Two Trials

An easy 9 mile run after a tough workout yesterday.  It was cloudy and cool today in Florida.  Still humid, though.  I’ve enjoyed running on the Pinellas Trail the last few days.  Will miss it when I have to get back to the cold snowy roads in Maine.

Today, I finally felt energized enough to tackle a big workout.  The plan was to do 10 miles at marathon pace with a 2-mile warm-up and cool down.  I felt awesome so I extended it to 13.5 miles at MP.  I was really psyched by how great I felt.  The entire workout was very comfortable and relaxed.  It was quite a confidence boost.  I guess a few easy days and some rest did indeed pay off.

Another cruiser of a day. I’ve been low on sleep lately and therefore low on energy. Hoping a few easy running days and some mellow time by the pool will help restore the energy.

My body is still shocked by the jump from running in the cold, snowy weather to the heat and humidity.  Taking it easy for a few days, trying to adjust and get some sleep.  I had found a bike/run trail near my dad’s place when I was here a couple of years ago.  It’s a really nice trail that runs for 30+ miles from Clearwater to Tarpon Springs.  It has mile markers, little traffic, and smooth pavement.   It’s such a different running environment than I’m used to, but I really enjoy it.

I awoke this morning in hot, humid Florida.  We didn’t arrive until around midnight and this morning’s run was all about shaking out the cobwebs from my head and adjusting to the shock my body was feeling from the climate change.  It was a slog, but I was glad to have been out when all was said and done.

I went down to Falmouth this morning to meet up with Sheri and Kristin for their long run.  It was fun to join up with them, as they often have a big group that heads out together.  We did a 12 mile loop together with the group of 8 of us.  Scott and Carey headed off after twelve and the rest of us did another 11 miles.  It was a nice day.  Although we were still decked out in tights, long sleeves, hats, and gloves, I was never cold and actually threw off the hat for the last few miles.  I felt good during the run even after some high intensity work yesterday.  Overall, the entire week went really well.  I’ll hope to string a couple more of those types of weeks together before the taper for the Trials begins.

Speed session this afternoon.  8 X 1k at 10k pace with 2 minutes between intervals.  A solid speed session.  I felt good and wasn’t pushed too far.

A morning 6-miler.  Easy run this morning in the snow.

A very mellow day.  Looking forward to heavy mileage in the next few days and some tough workouts.

Excellent workout today!  One of the best in quite some time.  My spirits had been down a bit of late, as I had had many sluggish and lackluster workouts in a row.  But today rocked.  I did a 10-mile tempo run at marathon pace with a 2 mile warm-up and cool-down.   I felt relaxed and comfortable for most of the run.   This workout really helps boost my confidence as I embark on the last few weeks of tough training.  Let’s hope I’ve made it out of the valley and I’m moving up toward the peak on April 20th!