Yesterday was a much needed rest day. I'm now in marathon taper mode. The plan for today was to run 8 miles or so. I forgot to do wash, so I had to run in the evening, when my clothes were clean.
As usual, I struggled with where to run at. I'm always looking for different places. Mertz had told me that running on River Road in Phillipsburg, New Jersey was nice. He said there's not much traffic.
It was very hot and muggy day. Even after 7:15 PM, it was still that way. The air seemed very dense. I started at the Forks of the Delaware, south of the Lehigh River in Easton. This is often where I turn around when I start at Riverview. Since it was hot, I went shirtless.
I began by running over and across the Lehigh River. I then ran along Larry Holmes Drive. I crossed the Delaware River there, over the free bridge. It is always neat to be able to say that I ran in 2 different states.
I headed north along Main Street Phillipsburg. I ran past an old plant that my dad used to work at in the 70s. Somewhere around 1.5 miles, I was on to River Road. That goes next to the plant.
I headed out on the road for a bit. I was hoping to get to 2.5 miles or even better, 3 miles. I cruised out. I noticed a trailhead and kiosk next to the road. I figured that I would stop there on the way back.
The legs had felt kind of awful in the beginning. I really feel 80 and 90 mile weeks, the following week. It will probably take its toll on me this week. The legs did come around and get better. One thing that was nice is the sun was setting by mile 3.
Mertz told me there was a hill. As I neared mile 3, I was alongside some railroad tracks. Then, I started climbing the hill. It was fairly steep and would've been tough during a long run, but today it wasn't so bad. There were a few cars on this road, but with like 3 miles of running, I'd say it was only 10-12 cars.
I climbed the hill and there was an awesome view of the river below. The hill behind it was amazing too. I had to go down the hill slightly to hit mile 3. I turned around then.
It was good to head back down hill. My legs were feeling okay by now, but that was just it. They didn't seem sharp or fast. They still aren't rested.
I came back to the kiosk and stopped briefly. I learned that it is called the Warren Highlands Trail. It looks like a decent little place to run a few miles. I'll check it out soon. I love finding new places to run.
I headed back toward Phillipsburg. It was nice to hit mile 4, but I was still only halfway done. I merely focus on getting back across the bridge. Eventually, I got to the bridge. There's was very attractive mom there.
I crossed over the bridge and got back to Pennsylvania. It was still a little muggy, but with the sun setting and the slow pace, it was not too bad. I got back to the car, just before mile 6.
I had 2 miles left yet. My pace was slightly under 8 minutes per mile. I decide to head south on the D&L. I'd go out a mile.
I don't like this surface too much. It is stone. It's a little loose too. I've run on worse though. I passed three young people. I always worry that those types might pose a threat, especially with no one else on the trail. They were only taking photos though.
I came to some geese in the trail at 6.94 miles. Rather than make them move, I turned right around. I'd add a little later. There are some awesome views up the river now and of the train bridge. I can see it, as I run toward Easton.
I passed the kids again. I looked at my watch frequently in the last half mile. I go under the bridges and get back to the park. I have to run a short bit on the pavement, to finish up. I then walk back to the car after 7 miles.
It was a solid run to start the week. I need to work on running sharp and also recovering now. I can't remember the last time my legs were truly fresh. It would be great if they felt good on marathon day.
Tomorrow, I'm not sure what I'm doing. I'd like to get up and run a track workout with some others. It would probably be really fast, like 200s. A lot of short, fast stuff would be good. I'm hoping I can get up. I don't think that that mileage would be much, so I'd probably run later on too. I want to get about 55 miles this week. That would be like 9 miles a day.
8 miles - 1:03:22 (7:55 pace)
Monday, July 7, 2014
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Peaking With 90
After running 20 total miles yesterday, I was back on track for a 90 mile week. I knew I still had to get in 15 today, but I also knew I'd do it. I was determined to finish my peak marathon week strong.
I wasn't planning on running the entire 15 miles at once, so I knew this would consist of 2 runs. I wanted to make sure to get the majority of the running done in the first run. The plan was for 9 miles then, but I secretly hoped to make it to 10 or 11 miles.
I thought about going somewhere new. However, I wound up at Riverview again. For some odd reason, I never get sick of that place. I don't necessarily enjoy it all the time, but I don't dread the thought of running there, like I do other places. I'm not sure why. Some other places, miles just seem long, but not so much there.
I pulled up around 1:30 PM. It was crazy because there was a big softball tournament. The parking lot was completely packed. I found a spot though. It was supposed to be cool and not very humid. Still, I was planning to run for over an hour, so I went shirtless.
I headed out toward Easton. The legs felt awful to start. I sort of figured that they might. I crossed over the river and headed to Hugh Moore Park. I wanted to get 6 or 7 miles out, before going to my car. Therefore, I looped around the park.
I decided to add on too. I ran the extension to the canal. The mules were out pulling along the canal boat. Another cool thing is that they have a couple goats in the park, eating the weeds. They are fenced in, but neat to see.
My first mile was a very slow 8:58. I would've been happy with a slow run, but I am running very consistent these days. The pace ended up getting faster. The 2nd mile was 8 minutes flat. Every mile after that though, was a 7:45 or faster.
I headed out toward Easton, after the loop. I was already at almost 3 miles. I can't say I felt great or terrible at this point. I was just so so. The mileage had taken its toll. I merely focused on making it out. I ran past the geese, in their usual spot. I had no issues. There were a few people out in this area, but it wasn't too busy.
This section goes up and down a little. It is nice scenery, but nothing that special. I don't know why the miles go by fairly quickly, but they do. I was to Easton in no time.
I decided to run to the park, near the dam on the Lehigh River. There were a few people relaxing there. That looked like fun. When I was at 4.5 miles, I remember thinking that I didn't feel all that great and this run would be tough.
Then, for whatever reason, I seemed to get into a groove. I passed the geese as a train came roaring on the other side of the canal. They panicked and ran fast. I would've figured they would be used to it. I was laughing at them.
I was on my way back toward Hugh Moore Park. When I arrived there, I was over 7 miles into the run. I decided that I'd loop around the park again. I also added the out and back extension for a bit.
I was thrilled as I got near the river crossing. I realized that I'd be around mile 9 when I got to my car. It definitely wasn't hot, but I was sweating more than I thought I'd be. I felt better at mile 9 than I did at mile 4.5 though. It was odd, but this does seem to happen to me a lot.
Since I felt pretty good and still had water left, I skipped stopping at my car. I headed out toward the Boat Launch. I was at mile 9.2 when I got to my car. I then planned to go to mile 10.2 and turn around.
I was to that turnaround point in no time. There was a guy running slow and he was about 4/10 of a mile ahead of me when we passed initially. I caught him pretty quickly. I wasn't working hard, but I was flying. Miles 10 and 11 were 7:19 and 7:16, respectively. I finished up right before the ball field. My friend Jennie was hanging out there and playing a game later, so I talked to her briefly.
It was great to have 11 miles done. I knew the last 4 mile run would be easy. I ate dinner and relaxed only briefly. I wanted to get that run in before IndyCar qualifying was on TV. The plan was a short neighborhood run.
I headed out around 6:15 PM. The legs felt awful and I thought I was slow. I guess they were warmed up though. I ran a very surprising 8:05 first mile.
I guess my body knew this was a short run. It was an unplanned progression run. I ran through the other neighborhood first. I figured that the short loop would get me to around 2 miles. It was fun and quick.
Before long, I was back at the school and over 2.5 miles. Mile 2 was a 7:39. I ran to the playground behind the school and added about a half mile loop to the run. I wore a shirt to start this run, but took it off because it was hot.
Mile 3 was a 7:19. I was getting faster and faster. Not bad, considering I was ending my 89th mile of the week. I ran into my neighborhood and did the shorter loop. I looked at my watch often. I had to go past my house and out another 2 blocks. I finished with a speedy 7:07 last mile. I got done in just over half an hour.
