Training for Top of Utah 2011

Today was supposed to be a speed day but yesterday I felt a twinge of pain in my left ankle so today became an easy peasy day. 22 degrees outside and didn't want to get out there and have to walk back if my ankle acted up.

Very easy warm-up then very easy jog. HR max was only 141 which is lower than my normal avg. HR. No pain today so tomorrow becomes the speed day.

600 X 5 speed work on the High School track. Shooting for 6:15 pace

1.85 mile warm up with 3 100 meter strides after the first mile was done.

Then Stretched

1st one in 2:20 with 2 minute jogging break in between sets

2nd in 2:24

3rd in 223

4th in 2:21

5th in 2:22 Max Hr 180

Then cool down. Another stretch(muscles). That was harder than I had hoped. May have to slow the speed work down a bit to make sure that I keep good form.

Beautiful morning. Partway thru the run the sun came up. Clear and cold at 32. Easy at the ridge with full pacing on hills(that's what kicked the HR up). The only problem today was breathing in Garbage truck exhaust, Culligan man blue smoke and school bus exhaust. Yuck!!

Pace: 8:52 happy with that

HR avg: 154 not happy with that

I was so happy that the sun is coming up earlier as the darkness is not fun to run in. But if it's light I don't care what else is happening- rain, snow, wind or cold.

Just looked up on the web a comparison to running Concrete vs. Asphalt. Here is the result.

Runner's World magazine rated running surfaces from worst (1) to best (10). Here are surfaces and their ratings: snow (2), concrete (2.5), sand (6), asphalt (6), treadmill (6.5), synthetic track (7), cinders (7.5), dirt (8), wood chips (9) and grass (9.5).

Needless to say I have been trying to avoid sidewalks as much as possible.

Issaquah Cougar Mtn. trail run with Bruce. After yesterdays run I figured that fatigue was going to get me but I felt pretty good. Pretty sloppy mud in places. 

Pace: 11:24

Avg HR: 141 (better than expected)

Nice to run on trails with minimal shock to the system. Beautiful day!!