30A

When it comes to long runs, planning and preparation are paramount ~ Dan Horvath

Ain't it the truth? Like the other day when I returned to Conservation Park a second time and did not one, but two 9.5 mile loops all the way around. I'd planned that one out to the smallest detail, and it actually worked out. Today would be an exception, however.

A long run today, even though I just did one four days ago? Maybe. 2 more loops around Conservation Park? Maybe. Okay, no. Three of the six-mile course loops from the hotel? Maybe. Okay, probably. Except when I started out west, I failed to take Southfields Road North to do that course. I kept going to the end of Front Beach Road and turned left onto Route 98. Why run on the side of a four-lane 65-mph highway at 5:00 AM? I have no idea.

But when I got past Camp Helen State Park, I discovered, of all things, a sidewalk! I could keep going and even stay relatively safe! A minute later I learned that I had entered Walton County, where, it seems, they care a little more about pedestrians.

After a mile or so, I came to Route 30A. Having driven this way (it runs parallel with 98, but closer to the shore), I knew the sidewalk / all-purpose trail would continue. The question was, should I continue?

Proper planning and preparation would have had me returning to the Beachside Resort for water at least every hour or so. There is also the safety consideration of never being too far away should something go very wrong. To run nine miles away before returning amounts to taking a bit of a chance. Especially considering that I had been running so much lately (another planning and preparation thing). As you may have guessed by now, I did indeed turn left to keep going.

30A is a thing. We learned that by driving the length of it by accident once. It's a big, very expensive thing. The wealth and newness of everything is astounding. Town after town seems brand new or just being built. And homes and condos are priced from $300,000 to $10,000,000 and up.

Would I be able to run as far as Grayton Beach, where we had visited a couple weeks back? I had no idea how far it was. But I knew I was getting closer.

Still running slow, but okay, I made it as far as Deer Lake State Park and turned back. Now, how would that go? It went surprisingly okay. This would (probably) be my slowest long run of the several I've done in PCB, but it was a memorable one.

Mardi Gras 5K

After driving pretty far for the Tallahassee Marathon, and kind-of far for the Destin Valentine's Day 8K, I finally found a race closer to home: the Mardi Gras 5K right here in Panama City Beach. Only two problems: 1) it was darn cold, at least for here (mid-30s - there was even some frost on the car), and 2) it was a 5K.

I don't like 5K's, and I never seem to do well at them. Of course, the smart Dan Horvath would retort, 'Then you should do more of them! You should always do more of the things you don't like or aren't good at.' Good thing we don't usually listen.

But we did today.

My goal was to beat the 8:09 per mile pace that I ran at the Destin 8K. I had no idea whether that would be possible. Also, another age group win would be nice as well.

I started at an 8-minute pace, and that was tough. A couple older-looking guys passed me up in the first mile like I was standing still. Maybe they're younger, I thought. Don't worry, you're doing fine, I thought.

But I also thought that there are a lot of old Floridians. Not to mention a lot of old Snowbirds like myself. Competition ought to be fierce.

I slowed a bit in the second mile. Maybe it was the slightly negative thoughts. But then I managed to pick it back up again for mile 3. I came in at 24: 51, which comes out to 7:59 per mile. Considering my other races as well as my training, I think that's probably about right. I was also gratified to learn that I won my ancient age group. I guess those other old guys were indeed younger. I got a cool mardi gras award with beads and a pink bird.

Here I am by the race mascot. The local run club is "Draggin Tail Runners'

PCB Conservation Park

Get thee to Conservation Park, they said. It's a good place to run, they said. Okay, I'm here. Now what?

With over 2,900 acres and 24 miles of trails, Conservation Park is a gem for the city of Panama City Beach. I hadn't been unfamiliar with it; Debbie and I had walked there several times.

And on each occasion, we'd managed to get ourselves somewhat lost. Since we always found our way back, these were not big deals. But to manage such a thing when all the trails are wide, flat, and marked is quite a feat.

The markings were the problem each time. Color-coded trail marking should have helped, but it seemed inconsistent, and the names were very confusing. My plan today is to not get lost at all. I'll do this by staying mostly on the orange trail that circumnavigates the park.

Despite the huge area, there doesn't seem to be much variety, or even much wildlife within the park. Besides some cyprus wetland areas in the interior, there are mostly tall but sparse pine trees with a lot of scrub vegetation in-between.

It's foggy when I begin. I even encounter a little rain. Even though the trail is wide and flat, I encounter a few muddy areas. I'm not a big fan of mud, but today it's not too bad a problem.

I start slow, but by the time I'm about half-way around the 9.5-mile loop, I'm picking up the pace. It helps that the fog has now burned off, the sun has risen, and I can see my way through.

