The Next Step

Last day in Huntsville and it was another hot morning.  I missed yesterday with a bunch of business meetings and then trying to do some things with the family.  I felt pretty good this morning so decided to do a progression run.  I just picked up the pace as I went along and ended up running a couple of miles at MP and then the last mile at tempo around (6:38).  It felt good to run faster and the legs seemed to respond.  I have been feeling a little run down the last few days so it was good to have a better run today.

52:50 (7:33 avg)

Traveled back home last night and woke up to a beautiful morning (68, sunny, light wind).  Took advantage of having the day off and did my long run today.  I felt pretty good getting started and ran easy.  I am trying to get in a habit of starting my long runs off easy and then running faster the last half.  Today I ran the first half at around 7:56 pace and ran the last half at 7:41 pace.  It felt good to pick it up a little bit as I went along and then ran the last couple of miles around 7:25 pace.  Over the next few weeks I am going to try to bump up my long run distance and get back to doing some 20 milers. 

I hope everyone has a great 4th of July!

15 miles in 1:57:07 (7:48 avg)

PM:  Walked a couple of miles with my wife then ran with my daughter.  It was good to get the legs moving again after the long run this morning.

Happy 4th of July!  Today is my daughter's birthday so got out before everyone got up and started the days activities.  It was cloudy and warm (68) this morning.  I felt pretty good getting started but was a little stiff.  I just took it real easy for a recovery run.  It was real quite this morning and not many people out so it was nice just taking in everything.  Turned out to be a very relaxing run.  Now off to the family activites.

57:51 (8:15 avg)

This morning I had to fly out to HI for business.  I don't like having to travel so much but I hate to have to leave on Sunday.  After the long flight I just wanted to get outside and do something so took an easy run before coming back to the hotel and crashing.  Time change is a killer.

31:04 (7:46 avg)

Honolulu, HI:  I got up around 3 so had plenty of extra time this morning and took advantage to put in a few extra miles.  It was 72, humid and pretty windy.  I ran up around Diamond Head and then added on some distance in a neighborhood behind Diamond Head.  It ended up being very hilly.  It was a good workout for me going the extra miles and getting in a lot of hill work.  There was a beautiful full moon out over the ocean that was pretty cool.  Hope to keep on the early morning schedule while I am out here and get in a few extra miles.

1:36:20 (8:02 avg)

 Honolulu, HI:  It was warm (75), humid and windy again this morning.  I ran the same route as yesterday around Diamond Head.  I pushed the pace harder today.  I just kind of ran by feel and didn't really look at the watch.  I just tried to run what I thought was MP for around 3 miles then picked it up some more close to tempo pace.  Also, I tried to run the hills harder to get in some extra work.

It is nice running up around Diamond Head but to get there I have to run down by Wakakii Beach and it is pretty sad because there are a lot of homeless people sleeping in the parks down by the beach.  Really makes you wonder how they ended up it that situation and what there story is.

1:08:32 (7:37 avg)

Honolulu, HI:  The weather out here pretty much stays the same so 74, humid and windy again today.  I did the same route around Diamond Head this morning.  I had to get back for some early meetings so didn't get to run as long as I wanted.  I felt pretty good this morning and just ran easy.  I am really enjoying running the hilly route.  Just after 3 days I feel like it is getting easier.  I wish I had the opportunity to run more hills at home.  It definitely strengthens you for running.

63:32 (7:55 avg)

Honolulu:  Last day before heading home this afternoon.  It has been a long week away and I am looking forward to getting back home.  We are going on vacation next week so it will be good to be able to spend time with my family after being gone all this week. 

Same weather 74, humid and windy.  I also did the same route around Diamond Head.  I am sure there are other great places to run here but it is hard to beat Diamond Head for beauty and ease of access from my hotel.  Also, the long hills on both sides make it a good workout.  I was out a little later today since I was at a late dinner with customers last night and slept a little long plus had meetings this morning.  I felt good and I wanted to run some faster pace so I ran around MP on the Diamond Head portion of the run.  It was a good workout for me to run the hills hard.  After coming off of the last hill I pushed the pace to around tempo (6:40) for a good finish.

