I didn't get up to run yesterday before the Eagles game. It was a crazy snow game and I decided not to run in the dark when I got home. I just had a zero day.
Of course I had to get back out there today. I ran 20 miles last Monday, so I figured a 15 mile long run would be good on this day. I wasn't sure where to run as it was still cold and I was afraid it would be icy. I figured that I would run around the neighborhoods by my house. At least I knew the roads would be clear. I wasn't sure about the trails.
I then saw a text from Mertz. He hadn't run yet and wanted to know when I was going to run. I didn't see his text for over an hour after he sent it, so I was worried I might be late. It turns out I wasn't. We met up at 3 PM for the run.
I was grateful to have some company for a long run. It would've been more ideal to have someone to run with at the end of the run, rather than the beginning, but I couldn't be picky. He was only doing 6 easy miles. That's like the equivalent of a moderate paced run for me.
We met up at Penn Pump Park. The plan was to run to Tatamy to get most of the run done and then come back and run a short out and back until he finished. Then, I'd run around some more on my own.
I bought some new shoes last week. I wasn't crazy about breaking them in with a long run and in wet and potentially icy conditions, but it was better than running in worn out shoes. I figured that if my legs bothered me too much, I could cut the run short.
We headed out and it was a little tough for me at the start. The temperature wasn't bad and most importantly, it wasn't windy. However, the first mile is always difficult and my eyes water in the cold. I wore tights and a lightweight long sleeve shirt. I didn't even need gloves or a headband.
I got settled in. We talked about running, work and friends. It made time fly as it always does. Not too far into the run, a young girl came out of nowhere and popped out right in front of us on the trail. She was running about the same pace as us, but I didn't want to run right behind her. I picked the pace up and we passed her.
It wasn't long until we were out to Tatamy. The paved part of the trail was just wet. Some of the trees had ice that was falling down, but that was it. However, the stone part in Tatamy was icy and so were all of the wooden bridges that run over the creek.
We turned around when the pavement ended before Tatamy. It was 2.4 miles. I was feeling good. The pace was brisk, but manageable. It was a little quicker than I would do for this distance, but that was fine. I could handle it for 6 miles and then slow down when I was on my own.
The first mile was slow, but most of the rest of the miles with Mertz were between 7:00 and a 7:15 pace. Once, it was a 6:46 mile. It didn't seem that fast, but I said I needed to slow down. I did slightly, but not too much.
We made it out to Penn Pump Park and headed back out. We only ran out to the next road crossing, since we were inside the last mile of his segment. We came back and there was some slight breeze that slowed me. The legs were doing pretty good though, especially with the new shoes.
Right at Penn Pump Park, we hit mile 6. He stopped completely and I grabbed a quick drink. That was my only stop and I didn't bother to eat anything. I headed back out toward Tatamy. I then turned around a short time later and decided instead to run out the other way.
It was only a short distance to the Crayola Factory. I slowed down, but not too much. That's the nice thing about starting fast. Your legs get in a groove and you usually keep a steady pace.
After Penn Pump, I continued all the way out to Tatamy again. I figured that I'd be over 13 miles when I came back to my car. Thanks to the fast start, I ran over 8 miles in the first hour. It was about a mile more than I usually run in an hour.
I continued to run pretty consistently under a 7:30 pace. I usually don't run faster than an 8 minute pace. My pace didn't seem to difficult to maintain though.
I was out to Tatamy in no time. I then headed back. I had talked to Flo before coming out and she said she might be running while I was still out there. I wanted more company, but I was also glad that I didn't see her. She runs fast and would've killed me at the end of a long run.
On the way back, I watched my pace and realized I was running a solid half marathon. I think I was still around a 7:21 pace overall. I got to a road crossing and it was busy, so I turned around right before mile 13. I went out to 13.1 miles. It was a 1:36:47 on the clock. Not bad considering it was a moderate pace.
By now, I was feeling good and decided I would likely run 16 miles. I headed back to Penn Pump Park. I didn't cross the road there. I turned around at mile 14.72. That final mile and a half was tough.
I slowed down gradually. The pavement and new shoes were combining to finally beat up my legs. Running to 15 miles probably would've been a good idea. My IT band started hurting right after I hit that point. I haven't had IT band problems it awhile, so that worried me a little. The faster pace of the long run might've contributed to that as well.
I went even slower in the last mile and that seemed to help the IT band. It wasn't a problem as I finished. It was good to be done at Penn Pump Park. I needed some stretching, but didn't feel too bad.
It was great to have the company and it even made the miles I ran alone much easier. Even after slowing down on my own, the overall pace was a 7:28. I love my new New Balance shoes. They are so lightweight. I hope they continue to work well for me. I also hope I don't have to run on pavement too much, but with crappy weather, I won't have much choice.
Tomorrow, I'd like to do almost the same mileage, but split it up into 2 runs. I'd love 5 miles in the morning and 10 in the afternoon or evening. It is supposed to snow in the morning. I hope I can time it right to run in that. I love snow runs, as long as there isn't too much on the ground. The later run with an accumulation might actually be tougher to do. Time will tell.
16 miles - 1:59:23 (7:28 pace)
Monday, December 9, 2013
Saturday, December 7, 2013
A Christmas Story 5k
My friend Tom setup a 5k/10k some time ago. There is a race in Cleveland called A Christmas Story 5k (based on the movie). The race we did it at Riverview Park was done simultaneously. There were shirts and medals that you could get if you signed up. I didn't do that though, so I just ran unofficially.
I was originally planning on just taking photos, but I was curious to see if I could run under 20 minutes. Therefore, I elected to race. I knew it would be tough to post a great time without much competition. Mertz was running easy and doing the 10k and Flo wasn't running at all. I don't have too many other friends that can run with me right now.
The weather was kind of crappy overnight. I was worried that after some rain, the pavement might have some icy spots. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. There were no problems. It was about 33 degrees, but at least there was no wind. That was a huge plus. I wore a ColdGear top, tights and gloves. I probably should've just sucked it up and worn shorts.
Much I as I suspected, I was about the only jackass that was doing a true warmup. I did some striders and got the legs going fast. After a big week, I took off yesterday and it seemed to help. The legs felt fresh during the warmup. Most other people weren't taking this as seriously, so they were having fun and chatting before the race.
I took off ahead of everyone. It was weird actually being ahead of Mertz for a change. I've never led a race, so I didn't quite know how to run in the beginning. I figured no one was too far behind me, but I wasn't completely sure.
Not surprisingly, I went out too fast. At one point, I looked down and the pace was a 5:37. I gradually slowed. Still, the first mile was a speedy 6:10. Definitely a little faster than I would've liked. It didn't seem too hard though.
I gradually slowed down. This is a relatively flat and fast course, but I knew I wasn't quite a sharp as I wanted to be. I didn't feel terrible, but I wasn't exactly great either. I tried to be steady until the turnaround point.
That came at 1.55 miles. Tom put a pink ribbon on a tree. Turning around was good to see how far ahead of everyone that I was and also it was just good to see everyone in general. I thought that would be a big boost and that I might run faster, but that didn't happened. I was already working hard as it was.
Mile 2 was significantly slower than the first mile. It was only a 6:44. That was a little disappointing, but I wasn't quite giving my all. I wasn't willing to push myself into a pain zone to run fast. I'd estimate that I was running about 85-90%. The good thing is that when compared to my last 5k, my breathing was better. My pace was slightly faster too.
