Grinding it!

I finished another 70+miles, and am excited for a few weeks of fewer miles. I am hoping that with the decrease in mileage I am going to be able to bring the quality up. My 2 key quality runs, the 20X400m and 2X10 min @ HM/10K went great. However, the rest of the miles were easy and my legs did not allow me to add some MP miles to the 15 moderately long mid week run.

I ran my first 22 miler this Saturday. We camped on the Cape and I ended up running on the Cape Canal on super flat terrain. It was a hot and humid morning even @ 6am when I got started (cooked my oatmeal and bought a Starbucks from a store over 20 miles away the night before - the only store around was a Dunkin Donuts and I can't drink their coffee). I ran strong for 15 miles (7:49) and then I melted. My Garmin kept losing its Satellite which gave me an excuse to turn it off around mile 15.5, which lowered the pressure for me a bit and allowed me to finish the run (I did slow down and took a few breaks for water but the pace was not terrible, maybe mid 8s?). Aerobically I felt fine but my legs and mostly calves hurt a ton. I think it is harder for me to run on 100% flat. Back at the camp the boys were waiting to go mini golfing - a little boy is now obsessed with it - and I spent another 2 hours on my feet walking the course. By the time that was done I was starving (a banana with peanut butter after 22 miles is not enough) and ready to jump into the freezing ocean. I was the only person swimming and by the time I got out my arms were numb. But, my legs felt super fresh this morning, nothing like after last weekend, and the easy 8 miles felt great. Post swim I amazed my husband with the amount of food I consumed: almost an entire cantaloupe, a salad with chicken, a yogurt and a fruit popsicle.

I am SO ready for next week! Less mileage, more pace miles, more intensity but not pushing below 5K pace anymore as there is too little gain for the amount of leg damage as far as the marathon is concerned. Less than 8 weeks 'till Baystate! Bring it!