I just felt like running

Easy run on the trails at work.  Fit in 5 sets of pushups (22,17,17,15,17)  .  First time I was able to do this volume.  Pretty soon I'll be up to 100 pushups per day -    far cry from 100 continuously but I'm making progress.

Warmed up on the trails and checked out the loop that we'll use tomorrow for the company picnic 1/4 mile race.   Its more like 0.2 miles but its casual. It was in good shape.  It curves around through the woods and has a short downhill and uphill.  We do 5 separate races for different age groups.

Did pushups inbetween 1/4 mile intervals.  Paces were 5:44,5:45,5:42,5:28.  Pushups- 22,17,17,15,17.  Felt good to get some speed work in.  Legs feel good.  

Next race is the 15K at MonteSano - 10/11.  It'd be nice to beat last years time- 1:03:10.

The Liz Hurley 5K is the weekend after.   I'll shoot for the same goal .  2007 race was 19:17.  Under 19 would be nice.

Nice cool weather.  Perfect for an easy long run.

I really need to get up and do a few 20 milers but I didn't feel up to it today.  

Elliott had a fever so he and I skipped Church.  We enjoyed a beautiful morning (high 70's).  Averaged around 9:20 pace.  Pretty good for stroller pushing.   It sure heats up fast- it was low 50's at dawn.

Easy trail run at work intertwined with pushups.  Did 25,19,19,17,19 which was my best pushup set so far.  When mentioning to Liza and my mother-in-law (pinkie), I realized it was 99 pushups for the day.  I had to hit a 100 so I did 21 more that evening.

commute to work.

Got out of the house before 5am so I did the morning run entirely in the dark.  It was fine other than the sections through the industrial park where there was traffic.  I kept having to hop onto the shoulder which was uneven.  It'd be nice to have seen where I was stepping.  Made it in 1:17:29 for 9.34 miles (8:18/mile pace).  I ran all the way down 16th Ave to 7th St which turned out to be more direct than my more scenic route.   Got a good whiff at the chicken plant which reminded me of my youth when my dad had us butcher chickens.  Not a guts smell but the odor of dipping headless chickens in boiling water right before you defeather them.  Very distinctive odor.  not unpleasant.

It rained during the day but I missed it all on the way back.  Just humid with some slick spots on the road.  Ran fairly hard from the start.  Ended up running a little farther (didn't cut across Fort Decatur lawn and down prospect). Total mileage 9.52 in 1:08:10  (7:10/mile pace).  Had to come to a dead stop waiting for cars at a few points (Beltline, Hwy 24, and central parkway) so I probably lost 30 seconds.  Anyway, it was my fastest commute yet.  Felt decent.  My achilles and one hamstring were complaining just a bit though.  They'll get over it.

Feel pretty good about the 15K this weekend since I did that distance twice today.  I have a decent shot to get close to 1 hr. 

Easy run on the trails at work.  Tried benchpressing at the company fitness center.  Gave up- got bored.  I am just not a gym rat.   The only excepting being if I go with someone- Liza and I have talked about doing this sometime and getting in a routine.

Lunch run.  Did the big road loop three times.  Did one mile at 6:27.  The rest around 8:00/mile.

Ran the trails and road at work.  easy pace.  saving up energy for tomorrow.

Nice day for a run.   Ran with Jon during the race - he was after a 1 hr 15K as well.  We broke it up into 3 20minute 5K which worked well.  The course is really pretty but it is fairly difficult.  The other race around here that is of similar distance (Rocket Run) is much easier- it is perfectly flat with very few curves.  This zigs and zags as well as being nearly continuously rolling.  No hill more than 20 seconds? maybe but it takes it toll.

Jon and I held to the plan well through the 1st two 5K's.  The stretch from mile 5 to mile 8 is the hardest and it took its toll.    We caught up with Brett Addington at around mile 7 who promptly put it into high gear and ended up finishing almost a minute ahead of me.  As we got to Monte Sano Blvd (~7.5miles), Jon started to suffer a little and dropped back.  I held steady and felt confident I'd meet the 1 hr goal.  Turning into the parking lot at the park, I had to sprint to the finish to get my 59:59.  It felt good.  Jon and I did a cool down by doubling back and running back in with Kelly and Sooi repectively.  We did the south plateau loop as a final cooldown.

