RUNNERS LIFE 1102

Ran Starkey this morning. Started out about 6:30am. Tried to maintain a decent pace of 7:40 with my virtual partner (sometimes my best freind!) completed the run with a 7:34 overall pace. Very humid weather, but much better than night runs. Did some stairs, hills (treadmill style), and 10 laps in the pool last night so, this run was pretty good. Would of went further, but had to get back to bring the little one to school.

Looking forward to some Hills this weekend With Mark, Eric and Keith.  

WOW! Running in Florida in August, You've gotta' love it!

Started out on the Starkey Trail for a cool (93 degrees) 10 miles. Felt pretty good with a slow warm-up (like that was necessary). Second mile was still pretty good with a 6:55 split. As I was heading further out, the Mental games began to set in. It was HOT. Very HOT. Very Very HOT!

I hit the 5 mile turn around point and Started to see a slight sprinkle. The sprinkle was actually a welcome sight, due to the heat. BUT, the sprinkle began to pick-up a little and then I began to think I hope it doesn't rain to hard, I have my brand new Speedstar 3's and I would hate to get them soaked. Well, before I could finish that thought, it began to pour and pour hard. For the next FOUR miles! my feet and shoes were soaked and sure enough within the last half mile - NOTHING. No rain. No cool breeze. Just me and my NEW drenched shoes.

For some sick reason, I loved it. I thought, well, that was something. I'm glad I did it. 10 miles done. 7:39 overall pace with 3 miles at marathon pace.

Great run this morning with everyone. 14 miles of hills that I have to say surprised me. I expected less (in the way of hills), but appreciated the workout. I have been fooling myself thinking I am getting "hills" in on a treadmill.

Mark put up an awesome blog from this morning at mark.fastrunningblog.com , so I don't need to go futher describing the "event." Although I must say, Mark and Eric the great runners they are, impress me each time we run. They challenge me.

I really enjoyed everyone out there this morning and surprisingly found that one of the 9 runners, Laura, I grew up with through grade school and into Junior High (what are the chances?!?). I look forward to future conversation and great running....

Ready to go again........

Went to the gym and had a good leg work-out. Did quads, hamstrings, calves, and some squats.

Completed .25 mile in the pool. Laps are kickin' my butt. I appreciate swimmers conditioning and will continue to improve. My heart rate soars when I hit the pool. My breathing technique (or lack of technique) needs a lot of work.

Hitting the trail early tomorrow. There is a big tropical storm off the coast right now  named Claudette. Fortunately, this will suck a lot of the humidity away to make decent weather for a run. Unfortunately, someone will get hit tomorrow.

Good run this morning. Took a vacation day and took advantage of it by heading out early.

Out on the Starkey trail by 5:50 and it was dark. Not even any moon light. Thank goodness for my headlamp. The two tiny LED lights brighten the trail up enough to see.

The first three miles were slow @ a 7:50 average. I picked the pace up for the next four at a 7:15 average, it felt comfortable. The last three I came down to a 7:35 average.  

Overall was a 7:35 average. The humidity was still up, but it certainly could have been worse.

Around mile 4.5 I saw what I thought was the Space Shuttle take off. I did not know if one was scheduled. From our perspective in central Florida, we can see anything that takes off from the Cape, as long as it is clear. Unfortunately, this one looked like it was a failure. The smoke was not straight and then it turned and stopped. I was concerned for the remainder of my run. When I got back to my truck it was reported on the radio that a rocket carrying a new GPS sattelite had taken off. I wasn't imagining things because it was also reported that other people called thinking it had been a failure. NASA reported it was a complete success......as was my run....

Ready to go again..... 

Started out on the Starkey Trail around 6:15 with no real expectations. I wanted to get 10 in, but I did not "feel it" today.

The first couple were slow with a pace average around 8:00 min. I started warming up and feeling a little better and finished the remainder at around a 7:35 pace. I felt comfortable with the pace, but it never felt right.

Either way, I'm not complaining, I got it done.

Ready to go again...... 

WHEW!

WOW!

MAN!

Where is October????

Went to Veterans Memorial Park to run the one mile loop. The loop twists and turns and has some decent hills to shake it up a bit. Start time 6:00pm. Start temperature 94 degrees. Start humidity one billion!

Stayed with a steady pace between 7: 30 and 7:40.  Didn't want to push to hard because of the heat. After I was done my stomach felt a little upset due to the temperature, but not to bad.

The park was pretty crowded. I think that helped keep me going......

Ready to go again.......