I was glad to be through the day. I ran 35 miles in the last 2 days alone. That was tough. I've also run 2 times a day for 3 straight days now. I don't run doubles all that often. I usually just run long. I didn't get the long run in that I wanted this week, but I did stress my body pretty well. My endurance is good going into the taper.
I'm taking tomorrow off and I'm going to the IndyCar race. My body will thank me for the rest. With less then 3 weeks left, I'm going to start to taper. I've never done those well. We'll see how it goes. I'm going to run less mileage, but try to pick up the intensity. I'm hoping for a lot of shorter runs around a 7 minute pace. That would be good practice for my marathon.
I'll run again Monday. I'm not sure where or when. I don't know how long either. I'm hoping for about 55 miles this week. I'll do even less the following week and then even less the week after that. Maybe I can get my legs to be very fresh and sharp for a change. I'll work some more on my heat adaptation too. I might need to get back to drills now and keep lifting too.
Afternoon Run 11 miles - 1:25:00 (7:44 pace)
Evening Run 4 miles - 30:10 (7:33 pace)
I wasn't planning on running the entire 15 miles at once, so I knew this would consist of 2 runs. I wanted to make sure to get the majority of the running done in the first run. The plan was for 9 miles then, but I secretly hoped to make it to 10 or 11 miles.
I thought about going somewhere new. However, I wound up at Riverview again. For some odd reason, I never get sick of that place. I don't necessarily enjoy it all the time, but I don't dread the thought of running there, like I do other places. I'm not sure why. Some other places, miles just seem long, but not so much there.
I pulled up around 1:30 PM. It was crazy because there was a big softball tournament. The parking lot was completely packed. I found a spot though. It was supposed to be cool and not very humid. Still, I was planning to run for over an hour, so I went shirtless.
I headed out toward Easton. The legs felt awful to start. I sort of figured that they might. I crossed over the river and headed to Hugh Moore Park. I wanted to get 6 or 7 miles out, before going to my car. Therefore, I looped around the park.
I decided to add on too. I ran the extension to the canal. The mules were out pulling along the canal boat. Another cool thing is that they have a couple goats in the park, eating the weeds. They are fenced in, but neat to see.
My first mile was a very slow 8:58. I would've been happy with a slow run, but I am running very consistent these days. The pace ended up getting faster. The 2nd mile was 8 minutes flat. Every mile after that though, was a 7:45 or faster.
I headed out toward Easton, after the loop. I was already at almost 3 miles. I can't say I felt great or terrible at this point. I was just so so. The mileage had taken its toll. I merely focused on making it out. I ran past the geese, in their usual spot. I had no issues. There were a few people out in this area, but it wasn't too busy.
This section goes up and down a little. It is nice scenery, but nothing that special. I don't know why the miles go by fairly quickly, but they do. I was to Easton in no time.
I decided to run to the park, near the dam on the Lehigh River. There were a few people relaxing there. That looked like fun. When I was at 4.5 miles, I remember thinking that I didn't feel all that great and this run would be tough.
Then, for whatever reason, I seemed to get into a groove. I passed the geese as a train came roaring on the other side of the canal. They panicked and ran fast. I would've figured they would be used to it. I was laughing at them.
I was on my way back toward Hugh Moore Park. When I arrived there, I was over 7 miles into the run. I decided that I'd loop around the park again. I also added the out and back extension for a bit.
I was thrilled as I got near the river crossing. I realized that I'd be around mile 9 when I got to my car. It definitely wasn't hot, but I was sweating more than I thought I'd be. I felt better at mile 9 than I did at mile 4.5 though. It was odd, but this does seem to happen to me a lot.
Since I felt pretty good and still had water left, I skipped stopping at my car. I headed out toward the Boat Launch. I was at mile 9.2 when I got to my car. I then planned to go to mile 10.2 and turn around.
I was to that turnaround point in no time. There was a guy running slow and he was about 4/10 of a mile ahead of me when we passed initially. I caught him pretty quickly. I wasn't working hard, but I was flying. Miles 10 and 11 were 7:19 and 7:16, respectively. I finished up right before the ball field. My friend Jennie was hanging out there and playing a game later, so I talked to her briefly.
It was great to have 11 miles done. I knew the last 4 mile run would be easy. I ate dinner and relaxed only briefly. I wanted to get that run in before IndyCar qualifying was on TV. The plan was a short neighborhood run.
I headed out around 6:15 PM. The legs felt awful and I thought I was slow. I guess they were warmed up though. I ran a very surprising 8:05 first mile.
I guess my body knew this was a short run. It was an unplanned progression run. I ran through the other neighborhood first. I figured that the short loop would get me to around 2 miles. It was fun and quick.
Before long, I was back at the school and over 2.5 miles. Mile 2 was a 7:39. I ran to the playground behind the school and added about a half mile loop to the run. I wore a shirt to start this run, but took it off because it was hot.
Mile 3 was a 7:19. I was getting faster and faster. Not bad, considering I was ending my 89th mile of the week. I ran into my neighborhood and did the shorter loop. I looked at my watch often. I had to go past my house and out another 2 blocks. I finished with a speedy 7:07 last mile. I got done in just over half an hour.
I was glad to be through the day. I ran 35 miles in the last 2 days alone. That was tough. I've also run 2 times a day for 3 straight days now. I don't run doubles all that often. I usually just run long. I didn't get the long run in that I wanted this week, but I did stress my body pretty well. My endurance is good going into the taper.
I'm taking tomorrow off and I'm going to the IndyCar race. My body will thank me for the rest. With less then 3 weeks left, I'm going to start to taper. I've never done those well. We'll see how it goes. I'm going to run less mileage, but try to pick up the intensity. I'm hoping for a lot of shorter runs around a 7 minute pace. That would be good practice for my marathon.
I'll run again Monday. I'm not sure where or when. I don't know how long either. I'm hoping for about 55 miles this week. I'll do even less the following week and then even less the week after that. Maybe I can get my legs to be very fresh and sharp for a change. I'll work some more on my heat adaptation too. I might need to get back to drills now and keep lifting too.
Afternoon Run 11 miles - 1:25:00 (7:44 pace)
Evening Run 4 miles - 30:10 (7:33 pace)
Friday, July 4, 2014
Playing Catch Up with 20 Miles
After only running 5 miles on Wednesday, I thought that my chances for 90 miles this week were out the window. Running 16 total miles yesterday gave me a fighting chance to do that. I needed a big day though, either today or tomorrow. Today is the 4th of July, so I had plenty of free time.
I hoped to run 20 miles total. I had considered a race, but I didn't get much sleep. The plan was then to try to run 14 miles during the first run. That would get most of the day out of the way. Then, I could run 6 miles later on.
We finally had a major release from the heat and humidity. Hurricane Arthur rolled through North Carolina, before heading out to sea. It left some rain here and was out of the way by early afternoon. It was cloudy at the start of my run. The hurricane did leave super windy conditions though. I still ran shirtless.
I decided to go to Northampton, like I did earlier in the week. I parked at an elementary school, near the high school. I decided that I would run from there to the Ironton Rail Trail and then loop around there. That would give me 8 miles and over half of the run would be done when I got back to my car.
It was definitely cool and windy to start. I wasn't complaining. The legs felt quite beat from all the running yesterday. It was probably a good thing that I didn't try to race. Mile 1 was an 8:36.
Now that I know how to cross the river and get to the trail, it isn't too bad. I arrived at the trail at 1.3 miles. That meant that I'd come back at mile 8. I wanted to get the hilly part of the loop out of the way first. I headed in the counterclockwise direction.
A lot of people were out during this run. I thought I might catch a guy running, but he stopped. Going up the hill on beat up legs was tough. It was nice to get to the top though.
The downhill was awesome too. I decided that I wanted to add a mile to the run. I did a short out and back on the spur trail. That was nice and isolated. I was feeling better, as the legs were adapting.
