8.5 miles (last longer run)

Today I ran 8.5 miles. Yesterday's scheduled 4 didn't happen due to family scheduling issues so I'll run that tomorrow. Today's run was the last of the longer run before the marathon. I finished it with an average pace of 9:52 mins per mile. It felt good and of course it should since I "normally" would be running 20 miles today. I took 1 gel and 0.6 liters of water. Good last major run.

4 miles Thursday and 4 Friday

I ran 4 miles yesterday and 4 miles today around the complex while my mom watched the boy. I didn't time either run and didn't try to push either. I just did them at a natural pace (whatever that was). I didn't take water or calories during either run. I did take a gel right before today's run since I had not eaten anything in a few hours.

Up next: I have an 8 mile run and a 4 mile run this weekend. The plan now is to run the 4 on Saturday and the 8 on Sunday but that might get reversed. I've started working on rough outline on how I am going to train for the Ultra. I'll post about that rough plan after the Marathon.

six miles around the complex

I ran 6 around the complex today (6 scheduled). My mom is in town so I was able to run this one outside and thus avoid the treadmill. I didn't run tuesday since I can run outside three days in a row during the week while she is here to play with and watch the boy.

I didn't time this run and didn't try to push it all. I was nice just to run outside.

Up next: four miles outside tomorrow and friday.

7.2 miles around town

This morning I ran 7.2 miles. My goal was to run close to a 10:30 pace and to that end I looked at my iPhone GPS and walked a bit a different times during the run to slow my pace down. I ended up with an average pace of 10:20. Starting out I was sluggish and was glad I picked today to do a slower run but after about 3 miles things kicked into gear and I felt normal and had to start slowing down.

The average pace I want to beat for the marathon is 10:30, thus beating my last marathon time. I know I can run 20 miles under this pace. The question is can I keep it up for 6.2 more miles. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

12.2 miles around town

I ran 12.2 miles this morning. I took in 1.2 liters of water and 200 calories (via 2 Gu gels). It was a fast run. I don't think I've run any run outside with an average pace under 10 minutes per mile during this training cycle. I did this 12 mile run with an average pace of 9:39. The goal was to do it "fast" but I was thinking more of a 10:00 per mile pace. I didn't feel like I was really pushing it but I know I could not keep that pace up for another 14 miles. It was good to do my last long run (anything over 10 is long in my book) "fast". I stopped (red dot on map above) and walked before getting all the way home since I ran the schedule 12 and was entering the one area I worry about twisting an ankle.

Up next: I'm scheduled for 4 tomorrow but since I skipped Thursday's run and 4 miles is too short, I'll going to run about 7.5 miles tomorrow.

Long range note: The family schedule is shaping up well for me to train right for the 40 mile run in the spring. The boy might be in a pre-school two days a week. This would allow me to do 4 runs a week outside (W, F, S and Sun) and have two days a week to do really long runs (W and F) without impacting family time.

8 Miles around the complex

I ran 8 mile tonight (8 scheduled) around the complex. There was a light mist to a light rain for all eight miles. Somehow this is the first rain run I've done during my current marathon program. I didn't take my phone so I'm not sure about the pace but I'm guessing it was around 10. It was a fairly easy run since it was really cool. I may have run to close to dinner again but wanted to eat with the family so I don't regret it. Good run overall. I drank about 0.4 liters of water.

5 treadmill miles (tuesday)

Ran the 1st mile at 10:30, the next 2 at 10 and the last two at 9:30. I drank 0.6 liters on water. Time is short so that's it for this update.