The Long Run

5.03@9:58  HR 130 bpm

Quick (but easy pace) 5 miles in Westlake Village, started a little bit later for an "early" start, 6:20 am, but still nice to start pre-dawn.  I did 4/1 run/walk except the last mile I skipped the walk breaks trying to finish up.

Although just before sunrise, it was 82 degrees and humid, "nice" for summer is anytime the start temp is under 80.

I signed up to run Deseret News Half Marathon next week for some downhill running practice to gauge how I might fare at Big Cottonwood in September.

10.16@8:17

2 mile warm up , then 5 x 1 mile @10K pace (target 7:00-7:15 range) with 3 minute easy jog between, then two miles cool down.  I'd programmed my watch for this workout by updating a previous 4 x 1 mile workout but the changes didn't take, but I was just able to run the 5th repeat as part of the "cooldown" since the default lap is 1 mile. 

I was being indecisive about where to run with choices being: 1. In Westlake Village where I'd loop around on slighly rolling small hills, 2. Starkey Blvd near Longleaf where it is flat and the tall trees block the morning sun, or 3. Starkey Gap Trail which is flat, more open and I've had some workouts there where I didn't quite get on pace.

I chose Starkey Gap trail because the clouds were darker to the north.  Ran two miles south for the warm up, then farther south with a turnaround, and then kind of back and forth until ending back north where I stashed my water then heading south for the last one.

Things went pretty well, hit my paces with last three being a little too fast.  Took a PowerBar hyrdogel after the first repeat (watery enough "gel" you can take without water).  Splits: 7:10, 7:06, 6:58, 6:54, 6:52

Felt good considering the 79 degrees and 89 percent humidity, cloud cover helped, very few drops of rain, the thunder stayed to the north.

AM 4.13@9:53   HR 132 bpm

One loop and a little bit up and down the street in Westlake Village.  Got a little greedy with pace so heart rate a little bit higher than it should've been, but still not far from easy.

PM 4.15@10:26    HR 131 bpm

Ran with the Hump Day Hustle group in Starkey Park on the off road trails.  Group consisted of Daisy, Evan, Sean and myself for 4 miles.  Daisy's son joined us for first mile.  It was still very hot, in the 90's and a bit higher humidity than last Wednesday night.  Daisy was pushing the pace a little, fortunately Evan was hanging back, took a couple walk breaks on way back.  Storm was approaching so felt a few walls of cool air wash through mixed with the hot air.  Fortunately storm was a little ways off.

8.06@8:11    HR 159 bpm

Warmed up with 2 miles easy pace then did 4 miles with goal pace between 7:22 and 7:38 (ended up with 7:23 average) or half marathon goal pace.  Really would be happy now with a 1:40 half (a few seconds off that would be nice as well "one thirty nine and change" ).

7:28, 7:26, 7:19, 7:19

Happy with the results because when it was time to go faster I was able to do that without having to struggle to get on pace and was mainly mental to keep on pace.

Forecast for Monday's race looking a little bleak but might be ok depending on how cool (or less hot) it is at the starting line.

5.13@10:32 HR 129 bpm

Another easy day.  Two loops inside Westlake Village with intention of going "super easy" but ended up just being easy which is still good.  A little bit warmer and more humid today but did the job  (today 82 degrees/feels like 89, yesterday was 76 degrees/feels like 82)

16.17@9:16

From the Longleaf church, up Starkey Blvd, into the park.  Stopped by water fountain near bathrooms very quickly (kept the watch running), back out to the trail until out 8 miles, then retrace the route back.  When stopping by the fountain, stopped my watch this time and said hi to some of the Striders hanging out there after their run.  Group is kind of splintered these days but some of the originals were there.  Cindy asked me if I'd ever do the donkey race (could be fun, you race next to a donkey carrying your stuff out on some trail).

Picked up the pace a little on way back.

Run was long enough to be long but a slight cut-back from the scheduled 18-19 miles on rolling hills.  Want to be semi-fresh for Monday.  I'm not sure the last time I did a Monday race where I still did a weekend long run.  Maybe good marathon simulation?