01 Aug 12

WHEN:                        3:00

TEMP:                         82 F (28 C)

CONDITIONS:                        Mostly Sunny

RUN:                           5.0 mi (8 K)

TIME:                          52:26

RATE:                         10.48  m/mi

AM WEIGHT:             196 lb (87.6 k)

INJURY THREATS:   

Losing middle right toe nail (ignore); Losing nail on middle left toe (ignore); everything else good

MILEAGE YTD:          148 (237 K)

COMMENTS:

I expected to settle for the standard minimum today.  Yesterday we had noodles and sauce (Italian).  I have been avoiding noodles for a couple of years.  Can’t actually remember the last time.  Trouble came later when I couldn’t sleep.  [Maybe the monster cup of Chinese tea at ten o’clock was a contributing factor]  I went to bed late after working on my book (three o’clock); by five I got up with no appreciable sleep.  Had coffee and read (Game of Thrones Book II).  Slept a couple of hours in late morning, then ran later.

Without a doubt, I am far stronger than before the heat wave.  I ran five miles today, and although I ran five whole minutes slower than yesterday, I wasn’t technically supposed to be able to run five every day yet.  I set out with the intention of seeing how far I could go, in spite of feeling poorly, without speeding up or kicking the last couple of laps or competing with other runners.  I just kept it going, and five came fairly easy.

Sweat is changing now, with far less water coming off my body at any one moment.  I also noticed that odd rubbing alcohol-like smell in my nose after yesterday’s run.  This is something I don’t usually detect until I am in very good shape.  It has something to do with the clearing of the sinus cavity.  My torso is tightening slowly; I generally feel full after less food.  Oddly, I need a little less water after a run than before the heat wave.  I don’t always drink the entire container right at the end of the run, but have a little more later.

This is all very encouraging, which I need because I have a long way to go before I’m bouncing along at a 7:30 pace for twelve miles, weighing 160 pounds, if I ever do again.