Long Runs 10/30 - 11/6

[Grog]

Wow Colby, that looks like it hurts! Good for you for passing the 20-mile marker though. You'll be awesome on marathon day!

KSH, don't despair. Take it easy so you can keep improving...

I also take a day off after my long run (on Sundays) and Tuesdays are tough anyway. I think I'll start doing speed work again but on Wednesdays... I have dropped that for a while. But I shouldn't, really.

Funny, I had French (from France) colleagues in town today and I drove them around (in the POURING rain) and there were all these people running, even after dusk - Vancouver is a big running city - and they were just amazed, couldn't believe why so many people would hurt themselves like that! I must admit that, when I think about it... ouch.

[kaybee]

Grog -- sounds like you're doing great! That last hill sounds like a bear.

Colby -- hope you're feeling better. I think you're ready. On marathon day the adrenaline will get you through. And now that you're into your taper you'll get some extra rest, which it sounds like your body needs.

Shiraz -- yes, I sometimes have trouble sleeping are a long run or ride. In fact, I didn't sleep well last night. Although my legs were tired after Saturday's run,the weather was beautiful yesterday and I hadn't ridden my bike in a couple of weeks (yes, she was very lonely!), so we went out and rode for a couple of hours. Didn't sleep well last night after that and had to get up before 5:00 to run this morning. We normally run 3 on Mondays, but I did 1.5 miles and told my buddy he would have to finish without me today.

KSH -- you'll be out there running lots of miles soon. I'm happy to hear that you ran pain-free. That's the most important thing!

KB

[limewave]

Colby--sometimes I get that wheeze thing going when I start out to quick without a proper warm-up . . . but you would think that after 12 miles you wouldn't have that problem. Unless you took off a little quick after your bathroom break. Other than that, it sounds like you are doing great. You're going to kick some marathon azz.

I didn't mean to do a long run this weekend. I wanted to do a nice easy 6 mile trail run. My plan was to run out on the trails 30 minutes and then turn around. I must have taken one too many turns because when I came to the clearing after 60 minutes, I was at the opposite end of the state park from my car

At that point, I had three choices. 1) Jog back through the park on the trails I didn't know nearly as well as I thought I did. 2) Go westerly around the park, a shorter route but up a trecherous, long, heart-breaking hill 3) Head east, a 4.5 mile loop back, but flat with some slight downhill. I chose option 3.

I ended up with a nice 10.5 mile run. Thanks to all this marathon training, it was a piece of cake. A year ago I would have cried and maybe called DH to pick me up.