Doug's Running Thingy

Ravine/Overstreet combined for the first time in a couple months... 40:38 ouch.  Down 5 lbs in last 4 weeks - 6-8 to go.  Will start thrice weekly (MWF) dumbell/pushups/pullups workouts this week, plus TThSat core/stretching. Also shifting to alternating 2 days run, 1 day bike.  Three weeks until 1-mile on the track (community race/fundraiser for XC team), and four weeks until 5K trail race.

9 miles on the mountain bike (11.4 mph) - confirmed my 3.5 miler on overstreet as 3.45 miles - thatll work.  Resistance workout after - 3 circuits with 10lb dumbells 10 reps per exercise no problem, will increase to 15 quickly.

Overstreet trail this morning.  What a grind and it was only 3.5 - heat index over 90 at 7am.  Need a good week of training and watching what I eat to drop under 160 for first time since last summer - on my way to sub 155 by end of Aug.

7am - ravine trail plus new trail downhill (9:39) - new trail portion felt fast and relatively comfortable - first time saying that in a long time.  Of course, Travis told me he would crush that time running it uphill tacked on the end of his 8-miler - will update this post when I hear from him.

Still just running short workouts, but today (even though it was 88 degrees and the first mile was brutal) was a reminder of why running is the ultimate in physical, mental and spiritual therapy.  It doesn't happen all the time, and it rarely happens when you really want it to, but on occasion, in the middle of a run, the accumulated fatigue, the stresses of work, school, relationships, everyday life, just fade away and you're as one with your surroundings and could seemingly run in that zone forever.  Halfway through the fastest portion of my run this morning, a large doe was on the twisty single track trail ahead of me and she casually ran in front for maybe 20 meters before easing off into the woods.  As I went by, she glanced my way with neither fear nor enmity - it seemed to be more of an acknowledgement that I somehow belonged there.  Even now, as I write this three hours later, my "runner's high" remains.  Its gonna be a good day.   

Boy-child went 10 flat uphill on the new trail at 8.5 into his 10-miler - the team is definitely fired up for XC season. 

9.6 on the mountain bike (10.7 mph) - ravine trail plus north loop - note to self... 3.3 miles to start of new trail, so ravine/north loop/new trail would be 4.8

Dumbell workout yesterday and core today after ride - seem to be in a good fat burning phase - looking forward to actually feeling like a runner in the next week or so. 

Ravine/North Loop/New Trail counterclockwise - comfortable 8 minutes/mile, no foot pain... ok, several twinges along the way, but nothing consistent.  Thinking about maybe 8X200 on the track tomorrow, nice and easy at 42 sec or so with jog across infield recovery.  Thats about 5:30 mile pace, which will be my goal in a couple weeks for Breakfast on the Track to kick off XC season.  Doc advised to tape the foot if I hit the track - will do that, although 8X200 at 42 isn't the intensity that we talked about.