Great workout at the gym. Chest, shoulders, back, and abs. Then hit the pool for a quarter mile swim. Efficiency getting a little better.

Hoping for a good nights sleep for a 16 miler in the morning.

As usual, a great run with Eric, Mark, and Dan. We started out around 6:10am with a slow pace of 8:37. Every mile from then progressed a little faster.

Around mile nine, Eric began to pull ahead of us. I thought for a moment I would keep up with him, but only for a very slight moment. At mile eleven, Mark and Dan started to pull ahead. I thought maybe I was doing poorly as they pulled ahead, but then my Garmin read 7:06 for the 12th mile. I was then satisfied with my pace and realized that they are just a bunch of FREAKS! (I say "Freak" with respect, of course!). I appreciate how they push me to my limits.

I finished up with a 7:35 overall pace, the last two were a little rough, but a good run. The 7 miles listed as marathon pace are all under a 7:20 pace.

Ready to go again.......

Started a seven week training plan for the "Race for the Taste 10k" at Disney on October 11th. Printed a plan from Runners World web-site and I will attempt to follow it as closely as possible.  I am going to try to break 42 minutes for a PR. Training is going to concentrate on speed a lot more than it has and long runs will be a little less. Immediately following this race, I will have 13 weeks till the Disney Marathon.

Today was scheduled for an easy 6 miles. Went to the Veterans Memorial Park  mile loop. I felt good and I went a little faster than the plan scheduled. Christine went with me and she ran 4 miles which was awesome because she does not like running in the heat (can't say I blame her).

Ready to ago again....tomorrow 6 easy miles and swim laps......

WEATHER NOT PERMITTING!

...... A lot of rain in the area this evening, so I went to the gym and used the dreaded treadmill. Had a surprisingly good run. Started out slow and progressed rapidly to a 6:30 pace for the last two miles. Four of the two miles were under a 7:00 min. pace....ended witha solid core workout.... Ready to go again.....in the AM.....

WEATHER PERMITTING!

Nice weather this morning. A little humid, but with a bit of a late start at 7:50am, it was nice at around 75 degress.

Completed a tempo run with a two mile warm up and then followed by a 4 mile tempo.....7:04, 7:09, 7:02, and 7:11....right around what I was looking for.

Ready to go again....6  again tomorrow and throw in some weight training...

Christine is in Boston for work and the kids are all home alone. Wanted to get out early and complete 12 before any of them even got out of bed.

When I got to the park, it was closed and a line of cars were waiting to enter. OF COURSE, I love it when a plan comes together. Didn;t have to wait to long before the park employee arrived and oened the gate. As I was driving in Christine called. She asked what I was running and I told her 12. She said, "Good luck, run one for me!"

So now that explains why I did 13. I just could not resist.

The run went well. My goal is to finish stronger than I have been. The first 9 had an average pace  of 7:40 and I finished the last 4 with an average of 7:18.

Ready to go again.....crossing my fingers for better weather next week!

Had to rush BIG TIME today. I had to pick up Christine from Tampa Airport by 8:20pm, but I wanted to get my run in.

Got off work at 4:00pm and rushed home. Changed into my running gear and rushed over to pick up Morgan from school. Drove straight to my mothers house and dropped her off and rushed over to Veterans Memorial Park.

No warm-up or stretching and it was approximately 95 degrees. I just started off and actually had a surprisingly good run considering the heat. I wanted to have a slow 8:00 min pace, but I felt very comfortable with an average of 7:35. No stopping for water, I had to get home. SO, I finished up, no stretching, no cool down and headed back to my mothers.

Took a shower once I got home. I was really looking forward to seeing Christine. I headed out to Tampa Airport and got there in plenty of time (especially since the plane was delayed about 15 minutes!).

Ready to go again.......

Making up for lost time!

START 6:30am-

Had to get started quickly because I had to get back to bring Morgan to Pre-K before 8:30 am. With this in mind I was able to get in 7 miles on the Starkey Trail. The run went very well because of how comfortable I felt again. I ended with an average pace of 7:39. Three of the miles were under a 7:20 pace giving me the "marathon pace" mileage.

START 6:30pm-

Felt pretty good and wanted to get in more training since Tuesday was a bust. Plus I have never really tried this whole "twice-a-day" thing before. Went to Veterans Memorial Park and started off with a 7:54 warm-up. All six miles following that were between a 7:19 and 7:11 pace. This gave me a total of eight "marathon pace" miles for the day.

I enjoyed the "twice-a-day" running. Considering I got in 14.10 miles in one day I did not feel like typically feel (spent!) following 14 continuous miles. Think I may incorporate this into my training more often.

