The last time I hit double digits was about 2 months ago.  I ran (if you can call it that) 10 miles back on August 11 in 2:07:21.  Given last week’s 9 mile run, I knew that I could beat the August 11 time by a significant amount.  I was excited about it Friday night.  I woke up at 4:30 am and thought about heading out then.  I stayed in bed, though and fell back asleep.  I finally rolled out at 6:00 am.

Fall is finally coming to us here in St. Petersburg.  That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s getting significantly cooler, but the humidity is going down, so at least it’s starting to feel a little cooler.  I donned my Nike long sleeved microfiber running shirt since the cotton T-shirt I wore last week was starting to irritate my nipples.  I was comfortable in this shirt and the temperature was probably in the high 60’s when I walked out the door.  I finished my one mile warm-up walk, and started a slow jog, slightly weary at the amount of time this run will take me.

The cool weather makes me wish I was back in bed, but there isn’t a cloud in the sky and the stars are twinkling above me.  I aim to keep my first mile pace  between 11:30 and 12:00 minute mile pace and it’s coming more naturally now than in past weeks.  The pace is very comfortable and I feel like I can maintain it forever.  I pass the 1 mile mark in 11:20.  Seeing that I’m 50 seconds off my planned pace, I want to speed up, but I remind myself that this is part of the plan and hold back.

My leisurely pace continues through the neighborhood and across the bridge.  I continue along the water, but there’s no sunrise yet.  I’m a little earlier than usual.  There’s no breeze either.  That’s fine because the air is cooler in general and the breeze would be in my face at this point.  I round the corner into the park and cross the 2 mile mark in 22:40.  I’ve lost another 50 seconds.  There are a lot of other runners, walkers and cyclists around, but nothing like the thousands I encountered last week.  I have the sidewalk to myself, except for the occasional fisherman.

I speed up a little bit, trying to remind myself that I’ve got a long way to go.  My pace is uneven at this point as I speed up, then realize it, then slow down again.  I reach the water fountain at the 2.7 mile mark and stop for a drink.  I walk for 1 minute, then start my easy jog again.  I reach the 3 mile mark in 34:05.  I’m 2:35 seconds off my pace now, so I let myself fall into a natural rhythm.  That’s about where I want to be at this point, but I don’t want to fall any further behind.

The sun has risen and the breeze is starting to pick up now.  It manifests itself as a cross wind while I run along the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront.  I wind my way past the Yacht Club, and the municipal airport.  I cross the 4 mile mark in 44:33.  I’ve taken back 2 seconds.  Not much, but I’m shooting to run the next few miles at about my goal pace, so I’m not worried.  I run along the airport fence, cross a street and find myself in the University of South Florida Marine Science complex.  I’ll be defending my dissertation here in a month.  I’m pretty sure the run is more enjoyable than that will be.  I round the peninsula, run past the research vessels Suncoaster and Bellows upon which I spent so much of my early graduate school career and onto the main part of the campus.  I cruise across the campus, past the library and to the Salvidore Dali museum.  This is the 5 mile mark.  I’ve reached it in 57 minutes.  Still 2:30 off my pace.

I quickly turn around and run back to campus where I encounter a water fountain.  I stop for a drink and walk for another mile.  Continuing my run, I retrace my nostalgic steps through the marine science complex and out past the airport.  I’ve tried to speed up a little, but I pass the 6 mile mark in 65:32, thanks to the walk break.  Still over 2:30 off my planned pace, I need to crank things up over the last 4 miles to pull back some time.

I leave the airport behind, pass by the Yacht Club and the famed St. Petersburg Pier.  I’ve upped the pace and I’m still feeling very good.  I pass the 7 mile mark in 75:40.  I’ve pulled back another 20 seconds, but I’ve still got to crank up the speed.  The water fountain is only a quarter mile ahead, so I step things up, hoping to eat up the time I’ll lose on my last walk break before I take it.  I reach the fountain, take a drink and walk for a minute.

A pretty stiff cross breeze has developed as I run along the water.  I pass the 8 mile mark in 85:35.  I’ve got to run around 9:45 minutes per mile for the last 2 miles to make my goal.  As I turn the corner, the breeze turns into a tailwind.  An athletic looking woman is just completing a walk break.  She lets me pass and jogs behind me.  This is disconcerting.  The sun is behind us and I can see her shadow running in front of me.  I can tell she’s right behind and I don’t want her to pass.  I increase my pace to about 8:30.  It’s probably not a good idea, but I’m feeling good and my pride has taken control.  Gradually, I start to see her shadow fall behind until it disappears completely.  I reach the bridge and slow my pace as I climb it.  I’ve taken back a lot of time over the last half mile and I can taste the finish.  My body feels good and my breaths are coming easily.  I don’t slow down and I pass the 9 mile mark in about 94:30 - almost exactly my 9 mile time from last week.  I’m right on my planned pace.  No more time to make up.

