The Long Run

Walk 4.2 miles in 1:02, big square around the outside of Westlake Vilage

3.54@8:05

Ran one loop inside WLV for 3.12 miles, then did a few random length strides for a total of another 0.42 miles.  

5k coming up this weekend and this will have to pass for speedwork.

4.03@11:05

Sort of a run - started out with intention of walking and maybe throw in a few 30 second bursts of running here and there to prop up the overal pace.  Although mostly walking ended up being near a running pace.

Southbound down Starkey Gap Trail and then back to Trinity Blvd trailhead.

In the evening took Andy out for his birthday.  Jessica, baby, and I met him at Craft Street.  I had a really good grilled cheese with shaved rib eye.  Andy had "walk the flank" steak.

His mom took him out last night as she'd be out of town for his actual birthday and Tom celebrated with them that night.

5.17@8:19

Similar route to yesterday but went farther south.  First mile 9:09 and last mile 7:40.

Since yesterday was nearly a running pace, it's now almost like 3 days in a row of running.  

I had noticed after the run on Monday it was the first time where I felt no issues with my foot either before or after.

10.11@10:37

First double digit run since that 10 miler on the Monday before my foot started acting up.  Was planning on 6, but then Daisy texted looking for company for her 20 miler run so I agreed to second half of her run starting at 6:45.  I figured I'd be ok as long as we kept it slow.

Although I'm signed up for 5k tomorrow, with my reduced training this past month I don't have high expectations for tomorrow, so I'm not going to worry about running 10 miles today.

This morning's run was a bit overcast which was perfect.  First few miles were with the group that Daisy ran part of her first 10 miles with. 

So, overall the 10 miles went pretty well.  If I stick to slow enough training hopefully get enough training miles for the 100 miler in January and maybe even get that elusive sub 24 hour time.

In the afternoon, went to friend of A's Bat Mitzvah, with party just after the service and everything wrapped up and back home by 5:00 which worked out as far as not being out late before a race.

PHSC "Run with the Bobcats" 5k, 21:58, overall 24th place, 1st AG (50-59)

This is one of my favorite local races.  The course is pretty fast, there are a few tight turns but they make it interesting.

I was able to beat my time from last year by about 20 seconds.  This was despite lingering foot issues that have cut down on my training, but on the plus side on the days I'm running pace is maybe a little faster and first miles are no longer horrendously slow like they had been getting.

Warmed up with a loop around the campus, about a mile (for the race course there are some additional jogs through parking lots and an out and back to stretch the mile loop to 1.5 miles).  After the loop did a few strides and some dynamic warmups.  At the end of the warmup it no longer felt cool.  It was about 71 degrees and typical humidity.

Goal number one for this race was first mile sub-7:00 which I did manage.  After the first mile slipped into a 7:10ish pace, and once I finished the second mile, part of me thought "ok, two good miles I can relax a little".  But fortunately I ended up staying around the same pace.  As I approached the finish line I could see 21:38 on the clock.  It felt like plenty of time to make it under 22:00 but actually ended up being closer than I thought it would be.

So, splits were like 6:53, 7:11, 7:10, and last 0.13@6:21

Although faster this year than last year, last year my fastest mile was the last mile.

Tom ran and got 3rd overall and 1st AG with a time of 16:48.

Besides Tom, also saw a lot of the usual people that I run into - Sean, Walter, Chuck, Mike, Tara, Scott and running/organizing the race Coach Jacki and Coach Lee.

Morning walk around outside perimeter of West Lake village and a couple other neigborhoods.

4.23 miles in 1:05

5.26@8:22

Run inside Westlake Village, two loops.  Steady pace pickup from 9:21 first mile to 7:49 last mile.

AM Similar route to Monday, 4.25 walking miles in 1:05, around outside perimeter of Westlake Village.

PM 3.1@10:02 - ran Humpday Hustle run with Daisy and Megan, I was fine with the relaxed pace, Megan was just 3 days out from running NYC marathon.  Weather still has not hit but TS Nicole is on its way.

1.52@11:14

Tropical Storm Nicole still going on, but was possibly runnable outside (several people on Strava did venture out).

However, I stayed on the backporch, set the Garmin to indoor running and ran in place on the mini-trampoline.

5.18@8:26

Run from my house, cross over Trinity Blvd, then down the Starkey Gap trail for a bit.

Ran into Joe at the traffic light and talked to him about Stella.  He's going to watch her for a bit while Andy and I (and Jenny) go up to Tallahassee to see Tom run in NJCAA Championship.

Run itself was pretty good overall.

