The Long Run

7.04 mi, 1:02:38, 8:53 avg

The goal today was to run steady, but relatively easy but not too slow.  First mile 9:16 and last mile 8:34.  Started with loop around the neighborhood and then t-shaped route along the golf course and back.  81 degrees at the end but stayed in the shade as much as I could.

It was a pretty good run.

7.17 mi, 1:03:30, 8:52 avg, elev gain 231 feet

I decided to start a structured marathon training plan after I ran across one from BAA.  It looked interesting with a good variety of workouts and different phases.  It's 20 weeks long but I decided to start in week 3.  Next, I'm going to look for a race around the time that the plan ends (a little bit into December).

The core of today's workout was 6 hill repeats, 300m up at 10k pace, 30 seconds rest, back down the hill at marathon pace, then 1 minute 30 second easy.

I found a hill in the neighorhood that looked like it was long enough, ran to the top then jogged back down to measure about 300m (0.19 miles as an approximation).  Also, picked a hill that was shaded.

I started the first one and didn't seem to be going fast enough but was soon on pace.  Goal pace was 6:48. 

Paces for the uphill repeats: 6:26, 6:25, 6:29, 6:29, 6:21, 6:12

Overall it was pretty fun and made the miles go by quickly.

Did 2 more "easy" miles for a cool down.

6.07 mi, 52:05, 8:35 avg, elev gain 107 feet

Day 2 of following the new schedule.  Easy run with planned range of 8:33-9:10 and secondary goal of not starting out too slow and not having to run too fast to get the desired average.  First mile 8:45, last and fastest mile 8:21.  Ran south down Lakeview to Westlak Blvd, onto Nebraska and then zig-zagged way until heading south for a little bit on the Pinellas Trail.  Took a slightly less zig-zaggy route on the way back.  I ended up at the faster end of the easy run range.  Miles 3 and 5 I held back a little bit on purpose.  Warm 81 degrees run but not bad as most of the route was shaded.  No real stops on today's run, carried a little 10oz handheld bottle with gatorade.

PM: 1.16 mi, 13:58, 12:01 avg

Took Stella to "hump day hustle run" at Longleaf.  I was not wearing running clothes so we just sort of jogged.  Got pretty sweaty but Stella didn't seem to mind.

8.17 mi, 1:07:28, 8:15 avg, elev gain 49 feet

Yesterday was a scheduled day off.  I was not able to run this morning but it always feels tempting to just skip the run in the evening, but I wasn't going to even though it had been kind of a rough day and it was still 86 degrees and typical Florida August humidity, but it was getting later and it at least seemed cooler.

Scheduled run was 2 easy, 2x2 miles at half marathon pace (7:08), 3 minute jog between and then 2 miles easy to get back home.  It was about 2 miles to the Pinellas trail and looked like there was a good two mile stretch at least before crossing any major roads.  First mile was better than expected and finished it in 6:54.  Next mile was 7:03, but just after I finished was realizing how much the heat had taken out of me.  But, just two more miles and then an easy jog home.  

Second repeat did not start out well, I really didn't think I'd be able to finish it.  I stopped, mentally regrouped and then got going again and decided to just try my best.  Made the next mile in 7:16, not too far off and then slowly got a little bit faster as a chipped away at the last mile and finished it in 7:05.

1. 6:54, 7:03

2. 7:16, 7:05

Run back home was good and saw a nice sunset when I stopped to scratch a bug bite.

6.09 mi, 52:21, 8:36 avg

Monday was a good run, Tuesday felt great, Wednesday seemed to just flow right, Thursday was an off day, but Friday was a little bit tough and I was worried that Saturday, although scheduled to be easy would feel slow and clunky and not easy at all.  Started later in the morning but had good cloud cover and a little bit of light rain at the end.  Run seemed to play out like Wednesday's run, not too slow of a start and kept a good mostly easy feeling about the run.  First mile was 9:02, last mile was 8:25.