The Long Run

Felt slow and clunky this morning, but at least I was able to still get my run in for the most part (was supposed to do 9 but bargained with myself to at least get 8 done).

Went to the Y, warmed up on the bike then got onto the treadmill.  Did 3.25 miles at about an 8:40 average pace then headed outside.

 It was nice and cool this morning.  The roads were wet from the rain but the sky was clearing.  Outside portion went a lot better and I was feeling a good bit looser by the time I was done.  Finished another 5.32 miles, average pace 7:58

Accidentally used Jenny's garmin this morning, but they are identical so I guess it doesn't really matter too much :)

I felt much less sore this morning than yesterday, and therefore at least 75% less clunky.  It also helped that for some odd reason I woke up extra happy this morning (not sure why but I'll take it).  Ran with Jenny, nice cool, dry morning.  We ran 6 miles together at an easy pace (maybe about 8:45 average), then did two miles together about 7:45 pace.  I did one more mile at 7:09 pace with a short cool down at the end.

Average pace: 8:21

Went into the (unheated) pool afterward up to my waist for one or two minutes, nice and refreshing.

I was determined to meet my goals on this morning's run, and with a lot of effort I ended up coming pretty close.  I kept telling myself I was going to do it but a small voice kept on saying I was missing something.  The net result was that I was slower by 2 seconds per mile than my goal for the 6 mile tempo, so from that perspective it's pretty much the same.

Goal: 6 @ 6:32 pace

 The pattern was similar to last time (2 weeks ago for 5 miles), first mile was good, I slowly got onto pace and ended up just one second off.  Second mile was better at 6:30.   Sometime around then my iPod battery died, so no more music, time to just run!  3rd mile saw my pace slipping a bit, I struggled and ended up with 6:39.  This brought me to the turn around, pace really started to slip.  I was over 7:00 for a bit, clawed my way into the 6:50's, and gave it my all to get to 6:45.  I was trying really hard just to let things start flowing.  5th mile was starting out poorly, but I was starting to improve.  Saw Keisha heading the other direction and said hi, then saw another runner, things improved and I made mile 5 in 6:35.

Here is where I start to feel that a lot of the problem was mental.  I thought back to how I have done this pace before and sometimes faster, but maybe I forgot how hard it was and thought I wouldn't have to work as hard this time, which is wrong, on a hard day you need to remember what hard is and deal with it.  I soon found myself on pace and then faster than goal pace, I could make up a little bit of the lost time, last mile in 6:21.

Splits: 6:33, 6:30, 6:39, 6:45, 6:35, 6:21

Recovered and ran home at an easy pace.

Overall average pace: 7:28

Another nice and cool morning.  Ran with Jenny for most of the run.  She was doing 400's this morning and I had decided last time that this is not such a good idea for me on the day after my speed work.  So, instead we played leap frog.  She'd take off, and then I'd catch up some time during her recovery, get ahead of her a little bit then she'd pass me again.  Run went by pretty quickly and she made her goals (6 x 400m @ 6:35 pace).

Then I ran with her on the cool down for another 2 miles (total at this point was a little bit over 7).  She headed back home and I did one more lap around the neighborhood where I picked it up a bit with about a 7:10 average for the last 2.

Average: 8:16

I jumped into the pool, it was very cold! (don't have the heater turned on).  This past Saturday, as I was dipping part of my legs in the pool, my youngest son jumped into the frigid water and swam a couple of laps, I said "you sure are one tough dude!", so I'm trying to see if I can keep up.

7.74 miles, Average pace: 7:59

Ran by myself this morning on another nice cool and pleasant morning (thankful for each day that this streak continues).  About a mile and a half into the run my phone beeped.  I get very few text messages so I slowed down to look at the screen, nothing urgent, so I continued on.  Unfortunately it took me a little bit of time to get back into a rhythm, but not too long.  Had some twinges in my upper hamstring on my right side (ok, a little higher than the hamstring actually).  I don't often get pains there.  I'll just have to watch it a bit.

Overall, the run went well and I picked it up a bit for the final mile.

I was a little ahead of plan for miles this week, so I didn't have to do 9 miles today, still slightly ahead for the week with less than 9 today.

Big 20 mile run tomorrow, and also my last chance this weekend to get the early registration price and no online fee by registering at Sports Authority for the Gasparilla marathon, just one month away now!

Great 20 mile run in Starkey Park with Raj and Eudair.  Weather was perfect, low 60's, cloudy (it rained later that morning, so lucky to miss it).  Met up about 6:15, warmed up a little bit and then got going.  Started out with Raj, Eudair, and Derek.  Derek was with us for about 4 miles.  I brought my Flip video camera with me and took about 9 minutes worth of video (but it was very shaky, I'll have to see if I can fix it up).

Went out to the end of the Starkey park bike trail, then headed north onto the Suncoast parkway trail, until we reached 10 miles.  Turned around and then felt the wind right away.  It seems you hardly ever notice the wind at your back, just when you turn around.  Wasn't too bad, and it was only directly at us until we turned back onto the Starkey park trail, then it was a bit calmer.

I went ahead by myself with about 5 miles left, then really picked it up for the last two miles with 6:45 and 6:34.  Hadn't done a 20 mile run in a while so it was good to finish this and feel good at the end.

Average pace: 8:06

Missed out on the social hour but grabbed some leftovers as David was packing up.

Later in the evening I took another shot at the Wii push-up challenge.  This time I was prepared and did all 100 push-ups.  It was pretty hard because you have to do them slowly according to the whistle, down, back up, pause, repeat.