Finished from work a little early and able to get on the road by 5:00 pm and made the drive in about 4 hours.

3.02@9:59

Was invited to run with the PHSC coaches and Jenny on a loop through the FSU campus area.  Lee couldn't make it so it was Jacki, Steve, Jenny, and I.

Early enough after the run to sleep a little more before we headed over to the meet which wasn't until 10:00.

It was a warmer than hoped for morning.  Mainly watched from near the finish line where we could watch the jumbotron which showed camera views from various places on the course and showed rankings.  Saw Tom's name a few times with places going from 86, then 72, and finally finish at 59th.

PHSC ended up 11th place for men's ranking (this was after going into this meet ranked at 14th).

They've got one more race coming up on Tuesday, Half Marathon National championship.

10.4@8:18

Wanted to get a longer run in, so even though more of a medium long run, felt pretty good.  Started with 2 mile loop inside Westlake Village, then headed north, cut through Eniswood and over to Pinellas Trail going north, then right onto Klosterman and up and over the hill (but not all the way to the bottom) before turning back around.

There was a small sprinkling of rain at the start and I thought about dressing warmer which would've been bad since it warmed up by the end and the humidity stuck around.

4.29 Mile walk in 1:03, loop outside of Westlake Village

6.03@7:52

Southbound down Starkey Gap trail to Keystone and then back to the Trinity Blvd parking area.  First mile felt good at 8:44, then able to keep improving on pace after that.

This was first sub-8:00 effort in a while (not counting 5k races).

AM - Walked 3.0 miles in 47:39, loop inside Westlake Village

PM - 4.02@9:06

Evening Humpday Hustle run with Daisy and Evan, out to the "two mile tree" stopped for a picture, then turned back.  Was pretty dark out but got a good picture of our shadows from the street lights but could also pickup the clouds in the sky.

Walked 4.26 miles in 1:01.   What is becoming a pretty standard route, Alderman to Belcher to Nebraska to 18th Street , to PA Ave, to Omaha, back to Alderman and back into the neighborhood.  

4.44@8:07

Shakeout run before tomorrows long run/ race.  Southbound down Starkey Gap trail and then turn back around.

Then back home and hung out with baby until Sophia got home from school.  Jess had a job interview.

28.16@11:24  5:21:03

Colt 45 Trail Run (45K)

Had a lot of fun at this race.  I was looking for miles, it had been too long since going over 20 miles (or even close to 20 miles).  Had backed off mileage while my foot got better.  Was hoping the softer surface would not aggravate things.  And it turned out I was just fine.

Race started at 8:00, with the 45 mile race starting at 7:00, so when I got there there were already runners out on the course.  It was in the low 50's at the start so I wore a hat and arm warmers and had on a second shirt that I ditched just before the race start.

Course was two loops in the Colt Creek Preserve (Lakeland, FL area).  Andy, the RD announced they had just cut the grass.  Yes, a good part of the trail was actually on grass, nice, flat, and even.  Some of it was a little sandy here and there (but no sugar) and there some mildly rooty sections.  The only obstacles were a couple large puddles you had to go through.  There was some water that you could easily walk around, but at least two you just had to walk through.

Aid stations were great.  Course was sort of a figure 8, so it seemed like I was going in circles hitting the same aid stations more than once per loop.

I was pretty much on a strict 7:1 run:walk.  I stuck to this until some time in the mid 20 mile range (maybe about mile 24) where I took a couple extra walk breaks before the 7 minutes were up.

The second loop, although slowing down a little, I did manage to pass several runners the last few miles.  It had warmed up by the end but was still well below being hot.

Finishing up the race I had mixed feelings about my performance.  On the one hand , no expectations, all about time on my feet. But on the other hand I knew I could've done better.  Only 6 minutes faster and I would've been 4th overall and first AG.  It's nice when you do really well without trying. But you shouldn't be disappointed when doing pretty good and not trying to do your best.   So, for goal of getting in miles and time on feet and being ready to run on Monday, check.

Bonus, really cool shirt, red long sleeve.  My stepdaughter asked if the race was named after that song.  What song?  Crazy Rap (Colt 45) by Afroman.  No, I told her.  But now that song is stuck in my head.

Walked 3.62 miles in 56:42 on Starkey Gap trail, southbound from Trinity Blvd trailhead.

Maybe a little sore still from Saturday's run, but feet pretty good.

Have a little bit of congestion today that I'm battling.

5.23 @8:34

A couple of loops inside Westlake Village.  Run was a little bit better than expected.

Walked 4.27 miles in 1:02 around the outside of Westlake Village in the big square loop.