It was nice to be back on pavement. I cruised around, trying to take it easy. With the cooler weather, I was able to run pretty solid times. Mile 2 was 7:50, mile 3 was 7:36 and mile 4 was 7:40. I recall getting to mile 4.5 and thinking it was quite far just to get back to the start at mile 9.
I plugged along. The sun was out by now. It was very windy still and almost a little chilly. I did fine, as long as I didn't encounter any hills. When I did, it was a slow go.
I did feel better and better. Mile 6 was even a 7:16. My overall pace was getting quicker. I was happy to get back to the bridge over the river at mile 7.7. I then crossed the bridge and made my way back.
Running through the town of Northampton wasn't bad. It is something different. It was good to get back to my car. I actually felt kind of awful a few miles earlier, but by the time I approached my car, I was in a groove. Finally, I was back there at mile 9.05.
I used my towel and got a drink. After refilling my handheld, I headed back out. I didn't really know where to go, but I decided to head to the Cementon Trailhead on the D&L. If I could go out 2.5 miles from my car, I could come back and get to mile 14.
The run to the trailhead wasn't bad. It was very windy near the river. I was almost too cold at this point. It started to become a struggle after that. I pushed forward though. It took a lot of focus to get to the turnaround point.
My pace wasn't slipping at least. That first mile out had been slightly slower, but all my miles after the first one were sub 8 minutes. I turned around right before the one tree that looks like it is in the middle of the trail.
Being on my way back was huge. I kept looking at my watch. It was so nice to make it through mile 12 and work my way to the half marathon distance. I was starting to tire, but I hung on.
I just concentrated on the current mile. Before long, I was through mile 13 and back on to the bridge, headed to Northampton. I looked at my watch a lot in the final half mile. I finished up with mile 14, right before my car. It was chilly when I stopped.
My quads were sore after this run. They haven't been sore in awhile. I think my strength training is helping with that. I went out for my 2nd run over three hours later. It was a little after 7 PM.
Things got even cooler and it was still windy. This time, I wore a shirt. That is a summer rarity. This allowed me to wear my compression shorts too, since I don't like to wear them shirtless. I needed those shorts too.
With my quads sore from earlier, I expected this run to be a struggle. I didn't feel anything though and I think the compression shorts were a big reason why. There was some minor soreness early in the run when I warmed up, but otherwise the legs felt outstanding, considering the mileage.
I went to Penn Pump Park for this run. It is nearby and a good place for a flat 6 mile run. I started by heading toward the Crayola Factory. Mile 1 was a little slow at 8:42. Every mile got faster.
I saw a deer in someone's yard next to the trail. That was cool. There were a number of walkers out on the nice evening. A few people were running too. I turned around after a mile. That was at the factory.
I headed back feeling decent, considering all the mileage I put in. It was good to get back to my car at mile 2. That mile was just over 8 minutes. I didn't even bring a handheld, since it was so cool and the run was so short.
I headed out in the other direction. I'd have to run out 2 miles and come back, to get to mile 6. This wasn't bad, but going out did seem a little slow. I was happy to get to mile 3. I ran that one at 7:40.
The run was getting faster and faster. I didn't really want to go to Mill Race Park, but I had to to make it out 2 miles. It was very windy in this open area.
I turned around at mile 4, right before the Tatamy road crossing. Thinking about only having 2 miles left helped me when heading back. I also totaled my weekly mileage in my head. Mile 4 was a 7:26.
The pace was getting faster and faster and I was feeling better and better. I was actually pushing a bit in the last 2 miles. My breathing was a bit labored. Mile 5 was a 7:05 and mile 6 was a very speedy 6:38. I was impressed that I could run my 20th mile of the day that fast.
It was a hard day, but it was definitely worth it. I need some practice running on tired legs and with a tired body. I'm not sure how well my legs will recover. I only have 15 more tough miles tomorrow though. Then, I can take Sunday off and start to taper. My marathon is 3 weeks from today. Tomorrow will be tricky because I'll be at the IndyCar practice at Pocono most of the day. I'll likely run twice. Perhaps the evening one will be near the track. I might go run the D&L through Lehigh Gorge State Park. The morning run will likely be kind of short and also nearby.
Afternoon Run 14 miles - 1:47:49 (7:42 pace)
Evening Run 6 miles - 45:38 (7:36 pace)
I hoped to run 20 miles total. I had considered a race, but I didn't get much sleep. The plan was then to try to run 14 miles during the first run. That would get most of the day out of the way. Then, I could run 6 miles later on.
We finally had a major release from the heat and humidity. Hurricane Arthur rolled through North Carolina, before heading out to sea. It left some rain here and was out of the way by early afternoon. It was cloudy at the start of my run. The hurricane did leave super windy conditions though. I still ran shirtless.
I decided to go to Northampton, like I did earlier in the week. I parked at an elementary school, near the high school. I decided that I would run from there to the Ironton Rail Trail and then loop around there. That would give me 8 miles and over half of the run would be done when I got back to my car.
It was definitely cool and windy to start. I wasn't complaining. The legs felt quite beat from all the running yesterday. It was probably a good thing that I didn't try to race. Mile 1 was an 8:36.
Now that I know how to cross the river and get to the trail, it isn't too bad. I arrived at the trail at 1.3 miles. That meant that I'd come back at mile 8. I wanted to get the hilly part of the loop out of the way first. I headed in the counterclockwise direction.
A lot of people were out during this run. I thought I might catch a guy running, but he stopped. Going up the hill on beat up legs was tough. It was nice to get to the top though.
The downhill was awesome too. I decided that I wanted to add a mile to the run. I did a short out and back on the spur trail. That was nice and isolated. I was feeling better, as the legs were adapting.
It was nice to be back on pavement. I cruised around, trying to take it easy. With the cooler weather, I was able to run pretty solid times. Mile 2 was 7:50, mile 3 was 7:36 and mile 4 was 7:40. I recall getting to mile 4.5 and thinking it was quite far just to get back to the start at mile 9.
I plugged along. The sun was out by now. It was very windy still and almost a little chilly. I did fine, as long as I didn't encounter any hills. When I did, it was a slow go.
I did feel better and better. Mile 6 was even a 7:16. My overall pace was getting quicker. I was happy to get back to the bridge over the river at mile 7.7. I then crossed the bridge and made my way back.
Running through the town of Northampton wasn't bad. It is something different. It was good to get back to my car. I actually felt kind of awful a few miles earlier, but by the time I approached my car, I was in a groove. Finally, I was back there at mile 9.05.
I used my towel and got a drink. After refilling my handheld, I headed back out. I didn't really know where to go, but I decided to head to the Cementon Trailhead on the D&L. If I could go out 2.5 miles from my car, I could come back and get to mile 14.
The run to the trailhead wasn't bad. It was very windy near the river. I was almost too cold at this point. It started to become a struggle after that. I pushed forward though. It took a lot of focus to get to the turnaround point.
My pace wasn't slipping at least. That first mile out had been slightly slower, but all my miles after the first one were sub 8 minutes. I turned around right before the one tree that looks like it is in the middle of the trail.
Being on my way back was huge. I kept looking at my watch. It was so nice to make it through mile 12 and work my way to the half marathon distance. I was starting to tire, but I hung on.
I just concentrated on the current mile. Before long, I was through mile 13 and back on to the bridge, headed to Northampton. I looked at my watch a lot in the final half mile. I finished up with mile 14, right before my car. It was chilly when I stopped.
My quads were sore after this run. They haven't been sore in awhile. I think my strength training is helping with that. I went out for my 2nd run over three hours later. It was a little after 7 PM.
Things got even cooler and it was still windy. This time, I wore a shirt. That is a summer rarity. This allowed me to wear my compression shorts too, since I don't like to wear them shirtless. I needed those shorts too.
