Gloomy Day – Monday – July 19, 2021

How am I feeling today?

Not too bad for such a gloomy start to the day. It is still overcast and misting outside as I write this, but it is supposed to clear as the day goes on (update – it hasn’t). The weather has been weird, June was record-breaking hot, and now July has been overcast and rather bleak for the most part. There is not much rhyme or reason to it, and the meteorologists are pulling their hair, attempting to forecast what the weather will do. Still, their weather computer simulations and models don’t make sense in today’s world…or so it seems.

Planned Workout Description: 

Type: Easy Run – 40:00 minutes

Per Stryd: “Easy runs are an important part of balancing training intensity and recovery. Your target for this run is 75-80% of your Stryd Auto-Calculated Critical Power. You are encouraged to start out at the lower end of your prescribed range and progress to near the top of your prescribed range by the end of the run. While going above your prescribed range might feel easy in the moment, it is important to remember the purpose of an easy run is to promote recovery without adding additional fatigue.”

Today’s Running Focus

T-Rex arms

Why am I doing this run?

To get my weekly mileage up and keep the body moving. Training is not all about the challenging workouts, it is also about enjoying the running, and easy runs allow me to simply run for the joy of running. Other than the time goal, I have no real objectives for most easy runs and can enjoy the time on the roads or trails. Easy runs are also the perfect opportunity to work on small things that I want to improve about my running efficiency. I can experiment with how something feels rather than just plodding along.

What I Actually Did Today: 

Wildwood O/B – 40:00 minutes easy

I saw a deer coming back towards Blake and it was nice to see water running through the brook on Tiffany again. We have been in a drought, so the rain, while a pain for the tourist industry is nice for the rest of us. It was one of those runs you just keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep smiling. I did work on keeping my arms a little higher and my elbows in a bit more.

Did the workout go as planned?

Yes, I ran easy and somehow managed to not pick up the pace during the run. I maintained a steady effort on the hills but didn’t overdo or turn it into a slog. I will keep focusing on T-Rex arms because I do believe that I run more efficiently this way. I don’t have my arms flailing around or the elbows out to jab others if they get too close.

What did I learn today?

No, this is not typical July weather, to say the least – overcast in the ‘60s make for great running weather, but it is sure odd how Mother Nature is choosing to do the weather this year. Otherwise, I know and keep repeating that running too slow is not enjoyable and that my easy running is getting easier as I get back in shape.

Yes, I was able to keep my overall power to under 200W. I had to work at it and it still feels unnatural to run this slow, but I am thinking about it less. Although, if I had to run at the recommended Level 1 power levels, I would not enjoy the run at all. There is a difference between running for my enjoyment and training by the numbers. I will stick with the enjoyment factor as a higher priority than the need to run so slowly as the “plan” wants me to.

Injuries/Niggles: The left Achilles didn’t bother too much, but it tends to not bother at slower speeds. Nothing else is annoying me now. I am getting a little antsy about flying on Thursday, but I will be fine and am really looking forward to seeing the grandkiddos.

Weather: Mist, 65°F, Feels like 65°F, Humidity 97%, Wind 3mph from NE. Just one of those dreary days that are great for running.

Shoes: Reebok Floatride Forever Energy v2. Just ran smooth and comfortable. I am really beginning to like them quite a bit.