On the road to BOSTON!

I took it easy all weekend after my long run on Friday. I realized that I had pushed it way too hard for tapering for the marathon this Saturday. This morning I ran Bloomington Drive and tried to keep the pace down, nice and easy and decided to make this a confidence booster run. Typically I work several 20-30 second walks into my runs. I kept the pace slow, I thought, and steady and ran the distance without my typical walk breaks. I ended up very refreshed, the break re energized me, and the pace was 7:48.

I plan to make this same easy run the next 2 days and then take Thursday off while I drive to Salt Lake. Then Friday morning I plan on going out for a short 2-3 miles run at 7:00am to simulate the race start.

Same run as yesterday...not as fresh as yesterday but still feel good. 7:57 pace

I got antsy today not running so I got on my bike to ride around the block...then it extended down to the end of the road then to the bike path...yep before I knew it I was out to the post office on River Road. Then coming back the wind kicks up....hate that! I ended up with a 9 1/2 mile ride. More than I should have but oh well.

One mile jog in Ogden

The race that humbled me!

Short warm up jog before the race (1 mile)

I started out feeling very good about today's run. Started out perhaps a bit fast but not too bad. Cruising along and started to feel the hammy a little as well as the calves at about mile9 or so. Stopped and stretched and did okay. Hit the half way mark (1:48:30--8:16 pace) and was behind my goal but this was basically a run and not a race........

Mile 15 I was started to tire a bit but still okay just slower that I hoped for. Around 15 1/2 my calves started to cramp up. I cannot remember, or can't count high enough the amount of times I needed to stop and stretch. Long story short from that point the race was no longer a race, or a run, it was survive. 11 1/2 miles of cramping. I was eating anything that people were handing out. Oranges, pretzels gatorade, water etc. I limped my way to the top of State Street hoping that I could at least coast down the slight decline to the gateway...NOT. I ran with my left leg that was kind of cramping and stiff legged with the right leg. Rounding the last turn into the Gateway I spot the cobblestone road and when I hit that portion with the 90 degree turn the legs gave out. Major charlie horse with the right leg and my left calve looked like an alien was wanting to come out of my leg. I came just short of falling to the ground and caught myself on the gaurdrail and had to apply pressure to the charlie horse for about 2 minutes before it released.

Then the dreaded half walk, stifflegged, cramping through Gateway. The people were great cheering me on but I was MAD. Missed my goal by 35 minutes and I was hurting.

I am humbled! I am hoping that I can get my attitude back to where it needs to be for the Ogden Marathon in 4 weeks.

I have not had problems with my calves like this before and hope to figure it all out soon.

Sunday------Looking over my splits now that the pain of the race is over, I ran a personal best for the first 5k (21:10-- 6:48 pace) ....this has to certainly be part of my problem, starting too fast. I really didn't think I was going that fast because I was not pushing, I was just running with a relaxed effort, hind sight, slow down at the beginning.....