Tempo runs

I have been on vacation this last week so I have not been running like I should have. I did manage to get 2 days in but that is just not enough. I missed out on Tuesday's track workout so I decided to last night to go for my first tempo run.

I am suppose to be running 20 minutes at a pace of 8:55. I was told since I have not done this before that I could break the runs into 2 10 minutes sessions until I get use to it. So it was off to the track to attempt my first run.

It was warm with the temps around 89 with no breeze. I decided to run a 5 minute run and then a 10 minute run. My first run was for 5 minutes at a 8:44 pace. I could not believe how effortlessly it came to me. I really thought I could go further. So I did.

The second run was for 10 minutes at a 8:38 pace which was a lot faster than what I was suppose to run. I have to run more of these to get my pace down like it is suppose to be at. I was pouring sweat but my HR was at 151 which is where it is suppose to be. It was actually in range. I could not believe it.

I DID IT!!!!!!

I really thought it was going to be something I was not going to accomplish. But then I thought about my last 5K run and I told myself it was like running a half 5 K at the same pace. So I did and it worked for me. I need to keep this up so that I can reach my goal of a sub 25 PR at Labor Day road race.

Packing up

I have had a wonderful week here in Panama City Beach. I had a chance this morning to end a great week by eating breakfast with my son on the balcony of the condo. We have played games, built sand castles, swam in the pools and eaten some great food.

I went out this morning for another 4 mile run and it was hot. It was 84 with 100 percent humidity. I had trouble breathing with snot flying everywhere. I have to get back into the routine of running more. I am just waiting on the cooler weather.

Well it is time to start packing for our road trip where tomorrow we leave from the West coast and head to the East coast of Fl and then to Savannah. It should take us about 7 hours but we are going to surprise Austin with a tour of the JCB plant. I called the PR of the plant and she is suppose to meet us and give Austin a wonderful surprise.

I will try and post some photos when I get home.

Happy 4th of July

I would first like to say THANK YOU for all that have served and are now serving for our country. I is an honor for me to say that I am very proud to be an American where we have so much freedom. I want to say Thank You to my grandfather for serving this great country and for surviving being a MIA during WWll.

I went out for a run this morning on the beach and got in 4 miles. I have not run much this week due to the mental anguish that I have been through. Every time I hit the floor, my mind started playing tricks on me. I got word last week that I was not sure if I was going to keep my job or not. I am still not sure what they are going to do with my hours if they are going to change them again or not. Any way enough of that cause I am on vacation in Panama Beach looking at the ocean.

When I went out this morning, I had to think really hard if I wanted to actually go or not. Well I went and got it over with.

YES, I GOT IT OVER WITH.

I don't like the sound of that. I am trying to get my mojo back into running. I hate the hot weather. I love running in the cold weather and not this sticky humid weather we have right now. Hopefully this will all pass and I can get back into the rhythm of things.

I hope I have not got you down during this wonderful holiday. Have a wonderful 4th of July and go celebrate.

Tired of the heat

It was early Monday morning and I got up for my run. I was still tired from walking around at the Iron Girl TRI at Lake Lanier. It was hot there and then the drive home was long. We stopped at Outback restaurant to have and early lunch and fell asleep in the truck in the parking lot. I am tired.

I tried to go out for an easy run and then tried to turn it into a MP run but I was unsuccessful. I got in about 3 miles, not my 4 miles that I was suppose to run. I looked at my monthly miles and I am up a little from last month and still have a couple of days to go. I took a week off and could have really wracked some miles but I had business to attend with.

I think I am getting better and faster but this heat is killing me. It is also killing my moral. It makes me want to say forget it and just wait until the winter but if I do that I will loose all the training that I have already accumulated. I will try and beat this weather but I have to do it a little wiser. I need to remember that hitting the times on my chart are for ideal weather temps. I am still trying to lose weight but I just love food. I am in the process of getting with some people that might be able to help me with my issues of food.

I had fun watching Stef this weekend at the race but this the first one I actually stood there and watched. I wanted to go out there and race. I hate to be behind the gates. I guess I am going to have to break down and buy me a bike and start training on my swimming.

TRIs, here I come, one day.

Relaxing at home

This week was nice because I started running before I go to work. It works better for me cause when I get home from work the temps are in the upper 90's and I can get in the pool.

Friday morning I got up a little earlier than usual to run my long run. I got in about 6.5 miles for my long run. Normally I get 8 to 9 but I was not sure if I was going to get in all the miles before having to go to work. It was extremely hot and humid at 5 a.m. I think when I got through that I had sweat dripping off of my finger nails. I tried to pick a good route to run so that I could have some lights to run under but it actually became a very HILLY route. So for the miles that I did not get in I made up for it in the hill workout.

Saturday morning my wife and I were going to Lake Lanier to watch my friend Stef run a triathlon. But I decided to get up a little early and go do my hill workout. 6 of the POD crew including myself met at the Children's home for a gruelling run. I got there and started warming up with a short 1/2 mile run and started to sweat. Then RC showed up and said "All right, lets go for a mile warm up". I thought I was already warm.

NOT!!!!!!

We went for a mile run with hills and had to run past a yard sale and I did not have my wallet with me. I saw some good bargains.

I told RC that I wanted to try and get out by 8:30 so he told me to get at least 2 more than I did last time. So today it was going to be 6 repeats on a 1/4 mile with a pace at 1:56.

1st lap: 1:56
2nd lap: 1:59
3rd lap: 2:03
4th lap: 2:03
5th lap: 2:06 ABOUT TO PASS OUT!!!!!
6 and final lap: 1:59 and finished to collapse to my knees to suck up any wind I could possibly find.

I got through and it was off to the house to shower and get on the road. We met up with Kenny and Stef a the motel before we went out for some good Japanese food and going to bike stores for clothes and for me to try and decide which kind of bike I want to buy. I think I decided on a road bike with some extra stuff to put on it. We went to a pizza place for supper and then some ice cream for dessert. Yum Yum. Now it is time to get to the motel for some sleep.

I would like to say a big yippe for Stef for doing a great race today. I will let her describe the race so I don't mess it up. Go to http://theprincessrunner.blogspot.com/ to read her recap.

Maybe next year I will be ready for a TRI. We will see.

Morning run

Today was my first day at running before work.

I like it very much. I went out for 3 miles and hit negative splits the whole time and nailed my pace and HR. When I came home I had time to jump in my pool and cool off before showering and going to work. It was so nice knowing that when I got home that I could do anything I wanted to do. I got a chance to work in my garden and yard work.

Tomorrow I am going on a different route and going to try for an easy 4.

Have a great day.

Busy week

This is going to be one of those post that has really nothing to do about running. I have been busy last week trying to move everything out of my Uncle's house in Alabama and working at work in the HEAT! I really hate the hot weather and it has put a hamper on my running. It should not but it has and I am the first to admit to it. RC is not going to be happy but I have to do things that take priority over everything.

For those of you that did not know, my uncle passed away a couple of weeks ago and left me in charge of the estate and paperwork. I have going back and forth to Alabama just about every other weekend. This weekend we finally got everything out of the house and the weekend of the 4th, we are going to go paint it and try and get it on the market to sale.

I just found out the my work hours have changed from 6:30 to 4:30 to now 7:30 to 5:30. I got mad at first but then I got to thinking. It has been hot while trying run in the afternoon so now I will have time to get up at my normal time in the morning and run at 5:15. That should give me ample time to run and get ready for work. Then we I get off, I will have time for the family.

PERFECT

Now NO more excuses.