I continued on, going by everyone that was running the other direction. Eventually, I was back on my own though. The pace was around a 6:33. I figured that I would push a little toward the end.
You can see the finish line from quite far. That was a help. I also saw Flo and her kids cheering me on as I came in. That was a good boost too. I finished up with a time of 19:50. That was great, except that my watch said 3.05 miles. I'm not sure why, but it is kind of tough to say I ran under 20 minutes, when the watch said I was short and it was close. I did run a little faster than a month ago. I was actually hoping I could be even faster. It was fine though and I'll take it.
The most fun was going back to Tom's house to hangout, watch the movie and eat. I'm not a social person, but these are great people and I had a lot of fun with them, as I always do. That made it worth coming out for.
Tomorrow, I need a short run. I'm hoping for at least 5 miles, but I'd actually like to run 7. The problem is that it will snow after the Eagles game. Therefore, I either have to get up and get the run done, or suffer through some tough weather. I guess time will tell.
3.05 miles - 19:50 (6:30 pace)
I was originally planning on just taking photos, but I was curious to see if I could run under 20 minutes. Therefore, I elected to race. I knew it would be tough to post a great time without much competition. Mertz was running easy and doing the 10k and Flo wasn't running at all. I don't have too many other friends that can run with me right now.The weather was kind of crappy overnight. I was worried that after some rain, the pavement might have some icy spots. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. There were no problems. It was about 33 degrees, but at least there was no wind. That was a huge plus. I wore a ColdGear top, tights and gloves. I probably should've just sucked it up and worn shorts.
Much I as I suspected, I was about the only jackass that was doing a true warmup. I did some striders and got the legs going fast. After a big week, I took off yesterday and it seemed to help. The legs felt fresh during the warmup. Most other people weren't taking this as seriously, so they were having fun and chatting before the race.
I took off ahead of everyone. It was weird actually being ahead of Mertz for a change. I've never led a race, so I didn't quite know how to run in the beginning. I figured no one was too far behind me, but I wasn't completely sure.
Not surprisingly, I went out too fast. At one point, I looked down and the pace was a 5:37. I gradually slowed. Still, the first mile was a speedy 6:10. Definitely a little faster than I would've liked. It didn't seem too hard though.
I gradually slowed down. This is a relatively flat and fast course, but I knew I wasn't quite a sharp as I wanted to be. I didn't feel terrible, but I wasn't exactly great either. I tried to be steady until the turnaround point.
That came at 1.55 miles. Tom put a pink ribbon on a tree. Turning around was good to see how far ahead of everyone that I was and also it was just good to see everyone in general. I thought that would be a big boost and that I might run faster, but that didn't happened. I was already working hard as it was.
Mile 2 was significantly slower than the first mile. It was only a 6:44. That was a little disappointing, but I wasn't quite giving my all. I wasn't willing to push myself into a pain zone to run fast. I'd estimate that I was running about 85-90%. The good thing is that when compared to my last 5k, my breathing was better. My pace was slightly faster too.
I continued on, going by everyone that was running the other direction. Eventually, I was back on my own though. The pace was around a 6:33. I figured that I would push a little toward the end.
You can see the finish line from quite far. That was a help. I also saw Flo and her kids cheering me on as I came in. That was a good boost too. I finished up with a time of 19:50. That was great, except that my watch said 3.05 miles. I'm not sure why, but it is kind of tough to say I ran under 20 minutes, when the watch said I was short and it was close. I did run a little faster than a month ago. I was actually hoping I could be even faster. It was fine though and I'll take it.
The most fun was going back to Tom's house to hangout, watch the movie and eat. I'm not a social person, but these are great people and I had a lot of fun with them, as I always do. That made it worth coming out for.
Tomorrow, I need a short run. I'm hoping for at least 5 miles, but I'd actually like to run 7. The problem is that it will snow after the Eagles game. Therefore, I either have to get up and get the run done, or suffer through some tough weather. I guess time will tell.
3.05 miles - 19:50 (6:30 pace)
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Lehigh Gap Recon and Foggy Night Run
I set up a crazy group run at Lehigh Gap next weekend. It is going to involve a lot of climbing. While I had an idea of the routes I wanted to run, I needed to check it out. I haven't exactly run all the parts of it yet. I also haven't been there in awhile.
It was nice and warm. I wore a lightweight long sleeve shirt. It was orange, in case I ran into any hunting areas. I also had on shorts. The big downside to today was that it was foggy, so there were no spectacular views of the mountains.
I started off on the flat D&L for a mile. I'm going to have multiple options, with the easiest being to just run on the D&L. The second option will be a short climb up to the LNE Trail. This short climb was a little difficult. I was breathing hard, even after the mile to warmup. A guy that had passed me on a bike earlier was now walking it up the hill. I didn't see many people out on this dreary day.
I climbed and climbed and climbed some more. Last year, I ran this part with Kelley, but it was just too hot that day to do much. I think I probably got about half a mile up the mountain today, before I began to hike. I hiked and ran off and on. Some of the hiking was due to the trail being very rocky and other times it was because I was gassed. I haven't done much climbing lately.
There were a lot of runnable sections of this climb. I didn't always have the energy for them. At one point, I thought I was finally to the top as the trail dipped back down. However, it went right back up again. I was frustrated and couldn't believe how hard the climb was. It will definitely test some limits next week.
Finally, I was at the top. However, I didn't quite know where to go since I didn't have a map. That's why I was glad I was doing this recon though. I don't want to encounter these problems next week. I went down for a short bit, but it was super rocky and I thought the trail ended anyway. It turns out I was correct. There is a nice view there, but it wasn't visible on this foggy day. I had hiked this area before, but that was over 2 years ago.
I then headed the correct direction. It was a short climb again. Finally, I was headed downhill at about mile 2.5. At first, the trail was smooth and fast. As I got near the AT, it became much more rocky. It was starting to rain quite a bit too.
The very rocky section was difficult. I came upon two hikers. At first, I went the other way, but then turned around and passed them. I had to be very cautious going downhill on the wet rocks. I slipped a couple times, but luckily didn't fall. I may have to consider cancelling the run if the conditions are like this next week. I'm sure we would have multiple slips and falls.
Eventually I came out to the AT. Instead of following it to the parking lot, I took it farther. I thought I knew where it came out and I was correct. I wanted to head over to the other side of the mountain for a little. It was getting late, so I didn't plan on running too much over there, but I had to scope some of it out.
I crossed the river over the bridge and ran across the road. I was then onto the Winter Trail. This is nice and flat for awhile. It then climbs like crazy. I forgot that one section is very wet. My feet got soaked as it was impossible to avoid the water. That was fun. I haven't been on trails in awhile, so really the whole run was relaxing and enjoyable. The climbing was tough on my feet and legs, but I managed.
When the Winter Trail started climbing, I headed up. I went until I hit a tree line and then turned around. This isn't the best place for anyone that is afraid of heights, but it isn't as dangerous as I thought. This section is definitely runnable. I briefly ran up the AT in this area too. I'll have to run this whole section next week though, to make sure it is good.
