July Fourth Runs

Saturday, July 5, 2014:

The St Croix Valley Runners meet every Saturday morning at the Brown's Creek Park on Neal in Stillwater. 7:00 am sharp, don't be late

I ran with Charley for the first mile or so, and then we split up because I wanted to run a 3.82-mile route, while he was running shorter.  For that first mile I ran continuously, but then, considering yesterday's high-intensity run, I dropped to my more-usual 1 to 1 run/walk.  Three of the five-milers passed me as I ran, but most finished after I did.  Finish time 43:29, pace 11:23.  I would have thought faster, because of that first mile, but it's OK.

No whining.

After the nice run with the St Croix Valley Runners, I picked up the girls and we went to the park for more running.  I took a 6.05-mile route and did my normal 1 to 1 run/walk, finishing in 1:10:49, for a pace of 11:42, not bad at all for miles four through ten on the day.

This was such a perfect day for anything but running, temperature in the high 70's, bright sun, stiff breeze, it felt very good just to be outdoors.  Plenty warm for running, but now that summer is here I am handling the heat better and felt like charging some of the hills and running continuously down some of the easy slopes.  That happens - the body accommodates after a few weeks.  This was a very enjoyable run.

Oatmeal breakfast, Fourth of July
motif, but not yet fully assembled.

Whining: (1) The right-knee PFS mumbled a little but didn't slow me down;  (2) There is a hole in the trail, deep and several inches in diameter, like an empty post hole, hard to see under the grass.  I've accidentally stepped on it / in it twice now without injury, but I was just lucky, so I'm going to have to etch it into my brain and remember in for any future trips down that trail.  Maybe I should bring a shovel and fill it in myself.  I wonder how fast I could run carrying a shovel.

Friday, July 4:

I felt like pushing today.  For the first three and a half miles of a four-mile run I ran continuously, with no walking except down a couple of steep slopes.  Then I realized that I was hot, quite tired, and not having fun, so I slowed to a 3/2 run/walk for the last half mile.  I lost track of the finish time while putting a new band on my old Timex, but I think it was about 41 minutes.  If so, the pace was about 10:15.  My July 4 "race."

No whining.  It's a masterpiece.

Same breakfast with more colors
added.  I love nectarine season.

Thursday, July 3:

Warm Five Miles   After an easy run yesterday, I ran a little farther and faster today, 5.16 miles in 1:02:40, for a pace of 12:09.  That's an acceptable pace for the grass trails in 77 degrees.

Nice run.  I saw a pheasant scuttling into a fence row, and two turtles, one laying her eggs and the other apparently looking for the perfect place.    I suppose they like the sandy dirt of the trails.  Usually I see deer, and always some great white egrets.  This trail goes right past a cornfield, too, and despite all the rain, the corn is indeed knee-high by the Fourth of July.

No whining.



Wednesday, July 2:

Cool, breezy, cloudy morning.  Because I ran ten miles yesterday, I wanted to run short and slow today.  I took the shortest grass-trail loop, 3.01 miles, and did a slower run/walk than usual, finishing in 38:18, for a pace of 12:49.

This was a lovely run, very enjoyable, in perfect running weather.  No whining.