Not that there's that much to see. Just more scrub, pine trees, and straight-ish, flat trail. Just when I'm thinking that there couldn't be any less wildlife than this, a humongous gray bird flies closely over my head. It's going the same direction as me, but it just keeps going until it's out of sight. I think it's an osprey.

There are no other major surprises as I complete the circuit and stop for a drink. It felt good to gradually increase my speed (such as it is) throughout the run. Now I was ready for more. But how much more?

I could just jog a bit more to make it a double-digit mileage run. Or I could run a lot more (like eight-plus more) to make it a long run. Or I could take the goldilocks approach and run just a few more - not too much, not too little.

I have the time to do more than the minimum, but not quite the maximum. But most importantly, even though I feel alright at the moment, after some decent mileage and even speedwork over the past few days, I may regret trying to do too much. Goldilocks it would be.

And it's a good thing. Taking care to not get lost, I venture onto the interior trails, some of which are nice, soft wood-chips, for about three more. Now I'm really done. (Or, done done, as we used to say at work.)

The advice was accurate; it's a good place to run. I'll be back.

Halfo Yasso and Tale of Two Tremendous Tempo Trots

The fog is thick as I park near the Arnold High School track. Since it's my first time here, I don't know whether it'll be locked up like Brunswick Stadium. I'm in luck. The gate is wide open, and there is no one else around at 5:30 AM. This is gonna be great. I love the track.

But then I notice that the surface seems extremely hard for a track. Is it just a very hard rubber here? I reach down to touch it, only to learn that it's asphalt. That's not so wonderful. I like the softer surface of rubberized tracks, and I think it's generally a good thing. This, in spite of the constant turning. I try to mitigate that by reversing direction when no one else is around, and by running in the outside lanes occasionally.

Oh well. A hard surface it will be. After a slow warmup, I'm ready to do something of substance. What's that, you ask? More or less on the spur of the moment, I decide on half a Yasso workout, figuring that five 800's is enough the day after my long run. Besides, 800's has always been my go-to workout. Don't ask me why.

Even though the foggy air is so thick you can cut it with a knife, there is quite a breeze. The temperature - upper 60s - is fine, however. I do the first one in the 3:50s, and it just about kills me. Can I complete four more?

The second is even faster - under 3:50. And so is the third and fourth. Around about this time, I start to think that perhaps I ought to do six instead of five. But I make a deal with myself: if I can do the fifth one under 3:40, I'll call it a day.

And I do manage that sub 3:40. I'm done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today's weather is a carbon-copy of yesterday's - 60's and heavy fog. Why in the world am I going back to the track once again? Because I had been thinking of doing some sort of tempo run later in the week, but later in the week may involve some heavy rain. So today, the day after yesterday, is the day.

There's another reason as well. Yesterday I had found a pretty blue Marlins hat just away from the track near a baseball field. It was so cool, and I wanted to take it and clean it up for myself. But I decided that no, I'll employ the methodology I usually do when I find something I want at a school track: I leave it for a day or two to enable the original owner - probably a kid - a chance to get it themselves. After some period of time, if it's still there, it most likely will not be claimed, so it's mine.
Well for some reason, I truly wanted this hat. It was just sooo neat! (I later learn that it's not a Florida Marlins Hat; it's an Arnold HS Marlins hat.)

The first place I head this morning is over toward the baseball field to retrieve that hat. Alas. It's gone. Either the original owner got it, or someone else did. I'll just have to remain hatless. Except for the ones I have anyway. I'll live. Oh yes. The run.

After a warmup, I start my tempo run. This means at least three consecutive eight-minute miles - quite the challenge for me these days. I (barely) manage to do it. I should say that my Garmin watch measures long for the track, so I am really running slower than that. But for tempo runs, I figure it's close enough.

Can I do another one? I'm pretty tuckered out, but I decide to try. I start this one really slow, but I somehow manage to run faster and faster and just barely make my goal.

So it's Two Tremendous Tempo Trots. And now I'm really done.

That Ends Well

You've heard it here before: all's well that ends well. Such was the case with the last two races: the Tallahassee Marathon and the Valentine's 8K. And such was the case with several of my recent mid-week runs, including the one to Camp Helen; in several cases I started really, really slowly, but managed to pull it together for the second half of the run.

But not always, I've had some stinkers as well. Yesterday I was going to try to do a long run, but I started super slow and only got slower. I only wound up with around eight lousy miles. This, in roughly the time it should have taken to do twice that far.

Today I would try again, Retirement is nice; I have the time to try, try again (to run long) even during the middle of the week.

It would be three six-mile loops. I started slowly once again. GI issues caused me to run at only 12-minute pace for that first lap. The second was only slightly better at 11-minutes per mile. Finally, the third was a charm at sub-60 minutes.

