Of Mice and Marathons

AM: 500 Festival 10k. Good race for me. 70 seconds of my 10k split from Phily RnR and 80 seconds from stand-alone efforts. Almost 2 minutes faster than last year, and 6 minutes and 48 second faster than the year before that. I'll write a touch more later. I did make a move at mile 4 for third place (I couldn't catch the leaders who were easily a minute ahead at the end of the race), and put 18 seconds on 4th and 40 seconds in 5th. 

REPORT: Got in 32 minutes of warmup, felt decent. Peeled off my warmups, and dropped my stuff in the gearcheck (loosely defined). Did a few leg swings and sized up the competition. Saw some gents that looked like they might be Indianapolis area college runners. I did a few strides in the starting area. Got off to a decent start. I eased off just a touch after we got moving and it looked like I had a lot more faster guys to deal with than I thought, but I heard some serious breathing from one or two. Got passed by 4-6 guys in the early miles, then I moved up to 5th around mile 3. I felt like I was working harder than the two guys I was running with in 3rd and 4th, but I knew I was in better shape than at least one of them and the other was a mystery.

Around mile 4 I decided to make a move even though my breathing was getting up there (legs felt fine). The 3rd guy dropped back to 5th and I decided to see if the 4th (now 3rd) guy would go with me, so I put a few seconds on him and he stayed somewhat close. But I kept pushing and I managed to spot him on some turns. Once I got the parkway I tried to keep pushing and by mile 6 I picked it up a bit more, finishing strong but not really with a kick (~5:15-5:20 for the partial).

The rich, chocolatey goodness: 5:48, 5:35? (missed the split I guess, but 11:20-11:25 for 2 miles), 5:52, 5:53, 5:42. 5:49, 1:03-1:04 (partial. took me a second or two to hit STOP because I haven't got used to switching off my Timex)

2 laps on the canal trail + a little extra (5.25 miles)

Met/exceeded the goals for the day. Pleased with my fitness. Thinking about my upcoming half in 3 weeks, and I am pretty sure I can run within a handful of seconds from what I did today (despite what the McMillian calculator says) if I make that a cutback week. Then there's that OTHER race 4 weeks from that.

PM: North side 5.8 miles, averaged 8:19

The crack in my toe won't quit. Had a blister that popped, then the skin broke on the underside crease of my big toe. I had to switch to ducttape + bandaid.

Purdue Co-Rec - 10 miles easy. Kept Brandon company during his longer run. Felt good, and like I could have run all day, which is usually a good sign not to push. Got the legs loose and a good hip stretch after.

Woke up with sore spot on my hip, which I thought was from having a bit of wine last night and running into something I don't remember, but I remembered I fell cooling down on the Canal Trail yesterday. I think of 7 cool downs I have done on the trail, I have fallen twice. It's concrete so it isn't as if there are roots tripping me up.

Purdue Co-Rec - 9.4 miles. Did 8 x Atrium Strides.

Felt slightly sluggish starting the strides but the pace was pretty much the usual without much extra effort, so it think I didn't eat quite enough yesterday, or maybe cutting out my red wine has shut off my super powers. I realize I raced Saturday, but this felt more like faintness than fatigue.

Offically at fall racing weight. 10-12 lbs since Janurary 7th. Another few pounds to go. 5 fewer lbs than a month ago and some fitness gains certainly made running a 10k faster than a 5k more doable.

Night: 40 minutes of stretching, rolling, and core. Some laughable commercials on the Fitness Blender YouTube video. "Remember the days of working out for an hour?" Remember when the days of working out were only an hour? An hour is a good warmup to an hour workout.

AM: Aerobic Builder. 14.25 miles, averaged 7:12 w/ 8-mile tempo. I fell hard going around a corner on the ice and smacked my elbow (pics to follow). My greatest worry at the time was sliding under a very close car and having my legs run over but I think they were beyond me at that point and my worry was a bit dramatic. Got up and managed 6:37 for that second mile. It took me a few seconds to get running again. Ripped through my outer shirt and base layer.

It was 7 degrees and fairly early (for me) so it took a while to work into it. Was going to go 9-10 but I had to get back for a meeting and 8 is fine. Effort was consistent; just got stretched out as I got going.

