Doug's Running Thingy

Travis and I popped out into the folks' neighborhood for a few miles early this morning.  We started out at 7:45 pace and by the end of 3 miles were down to 7:28, so I bailed and let him continue on without me.  I finished up with another mile and a half at 7:50 pace.  Trav circled around another lap to finish with about 6.25.  Was a good run after nothing Fri or Sat - bleh.  Racing the 5K tonight at midnight - wooooo.

Race went much better than expected - always good.   Travis and I ran much of the 1-mile race with the daughter child, the wife, the folks and the brother-in-law as a little warm up.  All of them did well and had a good time.  Travis vacillated considerably during the warm up between thinking he would run the 5K easy with me or go out hard and see how he felt.  Starting siren sounded and he was gone! I saw him at the turn-around in 6th place and thats where he ended up, in a decent time of 17:44. Three of the guys ahead of him were in his 16-17 age group, so 6th overall only netted him 4th in his age group - ah well, he was pleased. 

I went out pretty fast (6:18) for my planned 21 flat goal, but actually felt really good, so just went with it through the turn-around. Still felt pretty good coming off the draw bridge on the way back with a little less than a mile left, so worked fairly hard to maintain 6:30 pace.  Crossed the line and the finish clock said 20:10, Garmin said 20:11, and the chip timing results read 20:13 - I'll take it - and the 4th place age group award too!  Got to see Bret at the turn-around as well, and then for a bit of a visit after the race - got his age group award too - I'm on fire!!  Was a good evening.

Drove home from Dunedin this morning and then to work for a few hours, so didn't get out for a run until this evening - silly hot and humid.  Got in 4.7 on the ravine trail, north loop and new trail.

Hot energyless evening run again today.  Ran the clockwise perimeter of ravine, connector and overstreet trails real easy... 9 minute pace.  Some calf soreness remains from racing and playing in the pool this weekend, but shouldn't impact my assault on 12 minutes for the 2-mile at summer track tomorrow eve - we'll see.

Well, as good as I felt on the 5K Sunday, I felt the opposite this evening for the 2-mile on the track.  Plan was to go through the first mile at 6 flat and see how I felt.  Unlike the "mile" last week that actually was 1600 meters, they started us at the spot for a full 2-mile run - cool.  Settled into too much of a pack for the first 600 meters and went through off pace pretty bad, but smoothed out for several 45 second 200s over the next few laps.  I hit the mile at 6:08 not feeling too comfy.  Proceeded to blow up to 6:22 for the next mile and finished at 12:31.  Will be out of town next Thurs for the 5K, so looks like it will be no better than 4th overall for the series this year.  Should hold on to 1st for age group though - that'll work.

Got out this morning and did my longest run since this time last year when I got Bret and myself lost in San Felasco for a 9 miler - sheesh.  Warm and humid at 0800... better than hot and steamy I suppose.  Started at the track and went to Forest Meadows and then down along Lake Jackson and back.  Fairly hilly course and more sections of large gravel than I recall - no fun, but a good workout - kept it around 8:15-8:45 pace.

Routine bounce around the figure 8 of overstreet and ravine trails this morning.  Right at 30 seconds faster than 2 weeks ago... 8:10 pace overall, with no real challenge.  Hope to get on the trails early tomorrow as well and do 1 minute on 1 minute off for a couple miles in the middle of the same course. 

Way too hot and humid on the trails for this workout tonight, but I got through it.  A bit over two miles warmup at about 8:45 pace, then 6X2 minutes on and 1 minute off - all of the "ons" were between 5:57 and 6:11 pace, and the "offs" were essentially walking.  Then jogged about 3/4 mile back to the car - whew.

Work has me up in central Indiana for a day and a half checking out a former Nike Missile base - kinda cool. Sneaked in a bit under 5 miles this evening before dinner with the clients.  More detailed site visit tomorrow with the state environmental agency in tow - fun.  Ran out from the hotel toward a huge office complex - turned out to be a couple ginormous buildings of some sort with gorgeous well maintained grounds with nice grass and little hummocks to play on.  Lots of birds and cotton tail bunnylets too - can't beat that.

