A clydesdale no more!

Drove up to the mouth of Mueller Park canyon and ran up to elephant rock.  This has always been a good therapeutic run for me and I was hoping that it would help clear my mind.  I felt really good going up.  I just wanted to run at a nice comfortable pace.  Got to the top and hung out for a little while and enjoyed the view.  On the way back down, I turned a corner and there was a huge moose right in the middle of the trail.  Fortunately, it was more scared than I was and it took off down the canyon.  Pace felt really good coming down also.  This was a lot less death defying than last time I run up to the rock because there was no snow.  A good run overall and I think it served it's purpose.

My legs were a little tired from running last night.  I decided to try a tempo run anyways.  Warmed up with 3 easy miles then ran 3 miles at tempo pace (6:23/mile).  I was planning on 4 but my left hamstring started to get really sore and I thought it would be ill advised to proceed.  Ran 4 more easy miles home.

Finished June with 268.9 miles and 1,645.5 for the first half of the year.  This is 235 miles more than last year.  I'm running more but don't really feel like I'm improving. I guess all of those miles are going somewhere and will pay off in the long run.

AM 

Started out feeling very worn out. The first loop was quite a struggle and I considered just running an easy 5 for the day. Started to feel better as I got going and was able to run the full10. It was a very slow paced run.

PM 

Had to get out so I drove up to the Parrish trail head of the BST.  Went out 4 miles then returned to the car.  It was hot but I don't feel like I struggled at all from the heat.  I really need to find a way out of this funk. 

Very, very tired this morning.  My legs are completely trashed.  Will take it easy tomorrow so I will be ready for the 5k on Friday.

Very easy recovery run because my legs feel like a ton of bricks. I'm not expecting anything spectacular tomorrow if my legs continue to feel this way.

I've been in quite a funk lately and was hoping for a big breakthrough race to help me snap out of it.  I ran 2 miles to warm up and was feeling pretty fatigued.  It was warm (80 degrees) but there was a nice cloud cover so the sun wasn't beating down on us.  As is always the case when I run 5k's I just want to hold 6:00/mile pace the entire race.  The first mile has a nice little climb so I expected the split to be around 6:15 then hoped to make up the difference the rest of the race.  Started out running with Jeremy Holt (Dave's cousin) and we stuck together for the first mile.  Started out in the top 10 (I think) and pretty much stayed in the same position the entire race.  First mile was 6:13 and felt decent.  The second mile has a nice little downhill section and I thought I would come in under 6:00.  It felt like I picked it up but the split was 6:03.  I just couldn't dig in and force myself to push the pace.  Averaged 5:58 over the last 1.1 but was passed by two runners.  One was early in the 3rd mile and the other was coming down the home stretch.  He was really moving and I knew that I didn't have the foot speed to beat him so I let him go.  Crossed the finish line in 18:50 - pretty much right on with what the course tool predicts for a 6:00/mile 5k.  I started dry heaving after I finished so I guess that means that it was a good effort.  I don't know my exact finishing place but I think it was around 10th.  I took first place for my age group (M35-39) which was a surprise because I thought a couple of the guys ahead of me were older.  I didn't stick around for the awards ceremony because I had to rush home to get the kids ready to go to the parade.  I seem to be stuck at 6:00/mile pace for 5k's.  I know that physically I have more but I just can not convince myself to deal with the discomfort.  This is most likely due to running so little at a faster pace.  So, it wasn't the break through that I was hoping for but it was still a decent run.

Started out by running 5 laps around the neighborhood totaling 10.5 miles. Pace was around 8:00/mile and I felt unmotivated. Decided that I would sneak off to meet the running club while the kids were still asleep. Ran with Jeremy and Jasmine which helped me push the pace. Averaged 7:20 for 6 miles and the last mile was in 7:00. It is amazing how much easier it is to run with others. When I am alone, I feel like I am just plugging along. When I get with others, the pace is so much more comfortable and I am able to hold a quicker pace. Came home, checked on the kids and ran 3.7 more miles around the neighborhood.