The Long Run

I'm trying to get serious about my schedule.  I usually take it easy on Monday's but the schedule said 4 mile tempo run.  I figure this is a good way to get out of the rut I was starting to get in.  Warmed on the treadmill at the Y for 2.12 miles, then headed outside.  Went across the street to the neighborhood where I like to run and started the tempo portion.

I was supposed to do 4 miles between 15K and half marathon pace.  After starting out and still not feeling 100%, I decided I would try to go more effort than pace, and if I happened to hit the paces, then that would be a bonus.

splits: 6:52, 6:42, 6:54, 6:33

So, I felt pretty good that I didn't just take the easy way out but put in some effort and ended up coming pretty close to the range I wanted.

Finished up with a cool down to get me back to the parking lot.

Average pace: 7:40

 Big mid-week run tomorrow (14 miles)

PM - did a yoga video that my wife was emailed.  it was kind of hard to follow and I missed a lot of what I was supposed to do but still managed to get in some good stretching.

Started out with Jenny and we did just over 7 miles together.  Quite a difference from the run one week ago.  Felt a lot better.  Continued on by myself and kept the second half pretty even.  Decent weather and a pretty good run all around.

Average pace: 8:14

Did more yoga in the evening.

Easy recovery run this morning.  Ran with Jenny for the first 4 miles then returned home to get just over 5 for the morning.

Average pace: 8:51

Finally did an upper body workout after the run.  I think I'm getting back on track.

Also, in the evening did another yoga workout from the Yoga Journal 21 day challenge

Jenny is doing them also. I think I'm getting some more kinks worked out, hopefully I'll stick with it.

Had to do some improvising on today's run.  I met Dixie at our usual spot and we were going to start out running our usual route, then add some more on later.  I was supposed to do 12 miles and he was going to do between 10 and 12 with me.  I forgot my garmin, and he also forgot his so we would have to guess on the mileage between time, effort, and knowing various point to point distances.

It was also a bit cold, not quite as cold as the day after Christmas run, but pretty close.  Wind was from the north, so we headed south and then would turn off the main road and cut through neighborhoods for protection from the wind.

Stopped at the Y about 5 miles into the run for an unscheduled pit stop, then got going again.  We ran through Lansbrook and stopped very briefly at the lake park for a sip of water then continued North.

Back to the car, where we estimated just under 10 miles.  Dixie had to go, so I continued north up the trail along Eastlake road for about 1.25 mile, wind was really hitting me pretty hard and cutting right through my thin gloves.  Then, once I turned around, it was as if I had imagined the whole thing and the air felt quite nice.

Average pace: 8:55

Foot problem with my right big toe was a back a little bit, need to keep those laces extra loose for a while longer.

Did another Yoga routine in the evening, about 20 minutes long.

I slept in a bit and didn't get going until a bit after 6:30.  Actually, I was up earlier, waking up when Jenny woke up for her twelve mile run but decided to get back in bed for a few minutes, which turned into a few more minutes than planned.

I felt great on the run without my oftentimes slower start.  Went a little faster than prescribed recovery run pace but I wanted to enjoy the easy feeling by not trying to adjust the pace up or down.

Average pace: 8:05

Cool but not cold morning.  Met up with Dixie, Raj, and Raj's friend Mike 6:00 am in Coachman park in Clearwater.   Got going pretty quickly, up the helix onto the Clearwater bridge and towards the beach.  Great morning for a run.  Especially wonderful view of the waterfront from the top of the Sand Key bridge.  Headed south a few miles then turned left towards the mainland and over the Belleair bridge.  Stopped at the Belleair town hall to use the water fountain and bathrooms there.  Talked to a few other runs, one of whom trained with Dixie 10 years ago getting ready for the Disney Marathon.

Headed up north a little bit farther until I was almost at 10 miles (near the Belleair country club golf course), said good bye to the guys and turned back the way I came (they were just doing a 13 mile loop course).

Felt pretty good for the next 3 miles, then felt tired and had difficulty keeping the pace.  Stopped briefly, stretched, relaxed, then kept going and soon felt better.

Felt good on the final ascent back up the Clearwater and managed to pick up the pace even more on the way back down.

The run felt a little rough at times, but it was a great morning, had some running buddies for 10 miles, and things could have been much worse.

Average pace: 8:15