Ready to go again........the Bucs game is on Friday so, I need to get in a good run tomorrow..

Not much to speak of hear. 5 easy miles at Veterans Park. Felt good, but took it easy and finished with a 7:40 average pace.

Went to Veterans Memorial Park at 6:30pm with the whole family, a rare event! Christine, Rachel, and I ran the loop while Erika stayed with Morgan at the playground (Erika was probably more exhausted than us at the end!).

Wasn't expecting to run at all, so getting in 4 was better than 0. Took it easy with and average pace of 7:56.

Ready to go again.....12 tomorrow..... 

Nice weather. Started around 6:45am with a temperature of 74 degrees. felt cool and the huidity was not to bad.

It has been a while since I was out there by myself. It wasn't bad, but it is nice to have someone push you. Need to focus more. Overall a good run though.

Had an overall average pace of 7:31. I am always searching for consistency and it worked out pretty good today. After the first mile of 8:09 and the second at 7:35 the remaining 10 stayed within a span of 5 seconds. 7:24 being the fastest and 7:29 being the slowest.

Ready to go again.....tomorrow is Labor day and I have no plan.....hhhmmm.....I think I'll run! 

TURTLES AND GATORS AND SNAKES,

OH MY!

Todays run has given me some perspective for when I am on the trail, before there is sunlight and completely ALONE. Normally I will see very little and brush off any stirring in the woods as an armadillo.

However,  for Memorial Day I went to the Starkey Trail  for an enjoyable run while Christine used her roller blades with Morgan in the jogging stroller. When we first got to the trail we saw a large turtle and Morgan loved it.

Christine was a little ahead of me and I saw her stop. She was pointing into the water and when I approached, I could not believe the size of the alligator that was about thirty feet off the trail. Probably, at least 8 feet. Of course, Morgan loved it.  We proceeded down the trail and around the 3.5 mile mark I saw two bicyclist's stopped and obviously in front of them was a snake. It's length was as wide as the trail and about as thick as my arm. It was a Diamond Back Rattle snake. Not something you want to miss! After the turn around we saw the gator again, it didn't move an inch and then shortly after that a pretty large Cotton Mouth was stopped on the trail! Morgan loved the snakes too. Nice to be 4.

Now I know we needed rain, but if this is what it brings out, I'm not so sure.

Anyway, The run was very good. The weather was nice.  I ended up with an average pace of 7:25 with four miles under 7:11.

Ready to go again.....very cautiously...... 

Double Duty

7:10am 

 Headed out on the Starkey trail for a Tempo run. The weather was very nice with a temperature of 72 degrees and low humidity. Completed a slow warm up at  an 8:09 pace.  The run ended with 7:24, 7:02, 7:04, 7:06, and 7:02. I was looking for an average of about 6:55 for the last four, but I'm not complaining.

6:10pm

Went to the Veterans Memorial Park for an easy 6 miles. Average pace ended at 7:56. The weather wasn't as nice with a start around 94 degrees and the humidity was a little high.

Nice to get in two runs. Make for a good feeling to get it done.

Ready to go again.........

Went to the Starkey Trail For an easy run. Christine and Morgan came with me, but I dropped them off at the playground and I started from there. Morgan absolutely loves the playground and it was nice having them there.

Once I made it to the trail it was surprisingly busy considering the heat. Start temperature was around 93°. Mostly walkers and bikers, but it is sometimes better to see life when it is so hot to keep your mind busy. Averaged a 7:50 pace to keep it easy.

Nice easy run....

Ready to go again......Bucs home opener this weekend against Dallas......must focus on good diet habits during the season.......

Does it make me a.......Pansy?

Saturday Morning...time for a long run.....wait it's raining! I take a look at the radar and think, no way. No one is running in that. So, I send a text to Eric and decide that I am going later. Eric replies he's gonna' try. I think, yea right.

Well, there was a clearing in the weather around 10:00am so I head out. I send a text to Eric again.

ME: "Hey, I'm heading out in case your interested?"

ERIC: "I got it in, the rain wasn't that bad."

I'm a pansy.

Anyway, I also see Mark did 20. I'm definately a pansy.

But, the good news is....I got in 12 at an overall pace of 7:37....83°......Who's the smart one here?

Ready to go again......Monday RAIN or shine.......Go Bucs!.... 

Headed out on the Starkey trail around 6:25pm. Start temperature 88° and crazy humid. There was some rain nearby, but I made it without getting hit.  Looking to get in 7 easy miles, but I have to be out of the park by 7:30pm because the closing time changed from 8:00pm.

