Going Longer

A fairly productive last week or so, culminating in a 16 miler yesterday.

On Thursday I set off to do a Cow Harbor loop.  Since I want/need to start stretching out my runs, my plan was to add in a side excursion down to Crab Meadow Beach.  As is often the case when I run, my mind started to wander and while running in a comfortable groove while pondering some minor work related crisis, I blew right past the turnoff for Crab Meadow, not realizing it until I was a half mile from home.  Still good for a 7 miler though.

On Friday I went across the street and back into Makamah Woods for the first time in over a month.  By now it is about 99% clear of snow...a welcome sight.  I'm clearly happiest when I'm running on trails.  I popped out on Makamah Road and added in an extra 4 or 5 miles of road...down to the beach, around the golf course and then back down to the beach on the other side.  Plenty of hills, including Hayes, to keep it interesting.  About 9 miles total.

Over the weekend, James swam out at Ward Melville.  I took advantage of his warm-up time to hop on the track for a few miles, managing to work a tempo run into the process.  I started out in lane 1, moving over one lane after each lap, eventually working my way out to lane 6 for laps 6 and 7 then back down again.  I pushed this middle mile (lane 5, lane 6, lane 6, lane 5) at what I felt was my current 5k pace.  My hamstring stayed tight, but hung in there.  On Sunday I came back and did the same workout.  Timing was perfect as I was able to finish and get back to the pool for James's first races.

Monday was too chaotic to get any running in, but Tuesday I made sure to get out of the house early.  I headed over Sunken Meadow for one of my standard longer training runs...SM to Kings Park to Sunken Meadow Road and out to where the Greenbelt trail continues in the woods in Smithtown.  It's about 12 miles.  I felt good at the turnaround point and decided when I got back into Sunken Meadow I would add in an extra loop out to the golf course.  Mentally I think it's always easier to do a long run when you set out for a shorter one.  At some point I usually reach the point of "well, I feel good.  Why not just tack on a few extra miles at this point?  I've run this far already, might as well knock off a long run".  About half way back to SM, I decide after the golf course, I would also add in a loop up to the toll booth, brining the total to 16 miles.  On my way back from the toll booth I toyed with the idea of doing another 4 and checking off a 20 miler, but decided against it.  I felt good, but didn't want to make too big a jump in my long run miles.  With the excepetion of my hamstring, I've been injury free and would just as soon remain that way.

271 miles down...229 to go...