Training: 7 - 13 February

Monday, 2-7-2011
Monday: Jeff's Noon Loop + VRC -  9 miles
Ran easy w/Jeff, then added on solo. Felt OK. Flat and easy.

Tuesday, 2-8-2011
Rexius loop from Tamarack - 5 miles
Had a patient at Tamarack Pool, so I ran from/to there, via Rexius trail, which is in great shape since it's been so dry. Tired today.

Wednesday, 2-9-2011
Willamette Path w/Jeff (to Owosso) - 9 miles
Ran a flat 9 with Jeff over lunch, felt OK but I was a little dehydrated. Jeff was really dehydrated, per usual, so when he started dragging after the bridge, we stopped at VRC for a drink. Felt a lot better after that.

Thursday, 2-10-2011
NOON: South Eugene - 4 miles
Typical South Eugene loop. Nice day.
NIGHT: SEHS Track Workout w/Maggie - 7 miles
Met Maggie at SEHS for our last K session. 3mi warm-up, then strides, then 3xROR Ks -- faster than we've done them yet: all in the 3:20s, even though she was tired. Good workout and another beautiful night -- we've gotten so lucky! 1 mile cooldown on the track for an even 7.

Friday, 2-11-2011
PRE/Hendricks Climb + Rexius - 17 miles
Ran solo after work, since Jeff was ill again. I wanted to run Hendricks + Ridgeline/Spencer, but when I changed into my running stuff I found I had NO SOCKS. With no time to run home, I ran without any. Bad move.

BEAUTIFUL DAY: nearly 60 with mostly sunny skies. Awesome!  Felt a lot better than last week, kept it easy through PRE and floated along up/down Hendricks, but by the time I finished stomping down Hendricks, I could feel my feet getting raw (even before, on Knickerbocker). Sucked. By the time I got to Hilyard they were pretty damn bad but I was 10 miles in. I ran down to Rexius; knowing it'd be disastrous to go up, I stuck on the trail. About a mile-ish in, I figured I'd just run barefoot! So I did, running >2mi along the bark. It felt GREAT when the bark was soft, but brutal when I came across gravely sections.

Ran the last 3+mi in shoes, which sucked to put back on. Finished up in exactly 2:00:00 for the run. Drank NUUN on the run for the first time, which tasted good and was friendly on the stomach.

Saturday, 2-12-2011
Oakmont Park + Skinner/Willamette Path - 6 miles
Met Sarah-Kate for a coaching session, running easy and doing some imagery. After fooling around a bit, I went on a solo run. Felt pretty good, not too tired from the long run.

Sunday, 2-13-2011
TRUFFLE SHUFFLE 4M + long cooldown - 17 miles
Very tired going into the 30th running of the Truffle Shuffle. Did an easy 3-shuffle for warm-up, then waited around for the start. Just minutes from the start I saw and met (finally) Craig Thornley and Meghan Arbogast, with whom I would eventually do a nice, long cooldown.

But not til I sucked at a 4M, first!

Got out seemingly relaxed, but running that hard -- basically running in the 5:xxs per mile -- was such a shock that I really fell off. After the first mile (5:11), I "settled back" -- fell off the back -- of the lead group of 4-6 runners. Over the next 1-2 miles we strung out even further. At mile two I heard an erroneous split: 10:20 -- so I thought I was doing a good job hanging on. But in actuality it was more like 10:40!

Focused on form and NOT getting a R-sided diaphragm cramp over the next 2 miles. Not much of a hard finish at the end, and I decided against the "B### Kick" over the last 400m, though there was a guy right in front of me.

Finished in a pedestrian 21:46. I've run marathon tempos faster, but all-in-all, it's right where I SHOULD be right now.  Splits: 5:11, 5:22, 5:37, 5:36.  Sheesh.

Changed into cooldown gear, then met a big crew for a cooldown. Ran with Craig, Meghan, Lewis Taylor (who finished right behind me, and ALSO thankfully did not b%%-kick), and Tom-something ("Tea-Bag?"). Ran very easy east along PRE, into Springfield, then to Dorris Ranch -- one of my favorite runs. Just approaching Dorris, we ran into Dan Olmstead and Dan Wojcik. Did a lap inside Dorris (:p), then ran easy back.

Felt a range of good to nasty gut-rot -- I ate something odd last night, because I had it all day -- had to stop twice in Island Park to deuce. Overall it was a fun, easy run.  It was great to meet and run with that group today; I had a great time, and I look forward to learning a lot more from these "crafty veterans"!

Good day: 3 warm-up, 4 race, 11 easy cooldown. Another double long-run for the week.

TOTAL: 75 miles
SUMMARY:  Pretty good week.  Double long runs, and a nice wake-up call that I'm very slow and out of shape.  Or, perhaps more accurately, that I can't get away with not running hard for three months, nor can I do a 17-miler this early and expect to run fast 2 days later. Really glad I met with with "Lord Balls" and "The Queen".  It was fun being one of the minions!