10/18-10/30 Me and Ol' Blue

31.5 miles

Been averaging about 15 miles/week the last 3 weeks. All week I'm in highly rural Georgia running on dirt roads through cotton fields. My pacer for this cultural experience has been Ol' Blue, a Catahoula Hound owned by my host. I haven't felt incredibly fast, but I've racked up a lot of miles, resulting in my biggest month to date (55 miles). Usually I start running with the intention of doing a short, intense run. Unfortunately, my schedule undermines this goal and I end up running after work, feeling like a bag of lead, so I just do long slow runs. Ran one speedy run which put me on pace for my current 5k time. Need to shave 15 seconds off each mile to get under 20 minutes. I plan to lay off the long runs the next two weeks and let my pending shin splints subside, do some more speed work in the mornings, when I feel swift like. 1 week in California before the race will include some hill intensity runs. Then the week of the race not doing a whole lot at all, maybe doing an easy run on the course itself early in the week.

10/4-10/16 Insert witty title here

19.6 miles

Ran Lake Mayer last week (my only run) and finished my first rotation for school, which included a lot of study at home.

This week I started my second rotation 2 hours away in Baxley, Georgia. My host has a sizeable chunk of land w/ lake and many runs in my near future. Got in a run there and 2 runs back here in Savannah. The shin splints are subsiding with some knee pain coming back. I think this is a form issue, it feels like I'm hyperextending my right knee. Ran 7 miles today and didn't have problems with it.

The 5K is quickly approaching and I'm feeling good, conditioned, and able to push hard when I want. Going to continue working on speed and do hill work when we get to California.