed. I think that I am a workaholic in some way. Its amazing how productive you can be when you get to work at 6:xx in the morning. 

Saturday -  Today in the morning, at 8:05 a.m. I headed out to the Turia park to do my tempo run. When I got to the Turia park I was already very sweated. After the 10 mins Incorporated 5 x 50m strides until the 15 mins that I got there. Then did a couple of legs swings and raised my legs and knees. I have found that I really dont need too many drills, to be honest, to run at the pace I run, you dont need those Dynamic things. A lot of people are going to disagree, but oh well! I just got back to my usual warm up routine and just decreased the drills that I thought were doing more harm tan Good, those exagerated movements, made me look like an elite and were stiffing my muscles between quads and wrist. So I just got back to my warm up of 15 mins incorporating 5 x 50m strides and a couple of legs swings and I am ready to go.

Before starting my 5k tempo I was already very sweated. I started conservative, but at a Good effort and when my watch read 4:50 for the first km, felt dissapointed, since I did not see a 23 mins happeing today like last week, I decided not too look at the watch for the rest of run, of course, I took my splits without looking. I felt that I was going faster tan the first km, but sometimes felt slower. The last km, especially the last 300m I really moved my legs faster but without losing my form. In the end ran 24:05 wich splits of 4:50, 4:53, 2:26 (12:10 halfway), 2:25, 4:50, 4:38. Second half in 11:55. Not bad, considering the crazy days of work and the lack of sleep. I Will take it. I would rather that the 7 seconds would have been in the other direction ( not in the slowness direction). When I had 3 mins of cool down I saw my brother and we ran together until the completion of my cool down (16 mins). I did 10k total or so for the day. Decent workout and decent effort.

Tomorrow I Will wear a watch in my long run, to see if I can get some MP effort kms.

Have a great Saturday!

Watchless long run

Today I ran at 08;15 a.m. I deided to go watchless because I did not plan to do a faster portion today, the whole run just would be easy, so I just kept the pace relaxed throughout. I went out to the Turia park, got to the final of the Turia park and then head back. I did around somewhere 80 mins, or something like that. The pace felt very relaxed, but after the 8k I was feeling very thirsty, I finished the run very very thirsty. If I could drink wáter every 25-30 mins during these runs, I could go longer and it would feel easier. Nice long run to get in some miles. Covered around 13k or a bit more. 

6 runs for the week, given that I worked a lot this week, because a coworker is on vacation. Anyway, you got to do what got to do dspite of how you feel.

Catching up

Sunday -  I ran at night, later than I would have liked. I ran with my brother in the Blasco park at 20:30 in the Blasco park. I started feeling a bit tired from the tempo progression the day before. However, as I did not do my normal long run. I decided after 2.5 laps of easy running to start running at about maratón effort, but a couple of laps were faster. Actually felt better running at the faster paces. Did the last 5 laps in 4:37,4:44,4:22,4:40,4:28. I actually ran more than 5 laps at that pace , around 5k, in around 25:15s or 25:20s something like that, so decent effort. Finished 8 laps in 39:42 total time. Finished feeling strong, but a Little guilty because I did not do my long run.

Good week of training, 6 runs , 3 workouts.1 hard and 2 médium intensity.

Monday August 3rd - I have decided to do my easy runs watchless for a while, lets see how it goes.Did 8 laps in the Blasco park easy watchless. Felt really Good at the end. No worried if I did 44, or 45 or 46 mins. Just ran easy. Ran after work as usual.

Tuesday - My brother wanted to do a mile time trial, but I accepted to do it at his pace, I dont want to do any time trial after 10+ hours of work. I ran watchless again, warmed up to the turia park, did drills, strides and we went out, I built a gap with 400m to go and I finished in 6:34 or something like that according to his watch. He finished in 6:36, he ran 23 seconds faster than last time. I ran hard, not all out, but definately working hard and the legs did not give a lot. The mile is a difficult event, because you have to pace it correctly, if you go out too fast you Will burn out, if you go out too slow, the race is over before you know it. Good effort nonetheless. I have to do a max effort time trial myself to see in what shape I am in really. It was fun, my brother in his last time trial finished in 37 second last 200s, so thats what I made a move with 400s to go, I did not want to be outsprinted, He almost did though. After that, just more easy running for a total of 8k of running or something like that. Felt really Good on the cool down.

