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Aug 31: 6.3 miles in Central Park (1 lap)
--Fun run it was not! Today, with a temperature at 83 and humidity around 67%, the heat index was 89 degrees for my run. It felt yucky! And my body didn't fare too well in it, either: My run felt amongst the slowest I've had.

No worries, though. For the most part, the humidity was the main factor, and as the summer winds down and fall begins, that factor will start to play less and less a role in my training. Right now, the name of the game is persevere!

It was a stressful day at work for some reason, the phones ringing incessantly, the humidity making me uncomfortable in my hair and clothes, and a mailing list script with kinks in it irritating me with its mystery problems. I thought today's run would be cathartic; I guess I'm not sure if it was. I think just finally being home and to myself is where I wanted to be--to take a shower, read a book, and mull ideas in my own book.

As I said, today's run was slow. My hips just did not want to throw my legs very far forward, so my stride was short. I ran the lap in about 50 minutes (my "humidity" speed), getting in a very powerful sprint at the very end. I love when I can break the sound barrier at the end of my runs. ;)

I don't run tomorrow because of the final improv class I'm teaching, and I'm weighing whether to run on Friday night. Saturday is a 20 miler, and I want to be rested for that, especially if I plan on running it in the morning. Hm. It depends on the weather. A friend of mine said the humidity is supposed to leave for a beautific weekend, so hopefully I can get the 20 miles in in the morning and have the rest of the day to recover. Yee-haw!

Aug 29: 8.0 miles in Central Park (1 lap + 1 lower loop)
--Dare I say "standard 8.0-mile run"?? Today's run overall felt strong, and I realized it's becoming really kinda ridiculous--some people have trouble running just one mile, and here I am, feeling that 6.3 miles is a "short run"!

But today's run wasn't without a little trouble. The trouble was motivation. There may have been a correlation between the conflicts I endured in the last week and the sugary processed sweets I bought at the grocery story on Sunday--Scooter pies, Entenmann's Chocolate Lover's Donuts, some turtle Chex mix, Yoo-Hoo, etc. Gross! :D The correlation being a craving for support in a time of duress. I ate some of the processed foods and almost immediately the chemistry inside my body turned from healthy-feeling to blurg-feeling. I've kept at that consumption a little bit today, perhaps a contributor in my hazy sleepiness and nap attempts, the second time of which I was successful. However, the lack of motivation wasn't enough to dislodge me from my training schedule ... my discipline seems unshakeable!

Today was a humid day, in the upper 70's with 55-80% humidity (a huge range I've noticed on Weatherbug). That translated to my skin fine, as I was sweaty during my run but not too bogged down in the breathing. I was able to get some sprinting and faster paces in, but the result wasn't a dent in my time to my surprise--I finished 6.3 miles in 48 minutes rather than a perceived 46 or 47 minutes. I couldn't time the finish of the whole run at 8.0 miles because my mp3 player fritzed again; looks as if a new one is due for race day.

But the surprise in hindsight today was that 8.0 miles is starting to feel like nothing to me. "Just gonna take a lap around Central Park!" Just???? For some people, that's probably a life goal. Ha!

Aug 28: 5.4 miles in Central Park (1 lap minus Great Hill)
--I decided to follow still close to but ahead of the competitive marathoner schedule by doing a lighter run today. Fortunately, ibuprofen and several times ice-packing seems to have made for healthy Achilles tendons after yesterday's long run--I had no issues with them today. However, the issue for today was humidity. How about 80%?? It was a dreary, damp, cloudy day at 77 degrees, so I was more than happy to take a shorter run today. I felt pretty strong despite yesterday's long run, perhaps because of pasta I had last night. Before the run, I ate the other half of my Vanilla Crisp Power Bar (I was hungry this morning), and I picked up a can of root beer for post-run consumption that my co-worker Jono offered me toward the end of my run; Jono was working the half-marathon that was going on in the park. So there was a brief pause in today's run, but I didn't really care as today was more of a "maintenance run" than anything else. I didn't time today as I didn't bring my mp3 player for fear of its getting rained on. No rain other than nearly imperceptible sprinkles showed up. Next run: Tomorrow!

