The Long Run

5.2@8:40   HR 146

Back at it.  After the failed trip to GA, able to get back to half marathon training.  Most runs are run for time, today was 45 minutes - 5 min warmup, 35 minutes @8:19-9:19,5 minutes easy.  Ran on Starkey Gap Trail from Trinity Blvd.

6.07@8:14   HR 152 bpm

Workout, 20 mintes @half marathon pace (7:09-7:29) plus warm up and cool down.  Met the goals, ran in Westlake Village.  Pace for 20 minute run was 7:13

5.11@8:50   HR 146

45 minute easy paced run (8:19-9:19 range), ran in Westlake Village

This plan seems to be exclusively time based so I know exactly how long each workout will take, no stops either

3.61@8:55   HR 138 bpm

Stride repeat workout - 10 minute easy warmup, then 10 x 20sec/45sec rest.  No target pace for strides, just steps per minute (150-200), 10 minute cool down after the strides.

Weather very nice and despite the strides, HR under 140 not bad, although mileage wise not a long run.

After the run did 2 sets of 8 squat/press/curl with 25lb dumbbells, 2 sets of pull-ups, 1 set 26 push-ups - try to build back up with non-running exercise

No running today but did do a brisk 2 mile walk in Westlake Village

12.24@8:35    HR 150 bpm

Long ray day by time, 105 minutes, 5 minute easy warmup, 75 minute "easy" (8:19-9:19), then 20 minute optional easy which I did (same pace as first 75 minutes), followed by 5 minute warm down.

Instead of usual route, I parked at the Tarpon Turtle and ran on the east-west section of Pinellas trail, first going east until East Lake Rd, then turning around to go west until the trail turned south in downtown Tarpon Springs.  Went far enough south so my return trip would burn up the remainder of time.  It can be distracting to run through this section as there are a lot of stop signs and some busy-ish crossings.

There were a lot of bicycle police that were scolding cyclists that did not stop at stop signs so I made some sort of attempt to look like I was stopping.

Heart rate was higher than I wouldv'e liked but I did feel really good and running a steady pace did feel "easy" once fully warmed up.

Also, very nice morning today.

5.16@8:49   HR 145 bpm

Ran on Starkey Gap trail.  Easy pace 45 minute run (getting bumped to 50 minutes next week).

Still following Garmin Coach training half marathon plan with coach Greg

AM 7.56@8:20   HR 158 bpm

Morning workout with 3 x 5min @6:19-6:39 pace, followed by 6 x 30sec strides.  Managed to hit the paces on the speed part this time with 6:33, 6:34, 6:36

I was trying out new pair of Brooks Hyperion Elite carbon shoes, first time trying them.  The starting out easy pace felt easier, the 5 minute repeats did not feel easier and I still struggled to hit my paces, but I did at least hit them.  On the 30 second strides I felt light and fast.

I'm going to try and not wear these shoes except for races but wanted to try them out a little so I don't go in blind the first time I race in them.

PM 4.02@10:12  HR  130 bpm

Since I can't run my usual Wednesday evening run I went to the Escape Brewery run club Tuesday night run, ran with Joe and also saw Evan and a few other people I know and stayed for one beer afterward before stopping by my house to do some odds and ends and hang out with the cats. Need to move them to Palm Harbor but with Boston coming up this weekend I'll wait until after.

5.03@8:59  HR  143 bpm

Easy run in Westlake Village, 45 minute run including 5 easy warm up and 5 easy cool down with easy pace in the middle of 8:19-9:19 range.

Run feels easy but heart rate is saying otherwise. 

5.14@8:49  HR 149 bpm

45 minute run, out and back on the Starkey Gap trail, heart rate in wrong direction but otherwise feeling really good.  Only one workout run during the week and no long run this weekend, but a second workout on Saturday instead of a long run.  I guess it's kind of a cut back week.

Walked 3.72 in 59:02, took Alderman to Omaha to Nebraska and then back in the south entrance to Westlake Village.

5.12@8:16   HR 140 bpm

Today's workout, progression run, from 5 minute warmup, 20 minutes@8:19-9:19, then 10 minutes at 6:19-6:39, then 10 minutes cool down.

Ran from my house to the Starkey Gap trail and started the hard part just after turning around.  I was wearing the Hyperion Tempo (non-carbon).  I was closer to hitting the pace, got on the pace right away, even a little bit ahead, but slowly started slipping away until I got close to finishing up one mile (6:43 mile), then completed the remainder of the 10 minutes at a 6:37 pace, so 10 minute pace was right around a 6:40.

