Santa Rosa Bike Path

Time 75:03
Distance: 16.93k
Pace: 4:26/k
Map

Since Meagan would not be running in Annadel again this trip, we opted to stay close to my mom's and run along a creek bike path. I haven't run along the creek in many years, but it provides a paved, flat and uninterrupted route for an out and back run. Most importantly it's free of rocks.

It felt good to run flat and easy today as my legs are a little beat up from the downhills in Annadel. The weather has been more than ideal since we've been in California. The morning temps have definitely been chilly but after 15 minutes of running it's perfect weather for shorts, a t-shirt and gloves. Sometimes I wonder why I don't move back to California and then I remember gas is $3.75 per gallon, homes cost $400k, the state budget is non-existent and there are Mexicans everywhere.

Never Again

Time: 90:50
Distance: 19.29k
Pace: 4:42/k
Map

After running in Annadel on Saturday, Meagan told me that she would never again run up there. Well, this morning we were meeting up with Steve for another run in the park. I picked out a loop that I felt wouldn't be too rocky as Meagan's foot is still a little sore. We aren't sure if it's the bone (really bad) or a tendon on the lateral side (bad, but icing will help). Being so close to the Trials there can't be any big set backs that would compromise toeing the line. Considering all the factors, I still felt she could manage one last run up in Annadel if we chose the right trails.

My loop had us running up Canyon to Lake Ilsanjo around to the right, up Warren Richardson and down the backside to Channel Drive. The only rocky section would be Canyon and since we were running uphill I didn't think it would be all that bad. Again, Steve and I found the safe path and rocks while Meagan gingerly ran up the hill. She was none too pleased when we hit the lake and then we had to run up the hill where three years ago she told me, "please don't talk to me right now." Three years ago she was huffing and puffing while this year she was able to hold a conversation with Steve and me.

At the top, all the rocks were behind us and it was smooth sailing to the finish. Meagan even hit the front and pressed the pace the final 15 minutes back to our cars. We had to do a little adding on to hit the daily distance goal, but overall I think it was a great loop despite what Ms. Nedlo has to say.

After the run we dropped in Heart & Sole to visit with my old high school coach and see what was shaking at the running store. It was a good visit and always great to catch up with Danny.

Greatest Training Ground

Time: 110:03
Distance: 22.58k
Pace: 4:52/k
Map

Through the wonders of Facebook, I was able to chat with my old high school teammate and meet up for a run at Howarth Park. It's a familiar meeting location for runners in Santa Rosa and one that I would visit multiple times during the week when I lived in Nor Cal. Meagan was also game to run with us under our promise that we wouldn't drop her too much... too often. The excitement of being back in the park might just get the pace moving between Steve and me!

We came up with a loop that would be roughly the distance Meagan was looking to hit and we were off. There are lots of climbs, trees, pretty views, a couple lakes, dozens of other runners, bikers, kilometers of dirt trails and wildlife. There were also lots of rocks. I don't remember the trails being so rocky or maybe I was just tougher back in high school. Steve and I were able to find relatively clean routes on the trail to avoid the rocks and we've learned which rocks are safe to step on and which need to be avoided. On the contrary, Meagan's little stubby legs and already sore foot weren't suited to the terrain.

On a number of occasions she was dropped when the trail became overly rocky and she decided to walk. Yes, a Olympic Trials qualifier stopping to walk on runs! I could tell she was getting frustrated, but there was little we could do other than be overly careful.

It was great catching up with Steve and getting a run in back up in Annadel. We are both convinced it's the best place to train in the country. Meagan thinks we are nuts. On the run we also saw Kim Conley and Sarah Hallas who are both talented runners from the area. There were no Sara (Bei) Hall or Julia (Stamps) Mallon sightings today.

