Pocatello Marathon (training run effort)
Ran the Pocatello Marathon today as a training effort. This was my fourth year doing this event ('11, '12, '14, and now '15). This was the first time I didn't approach it as a race. Main reason being it is only 4 weeks before my goal race, SGM (in past years its always been 5), and I didn't want to necessitate backing off my training schedule much to accomodate a taper and the subsequent marathon recovery period. Goal was to run a controlled effort averaging 6-minute pace, and if I felt good, to push the last few miles. That goal was mostly accomplished in that I averaged 6:01 pace (2:38:12). I generally felt good and controlled, never near redlining. However, my splits were not as consistent as I ideally would have liked, and I really wasn't man enough to push the last few miles as hard as I should have/had planned. Ended up finishing 1st place. Temperatures were perfect. Slight headwind the second half. Admittedly, my legs feel more thrashed than I hoped they would for this effort.
Anyways, fun run. Good finish to a 90-mile week. This is an awesome little marathon that's run very well. The director and his team do a great job with it.
More thoughts later.
P.M. - 50 mile joy ride to the top of Little Mountain and back.
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