Getting back to Boston

Calf is feeling better. Not completely painfree, but enough that I can ignore it. Today, 86-degree heat was a much bigger concern than the calf. But I got 12 miles done in it at slightly under 10:00 pace, which is fine in this weather. Doing 15 with Tiff (partially) tomorrow, may or may not run Friday, 10K Saturday, run Sunday, LR Monday, and then it's taper time. I may have 75 miles in this week before the taper starts.

Ran 6 with Tiff this morning, then 9.4 on my own. She tried to cook me, getting down in the mid 8s by the end. I backed off after she left, but still kept it in the mid-9s. Average 9:31. Legs felt pretty heavy but kept the pace up regardless. I think I'm in shape now. Get through this weekend, taper like crazy, and then bust one in Michigan.

I'm amazed at how well Toad Suck went today. At the start I felt kinda blah, but I settled into a comfortable pace which was quicker than I expected. Staci and Joel let me know they were there early, and I responded by dropping them. Then, at about 4 miles, I realized I felt pretty good and had more to give, and I got faster. Could I have run a PR? Maybe not quite, but I could have gotten a lot closer than 51 seconds, which is what I did. I'm home now, about 11 hours after the race, after driving to Newport from Conway and then all way back to the Casa, and I'm feeling more aftereffects from the drive than the race. (Very good visit in Newport, by the way, but that's a little off the subject here).

Started out with a 7:27 split per Garmin; girl with stopwatch said 7:38, I think. Second mile was 7:32 per Garmin, then 7:42, which was the hilliest mile, and 7:44. That's when I realized I had more in the tank and accelerated. Fifth mile and sixth mile were both in 7:18 per Garmin. I know the girl with the stopwatch at 5 miles said 38:07, so I ran the last 1.21 in 8:44 if she was accurate. Per Garmin, the last 0.27 were at sub-7 pace. Total chip time was 46:51. My watch read 46:54 when I stopped it just over the mat. Anyway it goes, I'm pretty happy. Especially six days after a marathon.

It wasn't that I felt fast today. I didn't. But I felt strong. That pace didn't bother me, and I could have run faster. And I don't owe Staci dinner -- yet. Somebody said she was upset after the race. I know she wants to beat me. I made her the challenge to motivate her -- and motivate myself. I'm not gonna give up that free dinner without a fight. Now if she wants to go out with me, that's another issue -- but that ain't gonna happen. Which is fine. I have other fish to catch.

Today gives me a load of confidence going to Bayshore. If I felt this strong at 7:32 average pace, it's an indicator I can hold 7:59 for 3.5 hours.

Met Tiffany at her house and we hammered one for almost 11. Dawdled the first mile at 9:30 pace, everything else was low 9s/high 8s. I dropped her on Old Greenwood hill, then let her catch up, then dropped her again on the last three blocks to her house. It was her longest run in a while, and I'm getting into race mode. But, as usual, a very nice time, terrific scenery :) good conversation and she made me work. If I get BQ, she'll get a lot of the credit for getting me ready. Getting me out of the house when I otherwise might have slept in, and making me run hard.

Planned to do 18 with maybe 10 at MP. Nope. All this running caught up to me today. I labored through 12.4 with maybe a quarter mile at MP if that. Decided not to fight it. Waited too late, too darn warm. But it's taper time now.

Intervals at SHS, 5 X 600. Nailed 'em, too. Times were 2:38-2:34-2:34-2:34-2:34-2:34. The splits for 7:00 pace are 2:36ish, so right where I wanted them. Rained part of the time; wish it had been more of the time, because it got real humid after the rain stopped. Good run before work.

Seven before work after taking T to the airport. Felt really sluggish when I first started, but that improved and by the last three miles, I felt pretty good. Knocked out 10 strides during the last mile and a half. Paces went from 10:29 for the first mile to 8:33 for the last, including those strides. Maybe this accelerated taper (skipping a day or two extra) will be helpful.

So-so MLR this morning. Weather was ideal. Legs weren't. I pushed on and picked up the pace on the second loop, and last 1.5 was below 9:00. I'd give this one a C. But it's also in the books. Last MLR before Bayshore.