Easy Sunday run with Elliott.  Listen to "This American Life".  Nice day. Felt great.

Easy run at work mixed with pushups (5X 20).

ran home from work.  1:15

ran to work.  Very easy.  1:20.  Lifted weights at fitness center during lunch.   Leg presses, extensions, curls  and a little upper body stuff.

Easy run at work.   Ran two laps of the base trail followed by the out and back to the plastics plant.  Nice day.

On a whim, I tried a new pre-race nutrition strategy.  At 5am, I toasted a bagel from panera.  While it was toasting, I scrambled two eggs.  I buttered the bagel and put the egg on it with a little ketchup.   Also, I had my standard two cups of coffee (Starbucks Sumatra).  The ketchup gave me a little heartburn during my 7am warmup.  I had a Gu Roctane thirty minutes before the race.

Temps were cool.  Low 50's at the start.   I started fast (for me) but it felt good.  Both 1st and 2nd miles were 5:45.  The 3rd mile is hillier and I slowed a bit.  I stayed strong and did a good surge on the final hill and also a couple on the 1/2 mile decent to the finish.  

This was my best 5K in 30 months and was within 9 seconds of my PR.  I was hoping to break 19 minutes so this way exceeded my expectations.  I'm doing something right in my training,pre-race, pacing, etc...  . 

It was a very competitive race with 8 runners under 17 minutes.  They had over 500 men and 1700 women compete.

Had a nice family walk in the refuge and got some yard work done.  Trying to keep pace with all the leaves dropping.

Got in an easy run as the sun was going down.

Easy run on the trails and roads at work.   Did one mile at marathon pace  and pushed a couple hills.  Mostly goofing around.  didn't feel like running too hard today.   Got in  5 X 20 Pushups.  Was easier than last week.

its going to be a busy next couple days at work so I got in a early morning run before heading in to work.

Ran to and from work via 14th street bridge and 8th St.  Ended up being longer but it was a nice change.  

 ran by Littrell lumber on the way there.  Freshly cut wood smells soo good. 

Got rained on the way there.  Caught shift change at Wayne Farms so there was a fair bit of traffic to go along with the rain and minimal shoulder.  I enjoyed it though.

Went by the Moulton Heights Rd Pig farm on the way home.  Piggies were very happy.   This is right by Littrell Lumber off of Old Moulton Rd.  The traffic got bag near 5th Ave, 14th St, Central parkway so I'll probably avoid this way back in the afternoons.   Not a good combination to be tired and have to cross several busy streets with the sun going down. 

Early afternoon run with Elliott.  Nice and sunny.  Low 60's.   My garmin 205 has died.   I believe it was due to water damage from Friday's run to work.    Haven't decided whether to upgrade to the 405 , repair this one, or buy another 205.   In the meantime it will be a switch for me to run without a gps. I probably haven't done three runs in a row without the garmin for several years.   I'm hoping it is a nice change of pace.

Liza's car is in the shop so we finally got a practical use for me running to work.  I'm not fit enough to commute every day but it was nice to be able to tell Liza she didn't need to get up at 5:30am to drive me to work.  I headed out under the stars and made it to work by 6:55am.  It was pretty chilly (40's) and it didn't warm up at much during the day. 

Easy run on the trails at work.

Trail run at work.  Did fartlek (about eight 1-2 minute intervals at around 5K pace mostly on hills.)   Now 5 days without my Garmin and the world hasn't come to an end.  I may try to do without for awhile.

At 5pm, ran from home over to Delano Park and ran a lap then returned.  Felt really good.    My left quad is  sore 3" above the inside of my knee.  Didn't feel it while running but its complaining a bit right now.  Shouldn't affect me in the race Saturday.

Trail run.  Clear my head and stretch my legs.