Half-marathon training: Week 2
This should be an interesting week, with the temps hitting 100 degrees the first two days, and the forecast of Tropical Storm Debby heading toward Houston towards the end of the week. Normally I’d wish for a business trip to Denver, yet they are suffering through their own 100 degree day.
Sunday: Target (Easy 6 miles) – 5.6 miles. Need to recalibrate the iPad Nike+GPS program I use. I’m still within my easy pace, but it is reading about 30 secs/mile slower here that it was in Dallas. It was 80 degrees when I got on the trail at 8am. Looking forward to a lovely summer.
Monday: Target (Easy 6 miles + hill sprints) – 5.5 miles. Got up a bit earlier, still 80 degrees and 80% humidity. The hills felt easier, but still running out of gas on the runs. Just the second week, and still working on convincing myself that “Easy Run” means you don’t need to break any records. It is interesting that the serious runners are out earlier; was passed by lots of speed demons, and by one kid 1/3 of my age.
Tuesday: Target (Easy 5 miles) – 4.8 or 5.2. I took the iPod Touch I used to run with, and the new iPhone 4S, and started them both tracking at the same time. Obviously need to re-calibrate before I get too concerned with times and distances.
Wednesday: Target (Easy 6 miles) – 5.84 miles. Fourth day in a row of over 5 miles had me waking up tired. I made some adjustments to the Nike+, as I read that it uses the accelerometer when he can’t use the GPS around trees (which is where I run all the time) and the accelerometer relies on your entry for height…which I had not entered. More reasonable readings for speed/pace this time. Another 80/80 day (degrees/humidity) at 6:50am. And it is not even July 1.
Thursday: Rest day. Was glad to have a day off from running, did P90X2 shoulders and arms, and, most importantly, the foam roller on my quads. It still amazes me that the foam roller works so well; I have another post in process about chi and how the foam roller could be used to help that.
Friday: Target (5 miles + hill sprints)- 5 miles. No Tropical Storm, and temps a bit cooler today that earlier in the week. We won’t be saying the word “sixties” any time soon, unless we are referring to Beatles music. Whether it was the combination of a rest day and the foam rolling, today’s run felt good. I’d have to classify the hill sprints as “gully sprints”, and I’m doing them about halfway through the run, but they seem to fit the bill.
Saturday: Rest, and drink Firestone Parabola Sout
Totals this week: Target: 28 miles + hills; Actual: 27 miles . Last week: 22.75 miles. Pretty much the same program as week 1.