Cruising along

This picture was taken in Yarmouth last week during one of my quick and dirty runs between boat trips. It's right along the harbour and if you keep going it eventually starts into a lovely wide multi-use trail that then heads inland for several miles along an old railway line. However, I prefer the ocean views when I can get them.

The running is starting to come along a little bit and I'm feeling much better about my prospects for the coming weeks. After a nice rest day on Monday, yesterday's scheduled workout was a bit of a challenge with 11 miles including 6x1200m with 2 minute rest jogs. It was only slightly modified into 3/4 mile (or 1200m) at a hard effort followed by 400m easy to make the mile distance programmed into my Garmin. This ended up being more like 2:30 rests instead of 2:00 but that's Ok with me. The run was done along the highway on an out and back route after a 3 mile warmup and went very well. I was tired but still 'cruising along' nicely even after the hard bit and ended up with 11 miles in 88 minutes overall which is a good pace for me. That evening I was a bit wasted and needed some ice packs for my aching (still) hams.

Today's recovery run of 6.5 miles was a pleasant surprise as I'd expected to have heavy, sore, tired legs but it didn't happen. It was a pleasant, easy, post-work, floater of a run with a definite effort to try to hold back and not run under 8 minute pace. A perfect sunny, calm not quite crisp fallish day where it was just a joy to cruise around on my seashore route.

I'm now officially registered for the Saint John 1/2 marathon this Sunday and need to start figuring out what the heck my plan is for this. I'm still doing the schedule according to Pfitz but will make Friday and Sat. on the easy side so there is something in my legs for the race. It should be a good test but the weather is not looking good with 20-50mm of rain in the forecast! Maybe I won't be wearing my new racing shoes!! See you later.