Aug 27: 15.8 miles in Central Park (2 laps + 2 lower loops)
--I thought today was going to be more humid than it actually turned out to feel (about 50% humidity, but was unnoticeable), and the temperature felt warmer than it actually was (79 degrees, felt almost like 90 with the bright sun). Fortunately, there was some wind action to balance things out.

Today's run was haunted but some angry images that got into my head within the hours prior to the run. At a party last night, some guys I didn't know who seemed high started harassing me with metal kitchen utensils. I told them to stop, they didn't, I told them to stop again, they didn't, again, nothing, and in just a matter of seconds I was screaming full force at them at the party to get away from me. I perceived them as a threat. One of the guys a few minutes before had started dancing recklessly at the party and he dragged me into his dance by the tie I was wearing--I didn't trust him, and I thought he might try to jerk my tie and choke me. No one seemed to know these guys, and they looked not-all-there. Anyway, my sudden "fight-or-flight" response surprised me, but it felt good to stand up for myself. Despite it, though, the reaction affected me, as it was akin to the reaction I had to my problematic roommate who was not letting me go to sleep last week.

Then, this morning, after for a second time encountering subway card dispensers not taking debit cards, I went to the booth to ask how to get to Central Park given that I had no money and only a debit card. The attendant at the Broadway stop on the N line (circa 11am) didn't even let me complete my sentences; she seemed to assume that I was going to get angry at her for the machines' not working. (I gather this because the nice attendant I talked to late last night at the Steinway stop said customers were yelling at him for the problem, which he had no control over.) She also seemed ignorant of the extent of the problem. She didn't let me explain to her that I'd encountered the problem at a Manhattan station as well, claiming that I was "not helping her" even though that was my expressed and honest intent, and she very rudely moved her attention to the next customer. I felt nearly the same rage and threatened feeling that I did toward the high partygoers who were harassing me with sharp objects, and again, having had three explosions in a week when I rarely ever get this way, maintaining a cool head even in the toughest situations, this powerful internal reaction surprised me. It was on my mind in my run, but eventually the thoughts turned to the conflict of the day: It looks as if I have to kick out my temporary roommate.

So the conflict and drama in my life is cause for concern. I've been sleeping shorter times despite probably needing more sleep of late. I only slept about 5 hours last night but woke up awake (possibly because of caffeine from the Coke I drank at the party), and fortunately sleepiness was not a factor in today's run. I busted out 15.8 miles today, which was a scheduled 15-mile day on the competitive marathoner schedule. My first lap I got in at 48 minutes, which felt pretty good, and I felt strong, also feeling I have a pretty nice 10K base for my running. The next 6.1 miles I did in 50 minutes, and the whole run I wasn't able to time because my mp3 player started acting funny so I turned it off. Perhaps I'll need a new one.

At the end of my run, my legs were not very happy. The backs of my thigh were in pain--manageable pain, but notable pain--but I didn't have any Achilles issues at all for this run. I do have an imperceptible bruise on the top of my right foot, and my shoe tightens across it making it painful to walk with them laced tightly, yet for some reason I'm fine for running. I did my first lap without getting passed, but the second lap I got passed by a few people, and by the time I was doing the shorter loops to finish my run, I wasn't going very fast. I did manage a sprinting finish to the run, though. I consumed half of a Vanilla Crisp Power Bar during this run, plus stopped to fill up my water bottle in the second lap, eating up about 45 seconds. (I ate the Power Bar as I ran. I was really hungry about 10 miles into the run.

I'm going to shower, take an ibuprofen, and try to ice my knee. And then: Deal with the conflict with my subletter who hasn't paid her whole rent. Wish me big luck ... please!

Aug 26: 6.3 miles in Central Park (1 lap)
--Though it was about 75 degrees for this morning's run, the humidity was palpable (46%, but it felt worse). There was a haze in the air and clouds in the sky. I felt more tired than strong for today's run, but I was able to continue climbing hills with more "sprint" to keep my faster pace of late. I completed the lap in 47 minutes--not bad!

I felt a few sensations in my ankles, primarily on the outer side of my right Achilles tendon. They weren't painful; they were just sensations, so I'm logging them. I'm also logging that yesterday I used a lot of caffeine to get me through the day (guaranį plus some fountain sweet tea) because I was up late the prior night in a conflict with my troublesome, temporary roommate. My caffeine intake of late has been rather limited to what is in protein bars and energy bars, which I don't eat all that much these days anyway. If the pattern holds, I'll probably be very, very tired either tonight while at a party or tomorrow morning when I wake up, and it will be a sluggish day. That may not bode well for a 15-mile run tomorrow, but then again, perhaps the run will wake me up! (I think that might be the effect.)