Still in Indiana - command decision after meeting at hotel to NOT go back out for another site visit - woooo.  Took advantage of the extra time to get in 45 minutes on the hotel treadmill while watching the end of today's tour de france stage.  Pretty much the longest I've ever run on a treadmill... still not impressed.  Sitting at Chicago Midway airport now - back home by midnight.

Back home today and after lazing around all day, I finally dragged out to the trails this evening.  Ran overstreet counterclockwise to the milkyway and keel over trails up to the ravine trail and back to the trailhead.  Probably the fastest I've run this route - will have to look into that - good run.

First morning under 70 degrees since May, and I actually got up and ran!  From the trailhead, did the figure 8 counterclockwise plus north loop for exactly 6 miles.  Overall average pace a bit under 8 minutes, with miles of 8:22, 7:55, 7:55, 7:51, 8:01, 7:29 - not bad for a tubby old sprinter.

Ravine trail plus north loop and then another half mile to find the wife on the trail and then walk back to the jeep with her - nice evening run/walk.

Quick workout this morning on the trails.  Did about 1 mile warmup at 8:30 pace then 8X 1 minute on and 1 minute off (right at 2 miles total).  Seven of the 8 "ons" were sub 6 minute pace, with the last one being the fastest at 5:24 pace.  Finished up with a half mile cool down.  Will probably do another 3-4 miles this evening during the final summer track meet - no grand prix events, so I will just do every event they offer tonight and then enjoy the ice cream social.  After no points in the 2-mile and then being out of town for the 5K, I slipped from 5th to 8th overall, but kept my 1st place age group spot - thats something.  Travis ended up in 3rd overall even though he only ran 3 of the 7 events - punk!

Nice evening at the track for the ice cream social (was actually catered by Fuzions yogurt!).  I did a mile and a half warmup and striders, and then cruised the 100 (14.16), 400 (67) and mile (5:59).  Did about a half mile barefoot cool down on the infield with a couple of the old guys.  It was really great being able to compete essentially the entire summer track series again this year... now to prep for making top 3 overall next year!

After the track meet last night, I probably should have waited until this evening to run, but we have dinner plans so I got out early.  Took it real easy for the figure 8 trail run on overstreet and the ravine trail - right at 9 minute pace.

Slight variation on the over street/ravine trail figure 8 to finish up walking about a half mile with the wife.  Another nice evening after a huge rainstorm earlier in the evening.  Averaged a bit under 8 min/mi.

Supersize figure 8 on the trails this morning - counterclockwise up top and clockwise around the lake.  First 2 hilly twisty miles real easy (8:57, 9:01), then picked it up (8:03 third mile) on the way to the lower loop, and finished with 7:37, 7:35 and 7:08 for the rolling miles around the lake.  I think I will enjoy using this run as my weekly gauge for the next several weeks.  Looking to get in another 25 mile week to give me my first 100 mile month in ages - hey, its something.

Supersize figure 8 with good effort on the north loop portion from 2-2.7 miles.  Remainder of the miles were easy at 8:30-8:45 pace.  Really had no energy or motivation after the north loop effort.

Finally got out to the trails late this evening for a nice workout.  Ran 1 mile warmup and then 6Xquarter mile with 1 minute walk between.  All of the quarters were between 86 and 92 seconds - quite satisfactory on the sandy rolling trails.  Finished up with 2 easy miles back to the jeep.

Ridiculously hot and humid this evening when I hit the trails, so just took it easy around the perimeter of my usual trails.  Total distance around the outside comes to right at 5.7 miles.  Couple of the miles are mostly uphill and one is mostly downhill - averaged right at 8:30 pace for the whole shooting match.  

Heat index right at 100 this evening - such a deal.  Figure 8 - overstreet counterclockwise then ravine trail counterclockwise.  Just a tough slog of a run, but finished out another 25-mile week.  Will do better next week at running in the morning.