With my quads sore from earlier, I expected this run to be a struggle. I didn't feel anything though and I think the compression shorts were a big reason why. There was some minor soreness early in the run when I warmed up, but otherwise the legs felt outstanding, considering the mileage.
I went to Penn Pump Park for this run. It is nearby and a good place for a flat 6 mile run. I started by heading toward the Crayola Factory. Mile 1 was a little slow at 8:42. Every mile got faster.
I saw a deer in someone's yard next to the trail. That was cool. There were a number of walkers out on the nice evening. A few people were running too. I turned around after a mile. That was at the factory.
I headed back feeling decent, considering all the mileage I put in. It was good to get back to my car at mile 2. That mile was just over 8 minutes. I didn't even bring a handheld, since it was so cool and the run was so short.
I headed out in the other direction. I'd have to run out 2 miles and come back, to get to mile 6. This wasn't bad, but going out did seem a little slow. I was happy to get to mile 3. I ran that one at 7:40.
The run was getting faster and faster. I didn't really want to go to Mill Race Park, but I had to to make it out 2 miles. It was very windy in this open area.
I turned around at mile 4, right before the Tatamy road crossing. Thinking about only having 2 miles left helped me when heading back. I also totaled my weekly mileage in my head. Mile 4 was a 7:26.
The pace was getting faster and faster and I was feeling better and better. I was actually pushing a bit in the last 2 miles. My breathing was a bit labored. Mile 5 was a 7:05 and mile 6 was a very speedy 6:38. I was impressed that I could run my 20th mile of the day that fast.
It was a hard day, but it was definitely worth it. I need some practice running on tired legs and with a tired body. I'm not sure how well my legs will recover. I only have 15 more tough miles tomorrow though. Then, I can take Sunday off and start to taper. My marathon is 3 weeks from today. Tomorrow will be tricky because I'll be at the IndyCar practice at Pocono most of the day. I'll likely run twice. Perhaps the evening one will be near the track. I might go run the D&L through Lehigh Gorge State Park. The morning run will likely be kind of short and also nearby.
Afternoon Run 14 miles - 1:47:49 (7:42 pace)
Evening Run 6 miles - 45:38 (7:36 pace)
Thursday, July 3, 2014
A Pair of Consistent 8s
After a crappy 5 miles yesterday, I needed a productive day today. The plan was to run twice. I was hoping for two runs of 8 miles each. I wanted some decent mileage, but not too much at one time.
I started off around 2:30 in the afternoon for the first run. Prior to the run a bunch of friends were complaining about the humidity. It was in the upper 80s and very humid. At first, I didn't think it was too bad, but I realized pretty quickly that it was indeed very difficult. I started at Riverview Park.
Of course I ran shirtless. There was no question about that. As always, I was soaked by the end of the run. The first mile wasn't too bad from that aspect, but it got much worse.
I headed out toward Easton. I figured that I'd like to get out 2.5 miles and then come back if I could. If I was feeling good, I would loop around Hugh Moore Park. I didn't want to do all 8 miles at once.
The legs and body were slow in the beginning. Mile 1 was a solid 8:26 though. I got faster after that. This path was a mix of shade and sun. It made a huge difference which I was in.
There were some geese within the first two miles. I was happy to run by them with no problems. Most of them were in the water. I did go past two smaller ones though.
Once I was through the first mile, I was running the rest of the time under 8 minute pace. The legs got faster and faster for a bit. I continued out and was at 2.5 miles near Easton.
I decided I would go out a little farther. I'd at least go out to where the path ends. I kept going and realized that they were no longer doing construction south of the Easton. You can now run miles and miles more on the D&L. I was happy for this.
I went out another half mile. Going out 3 miles was excellent. I was in a lot of sun now though. It was very hot there. With the humidity, I was drinking a lot of water.
I headed back, focusing on getting to mile 4. It was nice to be back in shade. The effort was easy, but with the humidity, I struggled some with my breathing. I got to the halfway point.
I focused next on mile 5 and then getting back Hugh Moore Park. Mile 5 happened to be my fastest mile at 7:19. I kept trying to tell myself to slow down too.
As I was approaching the park, a guy on a bike went the other direction. He said, "loose dog up ahead." That got me worried. Did he mean with someone or a runaway? I looked all over the path all around me and then even in the bushes. I didn't want to be attacked. Then, I came down a hill and saw the dog with a couple walking it. Rather than risk it, I turned around for a bit to add mileage.
I only added about a quarter mile, but it was enough to get away from the dog. I was still running solid as I got to Hugh Moore Park. I decided to run that loop. By now, I was feeling the heat a bit. It made me feel a little funny. Still, it wasn't too bad. I'm kind of used to it by now. This was one of the worst days though.
In the middle of the loop, I kept going. I ran a little additional out and back. When I came back, I was at mile 7. I ran that one at a solid 7:27. It was great to be in the last mile.
I finished up the park loop. I ran back over the bridge. Climbing toward Riverview was a slight challenge. It was short though. Things worked out perfectly, as I ended right before crossing the road over to Riverview.
I tried to cool off as quickly as I could. Even with the AC on full blast, I was feeling kind of lightheaded. I didn't feel too bad during the run, but I did push close to my limits. I did alright though and it was a good run in tough conditions.
I knew storms were coming in the evening. I was hoping for a window for my second 8 miler. It didn't look like I'd get a window, then at around 9 PM, the system fell apart. I headed out as it was nearly dark.
I needed to run close to home, in case a storm came again. It was significantly cooler, so I wore a sleeveless shirt. That still didn't last that long. Once I took it off though, things were fairly nice. It was around 70 degrees and still humid, but much less so. I also wore my headlamp for safety.
I headed right over to the other neighborhood. I started running the Blue Eagle 10K course that I designed. I did the first main loop. I was feeling good. Since it was wet, I wore my older shoes. I think my body appreciated slightly different shoes than the earlier run.
The first mile was an 8:19. That was pretty close to the first mile of the earlier run. Again, every mile after that was under 8 minutes. I had passed a mom and son walking in the first mile.
I went a little longer on the first part of the loop, just to add some distance. I headed out toward the main loop. Instead of doing that whole thing, I decided to cut it a little short. After 2+ miles, it seemed like there was some slight rain. That was nice though.
A bunch of cars were driving around. I think it was a lot of teenagers without anything to do. Whoever they were, they were annoying me a little. At least they could see my headlamp.
Since this run wasn't nearly as hot and humid as most of my runs lately, it was kind of relaxing. Still, it took awhile just to get to mile 4 and the halfway point. I was happy to get there and very much looking forward to getting to mile 5 as well.
I added on this shorter loop to the run. I figured it would get me at least half a mile. When I got to the last turn in the neighborhood, I decided to headed back out on the first loop again. That would add another mile and put me past the 10K mark.
This loop was nice and I was thrilled to get within 2 miles. Mile 6 was 7:17 and Mile 7 was 7:15. My pace was picking it up. My legs were getting kind of tired by now.
I went back to the elementary school. I had about a mile and a half to go when I got there. I looped around the parking lot. Since I needed a mile, I headed to my neighborhood for the final loop.
I had no goals for this pace, but I couldn't help but notice how close the pace was to the earlier 8 miler. I was running very consistent. I finished the run up with a 7:16 last mile.
Both of these runs were different. One was hot and humid. The other was cool, but my legs were tired. The second one was actually 12 seconds faster. They were amazingly close.
I still have a lot of work to get to 90 miles for the week. At least now, I'll get to 80 miles. Tomorrow, I might run the Firecracker 4 Miler in Easton. If not, I might even do a long run with Megan. Regardless, I'm going to run some extra miles later on.
Afternoon Run 8 miles - 1:01:19 (8:40 pace)
Night Run 8 miles - 1:01:07 (8:38 pace)
I started off around 2:30 in the afternoon for the first run. Prior to the run a bunch of friends were complaining about the humidity. It was in the upper 80s and very humid. At first, I didn't think it was too bad, but I realized pretty quickly that it was indeed very difficult. I started at Riverview Park.
