GREAT 14 MILER

Had a fantastic two days off before my long run on Sunday. Much needed. Sunday morning I woke up and got out to do my run at 10am. Ran from my house to the Fanno Creek Trail again, just like the week before when I did my final twenty miler of this marathon cycle. Got to chop off the northern part of the trail this time though... chopping off the upper tip never felt so good! #

I had planned to run things a little faster just because the route was shorter (you know, almost a mile more than a half marathon, so short!). I was thinking 9:20/mile or so. The first mile has a good downhill stretch and I pushed it a little, felt like I was flying. That mile came in at 9:12, which was surprising based on how fast I felt like I was running. The next two miles were 8:24 and 9:07. Didn't seem like I was varying my effort too much, so it was kind of annoying. Finally, once I hit the flatter Fanno Creek section, I settled pretty steadily into around 8:45/mile.

Now, I didn't plan to run that quick, but effort wise it honestly didn't feel like I was going that hard. So I figured I'd just try to keep it up and see how things went (#). My long runs usually are at least 9:30/mile or slower so it would be a good test to run one faster. One part of the trail just south of Main Street in Tigard was completely washed out. I remember seeing the creek really high and fast a few days ago seemingly inexplicably, and I wonder if that was a casualty from that. I had to climb over some logs and a bulldozer but I got past it.

Fanno again. Sick of it yet?

All told the run went really well! Each mile over the last four got a little progressively faster with the final one being 8:21. My legs burned a little bit like I had done more miles, that's from the speed I'm sure (8:47/mile average). I'll just have to take it easy today at run group. I feel ready for the marathon! Next weekend's long run is only ten miles... I can't remember the last time my long run was that short. Kind of looking forward to that! Probably run that one a lot slower too in the name of tapering.

This morning I had a lot of fun tracking my friends running the Boston Marathon. Maybe I can get there one day. It's years off, but something to strive for. It would be such an amazing experience! I also was able to watch the finish of the men's race and saw Meb win it all, the first American male to win the Boston Marathon in thirty one years. Awesome!