a beautiful sunrise. frost scattered like patchwork where the sun had yet to strike. running down into bush park, rolling hills but constantly down. not even trying and hitting 8 seconds below my target pace. no effort required. around the empty track after a trip to the locker room. a few miles of flat. getting into an easy rhythm. pace is hovering around 6:45-6:46. still easy. laying of the pace a bit. i notice that they sky is no longer clear. a high fog is brushing the tallest trees tickled by the swaying in the wind. i look again and it has stealthily sunk lower. before i even knew what happened i'm surrounded by fog. all colors are muted. vision is very limited, i can't see much in front of me. but it brings clarity to mind. i'm writing sermons. working out problems. struggling through my faith while flying through my workout. the temperature drops. frost forms on my gloves. but i am warm. i can run forever. if i have time i would. i feel so good. only my bowels prevent a 16 mile journey. but everything else is perfect. even the uphill i kept under pace with ease. i'm stopping at a light. i'm not breathing hard. my pulse is barely raised. i'm now at home sitting down. this runner's high is intense. i can feel every particle of air by the tens of thousands enter my lungs.
there is a new theory that i am working up. mr. daniels has me stay at one intensity for four weeks before i shift everything faster. this is the third week of this intensity and i think that's why it is easier. i think that the second week in the cycle is the most difficult. here's what i believe is going on (let me break it down):
week one--i'm ready to go fast. i have been holding my body back. it is comfortable. it is fully acclamated to the new pacing and he just wants to go faster.
week two--the week of death. this is the hard work. this is my body dealing with a new stress, a new intensity. muscles are being broken down. the heart is having to work harder. he doesn't like this. he wants to go back to the slower pace. back when things were easier.
week three--now my body has responded to the new stress and has adapted. it's the beginning of the plateau.
week four--we're ready to go faster. it now takes effort to hold myself back. this is the opposite side of week two. difficult but in a different way. don't be tempted to go with the pace. this week is important for recovery.
i need to read through my blog over the past two months to see if this is really going on. if so, i know what to expect, i'll know what's coming. and even though it will be hard (i suppose running is supposed to be) it will not cascade me into a pit of doubt.
in the meantime. i will enjoy this week three where running is fun, yet furious.
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