Chicago Week 5 Training

After last week's cutback and successful half marathon it was back to the regular schedule this week. Plan was for about 75 miles over 8 runs (so 1 double day). Wasn't sure how I was going to feel after trashing my legs at the SF half, so I had decided I would allow myself to bail on anything if it didn't feel good.

• Monday - very easy 7.5 at 8:30 pace at lunchtime. quads definitely feeling Sunday's run but overall not too bad.
• Tuesday - easy 7.5 in the morning and a short (3 mile at 6:23) tempo in the evening. Ran the tempo a little slower than normal - no problems.
• Wednesday - 8.5 miles at 7:40 pace
• Thursday - an easy 6
• Friday - 11 at 8:07 pace with some hills
• Saturday - a nice hot noon run at the track. decided to run a variety of distances "fast". started with 100m, did 3 of them with the fastest being 15.47 (4:09 pace), then 200 in 33s, 400 in 77s, 800 in 2:53, 1200 in 4:23 and 1600 in 6:02. then it was time to come back down, so i did the 1200 but could only manage 4:32, so i called it a day. next time i will see if i can get all the way back to down the 100s, hitting the same times on the way down as the way up. fun stuff
• Sunday - a 19 miler thru the hills. had the added excitement of tripping over my running buddy as he fell to the ground having tripped over an imaginary, invisible something or other. my first ever fall. it was on a gravel path so cut my hands, elbow and knees but i think i'll survive.
• Total - 77 miles and not feeling too bad.

Next week it steps up to 85 miles and in terms of workouts I'd like to get a longer 7+ mile tempo in, another trip to the track for another ladder workout, and then a 21 miler to wrap things up at the weekend. Everything else will be 8ish pace.