A workout? Why not!

Today I finally felt recovered enough for my watch to schedule a workout—and I was more than ready to get after it.

The session called for a 15-minute warmup, followed by 8 x 40-second intervals at a 6:05 pace with 3-minute recoveries, and a 10-minute cooldown. I’d done a similar workout (8 x 400m at a comparable pace) about a month ago, so I knew this one was well within reach.

I felt great during the warmup, and while the intervals were tough, 40 seconds is short enough that by the time it really starts to hurt, it’s basically over. I pushed the cooldown a bit to try to sneak my average pace under 8:00—and I made it. Final stats: 6.44 miles in 51:20 for an average pace of 7:58. That’s my longest workout at sub-8:00 pace in 11 months.

The hardest part was shifting gears—going from a 9:00 pace straight into a 6:00 pace is jarring. I ended up running most of the intervals a little too fast, with several in the 5:30s and 5:40s. To make things more confusing, my watch couldn’t adjust its pace reading quickly enough, so it kept alerting me that I was too slow, which pushed me to speed up even more when I was probably already on target.

All in all, I’m really satisfied with how it went. Garmin’s prescribed workouts are usually a bit easier than what I’d design for myself, but they consistently leave me feeling appropriately fatigued—and riding that post-workout dopamine high. Right now, they’re helping me avoid the trap of overtraining and burnout.

Even though the workouts are sporadic, I’m still getting the mileage in. With no races or major goals on the horizon, there’s no reason not to take it slow and focus on building a solid base.

Recovery Run

Basically a rest day… just with some easy mileage.

The plan called for 27 minutes at a 10:55 pace. I ended up running 27:32 at a 9:45 pace—I finished on a downhill, which explains the extra 32 seconds.

You could argue 9:45 is a bit fast for a recovery run, but honestly, it felt like the easiest jog I could manage. My heart rate averaged 126, which is about the same as when I go for a brisk walk—so I’m not too worried about it.  Also, I should add that I logged a slower than average run, slowed down my monthly average pace by ~2 seconds, and survived to tell the tale.  Hey, if anything, sandbagging a few runs should make it easier to show improvements in the future!

Physically and mentally, I’m feeling pretty good today. Fingers crossed for a solid night’s sleep, and then I’ll be ready to tackle something a little more challenging tomorrow.

I’m closing in on 80 miles for the month with 10 days still to go, so I should be breaking that 100-mile barrier again without much trouble.

The only mild concern right now is a bit of soreness in my left Achilles. I've been running on it, and thankfully it doesn’t seem to be getting worse—but I’m trying to stay mindful. I’m not entirely sure if a harder effort might aggravate it. Hopefully not, but if it does, I’m really hoping I’ll have the discipline to ease off before it turns into something more serious.

Another easy 4

Today called for another easy 4-miler as I continue to ease back into things. I made a conscious effort to keep the pace relaxed and run by feel, deliberately avoiding glances at my watch as much as possible. I ended up averaging 8:35 per mile—still a bit quicker than the prescribed 8:55 pace, but definitely an improvement over yesterday. My heart rate averaged 138 bpm, which is another positive sign that things are trending in the right direction.

I woke up with tired legs and was really craving a rest day, but I pushed myself out the door anyway. The run actually felt better than expected—even above average—but I’m still feeling pretty drained now. After three fairly easy, shorter days, I’m starting to wonder if I just need to bite the bullet and take a day off. Then again, it’s possible I’m still recovering from the weekend, and tomorrow might feel different.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with taking a day or two off, but between tapering and race recovery, I’ve already had as many rest days this month as I did in all of last month. For now, the plan is to run tomorrow and Friday, then reassess heading into the weekend.

On a brighter note, there's a temperature drop coming—and Saturday brings the first middle school XC meet of the season. Here's hoping that this brings me a much-needed dose of motivation to snap me out of this little funk I'm falling into.

Trusting the Process (Even When It’s Hard)

Another day, another 4 miles — this one at an 8:21 pace.
It felt okay, but my max heart rate crept above my target zone, and my average HR was several beats higher than it was on a similar run last Friday.

I’m probably still carrying some fatigue from the weekend, but I’m also slipping back into a pattern I know too well: running my easy days too fast. Just a few weeks ago, my target pace for base runs was around 9:20, and I was usually landing somewhere between 8:45–8:55. Now, with some recent fitness gains, that target pace has shifted to 8:55 — yet I'm cruising in the 8:20s.

