4.4 miles

This was a good effort ... 4.4 miles in 40:08 (9:07 pace). I was running real easy to the four corners and back, then I went up the Linden Drive hill mile and back (8:50 pace ... very even). There is a big difference in my conditioning these days. I can really hit the accelerator when I need to, and it feels very good to be able to do that.

Miles for week -- 20.2

Next 10 days --

Monday -- Easy with Columbus girls (3)

Tuesday -- Rest

Wednesday -- At College of Ozarks track: 10 minute warmup. 10x400 in 1:42 average, 1-minute rest. 10-minute cooldown. (4.5)

Thursday -- 4 miles, go with how I feel. (4)

Friday -- Rest.

Saturday -- 1-hour run. (6.3)

Sunday -- Negative split run. (4)

Monday -- Rest

Tuesday -- Find a place where I can run repeat 5x800-1000s. (4.5)

Wednesday -- Easy 4 (4)

Thursday -- Negative split run.

Friday -- Rest

Saturday -- Old Threshers repeats (5)

Sunday -- 4

Fartlek at Hickory Hill

I ran 45 minutes today on the Hickory Hill Park trails ... it was an outstanding run. It was overcast and at one point it rained pretty steadily. So it was kind of refreshing after all this heat. I started pretty hard and ran 9 minutes on the trail to the right, which exits to the Dodge Street shelter. Then I stretched at the shelter and continued running to Dodge Street (13 minutes) and back to the start. That was about 26 minutes. Then I took off again and hit the trail to the left, which goes out to Rochester. I ran 1 1/2 minutes up Rochester (10 minutes) and back pretty hard to the start. So a total of 45-46 minutes (5 miles, conservatively). It was a great run ... I'm at kind of a breakthrough point, I think, because I am running relaxed and loose and easy. The pace is picking up ... even on these non-interval days. Things are coming much easier. For example, I am able to take a slight upgrade and run it hard to the top and feel outstanding ... relaxed and loose. I am unsure of what I want to run tomorrow. I had planned on doing 5xOld Threshers "halves." I'll see what I feel. But today was pretty fast and I don't want to overpush it.

5 miles. Week -- 15.8

Sunday -- Threshers? Or maybe up to Linden Road mile and back, then out to four corners and back (4.2).

Monday -- Easy in CJ with girls. (3)

Tuesday -- Off (travel)

Wednesday -- Go to College of the Ozarks track in the morning and run 10x400 with 1-minute rest again. (4.5)

Thursday -- 4 miles easy somewhere.

Friday -- Off

Saturday -- Maybe longer? (70 minutes?)

Sunday -- 4 kind of easy.

Good tempo

Today I ran with the girls in CJ. The first 17 minutes, or a couple of miles, was up-tempo. Definitely faster than an "easy" run. But it felt good ... I felt real strong. There is a bit of a turning point going on right now -- I feel like I am really strong. And getting stronger. Then I ran 14 minutes, easier but steady pace. Total 31-something. 3.5 miles.

Miles for week -- 10.8

Extreme heat, but good run

I ran in probably 95-degree weather this afternoon. Just did some loops on the frisbee golf trails and around the soccer fields for 30 minutes. I felt quite strong ... the heat was no issue. I am reminded why running fast and pushing myself to the anaerobic limit is so good. It improves your form and pace. I actually felt real good out there today.

3.3 miles -- 7.3 for week.

400s in the heat

Although I ran before 8 this morning, the heat was still oppressive. I did an 8-minute warmup at the track, then proceeded to run 10 400s.
1:44 (1-minute rest)
1:40 (1-minute rest)
1:40 (1-minute rest)
1:42 (1-minute rest)
1:42 (1-minute rest)
1:43 (3-minute rest)
1:44 (1-minute rest)
1:48 (3-minute rest)
1:49 (less than 1-minute rest)
1:52.
Then I ran a 6-minute cooldown. 2.5 miles in 17:24 (average 6:57 pace). I didn't quite get the workout I wanted. I had to take a couple of longer rests (3 minutes), but I was happy with it. First of all, I made it all 10. Secondly, the heat was smothering. It is so tough to run in this. So I held up pretty well overall. If I am able to run even 7:20 pace, I am in the 22s. So this is encouraging. I want to try to do it again and finish all 10 with 1-minute rest. I'll try it in a few weeks.

Miles for week -- 4

Easy to remember goals

Easy to remember 5K goals:

By age 52: 22 minutes.

By age 53: 21 minutes.

By age 54: 20 minutes.

By age 55: 19 minutes. By this time, I should be able to get my mile to 5:30.

Good effort in Wapello 5K

Today, I ran the Wapello 5K in 23:32, which I am very pleased with. The last several 5Ks I've done have not been very fast. Either I haven't been in great shape or coming off injuries, etc. This one sets me up for some good things later in the summer/early fall.

Miles: 1 -- 7:23. 2 -- 7:45 (15:08) 3 -- 7:39 (22:47). .1 -- 45 (23:32)

Miles for week -- 16

Plans for next week (early morning) --

Sunday: 1 hour.