The last mile seems short ahead of me.  I’m still feeling good.  My feet are falling in a nice rhythm.  My legs are tired, but they’re moving like a well oiled machine.  I keep moving.  I reach the final half mile and encounter a stop light.  It’s green, but turns yellow as I approach.  I don’t want to stop for traffic, so I kick the pace up a notch and cruise across the intersection before the light turns red.  I hit 10 miles in 1:43:31 - almost 1:30 ahead of my 1:45:00 goal and nearly 25 minutes faster than my last 10 mile run.

Planned workout

1 mile warmup

10 miles at 10:30 pace

1 mile cool down

Actual workout

1 mile warmup

10 miles at 10:21 pace

1 mile cool down

I’m getting pretty good at breaking the distance into 3 parts - a slow first third, the second third at goal pace, and the final third at faster than goal pace.  This, combined with a walk break roughly every 3 miles is working well for me.  Since I’ll be in the back of the pack at the start of the marathon anyway, I’ll probably be forced to jog along at about 12 minute mile pace.  I think that will be a good thing.  It will help keep the pre-race jitters from pushing me out of the gate too fast.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been reading a book called First Marathons by Gail Waesche Kislevitz.  It’s the perfect book for my post long run ice baths.  It’s a nonfiction series of short stories about first marathon.  It’s really interesting how one minute you’ll be reading about an overweight woman’s first marathon and the next you’ll be reading about an elite Kenyan’s first marathon.  It provides a great perspective for someone like me who has never run a marathon because there are a lot of things in common among all of the stories.  So, I’m getting an idea of what to prepare for.

Planned workout

8 minutes warmup

3 miles at 8:45 pace

8 minutes cool down

Actual workout

8 minutes warmup

3 miles at 8:39 pace

8 minutes cool down

Wow, my middle week run is up to 5 miles now.  Things are really starting to pick up.  I headed out the door, not really knowing where I was going.  My parents recently moved and though I grew up in St. Louis, I’m not at all familiar with their new neighborhood.  This area was a vast exapanse of farmland when I moved away and now it’s a bustling, repidly developing suberb.

I managed to work out a nice five mile route.  The terrain here undulates quite a bit.  Icould definately get used to running downhill and the uphill isn’t so bad.  I’ll have to run 20 miles here in December, so perhaps my opinion will change then.

Planned workout

8 minutes warmup

5 miles at 9:15 pace

5 minutes cool down

Actual workout

5 minutes warmup

5 miles at 9:06 pace

5 minutes cool down.

We had to leave the house pretty early this morning to bury grandpa, so I woke up before dawn for a three mile run.  I consulted with my dad and did a little online research to decide my route.  I decided on a seemingly easy out and back route that consisted of a combination of sidewalk and a very wide shoulder on a pretty busy road.  As soon as I started, I  sensed some trouble.  I found myself running quickly down a pretty steep hill.

The air was cool, and the quick but easy pace was refreshing until somewhere near the bottom I realized I’d have to run back up that hill at the very end of my run.  There was little time to fret because I was heading up an equally steep hill.  Now, this wasn’t exactly the Alps, but it most certainly wasn’t the flatlands of Florida either.  Imade my first mile in about 9:11, which was right about what I was shooting for.  I ran uphill again to the turnaround point and then headed back downhill. 

I w as making pretty good time on the way back until I developed and awful side stitch atabout 2.7 miles.  I started to walk, but that didn’t help at all.  In fact, it got worse.  With only 0.3 miles to go and on a downward slope, I just decided to screw it and start running again.  I made my way quickly downhill and came upon the final uphill section.  I’m really not sure what happened.  I guess I just wanted the run to be overwith.  I started to run really hard.  My side stitch quickly disappeared and I was flying up this hill.  Looking back at the data from my Garmin, I hit 5:00 minute mile pace midway up the hill.  Shortly after, I tired out but I stumbled to the 3 mile mark and beat my goal time.

