Doug's Running Thingy

Nice ten miler on the trails in chilly drizzle.  Mostly easy and then last couple miles at marathon pace.

Rainy morning had me staying in bed, so I ran the neighborhood roads before dinner.  A bit over marathon pace nice and comfy throughout.

Nice little 4-miler on the trails with striders after.

Really satisfying long run this morning after sending Travis on his way back to UNF.  Mix of road and trail with all miles 60 to 75 seconds over marathon pace until last 2.5 or so, dropped down to mp and finished up 15 seconds faster than mp feeling strong.  Pretty sure thats the first 18 or longer run that I've averaged sub 9 minutes comfortably.

Wind chill of 12 this morning so I wimped out - plus I didn't go to sleep until after 1am with the silly Noles waiting until the last second to win National Champs!  Ran on the 18-yr old treadmill in the garage at lunch - it only creaked and complained a little bit.  Didn't realize until after I finished that it was set to a nice incline - not a fancy one with digital incline readout or nuttin.

Evening workout on the neighborhood roads.  1.5 m warmup then 20x200 with 200 jog rest and 1 m cooldown.  Really nice effort.  I do like this so much more than just running for an hour.  Hit them all between 46 and 48 seconds quite comfortably - kinda sorta 5K pace was the plan.

Cool drizzly six in the neighborhood this evening followed by striders.  No running tomorrow and then 30k race Saturday morning.  Dont really plan on "racing" it, but hope to just go out and run marathon pace as long as comfortable and then cruise in.

At the start line the race director advised that it was likely that lightning would make them call the race and come out and drag us off the course.  Out and back course on red clay roads... yep, rainy slippery sloppy red clay - big fun.  There were a couple thunderclaps before the 15K turnaround, but we kept at it.  Plan going in was to go out at 8 flat pace and then try to finish coming in closer to 7:45 pace.  Conditions and hills tweaked that a bit, but I made the 30K turnaround with an 8:07 average pace.  Rain lessened but a headwind kicked up for a couple miles headed back in, but was able to press a few closing miles down to 7:45 and better, with last 0.6 at 7:33 pace.  Garmin actually had me at 18.78 miles in 8:02 average what with all the weaving around to find good footing.  All in all I couldn't be more pleased given hills and conditions. Three weeks out from the marathon and a nearly marathon pace tough 19 miler without digging too deep at all.

Three on the treadmill during chilly rainstorm before dinner.  Calves and quads a bit sore from Saturday's hilly slippery fun.

Lunchtime few easing back into it.  Still a bit of tightness in calves, but pleased with recovery from the 30K on Saturday.

Creaky chilly (34°!!) start on dark neighborhood roads this morning, but got the progression run rolling nicely after the first mile.  Worked the 2nd through 5th miles down to and through marathon pace, sixth at half MP and final mile pushed down to finish up at about 5K pace. Still a bit of tightness in right calf, but didn't hinder the run.  Four striders afterward.

Chilly six in the neighborhood this morning.  Weather channel informed me that it was 31 as I left the house before sunup, and it was 27 when I returned... no wonder my ears never warmed up.  I guess I need some ear muffs for the 4 days per year we get really cold.

Easy run on the roads in Prattville Alabama. Popped up for a few days visit with the inlaws.

Another easy 5 in Prattville.  Twenty-two on slate for tomorrow - woooo.

Really satisfying last long run this morning in 'bama before jumping in the car and heading home.  22 in 3:16, with the last 4 at marathon pace.  

Neighborhood five to start the day.

Nice chilly evening track workout.  8x400 with 200 jog.  First one at 94 seconds and gradually worked down to last one at 84 seconds.  Warmup and cooldown for a bit over 5 miles.

Six marathon pace miles before dinner on the neighborhood roads - too cold for a morning run... for me anyway.

Nice chilly run around FSU campus and track while Lisa was manning an exhibition table at the Civic Center.  Did a few curves and straightaway striders on the track - always fun.

Easy ten and a few marathon pace miles to finish.  Feeling pretty dadgum good this time around.  Many more comfortable miles at marathon pace than last time.  We'll see in about a week.

Easy run in the neighborhood with the final mile at marathon pace.

Tried a few miles in the dark cold neighborhood this morning but never got warm so bailed out at 3.5.  Maybe hit the treadmill later for a couple more.  The snowpocalypse lifted just north of Tally - just cold and some little ice pellets here... all schools and govt offices closed of course though.

I'm assuming its just taper weirdness, but halfway through this little easy run my right hammy started complaining - awesome!  Iced it after the run and will just assume its gonna be fine when I toe the line on Sunday.  They keep fluctuating the forecast low on Sunday between 52 and 60.  I'm hoping they are way off and its in the 40s like its been for weeks of training.  Always something.