51:08 (7:19 avg)

Flew back from Honolulu last night on the red eye.  My flight was delayed and I only got about 2 hours of sleep.  We are leaving in the morning for vacation so had a lot to do and was pretty worn out so I didn't make it out.

Gulf Shores, AL:  With my family on vacation in Gulf Shores.  We drove down yesterday and didn't get here until around 10:00 so didn't get to run yesterday.  I got out this morning before going to the beach.  It was 85 and very humid with not much wind.  I just took it easy and was stiff from all the setting I have been doing the last two days of travel.  Looking forward to a relaxing week with the family.

5 m in 40:16 (8:03 avg)

Gulf Shores:  Another steamer this morning (85, humid) but at least there was a breeze blowing.  I didn't feel the best this morning.  I just couldn't seem to get going so I just took it easy and cruised along. While I am on vacation I am happy just to get the miles in and maintain where I am at.  Looking forward to fun with the family.

7m in 55:50 (7:59 avg)

Gulf Shores:  It was really hot and humid this morning especially since I got out later.  It was 88 and real humid.  I ran with my daughter for a warmup and then went out to run a tempo.  The first tempo mile I did was really tough and felt like the temp was just draining me.  I ran around 6:40 pace but I thought I shouldn't push it too hard in this weather and just ran easy the rest of the way. I think I will skip any faster stuff until I get back home to the weather I am more used to.

Gulf Shores:  Just ran a mile with my daughter.  Busy day with the family so didn't make it out for a run.

Gulf Shores:  Hot and humid again (85) with just a little wind.  I am definitely not used to this weather.  I have done the same thing everyday.  I start off feeling good and running a little too fast and then I feel beat coming back and end up slowing down.  It is a good thing that I live in Indiana.  I am not sure I could handle this everyday. I guess after awhile you would get used to it but it would be tough. Gives me a lot of appreciation for people who live and run here.

65:15 (8:09 avg)

Gulf Shores: I was able to squeeze in a short run between family activities so I thought I would run a little faster.  It was 89 and humid.  I started off easy and planned on picking up the pace each mile.  Here are the splits:

1st - 8:10

2nd - 7:26

3rd - 7:11

4th - 6:51

5th - 7:11

I felt good though out the run and felt like I could have pushed it harder.  On the 5th mile I ran 3/4 of it at around 6:30 race and then jogged in the last 1/4 mile. It was good to get in some faster running.

36:53 (7:22 avg)

Finally back home in Indy.  Sat I spent the last day of vacation with the family and didn't run then Sun we packed up and drove home so I missed a couple of days of running.  It was good to get back into the routine today plus the weather was awesome.  It was low 70's with low humidity.  I felt good and ran easy at a pretty good pace.  The last few weeks have been kind of tough on the training so I hope to get back into a better schedule starting this week.

8m in 60:11 (7:33 avg)

PM:  Took a 25 mile bike ride. It was such a beautiful day and great to be outside.  When I came back I ran a mile with my daughter.

It was another beautiful morning (66, sunny, no wind).  I felt pretty flat this morning.  Probably from the bike ride last night.  Used some muscles that I have not used in a while.  I just ran easy and treated it as a recovery run.  Felt about the same the whole way so hopefully tomorrow will be better. 

63:41 (7:58 avg)

It was raining this morning so I decided to put off running until after work.  That was a mistake.  I ended up having a real busy day and then was only able to squeeze a few miles in before church tonight.  I decided since I only had a short time I would run some tempo mile.  I didn't feel the best.  I have felt pretty flat this whole week.  I ran an easy mile then started picking up the pace to tempo.  The first mile was a little slow (7:10) but then I went 6:48, 6:35 which was better.  Not really the best workout but ok considering I was just trying to fit something into the schedule.

36:40 (7:20 avg)

It was misty rain this morning (65) with some wind.  I had a hard time getting going this morning so just ran real easy.  I really slowed the pace down and tired to focus on making this a real recovery run.  Sometimes I turn a recovery run into something that is faster than it probably should be so really tired to keep this one slow.  I wanted to keep it in the 8:15 to 8:30 range which worked out.  Hopefully this will get my legs to respond and feel a little better.  Also, I have not been sleeping well.  I am still staying up to late after being on vacation last week I got into some bad habits.

