Bret

18 miles on the treadmill this afternoon while watching the Rays defeat the Yankees.  Did the last 2 miles at marathon pace.  Felt pretty solid most of the run.  Debated whether to do 20 or 18 which was on my schedule; opted to do the last 2 miles at marathon pace as an alternative.  I seem to benefit from fast finish long runs.

Easy recovery run - with my daughter Delaney who is training for her first HS cross country season.  Legs felt a bit stiff in the first mile be loosened up nicely on a very muggy morning after an overnight thunderstorm.

9.25 miles in 65 mins on treadmill at 1% incline.  Started at 7.0 mph and gradually increased the pace until I was suffering.  Actually probably moved up the speed a little too quickly as my heartrate was blowing up and I needed to slow down at 55 mins.  I am a little disappointed with how I felt today - sort of heavy and a bit "flat".  Generally I do better running at a slower pace for  a few minutes when I start and don't get to an 8 min per mile pace until about a half or 3/4 of a mile.  I think jumping in at 7 mph though not fast, was faster than my normal wind up and as a result I struggled to find a comfortable groove today.

AM - easy recovery run with Delaney and with Riley who has a week break between club swimming and high school swimming.  Kinda cool to be out running with two of my daughters in the morning.  Felt very blessed.

PM run at lunchtime.  8.0 miles - call it the "dump run" as the route goes by the solid waste facility - on a particularly hot day such as today, the odor and the heat make this one a challenge.  Despite the heat humidity and smell, had a pretty good run - Forerunner 405 watch battery died about a third of the way through - so that may explain why the run was good, as I was not checking my pace on the watch.

AM - Easy 3.0 miles this morning with  two of my teenaged daughters - chatted and laughed most of the run.  Great way to start the day.

PM - Lunchtime run on the treadmill.   Since there are no real hills where I live in Florida, my hill workouts are primarily on the treadmill.  Total 8 miles.  2 mile warm up then did a progression where I started out at 6% grade for a mile at 8:20 pace, then "rested" at 7:30 pace for about .3 miles then 7% grade for 1.25 miles at 8:10 pace, with a "rest" at 7:20 pace for .25 miles, then 8% grade for 1.5 miles at 8 min pace - rested for a half mile then did the last mile or so at marathon race pace.  Great workout - started as a strength workout and then became more of a threshold workout.

Easy 3.5 miles this morning with Riley and Delaney.  No rain over night so it was a bit warmer than the last few mornings.  Delaney had soccer training last night and so was particularly sore and tired.  Riley who is used to swimming kept snickering at the clop clop sound of our feet during the run.  Easily amused.

PM - Lunchtime run 7.5 miles.  Run was entirely during a shower/thunderstorm - so it was a slog with very heavy water soaked shoes most of the way.  Managed a marathon pace last mile.  Enjoyed running in the rain - except for the heavy shoes and the occassional lightning strike in the near vicinity!

AM - 1 hour of cycling on the TT bike - reasonable effort of 20 miles - then transitioned to a run of 5.5 miles.  Really stuggled with the heat/humidity on the run this morning as I got a later start than expected.  Kept it under 8 mins per mile, but just barely. 

Half marathon "time trial" on the treadmill following a 2 mile warm up with a 1 mile cool down in 1.23.40 -ish.  After the first couple of miles where I started at 6:40 pace, I worked my way down to 6:18 which I stuck with from about 5k onward.  Had to change treadmills around 8 miles at the gym as the sweat on the belt was causing my feet to slip and squeak.  Memo to self not to wear the Nike lunar racers for long treadmill workouts.  Felt reasonably good most of the way.  Did not use any incline/grade on the treadmill as I wanted to compare a time I did last year around this time using no grade.  Matched up very well in terms of fitness (this year to last year). 

Easy 3.0 miles following yesterdays workout.

AM - easy 4.5 miles.  Still a little tight/stiff this morning.  Discovered a blister on one of my toes from the racing flats on Sunday's run.  Legs felt heavy for most of the run even after getting warmed up.

PM - lunchtime run slightly more than 8 miles - variation of the "dump" run.  Quite hot, so kept the pace just under 8 mins per mile, but not much faster.  Huge storm about 30 minutes after I finished.  Would have been nice to at least had the cloud cover during the run!  Anyway, I find that I am really not hungry / not wanting to eat after hot weather runs - so I end up missing a meal.  Tried to counter that today with a protein drink and gatorade.

AM - easy  3.0 mile run with Riley and Delaney.  First mile was really slow and then they woke up - ran the last mile faster than they ever have this summer.  Quite interesting how "refreshed" I am after running some easy miles with them as opposed to an easy run on my own. 

Bought new shoes (Ascics Air Nimbus ) last night.  I have been wearing this model for a good 5 years now - love how they are pretty consistently the same shoe year after year with only color changes or slight variations on the uppers. 

