Back with a Fury Week in Review (Week 8)

I took it really easy the previous week.  To a run or two this week to get the cobwebs shaken off but once I hit my groove again it really stuck.

After a medium workout on Wednesday, I put in an easy 6 on Thursday.  Then pushed it a bit on Friday with some .25 mile intervals at 7:30 pace and 5% grade on the treadmill and ultimately ran 6 miles at a 7:47 average pace.  

Saturday was one of the first really nice days of the year so I got out in shorts and T-shirt and did 5 miles at 7:22 pace with the final mile at 6:52 pace (plus a 1 mile cooldown). 

Finished up the week with 36.51 total miles.  

Then Sunday was my 41st birthday and I celebrated with a 10 mile long run.  Another beautiful day... a bit colder since I got out the door at 7am in the morning but less windy.  After 7:22 pace on Saturday, sub 8 minute pace felt nice and easy. 

Ran 10.05 miles

1:18:08

7:46 pace

Slowest mile was mile 3 at 7:59 pace.  Fastest was mile 10 at 7:03 pace.  Getting to the point where running that last mile at 7 minute pace feels fast but easy.  10 mile run barely phases me any more.  It wasn't that I was completely fresh for the rest of the day but we still went hiking in the afternoon and enjoying the rest of my day was no big deal... it used to be that I'd get back from the long run and then have to lay down for an hour!  Maybe time to boost the mileage.

Kind of feel like I made a big step in my fitness as of late and running faster is getting addictive.  4 of my last 5 runs have been sub 8 minute pace which was hard running a year ago.  Need to remember to keep hard days hard and easy days easy.   My legs just have been feeling so good and recovering much better.  I can run a medium workout on Wednesday and feel fresh on Thursday.   I need to keep reminding myself of long term goals of continued improvement and health.

Yearly goal progress:

GOALS:
1.  1560 miles run:  264.29 for the year (29.86 miles ahead of pace)
2.  5000 Pull ups: 798       (47 ahead of pace)
3.  5000 Pushups/Bench:   824 (73 ahead pace)
4.  50 hour stationary bike:  9:15 hours (over an hour ahead of pace)
5.  Diet:  Diet is dead for now.  Birthday weekend blew it up.  Need to regather and refocus.  February has been lax after my goal race was complete so I'm not stressing.  Would be good to lean up a bit more in March ahead of my next major endeavor in April.
6.  12500 Steps a day:  615 days and counting... 16,923 a day for the year.

7. 10 Races this year:  Still on 9.  Looking like River 2 River Relay will be my next race unless I track down an early April 5K.