Monday: Off

Tuesday: Half-mile warmup. 10x400 in 1:43 (shooting for 1-minute rest). Half-mile cooldown.

Wednesday: Easy 3 (up at CJ)

Thursday: 4 (steady state)

Friday: Off

Saturday: Jog to threshers. 5x"800" loop in 4:15-4:20, two minutes rest, Jog home.

Sunday: Easy for an hour.

30 minutes

I did 6 900-meter loops at Eastlake. I was just trying to go as I felt. I started at 5:06, then for the next four, I did 4:55ish, or 8:45 mile pace. It felt pretty good. Then the last one I eased up in 5:09. It was 30 minutes for 3.35 miles, or about 8:55 average.

This was a good week -- 3 days of running -- prior to the Wapello 5K on Saturday. I did some good quality work and good volume for mid-week. Then today I got as pleasant surprise after running. I stepped on the scale and it said 185. I want to get into the 170s before the start of school.

I looked at the McMillan calculator and 23:30 looked about right for what I think I can run right now. We'll see. I guess that would be my prediction.

I have 12.3 miles so far in three runs.

Linden Drive hill

I did the Linden Drive hill workout again and was more successful. I warmed up 10 minutes, then ran the hill and back down three times -- 4:49, 4:54, 4:36, total 14:18. It was 7:56 pace, which I am real happy with it. I wasn't able to do three consecutive times last time. Then I ran up to airport road and back as a cooldown, adding on some volume. A total of 5 miles.

38 minutes, quite hot

It was a very warm run in Columbus Junction this morning, and I felt real heavy. I ran with Caitlin, Kara, Claire, Taylor, and Abby. I did 38 minutes -- no pain, just real hard to get moving. Probably 85 degrees, high humidity. I had planned to do a tough threshold workout, but I will move that to tomorrow -- I'm thinking the linden Drive hill.

Miles for week -- 4

Hot run in park

I drove up to Eastlake intending to run the trails, driving range, and soccer fields for 35 minutes, but I made it 32 -- cut the frisbee golf trail a little short. It's way too hot ... 90 degrees, 75% humidity. 3 miles easy.

But it makes it a good week, 21.5 miles.

65 hot minutes

I ran a difficult road on a morning that was too hot. South on main street 3.45 miles to 270th street and back. 32:05 (9:18 pace) going out and I struggled coming back. I had to walk some and was happy to finish. I ran about 65 minutes, probably 6.5 miles. Last mile, about 9:30 or so.

Miles for week -- 18.5

Awesome 400s workout

Today I felt real strength in my workout. I ran with the girls for about 12 minutes (they were running 20) to park, around park loop, and back and they were pretty much cranking it out. I had planned to go the full 20, but only if it were a warmup pace because I planned to do 400s on the track.

I did do 400s on the track, with a 1-minute rest between each interval:
1:45, 1:44, 1:45, 1:39, 1:42, 1:43, 1:45, 1:41. Then 3 laps in lane 8 for a cooldown. I was very happy with that. I was giving an effort, but trying to be as smooth and in control as I could. No foot or knee pain at all. If I am reading the charts correctly, that should put me in a spot to run a 5K in the 22s. I can do that. I am planning to go for it at Wapello.

4 miles.
Week total -- 12

Saturday -- Run 65 minutes down the main street road and back.
Sunday -- 3 miles (giving me almost 22 for the week).
Monday off --
Tuesday -- Mile warmup, then back and forth on the winfield gc back stretch 4 times. 1 minute rest, then 4 more times. Then mile cooldown.
Wednesday -- 3
Thursday -- 4 easy.
Friday -- Off
Saturday -- Wapello run.
Sunday -- 3 easy.

4 miles with girls

Nice 35-minute run plus two strides with cross country girls. It felt good, and I'm jumping back in. I want to get ready for the Wapello 5K on July 16.

Miles for week -- 8

Starr's Cave 5K

I'm just going to call this a very good workout. I ran a 5K mostly on a trail near Starr's Cave in Burlington. 27:25 -- probably 27:15 (8:47 pace) because i had to stop and tie a shoe. It was extremely hilly, and just a tough gutty run. Did it equal a minute per mile? Not sure. I tried but just didn't have the power to run faster. My message: Keep going. I am healthy (relatively ... a little more pain than usual in the peroneal tendon on my left foot, but I've been doing well with it). Just keep making progress. One issue I probably need to figure out is losing weight. I do need to lose weight ... 190 today.

Total -- 4 miles.

Character-building run

After working for 6-7 hours yesterday in 95-degree weather cutting down the bushes alongside our yard, I woke up at 6:30 today to run. I was going to run to Old Threshers and run 4x800 loops. I made it two on a very warm morning -- 4:15 and 4:09. I didn't think I could make it two more, so instead, I ran 2.3 more miles to the 1-mile mark on Linden Road and back. About 9-minute pace for the two miles, but it was very challenging. Total of 42 minutes, 4.5 miles.

Total for week -- 16