Weekend smashfest and other ....

I used to be able to run in whatever shoes and not get injured. But it seems like I am not 20 anymore and I need to start paying more attention to what I run in otherwise something starts acting up. I did my first real interval workout 10 days ago and although everything was ok during the run both of my knees started to hurt after the workout. Left knee - just above the knee, right knee- just below the knee. I suspected that it might be because of the shoes I was wearing (I have ran in them for one year exactly, but since my mileage is not that high and I rotate two pairs I kept running in them) so I have done all my runs since then in newer shoes. But just to confirm my "theory" I did an interval workout on Friday again in that older pair and sure enough my right knee was not happy. So ok, theory confirmed, I cannot run in that pair anymore.

I started using hair conditioner on Wednesday. I am one of those people who do not care one bit about what I look like as long as I feel good. But I was in a store and they had "swim something" conditioner that is supposed to help treat chlorine-damaged hair on sale so I bought it and maybe now my hair will not look like wet slaw all the time. My sister would be so proud of me for that.

I usually walk to grocery store on Sat and Sun because it is not too far and I am European and we walk to places. I was never offered a ride but today was high 70s and I was wearing shorts and sure enough I was asked by some guys whether I needed a ride. Men...

I finally did my taxes on Friday. Need to mail it tomorrow. (US taxes that is. I still need to do my German and Slovak ones.) And for the first time I calculated that I owe a few dollars. Wow. That means that I am actually earning real money now not just little peanuts. At least that's what I am telling myself.

So the smashfest. Running smashfest that is. If I can avoid it I do not run two days in a row. But this week things worked out that I had to run three days in a row. And all of them hard. Bliss of having so many coaches as I do:)
So Friday was long intervals on trails (1k, mile, 3k, mile, 1k in 3:52, 6:40ish, 11:53, 6:40, 3:58 w/ 2min jog between) using Garmin. Followed by a swim, of course.
Then Saturday was hard interval swim, followed by a semi-hard 2.5h ride, followed by a 20min run at strong pace. I took off and ran 20min at 6:32 pace, which is 5k in 20:20. (And yes, I stopped at 20min and did not continue for those extra 20sec to get a full 5k in because I am not OCD like that). I felt great and I think that it is because I was super warmed up from the bike. Plus I like running off the bike. Wow, I did my own little triathlon on Saturday.
Today was an easy 90min ride that I cut short at 80min because something is not right with my right thigh (I hope it is nothing serious and goes away by itself), followed by 800s on a track. 7x800 @5k pace with 2min rest (SEVEN 800s! That's a lot. It must be part of my half-marathon training or something like that because I repeat, seven is a lot.). I knew it was going to be ugly but I was also interested to see what my poor legs say to that. Turns out that although I could definitely feel that my legs were not as springy as they normally are, they were not the limiting factor today. Wind was. I was occasionally blown from lane 1 to lane 2 (and I am not light! I weight 140 pounds but I felt like a rag doll. Btw, my resolution of getting down to 130lb is not working that great. Damn you donuts!) and I was tripping over my own feet because one foot was blown into the way of my other foot (makes sense?). So 3:09, 3:10, 3:04, 3:01, 3:06, 3:08, 3:09. My times were all over the place depending on how much I was being blown from side to side by wind gusts. And then the last two were pretty much a crawl to the finish line. I think that I might have start crying a little on the last one as I hit the wall of wind at 300m mark. I also "cheated" and walked 2min rest between those intervals, instead of jogging. Physiologically it probably does not make a huge difference but mentally it does, because I was able to tell myself that I got more rest than I would normally have and my brain bought it.
By the way, those of you who believe that Yasso 800s can predict your marathon time might reconsider what you believe in. Does anyone think that I can run a 3:07 marathon right now???...Yeah, I did not think so.

Ok, off to bed now so I can get up at 5am and take on the world (hm, I mean go to work) once again!