It's all relative

PM: hiking and running is taking its toll.

AM: 4

PM: 4

Sneak 'em where I can! Mount Washington bottom to top to bottom tomorrow!

Got to Mount Washington today. Hiking in the white mountains has been cool so far, but this was what I was waiting for. So worth it. Can't believe there were still ice patches on it! Now time to head back to civilization...

AM: first real run back after some intense days hiking. I don't know how shit normally feels, but I bet it feels similar to how I felt today.

AM: 12.5 miles total, 5 on the trail. I ate too much yesterday. We stayed as a family on the boat last night, so I naturally couldn't sleep and was awake at 6... So might as well, run, right?

PM: 7 miles. As I could not stand the confinement of being ln a boat, I went kayaking for 2 hours and hoped that would be enough. It wasn't. I returned and just couldn't take 5 other adults on a boat on a dock, so I scooted out for a run into a neighboring town and back to Deep River.

PM: hard to find time the next four days, but got lucky at around 2pm and the rain held off. Tough hills today. Back in CT

Couldn't find the time, sadly.

AM: track workout- Full 4-mile ladder

4-mile Ladder workout with ascending/descending recoveries. Warmup on some rolling hills, followed by the workout: 400 then 1min recovery, 800 with 2min, 1200 w/ 3min, 1600 w/ 4min, 1200 then 3 min, 800 then 2 min, then 400 followed by cooldown on the grass. Really was not feeling it today before I even started, and started hearing my hard breaths in the first 1200. Hot, humid, and not windy at the right times. I am fortunate to find time to get the workout in although, as I've been slacking.

400- 1:20

800- 2:32

1200- 3:49

1609 (mile)- 5:01

1200- 3:49

800- 2:33

400- 1:09

Overall, I should have been a lot faster on the shorter stuff and slower on the longer, but I aimed for a goal of 5:00 on the mile section and at least got that. Secondly, 2-min is too much recovery after that last 800, 1-min would be better as I think the 1:09 is more indicative of the recovery as opposed to what I had left. I believe next time I should plan it a little slower. Or maybe do a 3-mile variation, as my fitness isn't quite there yet.

Travel day... Busy busy.

PM: Noon run with Drew and Quint.  

AM: Relatively long run on the Upper TB Trail in Tampa.  Ran with Troy and Elias.  Actually, it was a pretty beautiful route, and overall nicer than Pinellas trail.  Lots of tree cover, and really, the highway is not too noticeable if you're in a running trance.  

It was really nice to run with Elias again, although, I felt bad as I think I pulled him a little quicker than he may be used to going and probably a littler farther too.  I didn't really want to go any slower than 8:30s, but we slowly plateaued there and then got slower and slower, and once it it got to 9:30s I really tried to bring him back to a more efficient pace, but eventually had to leave him for the last 2 miles.  That pace overtly taxes my knees, feet, plantar, and legs in general and then doing 2 miles of that and I felt I had run an extra ten miles.  It just doesn't seem like smooth mechanics to shuffle along at that speed and doesn't feel right.  Although we didn't stay at that pace for too long, I don't know how people stay on their feet and impact the ground for so long and so hard when going that pace, it's brutal.  

AM: Run in St. Pete with Walt, Drew, and Christina.  Mostly around 7:30 pace.  

PM: Accurate mile at Eagle Lake Park "race."  Hot and humid, but I wasn't worried since a mile isn't long at all.  It was with KLRs racing team and there were about 100 or so people.  I ran/raced today with Lee for the first time that I can remember.  He led the way for the first 8/10 of the mile with me sitting on his shoulder.  I felt really sluggish throughout, but I just stuck right on his shoulder and he didn't really deviate from the pace except for a couple of slow downs which I fought a lot with myself for not trying to get in front, but I did not want to take a wrong turn on the trail.  This meant I had quite a bit left at the end which was an odd feeling for a short race.  When I saw the end coming up I figured I was going to pass him and stay in front since he has no confidence in his finishing speed but was excited to race and see, but I was sad to see him not speed up with me- I know he could have.  I really think he could if he just decided to try it.  That part kind of took away from the thrill a little bit, as that's the fun part of racing, especially when getting beat by someone.

Anyway, I picked up about 5 seconds on him pretty quickly and then just coasted in the last 10th of a mile since he didn't want to follow I guess.  I suppose if anything it lets me know I'm getting in decent shape.  

Final time: 4:45 flat.

PM: Track workout with Lee and Drew and a couple of others.  Got to see Charles and talk to him a little bit about his trip, but still had thousands of questions- guess a long run is in order  :)

Workout was two sets of three 800s, with 200 rest in between items and 400 in between the two sets.  Normally four items in each should be in order, but I'm VERY happy it was only three.  I was lucky to have Drew on this one, as I wanted to quit on item 5, but just seeing him up there was reinvigorating enough to get me to finish the last two.  There's something about competition that is just essential in track workouts, and it makes me actually enjoy them when all is said and done.  I somehow got roped into a religious conversation which was overwhelming.  I should know better than to open my mouth about things I don't know a lot about.  Lesson learned!

800 splits-   2:38, 2:30, 2:29, 2:29, 2:34, 2:37

Although, Drew, you need to start sharing your motivational internal music with me a little earlier... ;)

Mega-rain in PM coupled with work training caused me to forego running. Not the best decision.

Lightning in AM, mega-rain in PM coupled with work training caused me to forego running. Probably a good idea with a hard workout tomorrow planned in the AM.

Early AM: workout scrapped for me anyway. Made it to Vinoy and drowned my car in a flood. This is a real low point in my training and effort. Planned on bailing on the rest of the day with exercise.