6:34, 6:37 (elbow), 6:29, 6:21, 6:19, 6:20, 6:12, 6:13 (6:23 average)

PM: North side - 6 miles, averaged 8:20

Took a peak at Boston racing strategies just to be thinking about planning. For many reasons, this should be required blog reading: Paul: Boston 2012, but it gives a good course perspective as well and how the effort should feel at given points in the race (just don't try to run 5:15 pace unless you are in that kind of shape!). Before that I looked at this. After running well on an aided course, I think you don't need to be on goal pace until mile 10 or even halfway, the first few miles can be 10-15 seconds slow (depends on the particular course, of course). Running low-6:1X this morning did not feel that hard even in tights and single digits so I know running that on race day, particularly in the early miles will feel easy, but I plan to be 100% by effort, and that is why I will be running with my Timex for the first time in a marathon. All this to say I am very excited.

Chisel Loop - 9.5 miles, averaged 8:22. Did some strides.

Evening: 30 minutes of stretching, rolling, and core work.

Changed the screws in my screw flats. Got about 75 miles out of them, so I guess stainless wasn't worth the extra cost. Lots of asphalt though. We got some frozen precipitation tonight, so I may have to put off my workout tomorrow until the afternoon. I'll run faster after I am awake and not freezing anyway :)

AM: Decided to move today's workout to tomorrow and long run to Sunday or Monday (if neceessary depending on feel). The main roads look fine, but I want the other stuff to melt as well. Don't really feel like smacking my elbow again. So the morning workout today will be reading, editing, and trying not to eat everything in the kitchen.

PM: Decided to do the workout, so I can fit in what I have planned for the next two weeks. It was sunny and beautiful if still a bit cold at 32 with a chilly wind.

4 x 1 Mile w/ 200m Tag. 5:32 average. 90 second recovery walk, then slow jogs. 4.25 up w/ 1/2 mile @ MP, 3.5 down.

5:28, 5:34, 5:36, 5:31. Then 36.7 (4:42 pace) for the 200.

Pleased with the workout today. Three of the miles are the fastest I have ever run (not hard when you start from nothing, but still exciting/fun). It hurt a bit, but long 5k effort intervals generally do. The tag was a bit slower than I wanted, but I got a late jump on it and 4:42 is plenty fast for me at the end of a hard workout. This puts me in low 17-minute 5k range (theoretically). I will work on taking that down sometime this fall if not before. For now, this was to get some turnover, get a fitness update, and make low 76-minute/high 75-minute half marathon pace plausible

Not the volume I wanted today, but I hit my paces for the workout so I guess that is the most important part. Stayed up talking to a friend and got a little carried away with the adult Kool-Aid (sorry, Coach Bam. I'm being more of a monk every day; I promise).

AM: North side - 8.25 miles, averaged 8:18

PM: North side - 5 miles easy. Averaged 8:24.

Firecracker Loop - 10.5 miles, averaged 7:59

Late: 35 minutes of stetching and strength training (rolling, stretching, hips & glutes, and core)

Long Run - 24 miles, averaged 7:23. w/ mile 24 mostly uphill @ 6:26 (hard closing .25). Tried to design the course with a mix of some downhills, flats, and uphills with some climbs later in the run (2-4 and 13-18) and an rolling uphill mile to finish it off.

I did not think I had the energy to thrown in the Bam mile at mile 21, so I coasted some steepish downhills and then ran the last mile at a end-of-race effort for the last quarter after trying to push. This is not as fast as I wanted, but it was an empty tank/no fuel during run and it is within 60-70 seconds of goal marathon pace, so no need to complain. I'm glad to have this one in the books.

AM: North side - 6 miles, averaged 8:24.

Thankful for a thickish heel in my Kinvaras. Stepped on a broken bottle that stuck into my shoe. Good thing I have the proprioception of a Kenyan ninja and didn't step down again. Plenty of room to run in the road, such is why I have been running those streets with little to no traffic. Not sure why I went down the sidewalk.

PM: North side - 6 miles, averaged 7:54

H-Bomb Loop - 12 miles, averaged 7:23. Did a few strides.

Well, actually the loop looks more like a 9-volt on a string. I didn't want to wait for the train. Longer version of the fire cracker and dynamite loop, but same idea with a bit of "creativity" on the bottom. Reminded me of the nuclear core on h-bomb in the 5th season of Lost (I'm doing a rewatch).

65 degrees! Snow tonight and tomorrow! Boo! :(  I don't want to do my last workout before my half in the snow on Thursday. I spiked my ankle pretty good with my screw shoes and I'd like it to heal, but I will do what needs to be done, even if I have to move it to Friday and cut my long run/workout for Sunday way back.

Late: 35 minutes of rolling, stretching, and core

North side - 9.25 miles, no watch.

