The Long Run

5.81@8:41

Just under 5.5 miles, at an easy-ish pace (last mile maybe not so honest easy pace) followed by 6x100m strides.  Getting back into the strides routine, as well as continuing on with the right amount of warmup so my first mile isn't so much slower than the rest of the miles.

6.21@8:51

Two loops inside Westlake Village and a little bit of up and down the street.  5th mile was 7:53 then slowed down a little.

7.02@8:33

Run up and down Starkey Blvd.  Was trying for an earlier start so I could get in 10 miles before my dentist appointment.  Nice and steady pickup on the way back with the last mile at 7:36

6.11@8:36

Another looping run inside Westlake Village.  Had a good first mile at 9:15 pace, maybe I'm getting better at the warmup.  Also good was rest of the run was non-stop - there's usually something that interrupts my run but not today.

Also, 7:09 am start, early enough to get in some miles before Jessica had to go to dental appointment.  Still early enough for me to count the temperature as "cool"

6.04@8:59

Accomplishment - started running at 6:11 am, need to get back in this early habit.  Jessica was doing a substitute teaching job so she could stay on the list.  Square loop around outisde of WLV, with shorter loop inside.

After stretching and showering, took the baby to the park and did some walking.  She met two other kids with their grandma and a little after that got to pet a small dog someone was walking.

15.9@9:07

Today was not an early start - forecast called for rain and possible thunder storms up until 8:00 am.  That didn't really happen, but due to worry about the rain I didn't start until after 8:00 (closer to 9:00).  Ran from Trinity Blvd trailhead of Starkey Gap, north to inside Starkey Park, headed south from there but inside Starkey Ranch to the lake to grab some cold water from the drinking fountain.  While heading into Starkey Ranch, had a "knee warning" which slowed me down.

Then, just after leaving Starkey Ranch, ran into Claudia and then a little bit after that ran into Patrick (they had both just biked 60 miles now were doing a short run).  Last few miles went by quicker and made up some pace from the slow down.

For a 9:07 pace average, it was a bit of a struggle. But, I got the job done.

6.19@8:39

Ran 5.8 miles over to Robert Trent Jones from Heritage Springs to Trinity Blvd.

Ran back home and finished up with 6x100m strides.

9.23@8:55

Very nice morning and early enough start to do a little bit extra.  Out to Pinellas Trail and north almost to Klosterman and then back.  

AM 4.31@8:46

Big square loop around the outside of Westlake Village

PM 4.01@8:55

Humpday Hustle group run at Longleaf.  There were also a few cross country runners from Mitchell HS.  One of them remembered Tom (she was a freshman when he was a senior).  Going to cross country meets seems like a lifetime ago.

10.11@8:34

Out and back run from Westlake Village, cut through Eniswood to Alt 19 then sharp left on the Pinellas Trail until 5 miles, then back the same way.  I think I only stopped once when I was trying to get the bag of sport beans open, but it wasn't a very long stop.  

Felt good to get in the mid week longer run.  Happy with the pace vs effort.

6.43@8:34

6ish easy miles from my house, over and along Robert Trent Jones, then back home.  Finished up with 6x100m strides.

16.05@9:49

Started inside Starkey Park at 6:45.  Ran 5 miles in the park with Daisy and a few other runners, then we ran to the park exit and down Starkey Blvd to the church where I had left a small cooler with ice and a few cold drinks.  We saw several people we knew along the way.  Did a pretty steady pace.  Daisy hasn't done any long runs recently and has a marthon coming up in June (Grandma's).  The last few miles we took a couple of short walk breaks as it was starting to heat up, other than that did a pretty good job of moving along.

I probably was due for a slower long run.

No run today.

Yesterday, I started driving from Florida to NY to help out my parents. Left about 3:30 in the afternoon and drove until 12:30, reaching just inside NC.  Stopped at "South of the Border" to buy a couple souvenirs and take a couple pictures.  Always loved stopping there when I was a kid and since then whenever driving up and down I-95.

Woke up at 7:00 and on the road at 7:30 with goal of getting to the cottage before sunset.  Weather was mostly good, but hit some heavy rain in DC area, then it cleared up until crossing into NY.  Was cloudy and drizzly by the time I got there but felt like home when I arrived (They've had the place since about 1980)

6.04@9:30

Slightly better than expected run on Wellesly Island, needed to stretch my legs after being in the car for two days.  Cool out but partly sunny.  Ran past the golf course then onto a side street that went past the Coast Guard station and border patrol until reaching a dead end about 3 miles out.  On the way back ran past a lighted speed limit sign to see if it would tell me how fast I was going.  Only got 9 miles per hour.  I should've kept on trying to try and hit at lesat 10 mph.

