Doug's Running Thingy

Well that was both encouraging and potentially deadly I believe.  Got out to St Marks Trail and on the run as the sun was rising and it was already 77 degrees - hmph.  Cloud cover stuck around for a couple hours, but then at about 16 miles into my planned 20 miler, it became sunny and ridiculous.  Probably should have bagged it right then, but I was actually feeling pretty good about the run at that point (all miles easy between 8:30 and 8:45 pace).  Miles 17 and 18 started the struggle and steam was really pouring out my head as I neared the end of 19 so I stopped the watch and walked slowly on back to the trailhead.  Stood under the outdoor shower there for a while and drank copious amounts of water and gatorade until I stopped seeing stars.

I'm trusting that mid-50s to mid-60s and low humidity at racetime in PA will be a cakewalk compared to all this hot humid training.

Nice sweaty run on the trails this morning as the sun rose... 82° heat index.  Just getting the miles in.

Nice little progression run this morning - almost felt like a real runner again.  On the neighborhood roads for seven, with the first four dropping from 8:18 pace for first mile down to and through marathon pace (8:03; 7:58; 7:39) by the fourth.  The fifth mile starts with nearly a half-mile uphill, so it bubbled up to 7:54 pace before going 7:25 for sixth and 6:45 pace for first half of the final mile... kinda spent at that point so jogged on in from there. 

Yes, we call a 90-foot incline over a half-mile a hill around here - what about it?! 

Mostly easy six miles on the trails with last couple at marathon pace.  Getting easier and easier to settle into MP on demand... even with this heat/humidity and trail surface.  18 scheduled for Sunday - need to find nice flat route in Prattville, Alabama - heading to the inlaws for the weekend.

Four in the inlaws neighborhood in prattville bama