Doug's Running Thingy

Quite the lovely midmorning run and track workout today.  Still in the low 60s when I rolled to the track at about 10 - nice.  Did 2.25 warmup on the trails and then 6x300 on the track.  Was thinking I'd just go about 5K pace (for me around 66-68 per 300), but the first one at 60 felt pretty comfortable.  Walked 100 for rest between.  Did the remaining 5 at 60, 60, 59, 59, 56.  Finished up with some barefoot striders and 3 laps around the infield.

Nice run this evening while Lisa walked the lower loop.  I did the figure 8 super-size plus the new trail.  All miles between 8 and 8:20 pace.

Looks like evening runs for this week so I can run while the wife gets her walk/run in.  I did the figure 8 five miler, and dropped the 5th mile under 7 minutes - fine effort for me.

Another lovely evening run on the trails.  Ran the Lake Jackson loop (5 miles), then about 3/4 mile on the ravine trail until I found Lisa and then walked on in with her.  Stretched out real good on the playground before heading home for some grilled chicken salad.

North loop time trial this evening in the middle of 4.4 on the ravine trail.  Wanted to really test myself this time, so I took it out real strong on the first third.  The final third was definitely tough, but I came through with my best time in quite a while - 4:42 for the .8 mi loop.  Garmin informs me that was a 6:13 pace - that'll work on the single track twisty trail with some super sandy sections.

Just a couple miles in the neighborhood this morning to shake out the legs.  Decided to race a trail 5K tomorrow in support of a bacterial meningitis foundation - young girl that graduated from the kids' school a few years ago died last year from it - her family has started this race.  I stepped up the middle half mile to a bit slower than race pace - felt good - we'll see.

Quite satisfied with the effort this morning.  The course was pretty amazing and very hilly.  The directors are the family of a young lady that died from bacterial meningitis a couple years ago.  They hired a firm from Orlando that really did it up right - chip timing, national anthem, awards stage, nice spread of food.  Most amazingly was the fact that they convinced several property owners adjoining the host school/church to allow them to clear and mow a 10 foot wide swath through really nice areas to create a one loop 5K all trail course that had it all.  Right at 400 finishers, most of whom were the run/walker variety.

I went 6:30, 6:28, 7:02 and finished up at 20:30 for 8th overall and 1st 45-49 - that'll work. 

Overstreet loop plus ravine trail X 2.  Real easy pace for my "long" run.

Connector up to the ravine trail then north loop time trial - 4:41, one second faster than last week.  Finished up the ravine trail and then back to jeep via new trail.  

Track workout at FSU this evening before watching the lady Noles lose in soccer - bummer.  Ran a couple miles around the old campus for warmup then did 6x300 at the track.  Did them in 60, 60, 60, 57, 55 and 52 - nice workout.

Mid morning run on red bug trail, toughest single track mtb trail in town - lots of fun to run when there aren't bikers on it.  Only saw one biker and she was clearly not in the right place - I think she fell 5 times in the 45 seconds that I was able to watch her.  I, however, only fell once - not bad.

Perimeter run around overstreet, ravine, north loop and new trail then half mile walk and stretching with wifey.  Good midmorning movement to get things going on a Sunday.

Got the run in before the expected washout of a day. Five miles on the Thomasville Rd loop - did a little short cut to skip the last mile because I got a late start and had to get ready for work. Very comfortable at a bit under 8 min pace.

North loop time trial this evening - made it in 4:42 - one second slower than last week - not bad. It was actually kinda chilly this eve - sweet!

Everybody and their brother were out on the trails this gorgeous evening - strange - I musta missed a memo.  Figure 8 with the middle 3 miles at about 7:30 per mile.  Big XC meet in Marianna on Saturday (bit more than an hour west of us).  They have an open division at the end that I will run, after running around shooting and yelling at kids for 90 minutes.  'tis a famously fast course as far as XC goes, so the kids and us old folks all are looking forward to the trip.

Blah blah, I ran, felt pretty good, did ok.

Travis broke through with a nice 20-second PR at 16:20 for 11th place in this perennially competitive race.  The guys were missing their numbers 5 and 6, but each of the top 4 and number 7 all got PRs - was a good morning.

Evening trail run from the Maclay track - figure 8 plus a lap around the track.  Pinched nerve or something in upper back - never really loosened up.  

Full perimeter run plus backtracking to Lisa - walked a half mile with her at end.  Start and finish at the gardens trailhead.

North loop time trial again this evening, and again I go 4:41.  Not complaining I guess, but thats 4 weeks in a row at 4:41 or 4:42 - really thought I'd go under 4:40 tonight.  I blame it on roll my ankle about halfway through and taking 50 meters or so to work it out.  Finished up with a mile and a half easy back to the jeep.  Nice evening.

Decided to just do an easy three this evening, so I went to Trav's school and ran the XC course they plan on using for tomorrow's City Champs meet.  I thrice avoided the mud hole that coach is creating (2 hoses full blast for the past 24 hours, continuing through meet time tomorrow), resulting in garmin reporting 3.07 miles - pretty good.  The guys are planning on wearing superman capes for the race - clearly a low key meet before post season starts next week.

Zero for me, other than fartlekking it around the XC course.  Travis played around with strategy at the low key City Champs on our challenging home course.  He led the race through 2 miles and then backed off.  Only one kid went by him, so he got second in 17:23.  Coach successfully flooded the holding pond that the kids go through 3 times - he was disappointed that only 3 or 4 kids lost shoes in the mud this year.  The boys failed in their attempt to find little capes to wear, so they all decided to wear shades.  The guy behind him in the pic was the winner - good bud of his that is a senior with a 16 flat PR

Short run and then walk around the folks' neighborhood in Dunedin.  Lisa and I made a last minute decision to drive down for her brother's Halloween party - big fun, but seriously ate into potential running opportunities.

Did the perimeter trail this evening and set what had to be a record for wildlife encounters - 5 deer, 9 turkeys and a few hundred migratory waterfowl.  Said waterfowl were the best - had to take a break out on the dock at Lake Overstreet for a couple minutes to admire them.  Some manner of little duck dudes and dudettes, all making soft little gobbley noises, but, since there were hundreds of em it wasn't terribly soft at all.  Carry on.