Doug's Running Thingy

Ravine/Overstreet combined for the first time in a couple months... 40:38 ouch.  Down 5 lbs in last 4 weeks - 6-8 to go.  Will start thrice weekly (MWF) dumbell/pushups/pullups workouts this week, plus TThSat core/stretching. Also shifting to alternating 2 days run, 1 day bike.  Three weeks until 1-mile on the track (community race/fundraiser for XC team), and four weeks until 5K trail race.

9 miles on the mountain bike (11.4 mph) - confirmed my 3.5 miler on overstreet as 3.45 miles - thatll work.  Resistance workout after - 3 circuits with 10lb dumbells 10 reps per exercise no problem, will increase to 15 quickly.

Overstreet trail this morning.  What a grind and it was only 3.5 - heat index over 90 at 7am.  Need a good week of training and watching what I eat to drop under 160 for first time since last summer - on my way to sub 155 by end of Aug.

7am - ravine trail plus new trail downhill (9:39) - new trail portion felt fast and relatively comfortable - first time saying that in a long time.  Of course, Travis told me he would crush that time running it uphill tacked on the end of his 8-miler - will update this post when I hear from him.

Still just running short workouts, but today (even though it was 88 degrees and the first mile was brutal) was a reminder of why running is the ultimate in physical, mental and spiritual therapy.  It doesn't happen all the time, and it rarely happens when you really want it to, but on occasion, in the middle of a run, the accumulated fatigue, the stresses of work, school, relationships, everyday life, just fade away and you're as one with your surroundings and could seemingly run in that zone forever.  Halfway through the fastest portion of my run this morning, a large doe was on the twisty single track trail ahead of me and she casually ran in front for maybe 20 meters before easing off into the woods.  As I went by, she glanced my way with neither fear nor enmity - it seemed to be more of an acknowledgement that I somehow belonged there.  Even now, as I write this three hours later, my "runner's high" remains.  Its gonna be a good day.   

Boy-child went 10 flat uphill on the new trail at 8.5 into his 10-miler - the team is definitely fired up for XC season. 

9.6 on the mountain bike (10.7 mph) - ravine trail plus north loop - note to self... 3.3 miles to start of new trail, so ravine/north loop/new trail would be 4.8

Dumbell workout yesterday and core today after ride - seem to be in a good fat burning phase - looking forward to actually feeling like a runner in the next week or so. 

Ravine/North Loop/New Trail counterclockwise - comfortable 8 minutes/mile, no foot pain... ok, several twinges along the way, but nothing consistent.  Thinking about maybe 8X200 on the track tomorrow, nice and easy at 42 sec or so with jog across infield recovery.  Thats about 5:30 mile pace, which will be my goal in a couple weeks for Breakfast on the Track to kick off XC season.  Doc advised to tape the foot if I hit the track - will do that, although 8X200 at 42 isn't the intensity that we talked about.

3 mile warmup (ravine trail plus north loop), then 8X200 in 2 sets of 4, first set at 40-42 with a minute jog across the infield, 2nd set in 38-40 - about 5 minutes between sets.  All but the last 2 were comfortable and well controlled.  The last 2 weren't painful or anything, but I definitely felt the short recovery.  It was good to be on the track again, but clearly not ready to do that more than once a week just yet.  Two laps barefoot on the infield cool down. No pain in the foot.  Iced and stretched well afterward.

Ravine trail plus north loop - 32:05.  No lingering effects from wimpy track workout yesterday - good deal. On the bike tomorrow, then 4.25 Wed and 4.75 Thurs.  Need to do at least 20 on the road bike some time this week.

11 miles on the mountain bike (11.6 mph) - counterclockwise overstreet trail and clockwise ravine trail plus there and back from house.  Clocked overstreet trail to start of new trail (3.0) - that'll be 4.5 total for overstreet counterclockwise plus new trail.  Challenging alternative to my other 4-5 mile runs.

Ravine trail plus north loop clockwise (30:38).  Amazing what just a few degrees can do.  Was ONLY 74 at start of run this morning, rather than the 78-80 its been for a couple weeks.  Last mile in 6:36 - feeling more and more like a runner again.  Dumbell circuit this evening and a walk with the wife.

Evening run - slept in this morning after poor sleep - ah well.  Ravine trail plus north loop plus new trail (9:50).  Started new trail at 3.3 miles into run, so was pleased with 9:50.

Evening ride in the mud - 11 miles on the mountain bike (11.2 mph)

Two mile warmup.  Track workout 2X200, 2X400, 2X200 - 200s at 40-42, 400s at 85.  The 400s were entirely too difficult considering thats the pace I want to hit for the mile next Saturday.  I'm chalking it up to doing the workout at 4pm when it was 4,000 degrees outside.  I guess we'll see next week.

18 miles on the road bike (15.6 mph) in the morning.  Short run this evening... or not.  We'll see.

First time in quite a while I ran my old standby figure 8 that includes both the ravine trail and the overstreet trail.  Felt downright decent.  Will probably maintain 20-25 miles per week for a while with this route thrice weekly, plus twice weekly track work and maybe a 5K race or other such zippy runs once a week.