Return home felt nice and easy.

If it wasn't for the schedule I would've done a long run or maybe medium long run, but instead I did this difficult run and I'm going to have to do it again on Tuesday.

Monday, when I'm in Boston area I've got a 50 minute easy run which I'll have to do early enough so I can get to the course in time to see Tom.

Traveled to Boston.  My brother Jim picked me up at the airport and we were in downtown Boston before noon.  Went to the expo for a bit but did not stay long as we were trying to catch a game.  Had time for a Sam Adams beer sample and a pull-up contest.  Jim beat me with about 21 pull-ups to my 16, although mine were palms facing away and I'd like to think I had better form, lol.  Fortunately, I started doing pull-ups again otherwise it would've been much worse.  Pretty happy I can crank out 16 but I think I can boost that to over 20.

Saw the game with Jim and Andy, really nice day out.  Toward the end of the game we left a little early and stopped at the bar that's built into the bottom of the stadium with door outside but a big glass window looking out to the field.

Still had time to swing back by the expo and make a couple of signs.  Mine had "Go Tom!" and a couple other things, Jim had his decorated with a Buffalo Bills logo that he talke a young woman at the expo into drawing.

Then, over to the hotel in Framingham and dinner at Legal Seafoods next to the hotel.

Didn't stay up too late as I wanted to get up early enough for 50 minute run, get ready, back to the hotel, and then walk about 2 miles to the course.  From there we'd take an Uber to near the finish area.

5.58@8:59  HR   145 bpm

Ran from hotel to downtown Framingham, then a little bit parallel to train tracks before turning back.  A lot of the run was on sidewalk which can be distracting but I was able to keep a steady pace except for a couple of traffic lights.  Couple of small hills but overall a pretty easy feeling run.  

I had the sleep pattern as if I was doing the race today - wake up once every hour, look at the time then go back to sleep.

Walked to the course in plenty of time and got coffee from the shop that was doing grand opening two years ago with the dancing Scooby outside.  Then waited.

I think first racers were the fastest hand crank racers, then sometime after that were elite men, and then elite women.  My friend Claudia was racing in Duo catagory with a woman named Amy riding in the cart she was pushing.  Claudia had been injured and unable to run for a while but did what she could to train.  She came by looking strong at about an 8:10 pace.  I shouted and waved and jumped up and down to cheer as she went by.

Next came the fastest of wave 1 corral 1 and in that group we saw Tom cruising by looking strong I think about a 5:40 pace.

Once there was a break, crossed back over the street then waited for an Uber which we took to near Fenway park and the big Citgo sign.  Whole time I was refreshing the tracking app, seeing Tom hold a steady pace until a slight slow down going into the Newton hills.  Weather had warmed up and most of the cloud cover was gone.  It was one of those days if you were in shade and had a breeze it felt chilly, but no breeze and full sun it switched straight to hot.

Jim's wife's niece (who goes to Boston College) got a picture of Tom around heartbreak hill.  Once again we saw the elite men and women then the lead pack of non-elites.  Saw Tom again as he went by, he was holding on with now just a mile to go and then soon got notification of his finish time at 2:35, another great race for him despite worse weather than last few marathons.

Always fun to go to Boston marathon to race or spectate. Hopefully make it back soon as a runner.

5.07@8:07   HR  144 bpm

Today's run was basically a repeat of Saturday's run, 5 minute warmup, 20 minutes @8:19-9:19, then 10 minutes @6:19-6:39.   One more try of the carbon shoes.  This time I hit the pace for the 10 minute portion with 6:33 for one mile, then the remainder to 10 minutes at 6:31 pace.

Saturday's run was in the Hyperion Tempo but on flat ground with today's run in Hyperion Elite in Westlake Village with some rolling in the course.  Fortunately, despite the day in Boston and the flight back I was not tired but ready to go.

Back to non-carbon next workout, see if it was the shoes or if I'm making progress or maybe a little bit of both.

AM 5.68@8:51    HR 141 bpm

50 minute easy run in Westlake Village.  I played around with a few short walk breaks, seemed to help, it was 30 seconds on each 5 minute mark.  Still kept pace about the same.