66:32 (8:19 avg)

It was a nice morning and a little warmer than the last few days.  I am running in a 8k race tomorrow and have been feeling run down all week so just thought I would do 5 miles and take it easy to see if that helped.  I didn't feel any better today.  My legs are just like lead.  I feel like I have no energy.  I did a few strides toward the end to see if that might snap me out of it but even those felt tough.  I have very low expectations for the race tomorrow.  At this point probaby just run it as a tempo workout.

39:43 (7:52 avg)

I woke up this morning to thunderstorms, rain and lightning.  I was supposed to run in an 8k race but didn't know if they would have it because of the lightning.  I didn't want to drive the 30 minutes then find out it was cancelled or sit around if it was delayed so I bagged the race.  I waited until the storms blew through so I didn't get out until around lunch time.  It was warm (79) and the humidity was up.  Also, there was about a 20 to 30 mph wind.  I ran easy today and again my legs felt tired and sluggish.  This time, however, I started to feel better as I went along.  Even though I ran the last half of the run into the wind I was able to pick up the pace. I hope this is a good sign going forward.  I really wanted to run the race to see where I am at so I will try to get into another sometime in the next couple of weeks.

1:16:43 (7:52 avg)

I was able to get out for a few miles this afternoon while the girls were doing some baking.  It was warm (80) and pretty windy.  I still felt a little tired starting out today but felt better after a couple of miles.  Just tired to take it easy.  I am hoping that this is the start of a good week.  The last couple of weeks have not been too good because of travel and vacation so this week it is back to the schedule.  One of the goals that I set for this year was to race more often and I am not following through on that.  I need to get some races scheduled and see how my training is going plus just enjoy the racing.  Now off to teach youth group.  This is our last session for the summer so going to have a party.

39:09 (7:50 avg)

Nice morning (70) with a little more humidity.  Today I planned on doing a 4 mile tempo run.  I have been kind of flat the last couple of weeks and have just been running mostly easy runs.  I have not been doing many workouts and I have been missing a run every fews so I have not been as consistent with my training as I would like.  Today I wanted to get back on track and start off with a tempo workout to kind of see where I am at and then hopefully build from there. 

I felt sluggish starting but woke up after a little bit and felt better.  I started the tempo after a 3 mile warmup and wanted to run controlled not pushing too hard.  I thought I should be able to run 6:50 pace comfortably so that is what I set for the goal.  Here are the splits for the 4 miles:

1st - 6:51

2nd - 6:50

3rd - 6:43

4th - 6:36

I felt controlled most of the way and only thought I was pushing it on the last mile.  Was mostly satisfied with the run but disappointed that I haven't made any progress this summer.  This is basically where I was at in the spring.  This is not suprising though since my running this summer has not been very consistent.

58:59 (7:22 avg)

PM: Ran with my daughter.

It was cloudy today, humid and 70.  Pretty nice morning for running.  Starting out I was stiff and had a hard time getting going.  Felt better after the muscles warmed up and was able to get into a comfortable pace.  Just took it easy and tired to relax.  It started raining about half way through the run but it was light and felt good.  I picked up the pace a little the last 4 miles and felt good when I finished.

1:26:09 (7:50 avg)

It was warm (74) with some light rain when I started today.  I felt pretty good getting started today.  Probably the best I have felt running in a couple of weeks.  After about 2 miles it started raining really hard and rained for the next 4 miles before it quit.  I was totally soaked an a older lady came up beside me in her car and asked if I needed a ride somewhere.  It was nice of her but I guess most people don't understand runners.  I was actually having a great time and felt really good the rain was keeping me cool.  I am going to have to talk with my wife because I had soap suds running down my legs from my shorts.  Guess the rinse cycle didn't work to good  :-)

54:55 (7:42 avg)

Went to Ky to visit family.  I got together with a high school friend and did a 20 mile bike ride.  It was fun and had some great weather.