I'm Back!

After a whole summer of limping every single one of my runs I finally had a fast long run. I had done a shorter version of this last Friday and had remembered my splits pretty well. My Friday run went a little something like this:

1.25 miles: 9:15
Somewhere between 2 miles and 2.25: 14:56
3.75 miles: 28:55
7.5 miles: ~58:00

Pretty slow run. Stupid ankle was bugging me.

So today it was time to get to work on my miles. 70 miles is the goal for this week so it looks like it's going to be another long week. It's 6:30 and I arrive at the trails in Claremont. It's 6 PM but it's still pretty warm out. I stretch myself out a bit and hit the trail.

Surprisingly my legs felt fine. I had what I was missing for months, control. Control of the pace I wanted to run, if I wanted to go faster I could without feeling like my ankle was going to pop. I had control over how I wanted to run this run and I decided early on that I was going to test the limits of my body.

I am cruising through this run rather quickly. As soon as I pass through 800 meters I begin thinking, "Wow my training is paying off." I pass through 2000 meters at 8 minutes flat, a minute and 15 seconds ahead from a run I did less than a week ago. As I pass the mark and check my stopwatch I am instantly filled with joy. I keep cruising down step by step quicker and quicker as each stride passes through each mile with time passing by and me just having a great time.

The run is still going well, I feel great. It's just me and the trail. I zoom past the "2 mile mark" it says 11:56, whoa. I am running 5 minute pace! Then I pass the middle of the 2 and 2.25 mile marks, 12:55, 2 minutes faster than where I was at last week.

A minute passes by and I come out of the trail, it's time for street running for another 2.5 miles. From here on out it begins with a steep uphill for about 400 meters and then a gradual downhill for another mile and a gradual uphill to the turn around point.

I cruise up the hill with ease, it's as though I'm running flat. Then the downhill comes and I begin to play it very cautious, don't need to be getting hurt here. I pass fruit street, less than a mile to go. I pass by the 3.75 mile mark, 25:04, holy crap almost 4 minutes.

Then comes 4 miles, 26:45. Nice pace, I haven't even broken a sweat. I'm on my way to the 4.5 mile mark and ahead of me are some kids on their bikes. I begin to pick up the pace, my 6:30 pace has turned to 6:00 pace will no signs of slowing down. I pass them and one kid decides to try and race me, I hit the light and it's about to turn red..... SPRINT! I make it, he stops. Nice little race.

I arrive at the 4.5 mile mark at 29:46, on my way to sub 60.

I turn around and it's basically all uphill from here. That's when the pain begins to resurface. Slowly but surely it begins to take toll. Not as bad but I know I have to slow it down so I can recover.

I finally finish the run in 1 hour 2 minutes and 22 seconds.

Sub 7:00 mile pace.

A good start.

Week Total: 9 miles