4 easy miles @ 10:39/mi. I ran over to THS and ran most of it on the track. I was musing about running the Utah Valley Marathon this Saturday. Most of my pondering was around possible paces and the feasibility of finishing. Examples: I started running UVM when it began 5 years ago with the intention of running it every year. I found this week I'm one of 13 who have run the first 4 and are registered for the 5th. They are giving us and a guest free dinner at California Pizza Kitchen this Friday with a free hat and water bottle. That's cool. I've already wrestled with my physical preparation, or lack thereof, and I've made the decision to go ahead and try to stick with my goal to run UVM every year. Now I just need to work out a plan. Goals: 1. Don't injure myself. I can stop at any time. 2. Finish before they take the finish line down, preferably as far under 6 hours as possible. Is that feasible for me right now? Let's see. I averaged 9:27/mi for 12 miles a couple of weeks ago and felt strong at the end. Given tapering, carbo loading, and race day magic, maybe I could stretch that into 16 miles at that pace. Hmmm. That would leave me completely spent with 10.2 miles to do. If I ran slower to conserve energy, maybe I could get more miles at a slower pace. How slow? If I run too slowly my form falls apart. I run inefficiently and it beats me up. There's a lot of good downhill coming down the canyon. Once I hit University Ave and it flattens out for those last 6-ish miles, it's going to be slow going. Let's assume I can still walk by mile 20. If I walked at 3mph the last 6 miles it would take 2 hours. If I want to finish under 6 hours, that leaves me 4 hours for first 20 miles, that's 12:00/mi. Let's see. I ran very easy pace this morning and averaged 10:39/mi. That was flat. I've run 12 miles at 9:27/mi, with half of that being uphill, half downhill. Is it within the realm of possibility for me to average 12:00/mi for 20 miles? It is mostly downhill, but I know from experience that here are some big uphills mixed in there. If I can manage 10-11:00/mi on the downhill, and speed walk the uphills, a 12:00/mi average might be possible. I think that's as good of a plan as I'm going to get. I'll plan to run at an easy pace, similar to this morning, on the downhills, and speed walk the uphills. I'll walk through all the aid stations and make sure I keep myself hydrated and nourished. I'll run as long as I can, taking short walking breaks if needed. That will likely transition to walking with short stretches of jogging. At some point before I reach empty I hope to reach the finish line. It's clear that my training is not where I'd like it to be for a marathon. Still, I'm feeling better physically than I have for a long, long time. I am also prepared in many other ways. This is my 18th marathon. I know what to expect. I have a healthy respect for 26.2 miles, but I am not afraid. I think I am well prepared mentally. I know my body pretty well. It will tell me whether to stop or continue on. I think most of all it's my spirit that's telling me to go for it. I'm excited for the adventure. Life's too short to wait and wonder too long.
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