To the Top

Time: 108:40

Distance: 25.02k

Pace: 4:20

Map

The Sunday long run. It's a staple in every runner's workout schedule and I remember some classic long runs with some good Santa Rosa runners over the years. I didn't have anyone to run with today, but I was committed to running up Marsh Trail which is one helluva climb. My former high school teammate Steve Laurie and I would occasionally run to the top via Marsh when we were younger.

I started from my mom's place and headed to Howarth Park over to Annadel. The run starts the exact same way as most of the I've been doing this week, except when you get to the top of Canyon Trail, you turn right and head farther up Marsh. Being a Sunday, there were quite a few mountain bikers and trail runners on the trail ahead of me in both directions. I scampered past them with a little acknowledgement of the hand.

For stat purposes, at the 5k mark the elevation was 100m and by the 12k mark I was at 424m. It's a long steady and relentless climb to the top which levels out slightly in a few places. It really is a great trail and I wish there were something remotely similar in Charlotte, but I haven't found it yet. Maybe Crowders or Kings Mountain, but that requires a decent drive which I'm not into for running.

I contemplated running back on Warren Richardson, but opted to visit Lake Ilsanjo and descend via Canyon. It was a bit of a lame tactic, but I really didn't want to extend my kilometers any more than necessary. The final 30 minutes were run at a good tempo and I got back to the house feeling like I had put in a great week of training. All I need to do is duplicate this sort of effort for 10-20 weeks and I'll be in good form.

Rough Go to Lake Ilsanjo

Time: 86:24

Distance: 20.22

Pace: 4:16

Map

After yesterday's struggles during the 200s, I felt really good on today's run. I would like to be able to pinpoint the cause of why I felt so nice, but it may have just been one of "those" days.

Last night my mom and I surprised some friends that we hadn't seen in quite some time. It was over Facebook that my mom was contacted and invited to a neighborhood bbq that we attended. The husband of the couple didn't know that we were coming and he's a big time jokester. I had to come up with something clever on the spot to grab his attention. The best I could do was angrily ask if, "that was his dog over there?" He turned apologetically before realizing it was me and gave me a big hug. The reason I bring this up is because his wife told me one of her favorite trails in Annadel is Rough Go.

Rough Go is a great trail, but it's exactly how it's named. She mentioned that she sometimes does a fartlek up it which really intrigued me. She got me interested in venturing up Rough Go on my next run in Annadel which was today. It had been several years since I ran the trail that is always a challenge to run up or down. In today's run, I hit Rough Go at about 4.8k where the elevation is 112m. By the time I hit the top of the climb, I was at 258m and had only traveled just over 7k in distance. I had to find a certain exertion point and maintain a steady clip on the ascent so as to not redline and completely falter.

Once I crested the top I quickly found a rhythm and was splitting some faster kilometers. At one point I was certain Mr. Garmin was being mischievous as I didn't run slower than 4:16/k from 8k through the end of the run: 4:16, 4:04, 4:09, 3:58, 4:05, 3:59, 3:44, 3:44, 3:48, 3:44, 4:05, 3:48, 3:42. Here is your metric lesson of the day, 3:45/k is 6:00/mile pace.

I ended the run with some dude named Jacob who came sprinting up from behind. We ran the final 3k together and chatted a little about Santa Rosa running. He is new to the area and is an English teacher at Slater Middle School. I attended Slater and probably set some records that might stand to this day. Sara Bei (Hall) #namedrop also attended Slater and used to race in the boys distance events. I was the only one who could beat her too. It was a good way to end the run, though a little annoying to get caught from behind and listen to Jacob struggle to keep up and hold a conversation. He was not invited to my Sunday long run. #elitist #thisisnottwitter

Tired 200s

Time: 79:32

Distance: 17.51k

W/u: 37:21 for 8.08k

W/o: 10 x 200 (200 jog)

C/d: 25:32 for 5.43k

I helped move some of my mom's stuff to her new place and didn't get out the door to go running until the afternoon. None of the furniture was that heavy, but some of it was awkward to carry. After having recovered mostly from a week of hilly running, I wanted to get back on the track to run some light 200s. It didn't go so well for whatever reason. The mileage has been higher, I've been a little stressed and not getting as much sleep and I helped move stuff this morning. Those are my excuses for not running fast. I had intended to run 20 x 200, but after failing to get my legs rolling, I stopped at 10.