Late AM: became stir-crazy around 11:30 in my apartment and decided to go out and try the workout planned anyway. The workout was a 4-3-2-1 with half mile rests in between, with descending mile splits in each set of 5:55, 5:45, 5:35, then 5:25. I made it through the first set and just bailed. It was hot out, but I was within my capabilities to at least do the 3 mile section, but I got through about a quarter of a mile of the second set and just didn't have it mentally. The time of day was a poor choice, but my mindset was even poorer.

Splits for the 4 mile section: 6:01, 5:51, 5:54, 5:55

Splits for the rest: lol. No.

AM: 11 miles.  Planned on running with a big group in Safety Harbor to get out of this funk, and set my alarm, but also my phone to "no interruptions" as well, so woke up at 6:30, which is 30 minutes after they start. Severely pissed at this point, I tried to just go back to sleep, but couldn't. Eventually around 8:00 I got going and did a little some mileage.

PM: 3 miles and gym- Arms, back, abs.

AM: 7 miles solo

PM: noon, 7 miles solo in a nice downpour

AM: point to point from Rocky Point to the end of The yacht club on Davis Island. Kept it quicker and had 2 detours for water at Marjorie Park and the ghetto beach. 7:30 average pace.

AM: treadmill 4.5 miles with 6 good striders to warm my legs up. Planning on doing a little speed work later, so hopefully it helps get me springy and ready.

Then gym: chest, tris, shoulders

PM: track 10.5 miles, 2 miles of hard running. Workout was 4x200, 4x400, 4x200 with 400 jog between all items. Drew, Jim, Charles, and Hunter ran. Drew did his own thing, Jim and Charles stayed with us through the first 400, and Hunter stayed with me for all of the items.

Splits-

(200s) 31.5, 31.6, 32.0, 29.9

(400s) 1:07, 1:06, 1:09, 1:08

(200s) 32.9, 30.9, 31.2, 28.0

Square tracks are terrible for these types of workouts.

AM: Ran with Christina who was nice enough to come meet me on 60 as I am carless at the moment.  Did a 2 mile warmup then followed with her workout: 3 x 2 miles with 400m jog/rest in between.  Her goal was to stay in between 6:15-6:25 so I kept that for her for as long as she wanted.  In the end, we decided to try and hit 6:30s on the last two.  I'm never really too sure what to do pacing-wise when I'm out in front and the pace slows behind me, so hopefully it was beneficial for her.

1st set-  6:10, 6:15  

2nd set-  6:18, 6:21 

3rd set-  6:30, 6:48 

AM: 9+ miles with Drew and Quint. Had a really rough run on this day- MI of 88 + 77

PM: 3 miles on treadmill then back, lats, bis, core. I love air conditioning.

AM: couple miles warming up on the treadmill, then gym 5x5 tris, chest, shoulders with burnouts.

PM: thunderstorms so no running.

AM: early morning run with RunTampa. Ran solo though, sadly, on the actual running part.

AM: Long, structured run with Drew and Christina (for about 10 miles) in St. Pete.  

Mile warm up, then 14 consecutive within a range of 6:46-6:55, followed by what was supposed to be 6 miles at 5:55 pace, but I couldn't hold.  I made it through the first 3 miles and called it quits.  Last 3 miles: 7:26, 6:58, 7:08.  Followed with an (eventual) cool down mile after waiting/finding Drew for about 10 minutes- need to work on my direction skills!

I was initially disappointed in not finishing well, but I will get there, and appreciated the workout and challenge, even if I didn't get it done.  Fun stuff and excited for the fitness that will come from this.  

Joe was the most helpful today, even for the most brief moment that I saw him- he saw me loping around during the 7:26 mile and I said "hey!" and went to high five him, but he just told me to "go get up there", which in retrospect is something I needed and need moving forward.  Failure happens, but being comfortable with it should not.

AM: Rainy run with Quint and Drew on 60.

PM: track "wave" workout. Alternating 800s @ marathon pace then @ 10k pace, rinse and repeat and run consecutively for 5 miles. Ran solo for most of it. Fortunately weather was much more ideal than expected: middle 80s, partly cloudy. Entered it aiming for 3:10/2:45 alternating paces which are 6:20/5:30 mile paces.

Splits:

MP 1- 3:11

10k 1- 2:45

MP 2- 3:03

10k 2- 2:45

MP 3- 3:03

10k 3- 2:47

MP 4- 3:05

10k 4- 2:40

MP 5- 3:10

10k 5- 2:36

I definitely mis-estimated my initial paces, but it was nice to hit paces I don't usually run at and practice managing them. It was a spurt of the moment decision to do the workout anyway, so I'm not surprised at the mis-estimate. I should listen to my teammates more next time.

AM: run in westshore with Quint and Drew. Felt miserable.

AM: track workout in Safety Harbor with Dan and his team. Another guy, Bobby, was with us for a couple of them too.

The workout was 1 set of 8x800 with 400 recovery.

Item 1- 2:40

Item 2- 2:32

Item 3- 2:34

Item 4- 2:33

Item 5- 2:32

Item 6- 2:30

Item 7- 2:24

Item 8- 2:21

Overall, just too much rest in between items to stick to the times I started with/aimed at. There was a little waiting on the line, so I should have adjusted much earlier than just the last 3 items and shot for 2:30s. Temperature was great (mid 80s), humidity not bad, and time of day (6am) made it an easier workout. Was great running with Dan again. Really just a stand-up, awesome person.

AM: run with Drew averaging 7:10-7:30. Raining, cloudy, lower 80s.