not giving up on the comeback

snuck in a short one this morning just to wake up a bit

4.1 @ 7:18 ave pace

went out in the afternoon but the heat was not nearly as bad as it has been,.  It was overcast which makes such a big difference.  I just cruised along on a mix of routes.  I was a little short of my 8 miles but that's ok

It was the first day of school.  I thought my kids would be tired tonight but they seem to be A-OK.  My son and I biked to school which was pretty cool.  It was only about a mile or so but just enough to get the blood going at 7:30 in the morning.  Hopefully we are up and at 'em so we can do this often. 

7.8 @ 7:20 ave  pace

Trying to figure out what races) to run this fall.  The one I wanted to do - Chickamauga Half - sold out last month both the half and full.  ugh.  There is one on Thanksgiving in downtown ATL that I guess I will do.  It is only $40 if I sign up this month and I won't spend any $$ for travel.  Some of the halfs around here are $60.  I guess I'm just cheap but that is getting crazy.  Maybe I'll just focus on the ATC races that I get for free with my $20 annual membership fee.  It is just hard to get really stoked about those for some reason.  Usually those are my tune up races for the pay ones. 

before lunch - 5.3 @ 7:15 ave pace.  I've had a big blister on my big toe for a week now.  Are we supposed to pop them or not?  It comes and goes with each run.

Got in another before getting the kids this evening

4.4 @ 7:01 ave pace

Crappy run last night - seemed like a big waste of time. 

8.3 miles @ 7:48 ave pace 

Sought out some shade and tried to maintain some sort of pace

4.6 @ 7:25 ave pace

another run after work and before Chrys had a meeting - I guess it was 93 or 94 but the clouds have come in and it wasn't as bad as the run earlier in the day. 

4.2 @ 7:09 ave pace

I was just thinking that if the heat wasn't here I would have anything to complain about -- so I'm pretty happy about that.  I know some of you are fighting injuries.  Rhett reminded me earlier that even though I had a sucky run last night, at least I'm able to run.  So true.  I need to be thankful for my many blessings...

I'm trying out a new GPS unit.  It seems to read a bit long.  Has anyone compared their GPS readings to a mapmyrun or runners world route mapping program? 

I'm not sure if the lower temps of the morning are better since they come with higher humidity.  I got in 6.2 in this morning but I had to stop and walk a couple times. 

6.2 @ 7:35 ave pace

Got in another 4.2 before getting the kids from after school camp

4.2 @ 7:30 ave pace

Ate some really good BBQ tonight - plus brunswick stew and bbq beans and a few fries.  I'll be ready to go for my LSD tomorrow morning!

nice and overcast this morning - yea!

took the long run easy and it was ok.  Still lost 6lb of water weight.  All that salty bbq really bloated me - but at least I had plenty of h20 in my system.  I took along 2 more electrolyte tabs and popped them after an hour.  I don't know if they help, but I had them...

really trying to get myself out the door today.  I didn't do it yesterday.  Not sure how I was so motivated last week and not this week.  5K on Saturday.  At least my legs should be fresh.

I got out before lunch and left my watch at home.  I just need to go out and run and not worry about my pace in this heat. 

7.25 miles -  7:30-7:45 pace (I guess)

5.9 after work - before getting the kiddies - I really didn't mind the heat that much today.  yea!

no watch again - liked that a lot today

This week I'm just putting my hat as low as it can go and I'm putting one step in front of the other one.  Two rushed runs - but at least got them in -

6.6 - no watch - standard easy run pace

4.2 - no watch - standard easy run pace

really minded the heat today

7.5 @ about 8:00 pace (no watch)

4.7 after work and after fixing the kids some supper. Unfortunately I forgot to eat a pre run snack and I kind of bonked...7:50 pace or something like that. 

Not a great day for pace.  Tomorrow I'm just doing one short run in the morning so my legs will be kind of fresh for Saturday. 

taking it easy today

5 @ 7:30-7:40 pace

5K day  - Last year I went out pretty hard and the last 1.5 miles were red lined.  This year I made a conscious decision to not go out too hard and then have something left at the end for the last mile or so.  I executed perfectly, but it wasn't a good idea.  I know better. 

mile 1 - 5:54

mile 2 - 12:00 ?

3.1 - 18:36

6:00 ave pace

Very disappointed by my effort today.  I ran scared of a flame out.  That's not a good way to run a 5K. 

Felt really pretty good today.  Took a whole new route.  I need to make a few this week just to shake things up a bit.

6.4 @7:20 ave pace

4.1 after work - @ 6:55 ave pace.  It is great to feel good for once.  The heat wasn't as bad today.  Such a big difference that makes. 

Ran a fartlek workout today

3 mile warmup at around 7:30 ave pace and then 4 with 1 min and 2 min pickups (at 5K-10K pace) with 1 min regular easy pace in between the pickups.  It was a decent workout.   The ave pace for the 4 miles was 6:33 min/mile.  3.75 cooldown at just over 7:30 pace.

My bonus for today is two nice blisters.  I'm beginning to think it the socks my wife bought me recently...

