Quality Workouts!

I am very happy with my work-outs this week.  After a recovery run on Monday (post 22-miler on Sunday) I was back at it at the Metrodome on Tuesday night.  After a mile of warm up I quickly settled into my marathon-pace and held it there for several miles.  It was kinda tough as they had the heat cranked up in the dome and it was very stuffy, hot and dry.  After about mile 7, I started to pick up the pace an finished the rest of the run in the 6:30 to 6:40 range.  Felt relaxed and in control the entire run, so I was very pleased, especially after only two days off from my long run.  Wednesday was 10 miles easy with run club and my daughter, Thursday was recovery and Friday night was a nice relaxed 12-mile GA run.  Did another recovery run Saturday night and went into Sunday morning's work out a little tired.  Did some hillwork with Malena (nice work by the way Malena on Christmas Lake hill) for the first 5 miles, ran mile 6 at about 8 minute pace and then ran marathon pace (6:52) for 12 miles and part mile 13.  It felt quite easy to get to 6:52 pace and had do hold back a little.  I reached downtown Hopkins with about 7 miles left and decided to open it up a bit.  I managed a couple of 6:40 miles, but was fighting a slight wind and still a few icy patches left on the roads and sidewalks.  So anyway, I managed 19 miles total with 12+ miles at Marathon-pace, just what Mr. Pfitzinger prescribed.  I'm nothing, if not obedient!

So there you have it, 75-mile week, with 3 quality work-outs and I'm feeling pretty darn good.  I have to admit that I have been totally lazy when it comes to nutrition and post run work-outs.  I'm taking a little different approach this cycle and not getting so hung up about always eating the right things or working out 4 times per week.  I want to get back to running for enjoyment and I felt like I was depriving myself of a little too much.  So, occasionally I'll eat at MacDonald's or have some cookies that someone has left in the break room.  Everything in balance?  I figure that I'll run better if I'm happy, right?

I will be in San Francisco next Saturday, so I plan on doing my long-run as a running sight-seeing tour of the city.  I really enjoy San Francisco and am looking forward to the run.  Great place for some hill work-outs.

Happy Running!