Music on my ipod helped!

Sat, 8/31--took day off

Fri, 8/30--4.4M in 31:30.  2 Rustin loops--16:15, 15:15.

Thurs, 8/29--took day off

Wed, 8/28--ran 5.7M in 41:00

Tues, 8/27--in Ohio.

Mon, 8/26--en route to Ohio.

Sun, 8/25--went to the Y.  Alternated between mile and upper body lifting.
6:40 on donut track
lifted (4:00)
6:40 on treadmill
lifted
6:20 on track
lifted
5:50 on treadmill

Music on my ipod helped!

Sat, 8/24--did 5x1000 with DJ on XC course.  3:30, 3:22, 3:23, 3:22, 3:20 with 3:30 rest between each run.

Hold Pace

Thurs, 8/21-Met the group at the country club.  Had a couple of minutes to stretch.  The run was the usual 7.9M with a 5M tempo run set in the middle.  Tempo portion was supposed to be at Broad Street pace.  I've never run Broad Street!  Given that I'm not yet conditioned for distance, I was nervous about whether I'd be able to hold pace.  I'd try, though.  I wound up doing just fine, pacing off a couple of guys who would normally be with the top group.  The tempo began in earnest about 11:15 into the run (Short Hills area) and, after adjusting for traffic stops, mine ended 44:45 for a 6:54/mile pace.  It was tough, though.  I walked with someone for 2-3 minutes and then jogged it in, reaching the stopping point in 57:30.

Wednesday, 8/20-I did 6.6M (3 Rustin loops).  I didn't want to push the pace because I wanted to be good for Thursday's workout.  I covered the 6.6 in 48:40 (7:22 pace).

Loop 1: 17:15
Loop 2: 16:15 (33:30)
Loop 3: 15:10 (48:40)

Tuesday, 8/19-Went to WC Henderson. 5:35 AM.  The workout for folks with a marathon on the horizon was 8x1000 with 100 meter jog in-between repeats, I believe.  Other folks were assigned 4-6 x1000 with a 200 m jog in-between repeats.  I wound up doing 6x1000, the first three with 100 meter jog in-between, the last three with 200 meters.  I felt good about the workout overall, as I felt like I could go the distance.  My runs started at 3:45 and ended with 3:39.

Friday, 8/15-Monday 8/18--in NC wilderness, Outward Bound.  No running.

North Carolina wilderness

Thursday, 8/15--in North Carolina wilderness!  Ran about 4.5M-5M at 6 PM over gravel road and switchback-crazed paved uphill mountain road.  Tough run, felt like I was walking some of the time.  Wish I had time to write about the beauty I've seen and the experience I've had thus far.  Perhaps later.

Wednesday, 8/14--Took off.  En route to NC-Outward Bound. 5:30 departure.

Tuesday, 8/13--Raining, thunder, lightning.  Skipped the workout at Henderson and went to the Y instead.
Mile 1: 6:45 on donut track
Lifted upper body for 5 min.
Mile 2: 6:59 on treadmill

Lifted upper body for 5 min.
Mile 1: 6:30 on donut track
Lifted upper body for 5 min.
Mile 2: 6:45 on treadmill
Lifted upper body for 5 min
Mile 2: 6:15 on donut track

I need to do plenty more of these

Monday-took the day off since I overslept by almost an hour!

Sunday-We returned from Ocean City, and shortly thereafter DJ and I hit the road for a "long" run of 11.4/11.5.  The plan was to run the first 5.7 loop in between 42:00 and 42:30 and the second one faster, say 40:00.  I essentially wanted to run about 7:30 pace for the first half and 7:00 for the second half.  We reached the 5.7M mark (the stop sign outside my house) in 42:35.  Unfortunately, DJ peeled off.  Argh.  (How is this kid going to get into shape this way?)  I kept going, picking up the pace slightly.  By the time I reached the 8M mark, I felt my vitality wane a bit.  I was struggling, particularly as the 2:30 sun gave us its all.  I arrived home in 83:55, covering the second 5.7 in 41:20, 05 7:15 pace.

I need to do plenty more of these over the next two months.

Ocean City

Saturday--Triple take.  Did about 5.7M on the road w DJ, from the hotel drive-up on 67th to the 20th Street turnaround point.  Time: 41:55.  DJ came in at 42:45, faltering a bit.  "You have to drink your water, son."

Friday-Same as Wednesday, but I ran solo.  42:05.

Thursday, 8/9-took off

Wednesday afternoon-
Did about 5.7M on the road w DJ in Ocean City, MD.  Time: 41:40.  Had to negotiate side streets and passersby.

I was happy he joined me!

Aug 7, 2013-
Went to WC Henderson w DJ, who was motivated enough to get up at 5:15 to accompany me.
The workout was 6-8 x 800 w a 200m jog in-between.  The workout started slow but improved.

 My runs were: 3:00, 3:00, 3:01, 2:55, 2:51, 2:37.  Just as I has done w my lat 800, I tucked in w the top group as they passed w 600m to go.  I wound up posting 1:56 for the distance.

With the exception of the last 800, DJ stayed within 3 seconds of me.

I was happy he joined me!.

Really slow

Aug 5, 2013--Did a slow, really slow 4.4M at 6:30 AM.
18:30-loop 1
16:40-loop 2

35:10, about 8:00 pace.

my first long run of the year

Sat, 8/3--

I did my first long run of the year, about 11.9M.  I started at my house and made my way to the Borough, specifically to the starting point of the Thursday morning run (at WC Country Club).  I arrived there after 4.9M/37:25 minutes.  I then took the usual route through WC to Henderson HS, reaching what is typically the 4M mark, the 8.9M mark today, in 66:45.  I took that 4-mile segment in 29:20, which means I was running at 7:20/mile pace.  I had about 3 miles to go, which I covered in 21:05...for a total running time of 1:27:50.

back-stiffening, whimp-of-a-run

Fri, 8/2--6:30 AM.  I dropped my son's car off at the Honda dealership for repairs and just headed back home for a whopping 2.8M.  I covered the back-stiffening, whimp-of-a-run in 19:40 (7:01/mile pace).

It was such an awful run.

Thurs, 8/1-I had a difficult time getting myself together, on account of a late night at the Phillies game.  At least I had great seats (right behind home plate) and could be seen on TV.  At any rate, I didn't get a great night's sleep and was tired and groggy in the morning.  I showed up at the country club for the Thursday run anyway...in the rain, no less.  The group decided to run the 7.9M route in reverse and would do a 4M tempo in the middle of the route.  From the start of the run, I was dragging, and my back was killing me.  By the time we picked up the pace for the tempo run, I was far behind the main group and drifting backward.  I had nothing in my legs and was miserable.  I wound up veering off at Henderson HS and heading back to my car.  I covered the route in 36:00 or so.  I'd like to say it was close to 5 miles but I can't be sure.

It was such an awful run.

Wed, 7/31-I went to the Y and did a bit of the usual.
Mile on donut track-6:40
Upper body work
Mile on treadmill-6:25
Upper body work
Mile on track--6:10.