Final longer pre-marathon run

I'm up early for my last longer run before Marine Corps Marathon in 2 weeks. What a contrast to one week ago! Last week - 75-80*F and 99-100% humidity. Today - 46*F and a mere 81% humidity. The plan is to do 10 miles easy and then 5 miles hard. Hopefully I'll get some better ideas about where to dial in my race pace in a couple of weeks.

Hmm, where have my cotton running gloves gone?

Updates later. . . .

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WOOOO HOOOOO!!! 15.5 miles done today at an 11:07 min/mile moving pace, in nearly perfect weather, finishing at 59*F and 44% humidity. If I could achieve that on race day, that would get me a 4:52 marathon! BUT I'm quite sure I can't hold that pace for another 10.7 miles, nor hit that pace if I count in some walking at the water stops. But on a perfect day, a sub-5:00 may still be within reach!!! And even on a not-so-perfect day, somewhere in the low 5:xxs is definitely probable. Details from Garmin to follow after a hot bath (nooooo no ice baths for me!)

And here are the charts and numbers that I know you've all been waiting for:

Starting before dawn:

The aid station:

A fine finish!!!!

My training buddy David completed a FULL marathon today in training in 4:37, including about 12 miles running under his usual pace with me. Well done!!! Too many miles for me to risk it two weeks out from the marathon - I'm nursing along a painful little toe and some plantar fascitis that I don't want to aggravate unless it's for the Big Race!!

One longer run done

The first of my long runs working towards my fall marathon is done. A couple weeks late, but it's done. 11 miles, which was all the distance I could manage while the girls were in their 3 hours of camp and still have enough time to mop myself off and catch my breath before I picked them up. Pace was a modest 12:45 min/mile, including some walks for water and Clif Blox and salt. I did two loops of most of the 10K route from Easton Y, minus a little part at the beginning. There's a lot of nice roads out there to explore - I'm glad to have my Garmin which will allow me to explore some of the other side roads on a long run next week and still know my distance and pace.

I was glad not to feel any lingering after-effects of the hot and nasty 7.5 miles I ran in the duathlon on Sunday. Speed and pounding definitely weren't my problems that day. But you can see from the map that yes, we have a little humidity around here.