June 30 - July 6

Monday (7km)
A long day spent in the car traveling to Brockville. I arrived just early enough that I could fit in a 30 minute run before dinner. My legs felt sore and tight from the drive, so this was a pretty slow shakeout.

Tuesday (race - 16km total)
I did a nice long warmup and an extended cooldown to give me 16k for the day. The race did not go as well as planned. I took the early lead, but was passed within a half kilometre. At about 900m, I knew I was racing for time: Kevin Beatty was not coming back to me. My legs still felt unhappy. My hips were tight, as if my whole body was swinging when I took a stride. I had enough left at the finish for a decent kick, finishing in 16:51. I had hit the turnaround halfway in 8:16, so this was a terrible positive split. I was unhappy that I had traveled this far for a bad race.

Footnote: my picture made the front page of the Brockville newspaper's sports section. The article said that I was "easily outdistanced" by Kevin Beatty, which is true but still humiliating.

Wednesday (OFF)
I thought I would run in the evening, but my legs were still unhappy from the long drives and the race. I decided to rest and try to make up for the missed miles by adding on later in the week.

Thursday (19km total)
I tried to double today. It felt good.
AM - I did 30 minutes before school, not at any fast pace, but something to get the legs shaken out and to boost my miles for the week.
PM - 54 minutes, much of it on the bike path. I felt great. Kicked in the last three kilometres. It was a bit hot.

Friday (OFF)
I realized that yesterday was a huge mistake. My legs felt dead - worse than after my big run to Elgin at the end of the field season. I chalked that up to the shortened recovery, but it made me wonder how I was able to do three races within 24h at the end of May?

Saturday (workout - 11km)
This was good as just my second track workout back. Jamie, Rob and I ran it - Rob did an 800 where Jamie and I did a 400, and Rob ran 6 x 300 where I ran 5 and a 200 instead of the final 300. Jamie did three 300s at a faster pace. Did 3x200 in 31-32, then a 400 in 62, and finished with 5x300 starting at 51 and cutting down about a second for each until I did my last in 46 and finished with a 200 in 30. This was all right.

Sunday (17km)
A long run (71 minutes) with Chris Smith. It was not all that fast. I was feeling sore from yesterday's workout and a late night without a lot of sleep. It was a hot one, so I felt pretty dehydrated afterwards and needed a lot of water to recover.

Total - 70km. From this week I learned that I am not ready to try to make up miles by doubling. I am better off running longer warmups, cooldowns, and adding an extra kilometre or two to each run during the week.