Of course I ran shirtless. There was no question about that. As always, I was soaked by the end of the run. The first mile wasn't too bad from that aspect, but it got much worse.
I headed out toward Easton. I figured that I'd like to get out 2.5 miles and then come back if I could. If I was feeling good, I would loop around Hugh Moore Park. I didn't want to do all 8 miles at once.
The legs and body were slow in the beginning. Mile 1 was a solid 8:26 though. I got faster after that. This path was a mix of shade and sun. It made a huge difference which I was in.
There were some geese within the first two miles. I was happy to run by them with no problems. Most of them were in the water. I did go past two smaller ones though.
Once I was through the first mile, I was running the rest of the time under 8 minute pace. The legs got faster and faster for a bit. I continued out and was at 2.5 miles near Easton.
I decided I would go out a little farther. I'd at least go out to where the path ends. I kept going and realized that they were no longer doing construction south of the Easton. You can now run miles and miles more on the D&L. I was happy for this.
I went out another half mile. Going out 3 miles was excellent. I was in a lot of sun now though. It was very hot there. With the humidity, I was drinking a lot of water.
I headed back, focusing on getting to mile 4. It was nice to be back in shade. The effort was easy, but with the humidity, I struggled some with my breathing. I got to the halfway point.
I focused next on mile 5 and then getting back Hugh Moore Park. Mile 5 happened to be my fastest mile at 7:19. I kept trying to tell myself to slow down too.
As I was approaching the park, a guy on a bike went the other direction. He said, "loose dog up ahead." That got me worried. Did he mean with someone or a runaway? I looked all over the path all around me and then even in the bushes. I didn't want to be attacked. Then, I came down a hill and saw the dog with a couple walking it. Rather than risk it, I turned around for a bit to add mileage.
I only added about a quarter mile, but it was enough to get away from the dog. I was still running solid as I got to Hugh Moore Park. I decided to run that loop. By now, I was feeling the heat a bit. It made me feel a little funny. Still, it wasn't too bad. I'm kind of used to it by now. This was one of the worst days though.
In the middle of the loop, I kept going. I ran a little additional out and back. When I came back, I was at mile 7. I ran that one at a solid 7:27. It was great to be in the last mile.
I finished up the park loop. I ran back over the bridge. Climbing toward Riverview was a slight challenge. It was short though. Things worked out perfectly, as I ended right before crossing the road over to Riverview.
I tried to cool off as quickly as I could. Even with the AC on full blast, I was feeling kind of lightheaded. I didn't feel too bad during the run, but I did push close to my limits. I did alright though and it was a good run in tough conditions.
I knew storms were coming in the evening. I was hoping for a window for my second 8 miler. It didn't look like I'd get a window, then at around 9 PM, the system fell apart. I headed out as it was nearly dark.
I needed to run close to home, in case a storm came again. It was significantly cooler, so I wore a sleeveless shirt. That still didn't last that long. Once I took it off though, things were fairly nice. It was around 70 degrees and still humid, but much less so. I also wore my headlamp for safety.
I headed right over to the other neighborhood. I started running the Blue Eagle 10K course that I designed. I did the first main loop. I was feeling good. Since it was wet, I wore my older shoes. I think my body appreciated slightly different shoes than the earlier run.
The first mile was an 8:19. That was pretty close to the first mile of the earlier run. Again, every mile after that was under 8 minutes. I had passed a mom and son walking in the first mile.
I went a little longer on the first part of the loop, just to add some distance. I headed out toward the main loop. Instead of doing that whole thing, I decided to cut it a little short. After 2+ miles, it seemed like there was some slight rain. That was nice though.
A bunch of cars were driving around. I think it was a lot of teenagers without anything to do. Whoever they were, they were annoying me a little. At least they could see my headlamp.
Since this run wasn't nearly as hot and humid as most of my runs lately, it was kind of relaxing. Still, it took awhile just to get to mile 4 and the halfway point. I was happy to get there and very much looking forward to getting to mile 5 as well.
I added on this shorter loop to the run. I figured it would get me at least half a mile. When I got to the last turn in the neighborhood, I decided to headed back out on the first loop again. That would add another mile and put me past the 10K mark.
This loop was nice and I was thrilled to get within 2 miles. Mile 6 was 7:17 and Mile 7 was 7:15. My pace was picking it up. My legs were getting kind of tired by now.
I went back to the elementary school. I had about a mile and a half to go when I got there. I looped around the parking lot. Since I needed a mile, I headed to my neighborhood for the final loop.
I had no goals for this pace, but I couldn't help but notice how close the pace was to the earlier 8 miler. I was running very consistent. I finished the run up with a 7:16 last mile.
Both of these runs were different. One was hot and humid. The other was cool, but my legs were tired. The second one was actually 12 seconds faster. They were amazingly close.
I still have a lot of work to get to 90 miles for the week. At least now, I'll get to 80 miles. Tomorrow, I might run the Firecracker 4 Miler in Easton. If not, I might even do a long run with Megan. Regardless, I'm going to run some extra miles later on.
Afternoon Run 8 miles - 1:01:19 (8:40 pace)
Night Run 8 miles - 1:01:07 (8:38 pace)
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Only 5
Yesterday was a much needed rest day. I was hoping for a big 20-23 mile run today. The weather had other plans. It was hot and humid in the afternoon. I thought I'd wait until the evening. Then, thunderstorms went through. They were worse than I expected.
I almost skipped the day altogether, but I knew I'd be mad if I did. Finally, things cleared up after 8 PM. About a half hour later, I was out the door. The plan was to just run 5 miles around my neighborhood and mainly at the school.
Since I was running after dark for a bit, I put on a bright yellow shirt. I thought it would be cooler after the rain. However, it was still super humid. The shirt didn't last very long.
I started off going right to the school. I looped around there and was already getting bored. Since it was still light out, I decided to run in the neighborhood across the street for a bit. That worked out well, to break up the run. My shirt came off at this point. I did a short loop of less than a mile.
The first half mile was awful. I felt like crap and it was so slow. It is weird how I often feel worse after a rest day. The legs never feel fresh, at least in the beginning. After a slow 8:49 mile, things picked up.
It grew dark and I ran back over to the school. I wasn't much over a mile at this point, but I figured I could loop around the school, at least for some time. I threw my shirt down and began the loops. On either the first or second one, I saw a group of kids on the path behind the school. They were walking away from me though.
These loops were boring and it was humid. At least they were going by kind of quickly and the legs began to come around. Mile 2 was an 8:15 and mile 3 was a 7:41.
I actually had no idea of my pace. I couldn't see my watch very often. I had to light it up to look at it. The school lights in the parking lot were on all winter when I ran there, but now I didn't have them.
Without intending it to be, this sort of became a progression run. I did the short loop near mile 4, rather than the longer one. Mile 4 was 7:38.
My watch had been getting sweaty, so I took it off earlier than usual. Then, I really lost the screen with all my data. That happened on the last loop. I was upset, but figured that it was still working. Right as I was done, I got it back and stopped the watch just in time.
Because I wasn't looking at my pace and I knew my first mile was slow, I was shocked to see a 7:54 pace on my watch. The 7:10 last mile seemed super easy. I hope 7:10 miles will feel that good during my marathon. Maybe fresh legs will do that for me.
It was nice to be done. Although I was sweating a lot, I wasn't too soaked, thanks to a shorter run. My body could probably use the rest. I guess I'm likely not going to get another long run in before the race. I might need to just start to taper soon and be fresh for the end of the month.
Having such a short day will make getting to 90 miles again this week very difficult. I guess I'll probably have to settle for less. Tomorrow is supposed to have more bad weather. Ideally, I'd run twice and get like 16 miles total. I don't know if I'll be able to fit that in though.
