The Long Run

AM walked 2.59 miles in 38:22

PM 4.02@9:08

Walk in the morning around Westlake Village and then in the evening ran with Daisy and Evan at humpday hustle in Longleaf/Starkey Ranch area

5.62@7:43

Relatively early run (7:15am) for me inside Westlake Village, short tempo run before going to work.  Had to do a training class today.  They area somewhat draining but I get through them and the response from the trainees is usually better than expected.

Last full mile of the run was 7:16, and last 0.6 was 7:01 pace.

1.63@10:23

Short and not too fast run in Westlake Village.  Tomorrow is big race (well not that big like 100 miles, but 33 1/3 miles which is still pretty big).

40.32@13:27 , HR 146 bpm

Long Play 33 1/3 Trail Run

I got lost.

It was hot.

I was sticking with a slower runner.

It was all good.

We've been having some nice cool weather for Florida spring, but today was not one of those days.  This was my 8th time doing this race, although it changes a little bit each year.  A lot of the course is shaded, but there are some open stretches.

First 7 or so miles were wonderful, all according to plan.  Then we hit the loop on what's known as the "low water trail" which runs near a river and is sometimes flooded, lots of roots from cypress trees.  Different kinds of roots, big roots, knobby roots, and partially exposed "trip wire" roots.  So, a couple of miles in here were a little bit slower, but was expected.  The loop exits and joins back to a main trail, heads south and then you are supposed to pick up the section of trail which does about a 16 mile loop.

I was running along and feeling good, having picked up some speed after the rooty section.  I was expecting to soon be on the big loop but it seemed to be taking a long time.

Then, a feeling of dread as I saw the aid station ahead.  It was the aid station that was 5 miles into the race and also the aid station I shouldn't see again until about 28 miles.  I'd missed the turn.

And, worse off, there was a guy following me who thought he was following someone that knew where he was going.

So, we doubled back but when I got to the junction where I should turn (but also skip the low water loop) I got a little more confused.  So, we stopped and started and stopped and I looked at the map on my phone and finally put in walking directions to get to Tucker Hill.  I soon realized the source of my confusion.   There's a new paved bike trail running perpendicular to the older paved bike trail and I mistook the new one for the old one.

Realized we were now parallel to the trail we should be on, so took  the next fire road, headed north a bit and intercepted the trail we should be on.

A couple more miles and we were at one of the unmaned aid stations.  5 gallon water jug on the table was almost bone dry.  Shook out the last few drops.  Two and a half miles to the crewed aid station.

Made it there ok.  The guy that I was now running with (Jason from Colorado originally from Buffalo) was getting dehydrated.  Fortunately , aid station was well stocked.  We hung out for a bit, getting some food, water, and shots of coca-cola.   The volunteers said one runner had just been through only minutes before us and there were two other runners there who had gotten there before us that were still there.  

We made it out of there, taking it easy. Had our bottles filled up and each took an extra 20 oz bottle of gatorade.  I gave mine to Jason to hold in his pack.  Up and down a couple of hills I tried not to get too far ahead, looking back now and then.  Finally, up ahead I see the runner who had left the aid station before us but when I looked back no longer saw Jason.  Stood at the top of Croom "mountain" for 3 or 4 minutes then finally went ahead.

Was getting low on water again when I passed by a group of campers.  They had several tents and a folding table with jugs of water on it.  Thought about asking them for some but knew next aid station was only about a half mile (had passed another unmanned aid station again with empty water jugs).

Made it to the next aid station (one that I had missed on the way in).  Loaded up on food and drinks and headed out again.  Passed by one or two more people and finally back (for the third time today) to the 5 mile aid station where they now had plenty of ice which they put into my hat and my drink bottle.

Last 5 miles were reasonably ok.  Quite warm by now and the few stretches of sugar sand were no fun.  Then, finally done.  Just over 9 hours to run 40.3 miles of a 33 1/3 mile race.

Maybe I'll get it right next year.

7.11@11:22, HR 122 bpm

Nice easy recovery run over to Pinellas trail and heading south.  To keep it easy did 3/2 run/walk.

5.64@10:14, HR 126 bpm

6:15 am  start to get some miles before Jessica has to leave to drop off S at school and then go to work from 8-12.  Maybe I can get back into the early running habit and make it the rule rather than exception.  More easy miles today.

