Longest run 15 miles ! and 100+ miles for month of July

Did my longest run ever, 15 miles in 2:35 on a hot sunny day in San Diego. Two hours prior to the run I ate a bowl of pasta, bowl of oatmeal and two slices of bread. Ran at comfort pace with the aim of running 2hrs 30 mins, did not focus on pace or distance. The route I took was devoid of steep hills but there are 2% to 3% gradient occasionally so makes it challenging. For the first time when i ran past 12 miles I did not cramp up and the bottle of water was good enough.
What also helped was to run the last mile at slow 12mins pace and walked after for 5 mins. Also after the run I did some on spot run to cool down and lied down on the bed with feet up for 15 mins and drank a bottle of vitamin water. This all meant that an hour later I was back to normal :)

This also marks the end of June and I ran 100+ mile 128 miles to be exact with all weeks running approx 25 miles or so. This was a good month and my focus on exercising my core muscles and legs has been helped in the 15 miles run so clearly i need to work hard on core and leg strengthening.

Now onto 160 lbs wt and target a 3hr run in July. 

Work on core and squat to improve gym strength

I have noticed a drop in my strength in weight lifting esp bench press. Previously I had focused on back  muscles to improve strength and that helped and I need to continue to do that. But i have neglected my core, I just do crunch and lower back, that is only 2 out of 5 core muscle group and also for those two i don't do a lot. I need to make my core and full squat stronger to increase my weight lifting. For the core I need to focus on all 5 core muscle groups.  The core exercises i need to do are :

1. Transverse Abdominis (TVA)  muscles are the belt like muscle that wraps like a belt. Exercises: Planks
2. External Obliques are the muscles on side and front of the ab around the waist. Exercises: Arm twist
3. Internal Obliques are the muscles under the external obliques and in opposite direction to them. Exercises: Cross over crunches 
4. Rectus Abdominis (Six pack) runs along front of the abs. Exercises: Crunch
5. Erector Spinae (lower back) is a muscle that runs from neck to lower back. Exercise: back extension

Additional muscles not traditionally core but neglected and important are : 

• gluts and side hips
• hip flexors which are part of pelvis and upper thigh
• hip abductors which are medial thigh

Running speed and efficiency improves if body is straight and pressing forward

I have noticed an improvement in speed and efficiency when I correct my running form and posture to press or lean forward, this seems to correct my stride to also push me forward. Leaning back is not good, but leaning or forcing forward while keeping head straight and looking straight ahead gives me good efficiency and my speed is automatically faster. I need to do this more regularly and make it a habit so that I am a more efficient runner. 

72 miles while traveling to India in May

Did not reach 100 miles in month of may, reached 75% of the way and did some workouts and for the first time I did not add weight maintaining it at 168lbs !
This was good test and now back to normal for the coming months of hitting 100+ miles and loosing pounds onwards to 160 lbs, lets do this !!!!