I came back down and headed back to the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. I figured that I would get back there around 6.5 miles. I wanted 8 miles for this run. I ran a short out and back toward Slatington. I don't like this section much, so I was glad it was only a short segment.
I began having some chafing issues again thanks to the rain. Since it was nice out, I just decided to take my shirt off for the final mile. I considered going over 8 miles, but changed my mind and decided that that was enough.
I want to take off on Friday, so I decided to do a double session today. I watched some of the Sound of Music on TV and then headed out for a late night run. I would've preferred a softer surface, but with all the rain today, I knew those would be muddy. I opted instead for the pavement at Mill Race Park.
I think it was even warmer than earlier. I went with short sleeves this time. It wasn't raining, but again it was very foggy and damp. With the headlamp on, a lot of the moisture in the air was very recognizable. It reminded me of the summer night that I ran at Trexler. Of course, it was 30 degrees hotter that day.
The water droplets were annoying and combined with the fog, it was next to impossible to see anything. The visibility was low. Only when I ran by street lights could I see much of anything.
I started off heading toward Tatamy. I stopped when the pavement section ended. When I got back to the start at Mill Race Park it was about a mile into the run. The first few miles seemed to take awhile.
Since I couldn't see anything, I just focused on each upcoming road crossing. That made the miles go a little quicker because none of them are too far apart. I wasn't sure how far out I'd be able to go. It ended up being 2.75 miles more to Hackett's Park. That was 3.75 miles total at that point. I was happy to be almost halfway done with the run.
I happened to turn the side of a cutout just before turning around at the Crayola Factory and I saw a deer right there, just a few feet away and staring at me. That was cool. Later on, I saw a couple others nearby in some grass. I don't know if either was the one I saw earlier.
The remainder of the run was boring and uneventful. I focused on the upcoming mile and/or next road crossing. By mile 5, I was starting to get sore. The big week had been taking its toll. I just plugged along though. I knew at mile 6, I would cross the 100 mile mark in the facebook challenge group that I joined.
I got to mile 6 before Mill Race Park. When I got to the park, it was about mile 6.4. I went back out toward Tatamy. I decided to continue past the pavement and onto the stone part of the trail. I needed more mileage anyway. I continued on again until I was back onto pavement. I then turned around at mile 7.17.
I ran back to Mill Race Park. I couldn't see well at all through the dark section before the park. I'm glad there were no animals or people near there. I finished up with 8 miles right around Mill Race Park. I was fairly sore, so I stretched a bit.
It was a tough day and a very difficult 5 days. I've put 67 miles in over that time. I'm not sure I've ever run that many miles in an entire week, let alone 5 days. I want to finally rest tomorrow and then I'll hit the 70 mile mark for the week at the 5k on Saturday. I'm hoping to break 20 minutes then.
I certainly need the rest tomorrow and will have to get busy on the foam roller. I pushed myself right at my limit. Now, I'll only be running about 8 miles over the weekend. I'm hoping that will allow me to recover. If I can, I want to run 70 miles again next week. I don't want to run much more than that during marathon training, but I want to be consistent from week to week. It is important that I recover well after big mileage weeks.
Afternoon Run 8 miles - 1:30:50 (11:21 pace)
Night Run 8 miles - 1:08:37 (8:35 pace)
It was nice and warm. I wore a lightweight long sleeve shirt. It was orange, in case I ran into any hunting areas. I also had on shorts. The big downside to today was that it was foggy, so there were no spectacular views of the mountains.
I started off on the flat D&L for a mile. I'm going to have multiple options, with the easiest being to just run on the D&L. The second option will be a short climb up to the LNE Trail. This short climb was a little difficult. I was breathing hard, even after the mile to warmup. A guy that had passed me on a bike earlier was now walking it up the hill. I didn't see many people out on this dreary day.
I climbed and climbed and climbed some more. Last year, I ran this part with Kelley, but it was just too hot that day to do much. I think I probably got about half a mile up the mountain today, before I began to hike. I hiked and ran off and on. Some of the hiking was due to the trail being very rocky and other times it was because I was gassed. I haven't done much climbing lately.
There were a lot of runnable sections of this climb. I didn't always have the energy for them. At one point, I thought I was finally to the top as the trail dipped back down. However, it went right back up again. I was frustrated and couldn't believe how hard the climb was. It will definitely test some limits next week.
Finally, I was at the top. However, I didn't quite know where to go since I didn't have a map. That's why I was glad I was doing this recon though. I don't want to encounter these problems next week. I went down for a short bit, but it was super rocky and I thought the trail ended anyway. It turns out I was correct. There is a nice view there, but it wasn't visible on this foggy day. I had hiked this area before, but that was over 2 years ago.
I then headed the correct direction. It was a short climb again. Finally, I was headed downhill at about mile 2.5. At first, the trail was smooth and fast. As I got near the AT, it became much more rocky. It was starting to rain quite a bit too.
The very rocky section was difficult. I came upon two hikers. At first, I went the other way, but then turned around and passed them. I had to be very cautious going downhill on the wet rocks. I slipped a couple times, but luckily didn't fall. I may have to consider cancelling the run if the conditions are like this next week. I'm sure we would have multiple slips and falls.
Eventually I came out to the AT. Instead of following it to the parking lot, I took it farther. I thought I knew where it came out and I was correct. I wanted to head over to the other side of the mountain for a little. It was getting late, so I didn't plan on running too much over there, but I had to scope some of it out.
I crossed the river over the bridge and ran across the road. I was then onto the Winter Trail. This is nice and flat for awhile. It then climbs like crazy. I forgot that one section is very wet. My feet got soaked as it was impossible to avoid the water. That was fun. I haven't been on trails in awhile, so really the whole run was relaxing and enjoyable. The climbing was tough on my feet and legs, but I managed.
When the Winter Trail started climbing, I headed up. I went until I hit a tree line and then turned around. This isn't the best place for anyone that is afraid of heights, but it isn't as dangerous as I thought. This section is definitely runnable. I briefly ran up the AT in this area too. I'll have to run this whole section next week though, to make sure it is good.
I came back down and headed back to the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. I figured that I would get back there around 6.5 miles. I wanted 8 miles for this run. I ran a short out and back toward Slatington. I don't like this section much, so I was glad it was only a short segment.
I began having some chafing issues again thanks to the rain. Since it was nice out, I just decided to take my shirt off for the final mile. I considered going over 8 miles, but changed my mind and decided that that was enough.
I want to take off on Friday, so I decided to do a double session today. I watched some of the Sound of Music on TV and then headed out for a late night run. I would've preferred a softer surface, but with all the rain today, I knew those would be muddy. I opted instead for the pavement at Mill Race Park.
I think it was even warmer than earlier. I went with short sleeves this time. It wasn't raining, but again it was very foggy and damp. With the headlamp on, a lot of the moisture in the air was very recognizable. It reminded me of the summer night that I ran at Trexler. Of course, it was 30 degrees hotter that day.
The water droplets were annoying and combined with the fog, it was next to impossible to see anything. The visibility was low. Only when I ran by street lights could I see much of anything.
I started off heading toward Tatamy. I stopped when the pavement section ended. When I got back to the start at Mill Race Park it was about a mile into the run. The first few miles seemed to take awhile.
