5:45 AM: 40F, partly cloudy, dry & calm. Objective: easy run. It was a pleasant run. My pace is still quite slow, though the legs feel pretty good. That's the way it goes. I did tackle some of the longer, steeper hills today for the first time since before my marathon. I observed a weird paradox in that I climbed them at the usual effort level and was slower than ever -- but aerobically and psychologically it was not a big deal. I never thought "oh, this is hard" or "wish I could walk." Just rose up slowly, like an elevator. That was a great feeling. I'll see if I can start getting my mileage back next week.
To everyone racing this weekend: I wish you all a happy, successful experience. We are so lucky to have this great sport in our lives, and to be healthy enough to enjoy it. Remember that as you run and have a wonderful time. I look forward to reading all the reports as they come in.
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