The Long Run

There were a few people meeting at the Y at 7:30, so I figured that would be a good way to make sure I was up. Ran with Michelle, Charly, and two others, then about a mile into the run ran into Eudair who had started earlier and was hoping she would run into someone.

After the run, was talked into trying out Body Combat class at the Y which Jammie was teaching. Of course I felt awkward not knowing anything but it was still a lot of fun.

Ran with Eudair starting from Longleaf at 6:30, usual route through Longleaf and out and back on Starkey.

Saw Beka getting ready for her run, other than that the streets were pretty empty. Pleasant running weather this morning.

Felt good. Ran through the neighborhood and about 1.5 miles on the grassy shoulder of Trinity Blvd.

Ran from Longleaf at 5:30 with Cynthia, Bob, Eudair, and Jorge, stopping at Diane's house and then all running into Starkey. After a quick restroom stop we were heading back out (along with a lot of other people), when just about everyone stopped. One of our friends had been hit by a deer crossing the trail quickly in the dark. Fortunately, no one was hurt too bad. Cynthia ran with me back to Starkey Blvd.

  I then  ran the four miles back by myself. I wanted to pick it up the last 3 miles but "wasn't feeling it", but went for it all the same - 6:44, 6:51, and 6:25.

Back early and then had a good day with the kids.

Cool and windy but not cold. Hard to get going, but kept at it and felt pretty good at the end.  Did a little bit on the grass along Trinity Blvd.

Nice and cool run at the Y with the Striders. Easy warm up just under 2 miles, then 4x1km (approx) repeats at paces: 6:10,6:08,6:12,6:17. Good effort, but just not at sub 6:00 this morning.

Regular run around the neighborhood. Cut it short a little bit, stopped back at home to get the kids moving, then did a little bit more. Felt pretty good this morning.

Easy paced warm up for about 3 miles, then 5 mile tempo run that turned into tempo/progression run: 6:53, 6:48, 6:38 ,6:29, 6:27.

Foggy out for first half of the run.

Perfect running morning weather wise electronics, not so much. Garmin was too low on batteries so I took a watch (just so I'd not be late getting back), mp3 player was lost yesterday so I took the old one with songs from 2006.

(I thought the mp3 was lost for good but it turned up in my truck later on)

Left from Longleaf at 5:30 with Cynthia and a few others. Quick stop at Diane's, then into the park before turning back.

Quick pit stop after the 14, then decided to do another 3 fast miles - 6:29,6:18,6:21 - better than I thought I could do. Ran into a bunch of Striders at the end which was a great boost on the final push.

Nice weather, relaxing Monday morning run. Slow start, with a steady pick up. Ran along grassy shoulder on Trinity Blvd for a while.

Perfect morning weather wise.

Warmed up with Jean (Jean often rides with a friend named Claude along with some women, when they do that they are Jean Claude and the van Dames) and did some of the intervals with him.

4x1km repeats at paces: 6:00,5:53,5:53,5:57 followed by cool down.  Felt good and was a nice confidence boost to run those paces.

Smaller but high quality crowd for quick social hour after the run.

Ran through the neighborhood along with an out and back on Trinity Blvd. Good steady run.

Easy paced warm up (was a little late starting due to garmin) including about a mile with Eudair after the water stop. Then attempted 2x2mile repeats at half marathon goal.

Wasn't quite there but will take credit for the effort: 1) 6:38,6:27 2) 6:36,6:38

Coffee was all gone when I finished, but there were a few people still around to chat with.

Two shirt (and hat) run this morning (low 40's). Great once I was warmed up.

Short (for a Saturday) run today. Met Eudair and Cynthia in the park after they had already done 7. Ran out with them for a bit and then ran into Dixie for the last half mile or so of his run. Perfect running weather, beautiful morning.

Clearwater Half Marathon tomorrow!

Stats: 1:27:27, 11th overall, 10th male, 1st age group.

Running wise, I felt strong and was able to get a personal course record, conquered the mile 2-4 stretch where I usually struggle (trick was to not look at my pace at all but focus on someone ahead of me, in this case Terri R. - I eventually caught up to her and passed her today, but I have a feeling I can't count on that happening again), and had a few other bests and firsts for me.

Splits: 6:35, 6:24, 6:27, 6:46, 6:23, 6:39, 6:26, 6:38, 6:42, 6:58, 6:38, 6:35, 6:42, 0.26@6:00

A few days before the race, I tried to do some tempo paced miles but struggled to get down to my goal half marathon pace.  I felt like I was way off from where I was in November, and even where I was before the last race.

