vacation

From east coast to west coast to far east.  Peter and I are headed to Japan!  I think this will be a good week to rest up and heal completely.  I’ve got the feeling that it will be inconvenient to all for me to run every day in Japan, and I’m hoping that a few days off will restore the pep to my legs.  I am actually pretty happy with my endurance, if I can just get back the speed from a few weeks ago, I’ll be in pretty good shape for track in the spring.  Oddly, this is the first time in my life that I feel limited by muscular issues rather than cardiovascular capacity… heal right hamstring, heal!

Sunday 12/25/2011:  Harvard Bridge via Elliot Bridge (11.9 miles), 1:30:42 (7:37 pace).  Merry Christmas!  Golf course jog with Mom, then took my new compression tights out for a spin by going on a “real” long run!  First 90 minute run in years… Actually I thought this run was 10.8 miles, but the extra mile turned out fine.  Did not feel great for the first few miles, but started feeling stronger a little bit before halfway.  Felt a little more tired coming up the last hill than yesterday, but overall the run felt completely manageable.  Was happy to do a run of this length even though it was really slow.

Monday 12/26/2011:  Charles River Loop (5.3 miles), 43:20 (8:11 pace).  Holy moly, this was the most painful and slow run so far in this training cycle.  I really thought I might have to stop and walk coming up the steep side of the hill at the end.  Legs just feel heavy and tired.  I actually felt pretty good this morning, very little soreness from the long run yesterday, but when I actually got moving my legs felt heavy and dead.  My Mom is improving though, the golf course jog took us under 18 minutes today!

Tuesday 12/27/2011:  Off, packing and travel to Japan.  NO SLEEP...

Wednesday 12/28/2011:  Off, I think this day got lost to the time zone change.  Got to Japan in the evening after dark.  So, so full from tons of food on a marvelous business class seat :)

Thursday 12/29/2011:  Japan River Trail Random Loops (7.7 miles), 59:57 (7:47 pace).  Ooof, this run felt horrible.  Maybe its the flight, the jetlag or lack of sleep, I don't know, but just couldn't get rolling on this one.  Also, R hammy still feels super fatigued and bad.  Might need to take a more significant chunk of time off :-/.

Friday 12/30/2011:  Off, a cool little hike in Japan with Peter, my cousin and his friends.  Beautiful sunny day with a nice view of Mt. Fuji.  R hammy seems fine as long as I don't try to run.  Downhill portion on the hike was brutal, though no one else seemed to be tired.  Do I just not have quads anymore?  Hot Springs and Okonomiyaki to round out a fun day.

Saturday 12/31/2011:  Off, hike into the Nagano mountains to see Snow Monkeys!  Legs feel dead.  

Week #9 Total:  24.9 miles, a good long run... not much else.  Why so dead, legs?