#NPSF #PRWednesday this morning: 31:00! 2:40 faster than last month. 1:17 faster than 11 months ago. fastest in 2016, 2nd fastest overall, just 52 seconds slower than my all time PR nine months ago. Today’s start: * ~05:30 got up * vitamins * 800mg ibuprofen (to prevent knee swelling :/) * 1 orange Clif shot blok * espresso en route at Starbucks * #nopasoparungang 2+ mile warmup to Alta Plaza park Today was a pleasant surprise after the past couple of months of struggles. Even Bay To Breakers just a month-ish ago, my annual "how am I doing" race, was a disappointing 1:20:46 (forgot to post it), slower than 1:17:53 last year, which itself was slower than my 1:14:57 PR the year before that. After ~7 months of recovery from knee injury it feels like I am finally within reach of my pre-injury performance levels. I did let go of my "new" fore-foot striking running form (except for uphills), and returned to my mid-foot/heel-striking comfort zone. I think that new form needs more short distance practice before I can use it effectively for anything more than a track lap. Despite still struggling with remnants of knee injury recovery (hence the need for preventative ibuprofen to avoid knee swelling), I'm now comfortably faster than I was a year ago, which has renewed my confidence that I will at least do "ok" at the San Francisco Marathon First Half in 32 days. Until then I'm going to NP, and doing a few long training runs on trails (to keep it easier on the knees). I’ve (pretty much) let go of any hope/chance of setting a half marathon PR, nevermind the goal I set last year of under 2 hours. However, I may have a chance of beating my course time of 2:23:45 from the first time I ran the San Francisco Marathon First Half two years ago. The next 32 days I just need to train smart not hard, and keep focusing on recovery, stable/balanced form, and incremental improvement. Running a half marathon feels doable again, for which I’m grateful. Previous NPSF PR Wednesday times and posts: * 2016-05 33:40 tantek.com/2016/146/t1 * 2016-04 33:23 tantek.com/2016/118/t2 * 2015-09 30:08 tantek.com/2015/329/t1 (PR) * 2015-07 32:17 tantek.com/2015/210/t1 Previous Bay To Breakers: * 2015 1:17:53 tantek.com/2015/137/t1 * 2014 1:14:57 tantek.com/2014/138/t1 (PR) Previous half marathons: * 2015-11 2:11:26 Berkeley Half tantek.com/2015/329/t1 (PR) * 2015-07 2:12:59 SF Second Half tantek.com/2015/209/t3 * 2015-02 2:18:32 Surf City Half tantek.com/2015/032/t2 * 2014-11 2:22:59 Berkeley Half tantek.com/2014/313/t1 * 2014-07 2:23:45 SF First Half tantek.com/2014/208/t1

#NPSF #PRWednesday this morning: 31:00!
2:40 faster than last month.
1:17 faster than 11 months ago.
fastest in 2016, 2nd fastest overall, just 52 seconds slower than my all time PR nine months ago.

Today’s start:
* ~05:30 got up
* vitamins
* 800mg ibuprofen (to prevent knee swelling :/)
* 1 orange Clif shot blok
* espresso en route at Starbucks
* #nopasoparungang 2+ mile warmup to Alta Plaza park

Today was a pleasant surprise after the past couple of months of struggles. Even Bay To Breakers just a month-ish ago, my annual "how am I doing" race, was a disappointing 1:20:46 (forgot to post it), slower than 1:17:53 last year, which itself was slower than my 1:14:57 PR the year before that.

After ~7 months of recovery from knee injury it feels like I am finally within reach of my pre-injury performance levels. I did let go of my "new" fore-foot striking running form (except for uphills), and returned to my mid-foot/heel-striking comfort zone. I think that new form needs more short distance practice before I can use it effectively for anything more than a track lap.

Despite still struggling with remnants of knee injury recovery (hence the need for preventative ibuprofen to avoid knee swelling), I'm now comfortably faster than I was a year ago, which has renewed my confidence that I will at least do "ok" at the San Francisco Marathon First Half in 32 days. Until then I'm going to NP, and doing a few long training runs on trails (to keep it easier on the knees).

I’ve (pretty much) let go of any hope/chance of setting a half marathon PR, nevermind the goal I set last year of under 2 hours. However, I may have a chance of beating my course time of 2:23:45 from the first time I ran the San Francisco Marathon First Half two years ago.

The next 32 days I just need to train smart not hard, and keep focusing on recovery, stable/balanced form, and incremental improvement.

Running a half marathon feels doable again, for which I’m grateful.

Previous NPSF PR Wednesday times and posts:
* 2016-05 33:40 tantek.com/2016/146/t1
* 2016-04 33:23 tantek.com/2016/118/t2
* 2015-09 30:08 tantek.com/2015/329/t1 (PR)
* 2015-07 32:17 tantek.com/2015/210/t1

Previous Bay To Breakers:
* 2015 1:17:53 tantek.com/2015/137/t1
* 2014 1:14:57 tantek.com/2014/138/t1 (PR)

Previous half marathons:
* 2015-11 2:11:26 Berkeley Half tantek.com/2015/329/t1 (PR)
* 2015-07 2:12:59 SF Second Half tantek.com/2015/209/t3
* 2015-02 2:18:32 Surf City Half tantek.com/2015/032/t2
* 2014-11 2:22:59 Berkeley Half tantek.com/2014/313/t1
* 2014-07 2:23:45 SF First Half tantek.com/2014/208/t1