"Long" run, 8 miles, 1:32 or so
Miles for the week: 19 (3/5/3/8) WEEK 15
Weight: 113

A week from now I'll be a real marathoner!!!!!

An amazingly gorgeous, halcyon day--a perfect day to run. I saved my run for the afternoon because Jonathan was out rehearsing, but it wasn't too hot. The foliage is just about at peak and the sky was deep perfect blue.

I saw a hen pheasant cross to the pond at the corner of Canada Road. Supposedly pheasants are not really a native species here--they don't make it through the winter--but they are released by the Game Commission every year. Your tax dollars at work! I believe it because they seem incredibly dumb, not like a real wild animal. But that may just be the way they act--they always look like they have no clue what they're doing or where they are. On the far side of Stanley Lake, there was a chipmunk in the road and as it ran to the shoulder I heard a loud metallic chirp. It was a familiar noise from the woods, but I had always thought it was a bird--it's a chipmunk squeak!

I asked myself at the end if I thought I could do the loop twice more...I *think* I could. I don't exactly have "taper brain" like Dianna has been talking about, but I have a little amnesia about what it's like to run the long distances. I did 18 twice, I keep telling myself, but when 9 and 8 feel not-dead-easy I start to wonder how I did that. But I did it and I can do it again, even though the difference between 18 and 26.2 is starting to loom larger. I will be rested, I will be motivated, it will be an adventure, it will be hard, I will do it!

I finally sat down with the marathon profile and figured out reasonable paces based on the one 18-miler I have Forerunner data for. (Oh, DHL tried to deliver my Forerunner on Friday! So I'll have it back tomorrow! Yay!) Estimating conservatively, I should finish in just over 5 hours (that's 10:30 on the steep downs, 11:00 on the gradual downs & flat, up to to 13:00 on the hills), but running up to 30 seconds faster per mile should be just fine too. I'll pace myself more by how I feel, taking it easy & slow, but it's good to have an idea of what "too fast" would be. I am determined to run smart and not get carried away by the downhills, and not to even try speeding up until mile 20--if I don't hit the wall by then.

Lots more little plans & preparations to make. That will keep me busy this week. ONLY 2 MORE 3-MILE RUNS! (and one 3-mile walk). Wow.
- posted by Hilary @ 9:52 PM