Easy like a Wednesday morning

Seems like this week is going to be the down week that I needed but wasn't sure I was going to pull off.

After bricking on Sunday (11 mile run, 15 mile bike), I took Monday completely off.

Tuesday was key though...  it was cold and rainy! ...So instead of waking up at 3:30 in the morning and running 9.5 miles at a ~7:20 pace, I instead slept in until 5:30 and biked for an hour.

That set me up for a Wednesday run after two days off running.  It's funny because I should have been feeling great but instead I was feeling just a bit achy, stiff, and stale.  Not sure what psychological factors come into play but the more days off I take, the more unmotivated I become.

Regardless, I forced myself out of the house this morning for a ~5 mile easy run.  The goal was easy and I nailed it.

<70 1.5="" 135="" 136="" 137="" 3rd="" 4="" 7:30="" 8:00="" 8:28="" 8:39="" a="" about="" all.="" and="" as="" at="" averaged="" avg.="" bit="" but="" by="" cruising="" did="" down="" due="" easy="" feel="" field.="" finished="" for="" good="" higher="" hills.="" hit="" hr...="" hr="" i="" in="" it="" just="" kept="" last="" local="" loop="" max="" mile="" miles="" my="" nbsp="" no="" not="" of="" p="" pace.="" pace="" park="" picked="" pretty="" pushing="" same="" slightly="" starting="" still="" strides="" the="" to="" two="" up="" was="" where="" with="" x="">5.5 miles at 8:11 pace and a 135 avg HR (73%).  
<70 1.5="" 135="" 136="" 137="" 3rd="" 4="" 7:30="" 8:00="" 8:28="" 8:39="" a="" about="" all.="" and="" as="" at="" averaged="" avg.="" bit="" but="" by="" cruising="" did="" down="" due="" easy="" feel="" field.="" finished="" for="" good="" higher="" hills.="" hit="" hr...="" hr="" i="" in="" it="" just="" kept="" last="" local="" loop="" max="" mile="" miles="" my="" nbsp="" no="" not="" of="" p="" pace.="" pace="" park="" picked="" pretty="" pushing="" same="" slightly="" starting="" still="" strides="" the="" to="" two="" up="" was="" where="" with="" x="">
<70 1.5="" 135="" 136="" 137="" 3rd="" 4="" 7:30="" 8:00="" 8:28="" 8:39="" a="" about="" all.="" and="" as="" at="" averaged="" avg.="" bit="" but="" by="" cruising="" did="" down="" due="" easy="" feel="" field.="" finished="" for="" good="" higher="" hills.="" hit="" hr...="" hr="" i="" in="" it="" just="" kept="" last="" local="" loop="" max="" mile="" miles="" my="" nbsp="" no="" not="" of="" p="" pace.="" pace="" park="" picked="" pretty="" pushing="" same="" slightly="" starting="" still="" strides="" the="" to="" two="" up="" was="" where="" with="" x="">First two miles at 8:40 and felt really amazing.  Down to 8 min pace by the 4th mile but still running very easy and just feeling great.  Mile 5 ended at the park with some strides and averaged 7:30 pace.
<70 1.5="" 135="" 136="" 137="" 3rd="" 4="" 7:30="" 8:00="" 8:28="" 8:39="" a="" about="" all.="" and="" as="" at="" averaged="" avg.="" bit="" but="" by="" cruising="" did="" down="" due="" easy="" feel="" field.="" finished="" for="" good="" higher="" hills.="" hit="" hr...="" hr="" i="" in="" it="" just="" kept="" last="" local="" loop="" max="" mile="" miles="" my="" nbsp="" no="" not="" of="" p="" pace.="" pace="" park="" picked="" pretty="" pushing="" same="" slightly="" starting="" still="" strides="" the="" to="" two="" up="" was="" where="" with="" x="">
I stop my watch between strides and walk back so the pace is a bit disingenuous...  Not sure what the protocol for GPSing strides is (not that it matters).  I'm pretty happy with myself that I'm finally doing strides at all... It's one of those things I always mean to do but never actually do.