Wednesday - After work, did 8 laps in the Blasco park watchless, felt like crap in the first lap, but then felt really Good. Too much stress at work, but the running helps. Felt amazing after running.

Thursday - I almost skip the run, but hang tough and went out, felt really Good after the first lap. I incorporated 6 strides after 6 laps to 8 laps. Did 8 laps total feeling pretty Good despite the heat. Another Good watchless run. I have been liking watchless easy runs.

Friday -  Planned day off.

Today in the morning at 08:30 a.m. I met with my brother and Jorge,. We were going to do our normal 5k tempo run. I wore a watch today, in my warm up felt like crap,legs felt flat . I was not really positive, but I had to try and get the workout in. After the easy warm up of 16 mins, some drills and some 50m striders I felt much better and were ready to go. When we started the tempo I felt decent ut thirsty. I built a gap after the 300m I built a gap and never looked back. They finished pretty close to me though. They are in Good shape and I finally run sub 24 mins today, running 23:58. Fastest time since quarantine, On my last run before quarantine I did 23:37, was strong there, after quarantine, all my tempos has been from 24:08 to 24:49 until today where I finally pull off 23:58 after running hard the last 200m without losing the form, because I knew I was pretty close. Jorge and my brother did 24:22 and 24:34 respectively. My brother has improved a lot since quarantine, myself not so much. I have been working a lot lately though. Finished feeling strong, but very thirsty. We walked some, talked some and then I did 15 mins cool down to home.

Splits were:4:43,4:52,2:23 (11:57 halfway) at that time I did not think I could run sub 24 mins given how I was feeling, luckily my pace did not  change that much, 2:25, 4:53,4:41. In the last 200m as I said I pushed without straining because i knew I was close to going sub 24 mins. Feeling happy to have run sub 24 mins again, but a lot of work to do to get down to my 15k race shape.

Thursday and Saturday run

On Thursday -  I ran after work and did  laps very easy to recover from the previous`s day workout. It was hot that day, but nothing like Wednesday. I did 8 laps in the Blasco park at 8:15 p.m. I did not look at the watch during the run, I just whatever pace felt easy. Finished the 8 laps in 45:18. Felt Good, but kinda tired.

Friday -  That was my day off.

Saturday -  I went to bed on Friday at 10:45 p.m. which is early for me, so on Saturday I was up at 6:00 a.m. without the alarm clock ( which was set for 6:30 ). I went out at 7:30 a.m. or something like that, the sun was not out in full forcé yet, but it felt like a sauna. I felt flat from the get go, so I was deciding in if I do the planned tempo, or just run easy. At the end of the 16 mins warm up felt much better, then did drills and then did 5 x 50-60m striders and I felt Good, had to wait my brother for a while. THe plan for me was to do the tempo, but without looking at the watch and running purely by feel. In the end I did 24;49 for 5k, but did 1 min negative Split and ran the first half very slow. I felt Good though, but the pace did not feel that slow. My brother told the time at half way, and I was surprised with how slow we were running, certainly the pace felt faster. He shouted 12:50 for 2.5k, and I just started calculating that to run sub 25 mins I had to push the pace a lot and run 1 min faster in the second half. I really pushed, but to be honest I could only make up  the time in the last km, which I ran it close to the pace that I ran in my last 2 intervals on Wednesday. Splits per km were 5:08,5:11, 2:31 (500m out), 12:50 halfway, 2:26 (500m back, so 4:57 for that km), 4th km in again 4:57 and then pushed in the last one and really ran as fast as I could go without losing my form in the last 100m. Could manage 4:33 in the last km to finish in 24:49. Heck I was running close to half maratón race pace in the first 2 kms  and it felt faster, I felt Good though. Did the second half in sub 12 mins I think, so this was not a total failure. Then did another 15:30 for cool down, around 10k total for the day.

I Will run in the evening today because I ate a lot yesterday night, but probably I would skip the long run today, maybe I Will do 60 mins. No races in the horizon, and I have been doing long runs everyweek for the past 2+ months, so a down week Will not hurt.