Since I couldn't see anything, I just focused on each upcoming road crossing. That made the miles go a little quicker because none of them are too far apart. I wasn't sure how far out I'd be able to go. It ended up being 2.75 miles more to Hackett's Park. That was 3.75 miles total at that point. I was happy to be almost halfway done with the run.
I happened to turn the side of a cutout just before turning around at the Crayola Factory and I saw a deer right there, just a few feet away and staring at me. That was cool. Later on, I saw a couple others nearby in some grass. I don't know if either was the one I saw earlier.
The remainder of the run was boring and uneventful. I focused on the upcoming mile and/or next road crossing. By mile 5, I was starting to get sore. The big week had been taking its toll. I just plugged along though. I knew at mile 6, I would cross the 100 mile mark in the facebook challenge group that I joined.
I got to mile 6 before Mill Race Park. When I got to the park, it was about mile 6.4. I went back out toward Tatamy. I decided to continue past the pavement and onto the stone part of the trail. I needed more mileage anyway. I continued on again until I was back onto pavement. I then turned around at mile 7.17.
I ran back to Mill Race Park. I couldn't see well at all through the dark section before the park. I'm glad there were no animals or people near there. I finished up with 8 miles right around Mill Race Park. I was fairly sore, so I stretched a bit.
It was a tough day and a very difficult 5 days. I've put 67 miles in over that time. I'm not sure I've ever run that many miles in an entire week, let alone 5 days. I want to finally rest tomorrow and then I'll hit the 70 mile mark for the week at the 5k on Saturday. I'm hoping to break 20 minutes then.
I certainly need the rest tomorrow and will have to get busy on the foam roller. I pushed myself right at my limit. Now, I'll only be running about 8 miles over the weekend. I'm hoping that will allow me to recover. If I can, I want to run 70 miles again next week. I don't want to run much more than that during marathon training, but I want to be consistent from week to week. It is important that I recover well after big mileage weeks.
Afternoon Run 8 miles - 1:30:50 (11:21 pace)
Night Run 8 miles - 1:08:37 (8:35 pace)
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Fartlek Improv
I've run a lot of miles early in the week. Today, was my planned speedwork session. I want to run 10 X 800 meter repeats and see where I'm at. The mileage and trail conditions took their toll though, so I had to change it up.
The weather was nice. I needed only shorts and a short sleeve shirt again. I could take this weather for awhile longer. The plan was the usual run on the Nor-Bath Trail starting at Savage Road.
I walked a bit at the start to get past a section of trail that is sloppy. I still can't believe how bad it is after a week since the last rainfall. I started running the warmup mile once the conditions improved. I could tell in the beginning that it would be a tough run. My legs weren't too bad, but there was definitely some soreness and they weren't crisp.
There was another bad section shortly after I started. It is surrounded by rock walls, so I guess it gets no sunlight. To avoid this section in the fast segment, I ran out farther than I planned and then turned around.
I took off on the first fast segment. For some time, I was around a 6:05 pace. However, I was breathing way too hard too soon and it was taking a lot of work in the sloppy conditions. Some times I ran around the muck. Other times, I went through it and slid around. It was really a mess by one of the bridges. My pace dropped and I finished this first repeat at 3:08.
That one was solid, but I would've liked to have been a little faster. I crossed Weaversville Road on the recovery segment. That was good. I started the second repeat and it was quite challenging. The legs just didn't have much today. I decided rather early in this one that it would be wiser to slow down and change the run up. I've got a lot of time in the future for quality runs. There was no point in trying to overdo it, especially in the crappy conditions.
I cruised around for awhile. I decided to make this a fartlek. That way I could just run hard whenever I felt like it. If I was feeling good, I'd push it. I ran hard a couple times on the way out. One time, I saw a guy up ahead in the other direction and went into almost all out sprint mode until I got to him.
Crossing Airport Road was a pain in the butt both times. I picked it up before a lot of the road crossings and afterward sometimes. I ran over Jacksonville Road for awhile and decided to turn around at after mile 4.
I ran hard here and there, but the legs didn't have much. It was good to break up the run a little bit though. It didn't get boring. Still, I got to mile 5 on dead legs and wondered how I'd do 5 more. I thought about how I toughed it out during the 50k and finished, so this would be a walk in the park by comparison.
After mile 5 came my biggest issue of the run. My nipple was starting to chafe thanks to the heaviness of the lettering on my shirt. I wasn't sure what to do, so I actually ran holding my shirt out away from my body to prevent it from rubbing. I probably looked ridiculous, but thankfully not too many people were on the trail. I considered taking my shirt off, but figured it would be too cold.
I just focused on each upcoming mile. Getting through 6 and 7 was big. Around Bicentennial Park, I ran moderately for about a mile. That felt good. I crossed Weaversville Road again, but had to wait a little bit.
I ran back toward Savage Road and through my favorite section. This part was the most sloppy. I need to take note of that for future winter runs. It was great to finally get back to my car at mile 8.25.
I changed into an extra winter shirt that I had. The chafing problem was now a thing of the past. I crossed Savage Road and decided I'd run in the neighborhood a bit to finish up. That had a little uphill, but wasn't too difficult. I then got back on the path and ran a short out and back. I thought about running to the end of the trail and running 12 miles instead of 10. In the end, I decided not to. That was the better choice.
I finished up near my car and was glad to be done. It wasn't what I was hoping, but you have to take everything in stride. Not every day is going to be a good, productive run. I've been asking a lot out of myself this week. I'm already over 50 miles and have about 20 to go now. I need to back off a little so that I can run a solid 5k on Saturday morning.
Tomorrow, I'm hoping to get to the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. I have a group run planned there next Sunday and I need to figure out the exact route(s) and mileage of the run. I need to see what we can and can't do. I'm thinking it will be about 13 miles or so. It is some tough terrain, so that will be interesting after the big start to the week.
10 miles - 1:19:13 (7:55 pace)
The weather was nice. I needed only shorts and a short sleeve shirt again. I could take this weather for awhile longer. The plan was the usual run on the Nor-Bath Trail starting at Savage Road.
I walked a bit at the start to get past a section of trail that is sloppy. I still can't believe how bad it is after a week since the last rainfall. I started running the warmup mile once the conditions improved. I could tell in the beginning that it would be a tough run. My legs weren't too bad, but there was definitely some soreness and they weren't crisp.
There was another bad section shortly after I started. It is surrounded by rock walls, so I guess it gets no sunlight. To avoid this section in the fast segment, I ran out farther than I planned and then turned around.
I took off on the first fast segment. For some time, I was around a 6:05 pace. However, I was breathing way too hard too soon and it was taking a lot of work in the sloppy conditions. Some times I ran around the muck. Other times, I went through it and slid around. It was really a mess by one of the bridges. My pace dropped and I finished this first repeat at 3:08.
That one was solid, but I would've liked to have been a little faster. I crossed Weaversville Road on the recovery segment. That was good. I started the second repeat and it was quite challenging. The legs just didn't have much today. I decided rather early in this one that it would be wiser to slow down and change the run up. I've got a lot of time in the future for quality runs. There was no point in trying to overdo it, especially in the crappy conditions.
I cruised around for awhile. I decided to make this a fartlek. That way I could just run hard whenever I felt like it. If I was feeling good, I'd push it. I ran hard a couple times on the way out. One time, I saw a guy up ahead in the other direction and went into almost all out sprint mode until I got to him.
