Going through changes and taking it easy... or maybe not

After 4 weeks of steadily increasing mileage with last week at 47 and a 15 day streak going, I decided this would be a cut back week. And it was ..... in quantity. I did take a rest day on Thursday and my total for the week was back down to 40 but honestly I can't say it was an easy week.

 It did start off that way with an easy 4 on Monday but then on Tuesday morning I made a decision to go to the track for a little test. It was a year ago August that I last set foot on a track and although I didnt go all out , I put up some decent numbers for a couple of qtrs, a couple of halves and a mile.

 Then I had another great workout on Fun Friday with Laura. This week we did 5 x half mile. Originally planned on trying for 7:30 pace but we did them all between 7:16 and 7:24 pace. Oh well, I felt great anyway ! The conditions were ridiculous. Dark and raining, I had to take off my glasses and with the lights reflecting off the wet asphalt it was very disorienting and surreal. I just tried to go where she went and hoped we didn't run into anything ! And yes, it was wicked fun !

 Finished up the week with my longest run so far on the comeback trail with 14 muggy miles. On my previous longer runs I was beginning to struggle by mile 10 but finally today I felt strong to the end , running faster the last 3 miles and a negative split overall.

 I spent a lot of time thinking about changes this week. Change can be good. Some changes I look forward to. Others are  not so good and sometimes changes are forced upon us. I have had a few of those this year and really struggled with them, not understanding why. But in the end I just had to realize that there was nothing I could do but accept those changes. It was and is hard but thankfully I have had a couple of good friends help me through the process.

 SO, what does that have to do with a training update and running? Well for one thing I have along with those changes had a different outlook at some of the goals I had and the reasons for doing them. In a couple of cases the motivation and reason for those goals are gone, dead, but from that new opportunities have opened up. And in other cases totally unrelated I have been giving a lot of thought to what I really want to do and achieve in the next year or two as I reach the landark 60 year old age group later this year.

 I'm still thinking and I'm sure I may change, there is that word again, my mind some more but right now I have an idea what direction I am leaning towards for 2016. But you will have to wait quite awhile before I reveal any of those ideas. For now, lets concentrate on what I am doing first and that is focus on the Derby 50k in November and then get in the best possible shape for Boston next April. I think that is enough to focus on and worry about for now ! But stay tuned ! Big things are coming !