Continued Improvement

I ran 47.78 miles last week.  Didn't really seem that special but it was also my 13th highest mileage week ever and it didn't feel particularly tough and I'm not particularly fatigued.  Just a confidence building nod to my bodies adaptation to mileage.

I started this week with another awesome long run.  Weather was in the low 30s heading out the door but there was hardly any wind and the sun was out, plus I bought a couple long sleeves running shirts and some more tights so I actually have the proper gear for once.  Unlike last week, I didn't plan to have a particularly fast long run... just figured I'd go out easy.  First 6 miles were 8:00, 7:52, 8:05, 8:09, 8:04, 8:07... just running by feel and it felt easy.  HR was in the low 140s.  Up until that point, everything felt okay but not great; just so so.  But after I loosened up a bit I started feeling better and better.  I pushed up the effort just a hair and ran 7:56 and 7:58 for mile 7 and 8.  Then 7:45 for mile 9 and 10.  HR was up to 148 by mile 9 but dropped back to 146 for mile 10.

After mile 10, something kind of strange happened.  Maybe runners high?  Maybe it was when I switched from podcasts to music?  Don't know but I kind of hit the flow state.  I ran mile 11 in 7:25 and my average HR dropped down to 144.  Mile 12 I started to really push and ran it in 7:07 with an average HR of 146.  Then mile 13 I really pushed and ran 6:50, with an average HR of 150.  I just kept running faster and faster and my heartrate barely moved and I was barely breathing hard at all.  I probably could have kept going except my legs were getting tired... now I kind of wish I'd pushed it to 14 or 15 miles.  In the end I wound up running:

13.13 miles

1:41:51

7:45 pace

Avg HR: 144

I'm sort of training for a half marathon in February, although I'm pretty certain it's not going to actually happen.  still good to have something to focus on for a training block, real or not.  Either way, I should be going into 2021 looking good.

Yearly Goal Update 

24 days left in 2020

1.  2020 miles run:  1915.41 miles to date.  Need 104.59 more for the year.  That comes out to 4.36 miles a day which is totally doable, as long as I don't get hurt.

2.  5000 Pull ups: 4714  (42 ahead of pace)… I've been killing the pull ups lately and I can notice the difference... I just feel stronger and more solid.  Shoulder joints are taking it better, my grip is improving... 286 more to go over 24 days is 12 a day for the rest of the year.  

3.  5000 Pushups/Bench:  4651 (21 behind pace)… Almost back on pace.  I whipped out 70 straight pushups this morning.  It's funny because I never felt like I was improving on these as much as I should.  Saturday for instance I did 40 and I was feeling it by the end and then suddenly I whipped out 70 this morning...  New obvious goal now is to be able to do 100 straight.  

4.  12500 Steps a day:  899 days straight