LineUpAndWait

Track workout at Kentwood HS.

Getting on a plane tomorrow night so I knew I would miss the Youngs Lake workout with the Cedar River group.  I decided to run it a day early.  It's so hilly but I like the dirt/gravel trail.

AP 8:48

Finally decided on a Fall marathon.  I've decided to run the Tri-Cities Marathon on October 28th in Southeast Washington.  That means I needed to get serious about a mini marathon training plan.  I'm certainly not in marathon shape but I want to do one before the snow flies.  I don't have any expectations about running a fast time or setting a new PR.  I haven't done a long run since before the Ogden marathon.  This one kind of hurt.  I kept messing with my watch but the AP was around 8:46.  I'll try to ramp up the mileage the next couple weeks and then do a mini taper.

Kentwood HS Track...

Did some 800s: 3:19 / 3:22 / 3:24 / a couple untimed.

Did a pace mile @ 7:20

Then a few more laps....

All in all 6 miles total

Lake Youngs trail. Left my Garmin in Utah so I just used a watch and the mile markers on the fence. Legs were still sore from the 20 miler on Sunday. First 8 miles were around 8:45 pace. Mile 9 was 7:45. Mile 10 was uphill and 8:00.

Group run along the Cedar River. After 81 days without any measurable precipitation, some one turned on the spigot. Steady rain the entire run. It wasn't a downpour, but certainly more than a drizzle. Actually enjoyed the run. Outbound 7 mile leg from Lake Wilderness to Landsburg Park was 57:58 with an AP of 8:17. On the way back I paced for 3 miles with a guy who got into the NY Marathon based on a qualify time. No Garmin, but the pace was probably around 7:30. I backed it off and let him go. Each time I do this run I feel stronger, longer. The 7 mile return leg was 57:00 flat or 8:08 AP. Iced in Lake Wilderness and called it a day.

Hilly, rolling Lake Youngs trail. Nice and easy pace. Probably just under 9mm pace.

Seven miles on the hotel tredmill in Denver.

Paced Jenni to a 1:58 in the SoJo Half Marathon. Good times!

Soos Creek Trail - No watch.

So I haven't run a marathon since early Spring and wanted to get one in before the snow flies.  This long distance commuting has made it difficult to stick to a training plan and even though I wasn't in marathon shape, I decided to do one anyway.  Tri-Cities was the perfect choice.  It's a very well done small marathon.  The course was fantastic.  Nearly flat except for the 4 times you cross the Columbia river.  The scenery was great.  Race conditions were ideal. Overcast skies with temps in the low 50s.  No rain. My Garmin was in Seattle but I left the charger in Utah so dead Garmin means no Garmin.  I just used a stop watch to occasionally check my time on a few miles.  The first 3 miles were all around 8:10 pace.  I stopped looking at it after that and just enjoyed the river.  The wind was dead calm and the Columbia was like glass.  Went through the half at 1:47:42 with an ave pace of 8:14.  I had only done one long run in preparation for this race so I knew the second half would be rough and the last 10K torturous.  I definitely slowed down the second half but just kept going.  Tried to focus on not completely blowing up and posting any double digit miles.  I think I had a couple of 9:20-9:30ish miles in the last 10K but never slower than that.

Good times.