The Long Run

I was supposed to just do 10 miles this morning, and I usually run alone on Monday mornings, splitting up the miles between treadmill and the road.  But Raj had texted me the night before asking if I wanted to run 11 miles with him.  I figured I might as well start the week off ahead and I usually try not to pass up a chance to run with someone else.

Arrived at the Y just after 6:00.  I went inside and warmed up for 5 minutes on the elliptical before heading outside.  We started pretty much on time around 6:15.  It was right at 40 degrees this morning and I was wishing I had brought a hat with me.  A little cold at first, but warmed up some while running.   The running felt pretty comfortable, except for a few isolated hamstring twinges here and there after mile 4.

We were not able to get around the construction area so we had to turn back and take the detour which meant we ran a little bit farther than the planned 11 miles.

Average pace: 8:02

10.08 miles @ 8:11

I ran with Jenny this morning around the neighborhood and golf course.  She had a 3 mile tempo run on her scheduler at 7:35 pace.  We warmed up with 2 easy miles, then did the tempo portion.  Our garmins were off a bit so I thought I was right on pace but hers was showing a faster pace.  Either way she made her goal (or was slightly faster).  She was then supposed to do just 2 miles cool down but ran 3 more with me, meaning I only had 2 miles left to do by myself.

Weather was a perfect 50° with no wind, rain, or anything else bad.

PM - did beginner Inflict workout

Goal for this morning was 7 miles @ 6:36 pace plus warm up and cool down. 

I was supposed to meet Raj at 6:00 by the neighborhood gate, but he sent me a text saying he couldn't make it, so I slept in until 6:00.  I could hear the wind blowing pretty hard outside.  Got myself ready, headed outside and immediately walked back in the door and put on a hat.  Stepped outside again and immediately turned around, went inside and put on some gloves.  Although it was 45 degrees outside which isn't so bad, the wind was just cutting right through me.

Well, have to start the run eventually, so finally got moving.  Warmed up with two easy miles, 9 something for the first mile then 8:45ish the next mile.  Thinking to myself now how can I expect to run 6:36 miles in this wind?  On top of that I wasn't feeling so well.  Shin was fine today and so was the hamstring, but I had a heaviness in my chest.

Started the tempo portion, heading north on Starkey Blvd. Wind was from the North-NorthWest at 14-20 mph.   It didn't feel good.  I stopped after .4 miles and thought about scrapping it.  But I still had to do the miles and there was no guarantee that tomorrow would be any better, so I put it out of my head and quickly started again.

First mile was nearly on pace, second I had slipped a few seconds.  The third mile was the slowest at 6:57.  At mile 3 I turned right onto a side street and my pace immediately picked up.  The wind had been a huge part of the problem.  Turned around after another 1/2 mile and was back in the wind again, but knew if I held on for another half mile, I'd make my turn, and be heading south down Starkey Blvd with the wind at my back.

And that is what happened! Last 3 miles were 6:33, 6:36, and 6:15.  I finally felt good, like a completely different person than the one that started the run.

Splits recap: 6:37, 6:42, 6:57, 6:43, 6:33, 6:36, 6:15

Average tempo run pace, just under 6:38 

Two mile return trip back home with the first one at 8:30ish and the last mile at 7:07

Average pace: 7:16

PM - did 14 minute yoga routine on Wii Fit, not much but better than nothing.

Colder but not as windy as yesterday, so a bit nicer overall. Ran with Jenny this morning and did most of her speed work alongside her.  She was doing 8 x 600m @ 7:00 pace, odd distance I know, but why not?  I did the first 6 repeats with her and then I detoured to a water fountain and took a gel.  Caught up to her eventually just as she was finishing her last repeat.  We headed back home together, then I did another 1/2 mile to make it over 9 for the day.

Average pace: 8:23

I felt good overall, no shin problems, no heaviness anywhere, but a few hamstring twinges which I thought had gone away because they were absent yesterday.

I'm a little bit ahead on miles for the week so even if I just do 9 tomorrow, I still be a little ahead.

With threats of rain this morning I had been thinking about heading to the Y for the treadmill.  But, it looked like it would hold off.  I don't mind the rain especially if I can at least start out and get warmed up before getting rained on.  Jenny came along, also.  She had been thinking about doing her run after the kids went to school.  

It worked out pretty well.  Just a few drops fell on us early on then it held off for the rest of the rain.  It was a few degrees warmer than yesterday, nice.

We ran together about 5 and a half miles before she was heading home.  I turned around for a bit then headed back myself.

Average pace: 8:20

Feeling pretty good this week, which is my last big week for miles before the marathon at the end of this month.  Next two weeks will be cutbacks.  20 mile run tomorrow.

Met up with Raj and Derek this morning at a spot about 2 miles from the start of the Pinellas trail.  We had decided this would be a good week for a change of scenery from Starkey Park.  Got going about 6:15.  It was mid 40's and a bit windy from the North.  I brought gloves with me but accidentally had picked up two left hands.

We went out nice and easy while running in the dark.  The first couple of miles seemed to fly by.  The trail headed north for a short bit then crossed under US 19 by way of an underpass that looked kind of like a tunnel.  We approached Tarpon Springs and ran through it past the various shops and restaurants that were closed.  The trail went behind the hospital and then ran through a more secluded wooded area.  We passed behind the Primate Sanctuary (but didn't see any of the chimps out, although we could smell them).

At around 7.75 miles we came to Wall Springs park where we stopped for a quick pit stop and I found a fountain to top off a water bottle.  Continuing on, we made it into Palm Harbor and were near the entrance of Pop Stansell park at the 10 mile mark.

We turned around and then had the wind to deal with.  We picked it up for a bit and were pushing a 7:30 pace when we got back to Wall Springs park.  Stopped there for a brief stretch break and to look at the old bathing springs.  We could see some fish swimming in the spring.

Got moving again.  Wind was a little bit lighter now.  At about 4.5 miles left to go we had spread out a bit.  Raj told me to go ahead, so I picked it up a bit and finished that mile under 8:00.  With 4 miles left to go, I had just gotten into a good groove and was now heading east, so no longer into the wind.  Ran past the things that were too dark to see when we started out like the house on the corner with big solar panels and lots of white geese and some chickens.  The final mile finished up on pretty good uphill, followed by a short down hill.  Finished the last 4 miles under 7:00 minute pace with the final mile at 6:34.

Average pace: 7:57