The Long Run

13.12 mi. 2:06:05, 9:37 avg

Ran with Joe and Jamie at Upper Tampa Bay trail starting from closed Target.  6:30 am start and what a big difference from running Saturday afternoon.  At the end of that run I was pretty sure I'd need a day off but by later that night I knew I'd be ready.  Relaxed run and originally planning on just 10 miles but was talked into going to the trail's end where we knew there would be cold water to top off with.

14.06 mi. 2:09:48, 9:14 avg, HR 127 avg, 141 max

Two part run this morning.  Part 1 was just over 6 miles with the Striders starting near Longleaf on Starkey Blvd trail.  Stopped a little bit at the end for coffee, then headed home and met up with Jamie in the neighborhood at 7:00am and then did almost 8 miles with her.  Didn't seem so bad breaking it up this way.  Morning was pretty decent weatherwise.

AM - 8.21 mi, 1:19:35, 9:42 avg, HR 116 avg, 140 max

Ran in the neighborhood with Joe and Jamie.  We all ran a little over 6 miles together then Joe headed home.  Jamie and I continued on and we stopped by my house and I leashed up Stella who ran the neighborhood loop (1.7  miles) as we ran the long way back to Jamies house.  This was Stella's first run (first non walk/run) which she did pretty well and seemed to have fun.

PM - 2.1 mi, 18:53, 8:59 avg

I took Stella to the Strider's "Hump Day Hustle" run for just a short out and back on the Starkey Blvd bike trail.  We went out easy the first mile and picked it up for 8:21 pace the second mile, her fastest ever dog mile (I'm sure she's got a lot more in her)

8.13 mi, 1:15:13, 9:15 avg

I ran a little bit over 6 miles on the Starkey Blvd bike trail after getting a late start (said "hi" to the Striders as they were packing up to go home after the 5:30 run).  I wore my garmin but was very careful not to look at pace or distance the entire time.  The only feedback I got was hearing the beep each mile.  I'm familiar enough with the route that I have a pretty good idea where each mile should be.   I decided to run a typical "by feel" pattern of how I usually ran and the results were pretty much what I would have gotten if I had been staring at the watch the whole time: 10:17, 9:17, 9:00, 8:46, 8:43,8:22, 0.5@7:46.   Also, since I knew the cooler wouldn't be out I did not stop.

Drove back home and leashed up Stella for a run around the neighborhood loop.  We were both getting kind of hot and tired by the end.  I'll give her tomorrow off.

7.84 mi, 1:09:41, 8:53 avg , HR 125 avg, 136 max (not counting strides)

I ran a little bit over 6 miles at an easy pace (within HR training easy zone) with an out and back past the golf course water to the last neighborhood.

When I got back near my house I did 10 by 25 second strides with 50 second easy jog between each one.  The first two were a little slow as I warmed up (right around 5K pace), but the last 8 were significantly faster than 5k pace.   I had been feeling a little sluggish and worn down before I did these strides and they seemed to snap me out of whatever funk I had been in.

18.22 mi, 3:03:52, 10:05 avg  (Pearl Izumi Peak II (retired) )

Went up to Croom with Joe, starting at Tucker Hill parking area.  Plan was to do 2 sets of "pit repeats" - about 4.5 miles out to the pits which runs past all of the larger Croom Hills. Started the run about 7:30ish by the time we drove up there and got  set up.  Started out at 75 degrees but temps soon climbed (fortunately there is pretty good shade from all the trees, which the large spiders also like).

Ran pretty steady each way, slow first mile heading down the rooty section of Tucker hill.  We finsihed the first out and back and Joe went with me 3 miles on the second one before he turned back.  I felt better than usual running the downhills than I have in the past (maybe I'm finally getting better at those).

Drenched in sweat by the time I was finished.  I brought some chocolate milks for recovery and Joe had plenty of ice to share.  Headed home, dropped off Joe, then picked up Stella and had breakfast/brunch back at Joe's house and introduced Stella to Joe's dog for some doggy playtime.  It was a good outing for Stella.  Also had some of the best mango ever from Joe's brother's tree.

Somehow managed a good 70+ mile week and going to get some miles in tomorrow for tired leg practice.