Christine was on her roller blades pushing Morgan in the jogging stroller while I ran. The first two miles were a little faster than I am used to(7:48 and 7:27), but with time limited I need to get going.

The last five miles were all under 7:20 with the last mile at 7:02. The run felt "comfortably hard."  Some rain had fallen earlier on the trail and it created steam coming up from the trail. Not exactly condusive to great breathing. It could of been worse.

Ready to go again.......another 7 tomorrow.......I am sure the weather will be great! 

6:30am - Headed out on the extremely muggy Starkey Trail. My plan was to complete 7 miles in the morning and 7 more at night.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch.......

Completed the 7 in the morning with an average pace of 7:37....not to bad and felt good considering the humidity.....THINGS came up at night and every time I wanted to head out...kids....what more can I say.....don't count your chickens.....

Ready to go again.....with no expectations......need to try to "catch up".....

The weather showed some heavy rain to the south, so I headed north to the Veterans Memorial Park. When I got there it was 93° and humid. The park was packed with soccer, baseball, and a school swim competition at the pool.

I wasn't expecting too much considering the heat, but my goal was to have a consistent pace. The first two miles were slow around an 8:00min pace. Following the warm up miles I completed the run with 6 consistent miles between 7:25 and 7:17. Average pace ended at 7:30. Ending temp at 91°....almost like a cool front came through.....

Used my Bandito's for the second time. Very light and flexible. Good run.....

Ready to go again......

HILLS

Headed up to the Suncoast Parkway at SR 50 to run some Florida Mountains with Eric and Mark. I originally planned on doing 12 to 13, I couldn't nail down which one. So I did 14. Doesn't make sense, but I am always running alone, in the heat. If I get an opportunity to run with some outstanding competitors, I take advantage of it.

We started off at 6:10am and began the spider web swatting competition. It seems the webs cross the trail overnight just to screw with us!

The run went very well for me. Mark and Eric went longer than me, so I turned around at the 7 mile mark and I was alone from there. My goal was to remain consistant. I was able to accomplish my goal and finished with a 7:38 average. The last 7 miles all remained within a 6 second window! from 7:30 to 7:36. At the end I still felt pretty fresh. another accomplishment I am pleased with.

Ready to go again......Go bucs......

Christine, Morgan, and I headed to the Starkey trail. When we got there we found that the closing time changed to 7:00pm from 7:30pm. This is only two weeks after it changed from 8:00pm. Bummer, not enough time.

We adapted and turned around and headed out of the park to use the Starkey Blvd. trail.

The starting temperature was 92°, but for some reason it affected me more today than typically. I had no choice but to keep it slow. I ended with an 8:08 average pace. The last three miles were a little faster, but the slow beginning kept the average down.

When I got back to my truck the temperature remained at 92°! not great conditions, but I feel good that it got done.

Ready to go again...... 

LOST KEY, PLEASE HELP!

Approximately 11 hours from the last run, I find myself at the Veterans Memorial Park at 6:00am. Had to get there early, otherwise I may not have time to get in a run the rest of the day. Plus, gotta' get home quick to releive Christine.  

I used my headlight because the park was surprisingly dark on the back side. The weather felt wam at 78°. I started off a little slow to warm up and kept a consistent pace around 7:45 and ended with an average of 7:43 with a quick ending.

Sure enough, I got there early so I could get in a run and because Christine had to get to a meeting. I lost the key to my truck! It must have fallen out of my pocket. I think I forgot to zip it up. Fortunately, the park crew was there and let me use the office phone. Christine was....well...not happy (can't blame her). She and Morgan came to the park and dropped off the spare key. I groveled. It didn't work, but she cheered up soon after.

Ready to go again......gotta' go cut the lawn.....

Had to get to training in Dade City by 0900 hrs. This gives me time to get a run in early. I headed to the Starkey Trail by 0540 hrs, hoping the gate would be open. There wasn't a moon or even a star with the fog, so I knew it was going to be dark.

Got to Starkey at 0555 and the gate was open! Once I parked and got out of my truck I realized exactly HOW dark it was. I could not even see my hand in front of my face. I turned on my head light and it provided enough light to get me through. I must admit, I was a little freaked out with how dark it was. I headed out slowly on the trail and just before the 1 mile mark I looked slightly off to the left and my head light shined on three sets of eyes. Eyes of what, I don't know, but I wasn't hanging around to find out. The pace slightly increased and my head was on a swivel for about a half mile! Not to belabor the darkness thing, but I have never been on this trail and get to mile four and still need my head light. Today I did.

