Avoiding Disaster

Monday, June 8
a.m. 68 min Road
10.0M (10.0)

Tuesday, June 9
a.m. 30 min Road
4.5M (14.5)

p.m. 3x2M, 430m recovery, 2M wu/cd
5:10.8, 5:08.2
5:11.5, 5:14.0
5:11.5, 4:54.3
10M (24.5)

Wednesday, June 10
a.m. 44:30 Road
6.5M (31.0)

Thursday, June 11
a.m. 31 min Road
4.5M (35.5)

p.m. 5x1k, 2min rec, 3M wu/2M cd
2:59.02, 2:58.0, 2:55.7, 2:54.3, 2:49.9 (2:55.2 avg)
8M (43.5)

Friday, June 12
a.m. 44 min Road
6.5M (50.0)

Saturday, June 13
a.m. 1:37, 8M @MP +60, 6M@ MP, 2M @MP+60
8M: 51:31
6M: 32:47 - 5:32.0, 5:34.5, 5:16.2, 5:28.2, 5:29.6, 5:27.3 (5:28.0 avg)
2M: 12:52
16.0 (66.0)

Sunday, June 14
Off

Total Miles Week: 66.0
Total Miles Year: 1883.3

The week was pretty standard taper for the most part. I was a little sluggish for the first couple days after back-to-back hard days on the weekend. I finished strong on the tempo runs Tuesday, but I didn't feel that great throughout the workout. I had intended on doing four repeats, but I back out using the excuse that my taper had started and when in doubt I should drop the volume.

Thursday I went to the track to run some speedwork and I it seems now that I narrowly averted disaster. I decided to do some strides on the football field before undertaking the planned 5x1k. I don't know what I did, but on the last stride my left knee/lower IT band got aggravated somehow. It didn't bother me too much at the time so OF COURSE I went ahead and did the workout, which OF COURSE went well and had me feeling confident, and OF COURSE heading out for an easy run on Friday I had a stabbing pain in my knee that made running painful.

It looks like the story has a happy ending however. I stretched, iced, and all that jazz Friday. Being in the middle of a taper helped as well since I didn't have a p.m. run to do Friday. Saturday I went ahead with the MP workout even though I was still somewhat sore, knowing I could always take Sunday off, which I was probably going to do anyways. I got through Saturday's workout without too much trouble and the rest on Sunday seems to have alleviated some of the pain. Heading out the door today felt better and its gotten better throughout the day. It only really hurts when I have a high knee lift - like sprinting, for instance - so it shouldn't be too hard to avoid that this week. Fingers crossed it clears up even more by Saturday.

As far as the race pace goes, I'm leaving it open, but I might go out more conservatively than previously planned. I had intended to go out on PR pace (~1:12:30), but something about the last few workouts has me feeling like that might be too aggressive. I know its probably lack of confidence at this point and I just need to get in the race and see how I feel, but I've never had a good race at Grandma's and I feel like this year I just want to get into town around 19-20 and feel like I'm picking up steam instead of fading. I'd settle for holding steady even. So now I think 1:14 might be better at halfway. Of course, if by some chance there is a pack that is running right at that 5:30-5:35/mile pace I might stick my nose in there, but that is usually a very lonely range at Grandma's and probably even more so this year since it looks like everybody is running the 1/2 marathon. But my number is 49 so that means there could be a good chunk of guys ahead of me. Or not. Seed numbers never really the whole story.

Weather looks fair at the moment, but as always, it will change many times between now and 7:30 a.m. Saturday. As long as we avoid SW winds (2006?) it should be alright. Even rain doesn't scare me at this point.