Around lunchtime, packed up and headed down to Syracuse to meet my parents at the airport and give them back their car.

5.54@8:26

A couple of loops inside Westlake Village.  Towards the end I did one faster quarter at 6:48 pace just to stretch my legs.

10.18@8:29

Started out with the square loop outside of Westlake Village, but instead of completing it right away got onto the Pinellas Trail and headed north just past Conservation Park.  One the way back, in a sort of congested area, I temporarily picked it up but then stayed on that pace so last few miles were:  7:48, 7:42, 7:37

8.47@8:43

Run up and down Starkey Blvd from the church to Starkey Park entrance.

First mile 9:17, good for me, not too slow or clunky, then tried to keep it pretty even, slowly getting faster from 8:56 down to 8:36

Did 6x100m strides at the end.  Clouds were rolling in and the sky darkened but the rain held off, maybe a little thunder in the distance but not close enough to worry.

16.41@9:23

Met Daisy in Starkey just after 6:45.  We ran out 2.5 miles and then back to the parking area, then ran out of the park.  Turning south onto Starkey Blvd, Daisy started feeling overheated, so she turned back after we ran 7.5 miles total.

Headed south to the little church where I had my cooler stashed underneath a picnic bench with some ice and ice cold drinks.  Miles 9 through 15 were in the 8's with mile 16 at 7:55

Although it was warm there was some cloud cover and hints of breeze here and there which helped.

6.12@8:36

Ran a couple of loops inside Westlake Village, last mile was 7:58

8.25@8:41

Ran over to Pinellas Trail and headed north , turning around (but not stopping at) Conservation Park.  Little did I know that this would be my longest run for the week, so glad I didn't cut this run short.

No run today, probably could've squeezed in a couple of miles on the treadmill.  Arrived in San Juan with Jessica, the baby, Sophia, Aubrey, Jacob and 4 of Jacob's friends.  Staying at same hotel as last year but no Andy this year as he will be in Texas this weekend.

Did manage to almost make my 12,000 steps goal

5.15@9:42

Ran from near the hotel, heading out of Isla Verde and crossing over the bridge to Pinones for about another 1/2 mile before turning back.  Pinones is completely different from Isla Verde, leaving behind all of the chain hotels and other name brands to shack looking beach side and road side local bars, restaurants, and other local businesses.

Started run just before 12, so kinda warm and humid but there was some cooling ocean breeze for some of the run.

After the run, hung out on the beach with Jessica and the baby under a couple of coconut trees.

5.09@9:10

Similar run to yesterday , but even later in the day (6:00 pm), able to move a little faster after not as slow of a start.  Just trying to not fall too far behind this week.

3.64@8:20

Decided to skip the heat outside and run on the hotel treadmill.  Treadmill pace was slightly faster but not too far off compared to the garmin using "indoor run" mode.  Seems to care more about how fast you swing your arms.

Kept incline at 1 percent and played around with speed for variety.

After the run we Uber'd over to Pinones and got empanadas at a roadside place and then walked down the road a little to a beach access.  Beach was mostly empty, it wasn't well manicured but was pretty nice overall.  Had to watch for broken glass here and there but on the plus side I was able to find some smooth "beach glass".  Should've looked for more.

Would've been happy to just hang here until susnset but we had reservations back in San Juan to go to a restaurant with Tapas and Flamenco dancers.  The dancers were good (the baby was mesmerized watching them), but the guitarist was extremely talented and narrated the show in addition to providing the music for the dancers.

3.82@9:12

Last day in San Juan (supposedly), ran almost to the bridge and back.

Hung out by the pool for a few more hours before heading to the airport.

Flight delayed once, then again, and then a third time and finally canceled altogether due to weather.  Scrambled to find a hotel.  Able to get back to the Hampton Inn after some finagling.  Asleep by about 1:30 am.

5.13@8:50

Bonus run in Puerto Rico, here for one more day due to flight cancellation and back at the same hotel.  9:00am ish start, usual route towards the east, across the little bridge into Pinones and about a half a mile before turning back.

After the run, had breakfast and then spent some time at the beach and a little more time near the pool.  Headed back to the airport and this time the flight was not canceled but we flew to Orlando instead of Tampa.  Looked at transportation options and best one seemed to be rent to standard size SUVs, with me driving one and Jessica driving the others.  Final leg worked out and dropped off Jacob's friends at cell phone lot where their parents met them. Not the smoothest trip home but could've been worse.

9.36@8:33

Back home, thought about doing 10 but instead did just a little under that.  Run over to Pinellas Trail and then north a little past Conservation Park, then stopped there on the way back for some cold water.  Mile 9 was 8:06

Thought about running 3 miles in the evening to make 200 miles for the month but decided to get some rest instead.