5 miles - 39:34 (7:55 pace)
I almost skipped the day altogether, but I knew I'd be mad if I did. Finally, things cleared up after 8 PM. About a half hour later, I was out the door. The plan was to just run 5 miles around my neighborhood and mainly at the school.
Since I was running after dark for a bit, I put on a bright yellow shirt. I thought it would be cooler after the rain. However, it was still super humid. The shirt didn't last very long.
I started off going right to the school. I looped around there and was already getting bored. Since it was still light out, I decided to run in the neighborhood across the street for a bit. That worked out well, to break up the run. My shirt came off at this point. I did a short loop of less than a mile.
The first half mile was awful. I felt like crap and it was so slow. It is weird how I often feel worse after a rest day. The legs never feel fresh, at least in the beginning. After a slow 8:49 mile, things picked up.
It grew dark and I ran back over to the school. I wasn't much over a mile at this point, but I figured I could loop around the school, at least for some time. I threw my shirt down and began the loops. On either the first or second one, I saw a group of kids on the path behind the school. They were walking away from me though.
These loops were boring and it was humid. At least they were going by kind of quickly and the legs began to come around. Mile 2 was an 8:15 and mile 3 was a 7:41.
I actually had no idea of my pace. I couldn't see my watch very often. I had to light it up to look at it. The school lights in the parking lot were on all winter when I ran there, but now I didn't have them.
Without intending it to be, this sort of became a progression run. I did the short loop near mile 4, rather than the longer one. Mile 4 was 7:38.
My watch had been getting sweaty, so I took it off earlier than usual. Then, I really lost the screen with all my data. That happened on the last loop. I was upset, but figured that it was still working. Right as I was done, I got it back and stopped the watch just in time.
Because I wasn't looking at my pace and I knew my first mile was slow, I was shocked to see a 7:54 pace on my watch. The 7:10 last mile seemed super easy. I hope 7:10 miles will feel that good during my marathon. Maybe fresh legs will do that for me.
It was nice to be done. Although I was sweating a lot, I wasn't too soaked, thanks to a shorter run. My body could probably use the rest. I guess I'm likely not going to get another long run in before the race. I might need to just start to taper soon and be fresh for the end of the month.
Having such a short day will make getting to 90 miles again this week very difficult. I guess I'll probably have to settle for less. Tomorrow is supposed to have more bad weather. Ideally, I'd run twice and get like 16 miles total. I don't know if I'll be able to fit that in though.
5 miles - 39:34 (7:55 pace)
Monday, June 30, 2014
Ending June with a Humid Double
I ran 17 miles yesterday and was disappointed that I couldn't get in more. Today, would've been an off day. However, I am busy tomorrow, so I ran today. The plan was to run twice.
I would've liked a morning run, but I couldn't get up. An early afternoon one would've been nice too, but I was tired and took a nap. I started the first run at 4 PM. I wanted to do a loop. I parked near the WAWA on 25th Street. The short loop here would be about 8 miles. Then, maybe I'd add some more. I had run all the parts of this route before, but never this specific route.
I started off heading toward the Boat Launch. I felt fairly good and it was a decent pace. It was pretty humid and the shade was off and on. I went out with a very solid first mile, at just over 8 minutes.
The pace picked up after that. The road to the Boat Launch is a long and gradual downhill. I was glad that I didn't have to stop at the road crossings for very long. The pace naturally got faster.
With the heat and humidity and the pace, I was breathing fairly heavy in miles 2 and 3. Mile 2 was 7:27 and mile 3 became an even faster 7:12. At that point, I tried to slow myself down. I didn't want to pay for it later.
It didn't really work though. The downhill toward the Boat Launch made for yet another fast mile. I ran mile 4 at 7:14. I thought I might pay for this. As we got to the flat, I started falling off.
The pace was just too much. I was soaked by now and struggling with my breathing. When I drank water, I started to choke a little. I had to slow down.
At about 4.5 miles, I did reel it in a bit. Still, it wasn't actually slow. I just tried to focus on mile 5 and then 6. I slowed to 7:26 and then 7:34 on the next mile.
I was getting closer and closer to Riverview Park, but it was still too far. I couldn't quit though or I'd have a far walk back to the car. I just tried to focus on making it to Riverview and eventually I did.
My problem now was that it would be a big climb to my car. I knew I was suffering too much to pull it off while running and I really didn't want to take a chance and overdo it either. I went out past the path to my car. I ran a short out and back along the path. I then quit the run at mile 7, with a 7:36 mile.
I had a long walk uphill back to my car. That was fine. I thought about running a mile when I recovered, but I didn't bother. It was a good run to find my limit in difficult conditions. I'm still trying to learn how far I can push it.
I rested for a little over 3 hours. I started my second run at 8:30 PM, as the sun was setting. I wanted to run 10 miles, but I'd at least be happy with 8 miles. I wasn't going anywhere, so the plan was to run around the neighborhoods.
I need to practice running at night, for my marathon. This was a good combo of running in daylight and night and seeing how the temperature changed. It was a little breezy again during this run and the temperature dropped, but the humidity got even worse.
I ran shirtless as usual, even if it was going to be dark. I didn't want to wear a headlamp or anything reflective, so I had to be careful. I had to pay attention to cars. I also ran the lightly traveled neighborhood. It wasn't bad.
I started by looping around my neighborhood. That was a nice mile to start. It was a very disappointing 8:57 time however. My legs were a little sore and I did expect this run to be slower than the earlier one. I didn't think it would be that much slower.
I didn't worry too much about the pace though. I just kept on going. The beginning of this run didn't seem too bad. I headed to the neighborhood on the other side of the school. I ran the two out and back sections, to add distance. I needed to add wherever I could.
The out and backs go uphill and downhill. It was nice to go downhill on the main road to the industrial park. By mile 3, I was at least running closer to an 8 minute pace. I added some distance through a small neighborhood.
A biker drove through the industrial park. He had on reflective gear. It was nice to get to mile 4, but I was sweating a lot. My grey shorts were getting soaked. I couldn't believe how much farther I had to yet. I wasn't enjoying this run nearly as much as I had in the beginning of it. I ran to the dead end of the industrial park. I was almost exactly at 5 miles. That was perfect.
I came back, trying to repeat the exact same route. When I'd get back to the school then, I'd be at 9 miles. Then, I could finish the last mile however I chose.
Going up the main road hill was a challenge. My legs were tiring after all the mileage today and yesterday. It was a good mental test for sure. I just kept going.
I almost didn't want to add the out and back dead ends, because they are hilly. However, I'd have to make it up later. I told myself, get through that and all that is left is easy downhill.
The out and backs were tough, but I remained focused. I hit miles 7 and 8 and was exhausted. I was soaked in sweat. The darkness wasn't helping any. This was one of the most humid runs of the summer. I drank all of my water by the end.
It was good to be going downhill now in the darkness. I couldn't look at my watch too often, since it was dark. Every now and then, I'd light it up. I got back to the black path and hit mile 9 right there.
I was really disappointed when I got to the school. I was going to loop around the parking lot to finish. However, two women were out walking a bunch of dogs. I think I encountered them doing the same after dark before too. One dog was friendly, but he sort of ran to me that time. I didn't want to mess with that.
I headed back into my neighborhood for the last mile. This was another mental challenge, but it was good to nearly be done. When I was struggling, I told myself, push through it is an off day tomorrow. Also, I know my marathon won't be easy, so my training runs can't all be easy either. I need to learn how to suffer and get through.
I couldn't believe how humid this run was at night. I'll run some more night runs over the next few weeks. Maybe I'll get used to it. I'll try running fast at night too. However, I'm not very confident now that I'll run fast during the race. I think the marathon will be more of a survival run.
Tomorrow, I'm busy so I'm taking a needed rest day. I'll pick it up on Wednesday. I'll try to do the long run that I missed yesterday. I want to at least get to 20 miles. Running 23 would be awesome. It is going to be very hot and I don't have time to run long in the morning, so this run will be interesting to say the least.
