Of Mice and Marathons

Union/Courtland/Vinton Woods loop - 8 miles, averaged 8:27

Enjoyable recovery run. A bit of high wind gusts, but oddly balmy with a mild passing shower. 

AM: Short loop around the north side - 4.2 miles, averaged 8:22

Unfortunately that's all for today. 24-hour exam begins in 17 minutes. 

On reflection . . .

PM: 9th street out and back - 5 miles, averaged 7:40 w/ 1 mile at marathon pace coming back.

New loop I'm thinking of calling "the Stinky Loop" because it goes by a corn syrup factory and a waste water treatment plant. Basically a less hilly version than a similar 8-10 mile loop I sometimes do. Pretty tired but I got moving once I got going - 11.3 miles, averaged 8:06

9th street + Heritage Trail out and back - 6.2 miles, averaged 8:08

Old Standby, classic version - 5.1 miles, averaged 7:57 w/ 4-5 strides

Hit the last .10 at 5k pace (with a quick traffic dodge onto the sidewalk), but I got up to 4:50 and it felt fairly controlled. With all the aerobic running my form has gotten a bit sloppy. More strides needed and an occasional, very short interval session as the marathon buildup progresses. 

Union Street out and back - 5.5 miles averaged 8:01 + 6  x 100M strides 

Cold and raining. I'm now freezing.

PM: Restrung my shorts after the tie came out. Easily 1 mile of mental cross training .

Long run loop, modified to avoid colliding with the half marathon that I am super bummed I didn't get to run - 16 miles, averaged 7:34

Miles 11-14 @ faster end MP (6:53, 6:52, 6:55, 6:44) for a bead of sweat under 6:51

I tweaked my ankle around mile 2-3, which I often do but this time it took several steps to straighten out and I could feel it during the run but not bad. I am sure it is fine, but it felt more serious than the day-to-day nothing-to-worry-about stumbles I am sure every runner experiences while facing non-ideal running area.

Went down to cheer on the runners of the first Purdue Boilermaker Half Marathon. My apartment is just up from mile 8.5ish. I figured by the time I got out of bed at down there around 8:50 the leaders would come through. I saw one fellow as I was running down and I calculated him to be on 1:23-1:26 pace assuming they started on time at 8. I asked some folks how many people went by and they guessed 10, with one guy "way out in front." I imagine he was running in the high 5:00 minute range. Hope he has some gas for the uphill finish. I decided to help the cop at the intersection by waving people the other way before they got there. People see and cop and an event and drive right at them.

Anxiously waiting the results. (No results posted, but I guess someone I knew won with a 1:08. Probably a solo effort since I don't know anyone in the area that fast. He just ran a 1:08 in Boston for 10th at the BAA Half Marathon. He ran a 1:06 and change last April when I ran the Carmel Half).

Time to taper off a bit and hope I don't gain 10 lbs before I hit the starting line in 2 weeks.