Got out this morning before work.  I was a bit sore from yesterday and from the bike ride to and from school.  But the run went ok for an easy run. 

6.1 @ 7:07 ave pace

Will get out later today for a short one.

Ah - did another one after work.  I'm stiff and sore from yesterday's fartlek.  I guess I'm getting old cause I am feeling these efforts more than ever...

4.1 @ 7:01 ave pace.  There are some dang long hills on this route.  I went backwards today - and it is even harder than the forward way I think.  Good Times.  :)

This guy will give you some perspective - dang

http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/MrPants/14999-fall-marathon-training-week-5

Ran after work - still hot out.  That rain the keep warning us about is just not going to happen apparently.  

10.1 @ 7:42 ave pace - I took water but still lost 7 lbs of sweat - nice...

got out before lunch to sweat a bit - legs aren't really sore just not spunky.  Once I got warmed up things were fine.  

5.3 @ 7:22 ave pace

Need another 4-5 later today

4.6 - @ 7:16 ave pace - felt ok

set out to do 15 as my plan calls for, but I didn't map it out beforehand and I turned around .2 early.  No big deal in the long run.  I felt good the whole way, and felt like I was just cruising at the end.  A nice even split on the out and back course.  A good end to my biggest week in a long time.

14.6  @ 7:48 ave pace

Had a nice run at lunchtime.  It felt like a nice honest effort.  

6.75 @ 7:09 ave pace

4.6 @ 7:25 - after work - I thought it was faster than that, but I guess the watch doesn't get it wrong.  A little ache in my left foot.  We'll see how it goes. 

Speed day again - I decided to do some 1000m repeats at 10k pace on the road.  It took me a couple to get a feel for the pace but I think I locked in at the end.  I did .3 miles in between.  1.7 to and back from the starting point.  The ave pace for the repeats was at 5:48, which is probably about right - at least a good starting point.  Glad this one is in the bank.  I will try to keep doing these this fall, building the number of repeats up towards 10. 

3:48 (oops), 3:36, 3:30, 3:34, 3:34, 3:33

PM - 4 recovery miles -  7:28 ave pace

After I got the kids, I officially signed up for the half on Oct 30th.  That'll be my goal race.  Then I'm going to do the one with the ATC on Thanksgiving.  It'll be a new course so that should be fun. 

felt ok this morning - not great but this was just an easy recovery run 

4.7 @ 7:19 ave pace

PM - 5 @ 7:13 ave pace - felt more or less good - the tempos are only in the mid 80s which is nice for a change.

my 10 miler for the day was interrupted by a doggie who broke off his toenail really really low, which caused quite a lot of blood.  I took a lot of time this morning trying to stop the flow, but it just wouldn't stop.  So I had to take him to the vet and drop some coin (eating out money for the next month or so) on sedation and some vet expertise.  Then I took my son to the doc to get his 3 weeks checkup since being diagnosed with Lyme disease.  Well, my wife and the appointment lady apparently got mixed up and we didn't have an appointment - and Sawyer's doc wansn't even there today.  So we drove home...  Which actually turned out well.  Cause my wife had to work from 6:45 -8 or so.  So I got in my run - abbreviated and all- before she had to leave (to the minute).  I was at an up tempo.  Not sure what that pace really is but on that route it is a dang good workout.  Got stopped for traffic crossing for a min so that helped the last uphill mile. 

7.1 @ 6:53  ave pace

At least I got one in and it wasn't a goose egg for the day.

That was a rambling entry for me -wasn't it?

6.6 before lunchtime meeting - legs felt ok

6.6@ 7.12 ave pace

PM - 4.4 @ 7:17 ave pace - felt ok - just getting it done I guess

Made some blueberry muffins for the family and then snuck out before everyone was awake.  Ran a similar route to what I did last week.  I felt ok for the most part.  A little slow and plodding but ok.  I'm still not used to checking out mentally on two hour runs. This one was ok on the way back which is a good sign.  The route is basically alot of hills, with more climbing on the way back.  The split was right on even, so I'm happy about that. I think that was the same as last week. 

15.25 @ 7:30 ave pace

Had a fun bike ride with my son while the girls were at Daisy Scouts.  

I felt like a blob today - my eating must have been horrible this weekend.  But my runs felt good and strong - I guess I really reloaded for the long week.  I want to hit 70 this week.  Next Saturday is a 10 mile race that I surprised myself with a sub 60 last year.  The result of that one will really tell me where I am this year compared to last year.  I guess I've hit that plateau where my easy time wins are over and each new PR will be harder and harder. 

4.6 @7:14 ave pace

6.75@ 7:05 ave pace

I am loving this cooler weather.  Highs were only in the mid 80s and my run  tonight was around 80.  The long slog through the summer months ARE going to pay off.  I know it. 

4 Tempo miles today

1 6:04
2 6:08
3 6:06
4 5:49
last one was a bit too fast, but it was the end :)
overall - felt pretty good - happy with this first tempo run of the training cycle

4.6 after work - 7:01 ave pace