Slushy, windy, puddles. Bit of a change from yesterday. Enjoyed the run when I was squinting in the wind and snow like a pirate.

I've been going back and forth about my big HMGP workout for tomorrow. Traditionally, I have run a version of the Hanson Brothers' tweaked for half marathoners who run above cutting down to LT pace and it has served me well, meeting or exceeding (significantly at times) workout paces in the actual race. I also did 3 x 2.5 miles before Indy this fall but never got to see how it paid off (it is definitely harder than the Hansons' version). I also like the idea of repeating the 3 x 15 minute workout I did a few weeks ago (going by feel again) to see if I can knock a few seconds off that. Given current fitness the 3 x 15 minutes is harder than the first two. But I need to think about recovery as well.

Pre-bed: 15 minutes of stretching w/ 50 or so pushups

AM: 4 x 2 miles w/ strict 3:00 recovery jogs and a direct 200m tag. This is one I adopted and modified from the Hanson Brothers. I've used it 4 times I think and have had great success with it. This is almost 13 seconds faster than when I ran it in September before I ran my PR at Philly RnR. It was around 13 degrees, so I was in tights and screws shoes just to be safe (tar was 99% dry and ice free as it turned out). Warmed up 4.25 miles w/ half mile @ MP, a few light pace strides around 10k pace, and into the workout.

First set: 5:53, 5:55

Second set: 5:53, 5:56

Third set: 5:52, 5:54

Fourth set: 5:55, 5:54 (5:53/5:54 average)

Tag was 36.5 (5:02 pace). I was pretty much done and didn't have much of a kick. Recovery jogs were 8:30-9:00. 3.25 mile cool down.

The rest was shorter than normal (usually 3:00-3:30) and it caught up with me. The effort got high at the end, but I think I am more tired than I think (or that I will admit). 4 weeks averaging 88 miles (with this week thrown in) and it is time to cut back. Jason, remember what we said back in November/December? Let's do that.

PM: North side - 4.25 miles, averaged 8:10

AM: Registered for Beach to Beacon in ~2:00 (probably a PR from my debut last year but I don't recall the exact time). I got up a 4:00AM Vegas time last year and signed up after going to bed late. Compared to that, this year was pretty easy. Back to sleep for some recovery. Good thing I don't have any more Lara Bars or Kind Bars I'm hungrier than a bear.

Lunch: Campus loop with Brandon and Patrick - 9 miles, averaged 7:03. Too fast for Jason recovery. Too fast for Jason easy days. Felt good, but that's not the point. We ended with a MP mile that was mostly 6:15, but we slowed as we got back to the Co-Rec.

I tried to slow them down throughout the run but it didn't work. That's what happens when a guy running 80-90 miles @ 7:45-8:15 pace (me) runs with a a guy who runs 20-30 miles per week @ 6:10-6:20 and a guy who runs 40-60 @ 7:15-7:45. Didn't get back to sleep this morning, so I will take the Sasha approved nap when I get home and keep my feet up as much as possible. Short and easy tomorrow for sure.

North side - 8 miles, averaged 7:56.

A few 7:30s in there. I much prefer them when they aren't forced and just happen (felt like I was running around 8:15-8:20 overall). Yesterday was just too fast for proper recovery. I did do ~.25 at goal marathon pace to make sure my shoes are firm enough to my liking. They feel good. A much lighter, plyable upper drops some weight so I don't think I will run in flats (even though I have been doing long run workouts in them).

Another recovery day, an aerobic tempo to keep sharp, and then pretty much easy with a pretty decent dropoff Thursday and Friday. Cutback/race week. Should be below 80 for the week. Mileage was up a bit this week. I don't expect to hit that high again this buildup. Continue to hold steady at 85-88. I think that's my Goldilocks mileage zone.

I am often inspired by older runners on the blog (that is, barely older and also a few decades older), but this young gent is something to see. Running really hard and also, from what I can tell, racing REALLY well., and just pouring it on through the closing laps. Congrats to Connor.

North side - 6.25 miles, averaged 7:59. Did some strides. One school-to-school at 4:50 pace. Hard but controlled. Decided not to jump on it like I sometimes do.

Late: 20+ minutes of rolling and stretching, then 30+ minutes of core work.

I can't stop staring at Shalane Flanagan's arms in her finishing pic from the 15k Champs . . .