Crossing Airport Road was a pain in the butt both times. I picked it up before a lot of the road crossings and afterward sometimes. I ran over Jacksonville Road for awhile and decided to turn around at after mile 4.
I ran hard here and there, but the legs didn't have much. It was good to break up the run a little bit though. It didn't get boring. Still, I got to mile 5 on dead legs and wondered how I'd do 5 more. I thought about how I toughed it out during the 50k and finished, so this would be a walk in the park by comparison.
After mile 5 came my biggest issue of the run. My nipple was starting to chafe thanks to the heaviness of the lettering on my shirt. I wasn't sure what to do, so I actually ran holding my shirt out away from my body to prevent it from rubbing. I probably looked ridiculous, but thankfully not too many people were on the trail. I considered taking my shirt off, but figured it would be too cold.
I just focused on each upcoming mile. Getting through 6 and 7 was big. Around Bicentennial Park, I ran moderately for about a mile. That felt good. I crossed Weaversville Road again, but had to wait a little bit.
I ran back toward Savage Road and through my favorite section. This part was the most sloppy. I need to take note of that for future winter runs. It was great to finally get back to my car at mile 8.25.
I changed into an extra winter shirt that I had. The chafing problem was now a thing of the past. I crossed Savage Road and decided I'd run in the neighborhood a bit to finish up. That had a little uphill, but wasn't too difficult. I then got back on the path and ran a short out and back. I thought about running to the end of the trail and running 12 miles instead of 10. In the end, I decided not to. That was the better choice.
I finished up near my car and was glad to be done. It wasn't what I was hoping, but you have to take everything in stride. Not every day is going to be a good, productive run. I've been asking a lot out of myself this week. I'm already over 50 miles and have about 20 to go now. I need to back off a little so that I can run a solid 5k on Saturday morning.
Tomorrow, I'm hoping to get to the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. I have a group run planned there next Sunday and I need to figure out the exact route(s) and mileage of the run. I need to see what we can and can't do. I'm thinking it will be about 13 miles or so. It is some tough terrain, so that will be interesting after the big start to the week.
10 miles - 1:19:13 (7:55 pace)
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Continuing a Big Week with Another Double
Yesterday, I felt great during my 20 mile long run and more importantly, I recovered very well too. That allowed me to do what I wanted to do today. That was run a double session. It was supposed to be 5 miles in the AM and 10 more in the afternoon. Instead it was 10 in the afternoon and 5 more after dark.
All the miles were easy, so that was a big key. This afternoon was beautiful. The temperature was in the 50s. I'll take that any day. I went with shorts and a short sleeve shirt for the afternoon run.
I wanted to run somewhere different, so I opted for the D&L Trail at Sand Island. I don't run there very often. I should go there more frequently because it is mostly a dirt path west of Sand Island. It used to be the same to the east, but they just redid the Freemansburg section.
I started off heading west. There was a breeze along the river. It was a little chillier than I anticipated. It wasn't bad once I warmed up though. I almost stepped on a dead pigeon early on. That was an awkward moment.
This path isn't busy, but there were a few people out. I saw a guy in the beginning and passed him again an hour later. I couldn't help but notice there were a lot of lovely young ladies running. I guess most were either Lehigh or Moravian students.
I cruised along and was running with about my usual effort and pace. I enjoyed the path, although it was sloppy at times. This section isn't the most beautiful. It runs right along some train tracks on the other side of the canal. I did see a couple ducks crawling on some ice in the canal. That was neat.
The most annoying thing is that there is a busy train yard where the cars crash into each other. That ended a peaceful run. My peace was also ruined by a nearby island full of crows. They were so noisy.
I kept going out and out. I figured the farther that I could make it, the better. My legs were slightly sore after the big day yesterday, but overall not too bad.
I got to the canal park in Allentown and ran a loop in the parking lot before turning around. That put me at mile 4.5 and meant that I'd get back to Sand Island around mile 9. On the way back, I ran into an interesting older couple that was sort of running and almost looked like they were dancing. It looked funny, but I was glad to see they were out there. A homeless guy was nice enough to say "hi" too.
The legs got a bit sore and I slowed slightly on the way back. I managed to keep going with little problems though. A train drove by and scared the crap out of me with its horn. It had some tankers and I was glad it was going slow. I wasn't sure what kind of chemicals were in there, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been good if it derailed.
I got back to Sand Island at mile 9. I ran out the other direction. I came across quite a few more cute women in this direction. I was actually going to turn around at 9.6 miles, but then I saw one of them up ahead, so I kept going until I passed her. I waited and turned around.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about a lot of these women was how fast they were moving. Some might've been faster than me or at least close to it. This last one had on a St. Luke's Half Marathon shirt. I figured that if I would catch up to her, I'd tell her that I took photos for that race. A brief conversation would've been nice and so unlike me. However, I never came close to her and thus missed my chance.
I stopped at mile 10 and had a walk back to the car. It was a nice and easy, solid 10 miler. I made sure to stretch afterward. I probably don't do that enough. I should get on the foam roller tonight and more often as well.
After dinner and some rest, I headed to the Nor-Bath Trail for 5 more easy miles. I started on the east end at Jacksonville Road. The plan was 2.5 miles in each direction. Since the legs ran earlier, I started off nice and slow. This was actually probably a perfect pace for a second run of the day. The first mile was just under 10 minutes.
I got a little faster, but not much. I had wait at Airport Road both times, but it wasn't too long. I got out to about 1.6 miles and I heard something howling across the field. It was likely a dog, but it could've been a coyote. I wasn't going to take a chance, so I turned around. It kept howling for some time after that. It was never close though.
All of this trail is fairly remote, so no matter where I was it could be slightly dangerous. I wasn't too worried. I headed back and when I got to the end of the trail it was around 3.2 miles.
After that, I headed the other way to the very east end of the trail. This provides about another mile of running. It was easy and fun. The legs were again a little sore, but not bad. I had on a jacket this time, but might not have even needed it.
I got back to Jacksonville Road around 4.25 miles. I decided to go back out in the original direction. I went almost the whole way to Airport Road. Since my overall pace was just over 9 minutes, I decided to push slightly in the last half mile or so. I turned around at 4.8 miles and finished up at 5 miles. I then walked back to the car.
It was another productive day. That's 15 more miles after 20 yesterday. It's only 3 days into the week and I already have 40 miles. Only 30 more miles to go to hit 70 miles. The legs are developing some soreness, so I do have to be cautious and listen to my body.
Tomorrow, I plan on 800 repeats. I'd love to run 10 of them, but I'll let my body decide what it can handle. If it is only 7 or 8, so be it. I should be at the Nor-Bath Trail again.
Afternoon Run
10 miles - 1:22:17 (8:14 pace)
Night Run
5 miles - 44:51 (8:58 pace)
All the miles were easy, so that was a big key. This afternoon was beautiful. The temperature was in the 50s. I'll take that any day. I went with shorts and a short sleeve shirt for the afternoon run.
I wanted to run somewhere different, so I opted for the D&L Trail at Sand Island. I don't run there very often. I should go there more frequently because it is mostly a dirt path west of Sand Island. It used to be the same to the east, but they just redid the Freemansburg section.
I started off heading west. There was a breeze along the river. It was a little chillier than I anticipated. It wasn't bad once I warmed up though. I almost stepped on a dead pigeon early on. That was an awkward moment.
