Sunday Loooooong Run
Up this AM at 4:30 for a 5 AM start. Loaded up with some carbs and out the door with my MP3. Pitch dark. Cool. Fog. Dead quiet. My goal was to cover 12 miles in two hours before linking up with my running club for our Sunday trail run. The problem is that there are hills in every direction, so there is no avoiding them. One climb was about a mile up. My biggest challenge today was the downhill portions. I just couldn't keep my weight forward and allow momentum to take me down the hill without breaking with my legs. At a few points, I slowed to nearly a walk to avoid the wear and tear I knew forcing the downhill would take on me. I covered about 11.5 in the first two hours of solo running and then continued on the trail with the help of my ultramarathon friend Ted doing the pacing. More hills but everything felt good. No pain or stiffness after the run, just some mild dehydration. My body is conditioned to 3 hours of easy paced running. Running at my marathon goal pace hardly seems possible, but the best coaches say train slow, so that is what I'm doing. The nice thing about starting early is that my run was done by 8 AM with most of the day in front of me. We invited Ted and his fiancee Elizabeth to the house for a light breakfast and coffee on the patio. Life is good! After noon easy run with son Thomas. Legs feel great. No soreness. Let's see what tomorrow brings?
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