The Long Run

7.17@10:15

Ran from my house, then over to the Starkey Gap trail and headed south until just before reaching 3 miles.  Was going to keep going until 3.5 miles out but I saw a dog of its leash a little bit further down and did not see its owner appear.  Probably a friendly dog but decided to turn back just the same.  When I got back to Robert Trent Jones, turned left and ran the sidewalk until the light at Trinity Blvd, then turned back and headed home.

I felt slow and clunky for the first mile (12:57). but was more loosened up for the last mile (8:51)

Got back and was about to do my strides but neighbor Mike was out and we chatted a bit and it was getting late so no strides today.  Going to do some sort of speedwork tomorrow.

7.64@8:48

5x1km workout with 2:30 rest after each interval.  The intervals were run up and down Lakeview and a little bit onto Sandy Hook.  First interval felt really hard to get moving, did not break 7:00 pace for the first one.  The next ones after that I could get onto pace but had trouble holding the pace.  This workout did not go as well as a similar one I did a few weeks ago, but at least I did it.

Splits: 4:32 (7:18), 4:13 (6:47), 4:23 (7:03), 4:10 (6:42), 4:18 (6:55)

After doing the 2:30 jog after the last one, did one more mile which felt like a much easier effort coming in at 7:46 pace.

Will probably try the Turkey Trot 5k next week aiming to get under 22:00.  It's a good course for that with a huge crowd to get swept up in and go fast the first mile which has a lot of downhill.  The uphill at the end isn't that bad.

8.13@8:53  HR 141 bpm

Parked at the Longleaf church and ran up Starkey Blvd into the Starkey Ranch neighborhood.  My first mile was not quite as slow and clunky as they have been recently (10:36).  As I was running (clockwise) around Cannon Lake someone recognized me, it was Daisy, so I stopped for a little bit and said hi.  She's thinking of doing Long Haul 100 after her recent success at running back to back Sat/Sun Marathons a week after running another marathon and holding up pretty well. 

Continued on to the bathrooms, filled up my water bottle.  My water bottle today was a reused 8 ounce bottle (not a running bottle just a disposable bottle) which I had crunched up empty and put in my belt.  Could have gotten by without carrying water but it was nice for the return trip.  Headed out farther on the main road until reaching just past 4 miles out and then turned back.

The original intention was to run slow and easy but decided I'd been doing too many slow runs and did the return miles faster with last mile at 7:44.

Beautiful morning overall and always nice to run into someone you know.  Stopped by the bike shop to stock up on Celsius.  Awaiting the new Celsius BCAA flavor coming out soon but not in yet.

9.65@9:01, HR 148 bpm

Just a little bit short of a medium long run, fitting in the amount of miles I had from the time I left until when I needed to be back.  Ran from Westlake Village, cut through Eniswood and up Alt19 before getting on the Pinellas Trail and heading south.

First mile a little slow at 11:25.  Steady increase until about mile 7 then pace stayed about the same.

Absolutely no stops today until close to the end (decided to wait for the light crossing Alderman rather than dodging cars).  

6.16@8:46, HR 146 bpm

0.39@5:47

Out and back from my house, down the Starkey Gap trail until out just past 3 miles.  Stopped and stretched a little bit at the bench, then continued back.  I had the little water bottle with me in my belt which I would've survived without it, but better safe than sorry.

Got back home and this time did the strides, 6 by about 100m.

HR a little bit high for an easy run, will go slower tomorrow on the long run.

20.09@9:16  HR 149 bpm

First 20 mile run in a while.  Was actually thinking about doing 22 miles or so but by the time I was a little past 10 miles, finishing the 20 felt ambitious.

Ran from Westlake Village, out to the Pinellas Trail and southbound.  Not too warm out at the start and it would end up being cooler at  the end.  Just south of Curlew I saw a woman on a bike getting a ticket from a bicycle cop.  I think she had run a red light but not 100% sure.  At the next light there were a couple more police officers on bikes.  So, good day to mind the crossing lights.

There was some sort of festival in Dunedin which looked fun.  Traffic on the trail thinned out after Dunedin.  Going through Clearwater, the trail gets confusing at it crosses streets at odd angles and sometimes blends back onto the sidewalk and sometimes its own paved trail.  In the downtown area there were a couple small groups of homeless have some sort of get together as well as a few lone homeless hanging out near the trail.

Ran down to just past 13 miles before turning back.  Goal was to finish back in Dunedin and get a ride from Jessica at 7th Sun.

The run had started out slow and easy (especially since I was thinking about going beyond 20).  First mile pace was 11:58, next was 10:14, then it was all in the 9's (excep for mile 9 at 8:58).  Miles 10-13 felt kind of a struggle to hold a low 9's pace but once I turned around, the rest of the miles were in the 8's and suddenly felt easier (although my heart rate said otherwise).

Last weekend was two 12 mile runs and this weekend a 20 mile run, going to slowly increase the back to back run lengths.