This path isn't busy, but there were a few people out. I saw a guy in the beginning and passed him again an hour later. I couldn't help but notice there were a lot of lovely young ladies running. I guess most were either Lehigh or Moravian students.
I cruised along and was running with about my usual effort and pace. I enjoyed the path, although it was sloppy at times. This section isn't the most beautiful. It runs right along some train tracks on the other side of the canal. I did see a couple ducks crawling on some ice in the canal. That was neat.
The most annoying thing is that there is a busy train yard where the cars crash into each other. That ended a peaceful run. My peace was also ruined by a nearby island full of crows. They were so noisy.
I kept going out and out. I figured the farther that I could make it, the better. My legs were slightly sore after the big day yesterday, but overall not too bad.
I got to the canal park in Allentown and ran a loop in the parking lot before turning around. That put me at mile 4.5 and meant that I'd get back to Sand Island around mile 9. On the way back, I ran into an interesting older couple that was sort of running and almost looked like they were dancing. It looked funny, but I was glad to see they were out there. A homeless guy was nice enough to say "hi" too.
The legs got a bit sore and I slowed slightly on the way back. I managed to keep going with little problems though. A train drove by and scared the crap out of me with its horn. It had some tankers and I was glad it was going slow. I wasn't sure what kind of chemicals were in there, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been good if it derailed.
I got back to Sand Island at mile 9. I ran out the other direction. I came across quite a few more cute women in this direction. I was actually going to turn around at 9.6 miles, but then I saw one of them up ahead, so I kept going until I passed her. I waited and turned around.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about a lot of these women was how fast they were moving. Some might've been faster than me or at least close to it. This last one had on a St. Luke's Half Marathon shirt. I figured that if I would catch up to her, I'd tell her that I took photos for that race. A brief conversation would've been nice and so unlike me. However, I never came close to her and thus missed my chance.
I stopped at mile 10 and had a walk back to the car. It was a nice and easy, solid 10 miler. I made sure to stretch afterward. I probably don't do that enough. I should get on the foam roller tonight and more often as well.
After dinner and some rest, I headed to the Nor-Bath Trail for 5 more easy miles. I started on the east end at Jacksonville Road. The plan was 2.5 miles in each direction. Since the legs ran earlier, I started off nice and slow. This was actually probably a perfect pace for a second run of the day. The first mile was just under 10 minutes.
I got a little faster, but not much. I had wait at Airport Road both times, but it wasn't too long. I got out to about 1.6 miles and I heard something howling across the field. It was likely a dog, but it could've been a coyote. I wasn't going to take a chance, so I turned around. It kept howling for some time after that. It was never close though.
All of this trail is fairly remote, so no matter where I was it could be slightly dangerous. I wasn't too worried. I headed back and when I got to the end of the trail it was around 3.2 miles.
After that, I headed the other way to the very east end of the trail. This provides about another mile of running. It was easy and fun. The legs were again a little sore, but not bad. I had on a jacket this time, but might not have even needed it.
I got back to Jacksonville Road around 4.25 miles. I decided to go back out in the original direction. I went almost the whole way to Airport Road. Since my overall pace was just over 9 minutes, I decided to push slightly in the last half mile or so. I turned around at 4.8 miles and finished up at 5 miles. I then walked back to the car.
It was another productive day. That's 15 more miles after 20 yesterday. It's only 3 days into the week and I already have 40 miles. Only 30 more miles to go to hit 70 miles. The legs are developing some soreness, so I do have to be cautious and listen to my body.
Tomorrow, I plan on 800 repeats. I'd love to run 10 of them, but I'll let my body decide what it can handle. If it is only 7 or 8, so be it. I should be at the Nor-Bath Trail again.
Afternoon Run
10 miles - 1:22:17 (8:14 pace)
Night Run
5 miles - 44:51 (8:58 pace)
Monday, December 2, 2013
Outstanding 20 Miler
I didn't know what to expect today. I set the goal to run a 20 miler. I haven't done that in awhile. I thought about running on trails, but then I saw that it was the first day of hunting season. I figured it was best to avoid those areas. I'm kind of getting tired of the Nor-Bath Trail and it was so sloppy a couple days ago. I figured it wouldn't get any better.
It has been some time since I ran the D&L section between Cementon and Slatington. One of the last times I ran there, it was a struggle. I think it was right after either the VIA Marathon or the Blues Cruise 50k. My calf started to hurt me then and I struggled immensely to finish 15 miles. I figured my legs probably don't like this surface, but I had to give it a try since I do like running here.
The weather was perfect. There was a slight breeze off the Lehigh River, but that was all. It was 42 degrees and occasionally the sun came out. I wore a lightweight orange long sleeve shirt and shorts. That was all I needed. I stuck with the orange just to be safe, since I think people might be able to hunt near the trail. I did see one hunter, but surprisingly I never heard a single gunshot.
I actually started off at Cove Road. I headed north. The trail was certainly sloppy. It is amazing how long it stays wet this time of year. With the stone surface, it wasn't quite as bad as Nor-Bath, but some sections were close.
The first mile felt good. In a lot of the early miles, I wasn't going hard, but I kept reminding myself to slow down anyway. I figured I could never go too slow. I ran on the opposite side of the trail because conditions seemed better over there.
It's amazing how much I've become like clockwork. My first mile of easy, longer runs is almost always an 8:52. After the warmup, the miles usually drop to just over an 8 minute pace. I'm consistent, that is for sure.
I cruised along and enjoyed the scenery. There are rock cliffs along the trail and they are cool in the winter. Ice crystals form on them and make a neat sight. A few of them fell down as I ran by. Luckily, they aren't too close to the trail.
I passed a lady walking her dog and saw a few other dog walkers as well as some bike riders today. A Monday afternoon in December doesn't draw much of a crowd though. I had most of the trail to myself to just think. I did that a lot in the beginning, until I got bored with the subjects that were concerning me.
I was happy to be feeling good as I hit miles 2, 3 and 4. I figured that the trail was softer that normal and that was a big help. I also flew at times, so those must've been some slight downhill sections.
I neared the Slatington Trailhead at around mile 5. I wanted to get some more distance, since I was feeling good. Therefore, I headed out on the Slate Heritage Trail. I didn't want to get too far on this trail though, because it is paved. I need to be cautious with my legs.
That trail begins with some slight uphill running. I went out about a mile and headed back, just after mile 6. I cruised back down along this trail and came to mile 7 just after getting off this trail and back onto the D&L.
My legs had been getting kind of sore on the Slate Heritage Trail, but they felt great almost instantaneously when I stepped back onto the D&L. It was hard to believe I was only at mile 7 of 20 at this point. I just had to focus on the small segments of the run and not the big picture.
From about miles 8-10, my legs were bothering me. It was starting to become a struggle. I guess that is because I was running uphill at this point. Running seemed so much harder and I was so frustrated. Every time that I felt like I was working too hard to go uphill, I told myself to back off. I had a long way to go. I began wondering how I'd run 15 miles, let alone 20 of them.
I had to just keep going and hope that I could regroup back at the car. When I would arrive there, it would be mile 12. I continued on and although my times didn't drop too much, I didn't feel good.
