The Long Run

8.5 miles @ 7:29 pace, 6:30 with Striders at Longleaf

 Met up over by the Longleaf pool for the Strider's Labor Day run.  We had a good sized group and had cooperating weather.   Started out with Joe, Alex, Val, David and a new guy that joined us (can't quite remember his name).  Ran up Starkey Blvd. to the 2.75 mile mark and grabbed a water and a power bar gel.  Alex was heading out towards the 4 mile mark, so I got going and tried to catch up with him.  Finally caught up after about 2.5 miles where I had to run 7:17 and 6:50.  We ran together after that for the return trip back.  Alex kicked it in with about a half mile left, almost thought I was going to lose him but stuck with him and we finsished the last mile with a 6:50 average. 

Jenny had baked some muffins so I brought those to contribute to the snack table afterwards.  Hung out for a bit and talked to several people including Val who is training for the Disney marathon (she's very fast with an 18:40 5K PR).  I took a few pictures

Runners relaxing

Food table

Hosts - David and Karen

After doing some errands and going to a mall, Jenny and I did the Inflict workout together.  I usually do these on Tuesday but Jenny was doing hers and we had the time.  It was tough doing it in the mid-afternoon but it was good to get it finished.

9.2 miles @ 8:39 average. Ran with Jenny this morning around the neighborhood and over past the golf course and then back home. She said she was feeling a bit sore from yesterday's Inflict but I couldn't really tell by the pace, it was pretty much around where we usually run, so she did a pretty good job of hiding it. Weather continues to improve a little by little. After running 7 together (8:56 average pace), I picked it up a little bit so I could get at least 9 miles in (and a little bit more to help make up for yesterday's half mile shortage). The pick up at the end brought the overall average to 8:39. Good run to help me get ready for tomorrow's tempo run with warm up, then 6 @ 6:42, followed by cool down. 

Here is Jenny running away from me:

10.2 miles @ 7:20 average with 6 @ tempo pace

Ran my scheduled tempo run this morning.  Wasn't feeling 100% up to the job but not anywhere near needing to call it off.  I started out with Jenny for almost a mile until I had to split off to head out towards 54 and Starkey Blvd.  Ran two miles at EZ pace for my warm up then started the tempo portion.

Actually felt pretty good starting out.  Focused on getting to the turn around point and then worry about hanging on.  Splits were pretty even with the 3rd mile the slowest and the last mile the fastest.  I saw Keisha out running at about the turnaround point and said hi but didn't have time to chat :)  Splits were:

6:35, 6:35, 6:37, 6:35, 6:30, 6:26

I felt like I was really pushing at the end and it was starting to feel more like 5K effort but I just wanted to finish.  It's been a while since I have done a tempo run this long so I was glad to have finished it.  I've got two longer tempo runs coming up as well as some shorter but faster ones before the marathon which still seems a long way off.

Took it pretty easy on the way back and was feeling better for the final mile and was able to pick it up to 7:13 without it feeling too hard (which is pretty rare in general but more common after I've recovered from the tempo portion).

9 miles @ 7:57 average plus Inflict workout.

Ran with the Striders this morning.  Met up at the Longleaf pool just before 5:30.  A little bit smaller group this morning.  Weather was nice and there was a good amount of moonlight to run by.  Ran mainly with Alex and Keisha and David for part of the time.  Alex, Keisha, and I did 6 miles together and we all kept the pace pretty easy.  Averaged 8:23 for the first 6 miles.  Alex ran with me for another 3/4 mile before he turned around.  I continued on so I could get in a total of 9 miles.  Picked up the pace, especially for the last mile and finished up with a 7:57 average for the run.

Just about everyone had left by the time I made it back.  David was the last one there, we chatted a few minutes then I helped carry some of the stuff back to his car.

Headed home and got on my bike to catch Jenny at the end of her run.  She was finishing up her tempo run.  I biked along side here and brought some fresh cold water.  She had water and power bar drink with her but that stuff tends to warm up by the end of a run.

After I got back home, I tried not to waste too much time before starting my Inflict training workout "The Ascent".  Finished it in just under 45 minutes.  When I woke up this morning I was slightly dreading doing the run and the Inflict workout but once I was finished it didn't seem so bad and I actually felt very good and ready to take on the day.

Mostly easy Friday morning run.  I slept in a little too late.  Alarm went off at 6:00, I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them and now the clock said 6:38.  Got moving quickly.  Felt pretty good starting out.  I stopped once for water but made it quick so I didn't stop my watch.  I had one mile in the middle where I picked it up to just under 7:00 pace.  Felt a little tired after that.  Slowed down until the final mile where I picked it up again.

average pace: 7:34

Big run tomorrow!

20.1 miles @ 7:49, 76° and steady drizzle

This morning's run was the longest run with non-stop rain that I have done so far.  Good mental toughness training!

I started at 5:30 near Longleaf and ran up Starkey Blvd.  There was a light rain at the start.  On 99% of runs where it is raining at first the rain ends at some point during the run.  In the spring I did a 20 mile run which included the first hour of pouring rain followed by some very nice running weather.  So, that's what I thought I might get today.  Instead it was a range between light drizzle and medium drizzle with varying degrees of wind.

Anyway, continued up Starkey Blvd. bike path in the dark.  I had a light clipped onto my hat.  Jenny picked up this great light for me at the store last night which I clipped onto a hat which she leant me since I don't own any tech  hats with visors.  Fortunately no one either noticed or just didn't say anything about me wearing a "girl hat".  I don't think I have ever run with a hat w/ visor.  Besides being good for clipping on a light, it did a great job of keeping the rain out of my eyes.

My first mile was at 9:42 pace, next one at 8:38 and then the rest ranged between that and 6:55.  Just over 5 miles, and I was inside Starkey park.  I went to the parking lot to see if anyone was heading out.  I ran into Eric, so we ran together for about 4.5 miles.   We did a loop inside the park before heading onto the trail in case the trail was flooded out (fortunately it was not).

Between the early morning, the higher miles this week and whatever else I felt a bit achey, especially in my right hip.  I stretched it out a few times and that seemed to prevent it from getting worse.

After splitting off from Eric the trail seemed deserted at first but eventually I started to run into other runners who I had just missed, heading back from their long runs.

At about 13.5 miles I was turning around and heading back to the parking lot.  I put on some music (had a ziploc baggy for my ipod so it wouldn't get ruined like last time I ran in the rain).  As I got closer I began feeling better about the run.  Finished up with an overall average of 7:49 which was great considering the slow start and conditions.

And, despite the rain, there were a good number of runners for social hour.  Someone brought Dunkin Donut holes and Jorge had his Columbian coffee in addition to several other great snacks.  The coffee really hit the spot after running for 2 1/2 hours in the rain.

Victoria gave me a ride back to my truck and I was home in time to have some delicious pancakes Jenny had made then head over to watch my youngest get his next belt at Tae Kwon Do.