week of 7 April

I did my standard "20 mile" run plus a little tacked on to get to 2h58m. (I was doing an out and back to get to 3 hours, but turned early when I decided this exercise was silly.) I thought about driving to Frederick for the group run, but getting up at 5am to drive up lost its luster last night and I decide not to.

It turned out to be a great day to run around the lake. The temperature was very nice -- a steady 55 degrees for the whole run. Spring officially arrived for runners as the water fountains are back on. Spring arrived for the little kids as the miniature train is running again. There were lots of cute kids out. I smiled at one two-year-old who responded, "Hi girl!"

I planned to do this at "Benji pace." He gives long run paces based on 10K times. My 8k is worth about a 41:30, which put me between 8:40 and 8:52 on his chart. According to SportTracks, my pace was 8:45 and avg hr 150. I have a strange history of running, without trying, my last 20-miler at ~149 bpm average. It gives a nice point of comparison. Here are the last 3 pre-marathon 20-milers (3 weeks before the race, all on the same route).

• 3:05:23/148 (9:16 pace) -- at Frederick 07, ran 3:24:16 (7:47 pace)
• 2:54:19/149 (8:43 pace), 70 degrees, 90% humidity -- at MCM 07, ran 3:27:34 (7:55 pace), but 3:15 pace through 18 miles.
• 2:53:17/150 (8:40 pace), 55 degrees -- ????

Given the weather difference, I think the long run before MCM was obviously much, much better. One alibi I have for today, however, is that I ran 8.7 yesterday afternoon and 14 with 5 at MP on Friday. I only ran two easy 45 minute runs during the two days before the fall 20-miler.

I'm going to declare the above analysis my official kickoff to taper madness.

The week that was

• Mo - 5.0/9:02/140
• Tu - 5.0/9:02/136
• We - 12.0/8:20/??? - forgot Garmin, fartlek with sections of 0.9, 1.4, 0.4 and 1.0 miles at between 10k and 10-mile pace
• Th - 5.0/9:02/138
• Fr - 14.0/8:22/146 w/ last 5 at MP
• Sa - 8.7/9:43/140 -- 3:30 pm, 74 degrees, gallowalked 10 on/1 off
• Su - 20.4/8:45/150

Total -- 70.03/8:47/140 (I swear I didn't jog the extra minutes today to get over 70, but I can't say I'm not happy I did.)