AM/Lunch - Aerobic Builder - 14 miles, averaged 6:43 w/ 8-mile tempo in 49:25 (6:10/6:11 average): 6:10, 6:13, 6:07, 6:13, 6:05, 6:12, 6:09, 6:16

On our run on Saturday I tried to get Brandon to do his long run with me and do some tempo miles in the middle or at the end. He was going to be gone, but Patrick piped up and said he would run with me, given that he runs at 6:30-6:00 all the time. We were going to run yesterday, but I told him Monday would be better so I could get a day more recovery (even though I would lose another day on the race end of the split). We met up at the Purdue Co-Rec, which he oversees.

3 miles ~my warmup pace to a little bit faster (I am guessing it was driving Patrick nuts to run 8:00 minute pace), then into the workout. I told Patrick to run low 6:20s to start and cut it down. That didn't happen, but I felt better than I thought I might, so I let him push. Effort was up a bit in the middle miles, but not outside of the zone of what I usually do for these. If Patrick started to push a bit outside of my zone, I let him go for a while (I told him keep it above 6:10). He did about 10k and I went to 8, with the final miles being my most relaxed (I think he surged too much judging by the splits). He was a bit more gassed at the end than he appeared in the workout even though I thought I was the one really working, and then I went on to run 2 more miles and could have run 2 more if asked to. Proof that aerobically and in terms of marathon specificity a high mileage plodder will win out against low-mileage fast "easy" day runner most of the time.

Can I hold this pace in a marathon? I don't know. I wouldn't run that fast to start, but at least low-6:00 won't scare me like it once did if the the watch shows those paces. As usual a tuneup half and a big final workout will tell me what pace I should target.

3 miles back to the Co-Rec

PM: North side - 4 miles at gentleman jogger pace.

North side - 8 miles, averaged 7:50

Late: 35 minutes of rolling, stretching, and core. Hungry. Must have had a mileage jump last week and a largish workout yesterday. That's right, food log, I'm not tallying those 2 Kind Bars and peanut butter and jelly I ate straight from the jar at 11:00 PM. Just don't tell the scale.

My day involved light reading and avoiding writing that dissertation. I did get some L.L. Bean slippers to replace the bargin basement ones that were worn completely through the soles like a Flinstone's car.

Micro Sharpening Workout - 8 miles, averaged 7:40

2 x k @ half marathon race effort w/ k recovery: 3:39 (5:54 pace), 3:45 (6:02)

4 x 200 w/ 200 recovery ~35 seconds average

First interval was right on for first mile goal pace (probably a bit faster if I finished the mile). Put the second one into a decent wind to practice some effort-based running in case the wind is a factor Saturday morning. Hoping not to see anything above 5:50-range though.

Felt just okay overall (the usual pre-race doubts I think), but I think this is usually how I feel before a half that I am not using as a workout. The 200s felt pretty good even with the wind on a few of them.

Very short and easy tomorrow and Friday.

Really Late: 20 minutes of rolling stretching + hips and glutes. Seem to have a lot greater range of motion on my exercises than I previously have. I'll assume I am doing something right/well.

North side - 5.25 miles easy, no watch. Did some strides.

4.3 miles at gentleman jogger pace. Few pace strides to finish it off.

Ran with Megan near the airport on some access roads. Legs feel really good. I've kept off them more than usual. Need to be careful at the start tomorrow morning. Don't want to go out on Delusions of Grandeur pace. Effort, effort, effort.

Bit of head wind throughout. 25 second PR. Wanted more, but I ran as hard as I could for the day. Effort was up from the first mile. I'll write more later of course. Time with Megan and my good friends I haven't seen in a year.

REPORT

Stayed in Indianapolis for a few days with Megan to see some of our friends who had a conference, which worked out well because the race wasn't too far away. Got up on race morning and picked up our friends. My friend Jeremy decided a few weeks ago to run. We picked up our bib, and I saw Julian, a local Lafayette barefoot runner (2:39 last year in Boston). I did 3 miles on the final miles of the course to check out the final stretch (a slight uphill grade with a windy grade into the finish). I warmed up slightly longer than I usually do (usually 2 miles when it is 30-45 degrees) and my warmup pace felt like I was walking. Did a few gentle pickups and went inside to drop my warmup stuff with Megan. Lined up and talked to Julian a bit. He told me that they would take it out fast and that given his current fitness he would run 6:10 to start.  I told him I was going to try to hit ~5:53-5:55 for the first mile and work it down over the course of the first 10 miles and hit the last 5k as hard as I could.

