The Long Run

11.06@7:59    HR 159 bpm

About to start catching up on blog which has lapsed, but wanted to add entry for today's workout rather than finishing backfill first.

Once again, loosely following Run Less, Run Faster for next marathon to try and encourage more cross training and strength training.  

Today's run was 1 mile easy, followed by 10 @8:00 pace, besides the goal pace, goal was to run it straight through.  Success on both counts.  Trying to convince myself that this is not a hard pace, especially for 10 miles.   I can run a half marathon at a faster pace than this, still working on getting back to holding this pace for the marathon.   At Santa Rosa, pace eroded from miles 14 to 19 and the "comeback" at mile 20 was still short of goal pace, but gave me some hope.

Anyway, today's run felt smooth, first three miles I was ahead of goal pace and was able to lock on.  7th mile into MP portion was slowest at 7:59 which was due to slowing down a little to drink some gatorade, resisted the urge to stop, and the last mile was able to pick it up a little for the fastest mile of the morning at 7:35.

No running today, but did do some biking and walking

15.02@8:30   HR 154 bpm

Today felt like a win.  No stops whatsoever and good pickup for the last 6 miles.

Loosely following Run Less/Run Faster (which has gotten me on the bike some more), today's run goal was 15 miles at 8:20 pace which seemed a little daunting but at least kept that goal in mind.  Programmed my watch to break up the run in 3 sections, mile warm up, 8 miles at faster but comfortable pace, then 6 faster miles (but not too fast).

Set out from Westlake Village out to Alderman, took a right, then left on Belcher, left on Klosterman, up and over the "mountain" then south down Pinellas Trail until near downtown Palm Harbor then head back to Westlake Village and finish with loop in the neighborhood.

For the second section of running, average was in the 8:40's , then when time to start the last 6 miles was able to pick it up, hold it and finish the last two miles sub 8:00.

Had one 17 ounce water bottle with lmnt, a couple of gels.  Taking a route with no busy intersections helped.

Although not quite the goal 8:20 pace from the book, the weather adjusted "feels like" pace was 8:07, so it kind of was the pace.  Got 20 miles one week from today.

7.06@7:30     HR 146 bpm

Workout 1k-2k-2x1k

Mentally, I needed to get this workout done.  With hurricane Milton fast approaching I wasn't sure what the near term running future would hold but at the moment I started my run it was nice out, so one step at a time.

First 1k - 3:57 (6:21 pace)

2k - 7:18 (6:42 pace)

1k - 4:02 (6:29 pace)

1k - 3:56 (6:20 pace)

After the run, worked on bringing things inside the house and I attempted to put up the fabric hurricane shutters which seemed like a good idea but soon was frustrated when I couldn't get the last corner screw put in, did manage to put up 4 of them but clock was ticking and we had decided to not stick around in Palm Harbor but head down to the Boca area where we could drop off Jess's daughter at a friends house and also Jess's parents would be nearby staying at her aunt's house.  Drive down was good at first until alligator alley section of I-75.  Attempted to go around it but don't think we saved much time.

5.27@9:09

Was supposed to do a tempo run today but not up for it, grateful to get any kind of run in.  Hotel in Boca was located next to office park and apartments so some decent roads with wide sidewalks to run on, was pleasant weather.

Would get on the road early afternoon after picking up A from friends house.  Drive back was uneventful.  I should've bought gas before getting back to Tampa as that would be an issue the next day.

But got back to find the house and yard in good shape fortunately.  Had power along with most people in our neighborhood.

20.02@8:35   HR 156 bpm

Glad to get this one out of the way.  20 miles with only a couple of short stops ("elapsed" pace was 8:47).  Left from Westlake Village, right on Alderman, left on Belcher to Klosterman, then south down the Pinellas Trail.  Similar to last week's 15 mile run.  Plan to add the extra miles was to run further out on the Dunedin causeway, but it was closed at the drawbridge to pedestrian traffic, so turned back early and did some extra back and forth on the trail before heading home.

I wasn't sure what shape the trail would be in, some stretches of debris covering the trail but not too bad, no large puddles also.

First mile was 9:54, then next 11 miles ranged between 8:34 and 9:07, then miles 13-20 picked it up to between 8:23 and 7:53.   Even considering the slower pace if stops are factored in, it's one of my best 20 mile runs in a long time.  (For example Feb 2021 I ran 20 miles at 8:10 pace, but if stops are factored in it was really a 10:26 pace)

After the run, packed up and headed up to FSU to see J and S.  Last night I bought gas for my car and filled a 5 gallon gas can as my wife's minivan was very low on gas and didn't want to get stuck in a gas line.  We took her van and were able to get gas without a big long line when we got to Crystal River.  Nice visit with them although a little crazy after the roundtrip to/from Boca and the storm prep and then the gas lines.  Fewer gas lines when we got back but filled up again on way home before getting close to Tampa area just in case.

No running.

walked 2.28 miles, bike 3.46 miles, better than nothing

6.13@8:34

Workout 3 x 1 mile, goal pace 6:41

results: 6:34, 6:43, 6:30

First one felt good, thought workout was in the bag.  Second one started out ok but then I was off pace although stayed faster than 6:50 at least and toward the end sped up enough to almost make goal pace.  Third one felt a lot better.  Run was in Westlake Village going back and forth and second one had slightly more uphill than down.

