7:49 AP. It started out bad. Really bad. As I ran down the snow-packed tire tracks by my house my calves and shins were tight, and they hurt, and I couldn't muster up any speed whatsoever. I struggled with 8:30 pace. Even as I hit the dirt roads with traction and eventually turned onto some asphalt to head into Rose Hill, I struggled to shuffle and my shins were tight, like knots. Then the ugly thoughts poured in--"all this work for nothing, you're injured, no Houston for you, turn around and walk home, you overtrained and now you pay, blah blah blah". I was heartbroken at the thought of not running Houston, just heartbroken. I said a prayer, a petty little selfish prayer because God has bigger fish to fry, and then, mercy. My calves started to feel a little better. For the next 2.83 miles I hit 8:00 pace and struggled less. As I headed back home and turned onto the asphalt road again, which was nice and clear(and almost entirely uphill), I opened up the throttle. 7:10--good enough for uphill, I hit the rolling hills on my dirt roads and kept going. 6:52. That's more like it. Labor up the nearly mile long low-grade west hill.7:09. I'll take it. Flip a 180 and back down. 6:50. Eased off the gas pedal and cooled down. Legs feel freaking fantastic now. 16 days out. I am re-thinking my taper plan. I think I am exhausted from working two jobs, all the holdidays and birthdays with my 5 children the last month, and the new jumps in mileage. While things are easing up at work and at home, and I think I have allowed the fatigue to finally hit me--delayed reaction. I may need to taper a little earlier. Maybe. | 