sub-3 or blow-up trying

Ran 3.5 miles on the TM, raced over to pick up two of my children from track practice, and then ran another 7 miles, 6 @ 8:25 pace through trails and a slow jog back on the road to home- 10.5 miles total.

Went to the track, 40 degrees, sunny and 20mph winds.  Did 1-mile warm-up and then 4x3x2x1- all at mp with a couple minutes break between sets to get gu/water.  Here's the break down

4 miles (7:02,6:59,6:48,6:42)

3 miles (6:52,6:49,6:36)

2 miles (6:42,6:34)

1 mile (6:20)

Felt good about the workout, especially having to fight the wind and not caving in to cutting the workout short.  11 miles total. 

I was pretty sluggish today, so kept it slow, short and mostly on trails- 7.25 miles total.  Also weighed myself at the gym and have dropped 6 lbs in the last 2 1/2 weeks.  Still a little heavy for a marathon, but closer to my preferred range. 

Got outdoors and did first 2-miles on the road (8min pace), next 5-miles on trails (7:48 pace), and then jogged the last two slowly back on the road- 9 miles total.

Ran 7 slow miles with my wife- 5 of them on trails. 

Ran w/my 13-year-old a 10k this morning.  It was sunny, windy (18-20mph), and high 30's out.  Probably 200-300 runners, partly 5k and 10k.  Decided to run a firm race, but not sure if I'd go for my pr on this course (39:58).  Runners were off and a good pack of 10-12 were ahead of me.  Decided to keep things around the 6:20-25 range.  Gradual rolling hills throughout, so uphill I was keeping 6:35 pace or so and downhill 6:05-10 range.  We hit the 1.5 mark and the 5k'ers began a turnaround and I suddenly realized I was in 2nd place.  Held second place all the way through mile 4 and then 2 runners passed me.  They drug me along to the finish which by my watch I was right on target to break 40 by 10-12 seconds, but 6.2 came and the finish line was still a football field or two away.  Finished in 40 minutes flat.  Bummed a tiny bit because I would have loved to shave my pr a few seconds and had it in me.  At the same time, pleased to get a good, firm run in and keep steady pace 1 week before Boston (fastest mile was 6:07 and slowest was 6:36- it was the same stretch but opposite sides of the slope).  My 13-year-old daughter finished just under 53 minutes to place 2nd in her age group as well.  It was a nice day for the two of us and we celebrated by a lunch at subway. 

Broke out a new pair of shoes for next week's marathon- brooks pure cadence and they fit like a glove! Felt great straight out of the box. Ran on TM with them- 1 mile warm-up, 3 miles @ mp (7:08) and .25 cooldown- 4.25 total.