The Next Step

Since I had the day off I thought I would take the extra time and go to the track to do some work. It was warm and humid day (76). I planned on doing 8 x 800 at around 3:10 as a strength/speed workout. I did a couple of mile warmup and felt good. The first 800 was a little slow but once I got loosened up the rest felt better and were faster. The last couple I was starting to feel it. Here are the splits:

1st - 3:14

2nd - 3:06

3rd - 3:07

4th - 3:06

5th - 3:04

6th - 3:04

7th - 3:05

8th - 3:03

I was happy with the workout. I haven't done much speed work in a long time so it was good to get the legs moving faster.

1:19:36

I left real early this morning on a business trip to Honolulu.  I had a 3 hour layover in Chicago so went to the fitness center and ran on the treadmill.  Not exactly what I wanted to do but was glad to get the run in.  I will only be in Hawaii for two days so this is going to be a mixed up week.  I hope to get some good runs in while there but it will be tough when I have to travel back.  I know I won't get much sympathy but I would rather have stayed home.

66:23

Made it to Honolulu and got out around 3:00 this morning on a normal day (75, humid, very windy).  I did my normal route for the area up around Diamond Head.  I wanted to a medium long progression run this morning.  Started off easy for the first few miles then started to gradually pick up the pace.  It was nice to hear the ocean as a ran even though I couldn't see much of it at this time in the morning.  I had mapped out a run on the computer but got to one part around 5 miles where there was a seriously steep/long hill (at least 15%) so didn't think this was good for the progression pace so just started heading down random streets.  When I came back and mapped it on the computer it ended up being 11.8 instead of the 12 miles I planned.  Anyway, I hit the turnaround in 48:48 and then started picking up the pace more aggressively.  Felt good running this pace and ran the last couple of miles at what was probably tempo pace.  Ran the last half in 43:07 (7:15 pace) which I felt pretty good about over the hilly course.

1:32:07

Weather pretty much the same today in Honolulu (74, humid, but less wind).  I did the same route as yesterday around Diamond head but just cut it a little shorter.  Just an easy run today and felt good the whole way.  There are several good hills on this route which is good for me because I don't get to run many hills.  I was out a later this morning so the surfers were out in force at the point on Diamond Head.  They were going down to the water and it was still dark.  I don't think I would feel comfortable paddling out in the ocean on a surf board in the dark.  I guess everybody has there thing.  I am flying back tonight on the red eye and won't get in until around 4:00 tomorrow afternoon.  Not sure if I will be able to get a run in tomorrow or not. 

1:25:56 (8:20 avg)

Yesterday I traveled back from Hawaii and by the time I got home I was fried so didn't run yesterday. After a good night's sleep last night I got out this morning for my long run. It was a little warm (67 with a light wind). I felt good this morning starting out and ran along easily. After around 5 miles I gradually picked up the pace. I was still feeling good half way through so picked up the pace some more. I felt good at this pace until around 19 miles and then it didn't feel as easy but I was still able to hold the pace to the finish. I ran the first half at an 8:06 avg and ran the last half at 7:48 avg so turned out to be a good run.

2:54:54 (7:57 avg)