Getting to 80

Thanks to a big day yesterday, I didn't have to run too much today.  I needed 8 miles to get to 80 for the week.  I got up to run with BCR.  I couldn't decide what to do.  Then, I realized that I didn't like where they were running (Plainfield) and didn't want to get stuck running those miles alone.

I slept a little longer and then watched some of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  After some lunch, I headed to the Parkway in Allentown.  That is a nice place to run and it is usually very active.  The loop is about 10k long, so I'd have to add a little distance.

It was cool and breezy today.  I still went with a sleeveless shirt.  I was sweating by the end, but not too bad.  I wore my visor again today.  I could definitely take this weather all summer.  I didn't even need my sunglasses.

I started running from the LVRR Clubhouse.  I ran the loop in a counterclockwise direction.  I felt awful at the start.  Yesterday's 22 miles took their toll.  Add on to that that I lifted some weights afterward, and the legs were quite sore.  Luckily, I had no goal pace.

I didn't enjoy this run much.  The stone trail isn't a lot of fun on beat up legs.  At least the start was flat.  I went along.  The first mile seemed like forever.

This path is slightly hilly.  None of them were too bad and I was able to go over them without a lot of trouble.  I saw a cute woman as I got to the bridge by the clubhouse.  There were a few runs, walkers and bikers, but really not as many people as I expected.

At one point, I saw a deer go slowly across the trail.  That was weird because I wasn't too far behind another runner.  I guess that guy didn't scare the deer.  I never did see the deer once it went back into the woods.

The pace got slightly quicker, as usual.  I got to the steep Fish Hatchery Hill right around mile 4.  I went up that slowly.  It is never an easy hill, but I managed it on the slower pace.  I flew down the backside and nearly ran into a woman who moved to avoid a washed out section.

Since I needed more mileage, I decided to cross Fish Hatchery Road.  There is a short extension there.  I went out and back until it started to climb.  That got me an extra .4 miles.

I headed back and was running around 7:40 paced miles.  The legs still didn't feel great, but I dealt with it.  It wasn't too long until I was back to the Clubhouse.  I got back to my car at 6.6 miles.

I had 1.4 miles to go.  I needed to go out and come back.  I ran out until almost the Robin Hood Bridge.  I then turned around.  I came back slowly.  When I got back to the start, I had a short distance to go.  I ran over the bridge and kept going on the road.  I finished with mile 8.

This wasn't a great run, but it was good to be done.  I'm glad to finish a tough week.  Hopefully I can bounce back from it.  I finished the week with exactly an 8:00 pace per mile overall.

I'm planning on meeting Chris at Eddyside for a run in the morning.  I hope to put 80 more miles in the coming week.  My schedule is busy, so that will be tough.

8 miles - 1:02:03 (7:45 pace)