Of Mice and Marathons

AM (barely): Old Standby - 6.25 miles, averaged 8:14

PM: Zoo loop - 4.5 miles, averaged 8:10

9th Street out and back - 7.5 miles, averaged 8:05

2 mile warmup. 8 mile tempo @ MGP down 18th street, Veteran's Memorial Parkway, and Route 231. 2 mile cool down with a bit of walking after. According to my Garmin the route was a good net downhill, but mile 5 was the only mile that felt really downhill (only 35 feet?!). The rest felt only slight so, but I guess mile 8 was 110 feet of drop.  7:09, 7:17, 7:02, 7:06, 6:57, 7:09, 7:11 (56:50; 7:06 average)

7:03 is still going to be extremely difficult over 26.2 miles, so I'll have to see what the next 2+ months of workouts and races give me to consider. 3:10 seems silly given that it's 5 minutes (huge in the big picture). 3:15 is probably more sensible, but time will tell.

Union/Greenbush loop + Vinton Woods finishing up on Underwood/Elmwood (this loop clearly needs a name) - 8 miles, averaged 8:21

AM: Old Standby with a little rewind action. Need some new routes. - 4.5 miles averaged 8:29

Felt pretty beat, which is okay since I haven't had many days lately where I have felt this sluggish. 

PM: Jefferson High School loop in reverse - 6.5 miles, broken up, but averaged 7:49

I ended up chasing a car just before mile 3 because they were spouting some hate. I didn't quite catch them at the light but I hit a solid 4:40 pace, managed to ruin my run and my day.

I did get a test run on my new flats. They are the same as my other ones but black with an updated, much more comfortable tongue.  Did just under a half mile at goal pace for my 10k this weekend, but it felt hard after 5 miles and my 4:40 sprint and 85 degree temps.

Oh well. I'll pound the pavement tomorrow as I always do.

Munger Park loop in reverse - 5.5 miles, averaged 8:35

Pretty slow and hard to start. Around 8:45-8:50 then 3 strides in the last half mile around 4:50-5:15 to try to get the muscles firing. Race in the morning. 

This is a local race that as near as I can tell needs better advertising (among some other improvements) because they don't get as many runners as some of the 5ks races.

I won this race last year on a different course, with a much slower time (44:20 I think for 6.10). 

2.6 miles over to Purdue with some strides. Lined up at yet another non-existent starting line (this year they had something to run through so the chip timer may have been above us, but I doubt it). I started out with a guy in front, letting him lead for a while. We started out around 6:15-6:20, but eased into 6:30, which was fine. Since there weren't too many people around even after the first half mile I figured I run with him for a ways, chat a bit to see who was breathing. Mile 1 was right about where I wanted it: 6:35 (it was about .05 short). We headed up McCormick hill, which is a bit of a grind coming around a right hand turn. I let the guy go a bit. We turned right a Cherry lane and onto the bike path: Mile 2 was 6:49 (about .08 short for the first two miles). I took the lead for a bit or we may have exchanged places I can't remember. Before we exited the bike path onto Lindberg was about the time I went I think. I hit Mile 3 somewhere on that stretch: 6:45. Not where I wanted to be, but I'm winning the race with the humidity up just a touch. Crossed Northwestern Ave (with traffic still moving even though they had police volunteers. A good way to get someone killed, but I pride myself on weaving through traffic). I couldn't see the other fellow at this point, but I wasn't sure if I was supposed to turn (the cops were clearly not enthused to be volunteering and in fact weren't doing anything anyway). SO I TURNED AROUND. But just a tiny bit to see the woman waving me to keep going. Thank you for your support. Mile 4 was in there somewhere at 6:39 (better!). I knew Mile 5 was quite downhill so I tried to coast it after turning right on Salisbury: 6:21. Went in and out of some side streets and asked sitting volunteers which way I should be turning. They assured me someone would be there, and they were. I hit Northwestern, knowing it was going to be a tough uphill and turn on Cherry Lane. Before turning right some fratboy with his girlfriend sitting on his lap, yelled "run, Forrest, run!" to which I usually reply "Gee, no one has ever thought to yell that at me while running," but instead I yelled something not very nice. I didn't see Mile 6 (6:41) because I was busy stewing and thinking about the hill. I didn't have much left even though I knew the finish was downhill once you go up the hill, into a left hand turn, which gets stepper uphill (on grass/dirt, no road no sidewalk!). Into the finish. 6:40 pace for the last .34. The exact distance is around 41:11-15 equivalent. Was hoping closer to or just below 40 minutes, but I need a flatter, less trafficy, course. 193 feet of gain, which by Midwest standards and my usual race experience is mountain climbing.

Short 1.25 mile cool down, then awards.

I must say I have never run a race without closed, or at least partially closed roads. But the race was fun and a good community event. Almost 13 miles for the morning. Not a bad start to the day.

 2.6 miles home. 

 I hope the Utahns are throwing do some low 5s and high 4s.