My goal this race was to try and get the first half of the race at 6:30 pace or faster no matter what, and then if I faded in the second half, then I faded.

The first mile is uphill to get to the top of the Clearwater Memorial Bridge, but it is the easiest of the uphills for the race.  This was my fastest time doing this first mile and I was feeling energetic and excited.  The second mile is downhill for about a 1/3 of a mile.

In the past I have struggled to hold a good pace for the third mile, but today I was able to hold what I needed by picking out and following someone and not looking at my pace.

The fourth mile goes up and over the Sand Key Bridge which has the same elevation, but has a steeper grade.  I knew I slowed down but I managed to pass a couple of people and decided I would make up what I could on the downside.

Just past mile 4 was my running group, the Suncoast Striders, manning the aid station.  They gave me such a huge boost, with about 25 people there screaming out my name, so the 5th mile was my fastest mile.

Next, I was in and out of Sand Key Park, slowed down a little and realized that my near 6:30 average was slipping away (combined with how I knew my garmin wasn't quite giving me a completely accurate pace).  So, early in the 7th mile I decided I would just push it and get to the pace I had promised myself, if nothing else to about the half way point.  There was a woman who had caught up to me (someone I knew that was often faster than me (she has already done a sub-3:00 marathon a few years back)), with my surge, it was enough to finally shake her - although it would have been nice if she had stayed in front and made me go faster!

Mile 8 started out good, just past the turnaround heading north again and there was a little bit of wind and I let my push slip away.  Then a few more seconds slipped away for mile 9.

Mile 10 was back up and over the Sand Key Bridge again, it was my slowest mile, but I did fight to at least get back down below 7:00. 

With only one more bridge ascent left, I was able to get back into the 6:30's for a couple of miles, then did a better job going back up the Clearwater Bridge.

So, a little bit faster than the last half marathon even though I went into this one feeling slower.  The weather was better.  And also I tried drinking beet juice the day before.  I think I'll give it another try (the beet juice) sometime.

After the race was happy to cheer Marcia on her home stretch PR marathon finish. I spent too much time chatting that I forgot to listen for awards, but fortunately Mike S. had my back and picked it up for me. It would have been nice to get a PR and to get sub 1:25:00, but not at the expense of the good stuff about today.

A few things that the stats don't say: today was an awesome race, the decibel level at the Striders manned aid station rivaled the Boston marathon stretch near Wellesly College, I remembered to look left and look right at the top of Sand Key Bridge, when I thought I was fading I found a sub 6:30 mile at mile 7, I passed a few people in the second half, and I had a stronger last 3 miles than I did at my PR half marathon in November. 

Just sort of took it easy this morning. Quads still a bit sore from Sunday. Chilly out.

Easy run, classic t-shape route, then back home and a few strides at the end. Two shirt run this morning (low 40's I think). Powerbar apple gel.

A little bit chillier today. Plan was to just take it easy, which I did except toward the end when I did a few faster miles on the way back, including one at 6:16

Standard run around the neighborhood and golf course on a high 40's foggy morning.

Started off from Longleaf with Cynthia and Eudair, quick stop at Diane's house then into the park, turned back and slowly picked up the pace and also  picked up Jorge for the return trip, steady pick up at the end with last mile 7:30ish

Beautiful morning, usual slow paced first mile with steady pick up. I a saw a buck this morning but it was dead :( (at least it did not smell yet).  I see a pretty good amount of deer around here from time to time and was just thinking recently that I never see any bucks, maybe I will see a live one next time.

Tuesday morning run at the Y with the Striders. Did some of my warm up with Scott before he took off, I caught up to him a few times while doing my intervals, 4x1K at paces: 5:58,5:57,5:54,5:58

Then did enough cool down so I would get in 8 miles.

Started out with usual route around the neighborhood and then went a little bit extra on the grassy shoulder next to Trinity Blvd. Nice 66 degree weather this morning.

I thought I would try something different today and run with the group that usually starts out too fast for me. It was a good challenge. Ran with Beka, Melanie, Jean, and Jason. One mile warm up at 8:15, then alternated between low 7's and 7:30's until the last fast mile at 6:04, then one cool down mile. Beka was joking around and said how about 6:20 for the last mile, I said ok, she said she was just kidding but would try and keep up. Towards the end I was slowing down a little but Jason snuck up behind me and we pushed it in and Beka ended up right around 6:20, her fastest mile since hurting hurt foot a few months ago (mechanical bull accident)