A step in the right direction

Today's run (treadmill) 2.45 miles

I had to make the call last night whether I'd need indoor or outdoor gear for the morning. News 12 Long Island's weather report last night predicted rain overnight so I prepared for a treadmill run. The skies seemed clear when I got up but since I hadn't laid out the proper gear for the street I did my run indoors.

Yesterday I did some research on performance related to blood donation and there's ample evidence that my difficult workouts since last Wednesday are directly related to giving blood. I rested on Monday and anticipated tough going this morning but my run wasn't as hard as I'd expected it to be. After starting at a pace that matched my best efforts from the weekend, I increased speed throughout the run and finished up running close to 9:00 per mile. My overall pace was in the high 9:00's but I was fine with that. I felt much more like my old self by the end. I have two more runs planned before I finish my taper. I'm hoping to get at least one more run on the road before the race and to maintain a speed that's close to my 5K race pace.

Depleted for a good cause

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

Yesterday morning I noticed a sign that my company was conducting a blood drive with the New York Blood Center. I had about 30 minutes before my next meeting so I headed to the location. After filling out the paperwork, answering screening questions and getting my finger pricked (to check my iron level) I was ushered over to a well-used, industrial quality chaise lounge. There was a large digital clock that showed I only had 12 minutes to give my pint and get back upstairs to attend my meeting. I finished with only minutes to spare and they were concerned that I was rushing off without the juice and cookies chaser they insist is necessary for recovery. I made it back in time having taken a small bottle of water and some Chex mix to go.

I felt the effects from my blood donation this morning while on the elliptical. I couldn't manage my usual level of resistance. In fact, the whole session seemed harder than normal. I figured that if I held the same speed that I usually maintain it would probably be an equivalent workout, even at the lower level. I rarely watch the clock while on the elliptical because I have distractions like the morning news but I was happy when I reached my planned end time. My weekly cross training workout was well-timed. I wouldn't have wanted to run feeling as I did this morning. There's a big storm headed this way, possibly bringing snow on Friday (April Fools!) so I'll likely be on the treadmill. Hopefully by then I will be at full strength for that harder workout.