Update: February 2 – May 31, 2015

Recently after reading friends’ training blog and make me wonder I really should keep up this blogging.  Well then, here is a somewhat brief what I have done in the last several months. 

February 2 – 8: 36 miles; heel was sore after Country Road 5 Miler, but runnable without workouts.

February 9 – 15: 26 miles; heel felt better and did a 10x30s’ pick up on parkway trail. Family was visiting from oversea and excused myself to run.

February 16 – 22: 0 miles; weather turned to absolutely cold with visiting family, I couldn’t find a better excuse to run.  2015 RRCA Ten Miles Challenge was canceleddue to snow and ice; it worked out well for me.

February 23 – March 1: 34 miles; weather warm up some, family left, and I ran five days. In February 2015, I ran 102 miles.

March 2 – 8: 38 miles; ran five days with one workout (first since April 15, 2014).  The workout plan was 8x800m at miler effort; I ran 3’10.56, 3’05.86, 3’08.39, 3’10.61, 3’09.86, 3’10.81, 3’17.40, and 4’53.29 (ran 1200m instead in the last set).  I was very pleased with it; even splits were not close to what I wanted. 

March 9 – 15: 39 miles; ran five days with one workout.  The workout plan was 3x2 miles at 5k effort; I ran 13’38.09, 13’08.79, and 13’10.51.  My heel started feel funny day after.

March 16 – 22: 30 miles; ran five days with one race on Sunday.  I ran Piece of Cake 10K in 40m'46.44 (6:25.16, 13:04.36, 6:43.63, 6:33.69, 6:33.71, 1:25.89).  I was reward with Volunteer of the Year for 2014 in MCRRC Award Brunch.

March 23 – 29: 37 miles; ran five days with one workout.  The workout plan was 4x2mi at 5K effort with 2m' off, felt heel soreness after first, ran three reps just be cautious; the splits were 13’04.41, 12’59.93, and 13’06.65.

March 30 – April 5: 42 miles; ran five days with one workout.  The workout plan was 2x3mi at 5K effort with 5m' off.  During the workout, the wind in Hais Point was angry, I had to cut the recovery time down to 3m’ to maintain the warmness and flexibilities; the splits were 19’56.28 and 20’02.60.  For March 2015, I ran 159 miles – longest since April 2014.

April 6 – 12: 34 miles; ran five days with one workout and one race.  The workout plan was 6x800m at 10K effort.  I ran 3’09.34, 3’08.28, 3’10.46, 3’03.35, 3’00.86, and 2’58.65.  The race was Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile.  My race plan was to run a solid 1h’05m’.  However, due a fatal accident on the course just minutes before the racestart, the course was alter t0 9.39 miles, and my race plan also interrupted.  Long story short, I ran 1h’01m’55 (6’22.94, 6’35.98, 6’26.17, 6’33.68, 9’20.30, 6’36.77, 6’46.53, 6’47.15, 6’26.27).

April 13 – 19: 34 miles; ran five days without workout.  It was an easy week for me.

April 20 – 26: 31 miles; ran four days with one workout and one race.  The workout plan was 12x400m and I ran 1'29.33, 1'26.69, 1'26.75, 1'27.13, 1'26.58, 1'25.75, 1'25.20, 1'31.21, 1'25.82, 1'28.70, 1'28.49, and 1'25.79.  The race was Pike Peek 10K.  Due to White Flint Mall demolition, PP10K course has changed – push the starting line backward for a half mile (uphill), then right turn off the Pike and become a very short and fast downhill at the finish; I ran 5'57.95, 6'11.47, 6'06.88, 6'17.17, 6'15.03, 7'31.59.  It was too tough for me and I felt my legs were dead for nearly two days.  I also bike commute twice with 65 miles.

April 27 – May 3: 25 miles; easy week with 25 miles; legs were sore for most part of the following week, but still manage to run Capital for a Day 5K on May 2.  I bike commute for about 60 miles for the week and ran 144 miles for March.

May 4 – 10: 38 miles; ran for six days with two workouts and one XC race.  The interval workout was on Tuesday and planned for 8x800m; splits were 3'04.62, 3'02.06, 3'01.08, 2'59.16, 2'59.72, 2'58.35, 3'01.58, and 3'30.20.  Tempo workout for Thursday was 4 miles at marathon pace and I ran 6'56.22, 6'51.44, and 13'27.49.  Sunday was Run Aware 5K XC and I ran 21m’13.

May 11 – 17: 34 miles; ran for five days with one workout and one race.  The interval workout on Tuesday was 12x400m with 90s’ recover.  I ran 1'32.93, 1'32.13, 3'03.40, 3'01.97, 1'29.60, 1'26.42, 1'23.63, 1'23.68, 1'22.37, and 1'22.23.  The race was Germantown 5 Miler and I planned for 31 minutes flat.  It was a warm day at high 70s degree at start and I ran 31m’58 (6'04.61, 6'25.39, 6'35.34, 6'39.71, and 6'15.1).  The weekly bike commute miles were 90.

2015 Germantown Five Miler

May 18 – 24: 38 miles; ran five days and one workout during very warm lunch hour.  The workout was 12x1m’ on with 1m’ recover; it was so warm and humid, I only ran 11 instead.  On May 24, I ran the Seneca Ridge Trail with Alan and Ryan; that was an absolutely beautiful trail to run/hike/bike.  If you are in the area, I strong recommend.  The weekly bike commute miles were 62.

May 25 – May 31: 42 miles; ran five days and one race.  The race was MCRRC Memorial Day Four Miles and I ran 25m’09 (5'58.23, 5'36.54, 6'19.03, 7'15.37).  We tried to repeat the fun on Sunday again on Seneca Ridge Trail, but got lost a few time along the way; however, it was still beautiful and worth.   I biked commute once with 30 miles and logged 159 miles for May.

I am feeling stronger week after week.  I think my plan to return for a marathon this autumn is highly possible.