Saturday- long

While not a true long run for the summer this was a long run.

6.25 miles in 54:04. That's about 30 seconds slower than the 10k race I did two months ago and I did a warm up half mile. So I could have beaten my previous 10k time fairly easily which is great encouragement to me that I've made progress in my running. I know that I have but it's nice to see it on the clock.

Splits:
1-9:21
2- 8:22
3- 8:51
4- 8:20
5- 8:30
6- 8:14
.25-2:25

Easy Friday

5.3 miles in 49:48, 9:24 minute per mile.

Splits:
1- 9:48
2- 9:30
3- 9:26
4- 9:26
5- 9:00
.3- 2:3

Intervals 5x800's

I saw the weather was going to be another scorcher again today so I opted to hit the treadmill at the gym. Can you beat it, controlled speed, heart rate available in just a few seconds, water on the spot and most importantly climate control. The treadmill has it's place, and for me that's on hot and humid days.

Warm up: .5 mile- 5:00
Interval: .5 mile- 3:29
Recovery: .25 mi- 2:22
Interval: .5 mi- 3:29
Recovery: .25 mi- 2:22
Interval: .5 mi- 3:20
Recovery: .25 mi- 2:22
Interval: .5 mi- 3:20
Recovery: .25 mi- 2:22
Interval: .55 mi- 3:30
Recovery: 1 mi- 9:19


5.05 miles in 40:55 for a 8:07 m/mile pace.

I'm ready for Tuesday.

Monday, Tuesday Humid as all

You never hear "but it's a wet heat".

Monday- 6 miles in 56:48, 9:28 m/mile
1-9:44
2-9:29
3-9:44
4-9:20
5-9:04
6-9:25

75 degrees and 85% humidity all before the sun comes up. My upper back was tight for some reason, I guess from setting up church on Sunday.

Tuesday- 5.25 in 50:44, 9:40 m/mile
Today was supposed to be speed work day but when I saw that it was 80 degrees and 85% humidity at 5:30 am I figured it wasn't going to happen. Hopefully thursday will be slightly cooler so I can get some good intervals in. I want to have one more strong speed day before the race next tuesday. The check and registration is in the mail for both Heather and I, I think some of our friends from church are going to run it also. I'm really looking forward to it- I know I've made progress, but how much?
1- 10:06
2- 9:42
3- 9:34
4- 9:34
5- 9:23
.25- 2:21

Week in Review...

I had another great week or running. Aside from today the weather has been pretty nice this week, especially in the morning when I'm running. But before I put down my splits let me tell you that Heather has started running. She's going to race her first 5k on the 29th. She did a practice run the other day and did it in 32 minutes with her fastest mile at 9:13 m/mile. I'm so proud of her I wanted to make sure I got her in my blog.

Today we did a church event at the park. I was out in the sun from 11 AM to about 2:30 and then got home unloaded the car and then had my running clothes and out the door to run by 3:45. I had my water bottle with me with gatorade, I knew I would need it.

1- 9:27
2- 9:07
3- 9:04
4- 9:21
5- 9:20

I took a gator break after 3 miles for about 30 seconds. I didn't want to pass out or suffer from heat stroke. After that I knew I was going to make it home. Total run time 46:30, 9:18 m/mile


Friday was probably my favorite run. It was really foggy outside and even though my legs started off a little bit tight I was very much enjoying the fog. I'm not sure why. I literally felt like running the clouds, which I guess makes sense. I had mist on my arms and in my hair.

1- 9:49
2- 9:30
3- 9:02
4- 8:52
5- 8:53
6- 8:28

Total run time 54:34, 9:06 m/mile

And my fastest easy run ever on Wednesday. I was simply cruising. I think it was because the weather was cool at 64% degrees.
5.5 miles in 46:54, 8:32 m/mile.

Tempo

Tempo run today

Mile splits:
1- 9:31
2- 7:20
3- 7:24
4- 7:54
5- 10:04
.25- 2:09

Total: 5.25 in 44:24

Drop the first and last mile and I've got 3 miles at 22:38 which would put me just over my 5k goal time. I really bonked on the lat mile of my tempo run. I was just out of gas. I'm partially blaming my intense chest workout on Sunday and my intense back workout yesterday so I have high hopes. The temp was about 75 this morning which is my favorite to run in but the humidity was 85% percent. I literally walked outside at 6 AM and just said "wow". I could feel the air.

But overall I'm motivated to hit one more solid interval run next tuesday and then get ready for the 5k the following tuesday.