Splits:

(52.76) 36.58, (56.50) 35.28, (54.50) 34.30, (55.52) 34.30, (56.78) 34.50,

(59.52) 33.08, (55.30) 33.55, (56.37) 33.13, (56.82) 32.92, (55.08) 32.79 for 14.59 and 4k total.

How is that for unimpressive? I started with a 36 and followed that up with a 35. Fortunately, my last 5 splits were halfway respectable and I felt 33s and 32s were no more difficult. I could have continued to get to 20, but I was seeing the splits I wanted. My lungs were fine, the legs just would go. I packed it in and geared up for another day.

Double Run Home

Time: 29:27

Distance: 6.58k

Pace: 4:28

Map

My mom and I went to the Starbucks in Bennett Valley this evening to jump on our computers. I had a little work to get caught up on and she has taken a liking to liking anything I do on Facebook. It's awesome. Unfortunately, the shop only stayed open until 7 pm at which point we were asked leave by a former classmate of mine from elementary school. I vaguely remember her, but she is getting married in a month.

Once leaving I slipped on my shoes and opted to run home. I was looking to get in some extra distance and I figured it would be about 6k home. I was a little off in my estimate and I had to add on through Howarth Park which only allowed me to catch up with Greg Fogg. I actually saw Coach Fogg on my run this morning helping one of his athletes at Maria Carrillo with a tempo run. Greg is the co-owner to my high school coach's running store in Santa Rosa. I told him about the items I left and said I had a few more for him to put in the school's trophy case.

It was good to shake out the legs this evening on a flat surface. I didn't have to climb or brake on any descent which has made my quads really sore. By the time my body is adjusted to the California terrain it will be time for me to head home.

Taken for Granted

Time: 86:43

Distance: 20.01

Pace: 4:20

Map

I basically ran the same loop as yesterday but I felt much better this morning. I'm not sure if it was I was properly caffeinated at Starbucks or if I just got a better sleep. On the run this morning I recognized how lucky I was to have grown up running on these trails. It's what made me good as a youth runner. It's what makes the best runners in Santa Rosa great and the average ones better than most. It's no wonder that Santa Rosa has consistently produced talented cross country and track athletes over the years. I also wondered how it was possible for some runners to be so bad having the same access to the park as everyone else.

I didn't have a single kilometer run over 5:00 minutes (8:00/mile pace) which includes the hills. I have discovered that looking on the elevation profile on Garmin's website doesn't do the hills justice as everything is in the metric system. The elevation at 5.01k is 109m and at 8.07k it's 234m. That doesn't seem like much of a climb until you make the conversion or if you're familiar with meters. It's roughly climbing 100 feet per kilometer which is tougher than 100 feet per mile that is often used as a toughness guide. The elevation chart also appears weaker due to the metric system which I don't like.

Running a Classic

Time: 91:28

Distance: 20.25k

Pace: 4:31

Map

I was up early and off to another coffee shop this morning to find the internet and some caffeine. I opted for a relatively new donut shop near Howarth Park that I'd never been to. I wasn't a fan as the old time behind the counter was beyond deaf. I thought the place had potential, but then the refills were limited to one per customer and I was quickly becoming disgruntled. I did purchase a cinnamon roll and ate it later in the day during a lapse in healthy judgement. Whatever, I used to be a member of the "Friday morning fritter crew" while living in Norman, OK. Scotty D would appreciate my choice.

Isn't this blog about running? Oh yea. I should post about my run and not donuts and coffee, though there is potential there for another blog.

I ran an absolute classic loop this morning that is known throughout Santa Rosa. It usually starts at Howarth Park, but I get to add on a bit by beginning from my mom's. The loop goes up Canyon Trail, around Lake Ilsanjo and back down either Spring Creek Trail or Canyon Trail. I opted for the longer distance of the same way I ascended because I'm trying to run 20k in the morning.

