14.92 mi, 1:58:46, 7:58 avg
Long run with marathon specific long repeats today, 2 miles warm up, 2x5 miles @MP goal, followed by 2 miles warm down.
Joe said he would go along with me today but was doubtful he'd stick with me the whole way (but you never know about Joe as a often outperforms what he says he can do).
Met up at Longleaf at 7:00 (ish) - I was a couple minutes late. It was cool but humid, not quite chilly but fortunately it did not really warm up. Started out on the 2 mile easy part, stopped breifly to say hi to a group of the Striders. Saw Tom returning from his run, waved as we passed by. Was dreading picking up the pace from comfortable 9:30ish pace down to a 7:30 pace. Told Joe I was fine with being a little slower the first mile as long as we were under 8:00. About 0.6 miles into the faster part stopped by his cooler so he could grab a bottle of water to carry then continued on, finished first faster mile in 7:54, a little slow but ok. Next mile in 7:43 as we entered Starkey Park. Started getting a little bit faster and about halfway into the mile, Joe sent me ahead. Next mile was finished in 7:33, right where I wanted to be. Then an "old friend" stopped by, it was my old long run speed. Wasn't struggling but my pace was now in the 7:00's, next two miles in 7:07 and 7:08. With the faster miles at the end and the slower first two miles, was right around the 7:30 pace I wanted.
Did my three minute easy jog farther down the trail before turning back (later found out it was supposed to be 5 minute easy jog, but close enough). Leg speed was still there but new pace a little slower than last two miles but faster than goal pace so didn't push it, just locked in. Next four miles were 7:16, 7:18, 7:25, and 7:21. Then I caught up with Joe part of the way into the 5th mile. He had turned back a little early. Took a left onto Alico Pass then turned back so I'd finish the 5th mile near the corner and meet back up with Joe for the warm down miles. 5th mile was in 7:06 - so about 7:18 pace for second 5 mile interval.
Had a little bit farther to get back to the parking lot so warm down was actually 2.6 miles.
I felt really good about today's run with being able to not just scrape by in the marathon pace miles but comfortably run a little bit faster without feeling like I was struggling.
In the evening, had dinner at BJs and ordered their pretty big bacon and brisket topped burger and then went to see Bohemian Rhapsody at the movies.
| 