The Long Run

7.5@8:25

Did 3 x 1 mile repeats - 6:29, 6:24, 6:33

Maybe making some progress, almost got all three under 6:30.  I think I was falling into that trap of thinking that I could run 6:15 miles if I really wanted to but then never trying to.  Need to keep rotating in challenging workouts

Full day of traveling.  Got on the road yesterday evening to head up to Georgia to get Aubrey from camp, got a later start and this morning did not get on the road until after 9:00, almost 2:00 by the time we got there, then turn around and head home, arriving about 12:40 am.  I'd only get about 4 hours of sleep before getting up going to St Pete for the 6 hour race.

28.68@11:37

Durty Beer Run 6 hour Race

3.6 mile loop in St Pete heading over to the Pier to the end and then back to the start.  Self supported except for moral support from the other runners. Do as many loops as you can within 6 hours with only full loops counting.  I did this run 2 years ago and was hoping to squeeze in 9 loops to beat the 8 I got last time.

But, once I hit the low 20's in mileage started losing too much pace.  In some ways I was kind of surprised I made it this far running on less then 4 hours of sleep after spending at least 12 hours in the car (From Tifton, GA to Clevelend, GA, then back home with Jess, Aubrey and the two little kids - drive couldv'e been a lot worse if the storm affects had shown up earlier).

Besides the short sleep and all the time in the car I also forgot to take the beet juice shot I had been saving and also overlooked the Sis Go box of gels when packing, instead taking too many of the caffeinated PowerBar gels.   I seem to have better steady energy with the Sis Go gels.

But, all in all it was still a pretty good day.  Got to run a bit with Oli who I haven't seen in years since he moved back to Germany but has been visiting family in the summers.

The winners (top two ) but got 11 loops for a new course record.  Also running  was Nick who also got 8 loops but came in about 3 minutes ahead of me for 8th loop and Amy who also got 8 loops but finished her 8th about 20 minutes after me.  With this race format the few minutes here or there don't matter in terms of posted results, everyone with the same number of loops is shown as "tied" for that place with the only exception the top 3 if they got they same number of loops do get listed based on the order they finished the last loop.

Weather was reasonable for Florida in August, some cloud cover and the route does have some shade.  I had the same cooler I used for Lake Baldwin which held plenty of drinks (water, LMNT mixed with water, gatorade, Coke, muscle milk) and an 8lb bag of ice which was plenty - started loading up my bandana with ice after the 3rd loop to keep my neck cool.  Was hoping for a repeat (pace wise) of Lake Baldwin which would've given my 9 loops comfortably and if things went well enough a chance at a 10th loop.

On drive home the rain did start pouring down as the early edges of the storm were approaching, would get a pretty big soaking the next few days.

Day off from running.  I mustve done something but not anything I logged.

5.92@8:41

6 x 800 workout, was suppsed to be 8 x 800 but due to race recover and a pretty warm 84 degrees I just did 6.  Looping in Westlake Village

3:15, 3:14, 3:28, 3:06, 3:07, 3:08

Not bad overall except for that 3rd one where I just couldn't get it together.

3.71@10:06

PM humpday hustle run with Evan  - Daisy out of town.

Did the loop starting from the church, north to Rangeland and then back via the Huckleberry shuffle where we picked up a nice breeze coming across the lake (or large pond, not sure what it is ).

6.04@7:46

Tempo run, 5 miles at goal pace of 7:28

Actual splits for tempo: 7:23, 7:27, 7:23, 7:23, 7:21

So, just a little faster than goal and pretty consistent.  

Ran on Starkey Gap Trail going south from Trinity Blvd.  85 degrees but had some cloud cover.

Rest/XT day with at least a little bit of cross training

1.26 mile walk in 17:55

2.18 mile bike ride, just under 10 minutes

Trying to at least get on a bicycle one or two times a week and gradually add more time/distance

13.01@7:54  HR 165 bpm

Run was supposed to be 13 miles at 8:00 average pace.

84 degrees so I had to decide either slow down to whatever I could do or add in some breaks.  Was looping in Westlake Village on a 3ish mile loop, at about 3.5 miles I took my first break.  I would end up taking two more breaks, so not terrible considering the temperature.  Always tough call between slowing down or adding some breaks.  I chose breaks this time so I'd have more practice running the pace.  I probably could have managed the pace ok on a slightly cooler day like mid 70's and done quite well in the 60's or below.  My practice half marathon here in June was in the 70's and I did manage 7:32 pace with no breaks.  I also had a cooler with ice and grab and go drinks.

Today was Charlotte's birthday party so the afternoon was spent at a kids salon for makeovers and a visit from Tinkerbell.  Had an aunt and uncle in from out of town, and other friends and family were there as well as some of her friends.

Cross train/rest day

Walk 1.27 miles

Bike 3.78 miles (17:25)

6.83@8:16

Workout 5 x 1km (from Run Less/Run Faster schedule)

3:58, 3:53, 3:59, 3:58, 3:53

Westlake Village looping.

This was one of my best 5 x 1k in a while, all under 20 minute pace, although still need to crack 21 minutes in a real 5k! At least I'm feeling a little bit faster

3.73@9:53   HR 132 bpm

Ran with Evan for Humpday Hustle, felt pretty good, kept heart rate fairly low

Also, 19 minute bike ride in the morning, moved up to 6th place on the "Mister Jim" Strava segment.  Place 4 and 5 are within reach, 2 and 3 will take some time, and first place is over 24 mph - going to need a faster bike!