Run 1 7.01 miles - 52:47 (7:32 pace)
Run 2 10 miles - 1:20:34 (8:03 pace)
I would've liked a morning run, but I couldn't get up. An early afternoon one would've been nice too, but I was tired and took a nap. I started the first run at 4 PM. I wanted to do a loop. I parked near the WAWA on 25th Street. The short loop here would be about 8 miles. Then, maybe I'd add some more. I had run all the parts of this route before, but never this specific route.
I started off heading toward the Boat Launch. I felt fairly good and it was a decent pace. It was pretty humid and the shade was off and on. I went out with a very solid first mile, at just over 8 minutes.
The pace picked up after that. The road to the Boat Launch is a long and gradual downhill. I was glad that I didn't have to stop at the road crossings for very long. The pace naturally got faster.
With the heat and humidity and the pace, I was breathing fairly heavy in miles 2 and 3. Mile 2 was 7:27 and mile 3 became an even faster 7:12. At that point, I tried to slow myself down. I didn't want to pay for it later.
It didn't really work though. The downhill toward the Boat Launch made for yet another fast mile. I ran mile 4 at 7:14. I thought I might pay for this. As we got to the flat, I started falling off.
The pace was just too much. I was soaked by now and struggling with my breathing. When I drank water, I started to choke a little. I had to slow down.
At about 4.5 miles, I did reel it in a bit. Still, it wasn't actually slow. I just tried to focus on mile 5 and then 6. I slowed to 7:26 and then 7:34 on the next mile.
I was getting closer and closer to Riverview Park, but it was still too far. I couldn't quit though or I'd have a far walk back to the car. I just tried to focus on making it to Riverview and eventually I did.
My problem now was that it would be a big climb to my car. I knew I was suffering too much to pull it off while running and I really didn't want to take a chance and overdo it either. I went out past the path to my car. I ran a short out and back along the path. I then quit the run at mile 7, with a 7:36 mile.
I had a long walk uphill back to my car. That was fine. I thought about running a mile when I recovered, but I didn't bother. It was a good run to find my limit in difficult conditions. I'm still trying to learn how far I can push it.
I rested for a little over 3 hours. I started my second run at 8:30 PM, as the sun was setting. I wanted to run 10 miles, but I'd at least be happy with 8 miles. I wasn't going anywhere, so the plan was to run around the neighborhoods.
I need to practice running at night, for my marathon. This was a good combo of running in daylight and night and seeing how the temperature changed. It was a little breezy again during this run and the temperature dropped, but the humidity got even worse.
I ran shirtless as usual, even if it was going to be dark. I didn't want to wear a headlamp or anything reflective, so I had to be careful. I had to pay attention to cars. I also ran the lightly traveled neighborhood. It wasn't bad.
I started by looping around my neighborhood. That was a nice mile to start. It was a very disappointing 8:57 time however. My legs were a little sore and I did expect this run to be slower than the earlier one. I didn't think it would be that much slower.
I didn't worry too much about the pace though. I just kept on going. The beginning of this run didn't seem too bad. I headed to the neighborhood on the other side of the school. I ran the two out and back sections, to add distance. I needed to add wherever I could.
The out and backs go uphill and downhill. It was nice to go downhill on the main road to the industrial park. By mile 3, I was at least running closer to an 8 minute pace. I added some distance through a small neighborhood.
A biker drove through the industrial park. He had on reflective gear. It was nice to get to mile 4, but I was sweating a lot. My grey shorts were getting soaked. I couldn't believe how much farther I had to yet. I wasn't enjoying this run nearly as much as I had in the beginning of it. I ran to the dead end of the industrial park. I was almost exactly at 5 miles. That was perfect.
I came back, trying to repeat the exact same route. When I'd get back to the school then, I'd be at 9 miles. Then, I could finish the last mile however I chose.
Going up the main road hill was a challenge. My legs were tiring after all the mileage today and yesterday. It was a good mental test for sure. I just kept going.
I almost didn't want to add the out and back dead ends, because they are hilly. However, I'd have to make it up later. I told myself, get through that and all that is left is easy downhill.
The out and backs were tough, but I remained focused. I hit miles 7 and 8 and was exhausted. I was soaked in sweat. The darkness wasn't helping any. This was one of the most humid runs of the summer. I drank all of my water by the end.
It was good to be going downhill now in the darkness. I couldn't look at my watch too often, since it was dark. Every now and then, I'd light it up. I got back to the black path and hit mile 9 right there.
I was really disappointed when I got to the school. I was going to loop around the parking lot to finish. However, two women were out walking a bunch of dogs. I think I encountered them doing the same after dark before too. One dog was friendly, but he sort of ran to me that time. I didn't want to mess with that.
I headed back into my neighborhood for the last mile. This was another mental challenge, but it was good to nearly be done. When I was struggling, I told myself, push through it is an off day tomorrow. Also, I know my marathon won't be easy, so my training runs can't all be easy either. I need to learn how to suffer and get through.
I couldn't believe how humid this run was at night. I'll run some more night runs over the next few weeks. Maybe I'll get used to it. I'll try running fast at night too. However, I'm not very confident now that I'll run fast during the race. I think the marathon will be more of a survival run.
Tomorrow, I'm busy so I'm taking a needed rest day. I'll pick it up on Wednesday. I'll try to do the long run that I missed yesterday. I want to at least get to 20 miles. Running 23 would be awesome. It is going to be very hot and I don't have time to run long in the morning, so this run will be interesting to say the least.
Run 1 7.01 miles - 52:47 (7:32 pace)
Run 2 10 miles - 1:20:34 (8:03 pace)
Sunday, June 29, 2014
The Importance of Calories
Today was my last scheduled long run. The plan was for 23 easy miles. I couldn't get up in the morning, so I didn't run at Eddyside. I walked out the door with all my gear at noon. It was so hot, so I walked back inside. I decided that I'd run in the evening or even the dark. That wasn't the worst idea.
It was cool when I first started, at least by current standards. It was still hot enough to go shirtless and of course my shorts were still completely soaked by the end. I hate summer so much.
I didn't eat dinner before the run. I would end up paying for that. I headed to Northampton for the run. I figured that I could run on the D&L, Ironton Rail Trail and Nor-Bath Trail from the middle of Northampton. It would take a little distance to get to each trailhead, but that was fine. I could just about divide the run up nicely into thirds.
I parked next to Northampton High School's baseball field. I put on my headband, filled my handheld and grabbed some GU Chomps. I ran toward Main Street to start out.
The plan was to go out to 3.5 miles and turn back for the first segment. I'd head over to the D&L first. I'm not crazy about that surface, so it was a good place to start.
I felt good as I ran through town. I was on the D&L fairly quickly. I opened with a nice 8:10 mile. The legs were sharp. It was still a little hot, but in general, not too bad. I could deal with this temperature and humidity all summer.
I cruised along up the trail. I was relaxed and not looking at my watch too often. The cliff along the trail blocked a lot of the early sun. The run was going well. I began clicking off miles at sub 8 minute pace. I was working at a comfortable effort too.
There were a few people out on the trail, but I was surprised that there wasn't much traffic. It was rather light. I got out to 3.5 miles in no time and I turned back around.
Heading back to Northampton wasn't bad. This first segment was nice. As long as I focused on getting to the end of it, things were good. It was when I realized how much more mileage I had left overall that gave me problems. It seemed overwhelming.
I was back at my car just past 7 miles. I was a little sweaty and exhausted. The stop was good though. I dried off, refilled my water and grabbed some more GU Chomps.
Next on the agenda was to run the Ironton Rail Trail. This would be a little more challenging. I'd have to run over the river on the bridge and then go down and find the trail. I ran through Northampton, to the bridge. I had a nice downhill segment. I wasn't crazy about climbing this later.
