Rec Runner

Hit a hard 7 feeling really good but got a long way to go.

Easy warm up then ran 6:30's or under for the next 7 at what I'm hoping to hit for the half. Realizing the distance is going to be tough pretty confident I could hold 6:10's for 10 miles but after that things might get ugly...

Easy late night stroll pre-race taper :)

Annual race the hospital puts on ran it with both the girls I figure I'm pushing 100lbs now. The weather has just turned really hot and humid this last week after a really nice spring. A bunch of kids started in front of me and I thought I was going to take a couple out on accident as they swerved back and forth which would have been bad PR for the hospital! Ran solo for a fairly easy victory but was working hard. The course has three monster hills which really hurt with the stroller. Not sure what my time would be without the stroller but figure I could hit 17:30 if I maxed everything out. They had a big breakfast afterwards and it was a lot of fun as I've come to know a lot of the people in town.

Woke up at 6 not tired at all figured I may as well get a longer run in. Hit a solid hour pretty good pace. I'm signed up for a half this weekend and really worried about my endurance. I think I'll be okay through 10 but am worried I may blow up hard at that point. 

Felt pretty flat by the end it didn't help it was in the 80's by time I finished up at 7:30 and super humid. I'm starting to worry about the half this weekend with the heat and distance. I am pretty sure I could make a 6 min pace for 10k and maybe 6:10 for 10 mile but after that I'm worried my 25 mpw will show in a big way :)

Nice easy pre-race run took a bit to get the legs malleable now feeling great just got to hydrate heavy for tomorrow.

I was really worried coming into this race as my long runs recently have been 9-10 miles. I figured I was good for 10 miles at 6 min/pace but I didn't want a big blow up at that point. I was hoping for 1:25 and maybe stealing 3rd place but there are plenty of years that would put me 5-7th. The weather has gotten really humid and hot but race day was overcast light wind and rain mid 60's with 90% humidity which was as good as it was going to be. I did a half mile warm up figured I would start slow and warm up during the race. 

Started out really relaxed with no stroller it felt easy recognised Gillette and sat a ways back. A guy fresh out of competing collegiately took off I had talked to him before the race and he was shooting for 65 so winning went out the window but no Kenyans were at the start so I got my hopes up. First mile 5.54 a little fast but felt good. Easily pulled up to Gillette and another guy doing his first full he was shooting for 2:45 and I figured I would hang with them while it was comfortable. 2nd mile at 5:39 but a bit down hill I about hit the brakes but stuck with it. It was nice running in a group and it was no man's land behind us. Some 2:50 marathon girl was trailing us but not within striking distance. 3rd mile in 6:04 through rolling hills which is what most of NW Missouri is. That put my 5k at around 18:10 which is what I've run my other two in. At that point the other guy started dropping the pace and we hit 5:44 and 5:50 or 4 and 5. He got a slight lead and I could tell Gillette was a bit worried about him. He wasn't taking any water though. miles 6 and 7 were 6:08 and 5:59 pretty good pacing putting my 10k around 36:30. At that point I even had thoughts of PRing which would be crushed by a 1 1/4 mile uphill grade. We hit 8 in 6:31 Gillette choked down a goo and had to use the port-a-pot so I was alone. It was too late to do anything but try and maintain form and pace. 9 was a 6:30 then 5:47 when I got the down hill back for a 1:00.20 10 mile total. The course then went winding through suburbia and was slightly uphill and I realized I had 2nd locked up and unless the first guy DNF'ed that was the limit. I struggled through a 7:05 and a 6:31 for 11 and 12 but then hit downhill again and got a good surge the last 1/2 mile and finished with a 5:35 may have been a little short with 32 seconds for the .1. Felt really good to go sub 1:20 didn't honestly think it was possible with my training. I feel like I paced it pretty well. Made enough cash to cover the entry, my watch I got for the race, plus a pair of shoes. Got to feed the hobby somehow :) I'm feeling really motivated to build up my milage for a fall half I think I could keep about that pace for a full if I can get to 50-60 miles a week. Easy said than done.

I drove the course after I finished to see the marathoners the newbie still had 3 min on Gilette at mile 18 haven't seen results yet hope he hung on!

He did hang on beat Gillette with a2:47 vs 2:51 the girl finished in 2:54.

Super sore super slow

Still some soreness but much better got a decent pace going to still recovery.

Calves still sore but I was moving around 7 min pace. It is super humid but getting used to it. Molly has been my morning running buddy as she is usually up by 6:30 which is keeping me more consistent. I really want to start building up my milage which means bumping up to 5 days a week and or adding to my long run. My schedule is super easy right now until the job switch I should have low stress to really get moving. Want to get after that marathon.

Longer run felt like my legs are finally under me again. Definately feeling stronger. Lots of stroller miles lately. It will be nice to get two weeks of 35 miles in a row. I will probably give it a week or two and then try for 40 in July. Hoping to run a fall marathon but need to build to 50+ miles to make it half decent. 

Got going late was almost 90 degree by time I finished in the sun with major humidity. Was a good week but feeling a little fatigued. Got to build up slowly.

Took Monday off and slept in feeling pretty good today nice run today.

Played an hour of ultimate with the scouts in 95 degree weather ran a couple miles back in forth.

Felt really sluggish at first but finally got going pretty good. 

Finally slowed a run down some. I am not good at recover or junk miles as I call them. Really lucky I've not gotten injured as I usually go too hard. Today was about purposely building up the milage. 

Long run with stroller dropped the girls off at one hour and did a small loop afterward. Hot and humid out! A good week overall finally broke 40 want to build up to 50+ for fall marathon. Legs are definately feeling it.

Evening run after missing the morning took the girls gave my wife a break which worked out well. Stoller running is the only way I will ever be allowed to get miles :) I can see my old calf muscle definition coming back and feel stronger but fatigued at the same time. No pop in the legs due to adjusting to the miles. Trying to build as fast as I can while work is easy and life stress free. Imagine it will be a lot harder starting August.

No go in the legs can't break 7 minute pace for long. Weight down to 160 with clothes on mid-day so a 5-7 lb drop from my 165 high point in the winter. I am eating like a horse again no leftovers are safe.