Wanted to get in 5 miles of tempo. I remained between 6:56 and 7:02 for the five miles(the fastest being the last mile). I did not meet the goal I was looking for of an average 6:52 pace, but I was close enough not be disappointed.

Off to work....Ready to go again...... 

KIDS!

(YOU GOTTA' LOVE 'EM)

Had enough of the afternoon heat, so I decided to use the dreaded treadmill. First I completed a short chest workout and then headed up to the treadmill. I warmed up for the first mile at around an 8:00 min.mile. After that I quickly brought the treadmill up to a 6:30 pace. I felt pretty good and suddenly at 3.2 miles in to the run I hear over the intercom system my name and "please come to the child care center." Ughh......First you think hope everything is OK, so you rush oover there...

Nope.....the rugrat is misbehaving.....how do I know......as soon as I enter I hear, "daddy I love you."........uh, yea right......

Needless to say I had to end it there. Sometime I have to look at the bright side. I got some mileage in and everything is OK........

Ready to go again.......

Headed to the Veterans Trail at 6:15pm. The weather was pretty hot, but do-able. Wanted an easy, steady run before a 12 miler tomorrow morning.

Completed the run with a 7:38 average. Felt good and....

....ready to go again....tomorrow 12....

Starkey Trail at 6:00am. I am convinced that the need to get there that early is no longer necessary. I have not been seeing light until almost mile 6 now and that is too long in the dark. When I win the lottery, I will install lights. 

Started a little slower with around a 7:50 average for the first half. The second half of the run was significantly faster. I did not plan on running as fast as I did, but sometimes it just feels right so I go with it. The last three were all 7:07 and all six were under 7:18!  Overall average pace 7:27.

Although the weather was humid, it was not too bad.

Ready to go again.....

Forgot my Garmin. Fortunately, I know the distances on the Starkey trail like the "back of my hand" (whatever that means).

Christine used her rollerblades and pushed Morgan in the jogging stroller. We saw quite a bit of wildlife and as usual Morgan loved it.

At the end of every run Morgan gets out of the stroller and runs the final 2/10 of a mile with me. So we are going to register her for the kids races at the Race for the Taste. 4 year olds have to run 200 meters. It should be interesting!

Average pace around 8:00 today....nice and easy...ready to go again.....

Speedwork

Completed a good speed workout. Started at 8:45 after dropping off Morgan. No big deal, the temperature was 67°!! First cool front of the year and it felt great.

Started with a 2.03 mile warm up at a 7:50 pace. Then I began 5 x 800 with 400 jogs. The goal was 3:01 per 800.

The 800's were: 2:59, 3:03, 3:04, 2:58, 3:03

Felt pretty good. The breathing is much easier without  all the humidity.

Gonna try to go again tonight.......

5:45pm

The weather is still nice (start temp. around 76°), so I took advantage of it. Back at the Starkey Trail and it was pretty busy with both humans and wildlife.

Started off with a pretty good pace. The overall pace was 7:20, but I had three under that with the last mile at 7:01. I felt good so I went with it.

I really enjoy the two runs in one day, but having the time isn't always there.

10 days to the "Race for the Taste" at Disney. We always look forward to the "taste" part afterwards.

Ready to go again......

Headed to the Veterans Memorial Park at 6:30pm for an easy run. The weather was awesome at 80° with practically zero humidity and no wind. It was 77° by the time I was done (practically unheard of for this time of year).

The park was pretty full with the ususal soccer and baseball games going on. I know I should resist when I should be going easy, but when the weather is nice?  I can't help it. The first four miles were nice and easy, but the last three were all under 7:10 with the final mile at 6:56. Overall average pace of 7:28.

I have heard Eric say the heat is his Kryptonite and I have to agree. I already have seen improvement with the lower humidity. Hoping (with my fingers crossed) for a good fall and winter season.

Ready to go EASY  tomorrow for six and thirteen Saturday.........

Went to the Veterans Memorial Park with Christine and Morgan. They stayed at the playground while I ran on the mile loop around the park.

Had an overall average pace of 7:30. The last mile was 7:15. Although the weather is slowly creeping back up it was still nice compared to just a week ago.

Ready to go again.....13 tomorrow morning.....by myself......

Headed to Starkey a little later than usual. Left the house around 6:05am. It was nice to sleep in a little. Plus the temperature was 69° to make it even better. I can definately feel the humidity starting to rise a little though.

