Last run of 2023. 6:15 pace east on W&OD. Felt tired, but I should probably wait to be worried till I'm doing my normal runs and normal routine. Started to feel better at some point and did 4 x half mile on, half mile off on the way back, with the hard stuff close to 5 minute pace and the easy stuff close to 7 minute pace. I really feel like that's the type of thing I need to do to benefit from long runs in terms of fitness. The other LR I've done in this direction was in lots of snow. This time I made it further (also because I took a more direct route to get there) and I passed by a place I recognized, after passing my previous turn around point. I realized that was the turnaround point when I came from the previous direction nearly 4.5 years ago on my wedding day in 2019. Kind crazy that I still remember that and all.
Notes: I fell 1/2 mile short of having my first "organic" 70 mile week since finishing college running (on one previous occasion I did it by having two long runs in one week after skipping the prior week). Also, I finished <3 miles off what I did last year and 5 miles off what I did in 2019, I believe. So technically 5th highest year ever, but close to 3rd. (Even though 3165 sounds a lot less than 3500, it's still 60.7 miles per week, compared to 68 or 69). This year was marked by the most consistency I've ever had: my lowest mileage week was in the 30s (last year I was healthy but took time off for surgery, 2021 was also very healthy). It was also my first year that was 100% free of college running, which is why it isn't higher given my health. Anyway, I'm grateful to be able to run.
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