The Long Run

I ran alone this morning. The humidity was way up but fortunately the temp wasn't terrible. Our new bed arrived yesterday. I was warned it might take some time to get used to - I did not sleep too well. I ate out at a Mexican restaurant - I didn't stuff myself but it's not ideal food before a run.

So, the run did not start out too well. I started out slowly with about a 9:30 for the first mile. Things usually start picking up after that but they did not pick up too much, just under a 9:00 pace for the next few miles. This was not good but I have learned not to panic in this situation - just keep moving, don't force the pace, just wait for it. It's supposed to be an easy day. Eventually I shook it all off and finally picked up for the sixth mile, seventh mile was 7:28, then I backed off slightly and kept it a bit under 8:00 (about 7:45~7:50) for the rest of the run.

On an interesting note, my pickup coincided with turning off my music.  At about 5 miles my right ear piece had become so sweaty it stopped working and I was having trouble keeping it from falling out.  So, I took the headphones off and practiced doing "association" while running.  Sometimes music can keep me motivated, but if it becomes a nuisance then it's better to just switch it off. 

Average pace: 8:23

Asics gel - 375

Non-running day today.   Did the arc trainer and rowing machine.  Stretched.   Did some lower body weights and ab work.  Nothing too heavy or hard.  I feel like I worked out some kinks and loosened up.   Ready for a good run tomorrow.

The weather was a bit nicer this morning. A few degrees cooler, a very slight breeze. Met up with Dixie, got moving a little bit after 6:00. Taking it easy as usual for the first mile, gradually getting faster for the next two miles after that. Took some time to feel fully warmed up. Stopped at the lake park at 3.4 miles, drank some accelerade then got moving again. Now, the legs felt warmed up and much lighter. Pace increased some more but not too much. The easy pace felt easy now.

Last 1.5 miles at about 7:45/mile pace. Felt very good.

Average pace: 8:14

When I race a 5K I usually run slow for two miles or so before the race to get warmed up. But I'm worried about warming up too much before a marathon, burning off too much glycogen before the race has started. I'll have to figure something out so I can start the run with my legs feeling awake and ready to run.

Glycerin - 157 

I woke up this morning just before the alarm was supposed to go off. I went over to the Y and talked to some people I know. Karen had just gone to Chicago for a 20 mile training run as part of a program by New Balance - the pace group sponsors. She said the weather was great, nice and cool in the low 50's.

This morning it was 73° which felt "chilly", it was slightly humid but overall very nice. I warmed up with two easy miles then headed to the track. I did 4 1600's with 800m recovery jogs between them. No Dixie today to follow behind. I knew what to expect, that the first one would not be easy and I'd think "how can I do three more of these". I got past all that and did each one pretty consistently. It wasn't easy but it was not as hard as last time. I did 6:25, 6:26, 6:25, and 6:24.

After that I did a bit over 2 miles for the cool down and so I'd have 10 miles for the day.

Felt really good when I was done.

Asics gel - 385

Easy day today.  Warmed up on the arc trainer, then did some light stretching.  Did an abbreviated full body weight routine.

I then headed outside for a run.  The temp was nice, it was warmer than yesterday, a part of me at some point might miss the hot weather, some morning maybe when I go out and it's in the low 40's.

 No garmin on my run, just went out at what felt good.  Easy pace was easy, ran for 28:56.  Later mapped the run and it turned out to be pretty much 3.5 miles on the nose, which meant an 8:16 pace.

I'm going to do my Saturday run on Sunday since we have to leave early to get to the zoo for Jenny's 5K Zoo Run Run
 

Starting on Thu. night I felt like I was coming down with something, felt a little bit better on Friday morning, and a little bit worse on Saturday morning.  Sat. morning was Jenny's 5k race at the zoo.  She did great with a new PR of 26:28.  The first mile was outside of the zoo, the next mile went through the zoo past all of the outside animal exhibits and also through the indoor portion of the manatee exhibit.  Lots of sharp turns and up and downs.  After we got home I felt wiped out and run down so I took it easy most of the rest of the day.

I let myself sleep in a little bit later today as I was not meeting up with anyone.  The weather hasn't been too bad so I wasn't worried about beating the heat.  I arrived at Starkey park about 7:15, it had just started getting light out.   I started out the first mile taking it easy with a 9:14 pace, it felt pretty good.  Sometimes the first mile of the day can be difficult even at a slower pace.  The next mile I thought I was going faster, it felt good, but then I looked at my pace and saw I was going slower, about a 10:15 pace halfway through the mile.  I kept it easy but went a little faster with a 9:34 for the second mile.  After that I felt looser and lighter and settled into an 8:30ish pace.

At 7 miles my pace had picked up so I figured I would try out my legs with a mini tempo run.  I held the pace pretty well and averaged a 7:17 pace for the last 5 miles.  Went slow for the next 0.25 miles to get to the trail turn off to the parking lot which I walked.

Average for the run was 8:08 pace.

When I got home, Jenny had already run with the boys around the 1.7 mile neighborhood loop so I didn't do the kid run today.