Weekend Long Run

This morning I got up nice and early... ok... not quite so early.  I got up at 7 and was out the door to start my run by 8am.  This morning I chose the same route for my 13 miler as the last time I was on this island and I was inspired to run 13 miles for the first time.  When I was here last I planned to run 10 miles and then get coffee in town and walk the three miles back but it felt so good that I kept going and managed to run my first thirteen miler.  So it seemed appropriate that after many more miles and two marathons later that I should run that same 13 mile route.

So I set off along my way past the hayfields and through the center of town and around the roads that follow the coastline around the point and then back through town and back again.  I don't think there was more than about .5 miles of flat road in the entire run.  Whenever you go out to run or bike here your pretty much either going up or going down.  The island is covered in rolling hills.  There are only a few giant hills, but there are a whole lot of gradual ascent and descents and a bevy of rollers.  It made for a very challenging run.  I kept trying to push my pace to 8's but eventually I gave up and realized that holding an 8'30" average per mile was going to be the best I could do with all the rollers and my training volume escalating to its highest point this year.  Sometimes I forget that I used to run only 4 days a week for a total of about only 7 hours a week max.  And currently my training volume is twice that with all the other disciplines involved.  So running a bit slower on the long runs is quite ok.  Actually speaking of that...   I was looking at my Sport Tracks file which I started at the end of last August and I've run just under 1000 miles since I started keeping track.  And my average pace is 8'30" per mile over all those miles.  So apparently I like grooving that pace. 

All in all it was a good run today.  I felt strong today.  My right leg is a little stiff but not so bad, and nowhere near as bad as it can be at times.  So a successful day, especially considering I just ran a 9 miler a couple of days ago.

You know its kind of funny all the stuff you have to do before and after a workout.  When you add it all up its a considerable time investment.  First you have to get ready for the run, put on sunscreen, grab your watch, heartrate strap, foot cadence sensor, shoes, bodyglide, breakfast, fluids, emergency money and then finally you can walk out the door.  Then you do your workout, and then after that you have to stretch, a little massage with "The Stick", shower, change and get cleaned up.  And then after all that I have to grab my watch and update my training log with the details of the workout.  And then after all that is done I come here to update my blog.  Its a lot sometimes!

So I sat down on the couch here at my friends place and got to work on my laptop.  Then my new assistant came over and started to work on her computer too.  Between the two of us we got lots done!

So far the day is off to a good start!  Still left in the day is to fully plan my monster bike ride for tomorrow (I'm leaning towards a 70 mile ride tomorrow, but at least a 50), do some shopping in town, and then tonight we get to go and see both of my friend's kids in the local dance recital which should be good silly fun!  I'm looking forward to it.  And of course I would be being a bad guest if I didn't join the kids for some post show ice cream after the performance!

But before I go...   I think I should note that its no secret I want to start training for a half ironman next summer.  Probably the Providence one if it fits in my schedule.  With any luck I'll fit two in next season as a solid base towards training for a full ironman the year after that.  So thats why I'm trying to do 13 mile runs every weekend and long rides as well so I can start to acclimate myself to a HIM training schedule.  Even if I still haven't even completed my first sprint tri yet.  Much like my running though I don't really care about my performance time wise in sprint tri's.  I'm just not a short distance guy.  (unless your talking height!)  I'm a long hauler.  Its where I can shine and start to outperform some of the pack and find my place in what I suspect will be the top 20% of the pack.  So bring on the long stuff I say!  But first I need to continue to work on my swim (which I hope to lengthen to 2.4 mile swims by the end of winter) and keep working on the other disciplines along the way.  Anyway...   time for me to stop dreaming of the progression to completing my first full ironman and get back to enjoying the rest of my day.  I hope everyone else is having a great weekend of training and fun too!