When I started the run it felt coolish but also a bit humid (74 degree temp with 72 degree dew point, cold front on its way at least).

AM: walk 2.08 miles, bike 6.18 miles

PM: Ran with Daisy and Evan at Longleaf, 3.72@9:56 - felt harder than it should have, worrying me a bit about medium long run tomorrow, 11 miles with 10@8:00

11.11@7:57    HR 159 bpm

10 mile marathon pace run, trying to stay under 8:00 pace average, first two miles in 7:50's, then into 7:40's until finally 7:31 for the last mile.  Once again no stops.

I did wear the "super shoes" (Brooks hyperion elite) with the thought that I'd feel more quickly recovered for my Saturday long run.  I don't feel that much faster in these shoes but I did feel like I recovered quicker after Santa Rosa marathon than in regular shoes.

Anyway, run was up and down Starkey Blvd as well as a shorter out and back inside Starkey Ranch.  Starkey Park gate was closed, maybe still some flooding in there, but trail up and down Starkey Blvd in good shape.

15.02@8:16

Ran in Palm Harbor with starter loop inside Westlake Village, then a big loop around the outside of Innisbrook area, finally returning back to WLV to finish up about a mile and a half.   

The training plan said 8:10 pace, but I just wanted to get through it without stopping and maybe finish up the last 5 miles a little bit faster and not feel like I was racing the workout.

It all seemed to come together, no stops and average pace ended up being not far off from 8:10.  After I finished 10 miles, it didn't feel hard to pick it up, at first was aiming for 8:00-8:15 range but was quickly on sub-8:00 pace.  As I got off the Pinellas Trail, at the crosswalk there was repair person working on the crossing light, so cars weren't stopping, had to wait for a gap, after crossing, also took one last gel, then there was a little up hill, so that mile just missed sub-8:00.

Last 7 miles - 8:05, 7:59  (unknown until later, was already at "pick up pace"), 7:45, 7:52, 8:05, 7:40, 7:29

Have 20 miles next weekend, then start the taper

No running today.

1.3 mile walk

8.05 mile bike ride - going to try to add on a little more here and there, mainly just staying in the neighborhood

7.91@8:52    HR  148 bpm

10 x 400m workout, felt good and splits were where I wanted them, last two under 6:00 pace

1:32, 1:32,  1:33, 1:30, 1:32, 1:32, 1:31, 1:31, 1:29, 1:27

Looping in Westlake Village

AM - 1.63 mile walk, 5.61 mile bike ride , new 5 mile PR by almost 1 minute! maybe legs are getting a little stronger

PM - 3.03@10:12

Humpday Hustly run with Evan and Daisy.  Daisy had just run Detroit marathon and was thrilled with her time of 4:21 and feeling good while doing it.

8.04@7:51    HR 156 bpm

1 mile warmup and then 7 miles at goal pace of 8:00 which turned into a little bit faster than that - 7:51, 7:44, 7:43, 7:37, 7:32, 7:35, 7:22

Felt good after getting that first mile done.  Looping in Westlake Village, big 20 mile run coming up on Saturday.

No running today - 

Walk 2.32 miles in 33 minutes

Bike 5.63 miles at 13.0 mph

20.02@8:11   HR 155 bpm

Big 20 mile run with goals of suggested 8:15 pace for average and 0 stops  (almost made the second goal but did have one quick stop which if I had kept the clock running I'd still have 8:13 pace).

Warm up mile in Westlake Village, then into 8:30ish pace for next 4 miles, leaving WLV, right on Alderman and left on Belcher running towards Klosterman.

Then Klosterman to Pinellas trail south, turning right on Alt 19 and heading toward Curlew, avoiding crossing the street at Curlew.  Out onto the causeway but the pedestrian path is closed at the bridge, so turned back there, back up Pinellas Trail, exiting at Delaware Ave and heading back toward WLV where I finished up the remaining couple of miles.

Mile 9 was right at 8:00 pace but I wasn't looking at the pace at the time.  Last 10 miles the average pace was around 7:56.

I've had some encouraging signs recently on long runs where I'm able to pick up the last third or even the second half.  

No running today.

walk 2.27 miles in 33:11

bike 5.42 miles in 25:12 (12.9 mph)

8.17 @8:20   HR 149 bpm

Today's run felt a bit tough and sort of a slog but a slog running at a faster pace doing 800m repeats  ( I did end up adding a little bit more rest than the prescribed rest period which was supposed to be 2 minutes, was probably about 2 and a half minutes).

3:09, 3:11, 3:09, 3:09, 3:09, 3:13, 3:07, 3:07

So, for the most part got the job done.  Maybe not 100% recovered from Saturday's big 20 miler, but then again had benefit of running on tired legs training.

AM 2.28 miles walking, 5.79 mile bike ride

PM   3.04@10:11, Humpday hustle run with Daisy and Evan

6.06@7:33

1 mile warmup, then 5 miles with a goal pace of 7:20 and actual splits: 7:21, 7:17, 7:18, 7:11, 6:57 

Felt good today.

Supposed to do 13 miles @8:00 pace on Saturday but also doing PHSC 5K on Sunday so I'm going to cut back a little for Saturday run to 10 miles and slower than 8:00 average (start slower and work up to 8:00 for last miles).