sub-3 or blow-up trying

Big workout #2:  1 mile warm-up, 2-mile tempo (6:27,6:10), 3-mile jog to the track, followed by 3 x 800m (2:52,2:48,2:50), jogged a mile, and then 1-mile @ 6:19 pace, 1-mile jog, 1-mile back on the road @ 6:17 pace, and jogged the remainder- 15 miles total. 

I was fortunate today.  We are on vacation, heading toward Indiana.  Just so happens a college track was right next door to our hotel...ran 1/2 mile on road, 8miles on track, and 1/2 mile back on sidewalks- 9:30/pace average for 9 miles. 

8.25 miles at 10min pace. 

Ran 8.75 miles @ 9:15 pace.

Ran 5.1 miles in the afternoon w/my wife through some pretty awesome bike trails.  She totally impressed me with her off-road running ability. 

"Big Workout" #3:  In hindsight I wish I got up an hour earlier- left at 7:40 and things really began to heat up within an hour or so.  Still, felt as though I got a solid workout in.  Began with a 2-mile warm-up, followed by a 2-mile tempo (6:26,6:13).  Jogged a mile and then picked up the pace for a mile (6:16).  Fortunately I found a drinking fountain by a public park and soaked in a bit, wrung out my shirt, and left it out to dry.  Jogged another mile and then repeated a 2-mile tempo (6:42,6:32)- this one definitely took a little more work.  Jogged 2 more miles and then decided to give one more 2-mile tempo a shot (6:42,6:34)- dug a little deeper for this one and loudly squished my way through it with drenched shoes/socks.  Soaked in more fluids at the park and found my tech-shirt missing- bummer, one of my favorite shirts.  Oh well, guess anyone willing to steal a shirt soaked in sweat needs it far more than I do.  Jogged 1-mile home as a "cooldown"- 14 miles total, 7 of them at a firm pace.  I think the heat affected my pace by 20 seconds or so.  Planning on an early evening jog with my wife.

Ended up going with family yesterday to a waterpark all day (so no evening run).  Got up early and found an awesome bike trail in the woods (we're vacationing in Indiana)- ran 8.25 miles at a slow pace and thoroughly enjoyed the run.

6.1 miles w/my wife through bike trails- felt great!

5 miles w/my wife w/2 on the trails- nice, easy pace.

Ran 9.5 miles @ 10min pace. 

Big workout #4:  It's been a tough week to get any kind of quality running- hot and humid, even in the early mornings!  However, I feel good about getting in both quality mileage and 2 "bigger workouts" in despite the less than ideal climate.  Began after dinner with 3 mile warm-up (already a bit sweaty...going 10min/per mile).  Followed w/a 2-mile tempo (6:22,6:24), 2-miles slow, 2-mile tempo (6:28,6:30), and then a quick water break (also wrung out shirt and socks)...Jogged another 2-miles and moved into my third 2-mile tempo (6:41,6:31), 2 miles slow, and then on mile 16 (getting dark) did my last threshold mile (6:24), followed by a "cooldown" mile- 17 miles total.  Two hard workouts a week are starting to feel more managable- even in the heat!  Achilles are still a bit sore on my right leg (uncomfortable, yet tolerable), so I'm holding out on VO2 Max for a week or two.  First 80-mile week since Boston. 

10 miles @ 9:30 pace.

5 miles @ a very slow pace- 2 of them on off-road trails.

5 miles @ 9:20 pace w/my wife.

Big Workout #5:  This was a tough one!  Waited until 7pm to see if weather would be more tolerable...found the first hour to still be miserable.  Didn't find a water spicket until mile 10 and was never really quite able to recover from slight dehydration.  Ran 3-mile warm-up, then a 3-mile tempo (6:21,6:30,6:30), and then alternated threshold pace miles with slow ones (6:29,6:45,6:32,6:31).  Did a total of 16 miles- 7 of them @ about a 6:30 pace. 

5 miles w/my wife and 5 miles on my own- slowly. 

1 mile "warm-up", 8 miles @ 8min pace, and 1 mile "cooldown".

Big Workout #6:  Very hot day, so waited until 7:30pm and was willing to run this one into darkness.  Began w/2 mile warm-up and then a 2-mile tempo (6:25,6:18)...found water and bathroom and then jogged 2-miles before a second 2-mile tempo (6:22,6:20)...found another water spicket, soaked down, wrung out shirt and socks and then ran a 5th threshold mile (6:21) and began alternating fast/slow miles- last two threshold miles were 6:32 and 6:18 (mile 15).  Ran 16 miles total, 7 @ threshold pace.  Can't wait for a big workout on a "cooler" day!

Was travelling to my sister's house in W. Lafayette, so unable to run yesterday. Got 9 in this morning @ 10min pace.

5 miles out on the track w/wife and kids.  My wife's signed up for the Philly 1/2 and got a little speedwork in today.  Most of our girls got in 2 miles and I did a very slow 5 miles.

9 miles at just over a 9min pace in the heat of the day.

Big workout #7:  The sky became overcast, so I gave a shot at some track work...

- 2-mile warm-up-

8 x 400 (w/lap jog between):  83,82,80,81,80,82,82,80

- 2 mile jog-

8 x 400:  86,83,80,82,82,81,80,82

- 2 mile jog-

* Could possible have run an extra set, but ran out of time:  14 miles total (4 VO2)

9.5 miles @ about 9:30 pace in the heat of the day.

Ran 10 miles slowly- 3.2 w/my wife. 

9 miles @ just under 9min pace- 95 degrees out!

I'm due for a "Big Workout", but the constant heat is beginning to get to me.  Started out on the track this morning at 6:25 am and it was already 83 degrees.  Warmed up 2 miles, did 3.5 sets of 800's (2:57,2:53,2:55,85 sec) and realized I was completely wiped out by the heat.  Shut things down and went back home- 5 miles total.   I may not be able to get a second run in the evening due to family cookout scheduled. 

Did 4 miles with my wife in 96 degree heat and then finished off another 5.5 on my own- 9.5 total @ about a 9min pace. 

Ran 9.5 miles along N.Shore Blvd. in Chicago- nice and slow.

Ran another 8.

10.5 miles slowly in Chicago.

6 miles w/the wife on Lake Michigan.

10 miles alongside Lake Michigan- 4 around 7:25 pace, the rest real slow.

9 miles in West Lafayette- all slow, just over 9min pace- broke out new pair of Mizunos.

9 miles in 95 degree weather on a track in N. Georgia.

Got a little relief from the heat today on a hotel treadmill- did 2 mile warm-up, 2 miles @ 6min pace, 2 miles slow, 1.5 miles @ 6min pace, 1/4 mile slow, and the .5 miles @ 6min pace- w/cooldown did a total of 9 miles.