On my way to the base of the hill I spotted a fit looking runner across the creek and I was pretty sure it was Julia Stamps. I kept running and soon ran past a blonde woman with her daughter. It was only after I was a few steps beyond them when I realized it was Nika Horn. I hadn't seen her in several years and she definitely didn't recognize me. The last time I saw her she was probably pushing her daughter, the one that was running alongside her, in a babyjogger. Nika was one of the first, if not the first, great female distance runners to come out of Santa Rosa or Sonoma County.

I was just within an earshot of Nika to hear her say, "Hi, Jules.' It confirmed that the woman earlier was in fact Julia Stamps who is probably one of the most talented high school runners to date. I could rattle off stats, but you should just look her up and see her accomplishments. She now has two kids and is back living in Santa Rosa. Julia is still competitive and recently placed second at the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon in 1:18.27. She was coached by Danny Aldridge who was also my high school coach. Danny's daughter, Jenny, was also a great high school runner who won the state 1600m in 4:49 defeating Sara Bei (now Hall). How is that for some Santa Rosa name dropping and boring stories of glory days?

I continued on my run and crossed paths with Julia up at the lake twice, but I'm positive she didn't recognize me. The pace on this run never really got going as my legs are still shot from being back on the hills. I've tried giving myself massages at night, but without a roller I've struggled to keep the legs really fresh. I had a good time being back in the park running a loop that I've done hundreds of times before. I forget how lucky I was to get my start running on some of the best trails in the country. People talk about the trails in Portland, Eugene, Boulder, Flagstaff, but Santa Rosa still has some of the best in my opinion.

Double Run to Clear the Mind

Time: 28:35

Distance: 5.66k

Pace: 5:03
Map

Physically I didn't feel like running this evening, but emotionally I needed it. I'm helping to move my mom out of the condo she's live in for about 9 years. We have thrown away lots of stuff, gone through a lot of memories in the form of photos and given away many possessions. I boxed up a bunch of my old running memorabilia and took it to Heart & Sole Sports that my high school coach co-owns. I dropped it off and said he and the store are welcome to it. I would love to see some of the pictures hung, medals given away or displayed and posters displayed. I have little use for them and I don't want to burden my mom with carting them around.

When I called it a day from moving stuff, I put on the shoes and ran along the creek near the condo complex. I used to run there a lot on morning runs because it was close and flat. I used to run really hard along that creek in the pitch black before school knowing I was putting in the miles and my competitors were sleeping. This evening was much different as my legs were shot from the 37k of hills that left me exhausted. However, it was good to shake the legs out and I felt better both physically and emotionally afterward.

Back to My Roots

Time: 78:31

Distance: 18.07k

Pace: 4:20

Map

My mom picked me up at the Carneros Inn last night and we headed back to Santa Rosa. I was up early because I still think that I'm on the lovely east coast. Since my mom currently doesn't have the internet set up, I was off to find a Starbucks. The one I usually frequent on my visits home is under construction which I think calls for a sternly worded letter for making it incredibly inconvenient for me to be productive in an efficient manner.

It all worked out as I found a good spot in Bennett Valley a few miles from home. I got a bunch of work done before lacing up the shoes and heading off for the hills. I entered Annadel State Park from the Parktrail entrance and ran up Canyon Trail to Lake Ilsanjo. It was great to be up at the top of the lake again and brought back memories from high school and training during the summers when I was home from Brown University.

I was incredibly sore from the run in San Rafael which I think was due to the descents. I was fine climbing up the hills but my quads screamed running back down Canyon. If you look at the elevation profile of this run, it looks like a large plateau. A long gradual ascent, flat middle section and long gradual descent back to the neighborhoods below.

I was hoping to get 20k worth of work, but ended up calling it a morning at the 18k mark. I didn't feel like finding 2k back near the Starbucks so I called it.

