The Joy of a Longer Run

Went for a 7.21 mile run today - longer miles and remembered just how great it can be to do a good long run.

Whatever incentive systems I have managed through the years to make it possible for me to run far - tracking apps, race prep, you name it - nothing beats the feeling I got today, over four miles into a run when I had been going slow enough to just keep going and not worry about it.

I feel some real joy when I have managed to balance that sense of pace and distance and just keep going without pushing.

Still listening to my latest obsessive sci-fi reading - Persepolis Rising, which is Book 7 of the Expanse series. A truly wonderful standout in the field of sci-fi.

Meanwhile, here are the geekier running details.

BTW, I have been running with Galloway style breaks - today about 30-40 seconds every 1.2 miles - for years now. I think it helps endurance and healthy running.

Also, I am a huge fan of smaller pace length and mid-foot strike - been running on Altra shoes for years now and got into it after reading Born to Run a while back.

I use iSmoothRun for tracking on an iPhone and linked to an Apple Watch. iSmoothrun allows me to customize a workout better than most apps I have used.

Fuller stats found at Smashrun here.

Also here I am at Strava here.

I follow and connect via both platforms, but more on Strava.

Some details for the run:

Running Time: 1:11:19

Total Distance: 7.21 miles

Avg. page: 9:54/mile

Today's training run for peace - tempo!

Help support peace and co-existence among Israelis and Palestinians by giving to the Peres Center for Peace - click here to donate and support my Rabbi Run for Peace.

Today's tempo run goal was 3 miles at a 7:25 pace, two easy miles to warm up and one easy mile to cool down.

On the three fast miles I managed: 7:22, 7:42, and 7:47 splits.

Not as fast as I'd like, although not too shabby. Still walking 30 seconds after every mile, and the walking is included in the times, hence the slower second and third splits.

Thanks to Run Less Run Faster and Jeff Galloway for all the tips on training. Marathon in 9 days!

Two weeks of runs - getting faster

I reached a great milestone this week, ran 7 miles averaging less than 8 minutes per mile. Still walking 30 seconds per mile on distance and tempo runs, and those walks are in the times. Here are all the runs and their logs...​

April 20 - 7 miles at an 8:08/mile average - had a good run and beat the goal, averaging 8:03/mile according to Nike+'s record here.​

April 22 - intervals - four 3/4 miles at 5:13 each, with 1/4 miles resting between them. On intervals, I run 2 miles to warm up, and around 1 mile as a cool down. I managed to keep the pace close to the goal on the first two intervals and dropped 20 and 30 seconds on the uphill segments. Full details here.​

April 25 - Tempo run - 3 miles at 7:38/mile average - plus 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down. Almost did this - the splits on the three miles were: 7:18, 7:40, 8:03. So I did come pretty close! See the whole run here.​

April 28 - 7 miles at an 8:08/mile average - and here was where I went under 8 minutes per mile on average, actually averaging 7:57/mile! See it all here.​

May 1 - Intervals - 5 kilometer intervals aiming for 4:18/kilometer with quarter mile rests between them.​ I struggled with these, came close on 3, and dropped 20+ seconds on two. Not much to look at here, since the walks slow down the overall pace a lot!

Mourning Boston & Texas - Moving towards goals

​Keep on running Boston - comfort and strength to Massachusetts and Texas during this terrible week.

Over a week of runs, so four to report on, now that I am getting into the schedule towards my next race, the Zombie Run in Charlotte, on Sunday, May 19 - please join me and register with our Temple Beth El team - Run for your life, save the world here!

Here are the "rundowns" (pun intended :-D):​

Wednesday, April ​10 - Goal: 4 miles averaging 7:53/mile.
On this Tempo run I gained 20 seconds on the first two miles after the warm-up mile, giving me some room to slow a bit on the second two uphill miles, where I lost 32 seconds. So on the miles that counted I averaged 7:56/mile, which is pretty close. Run details here.

​Saturday, April 13 - Goal: 8 miles averaging 8:08/mile.
On my first really hot and humid run of the season, in the middle of a crazy day, I managed a good pace for the first 5 miles and then dropped like a stone for the last three - really glad I got out though! Run details here.

Monday, April 15 - Goal: 6 half miles at 3:25 each, with 90 second rest intervals.
I came pretty close to the 3:25 time, within 2-3 seconds, on 4 out of 6 of these - the uphill ones were brutal. On interval runs I do between 1.5 to 2 miles of warm-up and at least 1 mile cool down. Run details here.

Today, Thursday, April 18 - Goal: 2 miles at 7:43/mile, 1 mile easy, 2 miles at 7:43/mile.
I took it easy on the warm up mile and was able to push through, without any of my mid-mile walks on both 2 mile segments today. On the first 2 mile segment I averaged 7:40/mile, and on the second 7:45/mile with the uphill parts too, so I feel pretty good. Run details here.

I have dropped to using only Brooks Pure Cadence shoes - the NB Minimus seem to hurt my right calf.​

NYC City Hall Flies Boston Flag.jpg

Last two runs - a good tempo and 10 miles faster

Today's run - pretty much my best speed yet. 10 miles averaging 8:05 minutes per mile, here are the details.
Great weather for it, felt good, and managed a pretty fast final mile (7:32).

Thursday's run, decent tempo run too - and more details on that.

On all runs:
- Training for the Tobacco Road Half Marathon on March 17 using the Run Less Run Faster plan.
- Still using New Balance Minimus & Brooks Pure Cadence on alternate runs.
- Unless running other intervals, still using a Galloway method of walking :30 after finishing every mile - all paces include those walks.
- Moved from MapMyFitness to Nike Plus since the former doesn't seem to work well in our region here in Charlotte.

A good week over all - 4 runs, a total of nearly 40 miles.

Long run - 11 miles plus - tech glitch

I had a great long run yesterday, over 11 miles, and I caused a tech glitch in the tracking of it by fiddling with music too much - oh well!
I think the run probably had another half mile onto the end of it, changing my three splits. In other words, I believe I didn't slow down as much as it showed - I will have to prove it again on my next long run.
Overall goal - 8:40 per mile averages or better, and I feel like I came pretty close!
Incomplete details here.
As always, times include my 30 seconds walking every mile.

Long tempo getting faster

Today's assignment - a 6 mile tempo run with a mile warm-up and cool down.
My goal - miles 2-7 of the 8 at 8:30 per mile or faster.
I averaged better than 8:25 on those miles, and only dropped to 8:34 and 8:38 on miles 6 and 7, which are uphill too.
Feels good to run well - here are the details.