The Long Run

AM - 10.75 mi, 1:40:04, 9:18 avg, HR 128 avg, 138 max

Nice, easy heart rate (121-131 goal) run from my house out to the Y and back in a slightly meandering path.  I left the house just before the boys drove to the Y to meet the CC team.  I passed them on my way back after stopping there for water and taking my gel.  I had 3 miles in a row under a 9:00 pace and felt pretty good overall.  The distance seemed to go by quickly.

Less than 49 miles to go to make 300 miles for the month!

PM - 2.52 mi, 20:30, 8:08 avg

Went to the Y.  After a short elliptical warm up and some weights (including leg extensions), I got on one of the treadmill that can go down to a 2% decline to do some "downhill".  Started out flat, then  went downhill for 10 minutes, then up for a couple of minutes, then downhill for the rest.  I'll add more later.  Ran some of it easy and some of it at goal marathon pace.

10.65 mi, 1:36:50, 9:05 avg, HR 128 avg, 137 max

Tuesday morning run with the Striders sat Longleaf.  As usual, I got there 5 minutes late, didn't really run with anyone but talked to some people at the water stop and then a little bit at the end.  There weren't very many of us today.  It was another reasonably nice morning weatherwise, summer in Florida is not so bad these days.  Stayed within heart rate range of 121-131 and ended up pretty consistent pace wise and ended up being one of my fastest heart rate runs.  I felt like I wanted to go faster and should have been able to but going to be patient a little longer.

I saw Andy and one of his CC team mates heading out when I was heading back.

I did the last two miles near my house and passed by Thomas out for his run.

10.12 mi, 1:27:53, 8:41 avg

Did 10x400m workout today.  Easy paced jog out to the park with the trail that goes around the ponds, one stride to get warmed up, then did 400m (0.25 mile markings on the trail), followed by 400m jog/recovery, goal was to run 1:25-1:30 for each one.

Splits: 1:29, 1:24, 1:27, 1:22, 1:23, 1:21, 1:22, 1:26, 1:24, 1:23

On the 9th one, one of my shoes came untied so I slowed down a little to try and not trip, otherwise it would have been just a little bit faster.  There was a little bit of a breeze but almost no cloud cover so was getting a bit sweaty feeling by the end of the run.

AM - 8.54 mi, 1:23:32, 9:47 avg, HR 115 avg, 138 max

Ran with Jamie in the neighborhood and by the golf course, starting at 6:00.  Usually run at Longleaf with the Striders on Thursday at 5:30 but thought that 6:00 sounded a little better and this was probably the only chance for Jamie to run outside.  We were doing a conversational pace (but I wasn't looking at my pace and did not have the heart rate set up on the display), then we stopped at the drinking fountain.  I turned the heart rate display back on and saw my HR was below the 121-131 goal range, but was at 114.  So, sped up a little bit.  It's nice now that my heart rate actually says I'm doing an easy pace when I think I am.

Decided to not do all 10 miles this morning since I'm planning on doing at least two miles (maybe 3) on the treadmill at the Y tonight so I can practice some stead downhill running - longer than what I could do on any hill I could find around here.

PM - 3.04 mi, 24:08, 7:56 avg

Ran on the treadmill at the Y after 10 minute bike warmup and 3 sets of leg extensions.  Did two minutes warmup and then 20 minutes at -2% decline gradually going to 7:35 pace, followed by 1% incline at same pace, then 1 minute slow.  Hopefully this will help a little bit for the downhill at the Super Tunnel Marathon coming up on 8/21

11.01 mi, 1:51:31, 10:08 avg, HR 122 avg, 140 max

Ran the Suncoast Trail to the Upper Tampa Bay trail with Cynthia as well as with Ben for the first three miles.  This morning was the warmest morning all week but it didn't affect things too much at first but gradually dragged on things a little more.  Took it easy on the pace and for the first 7 miles my heart rate was on the low side.  Got a little bit out of range on the last mile but I didn't want to slow Cynthia down who was struggling mentally with the sun so I wanted to stay with her rather than dropping back.  Despite my heart rate rising that last mile I didn't feel like I was struggling.

16.34 mi, 2:26:27, 8:58 avg

Ran at Brooksville on the Suncoast trail starting near SR 50.  Ran south 1 mile, turned back and then grabbed my water belt and headed north for 7 miles, then turned around and came back.  Starting temperature was about 77 degrees and the humidity was up pretty high and partly cloudy so not direct sun the whole time but not shaded either.  Purposely took it easy for the over the first half and then started picking it up a little on the second half especially the last two miles which were 7:50 and 7:27.  Was a pretty tough run mentally because the easy pace didn't feel that easy but at least when I decided to go faster I could.

And now it looks like I've hit my July mileage goal of breaking 300 miles!