The Long Run

Getting back into a routine today.  It was already 85º this morning at 6:30, humidity wasn't terrible but it was enough so that this was not a "dry heat".  I decided to reverse the order of my split indoor/outdoor run and run outside first.   I went to the Y, warmed up on the bike and did some ball crunches.  Ran outside for 3.57 miles at 8:05 pace, it wasn't so bad.

Went inside and did another 4.25 miles at about a  7:45 pace, indoors felt really good.  Followed up with 3 sets of leg extenstions.

Hurried home and did one half of a workout from "Inflict", a new workout program Jenny found on the web, it's a circuit type program from Lance Armstrong's trainers.  For a beginner workout it was very tough, which is good.  I think I have been letting some of my overall strength and flexibility slide a little.  This should help get me right.

Another nice and hot morning.  Heat should break by the end of the week, back to high 70's for early morning, I'll take it, for now the day starts out at mid 80's already.

I ran with Jenny, we got going just after 6:00 and did her 6 mile "trout", which turned out to be 6.5 miles.  I ran one more loop around our neighborhood by myself and picked up the pace a bit for the last mile.

Average pace: 8:45

Cooled down in the pool for a few minutes, then stretched a bit.

As I had hoped for yesterday, the heat broke a bit and it was a much more reasonable 76°, it was still humid but it just felt so much cooler than yesterday that it almost felt perfect.  

Went to the Y, warmed up on the bike for 10 minutes, then 2.13 miles on the treadmill at about an 8:10 pace.

Headed outside for another 6.03 miles at 7:41 pace, then back inside again for another 1.2 miles on the treadmill followed by 3 sets of leg extensions.

Headed home then did the Inflict workout, but this time I did the full workout.   It sure was tough and I failed to do all 50 of the second set of bicycle crunches (just made it to 40) but was able to do everything else.

Tomorrow, I'll just do a plain, nothing fancy run outside.

Nice Thursday run with the Striders running group.  Met up near the Longleaf pool.  About 12 of us today.  Group split up at the beginning into two basic groups.  In one group was a bunch of guys, myself, and another new fast girl.  We went out pretty easy to about 2.8 miles.   Then Dixie and I continued on a little farther before turning around and picked it up on the way back.  Fastest mile was 7:13, overall average for the entire run was 7:56.

Enjoyed a brief social hour before I headed back home, cool down in the pool (which isn't that cool right now) and then some stretching.  A little sore from yesterday's Inflict workout.

Ran over in Starkey park this morning.  Arrived right at 6:00 am which was perfect timing since they had just opened up the gate.  It was 5 degrees cooler inside the park than it was in my driveway when I left but I knew it wouldn't last.  I started out with Dixie, Keith, and Jorge.  Dixie and I went out to the Suncoast Pkwy trail before turning around.  Trip out was at a nice and easy pace (avg. 8:31).  Picked things up a bit on the way back.  Sun was higher up now so it was getting hotter, but the really bad heat was holding off.    There were a few flies buzzing us but they weren't bad compared to other days.   Felt good at the end and had picked up the overall average to 8:05.

Enjoyed some time at social hour, several new faces there this morning as well as many of the regulars.  Rain was approaching, so the air cooled down a few more degrees.  Headed home and managed to just miss the rain.  Did a very short swim and some stretching once home.