They all can't be "easy" runs.

5.5 miles. On legacy trail. With boy #2 on his bike. 10:30 am start. Something different.

We went to the Tampa Bay Rowdies game last night. It was really cool. It was 2-1 Rowdies after 8 minutes! I thought it was going to be the highest scoring soccer game I've ever heard of, but at the end of the game it was 2-2. The first "pro" soccer game I have ever been to. Great event, and venue, by the way. On the waterfront, next to the Dali museum. We went from the surreal to the soccer.

7.5 miles. Hood route to Legacy Trail and Back. 6:15 am start. I recorded the last mile of the run. Here's a sample: Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. 

5:45 am start. 0.8 miles up. 3.5 miles. Hood route. 29:15. 8:21 pace. Emergency bathroom stop. 3.5 miles. Hood route. 27:33. 7:52 pace. 0.8 miles down. 

5.5 miles. Hood route. With a 5:06 0.75 miles kick thrown in. I plan on doing repeat 0.75 miles tomorrow for interval day. I started late today, though. 

I found a rachet while I was out this morning. I must have looked like I was racing to some mechanical emergency, running with with a wrench. 

Also, I must note that we have had a substantial amount of red tide around here lately. It is a locally a touchy subject politically. (Think Climate Change, but on a local level. People whole heartedly believe that red tide is a result of bad actions by man, or they whole heartedly believe that this is a part of a natural process that has been going on since before we got here.) The cause of it is really irrelevant to me.

I'm a beach person. The stench of dead fish has kept me from the beach since before July 4th. I'm getting to the point that I need to put my toes in the sand, but have no where to go. I live less than 5 minutes from the Gulf. The stink has now permeated all the way to I-75. People with asthma are really affected. Most people complain of eye burning / itching. This is devastating to our local tourism, etc.

I say all of this to acknowledge that besides the psychological need in me to go to the beach that is being neglected, I know this is messing with my running right now. Imagine running in a warm, humid environment. Awesome. I'm used to that. Now imagine walking outside, into that hot humidity, and it smells like dead fish. Are you motivated to run? This has gone on way too long. 

6 am start. 0.75 up. (4)x0.75 miles, 0.25 miles AR. 0.75 miles down. 5:12. 5:10, 5:10, 4:56. I need better times and more reps.

I got stung by a bug on the cool down.

20.75 miles. Hood route to legacy trail to circus bridge to caspersen beach and back. 3 of the last 4 in 24:34, and that's all I could give it. 6:15 am start. Super hot and humid, but really average for Florida in August standards. After the venice avenue bridge at near mile 6.5 to caspersen and back to 6.5 to go, the dead fish stink was really unbearable. That's like 8 miles of gross. I also learned that an early sign of dehydration for me is "buzzing" legs. It's a thing that's tough to describe, but I know it when it happens. I was taking water as I went. I guess it was just not enough. So at this point I loaded up with water and drink everything I had left. I went through two CamelBaks on this run. As soon as I drank the water I felt much better.