Nice Taper, Stupid!

OBJECTIVE
13 mi. Slow

ACHIEVED
13.02 mi.@ 8:14/mi.

6:07 AM 67° 74% 1 mph

Everything started out fine and most likely ended up horribly. Let me explain. Our group was small today: Stephanie, Michelle (???), Josh, William, and me. Everyone was planning for around 10 miles except me. I had 13. I revisited my training schedule to make sure 13 miles was the right distance for me the week before the marathon. That's what it calculated out at so I've got to trust the schedule. That makes my last two weeks' long runs (taper) 15 and 13 miles. Last year I think I did 10 and 8.

You'll notice my run was scheduled to be slow. "Slow" is slower than "Easy" in my training schedule. For me, "easy" is in the 8:24-54/mile range and "slow" is at the very top of that range of even slower up to 9:17/mile. Okay, you'll notice today's 13 miles were covered with an average pace of 8:14/mile. Faster than "easy" and much faster than "slow". Now I have a serious concern that I may have left my best marathon out on the road this morning.

Everything started out just fine. We eased out for a very leisurely two miles that were above 9:00/mi. From there, it just gradually picked up. The weather was good. I think we were all feeling good running on rested legs from tapering. Mile 5 was 8:23 which was about the fastest I wanted to be running. But Steph and Josh picked it up over their last 3 miles. Remember they were only going 10 while I had 13. I couldn't let them drop me. I felt strong and as they picked up. I hung with them. Miles 7 - 10 came in at 8:07/7:49/7:49/7:45. That was absolutely stupid! Those are marathon splits for me and shouldn't have happened today. Oh but it gets worse.

After leaving the others at the swimming pool, I'm on my own for a final 3 mile loop of Memorial Park. I can slow down, right? No rabbits pulling me along; no competitive fires burning, etc. etc. Well, I clocked the last 3 miles at 7:45/7:27/7:43. Faster than the prior 4 miles! Midway through, I looked down and I was averaging 7:17 for the current mile. I kicked myself in the butt and said SLOW DOWN (that's the mile that ended up at 7:27). I hope I enjoyed my personal Olympics this morning because that was absolutely ridiculous and shouldn't have happened. Hopefully I don't regret it next Saturday. For example, when I need to be dropping some 7:55 miles after Mile 20 in St. George.

A couple observations from this stupidity. First, I felt really strong from a cardio standpoint. I wasn't breathing hard at any point. However, I felt a bit weak from a musculature perspective. My lower abs were complaining slightly and my legs didn't feel strong; just okay. Hopefully, I get some spring in them with this week's light running.

Also, I must have done something to my right knee running in DC yesterday. I didn't ever notice anything but it was sore yesterday especially after the flight back home. The problem is right under the kneecap. It didn't seem to bother me running today. I wonder if it was the shoes I wore yesterday (my oldest, high-mileage pair) or running on cobblestones or hopping up and down at intersections waiting for the traffic lights to change. It's a concern that hopefully improves and takes care of itself over a couple days.

Lastly, I took an ice bath once I got home. It was good. I hate getting in but once used to the tub filled with only cold water and two bags of ice, it's fine. I stayed in for twenty minutes. Hopefully that aids recovery from today's insanity!

PRE RUN
weight = 154.5#
FRS liquid concentrate, 2 FRS chews, oatmeal w/1% milk & brown sugar, multivitamin & water

POST RUN
2 SlimFast