I crossed over the bridge. I saw some stairs, but then I realized that they were closed. I started running on the road parallel to the trail. There was a road that didn't look like it went down to the rail trail, or rather it looked like it was fenced in.
I continued on along the road. There were lots of houses, but no path to the trail. I was over 1.5 miles out from my car at this point. I passed a few kids playing catch in the street. Finally, at a dead end, there were steps down to the trail.
I began running the trail in the clockwise direction. I couldn't believe that I wasn't at mile 10 yet. I had a long way to go yet. The good thing is the sun was setting and it was getting cooler and cooler. I felt good and at times, I was almost chilly. This trail was quite busy.
It was slow early on, but I got into a groove and cruised along. I was thrilled to get to mile 10. Then I hit the halfway point at 11.5 miles. Getting to 13 and 13.1 miles was nice too. I tried to focus on making it to the main parking area.
That actually occurred right before 13 miles. I wanted to get there, so that I could drink some cold water. That brief stop was refreshing. I was feeling a little beat though. I was hoping to be fresher at that point.
I finished up the loop. When I got to the bridge, I saw that the road I was looking at earlier, went up to the bridge. I took that route. I figured that I'd arrive back at my car around mile 15. That would be nice.
I decided that I wanted a little more distance. Therefore. I ran to Route 329 and then down Laubach, back to the high school. That got me very close to mile 16, when I was at my car. I did a short out and back to hit that mark.
It was good to have 2 of 3 segments done. I threw my headband off and dropped off my handheld too. It was getting very cool and nearing darkness too.
I was shocked at how wiped out I was at this point. I almost considered quitting right there, but I decided to tough it out. I hoped that the break would be a big plus. I toweled off, drank some more and popped a couple GU Chomps.
I took off for the Nor-Bath Trail. The downhill start was excellent and I felt much better. That didn't last at all though. I began to feel awful on the side of Northampton High School. I was only about half a mile into this segment. I was completely exhausted and having some minor stomach issues. I just turned around to go to mile 17. I was very disappointed.
I ran to mile 17 to finish the run. I ran very slowly up the hill to finish up. I was quite disappointed. The heat might've taken some toll, but I was done in mostly by not eating dinner. I definitely needed more calories in my system, than the few I was getting from GU Chomps. I usually don't worry about calories and I don't have a problem with them. Without eating though, I crashed big time today. I was even still exhausted when I got home.
I do have to laugh a little that I ran 17 miles and I'm disappointed. I came up 6 miles short of my goal. I could've struggled badly and made it to mile 20, but that would've been pointless. I just called it a day. This was supposed to be my last long run before the marathon. Therefore, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Tomorrow, is normally my off day. However, I'm busy on Tuesday. Therefore, I'll probably take off Tuesday and run a bit tomorrow. It would be nice to run twice tomorrow. Maybe I can get up in the morning for a short run. I'd love to hit 90 miles this week. I think I might shoot for 20-23 more miles on Wednesday. I don't think I can let this week go without running that far. It just won't sit well with me.
17 miles - 2:14:18 (7:54 pace)
It was cool when I first started, at least by current standards. It was still hot enough to go shirtless and of course my shorts were still completely soaked by the end. I hate summer so much.
I didn't eat dinner before the run. I would end up paying for that. I headed to Northampton for the run. I figured that I could run on the D&L, Ironton Rail Trail and Nor-Bath Trail from the middle of Northampton. It would take a little distance to get to each trailhead, but that was fine. I could just about divide the run up nicely into thirds.
I parked next to Northampton High School's baseball field. I put on my headband, filled my handheld and grabbed some GU Chomps. I ran toward Main Street to start out.
The plan was to go out to 3.5 miles and turn back for the first segment. I'd head over to the D&L first. I'm not crazy about that surface, so it was a good place to start.
I felt good as I ran through town. I was on the D&L fairly quickly. I opened with a nice 8:10 mile. The legs were sharp. It was still a little hot, but in general, not too bad. I could deal with this temperature and humidity all summer.
I cruised along up the trail. I was relaxed and not looking at my watch too often. The cliff along the trail blocked a lot of the early sun. The run was going well. I began clicking off miles at sub 8 minute pace. I was working at a comfortable effort too.
There were a few people out on the trail, but I was surprised that there wasn't much traffic. It was rather light. I got out to 3.5 miles in no time and I turned back around.
Heading back to Northampton wasn't bad. This first segment was nice. As long as I focused on getting to the end of it, things were good. It was when I realized how much more mileage I had left overall that gave me problems. It seemed overwhelming.
I was back at my car just past 7 miles. I was a little sweaty and exhausted. The stop was good though. I dried off, refilled my water and grabbed some more GU Chomps.
Next on the agenda was to run the Ironton Rail Trail. This would be a little more challenging. I'd have to run over the river on the bridge and then go down and find the trail. I ran through Northampton, to the bridge. I had a nice downhill segment. I wasn't crazy about climbing this later.
I crossed over the bridge. I saw some stairs, but then I realized that they were closed. I started running on the road parallel to the trail. There was a road that didn't look like it went down to the rail trail, or rather it looked like it was fenced in.
I continued on along the road. There were lots of houses, but no path to the trail. I was over 1.5 miles out from my car at this point. I passed a few kids playing catch in the street. Finally, at a dead end, there were steps down to the trail.
I began running the trail in the clockwise direction. I couldn't believe that I wasn't at mile 10 yet. I had a long way to go yet. The good thing is the sun was setting and it was getting cooler and cooler. I felt good and at times, I was almost chilly. This trail was quite busy.
It was slow early on, but I got into a groove and cruised along. I was thrilled to get to mile 10. Then I hit the halfway point at 11.5 miles. Getting to 13 and 13.1 miles was nice too. I tried to focus on making it to the main parking area.
That actually occurred right before 13 miles. I wanted to get there, so that I could drink some cold water. That brief stop was refreshing. I was feeling a little beat though. I was hoping to be fresher at that point.
I finished up the loop. When I got to the bridge, I saw that the road I was looking at earlier, went up to the bridge. I took that route. I figured that I'd arrive back at my car around mile 15. That would be nice.
I decided that I wanted a little more distance. Therefore. I ran to Route 329 and then down Laubach, back to the high school. That got me very close to mile 16, when I was at my car. I did a short out and back to hit that mark.
It was good to have 2 of 3 segments done. I threw my headband off and dropped off my handheld too. It was getting very cool and nearing darkness too.
I was shocked at how wiped out I was at this point. I almost considered quitting right there, but I decided to tough it out. I hoped that the break would be a big plus. I toweled off, drank some more and popped a couple GU Chomps.
I took off for the Nor-Bath Trail. The downhill start was excellent and I felt much better. That didn't last at all though. I began to feel awful on the side of Northampton High School. I was only about half a mile into this segment. I was completely exhausted and having some minor stomach issues. I just turned around to go to mile 17. I was very disappointed.
I ran to mile 17 to finish the run. I ran very slowly up the hill to finish up. I was quite disappointed. The heat might've taken some toll, but I was done in mostly by not eating dinner. I definitely needed more calories in my system, than the few I was getting from GU Chomps. I usually don't worry about calories and I don't have a problem with them. Without eating though, I crashed big time today. I was even still exhausted when I got home.
I do have to laugh a little that I ran 17 miles and I'm disappointed. I came up 6 miles short of my goal. I could've struggled badly and made it to mile 20, but that would've been pointless. I just called it a day. This was supposed to be my last long run before the marathon. Therefore, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Tomorrow, is normally my off day. However, I'm busy on Tuesday. Therefore, I'll probably take off Tuesday and run a bit tomorrow. It would be nice to run twice tomorrow. Maybe I can get up in the morning for a short run. I'd love to hit 90 miles this week. I think I might shoot for 20-23 more miles on Wednesday. I don't think I can let this week go without running that far. It just won't sit well with me.
17 miles - 2:14:18 (7:54 pace)
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