5.3 miles in 48:81

I found this great link at a race website. Race Etiquette


Ok so since last week. Lots of good runs. I've been improving my mile times on my easy runs which is one of my goals for my summer running. My mile averaged 8:48 on Saturday and 9:08 today. The major speed difference in today's run was my warm up mile was quite slow. It just took a while to get the rust off the legs.

I keep thinking I'm spoiling myself by only running for 5 or so miles. One of these days I need to rip off a long run if only to prove to myself I can still do it.

Confidence

I am more confident today that I'll be hitting my 5k goal at the end of the month. Due to circumstance beyond my control, a thunderstorm, I had to run at the Y on the treadmill today. I psyched myself up for it on the ride to the Y and was ready to hit it when I got there. I did 800 meter intervals with 400 meter recoveries x5.

My intervals were:
.5 mile warm up
.5 mile at 6:58 m/mile
.25 recovery
.5 mile at 6:58 m/mile
.25 recovery
.5 mile at 6:58-6:50 m/mile
.25 recovery
.5 mile at 6:58-6:40 m/mile
.25 recovery
.5 mile at 6:40 m/mile
1.1 to finish up.

5.2 miles total in about 43 minutes.

My breathing was good, the lactic acid in my legs was not. However you can run through that pain and I did.

I ran monday also, 5 miles in 47:45 9:33 m/mile, I had dust on my legs from Sunday...

5.25 miles in 46:52

It was 75 degrees this morning and overcast, excellent running condition. Too bad it was 85% humidity, not so excellent running condition. However I ran well. I don't have my splits but when my first warm up mile was 9:24 I knew I would be able to run easy today and still be fast. I hope that makes sense, I'm trying to make my easy run pace faster without making it a tempo run.

8:56 m/mile. This is my first easy run under 9:00 m/mile.

This afternoon I started thinking about my goals again for races. I feel this sense of urgency to race well. I'm only 28 and for some reason I feel hurried to get my race times down. But I continue to progress in my running at a good pace and I'm not doing anything stupid.

I've reduced it down to two major goals. I want to hit my 5k goal time of 22:-- which means I have to run faster than 7:24 m/mile. I'll quote Kara Goucher after her winning the 5k at the olympic trials-

I was really nervous before this race, more than for the 10 (10k trial) because I knew it was going to hurt a lot.

So yeah, hitting that goal is going to hurt.

Then on to the half marathon. I think I want to try to hit 1:30:00 that means 13.1 miles at 8:00 m/mile.


Yesterday I did 6.25 miles at an average of 9:08 m/mile pace. 57:04, it was cool and low humidity. I love running in cool weather.

Week Review

This turned out to be a week in review.

Monday- an easy 5.3 miles just to get the legs moving again after the weekend. My legs certainly didn't feel fresh, that 102 degree run really wore me out for the rest of Saturday and then even some into Sunday. Even today (thursday) I haven't had a solid day of rest and taking it easy, I'm also not getting enough sleep at night.

Tuesday- 5.4 miles in 45:23- I needed the sleep so I didn't get up early and just decided to take it as my day off this week instead of Thursday. Then Heather came home from work and I had time for a run. I knew it was interval run day and I was ready to GO. After .5 mile warm up I hit my interval pace (5k goal pace) which is better than 7:45 m/mile. I've been running 800 meter intervals with 400 meter rests but for this run I decided to do 1600 meter (mile) intervals with 800 meter rests. I was sucking some serious wind but I was so elated to see myself hitting my miles at the exact pace I was shooting for. Today is 3 weeks away from my next 5k that's the 5k that I'm hoping to finish in 22:xx, I don't care what the xx is I just want to break 23 minutes. I'm ready to run it even if its hot and humid.

Wednesday- was that day off I was promising myself. My legs were shot from my interval run and hiking the hills at busch gardens pushing a stroller.

Thursday- 5.3 miles in 52:14, Got the blood flowing to my legs and the longer I ran the better they felt. I got a hydration pack last night, it's an Ultimate Direction Access. Holds a 20 oz bottle with a kicker valve and rides on the small of your back. I ran with it today and I've heard about them sloshing around. As soon as I started running I noticed the problem and almost headed home to take it off before it got all sweaty so I could return it but I cinched up the belt a little bit more and it seemed tolerable. The more I ran with it the better it felt so it's a keeper. I didn't really need it this morning considering it was only 70 degrees but it will come in handy for those longer runs and the runs where it's so hot.