THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

YEAH BABY!  It's about time I had a good run.  Exactly two weeks before the marathon--time for the final tempo.  Goal was 10 easy with 10 at MP.  Met up with Eddy bright and early at 5:30 after two nutri-grain bars, a cup of coffee, and a few swallows of water.  We were off into the dark for 10 easy miles of chatting.  I grabbed a swallow of water at mile 3.5 and a gu with a little water at 7.5.  Splits for 10 easy were 9:04(not awake yet), 8:46, 8:32, 8:23, 8:25, 8:09, 8:07, 7:53, 7:58, 8:04.  Took a quick swallow of water at the turnaround and then dropped the hammer.  I felt great, breathing was easy, energy levels were great, temps were wonderfully cool.  The only problem was that my legs were stiff and never really loosened up.  I figured whatever pace I could hold on unresponsive legs would be easy in a marathon after a taper so I kept plugging away.  Took a gu while running in the 3rd mile of the tempo.  Splits were 6:50, 7:01, 7:09(water stop and didn't stop my watch, took me a second to get the lid off the bottle), 6:59, 7:01, 7:05, 6:59, 7:15, 7:13, 6:55, last .04 in 16 seconds.  Total time for 10.04 1:10:43/7:02 pace.  That would be freaking awesome if that is my marathon pace but I'm just going to feel it out in two weeks when the day comes.  I don't believe it will be a particularly fast course with all the turns but I will give it my best shot.  The pace definitely felt manageable and not overwhelming so I am encouraged.  We ran into Raquel afterwards and she is only running the half, so she won't be blowing the field away in the marathon.  This honestly puts me in contention for a top 3 finish if I go sub 3:10 unless a bunch of people I don't know about show up from out of state.  I hope I have my mojo on race day and can put up a fight.

Day after a Sunday 20-miler so I made this my day off.  Good thing, because I somehow slept horribly wrong and cricked my neck and between my shoulder blades.  I can't turn my head or reach with my arms right.  I have done this before so at least I know it only lasts a few days.  Note to self: don't sleep wrong the night before a marathon!  

Neck is still stiff but much much better, should be runnable.  Attempt at a stroller run coming soon.

8:00am  6 miles stroller 8:59 AP.  My legs are not sore after Sunday's tempo but they are definitely a little dead.  Vanessa felt heavy.  We stopped at Sonic afterward and she got her tater tots--it has been a while and she was very excited!  Maybe a few more this pm.....

7:00pm 5 miles in the balmy 75 degree air at 8:05.  Listened to tunes and totally enjoyed the run.  No more 4:30am runs until the marathon.  I will run when I can but not that early!  Sleep is more important than miles at this point.

7:53 AP.  Evening run on a superfull stomach of taco salad.  I had hiccups for the first two miles--that was interesting; I think I sounded like a drunken runner.  Anyways, I meant to run 8 but the sun went down faster than I realized it would and it was too dark and I didn't carry a light with me so I booked it home and ran in the ditch so the cars wouldn't hit me.  Last two miles 7:14, 7:04--a little impromptu MP I guess.  My neck is still mildly cricked but runnable and getting better.

7:35 AP.  This workout was a disaster in some ways, great in others.  Objective was a 2x3 fast tempo with 1/2 mile recovery.  Tempo defined as half-marathon pace or so--at least faster than MP.  Well, in my usual fashion, I blew through the first set of 3 miles too fast and legs and lungs were feeling fried by the end.  In fact, I decided I wouldn't do the second set of 3 but after recovering a mile and mulling things over decided to do another 3 but at a reasonable pace, which turned out to be about MP.  This was actually okay since the second set was on rolling dirt hills and I was pretty fried from first set.

warm up 8:53, 8:22

3 miles too fast 6:36, 6:40: 6:37

stagger through a mile recovery 8:57

3 on the rolling dirt 7:13, 7:10, 7:13

1.07 cool down 8:04 pace

The funny thing is, I did this exact same thing before my last marathon with this exact same workout(killed myself in the first set and staggered through the second set) so I am not too discouraged.

NO watch.  Drove into town in the evening with Vanessa in the stroller.  After about 2.5 miles she wanted to get out and run, so I let her.  She ran a whole mile and I finally stopped her--I figure one mile on her first run is plenty enough!  I don't want to overtrain a 3-year-old!  She wanted to keep going though.  Wow!  So anyways I walk-jogged that mile--don't have the time but think it was probably around 13 minutes or so.  I had to put her back in the stroller kicking and screaming and finish the run.  10 miles in the morning with the tribe and then out pre-marathon cookout tomorrow night at my house.  PARTY!  We are roasting dogs and burgers and making s'mores and washing it down with some nice cold beer.

8:30 AP.  Ran the first 4.5 with Stacy and Eddy and then Stacy stopped since she was going to run 10 with Carlos tomorrow.  He was transferred to another fire station and found out yesterday he could not make the tribal run or BBQ today.  After seeing Stacy off me and Eddy ran to Firehouse 1 and visited Carlos for a few minutes and then ran back to our cars.  I did an all-out sprint at the end and hit 4:12 pace.  Mostly easy miles today but ran the last few 7:20-7:30 pace before the sprint.  Feeling good and ready to start taper week.