Cool Runnings!

AM - Easy warmup, then I ran a couple miles at MP.  I wasn't originally planning on it, but again, this is a sign to me that the horses are neighing, and my body wants to go faster.  4.2 miles in a total of 32:56, avg pace of 7:50/mile, then 0.8 with Sparky untimed, for a total of 5 miles for the morning.

AM - the horses were definitely neighing today, but I managed to calm them down and urge patience.  4.2 miles in 35:00, average pace of 8:20.  This felt like jogging today.  Another 0.8 with Sparky untimed.  Feeling good for St. George.  I have decided I am going to have 3 goals:

1.  Gold:  3:10 or under

2.  Silver:  3:15 or under

3.  Bronze:  3:20 or under

These are subject to change based on how I feel, and I think that the morning of the race will determine what pace I feel good about running at.  Only 2 more days after today until we leave for St. George.  I am getting really excited, not only for the race, but also for the pre-race party, to meet everyone.

AM - Warmed up easy, then ended up doing 1 MP (or more like Tinman pace) mile, then cooled down with an easy mile.  The only mile I remember the splits for was the second mile in 7:45.  Ran another 0.6 easy miles, very slow, then another Tinman tempo mile in 7:47.  Total distance of 4.6.  The horses are more than neighing, they are rearing and pawing the ground.  The second mile of this run felt like I was jogging, it was so easy.  Getting really excited for SGM!

After our planning last night, I could not find Brent anywhere in the staging area, so I hung out with the 3:10 pace group.  Thankfully, Michael, the pace leader, was planning on taking Veyo easy, so this sounded good to me.  I unfortunately had my auto-pause turned on on my Garmin, which messed up my splits, as I had two pit stops I made where the Garmin stopped.  Therefore, no miles splits at this time.  1/2 marathon split was slightly under 1:35, ran the second half in about 1:40, 5 minute positive split.  I had to make a pit stop at mile 18 that cost me about 2 minutes, and at about mile 22, I started to walk a bit.  I decided to run the downhills hard and then walk any uphills, as my left calf was tightening up, and I didn't want to risk pulling it.  At about mile 24, I hooked up with a guy named Blake, and we tried to pull each other along for the last 2 miles.  By this time, my legs were totally trashed, and I was struggling to maintain sub-8:00 miles.  Had to take another walking break, then Blake and I powered it home (when I say powered it home, it was more like limped along at 7:30 pace, which was absolutely the fastest I could run at the end).  I was so caught up in my suffering and was looking for Lybi on the other side of the road that I missed her and the sign she had made for me, and didn't even hear her calling out to me.  Total time was 3:15:00, this is a huge 43 minute PR for me, I am very happy with this time even if I did not hit the BQ this year.  I felt very fit aerobically and my lungs could have continued - my poor legs were just hammered.  I told Lybi that if I had had some more downhill training, I felt sure I could have brought it in at about 3:05.  Congratulations to all the other bloggers out there - everyone did a great job!