AM - walked 2 miles in 30:31

PM - 4.01@9:35

Humpday hustle run with Evan and Daisy, out two miles to the tree and then back.

6.02@7:44 HR 155 bpm

Earlyish morning run, 6:15 am start.  Ran loops in Westlake village.  First mile 9:07 then picked it up going from 7:51 to last mile at 7:09.

One day per week of going faster while I do the rest of the runs at easy pace, mostly with run/walk unless I'm running with other people like on Wednesday nights.

At last night's run, Evan commented that I looked a bit stiff, was still feeling stiff from Saturday's 40 mile adventure, but today felt a little less stiff.   Also, I think the faster miles helped to stretch out my legs.

8.06@10:12   HR 127 bpm

Ran up and down Starkey Blvd from the little church near Longleaf to the entrance of Starkey park and back.  4/1 run/walk, right about where I wanted to be for pace and HR.

About 3 miles into the run, Nick U came by on his bike, slowed down and chatted with me while I ran/walked.  Nice to have a little company.  He continued on once we got to the park entrance.

16.44@10:20   HR 131 bpm

Started out from Trinity Blvd trailhead, running up Starkey Gap trail to Starkey Blvd and into the park.   Turned off the paved road and ran past the horse corral and onto the hiking trails until out just past 8 miles.  When I turned back I started going down a section of trail which I hadn't planned on, so doubled back (would've been ok if I stayed on it, would've looped back to the horse corral eventually).  I was under 130 bpm for first 9 miles, but HR started rising on the way back as it got warmer but also since I picked up the pace a little bit.

Felt pretty solid overall with no stopping at all (except for the traffic light to cross SR54).

7.3@10:22, HR 124 bpm

Dropped my parents off at the airport, then drove to Suncoast Trail parking lot at 54 and Suncoast.  Ran north just over 3.5 miles and turned around.  Ok with carrying no water even though a little warm at the start, fortunately there was some cloud cover and a few light sprinkles.  I haven't run this route for a while.  It's kind of noisy at the points where the trail gets close to the parkway, especially over bridges.

Did 4/1 run/walk and mostly ran by feel and ended up with heart rate where I wanted it to be.  Feel like I'm slowly progressing with heart rate runs. Like last week I'll go for one day of speed or tempo.

Did a couple short weight circuits after the run.

8.78@8:27 HR 149 bpm

Did 12x400m speed workout.  Unfortunately not on a track but in neighborhood on a straight stretch of side road.  One direction was slightly uphill and of course down the other way, but not too far off from flat.

Speed wise, I kept expectations low, other than not quitting and getting all 12 done.

Fairly happy with results, with half of them being under 6:30 pace, and the slowest one was 6:48 pace.

1:40, 1:38, 1:42, 1:36, 1:37, 1:33

1:38, 1:34, 1:38, 1:34, 1:38, 1:33

Overall happy with recent progress and doing mostly slow running with one faster run per week.

5.32@10:37, HR 121 bpm

Early morning (for me at least), started my watch at 6:17.  Did 4/1 run/walk looping inside Westlake Village, dark for whole run except hint of light toward the end.

Needed to be back at the house by about 7:15 which I made.  Big girls away this week, so didn't have school dropoff this time.

8.64@9:56  HR 127 bpm

Run up and down Starkey Blvd from the church to just inside the park and then back.

4/1 Walk/run, able to get just under 10:00 pace average while being pretty close to goal heart rate (124).

4.23@10:33  HR 124 bpm

Shorter, easy run on the little but not nothing hills of Anderson Park.  Andy was dropping off his truck at the car audio place across the street so did my run, then picked up up and dropped him off at work.

Later that afternoon had lunch with him at the little Mexican restaurant next door, was pretty good, should go back there.

25.12@10:24,    HR 136 bpm

Double out and back run from Longleaf to inside Starkey park (with a couple miles on the dirt trails).  First trip out was just over 7 miles, then back to the car, and then another 5.5 miles out and then back for a total of 25 miles.

First 9 miles were solidly under 130 bpm, but HR crept up as the run went on, was also picking up the pace a little. 

Absolutely no stops other then refilling my water bottle after the first out and back, during which I kept the watch running to keep the pace honest.

