Today's run.

Well, today was a great run. I went to the gym with Tammy after getting out of school early. Was planning on a long run and ran 7 miles in 58 minutes or around 8:20 pace. On a treadmill I get bored pretty easily so I mix things up. As I have stated earlier I run with the treadmill set on Random so it is always climbing up hill. I had been running at the number 1 setting out of 20 (which is something crazy like a 15 percent grade!) the last week I have set it at three so it goes up to about a 3.5 percent grade I believe on the highest hills during the run. So, they are huge, but they can last 1-3 minutes before dropping down to 2.5 or 1 percent. I can definitely feel that I am getting stronger as the hills really aren't bad anymore unless I am at a fast pace.

Today I started at 8:56 pace and slowly got faster. Each .25 of a mile I would up the pace about 8 seconds a mile or so until I got to 2 miles and then I would up it about 8 seconds a mile each tenth. I worked my way up to about 7:20 pace and then worked my way back down until I got to 8:30 pace. Once I hit 6 miles then I went from 8:30 up to 6:45 increasing each .10 of a mile until I hit seven miles in 58 miles. I did my cool down to finish the last couple of minutes so that I had an hour. So with the warm up and cool down I was just under 8 miles.

The plan for the rest of this week is to run two 45 minute runs along with a hour and ten minute run. I will do that for the following week as well. Again I will have one session as a repeat session running .25 at 5:30-6:00 pace and then .25 with rest with a couple mile warm up and cool down. Then another run as a fartlek running from 7:15-30 for .5-1 miles with a little rest in between the repeats. I am going to Colorado the week of Jan 24-31 to go skiing so I doubt I will run much. If I can get in a 2 mile run a couple of times that would be awesome, but I will be skiing so my legs will be getting a workout and a good rest from running! Once I get back I will continue with the running, but I will have a 5k the following Saturday so that is exiting. It will be my first 5k in nearly 4 years so I am excited!

Now, for the biking! I have a goal in mind. I hope to start riding to work! Unfortunately, work is only about 4-5 blocks away! So, I plan on bringing some riding clothes and if I have the time I will ride a 8 to 12 mile loop of gravel to get home. One thing I have found with Trans Iowa and other major distance events is the people that commute really have a huge advantage! I would say even a bigger advantage than people that actually really train hard for those events. So, we will see how that goes!

Good news on the riding front! I registered for the Dirty Kanza 200 for May 30th! This gravel grinder in Kansas is a race I have had the privilege of riding twice. I have also finished twice. I love this race and was really bummed to miss it last year and can't wait to make it back this year!

Also, my great friend Jim McGuire has told me he is wanting to sign up for the Breck 68 that will be in July! I really want to do that race and who knows.... I just might have a new bike???? %^)

Happy training!