Ramp that long run up, Baby!

Ramp to nowhere
(Courtesy jczart @ Flickr)

We've been in coast mode for too long, it's starting to seem. That's about to end. This Saturday's long slow run ramps up from the 3 and 4 milers to 5-1/2 miles. OK, that's not REALLY long, I know. But it's the longest run since the middle of June. If the temps stay warm like they've been, we'll be averaging close to 15 minutes per mile. That means we'll be out on the road for 80 minutes or more. We'll notice that. If not from pounding (which we have to avoid), then from simply staying engaged with the process for an extra half-hour. This should be interesting. Let's hope it's not a ramp to nowhere (see inset pic).


So, what's the course for this first longer run? Turns out that an extended Lakes run - up to the south side of the City Park Golf Course - should do the trick (see map below).

Nominal 5.5 Mile Path around the LSU Lakes
with hydration possibilities noted

There are four water points show on the map here: 3 of those are city-sponsored and the fourth is in front of a private residence. Seems all well and good for water. Maybe. Turns out that the only one of these that's ALWAYS working well and consistently is the one by the BREC beach park. So, we'll have to think this one through a bit more, to make sure we have sufficient hydration available for this and future runs. More later on this.

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Four miler around the lower lake. Planned pace: 11:53. Actual pace: 11:58, using 2:02 / 1:00 intervals, with nominal running pace of 10:33. Only the slightest of tweaks from the left hamstring. Did our active-isolated stretching before going out.