The Long Run

Walked 3.62 miles in 56:42 on Starkey Gap trail, southbound from Trinity Blvd trailhead.

Maybe a little sore still from Saturday's run, but feet pretty good.

Have a little bit of congestion today that I'm battling.

5.23 @8:34

A couple of loops inside Westlake Village.  Run was a little bit better than expected.

Walked 4.27 miles in 1:02 around the outside of Westlake Village in the big square loop.

Signed up for Clearwater Turkey Trot 5k (which used to be the Wingding when they also had a 10k).  Also signed up my brother Jim who is in town.  Tom and his mom will also be running it.

Stopped by my parents house in the evening for a little bit to visit with Jim and his wife and also brought Jessica and the baby who will now disagree with that title and say "I'm a toddler".  But fortunately she doesn't take offense to it.

Turkey Trot 5k, 21:47 chip time, 21:51 Gun Time, 121st male  (Got the mug)

Another pretty good race for me and fun morning.  My brother Jim was visiting so I signed him up.  We met at the parking lot for Rumba, short walk to race start.  We saw Tom and Jenny.  After some warm up, lined up near the front.  The cool temps I felt when first getting out of the car were replaced with the warmth of the crowd, but not quite hot out.

Race start, usual mayhem, but I felt pretty good and avoided too much weaving.  First mile is mostly downhill (it starts downhill, there's a small up, and then more down).  Turn left and then the first mile ends.

6:47!  Yay, ok, just keep going.

2nd mile 7:01, maybe coulda been better but hard to convince myself of that while running.  After heading west a short distance, start going north again and approach the uphill.  Families hanging out in their front yards, some bands, a few unofficial aid stations.

Turn left into the neighborhood for the extra u-shape before coming back onto the main road and finishing up the uphill.  Struggling to stay in the 7:30's but not quite enough fight to go faster than that.  Finish up the 3rd mile in 7:31.

Then a good sprint to the finish line at a sub-6:00 pace.  Slightly nauseous at the end but not as bad as last year.

Not as fast as last year and not as fast as RAP river run 5k, but faster than PHSC Bobcats 5k.

My brother's wife Nancy was at the end, said she saw Tom finish.  Tom get second place overall and a new 5k PR (chip time 16:06.8).

I did not see a guy handing out race cards (for mug winners), was pretty sure I just wasn't fast enough this year (last year's 21:08 was a close call).  But then, they annonce no race cards this year, just going by the gun time results.  So, I go online, see I'm 141 overall, wondering how many women were faster than me, apparently about 20, because I'm 121 for men which barely gets me a mug for top 125.

Jenny also got a mug as well as Sean's neice who she ran with.

Walked back to the car and then home to watch the parade on TV with Jessica and the toddler girl.  Called around for breakfast/brunch places, most places closed, booked, or busy until we call the new IHOP nearby.

Evening was dinner at my parents house with my parents, brother Jim and sis-in-law Nancy, their two kids, my boys Tom and Andy, Jessica and the toddler.  Best new sidedish award goes to my son Andy who among other things made spicy roasted shallots.

20.08@12:12

Long Haul course preview, group run.  Was in Orlando last night, downtown Disney for dinner then stayed at Hotel with Jess, Aubrey, and baby, on the road just after 6:00 to go to Cypress Creek Preserve.

Jogged out to the hub carrying soft sided cooler bag for extra stuff I didn't want to carry the whole run.  First "loop" turned back early on the east leg when we hit a water crossing, said maybe next pass through to I wouldn't have wet feet the whole run.  RD Andy says water will be gone by race day (1/15).

I was running with one other guy on north leg when we came upon unexpected fork.  Running buddy was new to course so looked to me.  I took the wrong fork, so we doubled back, took the correct one out to the "big tree" where we turn around  (race day will have a timing mat).

Did the second loop.  On south leg, toenail was digging into neighbor toe so I stopped to fix. Must avoid this on race day.  On second loop, once again avoided the water crossing.

So, with the two water crossing skips, and not doing the wrong fork on the second loop, run was only 20 miles instead of 22.

Evening had dinner with parents, Jim, Nancy, Brian and Andy (Kelly had alredy flown back and Jess still in Orlando) at Miss Vicki's on the Anclote River.  Tried their key lime pie.  Then back at my parents house, toasted to Jim and Nancy's 34th anniversary.  how is this possible?