Overall, I'm trying to keep sane amongst roommate troubles and I'm concerned that the conflict she's causing in not paying her rent will negatively affect my training or my health. I'm probably more resistant to colds now than I am thinking; I'm thinking that my training schedule weakens my immune system rather than strengthens it. It's probably not so easily called. Anyway, wish me luck in ridding of this conflict and powering my way through summer training!

Aug 24: 8.0 miles in Central Park (1 lap + 1 lower loop)
--Could there have been a more beautiful morning than this one? Well, yes, but today's ranked up there to rival any. Not a cloud in the sky, 73 degrees with 42% humidity but a nice wind from what I remember complemented my fastest run so far this year. I did 6.3 miles in 46 minutes, and I completed 8.0 miles in under an hour (59 minutes). Both of those times feel like milestones, and I feel really pretty good to have gotten in 8 miles in under an hour.

The run overall felt a little tough in the beginning. Having a day off yesterday made me more excited to run this morning, but my body felt a little heavy from not having run yesterday. Around the completion of my first mile I gave myself the key word that seems to take my mind off of my tiredness--"Courage"--and from then on I don't recall having much issue. Starting with Great Hill and on subsequent hills, I had blasts of masochistic hill sprints, which probably don't look like sprints to the observer, but I push for increased speed and strength during these points. The sprints come on sometimes quite by "accident"; I don't realize I'm pushing myself on these hills until I've already started pushing, as if something deep inside me motivated me up the hills other than my conscious mind. The increased uphill speed seems to have paid off for me in shaving off a minute from my fastest 6.3-mile running time. That makes me happy.

Tomorrow's another day off from running, as I'm teaching an improv class in Central Park by evening, working by day. Friday I'm not sure yet whether I'll do 6.3 miles or 8 miles, but I'm going to try to get them in in the morning (I think); Saturday is another long-run day, this time about 15 miles, which for me may be 15.8. Stay tuned!

Aug 22: 6.3 miles in Central Park (1 lap)
--There's something to be said of note of today's run. I certifiably did not want to do it as I felt overly tired almost to the point of ill, but I got myself out there anyway to do a lap around Central Park to keep up with my training schedule. I also didn't want to guilt myself in going two consecutive days without running (tomorrow I don't run).

The run turned out to be quite gorgeous and surprisingly strong. My pace overall was up, with some added hustle up the hills (I felt pretty strong on hills, and even accelerated on many of them). I finished the run in about 48 minutes. The weather was cooperative with only about 30% humidity and a temperature about 83, even a wind. I wasn't lapped by anyone but someone who was sprinting short lengths. My Achilles tendon that was suspect even fared well! Last night I had a couple ibuprofen, and in bed I raised it on a pillow and put on ice pack underneath it. This morning it felt strong and fine. Again, it seems a combination of factors is better to think about when prepping for the future rather than just one--this is a lesson I'm learning. If that's true, then perhaps also the homemade pizza I had last night at a friend's contributed to today's run, and maybe a protein bar that I had before noon today.

Anyway, I feel rejuvenated after an overall tired day. I hope I can catch up on my rest because my mood is starting to border on cranky and my thoughts are starting to tangle and stress me. I look forward to a clearer head, a rested body, and improved running speeds!

Aug 21: 5.4 miles in Central Park (1 lap minus Great Hill)
--It's great that I squeezed out 18.5 yesterday as opposed to today, because while the humidity was much less (about 35%), the temperature was considerably more (91 degrees). Today's run was something to get in to keep at it even though I didn't feel like running today. I didn't do a full lap around Central Park because the competitive marathoner schedule advised a 5-mile run today, so hence I had an excuse.

