The Long Run

12.51@9:18    HR 145 bpm

I woke up earlier than usual, actually I think just before 5:00, decided to not sleep in, drove over to Starkey Gap Trail leaving from Trinity Blvd.

After getting ready, driving, and stretching, it was about 6:15 when I started.  Still dark, so I wore a headlamp as that stretch between Trinity Blvd is pretty dark but has some street lights once I got to Starkey.

Tried a new run/walk ratio of 4:00/:30 instead of 4:00/1:00 to see if it would speed up the pace.  No, not really, maybe just a little bit at first.  First two miles in the 10:30ish range, then gradually got faster.  12th mile was 8:02, no longer remotely easy pace.

With the long drives on Friday and Saturday probably had some residual tiredness, so harder to keep the heart rate down.

At 77 degrees today, was not feeling very fall like.

4.28 miles walking in 1 hour 2 minutes.

Square shape around the outside of Westlake Village.

Although I took Saturday off from running, still a little worn from yesterday's run.  I thought about going for a slow run this morning but decided on a brisk walk instead which I think will make for a faster run tomorrow.

10.06@7:34    HR 160 bpm

Attempted to run a prediction run for half marathon but had some hiccups.  Idea is to run 7.5 miles as a progressive tempo with the average pace being about what could be done in a half marathon race.  

Felt good on the warmup and plan was to start out at 7:30 pace and run each mile a little faster.  What happened instead was I quickly got onto a faster pace which I thought I could hold.  Temperatures were pretty good, still low 70's.  I wasn't carrying a drink bottle with me but had stashed it.  As I ran past where I had left, wanted to stop and grab it.  I thought, ok, but just grab it and don't stop the watch.  As I got closer kept thinking "don't stop the watch!".  Once I reached the bottle I stopped the watch.

A little after that I'd stop again to drop off the bottle at another point.  Now it was more like tempo intervals.  There'd be one more stop.  With all that said, splits were:

7:16, 7:17, 7:08, 7:15, 7:23, 7:06, 7:02, 0.5@7:02

I've got a new belt on its way to carry a drink bottle, and next attempt I will start out at  no faster than 7:23 and work my way faster from there.  Part of this is mental.  If I didn't stop and could do these exact same paces but arranged from slowest to fastest and if it's somewhat accurate, could be looking at a 1:35 half marathon.   Last three halfs have all been over 1:40.  It's been a while since anything faster.

Other predictor runs from same website - 3x4km with 1km "float" between 4k repeats, 15x1km with 1 minute jog, or 10x1mile with 90 second jogs between repeats.

AM  no run, but walked 2.61 mile loop in Westlake Village (37:13)

PM - 3.1@10:21   HR  126 bpm

No humpday hustle today, but I drove to Trinity trailhead and did a short run just as it was getting dark to mostly stick with my Wednesday evening routine. 

Run was peaceful with sightings of gopher tortoise, a couple rabbits, a deer, and a few cows.

Daisy is off running 6 marathons in 6 states in 6 days, today was day 3.

6.42@10:26  HR  131 bpm

Ran the Starkey Gap trail again this morning, but instead of just one section, ran north for a mile first, then 2.1 miles south and back to the car.  Wanting to do "super easy" but ended up just at easy.  I did slowdown on purpose for the 5th mile to prevent heart rate from climbing.

Stopped by my house and saw that Andy had put up quite a few Halloween decorations already, looked good.

9.02@9:34  HR 136 bpm

Two big loops and one slightly smaller loop inside Westlake Village, fairly early (for me) start time , but meant to start earlier to try and get 10 miles.  Pushed the pace (and therefore heart rate) a little higher than usual, easy pace "adjacent" at least, felt pretty good overall.

Did not get a chance to run today, in Tallahasee for parents weekend with Jessica, Soph, and the baby.