So today it was a tempo run day, and probably for the fist time it was really a tempo run. I did a little bit more than 6K all with a good pace all under 6:30min/km. It was a good fun run we switched up the route a bit went up Bay st to Wellesly st and did the Queen's park loop and back on University.

So again GPS locked before start but just it spawned to really bizarre location to start. It eventually got back. My auto pause ON/OFF kept buzzing like a ringtone all the time. It good to have a Garmin foot pod which keeps the tracking on all this time.

We had some one talk about heart rate and training it to the right zone on different runs. I guess I need to start using it again. My last experience was horrible it was all over the place. I was a newbie to running than so its possible I was really going through that. Now I feel it is more consistent so hopefully few weeks of data will help get things go in right direction.

Here is how the route looked.

So now consistently I am able to run at pace around 6:40min/km. I can feel my progress and 10/15s now saving in each training run now has almost added  up to few min.
Cloudy weather and over bridges still throw off Garmin 610 GPS but it was 5K route and I finished in 29min. Which probably is my PB. The clouds looked ominous and I was praying it did not rain , I am more worried of getting my shoes wet. I think it damages them faster especially the top mesh starts to deteriorate(soaked) after put in water.

It was good run especially after playing soccer in the afternoon, the calfs are still paining but it will ok with rest day planned for tomorrow.

I wish I could take a snap of the human train we had while running today. It was close to 30 people running in single file and the last person had to race to first and set the pace and keep rotating. I could keep with the group for all the speed runs eventually fell behind. But I eventually was caught up to front of group for a change. I guess the speed runs exhausted and eventually the steady pace helped get ahead. It was good run on a really humid day. 

The shoes again feel like like they broke-in now, I am not too bothered by there weight now. The GPS of Garmin 610 still struggles especially in cloudy weather not sure if it makes satellite connection weaker.

Oh yeah I ran with the fitletic hydration belt. Its so good not to carry a bottle and phone in pocket. I was worried about it bothering me while running or abrasion. Lucky none in my case , did not even notice it. I was hoping it rained to as I did not have to worry about my phone any more. It din't this time next time.

So we were back at the Hill training today. The plan is to practice a lot more for hill to strengthen calves and hams for real Half marathon run. It definitely helps but I guess I am never going to like it. So a change from last time was no demo period we straight went in to hill runs. We also did a round more than last one, actually I did only one round others did 2 more.
It still was horrible but surprisingly my pace was consistent around 7min/km, which is great improvement. Really tiered today to think about new shoes yet. Still the sayonara one is in the short-list, hopefully next week I will get there. 

So one of my goal was to get down to a pace for 6:30 and below and maintain it for 5K. I got there today, wish Sunday race timing was like this. I think it has lot to do with the hill training that I did yesterday. So guess what we are doing hill training again tomorrow just to keep up with the group. 

It was nothing great we just went up University and came back down. As expected going up was slow given the climb. 

It was supposed to be a tune up for the Toronto water front Half marathon , did not sign up early enough to get the 10K race registration. So did the 5K and it was good decision or luck. It was super hot day and the sun was really blazing. I was completely dehydrated by half way point and was almost out of water, lucky they had gatorade to help replenish the fluids.  It was not the best time it was 7min pace and good run. Not too many people less than 200 for 5K i guess. 

Unlike last races I was not in the last pack , finished somewhere in the middle. 

The spenco Gel "Ball of Foot" helped or almost fixed the pain due to "metatarsalgia" and it almost makes the new balance 890v4 shoes comparable too 880v3. 


It was really nice location right next to the beach and we ran by the beach all the way and a bit out on the lakeshore towards the end. 

I am really not sure if I should blame New balance 890v4 shoe or just assume that it was a co-incidence. It started on regular tempo run where I pushed myself a bit. Now as I said in previous blogs that I definitely think that New balance 890v4 actually made me land on forefoot a lot more often than my New balance 880v3. 

I think that fact and lack of cushioning and the slight tilt inwards towards the toe is now causing a throbbing pain. It looks like "metatarsalgia" and I am not sure how to fix it. Looks like wearing the right shoe is one of the solution. I see some people recommending a cushion. Need to explore a bit more. 

Todays run was a regular 4K practice with steady pace. The group was targeting 6min/km but I think we started a lot faster, as fast as 5.25 which was too much. Eventually I feel back to 6.40. It was great run ,the GPS struggles in hot weather and is still inconsistent across watches.  
Here's how the run was. 

The half marathon group is a bit fast paced and it has forced me to push my pace and now I am trying to maintain it. Its kind of working and kind of not. Hills seem to reset the pace actually they make it worse when I try hard going up hill. Overall quite a few people running with me do seem to have same pain as me , its taxing on everyone. 

The lack of cushioning on  new balance 890v4 if definitely showing up it actually changed my running a bit. Now I land on fore foot a lot often but the cushioning or the say lack of it does hurt a bit. Now I dont want to buy New Balance 880v3 and want to wait for 880v4. New balance where is my new shoe.

So it was really hot and humid today. Din't even like the walk to running room. It was supposed to be a tempo run and probably made a big mistake by jumping straight to it. Should have done first half K and slow pace and than started to increase speed. Overall it was great run was not enough though. 
My cough still is limiting me need to take a 2nd opinion tomorrow this will probably hurt this way. 

Finally looks like the New Balance 890v4 shoe broke in now or is almost there. I was able to actually run run at a good pace today. It was not a lot just 3.3K but I was doing decent 6.30 pace. Which lately was getting hard. 

Just regular run nothing great went west to Spadina up to Richmond and back. Here is the route details.