Archive for March 31st, 2009

I had unhappy legs for yesterday’s run.  Luckily, that phantom thigh ache from Sunday had disappeared completely, but now a twinge in my left quad (vastus medialis) was noticeable,  so I spent a good portion of the run recalculating my week, “it wouldn’t kill me to skip a speed session, I’d still get my tempo in or maybe I should just move it up a day, but then…”

Last night I gave it mucho tender loving care – if grinding it against a foam roller alternated with freezing the sucker denotes tenderness – and it seemed imperceptible this morning so I decided to do the session and if it flared again, I’d cut it short.

The workout was basically a different version of the one from Sunday’s LR:  8x3min. @ 10k pace w/2min active recoveries.   Wonder of wonders, I felt nary a peep from the offending muscle for the entire run.  In fact, I felt pretty damn excellent during and afterwards.

I was aiming for anything between 6:55 and 7:00 since my projected pace is still in the little-elves-working-on-it stage.  Warmed up with a couple miles at 8:50, then the fast bits went  6:59, 6:49, 6:52, 6:47, 6:50, 6:46, 6:47, 6:48 (average pace 6:49).  I ran home the last couple miles at 8:10 pace, though it didn’t seem that fast at all.   Total avg. pace for the run 7:57.

Now for a race plug for you local yokels.  The best race deal in Philly is this Sunday by the museum -  the Schuylkill Mile Trial – only $5  to enter and test your mettle at the mile!  The prizes are great, plus you get to meet a special guest.  Last year it was Edwin Roberts, an Olympic medalist who won Bronze in 1964.  He brought his medal and we all got to hold it, which is cooler than it sounds.  I won’t be running it this year but hope to stop by and watch the festivities.  Go for it if you’re curious as to what you can do in a very short amount of time – it’s guaranteed to be a lotta fun.