Final Run in Santa Rosa

Time: 31:09
Distance: 4.44 miles
Pace: 7:01
Map

I put in a short recovery run where I kept to some of the flatter roads and neighborhoods. I only had time for a few miles as my mom and I had to be in the car around 8:00 am heading for SFO. My legs are still a bit sore, but I think I can get them recovered in time for Sunday. It's not going to help that I fly from San Francisco to Charlotte and land around 11:15 pm and then have to catch a flight Saturday morning to Providence.

Good Run with J.K.

Time: 80:49
Distance: 11.34 miles
Pace: 7:07
Map

I shot a quick message over to J.K. Withers facebook account the other day to see if he was in town and interested in getting in a run. J.K. and I raced a bit while we were in high school and he would become one of the best runners in the league. He was on of the few athletes to run for the University of Oregon under Martin Smith (now at Oklahoma), Pat Tyson (Pre's college roommate) and Vin Lanana (one of the best college coaches).

We met up at Howarth Park and ran into Spring Lake before making our way to the hills and trails of Annadel. It was a good loop and the conversation was great. I am still a bit sore from all the hills and rocky terrain that I am no longer used to running. I hope that I'll be able to recover in time to race well at the CVS 5k.

Later in the morning I met up with some good family friends at Starbucks. The day turned out to be packed with productivity. I visited my high school coach's running store, Heart & Sole. I put my mom on my cell phone plan at an AT&T store by the help of an old high school buddy. And in the evening we went out to eat with friends who have taken great care of my mom since I've moved away from Sonoma County.

NBL vs. SCL

Total Time: 69:55
Total Distance: 9.78 miles

Time I: 45:58
Distance I: 6.70 miles
Pace I: 6:51
Map I

Time II: 23:57
Distance II: 3.08 miles
Pace II: 7:45
Map II:

When I was at MCHS yesterday evening running a few 200s, the coach invited me to the cross country meet between 4 NBL and 4 SCL teams. When I was in high school the Sonoma County League stood for "Second Class League" because that's exactly what it was. The North Bay League had much better runners and schools for that matter. In recent years a move has been made to raise the bar in the SCL which has come with races between half of each league.

I jogged from my mom's house to the start of the race and stood around for a bit chatting with old coaches from my youth years. I saw Dan Aldridge, Bobby Shore and Doug Courtemarche. All three have been involved in Sonoma County youth running for at least 20 years each. Danny and Bob were my first track coaches when I started in the sport with Santa Rosa Express. Danny was a big time high school (1:49 800m), college (1500 DII champ for Cal Poly SLO) and professional (Athletics West) runner. He was my high school coach at Maria Carrillo and definitely nurtured my young talents for competing at the college level. Bob has been the starter of almost every track meet and cross country race in Nor Cal for as long as I can remember. Doug was the co-coach (along with Danny) of high school phenoms Julia Stamps and Trina Cox at Santa Rosa High School. People joke about there being something in the water for all the great runners coming out of the Santa Rosa area and I think the speculators might be right.

I watched the jv girls race and ran a few laps around Spring Lake during the jv boys and varsity girls races to add to my mileage. I paid better attention to the varsity boys race where Dan Hauptman won in a solid 15:51. He's interested in Brown and I hope to put in a good word for him while I'm in Providence soon. After the race I had the chance to talk with my former school's athletes and some of their parents. We took a few photos and I even cooled down with them chatting about running in college, training in high school and the post-collegiate running scene. I'm no Angelina Jolie, Florence Nightingale, or Mother Teresa but I try to make the most of running with the younger crowd and pass on some knowledge that will hopefully bring a bit more passion to the sport.

Creek Miles

Time: 25:15
Distance: 3.52 miles
Pace: 7:11
Map

I only had time for a few miles this morning along the creek behind my mom's house. It's a place that I used to run when I lived in Santa Rosa. The flat surface was perfect this morning because my legs are a bit tender after running in the hills yesterday. I'll need to do my best to get fresh for Sunday up in Providence, but it's so hard not to take advantage of the trails.

