Long Runs 10/9 - 10/16

[colby]

Congrats on your half Colby!!! When is your full?
Hills always kill me going up, but I love the downhill after (unless I'm running the Nike in San Fran and it was uphill all the way- seemed that way anyhow).

Again, great job! Your time is wonderful, and it's good to hear that you had some juice left in the tank at the end!

Thanks, Tri Girl My full isn't until November 26th. Next weekend is another long 20+ miler, then a shorter week, then one more of those before I start tapering. Supposedly the marathon is pretty flat until the last 6 miles.

I noticed a lot of people struggled on the downhills. I smiled, remembering a recent discussion here about the very same issue. Fighting the hills seems like a total waste of energy. It had rained earlier, so I can see approaching some areas with caution, but most were pretty safe, and it's so hard on the knees to try to resist. My knees hurt as it is (muscles fine, knees complaining).

I definitely am going to add more hills into my biking and running for next year. I could really feel the difference between this HM and my last HM, so I know my strength has really improved over the summer. I did recover faster after the hills, as evil as they were

[Grog]

I noticed a lot of people struggled on the downhills. I smiled, remembering a recent discussion here about the very same issue. Fighting the hills seems like a total waste of energy. It had rained earlier, so I can see approaching some areas with caution, but most were pretty safe, and it's so hard on the knees to try to resist.

I was the one who raised the topic.

Since I've stopped doing serious hills because I had hurt my right quad. So I've only had one major downhill, on my race last weekend, and I've noticed that just by being more thoughful of letting myself glide down it was easier. I also know though that I can take too much speed and make myself even more tired going down the hill.

Reading your post made me think that the HM I'm signed up for in May (I love to sign up early!) had a major hill in it. It's between 6 and 10% on 800 km or so. I think I'll go run it a few times to see how I feel on it, and practice the downhill, because it's even longer (maybe 1.2km) and also steep. Thanks for the advice to go scope out the course!!