Right before getting back to my car, I went to the bathroom. Stopping briefly was a shock. I felt quite warm and was a little lightheaded. I got back to the car at just past mile 12. I stopped my watch while I rested.
I toweled off and stretch briefly. I was sore, but could've been in worse shape. I badly needed calories, so I ate an old GU. The only thing I had eaten for lunch were a couple pretzels. The rest was probably about 5 minutes.
I headed back out in the other direction this time, toward the Cementon Trailhead. I was hoping to run all the way to there and back, but I wasn't so sure since I didn't feel all that great. I was thinking maybe it would just be a couple shorter out and back runs to finish this thing up.
I must've been going uphill early on, because I felt awful. I got only a mile out in that direction and was strongly considering turning around. I sputtered on though. I figured that I could do another half mile.
Before I hit mile 14, something amazing happened. Suddenly, the legs felt great and I felt strong. I could tell that the GU was working its magic. The trail felt so much nicer too though. It must've been a downhill.
I cruised along comfortably. I was only at mile 14, but I felt so great now that I knew I'd finish the run. I felt so amazing that I even starting singing out loud. It's a good thing no one was on the trail.
I thought about turning around at mile 15, but I was still feeling awesome and wanted that to last longer. If I had to struggle on the way back, so be it. I had to take advantage of the great feeling now.
I continued on, not quite sure how far until the Cementon Trailhead. As I approached the trailhead, I realized that I would be right around 16 miles. I was actually dead on that mileage when I got to the gate at the end of the road and had to turn around.
That was perfect. I now had 4 miles to get back to my car. No matter what, I had to keep going. Otherwise, I'd have to walk far anyway.
It was certainly more difficult coming back. However, it must've been only a slight uphill, as I still felt quite strong. I focused on each upcoming mile and didn't want to look too far ahead.
I had been running around an 8:15 pace now. I was slipping only slightly. I still felt pretty strong. With 3 miles to go, I felt so good that I decided to run just a little bit harder.
Even at the end of the run and going uphill, I ran faster during miles 18, 19 and 20, than my average pace. I had pushed harder, but it wasn't too much more. I was just running solid and consistent.
Right before the final mile, a guy was walking his dog and it wanted to run and play with me. It didn't hold me up too much though. I ran the last mile very hard, or maybe more accurately, the last half mile. I pushed and pushed and pushed and got that mile from a 7:30 pace down to a 7:09 pace.
Usually when I've gone out for long runs, I've only been able to do 15-17 miles. Running so well today was a huge surprise to me. I was kind of mad that I didn't tack on a few more miles too. I had a bit more in the tank. I guess I can save that for later in the week.
This might've been my most amazing training run ever. It's definitely the winner in that category if you exclude my 25 miles on trails at Jacobsburg in the fall. I felt so strong afterward today and I wasn't even all that sore. I wish I could feel this way during marathons. That could go a long way toward me meeting my goals. Thinking about all the people in the Holiday Miles group that I'm in helped me get through this run as well.
It was a great run for sure, but now it is done and I have to move on. Tomorrow, I'm hoping for an easy double session. I'd like the AM one to be 5 miles and the PM one to be 10 miles. That would continue a strong week for me. I look forward to see how I handle the remainder of the week, since I'm shooting for 70 miles.
20 miles - 2:43:35 (8:11 pace)
It has been some time since I ran the D&L section between Cementon and Slatington. One of the last times I ran there, it was a struggle. I think it was right after either the VIA Marathon or the Blues Cruise 50k. My calf started to hurt me then and I struggled immensely to finish 15 miles. I figured my legs probably don't like this surface, but I had to give it a try since I do like running here.
The weather was perfect. There was a slight breeze off the Lehigh River, but that was all. It was 42 degrees and occasionally the sun came out. I wore a lightweight orange long sleeve shirt and shorts. That was all I needed. I stuck with the orange just to be safe, since I think people might be able to hunt near the trail. I did see one hunter, but surprisingly I never heard a single gunshot.
I actually started off at Cove Road. I headed north. The trail was certainly sloppy. It is amazing how long it stays wet this time of year. With the stone surface, it wasn't quite as bad as Nor-Bath, but some sections were close.
The first mile felt good. In a lot of the early miles, I wasn't going hard, but I kept reminding myself to slow down anyway. I figured I could never go too slow. I ran on the opposite side of the trail because conditions seemed better over there.
It's amazing how much I've become like clockwork. My first mile of easy, longer runs is almost always an 8:52. After the warmup, the miles usually drop to just over an 8 minute pace. I'm consistent, that is for sure.
I cruised along and enjoyed the scenery. There are rock cliffs along the trail and they are cool in the winter. Ice crystals form on them and make a neat sight. A few of them fell down as I ran by. Luckily, they aren't too close to the trail.
I passed a lady walking her dog and saw a few other dog walkers as well as some bike riders today. A Monday afternoon in December doesn't draw much of a crowd though. I had most of the trail to myself to just think. I did that a lot in the beginning, until I got bored with the subjects that were concerning me.
I was happy to be feeling good as I hit miles 2, 3 and 4. I figured that the trail was softer that normal and that was a big help. I also flew at times, so those must've been some slight downhill sections.
I neared the Slatington Trailhead at around mile 5. I wanted to get some more distance, since I was feeling good. Therefore, I headed out on the Slate Heritage Trail. I didn't want to get too far on this trail though, because it is paved. I need to be cautious with my legs.
That trail begins with some slight uphill running. I went out about a mile and headed back, just after mile 6. I cruised back down along this trail and came to mile 7 just after getting off this trail and back onto the D&L.
My legs had been getting kind of sore on the Slate Heritage Trail, but they felt great almost instantaneously when I stepped back onto the D&L. It was hard to believe I was only at mile 7 of 20 at this point. I just had to focus on the small segments of the run and not the big picture.
From about miles 8-10, my legs were bothering me. It was starting to become a struggle. I guess that is because I was running uphill at this point. Running seemed so much harder and I was so frustrated. Every time that I felt like I was working too hard to go uphill, I told myself to back off. I had a long way to go. I began wondering how I'd run 15 miles, let alone 20 of them.
I had to just keep going and hope that I could regroup back at the car. When I would arrive there, it would be mile 12. I continued on and although my times didn't drop too much, I didn't feel good.
Right before getting back to my car, I went to the bathroom. Stopping briefly was a shock. I felt quite warm and was a little lightheaded. I got back to the car at just past mile 12. I stopped my watch while I rested.
I toweled off and stretch briefly. I was sore, but could've been in worse shape. I badly needed calories, so I ate an old GU. The only thing I had eaten for lunch were a couple pretzels. The rest was probably about 5 minutes.
I headed back out in the other direction this time, toward the Cementon Trailhead. I was hoping to run all the way to there and back, but I wasn't so sure since I didn't feel all that great. I was thinking maybe it would just be a couple shorter out and back runs to finish this thing up.
I must've been going uphill early on, because I felt awful. I got only a mile out in that direction and was strongly considering turning around. I sputtered on though. I figured that I could do another half mile.
Before I hit mile 14, something amazing happened. Suddenly, the legs felt great and I felt strong. I could tell that the GU was working its magic. The trail felt so much nicer too though. It must've been a downhill.
I cruised along comfortably. I was only at mile 14, but I felt so great now that I knew I'd finish the run. I felt so amazing that I even starting singing out loud. It's a good thing no one was on the trail.