PM 3.71@9:44  HR  132 bpm

Humpday Hustle run with Evan, did the loop starting near the church, heart rate just about where I wanted it to be

5.87@8:44

Sprints workout with 6 x 1 minute@6:09-6:29, then 6 x 30 seconds @5:09-5:29

No problem with the 1 minute intervals, but kept on coming in a little too slow on pace for the 30 second sprints, need more footwork, more energy

Run was in Westlake Village

Walked 3.71 miles, in and around outside of Westlake village

12.14@8:47  HR  150 bpm

Long/easy run which ended up running up the heart rate higher than expected.  Earlier in the week I had good luck with some short walking breaks, but they didn't help this time, was taking a 30 second break on each 5 minute mark.  I felt pretty good overall, just not that light feeling, shins were a litte tight at the start of the run.

Ran up and down Starkey Blvd and into the park, just past the planets.

After the run drove Stella back to Andy's apartment.

5.65@8:53  HR 137 bpm

Easy run for 50 minutes, out and back on Starkey Gap trail.  Had come down with slight cold over the weekend so thought it would affect the run but felt pretty good and heart rate averaged below 140  with pace faster than 9:00

7.53@8:00

Mild cold last night still so didn't sleep great but ok enough to not cancel the workout run.  15 minute warm-up, 20 minutes @7:09-7:29, (optional in case you need to bail) 10 more minutes @7:09-7:29, then 15 minutes easy.  Did the job.  Not super easy but stayed within the lines, was slightly higher than recommended during last 10 minutes, hovering around 7:00 pace.  But, toward the end of that first 20 minutes hard was looking forward to being done but then felt great on the 10 minute count down.

Run was in Westlake Village.  Easy tomorrow, stride repeats thursday, then on Saturday, instead of long run it's progression run again (but 85 minutes worth so almost a long run).

AM 5.73@8:47  HR 131 bpm

Today felt like a mini-breakthrough run even though "they" say you should not judge progress by easy runs, but today's easy 50 minute run felt good and heart rate ended up coming in low 130's.   I had a similar run recently where heart rate was 137 and I thought that was good, but today's was a little better.

Run was from my house over to Starkey Gap trail going south and then coming back the same way. I had one stop at the traffic light on the way out but managed to catch the light just right on the way back, so no second stop.

PM 3.73@9:40  HR  134 bpm

Ran with Daisy and Evan for Humpday Hustle run, did the 3 2/3 mile loop from the church.  Saw Joe briefly at the start of the run as he had bought fundraiser sourdough bread from Daisy.

4.13@8:41   HR   148 bpm

Stride repeats, 12 x 20 seconds focusing on leg turnover 196-206 steps per minute, so no goal pace.  Before the run as I was reviewing the steps I accidentally hit "skip" and the workout was gone but I got it back by re-syncing with phone.

Pretty good run, kind of fun, a useful workout without the dread

Walked 3.15 miles in 49:40 inside Westlake Village.  Rest day according to plan but still getting in my 12000 steps for the day, brisk morning walk for half of those steps.

10.15@8:24    HR 149 bpm

Progression run workout with 5 minute warmup, 60 minutes of 8:19-9:19, then 10 minutes 7:09-7:29, then 5 minutes at 6:19-6:39

Ran on Starkey Blvd mainly with a little bit on Rangeland.  1st hour was good with gradual increase in pace - a couple of seconds faster here and there.  When I got to the turnaround point on Starkey with about 10 minutes left in the 60 minute portion, was going into the wind.  It wasn't horrible though.  I took a gel and washed it down although putting the soft flask back in the belt slowed my down a little, was not stopping the watch.

Got into the 10 minute portion, felt good at first but then was almost fighting to just make the slow end of the pace range.  And then the fast 5 minute portion, legs felt kind of stuck, just barely moved the pace needle from the 7:20 range.  Quick decision, fight through and take a slower pace or pause, collect myself and make the pace.  Decided to stop.  Got going, a little bit better but just barely making it.  6:39 pace for the 5 minute portion.   Partial fail, had higher hopes for this run since it felt like I was making progress.  Running into the window felt like a flashback to Treasure Coast marathon.

There will be more workouts next week and one of them might be better.

5.6@8:57   HR 139 bpm

50 minutes total, out and back run on Starkey Gap trail going south from Trinity.  Felt pretty steady.

After the run did a couple rounds of squat-press-curls, push-ups, and pull-ups

9.26@8:33  HR  150 bpm

Workout 8x800m @6:19-6:39 range, ran in Westlake Village

Successfully hit the paces, only breaks was prescribed 400m jog between repeats.

6:24, 6:20, 6:24, 6:26, 6:34, 6:22, 6:20, 6:20

Next week I've got 4 x 4 minutes at the same pace range, if I can do about the same paces then that would come to 4 minutes per km or 20 minute 5k pace.