With the "Race for the Taste 10k" next Sunday, this was the last run of signficance before it. All of the Striders were all ready out on the trail by the time I started around 6:45. Eric, Mark and several others were racing this morning, so I was going alone.

The first mile was easy at 8:15. After that I remained within a twelve second window of 7:24 to 7:36. Overall average pace was 7:35.

Felt real good with the cooler weather....

Ready to go again...... ready to race.......

Ran the Veterans loop for a short run at 5:00pm. Only 4 miles at an easy pace (thank goodness 'cause it was HOT!).

7:40 overall pace.....felt very comfortable even with the heat..

Ready to go again....another short one tomorrow.....

Started out on the Starkey Trail at 6:45am for another easy 4 miles. Temperature was comfortable at 74°, but the humidity was high.

There were surprisingly quite a few runners out there in the dark today which was nice to see.

Overall average of 7:44 pace.

Ready to go again....Tempo run tomorrow......gotta' do it in the heat.....ugghhhh......

For the sake of sounding like I'm whining...... can you say.....

RECORD HEAT!

I have to say at this point.... I'm over it ..... but the love of running keeps me going. Had to complete a tempo run. Start temperature was 94° at 5:15pm. I was dreading it from the start, but decided to give it what I had. I started with two miles to warm up. Went pretty slow with an 8:07 and then 7:54. After that the remaining four miles were:

7:02, 7:07, 7:08, 7:07.

A little disappointed, but I promise not to brag about how great the cooler temperatures (last week) are. I'm sorry. I won't do it again. EVER.

Overall not a bad run considering the temperature never dipped below 92° when I returned.

Ready to go again..... another short one tomorrow before the race on Sunday.....

Veterans loop .... easy four miles before the race....

Ready to race....

Race for the Taste

Had a great morning. The weather was not the best with a temperature of 78° and the humidity was thick. Somehow, I didn't feel it like a typical day. Adrenaline is something you can't factor into your training.

I've done this race several times, but this is the first time I got up front. If you don't there is a lot of weaving through people in the beginning. From the beginning of the race I felt pretty good. I didn't focus on anything except my running. I did not allow the distractions of disney get in the way of my pace. Although it is difficult at times, I remained constant throughout.

My time was 41:18, nearly a full minute better than my previous PR. An overall pace of 6:38. I was pleased, but like so many races I felt like I could of done a little more. 

Distance	10K
Clock Time	41:20
Chip Time	41:18
Overall Place	35 / 4013
Gender Place	33 / 1566
Division Place	5 / 227
Age Grade	70.9%

Ready to go again.........

Start 6:22pm

Average pace 7:51

Start 8:48am

Average pace 8:18

Start 5:40pm

Average pace 7:32

Start 6:04pm

Average pace 7:08 @ Veterans Memorial Park

Start 5:56pm

Average pace 7:35

Start 6:28pm

Average pace 7:24

Start 8:28am

Average pace 7:27

Christine has been running with me. She completed 7 miles today. First time ever she has gone that far.

It has been a little tough since the race. I got pretty sick and had to take a pretty heavy medication. First time I missed work in 15 years. Then we went to the Bucs game and I got sunburned pretty bad. Then I had to take a promotional exam at work and now the little one is sick.

Man, when it rains it pours! hopefully, things will fall back into place from here.

Start 6:08pm

Average pace 7:37

Veterans Memorial Park. Christine came out again and did four miles. I felt a little sore, but got in a pretty good run anyway. The park was crowded and the weather was nice (warm but very tolerable).

Trying to get back to some higher mileage after the rough couple of weeks.

4:07pm

7:45 average pace

8:53am Starkey Trail

7:46 Avg. Pace

5:52pm Veterans Park

7:25 Avg. Pace

6:43am Starkey Trail

7:44 Avg. Pace

HALLOWEEN RUN Ran with the striders for the first couple miles and then headed out. Felt pretty good, but my quads were sore at the end. Overall a good run.

1102

So many ask, What does 1102 mean?" well here it is 1102 (November 2nd. Our anniversary.

Woke up in our Disney DVC timeshare at Saratoga Springs and started the day with a run. Christine did about 4 miles.

We ran through Downtown Disney. Very enjoyable and the entire day was awesome. Went to Kat Kora's restaurant Kouzzina's and it was superb!

3:34pm Starkey Trail

Felt horrible. Lousy run. 'nuff said.

8:45 avg. Pace

3:47pm Starkey Trail

My last run was lousy because I got the flu. First run since the 3rd. I've had some horrible luck the last month. Looking forward to better days.

