Denouement

8.34 in 7:48 ave pace. Was running nice and easy til some guy turned a corner right when I was passing and going about 7:15, so I of course had to go with him. 7:23 for that eighth mile.

AM: Warmed up 3.84, then 10x 1 min on/off (5:36 ave pace), 3.83 cool down

PM: 5.38 in 7:26 ave pace, core workout 

10.04 in 7:44 ave pace, 15 min elliptical, PT exercises

AM: slept in, drove to track.  Met Mack for warm up.  did 4.32 in 34:53.  Switched shoes, stretched then did this workout: 5x2000m @ 6:00-6:12 pace (7:30-7:45), then 3x200m, 35-37 sec.  Nervous about this workout because it is so big, and my lower left foot was hurting yesterday, but it felt fine today. Wanted to start the 2000m tempo intervals at 6:12 and drop each one. Times were 7:42 (2:31 rest), 7:38 (2:31 rest), 7:36 (2:30 rest), 7:33 (2:47 rest - mandatory pit stop), 7:27 (have to admit on this one I crossed one mile at 6:02, so last lap split was 85, so that is good and bad, good in that I could pull out an 85 even when tired, bad that I wasn't cranking 6:00 the whole time).  Then jogged a lap slow, then did the 200s.  Wanted to not hold back. 34, 34, 32.  Practiced on last one trying to accelerate through the straightaway. These are my fastest 200s since college, don't really do much shorter stuff nowadays except tagged at the end of workouts like this.  Very successful workout, so happy.  2.94 mile cool down.  Ice bath at home.

PM: 4.95 on the TM in 40min, core workout 

8.36 miles in 8:00 pace.  Just checked the mileage board and I am winning! (by .29 miles and probably for just a half hour, due to high mileage people being in post-marathon phase, and others not having all workouts for the week posted, but still. . .) I am winning :D

Slept at my sister's the night before.  Wasn't planning much warm up, so was able to sleep until 6am, for a 7:30 start.  Only problem with that was my oatmeal was still in my gut when the gun went off.  It was too cold in Eden (31F) for my shorts, but I didn't pack spandex, so I went with the shorts.  Thankfully I had hand warmers in my purse, and stuck a pair in my dollar gloves, wore a long sleeve shirt and shorts.  Warmed up .5 miles and did some stretching. Didn't see the ladies at the start until right before the gun.  None of us were racing, though I was planning a tempo for the second half of the 30K, wanted 6:35 pace.  I ran with a couple of nice guys I met in the race, and would put in my music when I was on my own.  A guy named Jake was with me off and on, but we were together at the mile 9 marker and he told me he was going to try to hang on, so I decided to give him fair warning of the upcoming tempo, and started my tempo at the mile 10 marker (I was second female at this point).  The split at the 10 mile was 1:11:59, and was net uphill just a bit.  Miles 11 and 12 were nice gradual downhills, then 13 seemed to flatten out, 6:23 for mile 11, 12:55 for 12-13, I passed Sariah Long in this mile while she was visiting a port-a-pot, not ideal for passing someone because I knew she was taking it easy, envisioned her getting out of the potty to see me ahead and that giving her motivation to come get me, so I was running scared, lots of rolling hills to the end, mile 14 was 6:39, mile 15 was 6:47 and involved choking down my first ever 5 hour energy shot on an uphill (I heard Ryan Hall takes these toward the end of his marathons and wanted to try it out in a non-high risk arena, so this was it).  miles 16-18 were 6:28, 6:35, 6:39, and a 6:18 for the last .7 mile bit.  Don't have official time but it looks like 2:08:37 per my watch, 6:53 ave pace, 6:32 ave pace for the tempo.  Ran another 2.8 after a potty break, ran the course backwards for 1.5, and found a girl that looked like she had more to give, and coached her in.  She passed 6-8 people, and got my pace for the 2.8 under 8 min pace so a victory for both of us.  I was grateful she responded to me.  I hope she checks out the blog like I suggested.

85 mile week!