First Thursday in yonks

Run type: Lower aerobic
Distance: 16.2 km
Average pace: 4:38 min/km
Heart rate: Mostly below 140
Weather: 21 degrees & cloudy

One side-benefit of having to give up Wednesday evening training is that I can get up on Thursday morning, whereas for most of this preparation I have been taking both Monday and Thursday completely off. In recent weeks I had compensated slightly by doing a double on Wednesdays, but now it is going to be more like a consistent six-mornings/week.

This morning was not too eventful. I intended it to be a reasonably easy run. I gradually worked my way up to a heart rate of 138. This yielded a pace of 4:24/k on the flat/uphill section of Komazawa and 4:17 to 4:14 on the downhill. So I suppose we could call it an even 4:20 equivalent. The heart rate needed to maintain this pace did increase into the mid 140s for the uphill section on the third and fourth (of four) laps. I think I felt some residual fatigue in the legs from yesterday's run, but apart from that, I was surely running at a sustainable aerobic pace. Makes me wonder what pace I should do my long runs at if the weather is kind.

On the injury front. It is worth noting that my two niggling injuries, the left achilles and ball of my right foot, have both been gradually becoming less and less troublesome. I basically have to squeeze my achilles to discover that it is still tender, but it is not worrying me at all during running. Similarly, the right foot is fine during running, though I'm aware of something like extra pressure in that spot with each footfall. Knees and hips are good. Right quad has given a few twinges late in some recent runs. Lower back has been a lot better than it was several weeks ago (a payoff from core exercises?). So generally the report is good; touch wood.