All it takes is all you've got

6 miles in 7:45 pace

Did 7 strides throughout the run.  It was pretty windy this morning!  The uphill miles were into the wind and the downhill miles with the wind at my back.  Would have been nice to swap that.  Oh well, I can't control the uncontrolables.  Hamstring felt pretty good.

I met with Coach D tonight for some one on one goal-setting.   We talked for over an hour and formulated a plan for how I'd like my year to go.  Here's the run-down (pun intended):

Saturday, March 20th: National Half-Marathon in Washington D.C.

• Aaron will watch the kids for the weekend while I make a quick trip out to race at sea-level and PR
• Darren is going to contact the race director and see if he can get me a comped entry and hotel.
• Goal pace: 5:50 per mile=1:16:30 (should put me in the running for a top 5 finish and some prize money).

9.8 miles in 7:48 pace 

Met Running Republic at East Boulder Community Park.  Arrived a few minutes early so I could get some dynamic stretching in. Cold 17 degrees, but once the sun came up...so BEAUTIFUL!!

20 minute warm-up, stretching, strides

4X30 second short hills/jog down recovery

4X3 minutes steady/90 seconds easy

4X90 seconds fast/60 seconds easy

4X30 seconds short hills/jog down recovery. Surprise! We got to do one more since one of our teammates didn't run all the way through the 4th one

 Hamstring felt pretty good throughout the workout.  The finial 5X30 second short hills were the hardest because its accelerating that causes it to work.  Once I get set in my pace, hamstring just does its job.  So the 3 minute intervals were felt great because there was less stopping and starting.

10 minute cool down 

6.46 miles in 8:18 pace

Hamstring felt a little more tight after my workout yesterday so I just took it really slow today.  Felt good once I warmed up though!  I'm going to see Richey the ART guy to get it worked on again today and probably again on Friday.

I think I'll go to the gym today at 4:00 and lift weights.  I've been trying to do some hip exercises and evidently I have very weak hips because one of the exercises is to write the alphabet with your leg and I couldn't even get  to O with my left leg.  Hmmm no wonder my right hamstring is over compensating.

6.67 miles in 8:20 pace

Ugh.  Just couldn't get it going today.  I kept hoping my legs would warm up and start feeling good but they never did.  Hamstring was tight the whole time.  I am also feeling sick today.  Bad sore throat and headache.   

The injury has now moved from my hamstring to my hip-flexor.  And I'm limping again.

Went to the pool and did some aqua-jogging.  Hip flexor didn't even like that, so I mostly powered my arms back and forth with mild movement in my legs.