7:32 avg. pace.

6:24am Starkey Trail

Started my new work schedule. Going in later so I can run in the mornings. Love it so far (first day).

7:29 avg. pace

Tempo Run

Felt pretty good and I'm loving the morning running.  Started around 8:05am. It is Veterans Day. Proud to be one.

Splits for 4 mile tempo:

6:39, 6:49, 6:58, 6:55

Happy with the times since it has been a little while. Hope my down time does not keep my training for Disney from being where it needs to be.

5:59am Veterans Park

Started off while it was still pretty dark. Surprisingly a couple people were there anyway.

Nice and cool around 58°, but pretty windy still from the effects of Ida.

Oh, and I am glad to finally catch up on my calendar for the last three weeks.

Had to do my long run on Sunday due to scheduling conflicts  with my wife and kids. Just glad to get it in.

6:30am   Starkey Trail   49° at start 60° at the end.

I read an article in Runners World about Ryan Hall. He said that he was not as successful until he was, "confident enough to slow down and relax" on easy days.  This really made sense to me. I feel like I am always trying to push hard on every  run.  So, I made a commitment to be more "confident" and take it easy and "trust" my abilities come tempo, speed, and race days.

Started out with a slow first mile and never went faster than a 7:34. I did not intend to go that fast, but it was completely due to comfort level. I slowed back and averaged 7:43 for the run. I felt very good when I finished.

3:51pm  Starkey Trail and a beautiful 74°!!

Nice and easy run for 8 miles. The weather was perfect. Still a little sore from yesterdays long run but got in a good run overall.  Overall pace of 7:51 with a slow first and last mile.

5:48am  Veterans Memorial Park  52°

Started off with a slow mile and then kept a pace between 7:32 and 7:38 for the remaining six miles. 

The pace felt comfortable, but it is a little dark on the back side. Trying not to hit a bad spot in the road keeps your mind going.

Average overall pace 7:42

5:15pm  Veterans Memorial Park  75°

SPEEDWORK

Had a good run today. Completed two miles of a warm-up and then did one mile at 6:31, slowed to a 7:45 mile and then completed a 6:37 mile. I followed up this with a cool down mile of 7:40.

Felt good during my speed miles. My breathing was good and I was satisfied considering the hills, turns, and people (in the way sometimes) of Veterans Park.

6:15am  Veterans Memorial Park  62°

Nice easy run. Felt a little sore from yesterday, but I was able to complete the run with no problems.  Overall average pace of 7:41.

6:45am  Suncoast Parkway Trail in Brooksville  60°

HILLS!

I love this challenging trail. The "Florida" mountains of Brooksville are something that is difficult to find.

Met Eric and headed down the trail at a comfortable pace. As each mile progressed it was a little faster. Probably, a little faster than I wanted, but it felt good. At the halfway point (8.5 miles) Eric decided he wanted to go 18.

On the way back I maintaned a steady pace around 7:30. The run felt good and I did not feel as worn at the end as I may when it is warmer out.  Overall average pace 7:33.

Starkey Trail - Last run before we head to Disney for a week.

Average pace 7:47

5:04am  in the neighborhood just before heading out.

Didn't feel very comfortable. The neighborhood is small so it seems like you are never getting anywhere.

Got it in though.

6:49am  Disney Saratoga Springs and through Downtown Disney.

Not a bad run, but not a great one.  Having to make up a course as you go isn't the best. Also, as I was running through Downtown Disney a lot of work was happening causing me to make unexpected turns.

Nice views though, so it was enjoyable.

Last five miles averaged 7:12. Would have been better if the unexpected events didn't turn up (no excuses).

Thanksgiving Day

2:08pm  Saratoga Springs and the golf course.

Struggled the whole run. Had to make up the course as I went again. Strained something in the back of my right, lower calf. It is pretty sore and I will take care of it.

Still enjoyed running through Disney.

Abverage pace 7:38.

8:44am  Starkey Trail   55°

Got lucky and met Keith at the trail. No plans made, just happened to be there at the same time. Ran together for the first 2.5 miles because he turned.

I went out to the 4 mile mark for 8 miles. Had negetive splits the entire run ending with a 6:59. Overall average 7:22.

Felt very comfortable. I was worried because my calf was in bad shape, so I took three days off. To come back to such a good run felt good mentally and physically.

7:40am  Starkey Trail  60°

Felt a little stiff throughout this run, but managed a 7:38 pace. Tried to go easy yet the stiffness never subsided.

Got it done though.

