Getting back to Boston

Taper is now officially underway. Did an easy 6 on the dreadmill after we got back from Camden. It was pouring down there this morning, but I couldn't have run anyway because the back locked up (again). In spite of vitually no sleep thanks to the not-my-mattress syndrome, the legs felt pretty good tonight, and the back loosened up finally as we drove home through the rain -- gain. Ouachita River, Saline River, vaious creeks all well out of their banks, and I'm willing to bet Burns Park is largely a lake. River Trail is probably out for the rest of the cycle, especially if it rains all week as is predicted. I have to really try hard to sleep better and eat better over the next 20 days. I do that, I'll be fine. I've done the work. The hay's in the barn. Get there healthy and well-fueled, and let 'er rip.

Back on the dreadmill tonight for another VO2 max interval run -- 5 X 600 at 6:30 pace (a tiny bit faster than usual). Run went well once the left hammy decided to loosen up, aided by a stretch break at 2 miles. The rest interval was one lap at about 8:30 pace, or a smidge over two minutes. Warmed up for 4.5, cooled off got 2600m after the last interval. Pretty pleased with it, and it seemed to be a bit easier than previous VO2 runs. Whether that's because the legs have had a little chance to recover, or because I am actually getting stronger, remains to be seen, but I think it does indicate improvement. Sure was quite a bit easier than the first one of these I did in this cycle, somewhere around March 1.

Not a bad day, all in all; got a decent night's sleep, work was not too stressful, run went well, and my shoes matched. Easy 6 at the AC, followed by a whirlpool session including some stretching, then shot hoops for about five minutes (5 of 10 on foul shots, 2 of 4 on three-pointers). Then came home to cook some spaghetti and do my blog. T-minus 18 and counting...

Last MLR of the cycle. Nearly 90 today, humid, and the trail is still flooded; thus, dreadmill time. Took two headbands and two bottles of Gatorade to the workout room and set out on my 14-miler. Slow progression at first, going from 9:50 pace to 9:15, then to 8:25, and the last two laps at GMP. Even threw in a bit of a hill at the end to simulate that little bump in Newport. One of those runs where the early/slow miles were a struggle and I felt better as I went faster. I hope that augurs well for having to start out on the 30th at a pretty good clip; I don't have the luxury of warming up in the first two miles at 9:30 pace or so. Anyway, happy with the way it went.

The big trip is close enough now that I can look up the advance forecast for Boston for our arrival: high 70, low 57 next Friday, sunny skies. Sounds like a good night to go to Fenway. It'll probably be a bit cooler at Chatham when we get there. I've been forewarned that it may be long pants and windbreaker weather the whole time. so be it. I'll still run in shorts...

Pushed a GA run on the DM tonight, sub-9 pace the whole way with strides at the end. Wound up with an 8:19 average overall. Legs do feel like they're snapping back with reduced mileage. So far, so good on taper madness.

Got in a very good 17-miler today after the thunderstorms cleared out (second straight Saturday that the boomers arrived here at about 4:30 a.m.). Started the run at 6:22, did an 8.5 mile loop, then did the same loop again. It never rained on me, and the sun even came out for a moment, but it was upper-60ish, damp and not too windy. Only issue I had with it was the old sweat-in-the-eyes problem on the first loop, but after getting my headband at the midway point, that went away. I've acclimated myself at least to temps in the 60s and low 70s with fairly high humidity, so if race morning in Newport dawns 40ish as history suggests, I should be good to go with that; 48 will feel like 35.

Anyway, I averaged sub-9 for the whole run, even counting a gel break and an answer-the-cellphone break (I'm on call until I get on the plane to Boston next Friday, so the electronic leash goes everywhere with me). Last two-miles plus were at GMP, even dodging downtown traffic, which was heavier than usual as the farmers' market is in high gear this morning.

Any blow to my confidence from last Saturday's lackluster run was erased today. The run went really well, and the acceleration in the last 2+ felt good. Took two gels during the run, and the first one at about 6 miles really picked me up; I felt the legs respond to a fresh dose of carbs. Also took about 40 ounces of fluid, which is really not enough, but it got me through. I tend to drink more if its readily available, such as at aid stations every two miles on the course. One Amphipod bottle on each hip does not constitute readily available to me; I go through those too fast. 

Cruise through the rest of the taper, one more VO2 max session, a dress rehearsal next week in Boston, and lots of sleep and carbs for the next 14 days. Exactly 336 hours from now (that's 14 days for the math-challenged; it's 10:30 a.m. CDT), I should be almost halfway through the race at Newport. Which means, I hope, that exactly 338 hours from now, I will have punched my ticket to Boston 2010.