It's all relative

AM: 20+ miles with Elia.  I did feel a bit like trash today, which was odd.  I suppose I was running around a lot yesterday when I was volunteering all day, but still, it was noticeably challenging.  

PM: 6 miles solo.

PM: 14 miles solo, 7:28/mile pace.

AM: 1 fast mile and a fast 200 with Elia, and the rest just helping out. 10.1 total miles.

PM: Workout with Jeremy.  3x1600 with 400 recovery in 2:30 maximum, followed by 1x200 after 20 seconds.  11.5 total miles.

The track was a mess- kids had bags in lanes 1-6, lanes 1-2 had a mat in front of it, we wanted to do mile repeats, but the math was a bit challenging to gauge in lanes 7 and 8, so the workout itself is more effort than actually hitting the times.  Even by interval 3 we had to roll around lane 1 due to a trash can and two benches.  Annoying and it really through off my rhythm overall.  I suppose that mimics race day better than anything, however.

Splits (estimated)- 4:58, 4:58, 5:04, 0:34

PM: PM: 17 miles on the treadmill.  Note to self: I do not enjoy the treadmill for that long.  I ran a bunch of it at marathon effort just to make sure it ended sooner.

PM: 6.1 miles solo, 7:05/mile pace.  This felt super easy, and would have run more but life events get in the way.

AM: 8 miles.

PM: 9 miles.

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Grading myself for week 5 of 7:

Mileage (90%)- My mileage is fine and I am on pace for what I want this week.  The taper will begin next week, so my only regret is the consistency and the build up to 100+ could have been better, but fortunately no injuries seem to be manifesting.

Speed (75%)- Decent workout on Tuesday, good endurance on Wednesday, and a tempo on Saturday @ 16:30 5k pace will be a nice way to end this cycle.  

Nutrition (80%)- Recovery macros, water, and electrolytes were again good this week.  Very consistent, but next week will be tough being up with family.

Racing weight (75%)- I will move to mostly maintaining calories for two weeks, but I hope in the back of my mind to lose two pounds overall.  Goal weight loss is 2 pounds.  Total weight loss- 15 lbs, with 2 lbs to go, but ideally 5 lbs. left before February.  I can finally see abs again, which is a plus.

The next two weeks are taper weeks, so I am not expecting much change.  Hopefully 2 more pounds shed, I'd like to run 70-80 miles and then have a quick taper for the 1st week of January, and just the two or three speed days left: tempo Saturday and a speed day or two at a track next week if I can talk myself into it.

AM: Ran 4 miles and then paced Jeremy for a 5k then ran 5+ more.  He wanted to break 16:30, so we picked a certified course of which there isn't many choices, so we picked a relatively challenging one with lots of turns, but pancake flat.  The course was a bit flooded out and we did loop back into some walkers, but overall it wasn't much of an issue. 

He came in at 16:28!  Very impressive run, since he had never been under 16:47 before despite many tries.  I was happy for him, and happy my pacing seemed to help.  

PM: 5.15 miles to even it out.