Back to Goofy

Today I was a bit sore from running that 15k race yesterday. My shoulder and stomach muscles were even sore. Interesting, but not usual. Guess I've gotten myself out of shape.

WELL, I'm back at it!

Did my super 7 mile loop twice this afternoon. It was a homecoming of sorts. I haven't run this route in a while. It was nice to see how the season has changed. The corn is golden and the leaves are falling.

My first loop I kept slow. I've read about "trying" to do the long runs much slower than marathon pace. My first mile was right at 9:00/mi pace. Oops, that's my current marathon pace. Too fast. Next four miles were at 9:25/mi. That's pretty consistant and a nice comfortable pace. As mile six unfolded I was tired. Was going to write about the wind or the uneven surface, but I was just tired. Since I was on a loop that passes back by my house, I started to think about stopping after 7 miles. Mile 6 & 7 were a 10:00/mi pace. I could justify stopping somehow.

As I came back by the house, I grabbed some water I had placed outside. Chanted Goofy, Goofy, Goofy, back down the driveway for another 7 mile loop!

At a slower pace and a shot of Cliffbar in me, I kept moving. I don't remember mile 8. Mile nine seemed like it should be mile 10. Mile 10 seemed like it should be mile 15. The brain works in wonderful ways. Mile 11 was photo shoot time so I started to feel alive again. Give it the peace sign for lap #2.

The 1/2 marathon distance passed at an unimpressive (for me) 2 hours and 11 minutes, but I remembered then that I was actually TRYING to run much slower than marathon pace! Oh, I had forgotten that this pain was really what I was after! ha!

Done in 2:17:17 for about a 10:00/mi pace overall. I won't remember how slow it was when I look at the miles. I'd rather run this slow than have only completed 7 miles. I'm back on the build up for Goofy!

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Trick or Drink

Hey I'm FINALLY not in a picture! Ha!

Decided that before the month was up, I should get back into the groove of running some miles with my eye on the next marathon in January; the big GOOFY Challenge with a 1/2 marathon and a full marathon two days in a row.

This morning I did a 15.1k race in the cool (and windy) Midwest fall weather. Since I haven't been running much in the last 4 weeks (other than a marathon), I decided to just run a nice pace. Nothing too hard. My pace bounced around randomly between 8:50 and 7:57 with no real reason other than a slow down up one long hill.

With a few miles remaining in the run, I decided to gulp down some water at what I thought was the last water stop. About choaked on a 1/2 cup of beer. The "water stop" was sponsored by one of the local brew pubs! Certainly not the best thing to drink while running, but I staggered on to finish just under 80 minutes for a roughly 8:30/mi pace. My watched read 1:19:38.

All and all a nice way kick off my next marathon training!

5k

After completing my 2nd marathon 13 days ago, I decided to participate in a local 5k benefit run before jumpin on a flight to Salt Lake. Didn't blaze any trails, but finished in 23:56.

There was a live band playing after the race. I bought their CD -- Sweet Jelly.

I didn't end up in that ambulance either!

Sub 4!

The Goofy Plan is paying off. Week #13 kicked in with a marathon. Only my second marathon ever...and it happened to be the second one this year!

Nice 50F sunny weather at start. I was fortunate to have Bill pace me for the first 19 miles as he ran a two person relay with his wife.

We strolled past the 1/2 marathon point at 1:55:42. I was excited to be that far at a sub-4 mile pace and feeling good. In my other marathon I crossed the 1/2 way point about 9 minutes slower...and not feeling as relaxed.

Through 19 miles I was still feeling strong and positive. As Bill stopped, I continued to run with Jeff who we kinda picked up around mile 4. He was running the same pace and taking short walk breaks with us.

Mile 20 came at 2:58:39. I realized 10:00/mi would get me in below 4 hours. Wow!

Mile 21, 22 came (and went) with little fanfare or problems. I still wasn't hitting the dreaded wall. I was just focusing forward. As we passed 23 miles and walked through the water stop, I tried to calculate what pace I needed to maintain a sub-4 hour finish. I wasn't figuring it out so I finally asked Jeff with about 2.5 miles remaining on the course.

Jeff said, "12 minute miles. You're gonna break 4!" We were still cruising along around 9:15/mi.

Chip time was 3:55:37. About 26 minutes faster than my January marathon. Maintained a 9:00/mi pace on a gorgeous morning.

Goofy here we come!

iRun podcast prior to the marathon.