Cats(ing)up... Ketching Up... Terrible Joke Either Way

Getting lazy with the blog. Highlights of the past 10 days:

The seven mile run last Wednesday was the most difficult run I've had this season. The strange thing is that it was also one of the slowest. Just wasn't feeling it. My mile pace had slowed by over 30 seconds by the end, and I'd retreated from an incline of one to zero. Felt like stopping after four, then five, then six miles, but each time convinced myself to keep going and finish. Probably helped my mental toughness more than my physical fitness, but kept me on schedule with the Hal Higdon marathon training regimen I've been following.

I've begrudgingly gotten on the spin bike twice during the ten day span. Just can't get over this mental block. I think once it warms up, and the basement goes from being an ice box to refreshingly cool, I'll be more inspired to go downstairs and use it. Of course, by then I'll probably want to be riding outside anyway. Oh well. Every workout I get in is more than I did on the bike last winter, so I can't be too discouraged. I've started using the I-Pod while I spin, too, which for some reason is more entertaining to me than watching a movie. I'll get myself motivated yet!

Only swam once, but am going to start swimming at least twice a week, no exceptions. I'm finally starting to gain a little speed, so I'm excited to keep at it. I'm also becoming more adept at using the Techpaddles, which hopefully, and in theory, should mean my form is getting better. Just have to keep at it.

Zack and I had a great 15 mile run this past Monday. A portion of the path had flooded, so we were forced to make up our own route through some side streets for awhile. Not a problem, however, as Zack has a power meter that is also able to record distance. No matter where we run, we know how far we've gone. A nice luxury to have. I was tired of my four or five loops from last year that I would repeat in various combinations to achieve my prescribed run distances. This change of scenery is great.

Missed a run workout this week. I've been pushing the pace a little more on my smaller runs, trying to build some speed. It's there if I want it, but the miles are, obviously, a lot harder when I do so. I'm finding it is a lot easier to get yourself back to the gym for a nice, moderate effort jog than for a punishing, pace-pushing lactate fest. But with effort comes results.

I think that catches me up. Enough said.

WORKOUTS

• 3/4 7 mile run
• 3/5 4 mile run
• 3/6 10 mile spin
• 3/7 swim: 300 warm-up, 200 w/Techpaddles, 4 x 100 freestyle, 50 front-kicking (hands out front), 50 sidekicking, 50 frontkicking (hands at sides), 200 w/Techpaddles and pull buoy, 300 cool-down
• 3/8 day off (recovery)
• 3/9 15 mile run
• 3/10 day off (recovery)
• 3/11 20 mile spin
• 3/12 6 mile run
• 3/13 4 mile run