Planned workout

8 minutes warmup

3 miles at 8:45 pace

5 minutes cool down

Actual workout

5 minutes warmup

3 miles at 8:41 pace

5 minutes cool down

After several months fighting pancreatic cancer, my grandfather passed away on Thursday.  Knowing I needed to catch a flight to St. Louis early in the afternoon, I woke up a little earlier than usual.  When I stepped out the door, it was not terribly hot, but the humidity was extremely high.  It felt like I was walking through a warm mist as I completed my warmup.  The air was eerily still and I encountered a few groups of people still winding down their Friday night.

I start my run slowly.  This is the first time I’ve run 9 miles, but I know from my previous ten mile run that a fast start can be murder.  My goal is an average pace of 10:30, but I’m confident from my strong finishes in all my runs this week that I can make up some lost time in the last two miles.  I work to maintain a pace between 11:30 and 12:00 minutes per mile during the first mile.  I succeed and cross the 1 mile mark in 11:35.  I feel no strain.  It’s like I walked the mile - perfect.

Still, I hold myself back.  I plan on running at this pace at least until the first water break 2.75 miles in.  I cross a bridge and approach Tampa Bay.  The familiar breeze kicks up in my face from the bay.  The head wind is annoying, but I know that mile 2’s head wind will become mile 8’s tail wind and I’d rather have it this way than the other way around.  As I approach the waterfront park, I begin to notice a lot more people than usual.  I cross the two mile mark in 22:30 - 1:30 off my goal.  I’m still feeling great.  The lost time is not a problem.

As I continue through the park, the “extra” people becomes a crowd.  They’re clogging the sidewalk,  so I have to weave through the grass and along parking lots to maintain my pace.  They’re all wearing pink.  Suddenly, I come upon a finish chute.  It had ballons, a time clock, champion chip mats and tall the other trappings of the finish line of a well organized race.  I start to realize that I’m in the middle of the Race for the Cure and the race course follows my training course.  I continue running and I’m joined by a few other people warming up for the race.  In that respect, I fit in pretty well.  I’m just not wearing pink and not wearing a number.  I pass booths, a rock climbing wall, inflatables, food, and thousands of people.  Finally, I reach the water fountain in about 29 minutes.

I take my drink of water and walk for a minute.  Then, I continue on into the throng of people.  I pass the starting line where a convertible ford mustang waits to pace the race leaders.  I weave around people on the sidewalk, slide off through the grass, then realize the street is closed to traffic, so I just run in the middle of the street.  I pass the 3 mile mark in 33:30 - 2 minutes slower than my goal.  That’s not bad.  I’ve got 6 miles to make up 2 minutes and I’m still feeling quite good.

I’m1/3 of the way through the run and I’ve let my mind go of the concept of holding back.  I won’t push myself just yet, but I’ll let my body fall into a rhythm and just go with that.  Finally, I push through the crowd and the sidewalk clears again.  I continue along my planned route, past the 1st water station of the race where volunteers are lining cups of water on the table.  I have no idea what time it is, no idea what time the race starts and the sudden realization that  as I turn around I may be running right into a massive crowd of people running right at me.  There’s really nothing I can do about it now, so I keep running.  I pass the 4 mile mark in 44:30.  I’ve lost another 30 seconds.  Still, I’m not worried.  I continue on with a steady rhythm. 

I continue running along the front of the St. Petersburg municipal airport toward the University of South Florida.  I run through the marine science complex, past the office that I haven’t been to in over 4 months, to the end of the penisula.  I round the peninsual and run back down the other side.  I’m more than halfway through this run now and still feeling well.  I stop at a water fountain on campus and take a quick drink.  I walk for a minute.

I continue back past the airport and cross the 5 mile mark in 55 minutes.  Despite my walk break, I’ve not lost any more time in the last mile.  I pass the water station again.  It looks as though the race hasn’t yet started.  In another mile and a half, I’ll be off the course.  I head back into the crowd of people.  For now, most of them are moving in the same direction as me.  Some are even running, so that helps.  I pass the 6 mile mark in just over 65 minutes.  I’ve gained 30 seconds back and I’m 2 minutes off my goal again.  I’m 2/3 of the way through the run and I decide to allow myself to gain some speed.

Unfortunately as I approach the starting line, the crowd has thickened considerably.  I stage is set up nearby and the mayor is speaking.  No one is moving.  I slowly weave my way through he crowd, having to stop on occassion with no free space to move.  Eventually, I break out near the water fountain.  I take a drink and walk for a minute.

