Unexpected Results

Did 3x mile repeats along Corporate Challenge course. Ran to start line as a warm up. Results were as follows:

Warm up - 1.76 mi

Mile 1 | 6:04
.25 mile easy jog
Mile 1.25 - 2.25 | 5:57
.25 mile easy jog
Mile 2.5 - 3.5 | 5:57 (5:57 pace)

http://www.dailymile.com/people/AllenG/entries/1948612

Those numbers are even better than my best mile repeats when I was marathon training. Don't know where it came from, but I'll take it.

Actually extended the final repeat another .3 mi at the 5:57 pace. What a difference from my last workout. I'd been feeling rather down about myself recently because my previous workout didn't go very well. But I learned something about running the course tonight, and other hilly courses in general. I can't believe it's taken so long for me to realize. I won't share it until I confirm the results in a race. I've got something to be excited about again. And just as my last workout was a bookmark for bad workouts, this workout was a bookmark for a good workout.

The Running Constant

Long day at work? Feeling tired? Down? Out? Lazy? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And Yes. I knew there was only one thing that would give me any chance of salvaging my day: an easy run. Did not feel like it, but I dragged myself out the door right after I got home and enjoyed the one thing I know about running - I never come back as miserable as I when I left.

Character Builder

I dubbed this a character building run because of the rain. Little did I know. The moisture wasn't so bad. The workout itself was. This workout injected a healthy bit of doubt to my psyche.

Warmup - 1.72 mi to start

1 - 3:14

1:44 recovery (.2 mi)

2 - 3:11

1:47 recovery (.21mi)

3 - 3:13

1:43 recovery (.19mi)

4 - 3:10

1:34 recovery (.15mi)

5 - 3:09

1:28 recovery (.16mi

6 - 3:12

I couldn't believe the numbers. All consistently 10s slower than my average effort, and they felt hard! Was it the moisture? The wind? The squats, pull-ups and push-ups yesterday? The long day at work? I did 4x hill repeats last week at ~3:03 and they felt easier. I'm now doubting my goal race in 4 weeks.

As an optimist, I've always liked to "bookmark" my accomplishments. This deserves a bookmark just as much because I'll need to refer to this workout later to remind me that there are bad workouts as well.

My favorite workouts...

It's not any one workout in particular, but it's any workout that feels like it keeps my furnace burning. Case in point, tonight's long hill repeats. The workout consisted of 4 nearly half mile hill repeats where I focused on my cadence, form and leg lifts instead of trying to get up the hill fast. My times for the repeats were 2:59, 3:06, 3:03 and 3:02.

After I got home, I devoured more than half a rotisserie chicken and two servings of brown rice and a handful of almonds, yet still feeling like I ate nothing. Almost five hours later, even though I should be asleep, my engine is still revving with that post workout burn. I don't always get this from my workouts, but I love it when it happens.

Celebrating the Boston Marathon...in Texas

After signing up for the 2010 Boston Marathon, I knew right away where I wanted to celebrate. Being a Travel Channel and Food TV fan, there was no place else to go but Texas and reconnect with the carnivore in me. I decided to retrace some of the Man v. Food locales. Namely...

Salt Lick - best bbq I've had to date

Lulu's - chicken fried steak and cinnamon roll as big as my head

Chunky's - home of the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" burger

Big Lou's - barbecue brisket pizza. Ended up skipping.

Some photos of the trip...

Before diving in to the meat, we had to experience at least one fine dining experience on the riverwalk. I got an unexpected treat. From Biga's on the Riverwalk, quite possibly the best dessert I have ever experienced - sticky toffee pudding on english cream.

After spending the following day at Schlitterbahn and meeting up with our friends, we went to Salt Lick in Driftwood.

If you're ever in Austin or San Antonio, you CAN NOT skip this place. I enjoyed it so much that I ate enough to keep me burping the flavor for 36 hours.

With the ribs still in my stomach, we went to Lulu's the following day to try supposedly the best chicken fried steak in San Antonio and a giant cinnamon roll.

Nope, I did not finish it.
It didn't help that I finished off most of the cheese fries at the top left of the plate.

And finally, the giant cinnamon roll.