 "Racing" the mile on Saturday and then a trail 8K on Aug 28 - opted for the 8K instead of the offered 5K so that I don't try to race it and throw myself a mental monkey-wrench.  I really don't feel ready to race 5K just yet - would like to at least shoot for under 20 minutes, and I ain't there yet.

Did ravine trail/overstreet again today, but started at the track, so its a bit longer.  Boy-child needs like 45 miles by Sunday to hit 500 for the summer, so he and a few others ran before school, which of course means I had to get him there at 0630 - ah well.  Only a half hr earlier than I usually run, but it was noticeably cooler than yesterday - come on Fall!  Did the middle 3 miles a bit under 8 minute pace - this time last year that would be more like a comfortable 6:30 pace - getting there.  Definitely feeling a bit leaner and meaner with every run now.

Good run this morning after taking yesterday off - did weights and core only.  Ravine trail to New Trail (9:50 again downhill on New Trail - good effort).  Tells me the 9:39 a couple weeks ago was definitely influenced by adrenaline... running with the big doe - interesting.

A subconscious attempt to miss the University of Florida convocation turned an easy 4 to 5 miler into about 9 miles on the San Felasco trails in Gainesville. I dragged Bret out early before the ceremony for a sunrise run with the boars and bunnies on trails I had run once before figuring it would be no problem.  Before too long, we were in unfamiliar looking territory, and it went a bit downhill from there.  We finally assaulted an old guy on the trail and stole his map (I'm sure he made it out alive) so that we could get back to the trailhead, and off to the O'Connell Center in time to welcome our daughters and the other 6,400 incoming Gator freshmen.

Thanks for running slowly with me, Bret, and thanks for not getting too terribly ticked off - sorry, Tracey!  Once again, I assume full responsibility (just ask my wife, I do that a lot). 

After the unintended easy 9 yesterday, I was not very confident of hitting my planned 5:40 for the mile on the track today.  Did a 2 mile warm-up in the trails to work out the kinks, and then a few strides on the backstretch... strides aren't supposed to be that difficult.

First 800 was a bit slower than goal pace (2:54 vs 2:50 goal), but comfortable.  Third lap, as always, was rough, but actually a little faster than the second.  A couple of the younger/less experienced guys on my son's XC team came up on me during the last lap, so I stuck to them and eased in at 5:42 - pleasantly satisfied considering my lack of fitness and the overly long shake-out run the day before.  Did a mile cool down and called it a good day.

Ravine/Overstreet at 6:45AM - not bad at all.  Just under 8 min for 1-4 miles, then 7:35 for last mile - works for me.  "Racing" an 8K trail course on Saturday... I use the term loosely - will be happy going sub 40 minutes on this course this year - did 34:48 a couple years ago when I was a bit more fit.

Lets see if I can insert an image of the shirts for our XC parents' racing team, the More Olders Racing Team (school mascot is the Marauders...)

Overstreet clockwise - after 1st mile, did 1 minute on (800 m pace) and 1 minute off (easy jog).  Came out to 8X appx 300m - good workout.  Then half mile cool down to the car.

11 miles on the mountain bike (11.2 mph) - dare I say a breath of coolness in the air - nice morning.  Dumbbell circuit and walk/run a couple miles with the wife this evening - she's gonna do the 3K this Saturday while I do the 8K and the boy child races the 5K - you go, girl!

Ravine trail plus north loop plus new trail.  Up at 5:45am to rouse boychild and get him to morning practice by 6:30.  Cracking the whip on him to get to bed earlier does me no good for these early runs if I don't also turn in early - ugh.  No energy to bust the new trail portion (10:45), but probably best since I'm "racing" 8K on Saturday - still thinking sub 40 minutes will be just fine.

8K trail race this morning under overcast skies and 73 degrees - couldn't ask for better conditions for late August in north Florida.  With only a couple months of being back at it to any significant degree, I was hoping to go a little better than 8 minutes per mile steady all the way through.  First mile (7:30) was a little fast on the watch, but felt comfortable, so I tried to maintain that and went 7:38, 7:37, and 7:27 for the next three.  Was really starting to feel the hills on the final 0.9 and covered that in 7:01 for a total time of 37:14.  Will gladly pocket that one and carry on with the plan to work toward low 19s or high 18s in a late season 5K.

Ran/walked the 3K with the wife to warm down.  Boychild walked with us a short while during his cool down as well... after taking 4th in the 5K (17:45) just 10 seconds off his PR - the boys went 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th for 18 points and the team win in this preseason XC/community race.  Big Fun! 

Spent yesterday recovering and doing yardwork.  Somebody needs to tell the trees its not quite Fall yet - leaves everywhere!  On the other hand, temperature for my run this morning was excellent, erasing all grumblings about the literal meaning of "Fall"

6:45am - did the 5.4 mile ravine/overstreet combo in 43:42 with negative splits from 8:14 down to 7:43 for last mile. Racing 5 miles at 7:30 pace and not being completely dead was a big confidence booster - will start increasing intensity on my easy runs - should be clicking off 7:30s comfortably in a few more weeks.

Minute "on" minute "off" for the middle 2-miles of overstreet trail.  Low energy, just kinda slogged through this one.  On the bike tomorrow - will try to get rested for a good run Thurs morning.