Sure, it still feels relatively easy, but I can feel the fatigue accumulating. My watch keeps pushing recovery suggestions, which leads to shorter runs — when what I should be doing is slowing down, staying patient, and gradually building mileage. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow’s scheduled workout ends up downgraded to a short base run.

I keep letting my ego and self-doubt creep in.
Deep down, I know that slowing down and focusing on volume is what my body needs right now. I proved that to myself back in July when I finally committed to easy effort running — and the gains were real and tangible. But when I’m out there in the moment, it’s hard not to chase that lower pace. Sometimes I think I’m just trying to prove to myself that the progress I’ve made lately isn’t a fluke.

And then there’s the monthly average pace. It’s a silly number, objectively meaningless in the bigger picture of training — but watching it drop still gives me a weird sense of achievement... Especially right now, when I don’t have any short-term race goals on the calendar.

Still, I know better.
If I want to keep improving — sustainably, without injury or burnout — I have to trust the process. I have to run slower, even when I don’t want to. Because in the end, it’s not the daily pace that defines progress — it’s the consistency, the mileage, and the willingness to play the long game.

Heat advisory? No sweat!

A little thing like a heat advisory didn’t stop me from heading out for a 9.39-mile run on Saturday morning. I got out the door around 9 a.m., but it was already starting to warm up. By the final couple of miles, the combination of heat, beating sun, and radiating pavement had me absolutely cooked. I finished the run in exactly 1:20, averaging an 8:31 pace. From a cardio and leg effort standpoint, it felt pretty easy—but the heat had my heart rate creeping into the 170s by the end.

Scrolling through my training log afterward, I realized that this was actually my longest continuous run since November 2022. You’d think that would be enough running for one day... but being the glutton for punishment that I am, I decided to head back out in the evening for a few more miles—this time with my daughter.

We drove to a nearby XC course that’s known for its hills and logged an additional 3.01 miles at an 8:25 pace. The sun was starting to set, which made it more manageable, but it was still hotter than ideal. We wrapped up the outing with some well-earned Mexican ice cream.

After taking Sunday off, I woke up this morning to Garmin advising me to take another rest day. Two days off in a row? Not happening. So I laced up again and ran 4.10 miles at an 8:45 pace. I aimed to keep my heart rate under 140 and mostly succeeded—until the final mile when the heat started to catch up with me again (yep, heat advisory still in effect). Garmin now says I’ve got 61 hours of recovery time ahead of me. Hopefully a solid night’s sleep will help chip away at that.

On a positive note, I'm achieving things I haven't in years—which feels incredibly rewarding. But now comes the tricky part: making sure I don't overdo it and burn out. At the same time, I can’t afford to take too many days off and risk losing the consistency I’ve worked so hard to build. I’ve spent too long just treading water, and now that I’m finally moving forward, I don’t want to slip back into that rut. It’s a balancing act, and I’m learning to walk the line.

Aerobically conditioned and running efficiently

Today was an easy one: 4.06 miles at an 8:23 pace. My target was 9:00 per mile, but I felt good this morning, and cruising at 8:30 felt effortless. In hindsight, maybe I could’ve dialed it back a bit, but 34 minutes of running feels so short these days. My heart rate averaged 140 bpm, which is solid evidence I didn’t push too hard.

It’s amazing how much progress I’ve made in the last 6–8 weeks. A couple of months ago, this pace would’ve left me completely gassed. Now, it’s my easy pace. I’m finally building aerobic conditioning—and I’d bet my running form is getting more efficient too.

It’s been a real grind over the past few years. I averaged around 50 miles per month, occasionally creeping into the 80s, but it never felt like enough. Lately, though, I’ve been hitting closer to 100 miles per month, and that seems to be the tipping point. For the first time in a long time, I actually feel fit.

Best of all, when I head out the door now, I feel good. I’m starting to enjoy running again. For so long, it was just painful—I knew a breakthrough was possible, but it always felt just out of reach. Now, I’m finally seeing the light. I’ve got new hope.

Completely recovered and building fitness

Saturday’s 5K and the rest of the weekend's festivities definitely took their toll—I started the week feeling sore, stiff, and thoroughly fatigued. After taking Sunday and Wednesday off, I finally felt rested and refreshed this morning.

Today’s workout was a structured sprint session: warm-up, followed by 9 x 15-second sprints with 3 minutes of recovery jog between each, and a 5-minute slow recovery jog after every third sprint. I wasn’t sure if the 3-minute recovery was meant to be complete rest, but I opted to keep moving with a light jog.

