The Long Run

5.56 mi, 47:35, 8:33 avg

Race splits: 6:42, 6:45, 6:38, 0:37 (0.1 mi @5:58)

Today's race was good.  Although only a few seconds faster than the Lutz July 4th 5K, and only 6 seconds faster than the Turkey Trot last November, the splits were more even with the third mile the fastest.  I raced it a bit conservative, not knowing what I had to work with and having done a long run with some faster miles yesterday.  But, the weather was good with temperatures dropping slowly from when we left the house to when the race started (front was moving in).

I missed this race last year for the NYC marathon and boys and their mom were in Texas for their grand father's funeral.  I wished I could have raced this one last year, but I was determined to race this year.  Tom was considering running this one but decided on a long run instead of racing.  But, Jacob was excited to run this one having just wrapped up his first cross country season.  Also, I had previously given him one of my shirts from a previous race here and he was looking forward to getting his own shirt.

We warmed up a bit, a little over a mile and discussed race strategy.  Jacob was hoping to break 22:00.  We said we'd go out at 7:00, try and do at least 7:15 for mile 2, and pick it up and run mile 3 faster.  Plan changed once we got started, running in the 6:40's instead.  We stuck together for the first mile.  I told him to just go with that and hang on.  After the first mile, we drifted apart maybe around 1.5 miles, but he wasn't far behind.  I did slow a little for the second mile.  But, the third mile felt good and without having to scrape found a little more speed and gradually went below 6:40 pace.

Jacob finished in 21:25, a good bit better than he had hoped for and also good for 3rd place in his age group.  10-14 can be competitive sometimes, and today there was freshman cross country runner from River Ridge HS running an 18:21, and Jolene's 11 year old son was there running a 20:47.  I was way off from getting the master's award since Ryan was there and had one of his best 5k's in a while at 18:59, and apart from him there was Jason W coming in at 19:51 (and taking top PHSC Staff catagory).  Ryan was wearing his new fancy Nike racers which he said were only good for 100 miles so it comes out to $2.50/mile, so right after the race he switched out of them to run a cool down.

Maybe next year for Tom and/or Andy and a repeat from Jacob.

For me, it felt like with some 5k focus I could be eyeing sub-20:00 again soon, maybe at the Turkey Trot.

8.14 mi, 1:06:00, 8:06 avg

4x1 mi @6:44 pace

Hotel treadmill, Austin, TX (Hyatt Lone Pine resort).  Tough run for a travel day but for the most part got it done.  Was supposed to be 5x1 mile with 2 mile warm up and 2 mile warm down, but cut it short a little bit due to time.

Warm up was good, then I switched to 6:44 pace and ran for a mile.  Breathing was a little ragged at first but soon relaxed into it and got into a pretty good rhythm about a half mile into it.  Next mile started out better and stayed pretty smooth.  3rd mile was similar.  For the 4th mile I went a little bit faster and ended up doing the last mile in 6:35.

I sometimes have really bad runs on hotel treadmills after spending time sitting on the airplane the night before.  Fitness room was pretty busy with only one treadmill empty when I got there (but was pretty cleared out by the time I finished).  Was chilly and a little rainy outside so glad to have treadmills available but they did have some good running trails on property which could have been nice to run on.  They've been having lots of rain so the river was pretty high and was causing problems with the drinking water so parts of Austin were under boil water advisory.

5.52 mi, 48:15, 8:44 avg

Day 2 Austin treadmill running.  Scheduled easy run.  Treadmill had a pretty big screen where you could select a course to run on.  I did a tour of New Zealand.  It would automatically change the incline between 1.0 and 4.0 with an average of 2.0%.  The terrain looked kind of rocky and twisty at places.  When the trail was going downhill the incline was still greater than 1% but it still kind of felt dowhill because it had been more uphill, so the less amount of uphill felt like downhill along with the visual of going downill.  Ran out of the New Zealand scenery and it switched to Pacific Crest Trail for the rest of the run.

The run itself felt good but I was otherwise feeling the effects of being up too late at the after meeting dinner and a little bit of overindulging.

Very early morning flight back from Austin and a somewhat long workday once getting back in town, so I did not squeeze in my scheduled 5 mile run today.

8.25 mi, 1:05:45, 7:58 avg

Not a bad run but a little bit short of goals.  Was supposed to do 2 easy, then 5 @7:08 pace, followed by 2 easy.  Ran on Starkey Blvd bike trail, much too late start by which time the cooler morning had disappeared (but fortunately the clouds were hanging around to block the full sun).

Tried my best but had trouble getting onto pace and holding it.  Considered scrapping the run but I needed the miles with yesterday's missed run.  Decided I'd at least go by effort.  Finished the first mile in 7:19, and then did a little better on the second mile at 7:13.  Ran into Aristida neighborhood, turned around a little past 2.5 miles so that I'd hit 3 miles as I returned back to the bike trail.  Decided I'd take a quick stretch break to regroup (so, ok not completely a tempo run now, more like two longer intervals).  Got going again and had trouble getting back on pace, ending up at 7:15 for the 4th mile.  Finally, last mile, tried a little bit harder and was soon on pace and then some, finishing the last one in 6:54.

Overall, the numbers weren't bad, it was just a little choppy feeling.  Sunday's and Tuesday's runs were very good, Wednesday was pretty good but for today's I was feeling some effects of the week's travel.

5.28, 47:18, 8:58 avg, elev gain 72 feet

Cooler morning today and was able to sleep in so did not run until leader.  Legs a little tired feeling from yesterday's tempo run along with the travel.  Felt better as the run went on.  Typical pattern of slow first mile (10:20) and faster 8:19 last mile.  It doesn't make the run any harder if I start out running in the 8:00-9:00 range for the first mile, I just have to warm up more (and not count the running during the warmup).  Route was an out and back winding through the streets out the south exit of Westlake Village and then just a little bit past the Y.

Went into work during the afternoon for a few hours trying to get ready for end of month deadlines.

Longer run tomorrow, hoping to run on Suncoast trail near Brooksville.