Getting back to Boston

Boy, I've fallen behind on my updates. Typing this on Wednesday. Took Sunday off; I was just exhausted after work. Got out for 10K easy at the track Monday night, then drove back home and did 8 hill sprints up Duncan. Lots of kids at the track at 9 p.m.; it's spring break week, I take it. One was singing along to ... Bohemian Rhapsody. Maybe there's hope for this generation yet. Run went OK. Still a bit sore from the "half", but no problems, and the sprints were OK too. This starts off my peak week. Which is not how I scheduled it; thus, the schedule represented cerebral flatus. One, I need a three-week taper. Two, next week is a work week, so doing 70 miles after work is completely insane, even if I manage to get home early a few times (22 miles after work? What was I thinking?). So I'll do 22 on Sunday, early, then start the taper. Man, it's down to the home stretch now. I have to take it in stride if some runs don't quite go as planned. One run at this point is not going to make or break my performance on the 18th, unless I do something stupid and get injured. I know I'm in shape, I've done the vast majority of my scheduled runs, and I've been healthy since the sciatica and the AT cooled off. That's all I can ask for. Finish the training, eat right, sleep right, and do my best. And I must say, my attitude is much better since my date Saturday night. It's unfortunate that I need validation from others, but I do. And having a good time with Kay, and seeing her have a good time, was a whole lot of validation. Hoping for more where that came from...

Revising this week's schedule on the fly, as usual, although I actually went back to the originally planned run tonight. I had intended to do intervals tonight, as part of changing peak week from next week to this. But I was still a bit sore from Saturday's "half"/MP run, and I waited too long between watching the HI board for news on the basketball coaching search, and chatting with LooHoo1 on FB. So stuck with what was written on my schedule all along, 6 easy followed by 2 hard progression. Went well. Did the 6 at 9:15 average and the 2 at 7:40, and the 7:40 really felt comfortable. I thought I was more in the 7:55 to 8:00 range, then looked at the watch at the end and it said 15:20 for the two miles. Maybe 7:50 pace is more in my range than I thought.

Speaking of watch, sent the Garmin back to the factory for the second time today. I'm hoping I'll have it back in time for the 22-miler on Sunday, but not counting on it. May have to depend on RunKeeper for my paces instead. I'm not thrilled about carrying the cell on a 22-miler; although it makes sense from a safety standpoint, it risks water/sweat/falling off my belt damage. I already fried one cellphone by getting it rained on during a run. I guess I can go back to the ziploc trick and hope that doesn't mess up the GPS.

Nailed another specific endurance workout, and I didn't think I'd be able to say that. Goal was to do 4 X 3000 with each rep under 14 minutes. I did. 13:50, 13:54, 13:55, 13:59. With warm/cool and recovery, a total of 11.25 at the track. Track was quite busy tonight, including a couple of really cute blondes, but no one got in my lane and workout was unimpeded.

Easy 6 at Ben Geren, just took it slow, probably 9:35-9:40 pace. Gonna try to do another monster interval set tomorrow before going to Fayetteville for baseball. Saturday, either a shortie or URD, with noon appointment at the relationship counselor (figure that one out). Sunday, big mutha -- 22. Then it's taper time.

Intervals at the track. Went to Plan B, a bit; I had some nausea/GI issues early, which forced a 30 minute delay, then I needed to get done and leave for Fayetteville. So I did three reps instead of four, and ran at MP instead of HMP. Actually, they were in-between MP and HMP. But I think I got the benefit out of them, certainly more than if I'd bagged them entirely when the stomach started acting up.

Now to Baum for baseball. Dunno if T and CJ will go with me or not. They're welcome, but it's their call. I'm going either way.

Easy 6-ish today. Got my new pair of Adizero Adios today and immediately went to try them out. Felt very much like the Manas did, maybe a tad better cushioned, although the only way to tell would be to take them on a longer run. And I don't have too many longer runs left. I may take the Nikes on tomorrow's run and wear these on the 17 miler on April 4, then decide which one to wear in Boston. Then again, I might change my mind after I get to Boston.

Weather has cooled off nicely. Almost too cool this morning, supposed to be a bit cooler tomorrow. Good time to start off a 22-miler early and finish before it warms up much, not that there will be a whole lot of warming.

So basically I'm about 18 hours from the start of the taper. What a trip its been, starting when I looked in the mirror in NLR and didn't like those multiplying chins. Through the challenge with Julie, joining the Crackheads, the crash and burn at LR and the commitment to do it again and get it right, joining this blog, getting the encouragement from Sasha, getting hooked up with the RWOL loonies and all the tangential stuff, the move, the whack, the divorce, getting my professional and personal life put back together, the one thing on the horizon has been the marathon, specifically Boston. Now it's almost here.

I'll have to figure out something to do next. Maybe it will be going back to Boston, or going for a PR this fall at Sacramento or Tucson, or something. Maybe it'll be backing off on the running a bit and focusing on personal connections. We'll see. Running needs to be there somehow, though. It's my release, my safety valve, my makeup for too many cheeseburgers and strawberry shakes. And at this point, many of my friends are my friends because of running.