The warm-up was surprisingly smooth. I settled into about an 8:20 pace, and my legs felt great—light and responsive. The sprints themselves were challenging but manageable. As the intervals progressed, I felt fatigue setting in, especially in muscles I don’t typically engage this intensely. Then again, how often does a 46-year-old get the chance to sprint?

I wrapped up the session with 6.53 miles at an average 8:28 pace, and an average heart rate of 142 bpm. I was especially encouraged to see my heart rate drop into the 130s during the recovery intervals—a promising sign that my fitness is heading in the right direction.

Looking at the Bigger Picture:

In terms of the broader training picture, I’ve now logged 543 miles for the year. Even with four days off in August and a taper, I'm still on pace to hit 106 miles this month. That will bring me just over 600 miles with four months left in the year—which means, if I can simply maintain my current level of training, I’m on track to break 1,000 miles in 2025.

It’s encouraging to see that kind of consistency paying off, especially as my body adapts and my fitness continues to improve. Staying steady, staying healthy—that's the goal.

Into the 50s

My Garmin VO2 max hit 50 for the first time since June 2023.  That's up from 41 at the beginning of January and I've been gaining about 1 point a month.  I know its arbitrary but I've been waiting for that 50 spot for a while... I peaked at 49 last year and then quickly declined and this year I've been at 49 since mid July.

Maintaining motivation is the next hurdle.  Grade school XC season is just beginning and that keeps me excited about running.  I drop Maya off at 6:10 in the morning and then it's my turn to run.  Having a reason to get up and ready at 5:20 AM gives me a lot more time to prep and get a run in.  I've been continuing to follow the Garmin watch coach plan as well so having something dictating my work has helped keep me headed out the door as well. 

My weight loss continues as well, albeit slowly.  I'm down about 10 lbs on the year to 185.  I've been stalled out at 185 for a couple weeks now but if I keep training and the miles keep going up then hopefully the weight will keep dropping.

Today's run went pretty well.  I am still sore and stiff from Saturday's 5K and didn't feel the best as I got out the door.  I was happy that the plan was only calling for 34 minute run at 9:00 pace.  Once I got moving I felt ok... eventually I started pushing it a bit too much probably.  I ran 8:37, 8:29, 8:09, 8:00 for my splits and finished with 4.11 miles at an average pace of 8:16 and average HR of 145.  I felt pretty good about that until I compared it to Maya's run if 4.16 at an average pace of 7:58.  Clear case of one ups man ship.  At least I can beat her in a 5K (for now).  

Old Settlers Days - 5K Race Report 2025

Made it through another training cycle and another Old Settler's Day race. At this point, I’m basically down to one race a year, so it’s become my annual fitness test. I’ve been training more consistently than I have the past couple of years, so I came into race day with some decent expectations.

My original goal was to break 21 minutes, but my buildup was a bit slow. By race day, I had a feeling I wasn’t quite there yet—maybe in a few weeks or a month—but not today. That said, perspective helps: two years ago, I ran this race after taking two full months off and finished in 24:55. Last year, I did some unfocused training and ran 22:19. So I knew I was in better shape this time and ready to be content with whatever the clock showed.

I woke up far too early—around 4 a.m.—and couldn’t fall back asleep. Eventually, I got up, took allergy meds and Mucinex to clear out the airways, and went for a short walk to loosen up. Later, I woke up Maya to get her ready. Kenna had planned to walk it with us, but we couldn’t get her out of bed, so it was just Maya and me.

We left the house at 7:30 and jogged over to the race. Along the way, we ran into the middle school girls XC team, so Maya joined them while I continued on my own. I did about a mile warm-up at a very easy pace and was already starting to feel hot. It was 77 degrees—sunny and humid.

At the start line, I didn’t feel amazing, but not bad either. My legs often feel off before races, but I’ve learned not to read too much into that. I lined up near the front this year to save a few seconds, and at 8:00 a.m., we were off.

I started a little too fast, but stayed calm. Once the adrenaline wore off, I settled into a steady rhythm. As usual, there were a lot of people who went out too hard, and I passed quite a few between the 0.25 and 0.5 mile mark. Things leveled off from there. I hit the first mile at 6:40 pace—maybe a little fast for my current fitness, but within range of my goal.

In mile two, I focused on staying relaxed and cruising without letting up too much. I came through that mile in 6:59 and passed a few more runners. By mile three, I was hurting. My heart rate had already hit 170 by the end of the first mile, and I was red-lining by this point. I passed my house and tossed my sunglasses to the yard, then hit the tough stretch where my mind always starts to spiral: Why not just stop? What’s the point? You could just jog this in.

