Killer Cooldown

The hardest part of today's workout was the 4 mile cooldown. It came after a really smooth 20 miles @ 7:04 pace. After a short stretch I finished out the time with some really slow form building miles. But I could feel every fiber in my legs as the cooldown massaged the legs. It took more work than I thought it would. I had to avoid the temptation to let the form falter and paid close attention to proper foot fall and posture. By the end of the cooldown the legs felt good but getting there took awhile.

The main portion of the run felt good. It was really foggy and I couldn't see very much. The miles slid by without much effort. I straddled 7:00 pace depending on the mile and any hills. Didn't push up any of them to avoid straining the hamstrings that are still a little tight from the recent hill work. The average pace was steady with the second half just slightly faster than the first. Aerobically I felt really good. Structurally I have a few weaknesses that the hill phase is bringing out to the forefront. Looks like ice and ibuprofen will be necessary going forward to successfully get through the next phases of the training regimen.

I took a warm soak in the tub to soothe the legs post-run and then a short nap. Will try to sneak in another nap later on this afternoon. Looking forward to cutting the mileage back next week as I prep for the 7 mile race next Sunday.

Total: 24.15 miles / 3 hrs.