Up at crack of chickens to meet the crew at MP, and this morning there was a bigger crew. Elaine, Stacy and Kara were there from WRA. Sheri realized (or I told her) that Elaine and Stacy didn't have a light and would be going slow, so she dropped back to tell them the route. I kept going, figuring we'd get back together at the three-mile mark when Sherrie and Kara finished. Well, that didn't happen. Sheri ended up getting with Pattie and Cindy, who started about the time we finished the three mile loop, and I did the last 13 miles by myself. Ended up picking up the pace so that the last 6 was sub-9. Didn't feel great, but got it done.

Easy 4 with the Creekmore crew. Sherrie and I ran together because we were both going 4, and wound up running about 9:10 pace on the return leg. It was humid as heck though. Danny did 7, and by the time he got back his gold singlet was see-through from the sweat. Anyone who didn't know he had a tattoo on his left pec, knows now. Then we went to La Huerta for dinner and silliness. Or silliness and dinner. We "celebrated" Elizabeth's birthday. Elizabeth's birthday is in January, I think. Sherrie was responsible for that particular escapade.

Got in the last MLR before Bayshore. It started out as just 8, but I felt pretty good, the weather was cool if foggy/humid, and I had time, and I figured, get the 13 out of the way and have that much more recovery time. So I did. Ran the first 6.6 with Sheri and Pattie at about 10:00, then put the hammer down in the last 6.4. Not quite to MP but close. Only issue I had was a bit of queasiness at around 11 miles, but that subsided as I accelerated (or ignored it). Off to San Antone this afternoon, to return a certified corch, as Willie Tate would have said.

Thought about taking today off, but I needed to get out and run after sitting in class all day at the RRCA meeting. I'd mapped out a 5-mile run behind the hotel, not realizing that a half-mile of it was through an apartment complex with a security gate. Oops. So I did a little detouring, still got almost 5, then looped around the hotel once when I got back. Pace was OK. Temp wasn't; it was near 90 and I needed a better headband. It was hilly enough to be a bit of a challenge but not terrible. Pace was 9:42 average, maybe even a little faster than I had planned. There was enough breeze that I wasn't dying from the heat, although it was definitely uncomfortable. I'm gonna have to do some runs in weather like this during the summer; I can't do every run at 5 a.m.

Humid early morning run in San Antonio with five other folks from the RRCA class. Pace was 10ish, except Steven wanted to walk some. Temp was not horrible, about 70, but humidity very high. I didn't remember SA being this humid. I guess it is. Not a dry thread by the time we got done. Fortunately, we were right there at the club to shower, change and go upstairs for the class. Off tomorrow to fly home, dress rehearsal Tuesday morning. Oh, and take the test some time. Also have to remember to email Randy a copy of my Red Cross certificate.

Scheduled RD Monday, then thunderstorms wiped out yesterday. So I finally got out in the fog this morning for the dress rehearsal. Legs felt really heavy and I was working too hard, but then the last two miles things kicked in and I felt better and ran faster. The Newtons did OK, except one came untied. I guess they were just tied too tight last week. Probably one more little jog, and then it's balls on the table at Bayshore. Do or don't do; there is no try.

Arrived in Traverse City, went for a shakedown run along Munson Ave. Little did I know that everyone's yard along there is a sand dune. I spent 33 minutes jumping over stuff. More work than I wanted to put in. Then I hammered the last half mile to start the Aussie carbload. Oh well, just show up tomorrow, run as fast as I can for as long as I can and see what happens.

I'll come back with a full race report at some point. For right now, let's just say I crashed and I'm not happy. I cut too many corners in training. Skipped too many tempo runs and MP work. I can't do that. I'm not fast enough to cut corners. I have to do all the work. And it caught up to me very early. I pretty much blew up at the half. I was within a minute of my goal at the half, and then ran the inward half in 2:03. That is not going to get it done until I'm about 65. But I hurt more at the finish today than I did after any of my three faster marathons.

Easy 4 at dawn at Marketplace with Sheris and others. Hammys/glute still a littl sore from Saturday, but not too bad, and I got some good stretching in after the run. Overall I'd say I felt better after I finished than when I started -- but I still want to go back to bed. May go for easy 6 tomorrow at Creekmore, after tonight's undate with Tiffany.

Speaking of dates, things are developing quickly with Emma, more quickly than I would have believed. Stay tuned to this fast-breaking story... 

Niggle in the thigh today, left leg felt weak, quads or something weren't firing. Think I'll take a few days off. Now's when I can afford that most.