Sunday, May 31, 2015

Muscle Memory Still Intact

Having slowly rebuilt my mileage it was time for the ultimate challenge today the time honoured Sunday long run over 14 miles.
My last foray around the Art Museum Loop was April 5th 8 weeks ago,much like riding a bike it's not something one forgets so I didn't feel I had too much to worry about in that respect.
In keeping w/ the week we've just had it was another hot one,it was close to 80 degrees when I left just b4 11am so I'm sure it was up to the mid 80s by the time I finished some 2 hours later.

My legs felt they had recovered from the schlacking they took on Haverford's track Saturday lunch time and frankly at 9 min mile pace I didn't feel I had too much to worry about in that respect,I was glad I'd thrown in that 10 miler last Sunday as a bridge to todays 14 miler though.

I reached Falls Bridge in 62 mins plus just under 9 min mile pace and I always feel from a psychological stand point once I cross the Falls Bridge I'm not only physically half way home but mentally half way there.
My trusty Dri Fit sleeveless was anything but dry at this point and my mouth was Sahara Desert dry but I dare not stop at any of the water fountains in case my muscles tightened up on me,it's never fun to bonk on a run and have to walk home but even less when it's hot as Hades out there and walking means it's gonna take twice as long to get home to the Fruit Smoothie chilling in my fridge,note to self up your daily water intake to at least a litre of water a day from here on in,hydration is a key component of my overall fitness level.

As each mile of the final 7 clicked off I felt a sence of confidence,the longest mile is always from Boathouse Row to the Schuylkill footpath as it's over a mile long and is followed w/ a slight uphill ramp to South St bridge,I'm so used to bounding up that sucker on my tempo run it's a chance of pace on the almost twice as long long run but once that ramp is conquered it's  more or less plan sailing,past "the old lady" Franklin Field,up Spruce St,over to Baltimore/Cedar Ave and home.

2.10.58,roughly 9.17 pace,I'll take it,there's some work to be done to return to the 1.58 realm I was at in April but I have another 8 weeks till the end of July to "devide and conquer" this bad boy,I'm just happy to be back at the tried and tested 5 day/40mpw level again.
For the record I logged 131 miles for May and 581 miles for the year sofar,I fell 22 miles short of 1,500 miles last season on current training I feel I'm well on pace to best that mark this year,here's to June.

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