Rootbeer2000's Running Blog

AP 9:14.  Early morning long run to avoid the heat build up. 81% humidity through Mountain Brook.

AP 9:31  VERY humid this morning. Got off to a later start today and didn't feel like running much. Did 5 miles - the plan was 6. Quads felt sore from Sunday's long run too but nothing I couldn't deal with. But the humidity today just sapped the life from me. Maybe I wasn't hydrated enough before the run. Still, I'm happy I ran today. 

AP 9:18 Mountain Brook 6 mile loop. Felt good. Getting used to running in the humidity now, as it is the South :)  Incorporated a 5 mile bike ride after a short break from running. Haven't ridden in years and it feels good to be in the saddle again!

AP 9:54.  Tried something different today on the run. Tried to keep my heartbeat below 150 to help improve anaerobic activity.

I really don't know what I'm doing but I'm willing to try something a bit different, as I feel I'm training too hard most of the time and need to run slower for most of my workouts. I don't even know if the heartbeat I've targeted is where I should be right now. I don't know my VO2max or anything. I'm just blindly trying something to see if it works. Anyone have any info or links they can provide to steer me in the right direction?

We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck :)

AP 9;54 8 miles today. Felt good and kept the HR down around the 80% mark. Usual course with Dexter Ave thrown in.

Mid- afternoon run. HOT. VERY Humid. Kept the HR around the 80% threshold again. Some hills at Veteran's meant it creeped up at times but still felt great afterwards.

AP 9:35 Jemison Trail with the hill leading up to St. Luke's thrown in today. LOVE running this steep hill (112 ft climb in .6 miles). Continued on Montevallo and skipped the BCC loop. 92% humidity :)

AP 8:34.  Vacation at the Gulf! Tempo run today. Warm up mile 9:30 then 4 miles w/ splits of 8:12, 8:12, 8:20, 8:30. Finished with a walk on the beach. Peaceful! 

AP 9:14. Easy paced run this morning. Humidity to deal with, as always! 

WINDY! At least windier than I'm used to 10-20 mph winds along the coast this morning. Was leaving for home today so I started before the sun rose. First 5 miles were into the wind and sapped me of energy. The last 4 miles were rough and I felt like I was gonna hurl when I finished. This went away pretty quickly though after drinking some water.

I had my fuel belt and 1 small bottle of Gatorade today. No Gu energy Gel or trail mix to snack along the way. Really humid, as a storm was rolling in too. Ran from Gulf Shores into Orange Beach past the new high rise condo being built. Loved listening to the surf on this trip. Very soothing!

AP 9:10 A quick run after work in the midday heat and humidity. Battling a cold and felt weak. Planned on running 4 but didn't have the energy.

Morning run. AP 8:56 Ran Oak Mountain High School 5k course. 

Speedwork. AP 8:43

Still struggling with a cold but at least it hasn't reached my chest, thankfully. 1 mile warm up at 10:00, then 1 mile fast followed by 800 meter jogs on the track at OMHS. fast miles were 7:34 and 7:39. 800 meters in between and then .6 at 7:40 pace. Felt gassed afterwards.

This was the first time trying this workout so I didn't know what to expect but I really enjoyed it. I'll do this again after a week or two!

AP 8:45. Dropped off the daughter late this morning but still wanted to get in a few miles before work. Legs felt OK after yesterday's workout.

Long run Sunday. AP 9:44 Ran Jemison Trail in Mtn. Brook, skipped the Overbrook loop and ran to Old Leeds Road for the steeper hill by Mountain Brook Country Club, along Montevallo Road and ran into some other runners (6 marathoners) and paced with them to Crestline Village and onto Dexter Ave. We ran the same loop there, but took different routes and passed each other half-way through.

Stopped for a water fill up at the Shell and chugged on up Euclid to do the loop to the hills on Montclair. Walked a bit in miles 9 and 11 but still managed to keep to my intended pace. Mile 12 was a cool down mile. Had some food with me this morning too so that helped a lot. Must get some Gu :)

OMHS AP 9:17 

Nothing special. Just an average run in the morning. 

AP 9:14  Warm up mile at 9:30 ran the 2nd on the 5k course and up the hill in 8:40, slower in the third (9:35) and kicked the last 3/4 at 6:47 pace

AP 8:48  Tempo Run. slow warm up and the tempo at 8:15. Cut this short. This was a mental battle today. Legs felt pretty good but I have a sore left calf that's been nagging me all week.  

AP 9:50

Ugh! Not my best run today. Ran with the Birmingham Track Club during their Long Run Social.  These are great events and I love doing them but this one was rough for me. We had a pace leader and everything was fine for the first 1/2 of the run but things turned sour for me.

 I had some GI issues around 5-1/2 miles that forced me to start walking and I was desperate to find the facilities. I had no GU or any kind of electrolytes to drink in this stifling heat and humidity and I suspect I wasn't hydrated well enough before hand. My energy sank away rapidly during the second half and mentally I was through at mile 7. I pushed on but faded fast and walked the last 1/2 mile..... The only bright spots were meeting some really cool people and actually winning a free entry into the Vulcan Run 10k in the Fall.