MCHS Double Run

Time: 38:58
Distance: 5.95 miles

W/u: 19:31 for 2.80 miles
W/o: 4 x 200m w/ 200 jog
C/d: 14:07 for 2.12 miles

After getting up in the hills of Annadel this morning, I thought it would be a good idea to run some more miles over to my old high school again. I hoped to jump on the track from some light 200s. When I arrived I saw that the soccer team was in a battle against Ukiah High School. I didn't think that I would be able get on the track so I ended up chatting with the new coach of the program, Greg Fogg.

Greg was able to tell me a bit about the program, showed me the school record board and invited me to the cross country meet the next day. I said that I would love to come out and watch his athletes race.

The soccer game came to an end and just before the start of the jv game I hit up lane three for my mini-workout. I felt half good during the long strides. I was running in trainers and was simply focused on maintaining good form.

Splits:
30.61 (57.40), 31.25 (56.65), 30.43 (60.50), 28.82 (25) for 5:20 total and roughly a mile

Back on the Trails

Time: 79:09
Distance: 12.32 miles
Pace: 6:26
Map

I was up early because someone texted me at 5:00 am telling me that she had gotten 10 hours of sleep. So much for my 10 hours. I quickly looked to see if the Starbucks across the street was open and was shocked to see that it was. I put on some clothes and headed over for an early morning of productivity.

After being properly caffeinated, I put the Karhu running kicks on and got ready to hit the trails of Annadel. I was ready to take advantage of the cooler weather prior to coming out west, but this morning was nearly chilly. I actually had some cold fingers for the first 25 minutes. I ran a loop that was our standard 10 miler while I was in high school. I used to run this loop with Steve Laurie all the time and it brought back some memories of clipping off fast splits over the rocky terrain.

I had to back off the pace a couple of times so things didn't get out of control. I'm racing on Sunday in the CVS Downtown 5k and there is no need for me to ruin my quads a few days out. The run is pretty hilly and I intentionally relaxed so as not to crush the lungs and heart.

Splits:
7:32, 7:03, 6:09, 6:56, 6:59, 6:15, 6:14, 6:01, 5:55, 5:58, 6:15, 5:58

See that third mile split? Some girl came charging up a dam from the opposite side just as I crested the top. She was clipping along and breathing heavily. I ran relaxed a few strides behind maintaining my pace. She probably thought I was some creeper trying to shadowbox her in the fog of Spring Lake. I eventually picked up the pace and pulled away just before the real entrance to Annadel State Park and the climb to Lake Ilsanjo.

Santa Rosa Stomping Grounds

Time: 48:19
Distance: 7.02 miles
Pace: 6:53
Map

I had an early start to the day when I woke up at 4:04 am EST. I finalized my packing situation, jumped in the shower and woke up Meagan so she could take me to the airport. I was flying from Charlotte, to DC and then off to SFO. Or so I thought. We got to DC airspace and couldn't land because of fog on the ground. We were redirected to Norfolk, VA which caused many on my flight much distress. I think the guy next to me was about to crap his pants because he kept trying to go to walk back to the bathroom, but we were seated in the front which meant others could easily beat him to the john. Finally, he had to say something to the flight attendant and he was able to reserve his spot at the crapper. Sorry for that.

I had already been re-booked twice on flights to SFO courtesy of being a baller with United Airlines. I have Premier Associate standing because my dad gives me the hook up. He's actually the baller in the family with his 1k status so his service with Unite Airlines is twice as nice. I eventually got to DC, missed my connection by about 3 hours, but was placed on the next flight out to SFO.

The caught up on my sleep while on the flights today despite drinking loads of coffee in the airport. I still refuse to pay foolish prices for crappy sandwich offerings and overpriced fruit. Instead I fuel with water and coffee during flights. If I'm feeling particularly gross I cap it off with some McDonald's just to ensure full relaxation.

