All about that pace.

7:28am

10 miles around Oakbrook neighborhood. During mile five I saw a four point buck in someone's front yard. I got really close before he ran, and then he just trotted along the side of the street about 20 yards in front of me for about a quarter of a mile. It was really cool although I was a little worried that he might turn on me if I got too close. Eventually we parted ways when he jumped a fence into a gated community.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:21   
2.00    7:26   
3.00    7:27   
4.00    7:28   
5.00    7:40   
6.00    7:21   
7.00    7:27   
8.00    7:30   
9.00    7:21   
10.00    7:10   
10.17    6:48   

5:00am

I just ran a comfortable pace today and never checked my watch until the end. I felt like I was in the low 8's and was actually looking forward to going up Farwest hill on mile 6. I wish CIM was another month away...maybe I can find something in January.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:22
2.00    7:44
3.00    7:33
4.00    7:34
5.00    7:35
6.00    7:53
7.00    7:15
8.00    7:14
8.11    7:04

10:45am

Extremely windy!! I put in a solid effort during the headwinds and tried to coast a bit when it was at my back. Of course, the wind was in my face on the two uphill miles :)

I walked for 1.5 mi. with Jake for a cool down.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:10
2.00    7:37
3.00    7:16
4.00    7:15
5.00    7:28
6.00    7:50
7.00    7:18
8.00    7:00
8.08    6:52

9:30am

My first 1st place ever (age group)! The course was short, but I guess it was still the same length for everybody so I'll gladly take my win :) They should have billed it as a trail run. It was a very challenging course! Pouring rain the whole time, mile two was mostly uphill and 90% of the race was on muddy trails and wet grass. A fun way to spend the morning :)

Update: Race results are up already. I was 5th overall and they have me down at a 6:00 min pace...I wish! I calculate it at 6:30 so a full 5k at that pace would have been a PR, but still not the sub 20 I was hoping for. Still not too shabby considering it's the first time I've raced since March. On the 22nd the Fort Steilacoom Run Club is doing a 5k in the same park and I'm sure that one will be accurate. Maybe I can shave off a few seconds on that one...

Today's race also put me at my highest weekly mileage since May - 29.22 mi.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    6:26
2.00    6:56
2.86    6:27

7:00am

Attempting a long run following race day was not a good idea. Both calves started out really tight so I figured I would just take it slow and easy, but each mile got faster than the last until mile 8 when my right calf started getting worse than the left. I walked all of mile 9 to give it a rest and ended up getting so cold I had to run the last .8 to my house to warm up.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    8:08
2.00    7:52
3.00    7:50
4.00    7:40
5.00    7:39
6.00    7:33
7.00    7:23
8.00    7:38
9.00    12:?? walking :(
9.81    7:59

2:00pm

I've been in bed sick for the last 2 days and finally got so restless from laying around that I had to run even though I still felt like crud. The first couple miles were really easy after two days of complete rest! I quickly realized however that I was still sicker than I thought as each mile went by a little slower than the last. My legs weren't bothering me at all, I was just out of breath. I did manage to reverse the trend for the last couple miles, but by the end of this journey I was anxious to be back in bed where I belong.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:05
2.00    7:08
3.00    7:10
4.00    7:14
5.00    7:29
6.00    7:35
7.00    8:05
8.00    7:54
9.00    7:36
9.65    7:27

9:30am

I reeled in my pace a little bit this morning thinking I could stretch it out to 10-12 miles and still ran out of energy about 6 miles into my run. Then it got windy and things only got tougher from there on out... Hopefully I will feel better on Sunday and be able to get in a long run at a consistent pace. I did manage to increase my mileage by .01 this week :)

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:19
2.00    7:25
3.00    7:31
4.00    7:29
5.00    7:26
6.00    7:19
7.00    7:45
8.00    7:43
9.00    8:08
10.00    7:50
10.77    7:14

7:00am

Longest run since May!! I'm so glad I didn't stay in bed this morning.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:36
2.00    7:31
3.00    7:35
4.00    7:28
5.00    7:35
6.00    7:20
7.00    7:41
8.00    7:25
9.00    7:25
10.00    7:34
11.00    7:23
12.00    7:50
13.00    7:40
14.00    7:26
14.23    7:00

5:00AM

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:38
2.00    8:12
3.00    7:42
4.00    7:49
5.00    7:51
6.00    7:35
6.03    7:20
 

5:00am

Looking forward to a sub 20 Turkey Trot

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:22
2.00    7:46
3.00    7:28
4.00    7:26
5.00    7:38
6.00    7:49
7.00    7:11
8.00    6:42
8.07    5:54

8:00am

I cut my run a little short to help a guy carry some boxes. I saw him carrying this huge stack of boxes down the street in the same direction I was going. It was literally towering over his head and I couldn't just run by him without asking if he needed a hand. He was on his way to the post office almost 2 miles away! My house was on the way so I carried half the stack for him until we got that far and then took my car for the last mile. As far as my run goes, I was trying to run a 6:25 on the last mile and it just wasn't there, not even for a half mile. I don't know if I'm ready for that sub 20 5k yet...

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:12
2.00    7:29
3.00    7:04
4.00    7:04
5.00    7:14
6.00    7:39
7.00    7:01
7.47    6:44
 

2:00pm

The rain stopped before the race today, but it was still very windy and cold. Kym decided not to run and waited in the car until the end when she came out to see me cross the finish line. The first mile went by pretty quick with only one slippery spot on the course. It was a sharp corner covered with about 6 inches of loose, wet gravel.  The second mile was brutal running against the wind and dodging mud holes, my lungs were really burning. Just as I was thinking about quitting, the course turned onto a short stretch of pavement where I didn't have to think about my footing so much and even had the wind at my back for a minute. I caught my breath, but I was still really tired and struggled to keep pushing. Mile three was a return trip on the first mile so I knew what to expect and didn't get messed up by the gravel corner. I don't know where I got the sprint at the end, I guess I just wanted it to be over.

I finished 7th overall, 1st in my age group(40-45) and won an 18lb turkey. I also beat my previous 5k PR by 1:04.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    6:21
2.00    6:34
3.00    6:25
3.10    5:17

5:00am

My calves are really sore from Sunday's race. I probably should have ran some yesterday instead of sleeping in.

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:30
2.00    7:39
3.00    7:23
4.00    7:22
5.00    7:31
6.00    7:59
7.00    7:28
8.00    7:14
8.10    6:35

10:00am

My calves are feeling a little better, but I got a late start today so I cut my run short and tried to speed it up a little so I would be home before my daughter gets here. I'll have plenty of time to run this weekend since I'm off until Monday :) Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:19
2.00    7:27
3.00    7:14
4.00    7:18
5.00    7:17
6.00    6:45
6.04    5:45

9:00am

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:25
2.00    7:30
3.00    7:12
4.00    7:24
5.00    7:29
6.00    7:50
7.00    7:15
8.00    7:14
8.06    6:53

8:00am

I expected to feel better after two days of rest. I was able to keep a good pace without too much effort, but I just didn't feel like going any farther. This was supposed to be my "long run" for the week. Where has my motivation gone?

Distance    Split pace
1.00    7:28
2.00    7:29
3.00    7:24
4.00    7:24
5.00    7:29
6.00    7:21
7.00    7:38
8.00    7:38
9.00    7:23
9.32    7:00