Weekly Averages ~ Time: 0:56:30 Distance: 6.10 mi. Vertical: 998 ft. (9 runs)
Week 1 of my sophomore season, done. This may seem premature, but the year is already flying by. Usually, for me, that feeling doesn't root itself until after the May doldrums. I'm content with the fast pace, though. This week I put in some good miles, and had a great start of the week in the Issaquah Alps. Ascending Cougar Mtn. on Sunday, and Squak Mtn. on Monday (5,500' of combined vertical gain) instilled a healthy amount of fatigue that forced me to concentrate on form for the rest of the week. Overall, a solid first week performance that will definitely be repeated a lot, this year.
Sorry for the late post, I'm sure everyone was on the edge of their seat.
Sunday, January 1 ~ Cougar Mtn.
Time: 1:06:31
Distance: 5.70 mi.
Vertical: 1,735 ft.
Base Run. First run of '12 and I have to say it wasn't great, but it was good. Headed up Wilderness Peak and ambitiously cranked out at personal record pace...three quarters of the way up this youthful tactic caught up to me and I eased up realizing my mistake. Ascent time: 0:23:11; not bad, but not my fastest. Sat down on the large cedar bench for about 2 minutes and reset myself. Momentarily I decided to call the run off early, but a few strides later the trail caught my interest and I finished out the planned loop, only excluding an extra ascent. I'm laugh at my ambitious attempt now that I'm sitting rested in front of the computer screen. What the hell was I thinking?
Sunday, January 1 ~ Home Loop
Time: 0:24:23
Distance: 3.15 mi.
Vertical: 93 ft.
Recovery Run. Truthfully, that was barely a recovery run. Heart Rate was a beat away from a typical base run. Run #2 on Day #1: success. Shins are a little more fatigue, but hey, a full week without a mountain ascent followed up by 1,700' of vertical gain will make the legs a little more noticeable. Wind howled sporadically, and the street traffic was noticeable subdued.
Monday, January 2 ~ Squak Mtn.
Time: 1:43:24
Distance: 9.55 mi.
Vertical: 3,380 ft.
Base Run. Headed up Squak Mtn, today, for a double ascent. First, Central Peak; descending to May Valley; Second ascent, West Peak; descending back to S.R. 900 and a warmer than the surrounding environment car. The wind, fog, and heavy mist rolled in on the ascent up to West Peak, combined with the sunset the temp dropped quickly. Great run, not sure if I'll head out again tonight.
Tuesday, January 3 ~ Home Loop
Time: 1:03:54
Distance: 8.27 mi.
Vertical: 383 ft.
Base Run. First thing I thought of, this morning, "My legs feel tired. Should have run a recovery run, last night." Instead of hitting the mountains for a third day in a row I ventured around the asphalt pathways and pressed on until my legs felt good. First four miles, tired, sluggish, uncoordinated, and labored breath. Last four miles, 8:03, 7:40, 7:26, 7:17; fresh, fluid, coordinated, and no change in breathing.
Wednesday, January 4 ~ Home Loop
Time: 0:25:44
Distance: 3.17 mi.
Vertical: 87 ft.
Recovery Run. A lazy day and a lazy run. Only took on an easy 3 miler, tonight. Rain held off, wind did not. Not sure what's on the training block tomorrow, but hopefully I can get off the asphalt.
Thursday, January 5 ~ Squak Mtn.
Time: 1:03:22
Distance: 5.94 mi.
Vertical: 2,040 ft.
Base Run. Easy intensity climb up Squak Mtn. from the May Valley parking lot. Felt great on the climb until about 1/2 mile from summit and things just felt hard. Kind of strange. 37:11 ascent time seems a bit slow, but the body felt good. Really enjoyed the fast paced descent.
Time: 0:41:11
Distance: 5.65 mi.
Vertical: 305 ft.
Base Run. I probably consider tonight's weather my perfect running weather. Shivering start, but warmed up to feeling cool the entire run. Not a lot of sweat. Legs felt great. Shins bother me on asphalt, but nothing alarming. Breathing was on target. Heart rate stayed low, and a few sub-7min/mi. to finish things off felt easy and relaxed.
Friday, January 6 ~ Lake Youngs
Time: 1:38:11
Distance: 10.30 mi.
Vertical: 865 ft.
Recovery Run. Wow, new personal low average heart-rate today for a 10 mile run = 129 bpm average. Perfect intensity for recovery on the feet. I say this every week, "Friday morning recovery runs" are a highlight of my weekly running. Ran in the NB minimus trail and they felt great on the wet, often muddy, path. Only a few downhills that require foot placement focus. They won't make you faster or injury free, but if it feels good I don't see anything wrong with wearing them.
Saturday, January 7 ~ Home Loop
Time: 0:21:46
Distance: 3.13 mi.
Vertical: 96 ft.
Base Run. Just a quickie. Honestly, I wish I had planned my morning and evening better to put in a few more miles. Not sweat, though. Ran the last mile up-tempo: 6:15 min./mi.
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