Signed up for Clearwater Turkey Trot 5k (which used to be the Wingding when they also had a 10k).  Also signed up my brother Jim who is in town.  Tom and his mom will also be running it.

Stopped by my parents house in the evening for a little bit to visit with Jim and his wife and also brought Jessica and the baby who will now disagree with that title and say "I'm a toddler".  But fortunately she doesn't take offense to it.

Turkey Trot 5k, 21:47 chip time, 21:51 Gun Time, 121st male  (Got the mug)

Another pretty good race for me and fun morning.  My brother Jim was visiting so I signed him up.  We met at the parking lot for Rumba, short walk to race start.  We saw Tom and Jenny.  After some warm up, lined up near the front.  The cool temps I felt when first getting out of the car were replaced with the warmth of the crowd, but not quite hot out.

Race start, usual mayhem, but I felt pretty good and avoided too much weaving.  First mile is mostly downhill (it starts downhill, there's a small up, and then more down).  Turn left and then the first mile ends.

6:47!  Yay, ok, just keep going.

2nd mile 7:01, maybe coulda been better but hard to convince myself of that while running.  After heading west a short distance, start going north again and approach the uphill.  Families hanging out in their front yards, some bands, a few unofficial aid stations.

Turn left into the neighborhood for the extra u-shape before coming back onto the main road and finishing up the uphill.  Struggling to stay in the 7:30's but not quite enough fight to go faster than that.  Finish up the 3rd mile in 7:31.

Then a good sprint to the finish line at a sub-6:00 pace.  Slightly nauseous at the end but not as bad as last year.

Not as fast as last year and not as fast as RAP river run 5k, but faster than PHSC Bobcats 5k.

My brother's wife Nancy was at the end, said she saw Tom finish.  Tom get second place overall and a new 5k PR (chip time 16:06.8).

I did not see a guy handing out race cards (for mug winners), was pretty sure I just wasn't fast enough this year (last year's 21:08 was a close call).  But then, they annonce no race cards this year, just going by the gun time results.  So, I go online, see I'm 141 overall, wondering how many women were faster than me, apparently about 20, because I'm 121 for men which barely gets me a mug for top 125.

Jenny also got a mug as well as Sean's neice who she ran with.

Walked back to the car and then home to watch the parade on TV with Jessica and the toddler girl.  Called around for breakfast/brunch places, most places closed, booked, or busy until we call the new IHOP nearby.

Evening was dinner at my parents house with my parents, brother Jim and sis-in-law Nancy, their two kids, my boys Tom and Andy, Jessica and the toddler.  Best new sidedish award goes to my son Andy who among other things made spicy roasted shallots.

20.08@12:12

Long Haul course preview, group run.  Was in Orlando last night, downtown Disney for dinner then stayed at Hotel with Jess, Aubrey, and baby, on the road just after 6:00 to go to Cypress Creek Preserve.

Jogged out to the hub carrying soft sided cooler bag for extra stuff I didn't want to carry the whole run.  First "loop" turned back early on the east leg when we hit a water crossing, said maybe next pass through to I wouldn't have wet feet the whole run.  RD Andy says water will be gone by race day (1/15).

I was running with one other guy on north leg when we came upon unexpected fork.  Running buddy was new to course so looked to me.  I took the wrong fork, so we doubled back, took the correct one out to the "big tree" where we turn around  (race day will have a timing mat).

Did the second loop.  On south leg, toenail was digging into neighbor toe so I stopped to fix. Must avoid this on race day.  On second loop, once again avoided the water crossing.

So, with the two water crossing skips, and not doing the wrong fork on the second loop, run was only 20 miles instead of 22.

Evening had dinner with parents, Jim, Nancy, Brian and Andy (Kelly had alredy flown back and Jess still in Orlando) at Miss Vicki's on the Anclote River.  Tried their key lime pie.  Then back at my parents house, toasted to Jim and Nancy's 34th anniversary.  how is this possible?

4.56@8:33

Short jaunt around Westlake Village and a little bit of up and down the street at the end with 7:15 pace for last half mile.

Walked 4.27 miles in 1:03 around the outside of Westlake Village.

5.66@7:58 (45:08)

Two loops inside WestLake Village, but I started out a little differently by heading towards the center first, and then out.  This added almost an extra half mile.

Anyway, run was good with first mile at 8:29 and last full mile at 7:39.

Always feels like a win when I can start out under 9:00.  I've been feeling less tight and creaky since alternating run days and walk days, as well as a better warm up routine with added lunges.

Cough is mostly cleared up.