Getting back to Boston

Last tough LR of the cycle. I hoped I would feel up to pushing the pace today. Fortunately I did. Relatively good night of sleep considering I had to be at work early today, work was done in 2.5 hours, and the weather was OK -- a little warm for my taste for mid-November, but bearable with a breeze (and later some rain). Plus a rest day yesterday, as a long day of work, a visit by Scott and Tammy and the football game prevented me from squeezing in a few miles.

Started about noon. Decided I'd do this run a little differently -- three loops coming back by my  house, so I could put some Powerade outside on the porch and a change of headbands and not have to wear the Amphipod. Only thing I carried was the old electronic leash, since I'm on call (again). First loop, 6.2 miles to Shiloh and back, was basically a warmup, but all six miles were sub 10. Stopped for a drink, a gel, a dry headband and a pitstop, then set out again. Same route, slightly past Shiloh this time, about 6.65, and all of this loop was sub-9, with the last mile or so at GMP. Stopped again for a drink and a dry headband, not that I needed that; about five minutes later the rain that was supposed to arrive at 11 a.m. arrived. It poured for about 10 minutes, then drizzled, then quit. But I had decided that this last loop, which was going to be 5.4 miles through JBH, was all going to be GMP. And it was, rain or no rain. Thus 7.07 miles (at least) at GMP. That's what I wanted.

Twenty days to go now. Unfortunately, I have to work the first 10 of them consecutively, so I get to squeeze in my weekend runs around work again. No football trip this time (Little Rock game completely undoable because of work, so T's going with his roommate instead), which makes it a little easier to get everything in, and the LR is only 14. Maybe I can do that Saturday afternoon after the game ends on TV. It's strange that I feel the pressure's off now. I can't get in for 2010, so I don't feel like I HAVE to run 3:30. I'd like to, but I don't have to. All I have to do is run the same time I ran a year ago at the same place and I'm good to go for 2011. I can do that. Been there, done that.

Finally, something resembling seasonable late-fall weather in the Ozarks. After the rain stopped, the cold air arrived -- upper 20s and blustery. Actually felt the need to bundle up a bit for tonight's easy 6 -- sweatpants, long tech shirt, headband and those lovely brown cotton gloves, $1.15 at Harps. I guess I needed some weather like this just to acclimate in case it's 35 and windy in Memphis again. Run felt easy, but darn if I didn't average low-9 pace. I guess the cold air was stimulating. I hope the fact 9:07 felt easy means 8:01 will feel relatively easy in 19 days.

Legs felt pretty good tonight, so after a mile and a half I decided to do tomorrow's planned tempo run tonight instead of a short easy run. That in spite of the weather -- 38 and raining, just the kind of night that makes my wife question my sanity for running in this stuff. Took the first 600 meter interval to get going, then I knocked the others off in well below 7:00 pace. Pretty much what I was hoping for. Then jogged it home. Overall average was 8:39. And only 18 days to go. Shoes ordered, electrolyte supplements ordered, race registration done, room secured, work schedule rearranged. Now I just have to get to Memphis healthy and in peak shape and give myself a chance to spend a bunch of money in Boston in April 2011.

Easy 5 around JBH tonight, after a trip to the Fleet Feet store to get gels and BodyGlide. Singed up for their email list; they also have running groups which may come in handy after Memphis. Not yet, though. I still got 17 days of plan to work here.

One of the advantages of having run St Jude last year is I can visualize the course. Tonight, I was visualizing the last mile and a half -- going down on to Danny Thomas Blvd, up the ramp from DT to Union Avenue, and up Union, hang a right, down into the ballpark. As I visualized it, I ran faster, and my easy run turned into sub-GMP. Wound up with a 9:00 average for 5.5.

Pushed the pace tonight -- hard. Probably would have pushed it even harder except that raisin snack fueled a bear attack at about 7 miles, which necessitated a little trainus interruptus. When the GI settled down, went back out, had to warm up again, but ended up running the last three miles REALLY hard. I figure I ran the first 13.11 in about 1:53, which ain't bad considering a 1:48 pace in Memphis would be BQ pace, and probably would have been 1:50ish without the bear visit.