The Long Run

Holiday Halfathon, 1st AG , 8th Overall, 6th Male, 1:36:59.5

Just barely under 1:37:00, but I have to add an asterisk.  Course was short.  The last half marathon I did the course also came up short so comparing the two on short course times does show an improvement from 1:38:20 down to 1:36:59, although this course was even shorter (my watch came up with 12.86, where other runners were much closer to 13).  

The marker for mile 4 was way off.  It's normall at the top of the bridge going to the mainland, but this year it was at the bottom of the bridge.  The markers after mile 4 were spaced out about a mile, so it was mainly this one.  I can only theorize that it seemed as if one person started from the finish and the other started from the start and this is where it came up short. Miles 1, 2, and 3 were all as expected.

My stomach was not quite right from last night's party, I wasn't sure how I'd fare. I'd had some good tempo runs and originally planned on going out at 7:15 to 7:20 pace.  Got in a mile warm up and a few strides.  Did not want to take a pre-race gel but had a couple with me to take during the race.  I also didn't want to drink my morning beet juice.  The weather was on the verge of not being cool and humidity felt like it could be an issue.  

The person that usually sings the national anthem was a no show so they played it on a little blue tooth speaker.  They also announced a shortage of police officers, so after mile 7 there'd be three intersections where they told us we'd have to be careful and look at for cars.  Things weren't looking so good.

Race started and I actually felt ok, a little slow but managed to get in the middle of a pack.  I think some time after mile 1 I sped up a little to get out of the box.  Fearful that this could be a mistake and they'd all pass me soon, tried to put that out of my mind.  First three miles though were pretty consistent at 7:32, 7:28, 7:32

Then, sooner than expected the mile 4 sign showed up, figured it was a mistake, kept on going, watch beeped for mile 4 at the top of the bridge, then I was on the other side.  Despite the bridge, pace still haning in there at 7:36.  At this point I'd be thrilled with anything faster than 1:40 or at least anything faster than 8:00 pace.

Mile 5 and 6 still good.  I sometimes fade a little on mile 6, it's a slight and steady uphill of net 30 feet.  After mile 6 you get to a small park that you loop around the outside until the path reaches the Pinellas trail, there's an aid station followed by a pedestrian bridge. This is typically a slower mile, after which I'll get some speed back.  Mile 7 was 7:48.  Ok, if that's the worst I do then it will be ok.

Sometime in the 8th mile, a woman wearing candy cane style long socks passed me, a volunteer shouted to her "girl power!" as she passed me.  But, this woman was a huge help.  I picked up enough pace to keep up with her for a while as she very slowly opened a gap.  I passed several guys as I followed her.

Miles 8 - 13 were:  7:28, 7:28, 7:30, 7:33, 7:33, 7:30

There was one more pedestrian bridge to go over.  In the past the course would go in and out of the park, onto a road and then back into the park on a gravel path, looped around, and to the finish line with last stretch on pavement.  This year, we didn't leave the park, got onto gravel path early and did an extra out and back.  One more woman caught up to me and passed me.  I stayed very close to her but could not pass her.  None of the other guys caught up to me and most of the people in that pack I left did not pass me.  I think the candy cane sock woman was not in that pack but further back but the second woman that passed me was in the pack.

Weatherwise, it got cooler and less humid as we moved away from the water.  It also turned out that by the time we got to those three intersections, there were police directing traffic.   This was one of the steadiest races I've run.

That should do it for racing this year, next big race is the big race in January, 100 miles inside Colt Creek State Park for my 5th Long Haul 100 race.

2.2 mile walk in Westlake, 37:58

10.22@10:48  HR 129 bpm

From Trinity Blvd trailhead, north up Starkey Gap Trail across SR54 then more miles on Starkey Blvd bike trail before turning around.  First mile and a half heart rate kept on jumping up.  But once I crossed 54, everything was normal.  Run felt pretty smooth, 4/1 run/walk.  I did throw in a few extra walkbreaks if heart rate hit 140.

First mile was 11:58, fastest mile was 9:56

AM 4.58@9:49   HR 130 bpm

A loop and a half inside Westlake Village, going to do more tonight with Daisy and Evan

PM 4.01@10:17  HR 127 bpm

Evening run with Daisy and Evan, run through Starkey Ranch for a change and also to look at various Christmas lights/ holiday decorations.  Stopped at one house that the guy had worked since February putting everything together, was quite elaborate with music and special effects synchronized across various lights and displays.  Heart rate was a little high at first but we did stop a bit here and there so ended up lower.  Was just the right amount of chilliness.

4.63@10:19  HR  129 bpm

Short and easy run, southbound down Starkey Gap trail from Trinity Blvd and then turned back around.

12.02@10:10  HR  131 bpm

A little bit longer of a run for a Friday, tomorrow is supposed to be rain all day so wanting to make sure I start getting in some miles and if I can run more tomorrow can count as back to back long runs.  Ran north up Pinellas Trail via Eniswood cut through, up to Klosterman , up and over Mt Klosterman then turned back with return via Pinellas Trail and exit near PHU high school, then slightly roundabout way to south entrance of Westlake Village.

8.21@7:28  HR 160 bpm

1.11@7:54  HR 160 bpm

I was under the impression that it would be pouring rain all day, so plan was to try and get some miles in before the rain started.  Was barely sprinkling when I started and didn't rain much while running, in fact rain mostly held off vs what was predicted although I may have missed some (some friends of mine were doing a 7 hour timed loop and still some others were running a hundred mile race on Florida's east coast, they probably had a different opinion on amount of rain).

So, decided on a little bit longer tempo run than last time, adding one more mile but at a little more relaxed pace, also did stop at water fountain early on to wash down a gel (PowerBar apple flavor).  Towards the end of the run a big delivery truck did a rolling not quite stop as I was trying to cross the intersection at  Woodcutter/Lakeview so had to briefly stop, was kind of mad at the driver but had to let it go.

With all that said, after a slower first mile, was able to stay under 7:30 for remainder.  After one mile warmup (9:17 pace), got going faster:

7:35, 7:10, 7:19, 7:18, 7:05, 7:16, 6:53, 0.22@6:40

Would like to figure out how to stretch similar splits to these into a half marathon.

Stopped my watch after the tempo portion but figured I'd add on a little more so got going with a little more than a mile at 7:54 pace which felt easy after the tempo miles.