6.07@8:04

 3 mile tempo at 7:14 goal,made the goal, WLV

10.03@7:45

Last longer run before marathon next week, marathon goal pace run, did the job, although last mile was not nearly as comfortable as it should've been.  Unlike last week, this week's run had 0 stops.  Planned the route with no lights or busy crossings, was cool enough (74 degrees at start) to just need one small bottle of hyrdation.

6.06@8:53

6 x 400m, averaged about 6:05 pace (most right at 6:00, one of them 6:28, not sure why)

Feeling race ready

3.69@9:57

Evening run with Daisy and Evan for Wed Humpday Hustle

3.09@8:25

2 miles at 8:00 goal (but did 7:50, 7:44), WLV, last scheduled run, sort of been following Run Less Run Faster but have not really gotten the prescribed long runs all in but did have two ultra marathons replacing a couple of the long runs.  

2.02@9:23

San Francisco (not far from the airport), unplanned shakeout run, was such a nice morning and there was a trail along the water and other people were out running.  Flight last night was good, direct Tampa to San Fran, no delays.  Flight time about the same as going to Sioux Falls which best case not any shorter so switching race to California for the better weather seems to be working out.

After run, got ready and drove up to Santa Rosa, to packet pickup, then hotel checkin and then scouting out the start line and part of the race course and finally dinner at a Japanese restaurant for udon noodles with seafood.

26.29@8:18  (Garmin stats - pretty close to actual)

3:38:11  Santa Rosa Marathon

Great course and weather couldn't have been better.  I had been eyeing Sioux Falls Marathon but the forecast called for it to be hot.  I was a little worried about Santa Rosa finishing on an uphill but that turned out ok.  Flew into San Francisco on Friday night with a direct flight and stayed at a hotel near the airport.  Had time for a shakeout run in the morning then drove to Santa Rosa.  Morning of the race, walked to start line, easy half mile walk then did some more jogging and a few strides before the start.

Went out with the 3:30 pace group and was ok with falling back a little at the start if I needed more warmup but felt fine staying with the group.  First mile is kind of a loop around the outside of the starting area before heading to a jogging trail running along Santa Rosa Creek on an easy downhill (about 100 feet downhill over 4ish miles).  

At 5.75 miles, sharp right turn for an out and back, first part dirt/gravel road to aid station at the turn around, back to the trail via a paved road, another right turn and back on the trail then just after getting back on the trail hit the 7 mile mark.  We seemed to have lost our pacer.  I thought maybe we had fallen behind him and he was at the next group up ahead (maybe the 3:25 group), but then all of the sudden pacer shows back up from behind us, must've had a stop at the aid station.  

Get off the trail and onto the road where it is a little bit rolling.  Mile 10 we run through the DeLoach winery, including right through the building with barrels and they had lights hanging from the ceiling looking like they could've held a rave there.  Exited the building , aid station had chardonnay as well as water and electrolytes.  We'd been running sub 8:00 for all of the miles.  Next few miles out to the half marathon point were still good, pacer got us there at just over 1:44 with mile 13 at 8:03, mile 14 was 8:07.  Gap started opening up between myself and the pacer.  Mile 15 was 8:15, still not bad.

But then 16, 17, 18, and 19 got slower with 8:27, 8:38, 8:29, and 8:51.  I remember a stretch where I was heading downhill but my legs just weren't moving and I felt like if I pushed too hard I'd have trouble with the last 6 miles and the steady uphill.

I rallied a bit at mile 20 coming back with an 8:20.  

Then the 3:35 group passed me.  But, instead of giving up I did my best to keep them in sight, and although mile 21 was 8:51, I managed 8:37 for mile 22.  Now, heading more uphill I knew I could make it and even make it under 3:40  (wanted to at least be in the 3:40s away from the disastrous feeling 3:50 at Big Cottonwood last year.  Mile 26 could've been faster.  I wasn't watching my lap pace, if I had would've pushed to get under 9:00  instead of the 9:24 which if I had done that would've been under 3:38.

So, no BQ, not even a nominal one of 3:35 which would not have gotten me into Boston (but still would've been a BQ nonetheless).  However, finally broke the streak of slowing down after having 3:39 at Treasure Coast in 2021 and then 3:50 Big Cottonwood.  This was my first marathon wearing "super shoes" Brooks Hyperion Elite.  Did not notice a huge boost but looking back I did seem to have a quicker recovery.

This training cycle I did not have any solid "classic" marathon training long runs.   Did have two ultra races 32.5 and 28 miles at a slow pace.  10 mile run the week before the race felt good, the 13 miles the week before that was a little bit broken up due to the heat.  Have to go back to begining of July where I did a 15 mile run at 8:58 average pace and a 17 mile run the week before that at 9:14 pace.  Definitely a lack of classic long runs, but due to the extra cross training, the two ultras and a couple of 5ks somehow managed to make a small improvement (or maybe it was the shoes doing their part, who knows).   Want to see what I can did with a few more good long runs.

After the race was fun with good food, two free beers, music and generally good vibes.