I thought about turning around at mile 15, but I was still feeling awesome and wanted that to last longer. If I had to struggle on the way back, so be it. I had to take advantage of the great feeling now.
I continued on, not quite sure how far until the Cementon Trailhead. As I approached the trailhead, I realized that I would be right around 16 miles. I was actually dead on that mileage when I got to the gate at the end of the road and had to turn around.
That was perfect. I now had 4 miles to get back to my car. No matter what, I had to keep going. Otherwise, I'd have to walk far anyway.
It was certainly more difficult coming back. However, it must've been only a slight uphill, as I still felt quite strong. I focused on each upcoming mile and didn't want to look too far ahead.
I had been running around an 8:15 pace now. I was slipping only slightly. I still felt pretty strong. With 3 miles to go, I felt so good that I decided to run just a little bit harder.
Even at the end of the run and going uphill, I ran faster during miles 18, 19 and 20, than my average pace. I had pushed harder, but it wasn't too much more. I was just running solid and consistent.
Right before the final mile, a guy was walking his dog and it wanted to run and play with me. It didn't hold me up too much though. I ran the last mile very hard, or maybe more accurately, the last half mile. I pushed and pushed and pushed and got that mile from a 7:30 pace down to a 7:09 pace.
Usually when I've gone out for long runs, I've only been able to do 15-17 miles. Running so well today was a huge surprise to me. I was kind of mad that I didn't tack on a few more miles too. I had a bit more in the tank. I guess I can save that for later in the week.
This might've been my most amazing training run ever. It's definitely the winner in that category if you exclude my 25 miles on trails at Jacobsburg in the fall. I felt so strong afterward today and I wasn't even all that sore. I wish I could feel this way during marathons. That could go a long way toward me meeting my goals. Thinking about all the people in the Holiday Miles group that I'm in helped me get through this run as well.
It was a great run for sure, but now it is done and I have to move on. Tomorrow, I'm hoping for an easy double session. I'd like the AM one to be 5 miles and the PM one to be 10 miles. That would continue a strong week for me. I look forward to see how I handle the remainder of the week, since I'm shooting for 70 miles.
20 miles - 2:43:35 (8:11 pace)
Sunday, December 1, 2013
NFL Miles
The plan for today was an easy 5 miles. I wanted to run in the morning, but it was tough to get up. I have joined this group on facebook of people that are trying to run 100 miles between Thanksgiving and Christmas. While I'm obviously planning a lot more than that, the group still helps me get out there and it holds me accountable.
Before I went to the Eagles game this morning, I saw some of the group's posts. I suggested that we run a mile or two for each touchdown our favorite NFL team scores today. The Eagles won 24-21 (with 3 touchdowns), so I had to be good to my word.
I was sleeping on the car ride home and very tired. Maybe eating a chicken cheesesteak for dinner did that. I don't know, but I needed a coffee before the run. I finally got out there for my 6 mile run around 8:30 at night.
Since it was a pretty short run, I just headed to the neighborhoods near my house. I didn't want to waste time traveling. I saw the temperature at the bank was 39 degrees and with no wind, I figured it was shorts weather. I had on that and a ColdGear top. That was great. It was slightly chilly, but overall not bad.
I started off with the mile loop in my neighborhood. That is a good way to get going. There usually isn't too much traffic. As usual, my eyes watered until I adjusted to the cold.
Rather than run the loop around the other neighborhood across the street from the school, I decided to run the one next to the school. I figured I could get a couple solid miles in there. I ran up the street and did an out and back on one of the dead end streets. I'm not sure why, but it seems to be easier to run in this neighborhood than the other one. It seems to go quicker.
I then ran to the road that cuts through to the industrial park. I did a bit of an out and back there too. I was now over 3 miles into the run. I like running this area in the dark because it is lightly traveled. I don't have to worry about cars.
This run went by so smoothly. It was an easy pace and I was pretty deep in thought. When I can get myself in a zone like that, the miles just click off.
Before I knew it, I was back at the elementary school and nearly at 4 miles. Just 2 more miles to go. I decided that I would do about 3 loops around the school parking lot to get to mile 5.
Most of my miles were quite consistent. They were around an 8 minute pace. I felt pretty good, although I am running more on roads these days and have some minor soreness developing. I badly need new shoes and think that I'll purchase some this week.
After looping around the school, I ran my neighborhood loop once more. That went by pretty quickly. It was such a pleasant night to run. I needed a little more distance, but I finished up with a solid 6 miles. It was a good way to start the week.
Tomorrow, I need a long run. I want to hit 20 miles. I haven't done a run that long in quite some time. I'd like to run at Jacobsburg, but I'm not sure there will be enough daylight after work to be able to do that. I might need to go to the Nor-Bath Trail. I may actually go there first and see if the trail is still sloppy. I don't want to try to run on a messy trail for 20 miles.
6 miles - 49:17 (8:13 pace)
Before I went to the Eagles game this morning, I saw some of the group's posts. I suggested that we run a mile or two for each touchdown our favorite NFL team scores today. The Eagles won 24-21 (with 3 touchdowns), so I had to be good to my word.
I was sleeping on the car ride home and very tired. Maybe eating a chicken cheesesteak for dinner did that. I don't know, but I needed a coffee before the run. I finally got out there for my 6 mile run around 8:30 at night.
Since it was a pretty short run, I just headed to the neighborhoods near my house. I didn't want to waste time traveling. I saw the temperature at the bank was 39 degrees and with no wind, I figured it was shorts weather. I had on that and a ColdGear top. That was great. It was slightly chilly, but overall not bad.
I started off with the mile loop in my neighborhood. That is a good way to get going. There usually isn't too much traffic. As usual, my eyes watered until I adjusted to the cold.
Rather than run the loop around the other neighborhood across the street from the school, I decided to run the one next to the school. I figured I could get a couple solid miles in there. I ran up the street and did an out and back on one of the dead end streets. I'm not sure why, but it seems to be easier to run in this neighborhood than the other one. It seems to go quicker.
I then ran to the road that cuts through to the industrial park. I did a bit of an out and back there too. I was now over 3 miles into the run. I like running this area in the dark because it is lightly traveled. I don't have to worry about cars.
This run went by so smoothly. It was an easy pace and I was pretty deep in thought. When I can get myself in a zone like that, the miles just click off.
Before I knew it, I was back at the elementary school and nearly at 4 miles. Just 2 more miles to go. I decided that I would do about 3 loops around the school parking lot to get to mile 5.
Most of my miles were quite consistent. They were around an 8 minute pace. I felt pretty good, although I am running more on roads these days and have some minor soreness developing. I badly need new shoes and think that I'll purchase some this week.
After looping around the school, I ran my neighborhood loop once more. That went by pretty quickly. It was such a pleasant night to run. I needed a little more distance, but I finished up with a solid 6 miles. It was a good way to start the week.
Tomorrow, I need a long run. I want to hit 20 miles. I haven't done a run that long in quite some time. I'd like to run at Jacobsburg, but I'm not sure there will be enough daylight after work to be able to do that. I might need to go to the Nor-Bath Trail. I may actually go there first and see if the trail is still sloppy. I don't want to try to run on a messy trail for 20 miles.
6 miles - 49:17 (8:13 pace)
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