The Long Run

8.7 mi, 1:23:13, 9:34 avg, 128 bpm

Ran easy in the neighborhoods while wearing HR monitor.  Felt pretty good, but a little bit slower at the start but was able to maintain a decent easy pace while keeing HR at or below 132.

8.26 mi, 1:15:49, 9:10 avg, 131 bpm

Ran at the Y with the Striders.   Felt really good at the start and thought I might have my best heart rate run ever so far.  First two miles were 8:54 and 8:51 while keeping heart rate at or below 132.  However, HR went up a little bit and next miles were 9:19-9:29 range.  Still pretty good and not too long ago those miles would have been my best. 

At the end of the run I did 5 strides of 25 seconds each just for fun.

7.23 mi, 54:53, 7:36 avg

After almost taking too long to get out the door and with evil thoughts of postponing this hard run until tomorrow (i.e. good chance of not doing it), I decided I would try.  4 mile tempo at something below 7:00 plus warm up and cool down.

Did about 1.5 mile warm up then got going.  I was quickly on a good pace and was able to hold a pretty even pace throughout with no real big ups and downs.

6:34, 6:38, 6:38, 6:38

Although it felt really hard, it was faster and more consistent than the last 4 mile tempo I did on 9/30. 

So, all the slow running has not slowed me down and maybe I've expanded my aerobic capacity just a little bit.  I will continue this leading up to Marine Corps Marathon in a week and a half and then beyond that as I start gearing up for Georgia Death Race (68 miles) in March and whatever is in between that.

6.54 mi, 1:06:51, 10:13 avg, HR 129 bpm

Another gorgeous day for running.  However, compared to the first three runs this week, this run was a little blah and a little frustrating.  I thought my HR pace had "shifted" and would now be faster but it's still kind of up and down, although a "bad" day is still better than what I started with.  Started out good with first two miles in the 9's, but remaining miles were progressively slower (by choice) to keep HR within 122-132 range.

7.22 mi, 1:12:42, 10:04 avg, 128 bpm HR

Today's run was better than yesterday's run for a few reasons.  The pace was more consistent, the overall pace was faster, and the last 3 miles became progressively faster (although just by a little bit), with the last mile the fastest (9:48).

"Fast" is all relative to what type of workout or length of race or what kind of terrain.  Today's run again is in the context of heart rate training.

Also, for variety, instead of the usual out and back t-shaped route to/from the golf course, I first ran to the new park on Trinity Blvd and did a lap around the small lake where I have started doing mile repeats because it has a marked mile on the path.  A man was walking his dog off leash (wasn't sure if it was his dog at first).  The dog chased me a little bit although I was 99% certain it was a playful chase I always have that little tiny fear going back to when I was little and dragged down my driveway by four dogs running through the neighborhood.  The man scolded his dog to behave and their walk continued once I was far enough ahead.  A woman playing tennis called out to warn me about a big alligator in the pond.  I looked for but couldn't find the alligtor.

8.25 mi, 1:05:38, 7:57 avg

Ran in Starkey park but started kind of late because it was a nice morning and I wasn't meeting anyone.  Goal was 8 miles, 3 easy and then the remain 5 under 8:00.

Run turned into a nice progression run, with first three warmup miles at 10:25, 8:57, and 8:24

Then picked it up, at first the pace felt harder but I'd speed up and it didn't feel much harder.  Last 5 miles were: 7:39, 7:22, 7:15, 6:50, 6:36

Marine Corps marathon is next week.  I've been doing most of my runs a lot slower except for the one or two faster ones where I can still go as fast as I need to.

The real test will be to see what happens to me at about mile 17-19 where I've lately been slowing down.