Running the numbers

I put all of my runs since Jan in a spreadsheet to try to extrapolate where I'll be in a few months. Here's what I found:

1) On average I've been adding 15 minutes of running to my weekly total each month. So for example, if I'm at 35 minutes per workout or 4 miles, 3 times a week, when will I be at 5 miles per workout? Ans: about 7 weeks. But then again, I don't know. It could happen faster, or my recovery and the improvements may slow down or stop altogether or even reverse for that matter. It will be interesting to see what the curve looks like in a couple months. One thing is for sure though-- 8 weeks from now I won't be running 7 miles. I'm used to measuring improvement in miles per week.... and I think this has been one of the problems-- it's difficult to apply my expected improvement in miles per week to each workout (.4 miles/wk divided across 3 or 4 workouts?) Hence, the weird units, minutes per week per month, but even these units are difficult to apply-- 1 mile/workout/7 weeks-- there, that's better.

2) I've run a total of about 85 miles since Jan. Shoes are lasting a long time-- big plus.

400s

Last night I went to the UT track again for circuits, but I got started late and didn't feel up to it, so during the warmup I resolved to run a 400m repeat or two. I haven't done any speedwork since surgery, except a random stretch here and there. I'm always curious to see where I am with respect to where I think I am. Got to the track and did some drills, then psyched myself up and took off. I tried to stay as smooth as possible, not push too hard, run by feel, finished in 1:31. Can't say I was thrilled with the time, but I'll take it-- felt like I was working pretty hard, concentrating intensely on what my legs were doing. I did a couple circuit like exercises and decided I'd give it another try. Took off again, this time I felt like I was more in control-- but I looked over at my shadow and thought I looked a little wonky, like I was working hard, and I guess I was. I thought for sure I was going to improve my time, but clocked another 1:31. Again, I'll take it. Hip felt a little tired after this, but not bad. I felt like my brain and my right hip were the only things on the track the whole time-- negotiating with each other. It's annoying-- hope this goes away. When I got home I could tell I had successfully made my hip pretty sore. But this morning, most of the soreness is gone. I figure I'll do another couple 400's next week and see how it leaves my hip feeling. If it's less sore, I'll chalk it up to muscle weakness, lack of speedwork for so dang long. Overall, I'm happy though. For comparison, I ran at 5:55 pace back in Feb for 15 seconds and was sore for 3 days.

Killing myself

Last Wed I ran to the UT track and did a wimpy circuit workout, 3x with 2 laps between. I was out of town thurs and fri. Saturday I ran with Banjo for 30 minutes, Sunday I did another 40 mile bike ride-- I felt competitive and pulled the group into the wind for long stretches, and nearly killed myself, had real problems finding a pace I could maintain. Monday I ran on the roads for 26 minutes, hard, almost like a tempo-- work related stress? Today I did the shoal creek loop on the bike, splits 9:23, 9:24, 9:19. I'm familiar enough with the course to where I don't think I can squeeze any more out of it except by getting faster. I was thrilled I could drop any time on that last repeat, nearly killed myself trying though.

Shoal creek shootout

I found this route on the UT cycling page-- it's a 3.5 mile loop with a slight incline and a stop sign or two. I've been riding it on tuesdays. I usually do 3 laps and time myself. I started at 10:39 a couple weeks ago and today I got it down to 9:23. It's kinda like running 3000m repeats as far as the duration is concerned. The whole affair takes me about an hour to ride there, do the laps and ride back home. OK, that's all, just log entry....

Run-bike-run-run-bike-run-bike

I've clearly been slacking on the blog lately.... I've logged every workout since my surgery here in my ramblings-- can I remember what I've done for the last 2 weeks since I got the bike? I doubt it matters too much.... What I've done in the last couple weeks is mix the biking and running-- run mon, wed, thurs, sat, and bike tues, fri, sun. It's a fuller schedule than I'm used to, and I'm sure that I'll deviate from it. I've had some good runs-- last thurs I ran on the trail for 30 minutes and did the last 2 miles at 7:30 pace, which was kinda stupid, but I wasn't pushing it, just running by feel....sorta.

The biking has helped with my hip strength-- biking is good for that it seems-- it emphasizes the quads, hips, buttocks, all that upper leg area. The day after biking my hip usually feels good. Today I rode 40 miles with a biking friend. It was fun-- we linked up with some other riders and did some good natured chasing, or whatever you call it when some guy takes off and you try to reel him back. I was able to hang with them, but I didn't do any of the pulling. I was paranoid I was going to overdo it and have to call a cab. I ended the day with a little in the tank, so that was good.....