8:05am   Starkey Trail   67°

Took it easy again this morning. My scheduled training has me doing less this week, but with my calf problem last week I am doing a long run Saturday.

Humid and breezy this morning. A cold front is approaching and it is expected to get nasty.  Fortunately I have been on vacation and was able to get my run in.  Average pace this morning at 7:40.

7:04am  Starkey Trail   63°

Took it easy again. 7:47 overall average ace.

6:58am  Starkey Trail  39°

Due to some scheduling problems, I had to change my long run to Sunday. This actually turned out to be a blessing. Saturday it was raining and warmer. Today was cold and crisp. I loved it!!!

Christine came out later so that her run would end at the same time. SHe did 7 miles! I was very proud, she has lengthed her runs in a very short period.

The first 8 miles I averaged a 7:40 pace. The last half of my run brought my overall average down to a 7:30 pace. The last thre miles averaged 7:14. Felt really good.

Definately the weather!!!!!!!!!

6:55am  Starkey Trail  60°

What a difference twenty four hours makes. The temperature went up 21°!!

The run felt really good. Especially after yesterdays long run. Kept a nice even pace around 7:40 the last mile was 7:16.

Getting ready for the Holiday Halfathon this weekend. Hoping for good weather.

5:41am   Veterans Park  

7:44 overall pace

6:20am   Veterans Park

7:49 overall pace

HOLIDAY HALFATHON

Start Time - 7:35am   Start Temp. 73°  High Humidity

Had a couple days off before this race and did not feel well.  Started off with a sore throat and had a bit of a sinus issue. I was determined to not allow any of that affect me.

The race started off pretty good. I had a good pace going and felt very comfortable. Unfortunately, I can't say that for the second half of the race. Started to feel a little awkward and got some tinggling in my fingers. Completely related (I am certain) to the way I was feeling before the race.

Still managed a PR by nearly a full minute. I think if I felt well and had some cool weather I could break that 1:30 mark, but only time will tell.  Very happy with the end result.

Christine drove to the finish line to pick me up. We have season tickets to the Buccaneers, so we got out of their quickly. Wouldn't you know, I took first place in my age division. Of course. That never happens and I was gone. I will try to contact the event to get my award.

Overall pace 7:04

4 weeks till the Disney Marathon!

6:14pm Ran in the neighborhood  -  warm

7:51 pace

4:46 pm  Starkey Trail   Cool

7:46 pace

6:24am  Starkey Trail  53°

Nice to see Mark and the others at the trail, but no one was going as far or in as much of a hurry to get started as I was. 

Sooo, I did the 21 miles alone. I felt really good and kept my pace within a 10 second range (7:46 - 7:56) for the entire run.

The weather held up and felt nice. Overall pace 7:50. 

4:05pm   Starkey Trail   Cool weather

Felt very comfortable with 5 good marathon pace miles.

Pace average 7:34

4:27pm  Starkey Trail   cool weather low humidity.

Pace average 7:41.

3:21pm   Starkey Trail    cool weather low humidity.

Tempo Run.

Felt REALLY good with this run. Following a slow warm up mile I completed 8 miles under a 7:14 pace. 4 miles around the 6:50 range.

Enjoyed this run very much.

3:33pm    Starkey Trail   warm weather medium humidity

This run sucked!   What more can I say. Never could find my mo-jo and simply wanted it to end from the time I started. Oh well.

Hoping to find someone for a long run on Saturday. It will be my last big one before Disney and it would be nice to run with someone.

Regardless I'll get it done.  

6:19am   Starkey Trail   56°

Saw quite a few of the Striders this morning. Started off with Keith, Victoria, Jorge, and Joe at a nice slow pace. Joe was the only one going 20, so I stayed with him through 13 miles at approximately a 8:00 minute average pace. For the last 7 I wanted to pick it up a bit. With the cool weather a 7:18 mile came easily. Joe stayed with me for another 2 miles. After that I finished up with a nice pace that brought the average for the run down to a 7:51. 

Did I mention the weather was great!

Two weeks to Disney, time to taper.

4:55pm   Starkey Trail    55°

Started off with a nice warm - up mile at 7:58 and then stayed between 7:16 and 7:21 for the remainder.

Had the wind to my back on the way out, but it was a little strong in my face on the way back. A little cold for us Floridians, but its a nice change.

13 days to Disney.

5:14pm

7:20 average pace

4:38pm   Starkey Trail comfortable / cool weather

4 miles paced at:

6:52, 6:54, 6:55, 6:49

3:27pm   7:38 average pace