First mile got going and I could see the leaders just in front of me. The pace felt slow for me based on my legs so I picked it up slightly. First mile was 5:55+, so 5:56 rounded. Effort felt a bit high. Two guys up front started to gap, while me and the two guys in front of me separated from the rest of the race. The first few miles were uneventful, but I worried about my effort, and I realized my goal of running just under 1:16-16:30 wasn't going to go down today. No matter, I tried to tell myself: "Look at your position. You are racing for place. Keep the splits just under PR pace, run as hard as you can, and put it down as a success." I stayed on the 3rd and 4th guys, trying to get with them to share the pace but my effort was already too high to push much. They didn't seem too cheesed off and one of the gents handed me his Gatorade cup at one point as I ran by and he and the other fellow got some liquids. I didn't really want it, but I thought it was kind of him so I took a sip. I basically stayed behind them until mile 12 when I worked to break them. I succeeded, but all three had already been passed by Julian around mile 8 or 9 I think (I got to watch his bare feet high-step some large gravel on a slight downhill).

Around mile 4 (I think) there was an overzelous young gent who was doing periods of walking. He tried to stay with me when I passed him around mile 6 or 7. Apparently he was not ready to handle the pace of the eventual 1:12 winner (I think the kid may have walked off the course). Mile 7 was a bit of a gradual climb that I didn't expect. This was also where we hit the quarter marathoners (yes, 6.55 miles), but I got a bit of downhill to make up for a few seconds. I was hurting, but I stayed pretty much evenly pace (taking elevation, turns, and obstacles into account). Around mile 8 or 9 I heard foot steps and looked over my shoulder slightly when I got a chance and Julian came up behind me. I greeted him with a "I knew it was you." He went by me and the two in front. I should have tried to stay behind him but I worried that my legs would lock up before the last few miles. He got me by 32 seconds and that is a good bit per mile over 3-4 miles when you are already red-lining

Wound through the last few miles of residential areas darting through racewalkers, powerwalkers, and old folks. I surged a little bit to test the legs and the two guys I had been with throughout the race. I dropped one guy, but the other guy came back. He was a little behind me on the hill but I started to pull away and got him before going over the grass median and across the road. I worried he would outkick me but he had nothing left. You hit mile 13 and there is a sharp uphill turn, which really stinks because you just get into your kick when you startighten out and you hit the finish. I got him by 8 seconds in the last ~.15-.20 miles.

I wanted a faster time, but I knew from mile 1 that I wasn't going to get it so I fought pretty hard and still got a nice little 25 second PR on a day that was fairly windy (12-14 MPH) and mostly a headwind (never felt like I got the wind behind me), but it was more annoying than it ever really felt like it was making me work harder (I am sure it made a little difference). This course is not as fast as Philly given that it has some rough patches where you run on across sidewalks and grass and a bit of gravel in patches, it winds, and the weather was not as good. I'm pleased. I'm still within my goal of sub-2:45 at Boston, which right now is obviously the overall focus. I will focus on running a sizable half PR this fall.

3 down.

The rich chocolatey goodness: 5:56, 5:52, 5:58, 5:51, 5:50, 5:48, 5:58, 6:09 (hill), 5:51, 5:49, 5:55, 6:00, 5:58, :34

North side - 8.25 miles, averaged 7:57.

Feel pretty good despite skipping my shakeout yesterday. Felt it was important to spend time with Megan and my friends, and I got a little over 19 miles for the morning. Waited until dinner to do my recoery run.

Got chased by a dog that tried to come after me. I did the only thing I thought would work: I scolded it. Worked but it kept coming back until it left to go to the children in the yard a few blocks down, apparently its owner with no parents around. The dog had already almost got run over and I wasn't sure if I needed to pick up a large rock to defend myself (I was looking for wacking material). Good times in Lafayette, IN.

I ran in a new pair of Newton 5 lugs, which I got in exchange for another pair that were shredding my feet for some reason. They feel amazing. Much wider, solid base. Upper feels very smooth and should be great sockless. Definitely their best update I have seen.

AM: North side - 8 miles, averaged 8:00

PM: Rest Haven - 4 miles, averaged 8:20

Winter needs to go away. I would like 35-40 degrees in the morning and 75-80 in the afternoon. Is that too much to ask?

Pre-bed: rolling and stretching

Jefferson High School loop to 9th Street - 10.5 miles, averaged 7:42

Pre-bed: 30 minutes of rolling and stretching + hips and glutes

AEROBIC BUILDER - 12 miles, averaged 6:58 w/ 6-mile tempo.

