Doug's Running Thingy

Decent run out at the State Meet course before three more hours of cross training with a rake and an axe to get it ready for next weekend.  Good sized group of people made it out this morning - even Travis and a few teammates.  After 5 miles and then 3 hrs hard labor, the old bones enjoyed a nap in front of football - wooooo.

Happy Labor Day!  Twas a bit of a labor this morning on the trails - didn't get out there early enough as usual.  Temps and humidity were already cranking by 0830 - ah well, at least I got the five-miler done.

Averaged 7:50 for my six miler on the roads/sidewalk in the neighborhood - much more comfortable than yesterday's trail effort.  Will likely hit the roads more as I ramp things up for the 15K on Thanksgiving and the half in Feb.

Quick tempo run in the neighborhood after work before heading to open house at Trav's school.  Dropped steadily from 8 min pace to 6:40 in 90 degrees/ 90% humidity - not bad.

A bit over two miles of running around shooting pics during the first official meet of the season - mostly semi-sprinting between start/1-mile/2-mile/finish locations for four races - most enjoyable.  I was official photographer for flrunners for the meet - my gallery

Travis competed well, finishing 9th in 16:57 - winner was 16:15.  Conditions were less than ideal with low 80s temps and high 90s humidity, so a decent start on balance.

Late evening 'nother couple easy miles in the neighborhood with the doggie. 

Nice weather came one morning too late for the meet yesterday.  I hit the trails this morning to a light breeze, lower humidity and low 70s on the thermometer.  Supposed to be like this all week... right up until next Saturday for the local XC meet - hmph.  Having some left hammy tightness past few runs that isnt really worsening or improving.  Gonna run through it a couple more days and just crank up the icing and ibuprofen.

First really awesome weather of the fall - low humidity, 75 degrees this evening for a 5 miler down to Lake Jackson and back.  Steady drop from 8 min to 6:55 pace per mile.

Not quite as gorgeous as yestereve, but very acceptable.  Met up with many track club members for a Dash 'n Dine charity event for a couple of runners whose house burned down a couple weeks ago - bleh.  We all chipped in cash and gift cards etc and had some cookies and bagels afterwards.  Now I'm halfway through a beer and then bed.

Beautiful morning in the neighborhood, but I didnt get out the door in time to do the 6 miles I had planned.  Ran a decent 4, dropping from 7:46 to 6:45 per mile - nice weather is a big help to dropping the pace lately.  Unfortunately, the left hamstring remains pesky and it didnt loosen up until about a mile and a half in this morning - bleh.

Ran the 5K course this morning before Trav's meet and then another mile and a half or so shootin pics.  Boys and Girls took the team titles and Trav got third overall just under 17 again.  Boys didn't toe the line until 10:30 so was about 85 degrees and humid - was an ok result for the hilly course and weather conditions.  Hes looking forward to racing flat and hopefully cool over in Pensacola next weekend.  Should be about ten guys in the 16 flat or better range over there.

I committed to participate in a FSU exercise physiology study starting Tuesday and lasting 5 weeks.  A downhill running/recovery study for a "natural" supplement claiming enhanced recovery after intense workouts.  Should be fun.  Free VO2 max test before and after, and some other metrics as well.  Have to run an hour at -2.5% on treadmill next Thurs and then again at end of study. 

No running past two days as part of study protocol in prep for testing this morning.  Surprise surprise, sprinter boy has some of the strongest quads he's tested so far (mostly skinny white distance guys), but I came up a couple points shy of his lower cutoff for VO2max - bummer.  He showed me an age-grade chart with my 52.1 being in the top category for 45-49 years old ( >48, Excellent), but he is trying to keep to his protocol of 54-55 minimum at this point.  It was really pretty cool, except for the whole breathing through a snorkel and not being able to swallow deal - 5 min warmup walk/jog on the massive treadmill that looked like a tank, then 2 minutes each at 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 8.5 and 9.5 mph with no incline - no problem at all through any of that.  He left it at 9.5 and then bumped incline to 2% for 2 minutes - no biggie.  Then kicked it up to 4% and I started struggling after 4 minutes, then he pushed it to 5% and I had to bail after another 30 seconds or so.  My VO2max had peaked at about 20 minutes and then plateaued through the last 90 seconds or so.  I shall frame the printout that he gave me.  I'm most pleased with my killer 21 inch vertical leap!

Will run a few easy miles later - the resistance test has my right quad a bit tweaky.

Walked/ran a little bit with the dog late this evening.  Legs a bit sore from the effort this morning.  Onward and upward.

Back to the trails again finally.  Easy 5 miles to work out a bit of soreness in the calves and right quad from yesterday's VO2 max fun.

Course preview run over in Pensacola - hot, sandy, lots of side-hill footing - interesting.

Bit over a mile running around shooting pics this morning and then about 5.3 this evening after driving home from Pensacola.

Travis finished 13th out of 298 in just under 17 again.  Super hot super sandy course, but he at least stayed engaged this time after 1.5 miles and lost no spots.  Needs to work on pressing through that section from 1.5 to 2.5.  Team got 9th out of 36 without 3 of their top guys, so Trav was very pleased with that. 

Ran an easy half mile with the dog before passing him off to Lisa and continuing on for five more.  Really nice evening on the trails with lower humidity and cool temps.  Last three miles all under 7:30 and feeling comfortable.  Much fun.

Another swell evening run on the trails before dinner with daughter child - Cynda is home for a couple nights - Wed class cancelled, and Thurs class not until 3pm - what a deal.  Weekend visits just dont work for C - too much studying ya know.  ha ha ha ha ha

Hilly five in the neighborhood this morning.  Cool crisp mornings already done for another few days - bleh.  Was warm and wet, but banged it out for the day.  Racing 5K cross country on Saturday on the beautiful Pebble Hill Plantation - they let the old folks head out first, so maybe it will be decent temps.  Last time I ran this one was the inaugural edition three years ago and it was more like 5 miles than 5K - oops.  Hopefully they have it figured out now.

Easy neighborhood run this morning before work.  Left upper hamstring still not totally painfree, but its not worse, so just gonna keep hammering away.  Racing in the morning in what looks to be warmer/steamier than hoped for conditions - ah well.

Decent effort this morning on a hilly mostly trail course.  Goal was sub-21 and I had to hesitate a couple times due to limited course marshals and having a lead horse as a guide.  Horse and buggy lead vehicle on this gorgeous plantation was a great idea on paper... not so much in practice.  Within first 400 meters 5-6 of us were out in front of the beast and had to keep looking back for direction - kinda silly, but everyone was good natured about it.

Trav took the win in the high school 5K in yet another hot hilly race and yet another 17 flat effort - I seriously expected closer to 18 on the day, so he did great.