For having run nearly a marathon unsupported felt pretty good. 

8.11@10:08   HR 126 bpm

Run from Westlake Village, over to the Pinellas trail southbound and then back.  Overall kept it steady, felt pretty good.

8.06@7:33   HR 160 bpm

Time to go faster.   Didn't feel "ready" for a tempo run, but convinced myself to go for it once I got going (started out thinking either progression run or fast finish).  Starkey Blvd bike trail to Starkey Park entrance.  First mile, warmup at not too bad 9:19.

Next 6 miles all under 7:30 with last two miles at 7:09.

Short rest after the tempo miles, then ended up doing last mile at 7:23 which felt easier than the second mile at 7:25

5.31@10:19   HR 124 bpm

Back to slow and steady.  Looped a couple of times inside Westlake Village.  Earlyish start at 6:14 am to be done in time for Jessica to leave to take S to school and then another training morning at work for her while I do drop off for A.

5.27@10:05  HR 123 bpm

Another "easy" day.  Did a big loop around the outside of Westlake Village.  4/1 run/walk again, not as early start today as yesterday but not too late either.

Dinner out with my mom tonight for her birthday, along with dad, Jessica, baby, Aub and Soph, and Tom and Andy - just about everyone except for Jacob.

3.12@8:35

Run on Starkey Gap Trail heading south from Trinity Blvd.  No heart rate monitor today.  No easy miles, old staple of "junk" miles I guess, but short enough so I guess it could still count as easy.

I think I will race tomorrow in the Strawberry Classic.  A local favorite (for 42 years) that I've always seemed to miss.  Race director a good guy who sometimes would run with the Striders back when it was a bigger group.

Strawberry Classic 5K

9th place overall, 1st age group (but 4th masters, tough crowd).  I always seem to miss this race, so this year at the last minute signed up.  Many runners from the Striders were there (although most were doing the 10k).  We've been having a lot of nice weather recently but unfortunately the cool temps went away for the race.

Warmed up with a little over a mile of easy running then did a few strides for about 1.4 miles of warmup.

Starting mile was good.  Slight downhill for the start (so slight uphill for the finish).  Crowd thinned out pretty quickly and after about a half mile we were pretty much lined up in finish order for the most part.  Was just under 7:00 pace and was feeling the heat, but pace stablized and hung on with 6:52 for the first mile.

Thought I might slow down for the second mile, but amazingly enough I did not slow down.  Sped up slightly.  The little hills on the course I think were helping.  Stayed on pace through the second mile and did 6:46 for mile 2.

Still on pace into mile 3.  It was looking like I'd get three sub 7:00 miles in a row for the first time since 2019.

As I turned the corner for the homestretch, Keith and Renee were standing there and Keith yelled out that someone was coming up behind me.  I picked it up some but not enough and got passed by.  It did make me speed up a bit more at least

6:52, 6:46, 6:57, 0.15@6:31

I felt stronger today than I have in a while.  

Hung out for a bit after the race and was able to take home 3 quarts of Driscoll's Strawberries which were delicious.

6.56@10:08   HR 127 bpm

Southbound on Starkey Gap Trail out and back run, easy day.  Pretty good pace for the heart rate.

5.62@9:50   HR 126 bpm

Early morning run (just after 6:00 am) inside Westlake Village, run/walk, keeping it easy, a little faster pace than yesterday.

5.24@10:07, HR 125 bpm

Another earlyish morning run in Westlake Village.  More run/walk

8.26@8:01  HR 151 bpm

New Garmin Fenix 6.  Did the suggested workout, 4 x 9minutes at 7:30 pace.

Went pretty well.  First two felt easy.  Surprised to mind myself strugging on the third one a little bit but knocked off the last one easier and ran a little faster at about 7:15ish pace.

Run was up and down Starkey Blvd bike trail.

3.13@10:12  HR 127 bpm

Loop inside Westlake Village.  Keeping it short and easy today. 

50 mile race tomorrow at Croom for the "Fools Run".  Last year got caught in heavy rain for the last loop and thought about DNF but stuck it out although with my slowest 50 mile time at just over 11 and a half hours.  Hoping for a smoother race this year although temps will climb into mid 80's for part of the afternoon.