The concern for today was my right Achilles tendon. The mileage I loaded onto it yesterday made an impact, and despite icing it last night and paying attention to stretching it, I woke up with twinges in the right tendon. The twinges feel like little pops, like lock-ups in my tendon, not so much painful as they are scary. I've never had a doctor attend to them, and I may if they don't subside. This morning I took time to stretch my calves, and did enough it seemed that the pops went away and I could walk less cautiously. But as I got to the subway on my way to the park, I did some stretches on the subway stairs and I could feel the pops when more weight was put on the tendons. I figured I wanted to chance this run today to feel the effects of running under such a condition, and if this run is evidence of anything, the twinges don't affect my actual running. I think the plan for today is that I will take ibuprofen at bedtime along with icing it in case inflammation is causing shifts inside my ankle. I'm thinking the pops will go away as they have before, but if they don't, I'd probably best go to the doctor to ensure I don't snap my tendon. That would probably mean the end of training!

Today's run was slow. I was passed by a few runners. I basically wanted to relax today, but I'm glad I got out. Running today will probably make tomorrow's 6.3 miles more manageable. Tuesday's my day off, and I believe it's pasta for dinner then. Carbo-loading!

Aug 20: 18.5 miles in Central Park (3 laps)
--Admittedly scared of today's humidity, I surprised myself with a rather patient, consistent run. It was my longest run so far this year at 18.5 miles, which equates to three laps around Central Park plus the service entrance where I start. The humidity proved not as bad as I had feared; though it was at 79%, the temperature was around 80 degrees which was only enough to make me sweaty and not affect my breathing. I started my run at 5:05pm, and finished just as it was getting dark.

I jogged the first lap in 51 minutes, my second in 52 minutes, and my third in 53 minutes (I think). That means I covered 18.5 miles in 2:36, an 8.43-minute mile pace. If I've calculated correctly, I'd finish the marathon just around 3:40 at that pace, but actually a little slower given the diminishing of my pace over time.

I brought along half of a Vanilla Crisp Power Bar to fuel me should I have encountered painful starvation along the run, a feeling I've noticed around mile 18 in the marathon's I've done. I ate the bar around mile 13 as insurance, and it's hard to tell its effects, though I did notice that I had strength left for the last mile or so of my run, picking up the pace and having a powerful sprinting finish. My running time today includes two breaks for water-bottle refilling, both of which consumed about 30 seconds at a fountain.

I feel pretty strong, which is actually quite a relief. I didn't want to be in pain after this long run, and strength afterwards is a great gift. Of course, when I wake up tomorrow, the "real feelings" may show through. I'm hoping to do late in the day a loop around the park. Cross your fingers that I'm up for it, the weather's bearable, and I can pick up the pace!

Aug 19: ~2 miles in Central Park
--Today's run was intentionally light. I took the 85th St. crossover pathway in the park as a cut-off for my run, which I map about about 2 miles, maybe more, maybe less. I decided to do less running today because tomorrow is my 18-mile day and not only do I want to save my strength, but also the weather forecast is for humidity. Blech! I'm timing my run for later in the day so that I might capitalize on "cooler" temperatures. I see how my mood is shifting a little downward because of the humidity, which may make my run more difficult, so I gotta get that attitude up! Keep positive! Goal-orient! I've found effective strategizing several days' worth of runs at a time, so I think not just of today's run but runs over the next several days before my next day off. (My next day off is Tuesday.) I'm going to have some pasta for dinner now. Visualize for me and with me: Three laps around Central Park tomorrow! Woohoo!

Aug 17: 8.0 miles in Central Park (1 lap + 1 lower loop)
--Okay, so I had a great run yesterday evening, then I went out at 11pm and danced and didn't go to bed until about 5am. I got up around 9:30am today for a morning run. Because I was without rthat much rest, and since I probably danced away my carbs, this run, in quite beautiful summer weather might I add, wasn't anything special.

This weather was 82, clear as a baby's face, and 36% humidity. Basically, just wonderful and not too warm. My body felt good, but right from the bat when I started my run quickly, I could feel I probably couldn't sustain as fast a pace as yesterday's. Sure enough, I did the loop in 50 minutes rather than yesterday's 47, and I did the 8 miles in 1:04. That was just as I predicted. It seems the pattern is this for now: If I'm fast, I'm running 6.3 in 47; if I'm normal, it's in 50; and if it's hot or I'm not feeling too hot, it's higher than 50. This can be helpful information when it gets closer to the time of the marathon, to note my rest-to-time ratio.

