Week -1 may have been the crown jewel of this crappy training cycle. I had to skip my Monday run, because I had a COVID shot and I just felt quite crappy all day. Even Tuesday morning I was not 100%, but I decided I should be good for my track workout.

It didn't go well. I had 4 x 1200 for the day, and I thought maybe I should be strong and recovered enough to run them at my VO2 max, which I though was around 4:32/1200 m. I ran the first in 4:30, and I felt perfectly fine. The second was OK for two laps, and then something hit me. I finished it in 4:33,but I knew I was in trouble. The third and fourth were 4:41, 4:47, and those were the best I could manage. Who knows why. My legs felt jelly, my stomach was about the erupt, and I couldn't breathe.

I'll get my exercise induced asthma checked out after the race. Maybe I just couldn't get enough oxygen into my body. Something changed after my early summer illness. But it is also possible that it's just age, and gradually worsening systems.

With the skipped run on Monday, I only ended up running three times. The second was a recovery with strides, and the last one was a 12-miler today. At least this one felt very easy. I almost felt refreshed at the end.

The hay is in the barn. Marathon week follows now.

Mon: 6 R

Tue: Dress rehearsal: 7 w/ 2 MP

Wed: R

Thu: 5 R w/ 6x100

Fri: 4 R

Sat: Race