Getting back to Boston

At some point, was gonna get the interstate run out of the way. Run across the Garrison Ave. bridge to OK. Did it yesterday. Legs actually felt fairly good. Total was 10.25 in 1:33. A little more than scheduled run, but it was OK. Finished the training week with 67 miles.

Now back to work.

Tonight's run went amazingly well. Warmed up, did 3 miles at 7:53 average, jogged a mile, di 3 miles at 7:26 average, then warmed down for nine laps. Total 9.75. Goals probably would have been 7:50 and 7:25, so pretty darn close. Especially considering I had such a lousy run 48 hours ago, then worked 12 hours today.

BAA put up the bib numbers today. I'm #12603. Apparently Corral 1 will be numbers under 1000, so I'm still in corral 13, right in the middle of Wave 2. Right where I figured I would be. Also found out my fellow Crackhead Ali will be there running with the medical group; we're gonna get together for some liquid carbloading, I think. That'll be fun.

EStimated 5.16, slow, around the mall. Legs pooped, body more so. Got 2 hours sleep last night, if that. Then got slammed at work. Still felt like running, but not much and not fast. This qualified as both. Now shower and early bed and maybe feel better tomorrow.

Solid progression run at the track. It was supposed to be 6 easy, 2 hard, but I pushed it a little earlier as I got comfortable. Averaged under 9 for the easy 6, averaged a little over 7:30 for the last two. If I'm still running 7:30s in the last two miles Saturday, I think I'll like the outcome. Now to really back down for the race. And see if I can arrange some after-race diversions... :)

Five easy including strides and drills. Six strides and highknees, buttkicks and lateral run. A little sluggish, but got 'er done, and the strides felt OK.

Pretty momentous day. Asked Kay out and she said yes! Connie and Eve were both there to add to the pressure/embarrassment. First unattached date in 28 years. Yikes. I think I've figured out how to handle myself, but we'll see how I do when the pressure's on. I just hope I don't disappoint her.

What a screwed up mess this was! Most of the field, including me, took the first wrong turn we could, less than a quarter-mile from the start. A guy I was with figured it out, got me turned around, and we eventually ran the entire course plus about 1.4. We met people going the wrong way so many times, people were taking wrong turns everywhere, the volunteers were little or no help, and the poor race director is asking everyone at the finish how far they ran. My legs didn't feel very good this morning. It was surprisingly cool, which was good, and windy, which wasn't, but the wind was not too much of an impedance. I didn't have the Garmin, or any watch at all, so I just kinda ran by feel once I left the guy who got me back on the right course. If his Garmin gave us the right distance, I ran an average of 8:09 miles. Basically a long MP run. I was running this race to train. I had hoped to run faster, but once we got off/back on course, it turned into an MP run, and I thought I did that part OK. Not too beat up now. I'll take a soak, a nap, and get ready for my date tonight. Where I placed? No telling. I think a bunch of people were lying to the race director about how far they ran, and she's going to hand out prizes based on those works of fiction. Forget it. I got my finishers' medal (a dogtag) and a T-shirt, and that's fine. Hopefully I'll feel pretty good for the date, which is more important to me than this race anyway.