PM - Lunchtime run.  On treadmill 9.0 miles.  Last 6 were at marathon pace or better.  Was one of those runs where everything felt easy and smooth and could have run forever.  Love those.  Wish I could conjure them up in races sometime.  Was not planning to go with any speed today but the effort was not forced and I felt great - so I just let it go.  Only stopped because I had to return to my real job.

8.00 miles at lunchtime - two and a half times around the Feathersound loop.  It had rained off and on for much of the morning so it was not quite as hot as it might have been.  Ran a steady pace, increased speed slightly each mile split.  Averaged 7:40 per mile.  Not too fast but good up-tempo recovery run. 

AM - 3.0 miles easy with Riley.  Ran to PH Middle School, once around the track and returned.  She maintains a decent pace running for a swimmer - talked about getting her on the bike and maybe doing some tri's this year. 

Treadmill workout scheduled for lunchtime run.

9.0 miles on the treadmill - steady state at 7:00 to 7:15 pace for most of the miles.  Riley and Delaney were on the treadmills next to me and finished early.  Delaney did a one mile warm-up and then a 2 mile time trial at just under 16 mins in a fairly conservative/cautious effort with a half mile cool down.  We needed to see where she was with her fitness.  Cross country tryouts are this week for her high school.

20.0 miles on the treadmill this afternoon.  First hour was a little tough to sort out mentally - but once I found a groove the run was good.  Was a guy in the gym who was a Hulk Hogan look-alike complete with the headband and blonde mustache - not quite as fit.  Some of you may know that Hogan had a home in Clearwater for years (he may still)...but this wasn't him.  Anyway, did the last 2 miles in 13 mins. 

AM - 3.0 miles easy with Riley.  HS Swim team try-outs last week and this week.  They have "dry land" tryouts - which means they run on a track.  She ran really well this morning - if she wasn't so committed to swimming (one of the captains this year) - I would say she could do cross country too.

Very stiff to start out this morning for the first half mile - but felt better once I warmed up.  Will keep this a "rest" day and not do a PM run today.

AM - 4.0 easy miles with Riley again this morning.  Delaney had a time trial tryout last night in the two mile for cross country, so she is taking the mornings off this week.  She went 15:40 which is a good starting point for her as a freshman - - quite telling about the tryout was that she was 5th out of whole group which included returning runners from last year.  Lots of room to improve.  They run a 5k tomorrow evening. 

Will do a lunchtime run today - hopefully with my training partner for the first time in months.

Well, my training partner bailed on me - so I did 8.25 miles in the heat around the Solid Waste facility.  Stinky and hot - but a decent run - keeping in recovery mode at about 7:40 pace for most of the miles. 

AM - easy 5.0 mile  run this morning before a treadmill workout scheduled for this afternoon.  Little cooler (not much) this morning after an evening thundershower.  Looking forward to some real Fall weather.

PM - lunchtime run  10.0 miles -

"Rob Murphy's Treadmill workout"

Incline set at 1%

2 minutes at 7 mph
2 minutes at 8 mph
3 minutes at 9 mph
3 minutes at 10 mph (this completes one 10 minute cycle) Repeat 5 times.

2 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down.

If nothing else, this is a mentally taxing workout - knowing the faster pace is just minutes away and more repeats of the cycle await.  Felt very good after completing this workout that I worked hard, was not completely suffering, but was on the verge.

AM - 4.0 miles easy - body is stiff and fatigued today. Felt better by the fourth mile. Will try to squeeze in a second run today on a busy schedule.

PM - 6.0 miles - still recovery pace - felt really poorly the first mile and the last mile.  Worried about a little twinge on the top of the right foot which suffered a stress fracture last year.  It is not in the same location but it has a similar feel to it.  If I was not going to be running with Doug tomorrow - (on a trail in Gainesville) I would probably take tomorrow off completely to let my body rest.  Will take it very easy if we manage to coordinate a run either way.

AM - run with Doug (dugco on fastrunning blog) this morning in Gainesville San Felasco trail run.  Each of our daughters are starting college at the University of Florida - and Doug and we were dropping them off and checking them in to their dorms.  We have not run together in over 20 years.  We met early before a convocation ceremony for the students this morning.  The plan was to run about 5 miles on dirt trails.  Well, we got to talking and somehow got turned around (perhaps dodging huge banana spider webs and wide boar) and ended up running about 9 miles.  The kindness of a stranger with a map of the trail set us straight.  Of course by that time we were running late for the ceremony - wife was not happy.

Anyway - nice run and great to catch up with Doug.  Small world - his daughter happens to be two doors away from mine in the same dorm!

Foot was fine on the run - figured it would be ok running easy on dirt trails.  Probably will go easy or take tomorrow off.

6 miles easy this morning.  Rain shower in the last two miles was nice.  Finished just before the sun broke through to steam things up.  No foot pain, but feeling a bit flat, so will take tomorrow as a complete rest day.

Complete rest day today.  (Harder than it sounds...)