I forgot to mention that a little bit yesterday and a little bit today, I tried to switch my lead leg to my left to see how that might affect my running. I have noticed in the last few weeks that my left hip doesn't "glide" smoothly in the socket when I walk; there's a little clunk to it. I'm not sure why this is. I've wondered maybe it has to do with my lower back, maybe it has to do with tightness in my legs, maybe it has to do with a genetic defect I hadn't noticed, maybe it has to do with a favoring of my right leg when I run. It seemed when I changed leg emphasis, I was able to invigorate my running a bit. So this may be a strategy when I'm feeling tired and running: switch focus to the other leg!

My next run is Friday night. I probably should do a shorter run since I have 18 miles scheduled for, ahem, Saturday. Maybe what I'll do is 6.3 on Friday, and then see if I can do an evening Saturday run to have enough rest. Much of it hinges on the weather, though!

Aug 16: 6.3 miles in Central Park (1 lap)
--An all-around great run this evening. I was running on the fumes of a great show at Carolines last night for Devil's Dancebelt, my long-form improv group. In 75-degree weather and 72% humidity, I ran 6.3 miles in 47 minutes! I felt very strong and fleet-footed. In fact, despite a busy park, I didn't get passed once! My body felt fine with no tightness, not even tightness in my knees. At the end I experienced some strange tightness in my left Achilles tendon--not sure what's up with that, but I stretched it some more after my run. Overall, I'm very happy with my running now after a bummer week and hot temperatures. Today was almost certifiably cool. Tomorrow I run in the morning, a day off from work but work on the television The Bedford Diaries in the afternoon!

Aug 14: 14.1 miles in Central Park (2 laps + 1 lower loop)
--Today's run was probably the most awesome run I've ever had. I employed some strategy to get in my long run this weekend. I failed yesterday to accomplish it, falling victim to likely the hottest day heat-indexwise of the year. I decided to try again today. The temperature for today was a close rival for the heat title, until a drenching thunderstorm rolled into the area, lowering the temperature a few degrees and making the heat more bearable. I timed my run around the time the heat advisory was supposed to end (7pm) as well as sundown (7:55pm). Just before I left for my run, I checked WeatherBug and it looked on the radar that a dangerous storm cell was headed toward NYC in a about an hour's time. I figured I'd probably get caught in a thunderstorm.

When I emerged from the subway at Central Park, it was late afternoon but as if it was heading quickly into night. A storm was coming. As I was stretching, the lightning picked up. I ran in the lightning for about a mile, maintaining a surprisingly strong pace, until the rain came. And not just any rain. The rain was an astounding downpour. And the downpour didn't let up in intensity for the next six miles.

So there I was in Central Park, maintaining a great running pace, getting occasionally spooked by severe lightning flashes, and soaked to the bone. It was an incredible feeling. I actually ran a full lap around Central Park before the rain let up, only eventually to downpour again. Essentially, most of my run was in heavy rain. I had to run through some ankle-deep puddles. But none of these obstacles seemed to phase me. I felt strong. It probably was a combination of factors: pasta I had for dinner last night, a longer rest time, cooler weather, water pouring down my body, and the excitement of such an awesome running experience.

Even though I thought about bringing a Ziploc baggie for my mp3 player (with which I run), I decided against it, knowing that such an ill decision would potentially zap the life out of my mp3 player. Sure enough, my mp3 player and my headphones aren't working properly. It's to be seen when they're dry whether they'll still work. But I really don't care! The thrill of this run and the timing of it all to get it in is memorable.

Physically, as I said, I felt strong, and I maintained a solid pace throughout all 14.1 miles. The only discomfort I felt was above my left kneecap, akin to tightness, which felt at a point that it might have resulted from favoritism or some such imbalance in my stride. Not sure. Generally I've felt more tension in my legs, sensations that I didn't have a couple weeks ago. Perhaps it's the weather, perhaps it's the increased mileage. Whatever the case, I'm planning on caring for my legs this evening and icing them down.

I'm so happy to have gotten this run in today. Tomorrow I have off from running because my improv group Devil's Dancebelt has a big show at Carolines On Broadway. Tuesday I run next, in the evening. Wednesday this week may end up being a morning run, and Thursday I'm in Central Park not to run but to teach an improv group. Then Friday a run, and Saturday's an 18-mile run. Ugh!

