Where's the Donuts?

Easy five, 11th-Shore Drive. Sun came up halfway through, going to be a nice day. 36:02. 

supernova red --  347

11th-Shore Drive again, I'm slogging through this week with a sore throat and that achy, tired feeling that comes with illness and rainy fall weather. If I can get through work today and the long one tomorrow morning (20 early, I hope I don't get soaked) then I can get some rest and recover. Three weeks from Sunday is the marathon, so better to come down with something now instead of then. Anyway, another easy five miles, legs feel fine but I'm not "fine." 36:54. 

First big one in the marathon prep. I'm going to get one more next weekend. 

Wet morning to start in the dark, that's never fun. Plus Mike was gone so I was on my own. Ran the Slugs course down to zero then out to mile 9, then back to zero at the end to round out the 20 (actually, I was about 300 yards short or so because of where the parking lot is). Anyway, my hip camelback was acting weird about 4 minutes in, I couldn't get it to stablize. I got frustrated, and just dropped it. So I had about 16 miles without water, lucky it was raining, I guess.

First two were fast, but I ended up staying at the faster pace. I knew I should have been in better control, but it was pitch dark and rainy and the fast pace kept coming to me. The rain was on and off, during the few short downpours I seemed to speed up, maybe my mind was on the weather instead of pace. At the big hill in Manchester I told myself I was going to get four consecutive miles over 7, and I got three. Then I was back under 7/min pace and held that to the end. I kept waiting for that pace to drill me, but other than a few leg muscle pains I felt pretty strong and in control. A gu at 14 helped. When I got back to my water that was pure joy, and that gave me some energy for the last two.

Here's the splits: 13:26 (first two, although that's a little short); 7:16; 6:55; 6:46; 7:05; 6:54; 6:54; 7:56 (crept up the hill); 7:09; 7:07; 6:51; 6:47; 6:47; 6:51; 6:36; 6:56; 7:06; 6:50; 5:26 (short).

The time was 2:17 total, which factors out to where I want to be in the marathon. So hopefully I can recover, shake this little sore throat/cold, and get another good workout in next week. Three weeks until the race now. Probably need to get new shoes and break them in now.

Maybe the best part of the morning was breakfast. I was late, and we had a new waitress who was in over her head. I absent-mindedly ordered the special (which is cheap but kind of small) when I knew I was hungry for more than that. I was regretting it, but then she confused the orders and gave me a huge plate of bacon and eggs, for the special's price ($3). It was worth the 15 minutes of hunger pangs to get that reward.

supernova red -- 372

Medium workout day, though I'm still recovering from Saturday. Two easy out to the Warren Ave. bridge, then a 5-mile tempo that I cut off partway through the fifth mile. I was beat and really straining. First mile was quick, because it has the downhill (6:00), then an even mile on Tracyton Beach (6:13), then one on a decent incline to Riddell Road (7:00), then another flat mile (6:13, it was the same mile as the other 6:13, so at least I'm consistent), then I kept the pace for a few more minutes in Lions Park and quit. My legs were shot and I couldn't get the same breath as usually on tempo runs, it's this lingering chest cold. So I figured to save some energy on a cool, windy morning. My legs are fatigued, mostly in the quads from Saturday. Not too bad though, recovery has been good. I rode my bike yesterday instead of a run. Finished off this morning by running back at an easy pace and the sun actually showed up (it's been a few days without), then stretched for awhile. 1:08.

supernova red -- 382

Five easy on 11th-Shore Drive, my legs are still a little sore/tired from Sat/Tues. Nothing bad, just takes a little longer to get going. Cooler and foggy, it's fall so I'm looking forward to getting to the marathon now. My internal clock is saying 'be lazy.' Few more weeks though. 36:56

supernova red -- 387

Easy miles on Shore-11th. It's been an extremely stressful and taxing week, so I'm trying to survive until tomorrow's long run (last one before I cut back for the marathon). It was dark, but warmer than I thought it would be this morning (53), a pleasant surprise. My legs and fitness are good, completely recovered from last Saturday's 20, which I'm hoping to repeat (at least) tomorrow. Probably a slower pace though. 37:38. 

supernova red -- 392

I'm late posting this because I went straight from yesterday's long run to a wedding that ate up the rest of the day and evening, but here's the gist: a great 20-miler, if there is such a thing. Freezing at the start, but Mike went with so at least we suffered together. Slower pace than a week ago, which paid off, I really didn't feel pain or fatigue much at all. Quads a little tired at the end, but that's it. Had water, took gu, solved the world's problems, kept a good pace, watched the sun come up and the temp warm (some), and really enjoyed the miles. All between 7:05-7:35, then two 6:50s at the end. 2:25 overall. It's almost go time, I think I'm ready. 

supernova red -- 412 

Easy five on 11th-Shore, on the taper now. A little slower than usual. No lingering problems or fatigue from Saturday, my legs have bounced back fine. 38:44.

supernova red -- 417

A few easy miles on the treadmill at the Y. The running is easy, it's the being inside and boredom that I now need to train for. Going there helped me get up in the dark today though. Taper, taper, taper. 36:00. 

Back outside today, I left for the Y but it was warm so I changed my mind. I did some of the 11th-Shore route, ran for 31 minutes, which is a little shy of the usual. 

