I had no race on my schedule this past weekend. I skipped the local 5K because it was (a) a 5K, and I've done a few of those before, and (b) it was on pavement and this year is about new running experiences - and TRAIL running above all. Yet, I felt like running fast (well, for me). So I opted for my fourth one-mile time trial of the year to gauge my progress (a technique recommended by Galloway's Book of Running). The good news is that for the third straight time trial, I improved by 10+ seconds. Still at "penguin" speed - and there's nothing wrong with that - but waddling a little more quickly each month. I had enough left to run a two-mile cooldown jog to make it a five-mile day too, and I could not do that back in January - one hard mile and I was spent.
A couple things concern me though. With the weather heating up, there are fewer trail races in my area (and I mean a two hour driving radius). How to stay focused and motivated? Will building my long run to half-marathon distance be enough? I may need to set a specific target race. Also, along with the hot weather comes deerfly season, which makes many trail locations miserable. I have neither a gym membership nor a treadmill right now. I'll probably stay on the trails until I'm forced off by those winged fiends.
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Having a specific target race definitely helps with the motivation, but I was doing a preliminary search for you on www.runningintheusa.com of races nearby you (or close to where I think you are) and you're right: there's not a lot of trail runs near you even over the next couple of months. You might want to consider moving ;) OR picking a vacation spot to which to go for a trail run (of course, which seems odd to me when I consider you live in Florida, Vacationland itself) -- even if it is an overnight stay. I did that for my first half marathon and will be doing it for a trail run that is coming up in October, even though it's only about an hour and half away from where I live. I just know that I'm going to be completely wiped out afterward (as I was last year)...anyway, sorry for the long response. It's late and I like to ramble when it's late.
Thanks! A running vacation - even just an overnight - might be just the thing. I know there are other FL events that are too far away for a morning drive, but could be reached with a base camp.
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