Aug 13: 6.3 miles in Central Park (1 lap)
--Man oh man oh man. What weather. I could not even come close to accomplishing 14 miles today. The weather was 89 degrees, which sounds like no big deal, but the humidity was 58%. Again, that sounds not that bad, until you hear that the heat index was 97! Plus, it was sunny with barely any wind! Ugh!

It probably didn't help that I ran 8.0 miles just 13 hours prior. I think what I'm going to do is try again tomorrow evening to go for the 14 miles. That way I can benefit from a setting sun rather than a rising one. I'll also afford myself more rest time, plus the opportunity to get some carbs in me. I think I'll have pasta tonight for dinner.

I finished the run in 53 minutes this time, which is much slower than I had been doing. But I was consciously taking it easy, intending to ignore my time and focus on doing 14 miles. About 5 miles or so into the run, after trying to convince myself to do another lap plus a lower loop, I decided I best not try that. My body fortunately wasn't sore, but it didn't have the strength it did last week. I mostly fault the humidity; it even felt "wet" outside!

Aug 12: 8.0 miles in Central Park (1 lap + 1 lower loop)
--It seems with this weather, I'm not budging much. Or maybe it's the day-on, day-off schedule I've been forced to do this week. Whatever the case, I ran 6.3 miles in 50 minutes and 8.0 miles in 1:04 ... again! No sweat, though (well, actually, a LOT of sweat) ... I took it "easier" today given the heat and the long run that I have to make it through tomorrow morning, a little more than 12 hours away!

The weather for today's run didn't feel as bad as its stats: hovering around 90 degrees with nearly 60% humidity. Perhaps it wasn't as bad because it was cloudy and a little dark for my run. But it did feel warm, it just didn't seem to bother my breathing too much. My body is starting to feel a little bit of discomfort from running. This run, it seemed my left knee wanted to tell me something, plus my right heel at the back near the Achilles tendon seemed a little tight late in the run. My stride these last few runs seems short; I'd like to lengthen it, but not in this weather!

Aug 10: 8.0 miles in Central Park (1 lap + 1 lower loop)
--It was only about 84 degrees today with over 50% humidity but those conditions made for a sweaty, slow run. My last run was Sunday; I had planned to run on Monday but some bloating and exhaustion from lack of sleep had me skipping the run. Tuesday I couldn't run because of improv rehearsal, so today's run was after 2-days' rest rather than one.

My legs felt sore for more than half the run. In particular, I was having general discomfort in my shins despite stretching my calves as usual. I also felt some twinging akin to a small, boinging spring in the front of my left kneecap, and my feet felt tingly for a lot of the run. These issues plus the heat affected my running time, as I did 6.3 miles in 50 minutes, and 8 miles in 1:04. My next run is Friday because of a Thursday conflict with rehearsal. I aim for another 8 miles, then probably about 14 miles on Saturday!

Aug 7: 6.3 miles in Central Park (1 lap)
--Hey hey, yet again I ran more than the competitive marathoner schedule asked me to run!

The weather was noticeably more humid today--50% humidity, but the same temperature as yesterday (80 degrees). On the schedule for today was just 5 miles, but I ran 6.3 in 48 minutes. I had thought I ran it faster than that, but no worries as I mounted the booger Great Hill with more speed and strength than before, which was a welcome improvement. Not bad after coming off a 15.7-mile run just yesterday! Fortunately I iced my legs yesterday afternoon, plus had a solid 2-hour nap. (I also didn't get "lapped" (passed) today. That's usually a nice little ego boost.)

Near the very end of my run, when I was about to do my final sprint, in my path appeared my biking friend Holly, yelling at some family who'd gotten in her way. She didn't see me, I yelled her name a couple times and she saw me, then she joined me for my final sprint, which was a little bit longer than I usually do. That was a nice treat! I hadn't seen Holly in more than a year, maybe even two years.

Aug 6: 15.8 miles in Central Park (2 laps + 2 lower loops)
--Phew! I did it! I did my longest run so far! 15.7 miles is pretty darn far for me, but surprisingly it went by rather quickly. I'm sure some factors in the speed included a nice amount of people in the park for a long training run sponsored by the New York Road Runners Club, plus a great running temperature (80 degress with 40% humidity), and a cool breeze!

