Long time running

I see where I have not written much about my running since the laptop crashed. Perhaps it is because I have been reconstructing the lost four weeks of records in my Excel files, opening an iDrive storage account, restoring files from my pin drive, reformatting my 2008 files a second time, etc.

So for perspective, there are less than four weeks until my next marathon. I had my first 20-miler last weekend, the day before the Disney race, and I limped it out in pretty warm weather. It took 3:42 which was over 11 minute miles. That's sad but I expected as much the first time at 20 miles and temps in the high 60s/low 70s.

Tuesday it was 40 degrees as I hurried out to the track to put in 12x400. I liked the cold, wore tights and warmed up through the first few laps in a windbreaker and cap. By the fourth lap I was down to just a long sleeve shirt and the times were great with a second-best-ever time of 1:37.5 on one lap. My average pace for the dandy dozen was 6:55 mile pace with only the first lap over 1:45.

Thursday it was rainy so I put off my 5-miler until Friday. It had warmed up again to 60 and I ran it in 49:38, a9:36 pace.

Today another front came through and when I went downtown for my long run it was windy and 47. I forgot my gloves and wore shorts, cap, and extra T-shirt on top of my long sleeve tech shirt. I kept them on until the 7-mile stop when I shed the cap and T-shirt.

My group was of good size this morning and we were all anxious to get moving and warm up our bodies. At the first cross-street another group of runners - all fasties - turned onto the avenue. In the interest of staying warm we fell in with the fasties heading up to the golf course. Some of them moved out ahead of us but everybody else kept up a strong pace which we maintained.

I looked at my watch and we were rolling along at sub-9 minute pace right through the first four miles. Everybody stopped for fluids. I did too but felt compelled to move out first and let the fasties chase me down. After two miles I was still ahead of them. Finally two guys flew by me and I expected the rest of them soon. My pace was still sub-9. At the next drink stash stop I had held the rest of the fastie pack off, covering the 7-mile route at an 8:47 pace. This amazed me. I felt so good and was singing the praises to myself of training with faster runners to push my abilities to a higher level.

The last three miles of the 10 mile route were no less exhilarating. I crossed the finish line in 1:30 ... except I wasn't finished. Left without anymore pace rabbits I went out for a recovery five miles to close out the morning. It took me another 48 minutes but I never lost stamina. In fact I did the whole run with no Clif Blok Shots or anything else. I had water and half a bottle of Zipfizz (loaded with B12, B6 and Vitamin C).

Monday is a holiday so I am chilling here watching NFL playoffs and looking forward to sleeping late tomorrow, a short work week, a 5K race on Saturday morning, my birthday on Saturday with a heavy carbo loaded dinner at night before my second and final 20-miler next Sunday.

Sounds like a plan.