run, run, run

Boise, ID 11:30am

Finally went for a run after resting and icing my ankle for a week. Dropped the car off at the shop for an oil change and ran home.

I planned on taking it slow and easy, but I guess I had just been holding out for so long, I was at at sub 8mpm pace the whole way. The ankle felt stiff, but ok. I think I'll be fine. I'd better be fine.

Boise, ID 6:30am

Went out for a five-miler this morning. Ankle felt ok. Pace was good. One more run tomorrow and then it's Logan or bust.

Boise, ID 6:30 am

Last run before Top of Utah. I'll take tomorrow off and travel down to Logan on Friday. The ankle isn't 100% yet, but I was able to maintain a decent pace and wasn't in pain at all -- just a little uncomfortable. What I don't know is how it will hold up over 26.2 miles. I guess I'll find that out on Saturday.

Finally, a marathon I feel really good about. Finally finished Top of Utah under four hours and bested my PR by more than 11 minutes.
I wasn't sure what to expect this time since the swelling in my ankle hadn't died down yet. But, I'm in better shape than I've been in before and my training was solid, so I decided to just go for it: to set my pace at 8 minutes per mile and see how long I could hold it. I also think I had a pretty good plan for hydrating and carbing up during the race.
The ankle held up nicely. I felt it the whole way and it hurt a few times, but it worked out and felt fine afterward.

Split Time Distance Avg Pace
1    00:08:24    1.00    08:24
Traffic spread out pretty quickly.
2    00:07:51    1.00    07:51
3    00:07:46    1.00    07:46
4    00:07:49    1.00    07:49
5    00:07:58    1.00    07:58
6    00:08:07    1.00    08:07
Worst aid station stop ever. It kind of snuck up on me and I struggled to get my long-sleeve shirt off. Tossed it into the box, then reached in my back pocket for some Gu. Ended up getting the ziploc bag with the ibuprofen. Put it back, got the Gu, put on my sunglasses, they fogged up and I couldn't see. Reaching blindly for the Gatorade. Put the glasses back on my head and got back into the race.
7    00:08:06    1.00    08:06
8    00:07:44    1.00    07:44
9    00:07:51    1.00    07:51
10    00:08:22    1.00    08:22
I had to pee.
11    00:07:49    1.00    07:49
12    00:07:46    1.00    07:46
13    00:07:51    1.00    07:51
14    00:08:09    1.00    08:09
Stopped to pee again. I was getting near the end of the canyon and I think it's impolite to pee in strangers' yards.
15    00:07:49    1.00    07:49
I ate a pack of Sports Beans over the next couple of miles. That was the only time in the race that my gut really hurt. I'm not eating Sports Beans from now on.
16    00:08:05    1.00    08:05
17    00:07:58    1.00    07:58
18    00:08:05    1.00    08:05
This is where it starts getting difficult.
19    00:08:11    1.00    08:11
20    00:08:32    1.00    08:32
21    00:08:10    1.00    08:10
22    00:08:27    1.00    08:27
23    00:09:01    1.00    09:01
The family was waiting for me. I ran with my daughter for a couple of blocks. She probably slowed me down a little bit, but it was worth it. I had an idea to have my wife make me a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and give it to me on the course. I figured it would be easy on my stomach, more calories than Gu and might be something I could force myself to eat (peanut butter is one of the world's greatest foods). It worked out ok. I only ate half of it and it was easy on the stomach, but the peanut butter was kind of hard to swallow.
24    00:09:15    1.00    09:15
Starting to fade a bit.
25    00:08:59    1.00    08:59
Hanging on.
26    00:09:21    1.00    09:21
OK, this hurts now.
27    00:04:08    0.48    08:43
Euphoria.

After the race I felt awesome. Tired, of course, but not fall on the grass in the fetal position exhausted. But the real test was the Fat Boy ice cream sandwich. After the two previous TOU races I've taken one bite and threw it away. This time I finished it off and it was quite tasty.