First Landing - Perfect Weather

Last night and this morning I attended a mens conference titled "Becoming a Man of Valor". This speaker was Bob Reccord, a powerful and dynamic speaker. It was great time, but left me running this afternoon, which was a nice change of pace. I did not have to get up super early and hit the trail in the pre-dawn hours.

The weather was perfect for this run. It was 50 degrees and there was not a cloud in the sky. I decided to run for around 4.5 hours and to take it pretty easy out there. I started out running for 25 minutes and walking for 5. This carried me through the first 12 miles pretty easily, but I did not feel very well and my legs were pretty tired from this weeks miles. Then I decided to run the second lap non-stop. This turned out great and I effortlessly ran down the sandy root covered trails. What a great feeling to be out on the trails with the sun shining down on you. I could not have asked for a better day or a better run.

I am feeling pretty strong and this run was a big confidence builder. There are only 8 weeks left until MMT, but I feel like the last 4 or 5 weeks have done a good job hardening me up a bit and my body has responded well to the miles. I am so far ahead of where I was last year at this time. It is amazing how much progress you can make with some effort and dedication.

24 Miles At First Landing

I ran at First Landing on Saturday. It was a beautiful day and I had a great run. The run was highlighted by a spirited sprint the last 2 miles as I was using another runner who had passed me as a pacer. This day was completely different than last week. The weather was perfect and I saw a lot of squirrels and birds in the forest. I was listening to a Steve Runner on the Phedippidations podcast talk about "who do you run for". I have been thinking a lot about that lately. Who do you run for?

Week Summary:This week was pretty disappointing. I missed 2 easy days of running and was 10 miles below my goal mileage. I did get my hill, fartlek, and long run in. I did not lift any weights, which was a priority.

Weekly Total: 38 Miles 3 Week Running Average Mileage: 32 Miles

Plans: We are going to Pennsylvania for Easter. I am planning on running the first 20 to 30 miles of the Laurel Highlands trail one day and the last 10 in the dark another day.

First Landing State Park

First Landing State Park is a real gem located in the North Eastern most part of Virginia Beach. I highly recommend checking it out and going for a run or hike. There are a few trails, the main one allows bikes. It is very busy here on the weekends but do not let that discourage you. I always see many Birders with their binoculars and cameras. There are also an abundance of dogs and there owners roaming the trails. For trail runners there are not a lot of options in this area. This is by far the best trail system I have found close. It is pretty flat, but you can find some hills on the Long Creek Trail. By running the Long Creek Trail and the Cape Henry Trail you can make a 10.5 mile loop. Another advantage to running here are the water fountains and bathrooms located at either end of the Cape Henry Trail.

I often run my long runs at First Landing State Park. On Saturday I ran there in the afternoon once the local Tornado watch was lifted. It was extremely windy and there was a ton of branches and debris being blown from the trees. Limbs were literally falling all around me. I took these pictures with my phone while running. It ended up being a wonderful 21 mile run. I forgot my Ipod at home and that too was a real blessing as I was able to spend my time with God in his creation with no outside distractions. I love how these things turn out sometimes.

Last Weeks Mileage: 42

Next Weeks Projected: 45 - 50

3 week average: 20