50K training week 5 and Week 1 at the new job

Tired, long week with starting a new career - which I am getting more and more into every day - as well as running 60 miles - longest week of running ever.

2 days into my new job I called the other new part time job that I was supposed to start at this weekend and declined the job - schedules are just not going to work out, plus I can pick up OT eventually at the new place - which is requiring my full attention getting these first few weeks getting familiar with it.  But in short - I am excited about this new chapter in my life and as the pages unfold - where it will lead.  So far, I'm fitting in well and doing okay also - it seems.

But this is my running bloggy / journal - so on to that......

Sunday I stole a few hours to get in my loop of Falcon - I was pressed for time so I decided it was as good a time as any to throw my best effort at it.  2 days earlier I had run my second fastest lap (in either direction), that being in the clockwise direction.  Sunday it was counter clockwise direction - I consider this a better / faster time for me going this way, but other people consider clockwise faster.    I knew that if I wanted to break any previous good times, I needed to be as close to 60 minutes by halfway (which I had never got under in previous efforts) so as to then gun the 2nd half which has much more downhill.   I pushed hard the first half aiming for the magical 60 minute mark - in hindsight probably a little too much was spent early, as the second half I felt myself falling off the wagon.  But the first half exertion was worth it as I passed 6 1/2 miles at 57 1/2 minutes - an almost 3 minute advantage over previous bests!

I was stoked, but had a long way to go - including a tough and unrelenting hill going up past the fire station.  I basically just tried to maintain my effort for the rest of the way and try to get the uphill sections over and done with.  I was doing well, the fire station hill was manageable, albeit slow.  Then the meandering down towards the football stadium I managed to recover okay.  With a mile to go I was essentially spent - but by now so far ahead of previous best times I needed to see just how low could I go.  After the final uphill 1/2 mile till the end - admittedly that I almost had to walk up - I was so spent - I pushed with what I had left and made it back to the parking lot.  Of course the loop is just under 13 miles so I always run around the parking lot at the end of each lap to bring the total up to 13 miles.  After 13 miles a new PR: 149:48 - beating my old PR (in either direction) by 2 1/2 minutes.  Of course I am thrilled with that - especially because I have run a lap of this trail each week since Sept / Oct and too drop so much time off my previous best was really rewarding.

I recovered well with no ill effects on the sticks - which was good because Monday was my first day at work and it involved a lot of walking.  After work I then ran 20 miles.  Ending in the dark.  Started at 8th St Wal-Mart and went North on the Santa Fe Trail up to about a 1/2 mile past Woodmen Rd and back.  The first 10 miles were at a steady 8:45 pace.  The last 10 miles I dropped down to an 8:30 average for a few miles, but then fatigue caught me and I slowed.  Still ended with the overall average at 8:35 pace for 20 miles.  The last couple miles in the increasing darkness were especially tiring.

Tuesday a much needed rest / recovery day from running.

Wednesday I didn't work till the afternoon so in the morning I attempted a Double Herman (16 miles w/ 4800' of gain).  I bailed out on the second lap after experiencing way too much ice and several resulting hard falls in Limbaugh Canyon.  I did go back up to the summit for the second lap and then continued on exploring some other trails that lead off the main trail just before going down into the canyon.  After exploring I then took Mt Herman road back to my car - a  nice 3+ mile gentle downhill that rounded out 15 total miles and 4500'+ of gain.

Thursday it was snowing on a 6 mile easy run on Santa Fe Trail.  Going North for 3 miles into the oncoming , driving snow was a bit harsh, but after turning it was pretty nice to have the wind at my back - I even could keep my eyes open on the way back - not the case on the way up most of the time.

Friday worked out that I couldn't get a run in due to work commitments.

Saturday morning before kids soccer games I got some (moderate) tempo in for 6 miles on Santa Fe trail.  Didn't want to go too nuts so I ran an easy first mile, then a 7 minute 2nd mile, easy 3rd mile, turned around and did 7:30 pace coming back up for mile 4.  Mile 5 was recovery and the last mile was hang on and just finish - ended up a 7:20 pace for that.

So, 60 miles on the week with it starting out awesome on Falcon, by weeks end I was tired.  Next week I will hopefully be better adjusted to a new work schedule as I navigate another 60 mile week, including a "Double Falcon".