But I kept it together. Still managed to pass a few more runners and held a 7:05 pace for that mile—so the slowdown was minimal. With about a quarter mile to go, I rounded the final turn. Heart rate was up to 179, but I could see the finish. Two runners were just ahead, and I caught them at around 200 meters to go. Just in case they responded, I gave it everything—pumped my arms, kicked hard, and pushed all the way through. My heart rate peaked at 183, which is higher than I even knew it could go.

Final time: 21:20—almost exactly a minute faster than last year.

Maya came in at 23:06, a PR by a couple of minutes. After the race, we went home to clean up, then walked back for the award ceremony.

Turns out, we both placed 3rd in our age groups. I was happy to snag a medal, and especially proud that Maya got one too. Our age groups—M45-49 and F11-14—are some of the more competitive ones, so it was nice to place. The winner of my age group ran 17:09, but 2nd place came in at 20:25, which makes that spot feel potentially within reach next year. More importantly, the 4th place guy was just 4 seconds behind me—one of the two runners I passed in the last 200 meters.

Maya, too, had a tight race—just one second behind 2nd place and seven seconds ahead of 4th. Lots of local XC runners in the mix, many of whom she’ll be racing this fall. Hopefully, starting the season with a big PR is a sign of what’s to come.

Overall, I’m really happy with my effort and the result. My heart rate last year hovered in the 160s and topped out at 175. This year, it was consistently higher—despite hotter, more humid conditions—which tells me I was more conditioned to push harder.

I feel like I’m finally getting back into shape. If I can keep the momentum going and stay consistent for another year, maybe I can break that 20-minute barrier again.

5.5 miles away

 After today's 5.15 mile run I'm sitting at 521.55 miles for the year which puts me roughly 5.5 miles away from surpassing my 2024 total mileage for the year.  With nearly 5 months left in 2025 I'm proud of that accomplishment.

Also today:  5.15 miles at 8:44 pace with an average HR of 139.  A couple comparable are 5.01 miles on May 2nd at 8:46 pace with an average HR of 148 and 5.18 on July 2nd at 8:53 pace with an average HR of 150.  It's always good to have confirmation of recent gains.  Also encouraging to see my HR lowering on easy runs as I build aerobic fitness... it seemed until recently that no matter how easy I ran, my HR was still overly elevated so this is positive progress for sure.

Every time I get out of shape I develop serious doubts that I will ever be able to build up my fitness again, and every time it seems to get a little bit harder but so far I've always been able to pull through in the end.  

Miles and more miles

 Another workout today brought to you by Garmin Coach.  10 min warm up, 4 X 5 minutes at 7:55 with 2 minute active recovery, then 10 minute cool down.  Ran 7:33, 7:32, 7:14, 7:35 pace for the intervals, running by feel.  Maybe a bit harder than prescribed but certainly manageable.  

Hitting these workouts are fun but the real key is the mileage.  I'm hitting 5 milers on the reg now which is not a lot but a lot more than I've been able to handle for years.  Wednesday, Thursday, Friday will be taper and recovery days before Saturday's race.  After that, I'm going back to base building.  Might put something on the Garmin Coach calendar and let Garmin dictate the workouts for a while longer since it's been working so well.  

I looked back at my training from 2019 and it seemed like things really rounded out once I started upping my long runs.  I've been maxed at 8 miles for quite a while now so time to get those back into the double digits.  More base building into September and then start hitting the workouts again as the weather gets cooler.  

Keep building that base

 August has started and I need to keep building that base.  I feel stronger and fitter than I have for a while.  Not top fitness but just enough fitness that I can actually start doing some real training.  Workouts have been limited so far but I've increased my mileage and am finally back to the point to where running 5 miles is relatively easy.  

I ran 5 on Friday, Saturday, and Monday and Sunday I took off but only because I was busy cleaning all day.  I was on my feet all day and still feel like I got some work in even if it wasn't true aerobic effort.

Saturday I ran a progression run with 1 mile warm up at 8:34 then 7:44, 7:20, and 7:02 before an 8:00 minute cooldown.  It was a good solid effort but not overly taxing.  I have been extra cautious to not overdo it and burn myself out.

This Saturday is race week so should take it relatively easy this week and let my body recover.  Not sure if I'm quite at the point I would like to be but I've been consistent and put in work so we'll see where it gets me.