So this run did indeed end well. It's good when that happens.

Valentine's 8K Run/Walk Race Report

A race a week after a marathon? In Destin, Florida? Eight kilometers? Meaning I'd have to run fast?

Yes, yes, yes, and haha.

The race was the Valentine's 8K Run/Walk put on by the Northwest Florida Track Club. Debbie said she would make the trip with me, and so did our friends Patti and Mike Busser.

Temps were nice - 60-ish with bright sun and some wind. The race started and ended at an amusement park called the Track. We runners took off and my three companions went to breakfast. It was a nice little race out and back on the Destin residential streets.

I didn't go in with high expectations. Okay, maybe a teensy bit faster than last week's marathon pace would be nice. That would only be around 45 minutes. Surely I could do that, or maybe even faster??

Even with said marathon only six days in my past, I did okay. All my miles were in the low eight-minute range, except the last; it was slightly better than eight. My final time was 40:30. And I won my ancient age group.

Not too shabby.

Afterward, we had a nice walk around Grayton Beach.

Camp Helen or Bust

After two and a half miles of running on Front Beach Road (nice and quiet) and Back Beach Road, aka US98 (not nice and not quiet - it's a four-lane with lots of high-speed traffic), I turn into Camp Helen State Park. I'm feeling pretty good, considering Sunday's Tallahassee Marathon, but I'm nevertheless running slower than I'd have liked.

And now that I am running on sandy park trails, my slow pace becomes much slower. But the sunrise is spectacular, and I'm enjoying the return to peace and solitude. The trails are soft, which is nice, but some of the sandy areas make things difficult. After a few miles of these nature trails and the beach inspection, I return to the parking area in order to head back.

Now that it's lighter, I can read the signs. One tells me that I should be 'bear aware.' Egads, think I. Another tells me that I should have paid $2 for pedestrian access into the park. Had I been aware of this, I wouldn't have been able to pay anyway, since I don't carry cash. Finally, I see the sign that tells me the park opens at 8:00 AM. So maybe I didn't need to pay anyway?

On the way back, I head into Carrillon Beach, a newer community with shopping along with mixed housing. I promptly get lost. I unintentionally run around a nice little lake there to find my way back out.

And back home.

Tallahassee Marathon - 02-02-2020

He spots the finish line, and the clock above says 3:59:40. He begins his final sprint to the finish, but the problem is that he is already sprinting; it feels like he has been for the past six miles. Will he make it?

Let's back this up a few hours. He's out of bed at 2:40 and on the road by 3:29. Good thing he noticed - at the last minute - that there's a time-zone change between Panama City Beach and Tallahassee. A bit over two hours later, the GPS states, "You have reached your destination." Except that he hasn't. There's no one around. After circling around some, he finally figures out that it's 301 South Madison, not 301 North Madison. There's still time to park and check in.

It's cold - 41F. That's actually perfect for running, but his concern is the wind and what it might do to a certain not-quite-so-protected area. Pinning the bib on the front of the shorts may help a little, but he also - for good measure - stuffs a rag from the car down the front of his shorts.

It appears that the half-marathon is pretty big, but the full seems pretty small. Most of the full bibs have pretty low numbers; our protagonist is number 19. Right off the bat, there are hills galore. They're not huge, but they're enough to slow a person down at times. But the sun has begun to shine, and the air temperature does indeed feel about perfect. Our protagonist's countermeasures appear to be working.

He's doing most of his miles in the nine to nine-fifteen minute range. This is actually right according to plan to bring him in just under four hours. By the way, here's fodder for a future post: how did sub-four hours become a goal? The problem is that the second bathroom break takes a while. He hits half-way in around two hours and three minutes, give or take.

Now he has to pick it up some to still get under four hours. The good news is, the course has flattened out, and is mostly now all-purpose trails through various parks. The better news is that he's feeling pretty good at this point. Maybe negative splits will be possible this day.

Funny that it feels the same as it did when three hours was the goal. Of course, it does. Hey, what's another hour anyway? He passes mile 20 in 3:04. He's been picking it up, but he needs to do so even more now.

Miles 20-25 are the fastest yet, but he knows that it's still going to be close. The final 1.23 miles are fastest of all, but then he sees that clock. This is now as fast as he can go; as fast as humanly possible. He looks at the clock as he crosses the line, and it says 3:59:59. He made it!

Except that he didn't. He sees the results a little while later, and they say 4:00:01. The good news is that it also says that he won his ancient age group. And it also says that his chip time is about thirty seconds faster.

It's rare that a plan comes together this close to what was anticipated. But it happens. It was a nice race; a keeper. Maybe he will do it again next year. Maybe the goal will be different. Or maybe not.