I arrived in San Francisco and caught an airporter north to Petaluma where my mom met me. We drove up to Santa Rosa and got dinner at the Sonoma Taco Shop which brought back fond memories of my childhood. I stuffed myself with a taco salad because you can eat the deep fried crispy shell. I had few thoughts of getting in a run, but around 7:00 pm, a full 16 hours after waking up in Charlotte, I laced up the shoes and got out the door.

I didn't know how I would feel with the long day and Mexican food in my stomach, but I have had worse runs. My run followed a similar route I used to do early mornings in high school. I eventually found myself at Maria Carrillo where I ran a few laps of the track. I also took a few peeks in the windows of the school and was happy to see the North Bay League 2002 banner hanging in the gym. The school looks the same with it's outdoor layout. I wonder if the cool kids still hang out in the same spot near the overhang with the heaters.

Santa Rosa Tempo Run

Time: 75:35
Distance: 11.88 miles

W/u: 24:11 for 3.08 miles
W/o: 5 mile tempo at 5:10-5:20 pace, 5 min. rest, 5 x 1 min hard w/ 1 min rest
C/d: 11:07 for 1.47 miles

It was a great morning for a tempo run in Santa Rosa. I jogged from the friend's house that I stayed at last night over to the start line on Channel Drive. I was using a popular section of road that is close to Annadel and Spring Lake. It's frequented because of little traffic, relatively flat surface and quarter markers. My high school team used to run workouts along this section all the time.

The goal for the morning was to run a relatively controlled 5 miles and then attack the "minuters." I had a pretty big range in pace that gave me some flexibility to push if I felt good (5:10) or back off it I didn't (5:20). I figured a 5:15 average (26:15 total) would be a good measure going into the minute efforts.

Tempo Splits:
5:18, 5:10, 5:14, 5:08, 5:15 for 26:05 total

(5:00 rest for .64 miles or 7:47 pace)

Hard Minuters:
4:30 pace (7:11 pace)
4:22 (8:01)
4:14 (7:51)
4:26 (8:04)
4:36 (uphill finish)

The total time for my tempo and minuters was 40:17 and I covered 7.33 miles (5:29 pace)

I wouldn't have been happy with this workout had it not been for the hard minute efforts. I didn't all that great during the tempo run which is why the pace varied a little bit form mile to mile. I was sluggish off the line and struggled to get rolling with that 5:10 split. I remained relatively relaxed, but never really fell into a rhythm. The minuters were a different story. I wanted to lash the body with some hard, steady, efficient running. I think I did just that as I was able to have some pretty solid minute averages. My turnover was nice and quick and I could tell that my arm carry was good.

Spring Lake and Annadel Memories

Time: 54:55
Distance: 7.74 miles
Pace: 7:05
Map

Strides: 6 x 130m
C/d: 7:29 for 1.03 miles

My double run this evening brought back some fond memories of running from my mom's house, to Howarth Park, through Spring Lake and on to the trails of Annadel. I was supposed to run steady this afternoon and do some strides, but I just wasn't feeling the steady portion for various reasons. Instead, I let my mind and body wander on the soft dirt trails that introduced me to the sport of running. I ran into Coach Louis Rosales who is now at Piner High School and is in the process of building a solid program. When I was in high school, Piner could barely field a cross-country team and now they are challenging for the league title.

My run brought me up Spring Creek to the hairpin turn where I opted to turn around and forgo the climb up to Lake Ilsanjo. Once I returned to Howarth Park I got to chat with one of Coach Rosales athletes who will be a stud in the coming years. Eventually I made my way over to a dam and ran 6 x ~130m at a good tempo. I was able to open up the stride and work on quickening the turnover.

I should mention that it was hot out there today, especially for Santa Rosa. My guess is low 90s but it felt comfortable due to the lack of humidity. My shorts were dry by the time I started the cool down back to my mom's.