Too Hot, Too Humid

I think I am getting to the bottom of my overall lack of lung capacity and energy. The reason(s) have to be the heat and humidity...and/or my allergies. Either way, there is no way that I should be hurting the way I am when I go running. Two and a half weeks ago I felt awesome when I went for a seven mile run at lunch; I managed to maintain an 8:15/mile pace and wasn't killing myself doing it. Back on April 19th, I ran a 5K and ran a personal best 20:45 (6:41/mile). On May 13th, I ran a local 5K in 21:20, this after two 30+ mile days riding my bike to/from work.

Tuesday Run:
I felt so much better running yesterday, although still not close to 100%. I did 4 miles in 33:45 (8:22/mile); the second mile is all uphill and the 3rd mile is downhill. Average heartrate was a more respectable 149 BPM, but still too high for the distance and pace. I usually do this route in right around 32:00, but as I have said lately, I am just dying out there on the run.

Wednesday Run:
Today I went out for a 4.3 mile run at lunch and I was hoping to kick up the pace a bit for miles two and three. It just wasn't going to happen. I just couldn't get my heartrate down despite the slow pace I was running at. I think my average pace for the run was a less than brisk 8:39/mile (~37:15). My average heartrate was a whopping 156 BPM, way to high for such a run. Two months ago a heartrate that high would have meant a six mile run at 7:40/mile pace. No matter what I tried today I just couldn't go any faster and I was struggling to take good solid deep breathes. I do recall feeling like this last year at the Verizon Wireless 5K. I hope that this is just a matter of me getting acclimated to the changing weather or my allergies easing up.

Wednesday Swim:
I felt really good tonight, especially considering how exhausted I was on my short run today. I was planning on doing 2,500 yds but my wife wasn't feeling all that great. I didn't want to leave her for two long with the little ones, especially with bed time looming close to when I would be probably be home. I did manage to fit in 2,300 yds, quality yards at that. Here is a break down of my work-out (FYI, I wear a Speedo drag suit for all of my pool work-outs):

• Warm-up
  800 yds - 400 free, 300 pull buoy, 100 free - 15:11
• 10 x 100 (20 sec rest)
  1:47, 1:51, 1:52, 1:50, 1:52, 1:53, 1:55, 1:51, 1:51, 1:48
• Stroke Drill
  300 yds - 5:56
• Cool Down - free real easy
  200 yds - 4:06

Final Tally - 2,300 yds - 43:50

My appointment with my sports doctor/chiropractor was cancelled tonight, thus no insight into what my issues might be. Looks like it is going to be tomorrow instead...hopefully going to be my last visit to him for a little while; the $25/week is killing me and my effort to save some extra money.

It is almost 10:00pm and I need to hit the hay. I am thinking about getting up early and getting in an early 25 mile ride. Who knows if that will actually happen.....more likely that I will ride to the pool and then ride a few extra miles on the way home.