June 19th, 2011
This week’s attempt was much closer to the ballpark, 12 miles w/ 3@7:02. The cool thing is that the tempo portion was below my usual Half heart rate so I know at least one thing for sure: my current Half pace is faster than 7:02. Way cool.
But wait, there’s more!
1. The remaining 6 miles were comfortable 8:05s, confirming how little of an energy suck the tempo was.
2. Conditions were not exactly optimal. Allow me to illustrate the effect of 72 degrees w/ dewpoint 69 via this extremely unflattering photo I took right after the run. No comments on the nip action, I could have Photoshopped it out but that’s part of the wet t-shirt joy of it. Anyway, if I was going to take the hot weather deduction a la Daniels (which doesn’t even take humidity into account) my Half pace is faster than 6:55. 
So the jury’s still out on where my current fitness lies and what my training paces will be, but I figure a couple more weeks of this fast stuff (strides, on/offs, little tempos) should unveil a final baseline. Kind of thrilling in the meantime. Wherever it lands will be more than I expected…it already is!
A Nifty Shuffle Condom
Due to prolific sweat glands, I’ve fried 2 iPod Shuffles in the last two years but am determined to keep my 3rd one alive. My breakus interruptus method is to take a piece of Saran wrap, stick one end under the clip that’s on the inner shorts side, then wrap it to the other side and tuck it under the main body of the Shuffle. The important thing is to make a little awning over the headphone jack/button panel since that’s where water can enter. You can still use all the buttons, no prob. And you could make it look neater but I don’t give a shit. When I get home, I take the wrap off and disconnect the headphones so if any moisture got in there, it’ll dry out. So far, so good! 
Btw, this is me at 122 lbs (minus a few temporary lbs from sweat loss). Still 5’4″ as far as I know. No waif, that’s for sure.
My thighs amuse me lately. Not that we sit around exchanging humorous anecdotes, but they’re bigger, more muscled and in a completely unexpected turn, that chicken skin thing they used to do when my foot hit the ground and which always disgusted me is (dare I say?) almost gone – something I never thought possible. I believe Falls bridge is to thank for that. Bless you, bridge, bless you.
The good ole week in review:
Monday: 9@8:08 (9 strides)
Tuesday: 12@8:04 (10 x 60 sec. on/offs)
Wednesday: 18@8:11
Thursday: 12@8:15
Friday: 12@7:57 (w/3@7:02)
Saturday: 15@8:16 (6 strides)
Sunday: 12@8:05
Total: 90 mi (avg pace 8:08)
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YOU are a foxy lady! And awesome training week… I think Sub 1:30 is TOTALLY going to happen.
Thank you Rebecca, takes a foxy lady to know one (though I’m more of a wet dog in that photo). And you know what? I’m beginning to think sub 1:30 is totally gonna happen, too.
x 1,000.
With the kind of mileage you are doing (and with relative ease), a sub 1:30 half is a lock!
Thank you so much for saying so, from your typing fingers to the running Gods ears (or something like that). After such a long plateau of not even being near spitting distance of my PRs, the numbers I’m seeing now are like a foreign language. I have a hard time believing it’s real. But I’m coming ’round.
Very nice – I’m so glad things are going so well!
Thanks, Cris.
Yep, sub-1:30 has your name all over it. A bit of a taper and you’ll smash it.
I often think of you when I’m out there these days upping my mileage – it’s comforting to see you doing 90 mpw like it’s meh, no biggie, makes me believe I can do it too!
Oh my goodness, you’re going to be able to raise your mileage without hesitation! It’ll be totally meh for you too. It’s funny to me that you got so fast on so (relatively speaking) little mileage! Can’t wait to see how this greases your wheels as the weeks progress.
Definitely sub 1:30! I have always found tempos have been my biggest confidence-builder as far as snappy work for halves…but that’s me:)
OMG-great iPod idea! Way cheaper than surgical sweat gland extraction I have half-joked about getting! In SE Texas, there’s no escape from screwing up your electronics if not protected! I may get creative and wrap it in colored plastic for funsies!
Kisses to you for more sub 1:30 confidence thrown my way.
I can only imagine how many gallons of sweat you lose per day. You Southern runners have my complete respect.
Funny thing on that sweat gland remark, my friend’s friend (not a runner) had a real problem with sweat so he did get an operation. They only do one side at a time. The first side worked great but the second side didn’t take as well so now he sweats profusely on one side. Poor guy.
Wow Flo, kudos for putting up that pic. You’re an up-front kinda gal. Sweat glands come in handy for running, so no op for me. That’s great news about the tempo, although you will need to test all this out in a race at some point.
Oh, wait, you mean I have to race? But…but…
I’m going to be chompin’ at the bit by September, you can bet on it. Which is exactly how I wanted it to be, holding off until I could test the new wheels. Way fun! And yeah, this is all conjecture at the moment but it sure helps having a long history of heart rate data to draw upon.
Fantastic tempo! You look amazing!
Thank you dear girl, I think I look pretty nasty here but love you for saying so.
I’m not sure how my shuffle has survived as long as it has. I have a 2nd gen still going strong after a few years through all kinds of weather. The headphones, on the other hand, not so much.
Color me jealous. I use cheap headphones so I wouldn’t mind replacing those every once in a while. By the time you order your 3rd Shuffle, you barely even give a crap of what to have inscribed upon it.
My eyes detect nice thighs. You’re running well! The low HR on the tempo miles and general ease of the mileage points to a half inside 90. I bet it’ll feel easy too!
You have such nice eyes, Ewen.
Thanks. OMG, could you imagine if it felt easy to get? That would be mecca right there. Whatever I feel I’m ready for in September, I hope it’s got some “easy” quality to it.