I start running again with 4 minutes to go before the starting gun (according to what I’m hearing from the stage).  I pass a line of port a potties each with a line of people 15 deep.  Some of these people aren’t going to make the start.  The National Anthem begins to play.  I feel like I  should turn around and stop running, but I keep going.  I imagine myself winning the gold medal for the Olympic marathon.  My speed has pciked up somewhat.  I pass the 7 mile mark in 75:30.  I’ve made up for the recent walk, but I’m still 2 minutes behind my  goal pace.  With two miles to go, I erroneously calculate that I’ll need to run 9:00 minute miles to achieve my goal.  I speed up significantly, feeling a tough crosswind off the bay. 

Before long, I make a turn and the crosswind finally turns into the tail wind I’ve been waiting for over the last 5 miles.  I’m starting to feel tired now and I’m giving up on the hope of making my goal.  Then, I realize that my goal pace is 10:30 not 10:00 minute miles.  I only have to run the last 2 miles at 9:30 to achieve that goal.  I cross the bridge (which feels like a mountain) and run on with renewed hope.  I cross the 8 mile mark in 85 minutes.  I’ve pulled back a minute.  I’m damned tired, but I’ve got 9:30 to run the last mile and it feels like I can do it.

I weave my way through the neighborhood, taking deep breaths every 30 seconds or so.  I reach the final half mile.  It’s an uphill straightaway to the finish. I focus on the sidewalk in front of myand just concntrate on putting one foot in front of the other for the next four and a half minutes.  Glances at my Garmin tell me I’ve still got a chance.  Finally, I reach the 9 mile mark.  1:34:30.  Exactly 10:30 pace.

Planned workout

1 mile warmup

9 miles at 10:30 pace

1 mile cool down

Actual workout

1 mile warmup

9 miles at10:30 pace

1 mile cool down  

Today was parent conference day, so the kids were both off school.  The oldest daughter wants to run the Disney Family 5K in 2009, so she’s been eager to get a training run in.  The whole family headed off to the park.  We started our first mile off slowly (9:30 pace).  About halfway through, she lost contact with me and I kept looking back.  She was further and further behind every time I looked.  When I passed the 1 mile mark, I knew I needed to speed up to hit my goal pace, so I turned around and told her to find her mom and sister who were walking around the park.

I sped up and completed my last two miles at a pretty quick pace.

Planned workout

8 minutes warmup

3 miles at 9:00 pace

5 minutes cool down

Actual Workout

8 minutes warmup

3 miles at 8:45 pace

10 minutes cool down

For the past several weeks, I’ve been having the same evening snack.  I really think it plays a big part in the quality of my run the next morning.  I say this because I skipped the ritual several times in the last week, and my runs have been mediocre.  Last night, I returned to this ritual and I had a great run this morning.  Here’s what the ritual entails:

About 1 1/2 hours before I go to bed, I take a small handful of frozen blueberries and place them in a large coffee mug.  A take a large handful of frozen raspberries and place them in a bowl.  I let both defrost for about an hour.  Then, I pour Kashi 7 whole grain nugget cereal (think organic grape nuts) over the blueberries with some milk and eat that.  Once I’m done, I pack the defrosted raspberries in my juicer and juice them on low speed.  I then pour organic apple juice into the juicer.  This cleans the remaining thick raspberry juice from the juicer and thins the juice cocktail.  I consume a glass of this raspberry/apple juice cocktail.

Then, I retire for the evening.  No matter how stressful the day has been, this juice cocktail puts me right to sleep.  It’s usually a very deep, dream filled sleep.  I almost never toss and turn when I’ve had this cocktail before bed.  The cereal gives me the extra calories that I need for a strong performance in the morning.  It may sound crazy, but it works.

Planned workout

8 minutes warmup

4 miles at 9:15 pace

5 minutes cool down

Actual workout

9 minutes warmup

4 miles at 9:06

10 minutes cool down

This morning, it was cool and humid.  There was a breeze and rain was threatening.  I ran the first two miles at about 10:00 minute pace.  The third mile was about 8:45 pace, and the final mile was even faster.  I took no walk breaks and I cruised through the last half mile at almost 7:30 pace.  I felt like I had another mile in me too.  It was a great feeling after Monday’s mediocre run.  I wonder if the difference was the evening ritual.  Sunday night, I didn’t have the cereal or the juice cocktail.  Monday night I had both.

Planned workout

8 minutes warmup

3 miles at 9:00 pace

5 minutes cool down

Actual workout

8 minutes warmup

3 miles at 8:58 pace

5 minutes cool down

I took a 1 minute walk break at 1.75 miles.  I was able to speed up at the end to make up the lost pace.