Bret

PM - due to a number of unexpected scheduling events today I had to delay my long run until this evening.  Using a method I have seen Rob use a few times, I planned my run where I was dropped off about 20 miles away from my house and had my daughter stash a gatorade at about the halfway mark.  Following evening worship service, I changed clothes at the church building and began my run home from Erlich Road about 1.5 miles west of Dale Mabry in Tampa.  I headed west to Gunn Hwy.  When I got to the Citrus Park area I made a turn onto the Upper Tampa Bay Trail - which I had never been on before.  Since I started the run at about 6:30 pm and the "feels like" temperature was still 95 degrees - the well shaded trail was a happy discovery about 2.5 miles into my run.  I stayed on it for about 3.5 miles until it intersected with Limbaugh and then headed west through West Chase and then through Oldsmar on Forest Lakes to Tampa Rd and back to my house.  Had to add a short loop to the end.  Felt reasonable good for most of the run - but after I got the gatorade (all of which I drank at once) I felt a little off for the rest of the run and was pretty tired at the end. 

AM - 3 miles easy with Delaney.  I probably would have foregone this morning's run after yesterday evening's long run, but am trying to keep Delaney consistent with her training, so we got the run in around 6:15 this morning.  I was a bit envious as she snoozed on the couch after breakfast and I had to head off to work.  Summer time life of a teenager...

PM  - decided to go to the gym to do a few miles on the treadmill - ended up with 5.0 at 7:30 pace.  Felt reasonably recovered from a cardio and soreness standpoint.  I may need to take tomorrow off as I have a busy workday and evening plans too.  Left foot is a bit sore on the top of the first metatarsal - new development / location.  Day off may be in order anyway.

AM - was planning to take the day off, but Delaney was up and ready to run this morning, so I went for a run with her - easy 3  miles.  She had her first summer cross country practice last evening - 33 runners showed up for a very easy night of training.  She was eager to chat about it this morning on our run - so I was happy I went with her.  My foot which was achey yesterday afternoon/evening, was fine this morning. 

Full day of meetings at work, I will take the rest of the day off from training.

AM - 1 hour of core/plyo work before a dentist appointment - which limited my time for a morning run with Delaney - so she went to the gym instead.  Good idea, the heat index at 6 am was 90 degrees.  Steamy morning.  Will do a noon workout and if time, one after work.

PM - lunchtime workout.  Did the Murphy treadmill workout - after a 20 min warm up; 2 mins @ 7 mph; 2 mins @ 8 mph; 2 mins @ 9 mph then 4 mins @ 10 mph - repeat  5 times.  10 min cool down.  I was not as fresh as I have been when I have done this workout in the past.  I had to kind of grind through the last two when it came to the 4 mins at 10 mph.  But, I did not bail and felt that the workout was good physically and mentally. 

AM - 4.0 miles easy recovery run.  Had a storm over night that pushed the temperature down a bit from yesterday when the heat index before sunrise was 90 degrees.  Feeling pretty fatigued from training lately - first mile or so was slow before I got into a rhythm.  Core/ab work following for about 20 mins.

PM - 6.0 miles on the treadmill at the gym at lunch.  First mile was very rough getting up to speed.  Ran the rest of the miles at 7:30 or better but was generally fatigued and not really enjoying the experience.  Though not that I am training that hard, and I don't put myself in this category, I am reminded of the phase of training described in the book "Once a Runner" described as 'breaking down'.  Accumulation of steady mileage and training takes its toll where the runner is basically not fully recovered between workouts and finds himself in a constant state of fatigue-depression.

AM - Delaney and I are doing a beach race 5k this evening - so she slept in, but Riley decided since her swim team practice was cancelled for the morning, that she wanted to to go for a run.  So we did an easy 2 miles which was a good shake out run for me and was just about right for her because she has not done any running in months - and only just started swimming for the summer about 2 weeks ago. 

PM - 5k race on Clearwater Beach.  Much better experience this week than two weeks ago.  I ran a much more controlled race for the conditions.  Softer sand and warmer temps - I kept my heartrate at a manageable level through the first mile, a seemingly pedestrian 6:21 but I was gradually making up ground on runners in front of me.  The second mile was on a steep sidehill which was fatiguing and resulted in a 6:42 second mile - but when things levelled out I finished reasonably well with a 6:33 mile just missing a sub 20 min race.  Doesn't seem fast, but this was nearly a minute better than two weeks ago and I finished 15 places higher.  So, it was a good training/race strength building workout and I showed progress if not physically - at least I was wiser this time out.

Delaney ran as well - but she was at the beach the entire day - completely drained from the sun, I told her just to run, not to race and to use it as a training run.  A couple of her teammates were there and ran well. 

We met my wife and Riley at the Palm Pavilion where my other daughter Bradlea was working and enjoyed a meal and a nice sunset.  A very good evening with the family.

AM - easy 4 miles with Delaney.  I dragged her out of bed (she insisted that I do so last night) so that she could get her run out of the way today.  I felt surprisingly good and fresh - but she did not, and so we talked about having those types of days and how to deal with them.  Spent the rest of the day cleaning out the garage and doing general work around the house.