Another taper day, but down in Port Orchard. Just 8 miles on the regular weekend route, Mike met me and we ran to mile four and back. Not too fast, but three miles under 7/min. once we got talking. Didn't feel like pushing, so I won't worry. Certainly is easier to wake up early when you know the run is in the single-digits. Also helps when it's 45 degrees in October at 6 a.m. Nice run, about a week to go before the marathon now. Everything feels good, a few more easy runs and I'll be ready to roll. No watch today, but it was a little less than an hour total. 

supernova red --  433

Started on the 11th-Shore route on a dry, dark morning, but the rain soon started and I trimmed back the run. Taper week, I can tell myself. It was pouring by the end, so I'm glad not to be out there too long. Did about 3.5, I'm guessing, since I didn't run the regular route. 29:01. 

supernova red (a new pair, same exact shoes): 3.5 

Easy running around my neighborhood, no route. Just ran for 30 minute at an easy pace, which is probably a little less than four miles. I went after work as it was getting dark, it was incredibly quiet and peaceful out. I don't think a single car went by, and that's at 7 p.m. Really nice, and I was completely relaxed. I'm feeling rested, legs are springy and fresh, so hopefully the taper is working. 29:45

supernova red (new): 7.5

Easy run on 11th-Shore, very dark but not too cold. My legs are loose and feel rested, but a taper of basically two weeks should do that, I suppose. Few more days and it's time to go, weather report still looks good for us. 29:50

supernova red (new):  11.5

Now that's what a call a taper week. I hope not too much. Another easy half hour on 11th-Shore Drive, this time with a few striders to make sure my legs were sharp. I feel good, rested and loose heading into the race. Now four hours in a car and I'll be at the course. Weather is forecast in our favor tomorrow. Josse asked on the blog yesterday about the race plan, so I'll answer that here. I'm planning to pace with Dale, stick together through the opening stages of the race. I want to be conservative, but within striking distance of sub-3:00 pace. Anything close to that will be good, and if we're still feeling good down the stretch hopefully we'll be sub-3. 30:39

A few thoughts before the official race report: 

— I really liked this race, it was about the best podunk race I could imagine. Maybe 150 entrants, no one really fast, nothing special about the "expo" (it took maybe 90 seconds to register), no chip times, and brief post-race festivities (the awards maybe took 15 minutes). But they ran it well, had plentiful aid, all the turns and miles marked clearly, and a really nice course.

— Beautiful weather, other than some headwind in a few spots (including the last 9 miles, but by then I didn't notice anymore). 60 or so by the end, clear skies, sun reflecting off the river we were on the whole time, fall leaves out; I'm making this sound like I had time to pay attention to the beauty. It's always nicer in retrospect, right?

— The race course starts, I'm not kidding, in the parking lot of the hotel everyone stays at. What a concept. No need for port-o-potties, I had a four-star pre-race and used my own private bathroom. I dropped my warm-ups off 8 minutes before the gun, on my bed. This is genius.

On to the report:

Dale and I started at the head of the pack, though it was tough to gauge the leaders because a lot of folks run this as 2- or 4-person relays. So those went out quickly. We stuck to our gameplan and ran really consistent miles (maybe 3 was quick, but there was a downhill), picking off many of the relays teams and other fast starts. We were in a great position headed out and consistently around 6:50-6:55, a sub-3 pace. I won't bore you with all the splits.

You cross the first bridge and turn north at 9 or so, that's when we hit a headwind. It slowed us a bit, but we turned around at 11 (and change) and made up some of the ground. We were 45 seconds or so off pace, if I'm remembering right, at the 1/2. 1:29 and change, with the tailwind at our back. Felt pretty strong at that point, it had warmed up but we were still both in gloves.

Between 16 and 17 you cross the last bridge and head back. This is where I hit a little bump. Dale pulled me across the bridge and I thought I could hang with him a few more miles, even though I was losing some steam. But when we left the bridge I mini-bonked. Not a true "game over" bonk, but I just lost my head of steam. He did his best to pull me along but by 17.5 I was slurring my steps. So I let him go and backed off, I think that mile was 7:22. At the aid station just past 18 I walked through, had two gatorades and a Gu. It was the fastest I've ever had a Gu, maybe took 15 seconds to finish. That's when I realized how much my body was craving energy; I was sapped. They had some M&Ms there that I wolfed, drank more Gatorade and water and started again. I hit another mid-7s mile, so I regained some energy and started to feel ok about finishing with a decent time (though sub-3 was gone). That plan worked for 2 more miles or so, but by 21 I was cramping badly. My hamstrings would ball up once a mile, at least, so I was stopping to quick-stretch too often. So those last five miles all had 1-2 minutes added to them, I was running pretty stiff-legged by 24 and just slugging it out. My goal kept dropping (I thought 3:05 was possible, then 3:10, then 3:15). I was just working to finish at a run at that point, and actually passed one guy who had moved past me at 25. I had a little kick, didn't quite get the two in front of me but seeing as I couldn't really bend at the knee, I won't cry about it. I was done, after replentishing (not a bad spread, even though it was mostly candy) my legs loosened up and I could walk/stretch it off. And under 3:15, that's not lousy.

To say I'm disappointed for not making that goal would be wrong. I helped Dale get under 3 (great race, my man -- if you don't know him go read his blog). I realized I'd only ran 3 marathons (and only finished two of them), so my body isn't quite used to finishing one off strong, no matter what my training has been. Obviously my diet prep left something to be desired, so there's another lesson learned. All in all, I had fun. It cleared my head, made all the running this summer worthwhile, and I'm happy to have done it.

supernova red -- 43