But I did finally feel some running pain toward the end of my run. I'm betting it's a good thing, just a natural reaction to the increase of mileage. I started to feel sluggish after the 12.3-mile mark (the end of my second lap). After I finished, I felt general pain in my upper left calf and my upper right thigh. They did not feel like anything to be concerned about. I'm going to try to ice my Achilles tendons today as I plan on running in Central Park tomorrow, somewhere between 5.4 miles and 6.3 miles.

And I got a new running water-bottle belt at Paragon Sports near Union Square. It's one of those lumbar ones, meaning it's angled on your back rather than vertical or horizontal--I like them like that because it makes the bottle easy to grab. It's an upgrade from my prior belt, but it was also $31! After I paid for it, I was suddenly struck with the realization that I'd spent $31 on something that looked to me worth about $12. I can't believe how prices can get jacked up so high; I find it hard to see the belt worth that much in money, though their value to me and my running is high. Ah well ... it's nice because it's more elastic and more fitting than the old belt, plus it had a larger storage pocket.

And I kept track of my times. I ran 6.3 miles in 47 minutes, the next 6.1 miles in 50 minutes (with about a 45-second break to fill my water bottle), and I finished the 15.7 miles in 2:08. Note that that's the time it takes some marathoners to finish 26.2 miles! If my math is correct, that's about an 8-minute mile, meaning I think that if I kept that pace in the marathon, I'd finish around 3:30. So, not bad. Assuming I can keep my training up, 3:30 might be a realistic goal--it's not one right now as more than likely over 26.2 I wouldn't keep an 8-minute pace. Anyway, stay tuned!

Aug 4: 6.3 miles in Central Park (1 lap)
--It was just about 90 degress with about 45% humidity. I believe there was a wind for today's run, a lap around Central Park, but it seemed basically like the other days: warm, thick air. I decided to just go it a little more patiently today. It wasn't toward the end when someone passed me that I picked up the pace, staying about 6 to 10 feet behind him before sprinting past him at my run's end. I really need a new water bottle holder before my next run, which is my long run on Saturday. I decided to take tomorrow (Friday) off from running to rest up for that run, since I'm pretty tired as it is. I had planned to make a shorter run tomorrow in Central Park, but instead I think I'll do my workout DVDs, perhaps Pilates and arms. Nothing too remarkable to talk about from today's run. I'm looking forward to the cooler temperatures which I believe are coming Saturday--I'm interested to see if my pace is faster with less heat, or rather, how much faster.

Aug 3: 8.0 miles in Central Park (>1 lap)
--I cranked out a loop around the park plus an additional lower-loop run to make 8 miles today. It was hot; a 96-degree day, I think I was running in about 93-degree weather. The humidity was 45% but it didn't feel as humid as yesterday's run, probably because of a nice breeze. I started my run off pretty fast for the first 2.5 miles, but I got into a calmer pace after then, and around mile 6 I lost my speed. Part of that was because I was going to go for 8, part of it was the heat, and possibly some of it had to do with my training endurance, which may be a bit lower since I'm aiming for higher goals. My concentration was a little bit off in that much of my run was focused on just a little bit before me rather than far ahead, which I think affected my speed. I took a look at my watch and without a knowledge of the seconds, I ran 6.3 in about 49 minutes. That was slower than I had expected though I blame the heat. I ran the next 1.5 miles in what I think was 15 minutes (shabby)--that was taken pretty slow, too. Mostly I cite the heat for my issues, though I confess there were some runners who seemed to be faring fine. I must say that I'm enjoying this rhythm of going for a run right when I'm home from work. These runs make for a distinctly different and strange part of my day; it's something else to squeeze in an 8-mile run when other people don't have the time because they're too busy watching the television!

Aug 2: 6.3 miles in Central Park (1 lap)
--After a day off because of improv rehearsal, I felt a tiny bit slower than the last few runs I'd done. I tried not to push myself too hard because I have the rest of the week to run, but I'm not sure how much more I could have pushed myself--it was 91 degrees out. The air was thick though the humidity was low (about 35%). I still maintained a pretty good pace; I did the lap in about 47 minutes (rough estimate). I'm feeling I'd really like to do the whole 6.3 miles in 43 minutes or less, so let's see how many minutes I can shave off that 47 minutes ... I have a feeling that won't really start to happen for me until it cools off, but who knows what might happen this week!