I stupidly did this workout. Last year I did the same thing after my tuneup half for 7 miles and barely ran under 7 min/mile (I ended up running 6:30s in the marathon), so I kept telling myself it wouldn't be worth it but I was ticked off and anxious (about what I don't know), so I started my run faster than normal but I was planning to do 14-16 miles depending on feel to get some good aerobic time on my feet. But I thought I felt okay, so I went to my tempo loop instead of working toward the south end of town. I should have just run 9-10 miles and let my legs continue to recover. Felt okay in the first few miles, but was (unsurprisingly) fatigued so I cut it to 6 miles. Oh well.

I guess from last May I have made some improvements. 6:58 was what I ran for the fast portion and 6:58 was what I did for the entire run this year. I am not upset that the workout didn't go well. Just mad I was foolish enough to think that maybe, just maybe, it would. It also makes rcovery harder and this week was about easy mileage and my final long run/big workout.

Splits: 6:25, 6:26, 6:22, 6:18, 6:30, 6:26 (6:24 average)

3 up/down

Late: 20 minutes of rolling and stretching + 25 minutes of core. Mostly planks, some crunches (which are basically useless for a runner but I feel flabby after 4 days out of town).

North side - 9 miles, averaged 8:04

Got chased by a yellow lab puppy with no one around (as usual). I almost brought him home but he was quite the tough little guy. That is until I yelled at him to get home.

PM: 30 minutes of rolling and stretching + some core (moves that I didn't hit yesterday)

Fink Cemetery Loop - 10.25 miles, averaged 7:43

FINAL BIG WORKOUT/LONG RUN - 24 miles, averaged 7:00 w/ half marathon tempo

Warmed up 10 miles @ around 7:38 pace them into a long tempo around goal pace, but the idea was no pushing. Legs were moving to start of the first mile then settled into ~builder average for a while. Breathing was great, legs were saying "but must we really go faster? Where is that day off you promised??"

Last year I bonked hard doing a 10 + 12 and I didn't feel like walking in the cold today, so I allowed myself to switch up the plan as necessary. The main idea was not to run the race today. Run hard, but don't force it and end up ticked when you don't hit the paces. Got some downhill running in but I got a bit of a headwind and cross wind that negated it some. Hit some uphills that had me running ~7:00 until I crested them. Those were hard. I need to remedy this lack in my running.

I was going to call it at 20 miles (10 + 10) and jog home, but I hit the bridge and thought there was a sidewalk on the opposite side of the trail (I didn't want to recross the road) and I heard a cop on his loud speaker say "joggers must use the trail." I ignored him because it was mile 20 with 4 miles to go and he called me a jogger (I was close to 7:00 pace overall at this point). He came up beside me and I could barely hear him over my iPod, so I cussed at him somewhat audibly to leave me the dang nabbit alone but he was giving me an escort. Thanks. I was fine. Still, much appreciated. Felt like I was winning a marathon. I was still rolling about 6:40 when he took off, so I figured I would pick it up and do another mile. I got to the top of Northwestern and just let the downhills work. Again, no pushing. So 3 more miles.

I ended up with a half marathon tempo and a short cool down to 24. I realize this is more than necessary, but I needed this today for a number of reasons. Mentally I beat myself up pretty much every mile, but around miles 22-24 I was feeling good.

10 miles in 1:16:13 (~7:38 pace)

13.1 miles in 1:25:24 (6:30/6:31 pace): 6:28, 6:29, 6:26, 6:37, 6:27, 6:25, 6:44, 6:27, 6:53, 6:32, 6:31, 6:20, 6:20, :40 (partial)

Total run ~89% of marathon effort

Tempo ~96% of marathon goal pace

2:48:07 for 24 miles

AM: Walked 2+ miles to Purdue to watch Brandon kick the tar out of some college students in a student organized 5k. Course was way off because he ran about 15 flat and he's not in that kind of shape. He was using it as a tuneup for River to River (an 80-mile relay race) that he runs with teammates from college. He was hoping to run ~16:40. Based on the workouts he is running, that sounds about right. We hung out with Jim and had coffee. Good morning/lunch time.

PM: North side - 6 miles @ GJP

Might only be the second day in just shorts and a t-shirt. Warm, but not still cool (55 degrees).

Evening: 20 minutes of rolling and stretching

Day off.

49 days on. It was time. 21 days to Boston seemed like a good time even though I really didn't want to take the day off (expected to be in the 60s too). 3 weeks will allow an additional rest day likely in the last 8-9 days of the buildup, but not too much of a stretch that I go too long.

Late: 20 minutes of rolling and stretching