13 miles total today.  2 mile warm up and then 10 miles on the treadmill at a shade over 6 min pace. 1 mile cool down.  Felt very solid today - was a bit concerned late last week about possible beginning of an old foot injury, but took yesterday off and really was quite strong with no injury indicators today.  With the exception of the first three miles which were at 6:15 pace - the last 7 were right at 6 min pace - Thought about stretching it out to a half marathon effort, but when I approached 10 miles I decided it was enough for the day as I would have had to dig a bit too much get the next 3 miles done - and I was not planning an all out effort today.

AM - easy 4.0 mile recovery run in the rain.  Legs felt a bit beaten-up from yesterday's treadmill workout.  Noticed some deep quad soreness climbing stairs this morning to my office.  Will do a lunch time run with some fartlek pacing.

 PM - lunchtime run - 7.25 miles.  2-3 mile warm up and then fartlek of about 4 miles with 2-3 min efforts at 5k pace.  Light rain most of the run, heavy at times.  Deep quad soreness was quite pronounced - did a few minutes with the foam roller following the run.  Maybe consider an ice bath this evening?

AM - 3.0 miles easy.  Still quite a bit of soreness in upper legs - will keep PM run in recovery mode as well until soreness subsides.

AM - 10.0 miles easy.

Had some very upsetting news yesterday that my father passed away suddenly.  I would not have posted this on the blog, but my Dad was a runner for many years.  Started in the late 70's and was the reason I became a runner at a very young age.  I can recall going out with him in the morning to run a couple of miles when I was only 10 years old.   I loved it.  A few years later I was routinely going out to run in the morning before I went to school at age 12.  I have been running ever since.

We would go to local road races together and even got the rest of the family involved.  When I was in my twenties I remember entering a father/son race (combine the times of the two) and we took first place in a 5k.  Probably one of his proudest moments. 

He had his flaws and made his mistakes over the years as we all do, but he opened the world of running to me and it was something that always kept us connected.  Though he was not able to run due to his failing health in the last couple of years, he mentioned to me even a week ago that he was looking forward to getting stronger so that he could go get back to running like he used to do. 

So as I was trying to deal with the stress of his loss and unable to sleep early this morning - I went out for a nice quiet long run before the sun came up - as a remembrance to him.  I think he would have liked that.

AM - 6 miles easy - lots on my mind, good therapy to just go for an easy run to relieve some stress.  Will refocus on training in a few days.

PM - 10 miles on the treadmill with no real plan for training today but just to run and to process my thoughts on things.  Did the first 5 miles at about 7:10 pace and then the last at marathon pace which right now is between 6:40 and 6:45.  Could have done more, but that felt about right.  Will try to get a long run in tomorrow and resume training plan.

PM - late.  6.0 miles easy.  Long day with church and funeral - then a gathering at the house.  Wife actually suggested I looked like I needed to run.  So I went out in the rain around 9 pm.  First 3 were good stress relief but was really pretty tired after that.

AM  - Early start 5.0 miles to begin the day.  Will squeeze in another run around lunchtime today.  Felt too tired to do a run this morning, but once I got out the door, the run was good and felt better that I had done it.

PM - lunchtime run on the treadmill.  7.0 miles at a reasonably quick pace.  First two miles were below 7:15 pace - then moved to 6:50 pace with the last 4 miles at 6:30 or better.  Tight schedule today did not allow for longer run.  Amazed at how "comfortable" the pace is feeling even well below 6:30.  A month or two ago, I would have dreaded a workout where I planned to run that "fast" and would have viewed it as a hard workout, and now I am not intimidated by the pace and would not even count this as a hard training session...must be doing something right!

AM - 5.25 easy miles out the door at 5:45.  A little less humidity this morning, relaxing recovery run.  Plan to do 6-7 at lunchtime with Richie.

PM - 6.0 lunchtime run with Richie.  We used to train together at lunch everyday when our jobs were in the same location/building, and then later when we both were gearing up for races even after our jobs were not in the same place and not really convenient to do lunchtime runs, we'd coordinate early morning runs or weekend long runs together.  It has probably been several months since we did a run together - so it was nice to see him, get caught up on things, and talk about the NYC that we are both planning to run in November.

Richie's training has been admittedly on his part a bit spotty over the summer.  He's been doing something called P90 X training and some basic running.  His longest run was two weeks ago at 12 miles.  But he said he felt good and excited and bolted out to a quick pace which kind of surprised me, but I went with it.  Around 2.5 miles into the run, he asked how far we'd gone and what pace we were running - which was 7:30 pace.  We needed to slow things down a little bit shortly thereafter and then he decided to finish up at 5 miles and I went ahead at his suggestion to tack on an extra mile at the end. 

At this point his plan is to go to NY and run with another mutual friend who is doing the race for charity and depending on how his training goes will decide how fast or slow he will go.  Last year he went 3:01, but had a very strong build-up, was very fit and was extremely focused mentally on going fast.  He doesn't seem to have that same focus yet this year, but he is a great runner and gets fit pretty quickly, so we'll see.