Sensibility prevails, and then a quick change of plans..

I was planning to do 4 miles yesterday to include some striders as part of the Intermediate plan in the book I'm reading on Heart Rate training. When I woke up, however, I was in more pain and had more stiffness than on Sunday. Selden's Hills really took it's toll. My right ankle was just not cooperating. I decided to postpone the training run, and give it more time to work itself out. I did an upper body and core workout in the middle of the day instead.

72°,   WSW 3mph,   97%H,   UV 0,   DP 71
This morning it was feeling much better, so you can imagine how pleased I was with myself that I made that decision. It was the first day of school, so my plans to run the track and the intermediate plan were squashed. I decided I would run 3 miles, just because I was coming off that ankle strain. My podcast was having a rough time of it, I could not get it to play continuously, so I was slowing down just enough while I was fiddling with it. That helped out my HR control over all, I think.
I felt great. I love running and not being tired. There's nothing like it. I wish I had been training like this in the beginning.
On my way back toward the house before mile 3, my phone rang. Imagine that.
And I was able to take the call with my BT headphones. There's a first! It was my 10:00 patient telling me she just wasn't feeling up to her visit this morning. I was able to hold a conversation with her while running! Just TRY to imagine that! 

Booyah.

So, knowing that I had extra time, and my ankle was feeling pretty darn good, I changed my plan to run another mile. While trying to maintain my HR at 70% max, I concentrated on using my gluts and hammies, and bending my knees more. Also, I've found that if I hold my waist up, out of my hips, my legs move more efficiently. The problem is remembering to do that! I noticed, though that every time I adjusted my posture and changed my form, my HR increased. I don't know if it's because I go faster because I'm more mechanically sound, or because I'm generating more need for O2 consumption because I'm using muscles in a way they're not used to. By the time I heard I had run the 4 miles, I was having a bit of difficultly getting my rate down again. But, I was still feeling so good, that I thought about going to 80-85% for another mile. I got my heart rate up to about 164 and tried to slow down enough to get down into the 140's again. Fun times to run quickly with plenty of energy. Overall, delighted with my run despite the weather. I was WET.

Date   Miles       Avg HR     Avg Pace       Time
8/24   3             144            12:49         00:38:45
8/25   5             143            12:12         01:01:26
8/27   3             144            11:32         00:35:02  (mixed 65-80 %)
8/28   5             150            11:38         00:58:40

8/29   3             145            11:30         00:38:01
9/03   5             148            11:19         00:57:34  (mixed 65-80 %)

There is a 5 mile race this Saturday in Huntington I'm considering. Just to see how I'll fare in a race. My heart rate is increasing right now just thinking about it. Is that a good thing?