Comparing Training Days

After Sunday's brutal run, thankfully I had Monday off of any training. Back at it on Tuesday, I ran 6 x 1-mile repeats at 6:45 pace with 3 minutes of walking between each repeat. (With warm-up jog and cool down walk, a total of 8 miles) It was absolutely great. No twinges, tightness, fatigue, or any other problems. Not even a high HR at all. Head was totally into it, enjoying the whole run. Couldn't have gotten much better. 

Tonight's run was a straight 6-mile run at 7:30 pace. While I again didn't have any twinges, tightness, or fatigue, and my HR was about the same as yesterday, it generally felt more difficult. I don't know whether my attitude during the run was a cause of that sense of difficulty or a result of it. Always confuses me when this sort of pair of results occurs.

The biggest notable difference between the two days was my sneakers. I always have two pairs of sneakers in rotation, alternating between them each day to give them a chance to recover before the next run. (Yes, even sneakers need that rest if they are going to last as long as possible.) The sneakers I was using today are the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 21. It's a good, structure/support sneaker, and feels like it's a little bit springy in my forefoot. The sneakers from yesterday were the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 22. Both have approximately the same amount of distance on them, having been started up just last month. But it's the 22s that have me feel like I'm floating on air, both when I'm walking and when I'm running. Could it really be that simple a difference to make these two very different workouts feel so differently -- and the arguably tougher run feeling much easier? No idea, but it's fascinating to consider the possibility.