I Can't Believe It

I went to bed last night with a sore lower back. It hurt just to roll over. So my morning was very uncertain ... would I be able to run or not? I decided to give it a shot since I woke up with my back feeling much better. Not 100%, but good enough to at least try running. Not knowing if I'd be able to run, I opted out of putting in any early miles and joined the big group at 7:15 for the scheduled 18.6 mile route. It seemed that there were at least 50 runners again. There's always a good turnout unless the weather is brutal. I only had a piece of toast before I left, and grabbed 3 90-calorie granola bars for the (hopeful) run. Should have eaten a bit more,and drank a bit more before leaving, but it worked out fine.

We headed west from the RAC, south on County 22 and east to the Mayo Credit Union where we had our first water stop. My back didn't bother me at all. I felt great. Then we made our way down to Bamber Valley School and then the Merrihills loop. I slowed down a bit on the hill, but otherwise felt good. For some reason, I thought we were supposed to run on the Mayowood bike path so that's where I headed. When I got to the shaded part of the path, it was snow- and ice-covered. It then dawned on me that we were supposed to go by THINK bank and up to 16th St SW. So I retraced my steps and made my way over to the prescribed route. It's all miles ... no harm done. :-) When we got over by the mall, it was apparent that a race was going on (Race for Research 5K and 10K). So it was fun to cheer for the people I knew. Rob Mitchell handily won the 5K and I saw Mary Chestolowski a couple of times during her 10K. It looked like she would easily win it. I couldn't remember exactly how we were supposed to run around the Soldier's Field area and it looked like people were running quite the variety of routes (and Laura, who was doing the water stop there, agreed!). I stretched the loops out and went around the memorial and on Memorial Parkway cuz I just wanted extra mileage anyway. On my third loop I headed back west and left the loop on the bike path near the 52 frontage road and up past Folwell School, 2nd St SW, County 22, past the RAC to .2 past highway 52 and then back to the RAC. I'd wanted to keep the first digit of my pace either a "7" or an "8". I doubt that I kept that 100% of the time, but I was running 8:29 pace at 23.50 miles, that much I know. I was pleased as punch. The best long run in a long time, and at a time when I really needed a good one. In my mind, Boston is/was going to take me about 4:30 to finish. That's just the shape I'm in. But maybe, just maybe, on a very good day, and if I'm rested and uninjured (running injury or otherwise), I'll be able to finish a little bit faster than that.  So ... mileage for the day was 23.70.

I was looking through my running log for the year thus far and I've run quite a few 20+ milers before Boston. Starting with 12/30/10: 20.07 miles, 1/15: 18.51 mile run plus 6+ mile hike in the Sierra Nevadas, 1/22: 20.32 miles (with a 45:33 10K race after the first 11.08 miles), 2/5: 21.25 miles, 2/12: 21.50 miles, 2/19: 20.15 miles, 3/5: 20.14 miserable miles, 3/12: 23.40 even more miserable miles, 3/26: 23.70 very good miles. 59.71 miles this week. Down a little (but not quite as much as I thought), but a few more speedy miles, including 3 x 9 minutes at about 7 minute pace on Tuesday. But it made a difference in how my long run went, despite the pulled muscle in my lower back.

I think I'm going to break out a new pair of shoes this week so I have some decent footwear for the marathon. Same old same old ... asics 2160s. But they work great (for me). Still undecided about Fool's Five next weekend. Maybe. Maybe not. I'm really hesitant to run a race I've done before because I know I won't PR it, and that's really hard for me.

I met some friends at Zzest this evening.

Barbara and Amos

Kathryn and I

I tried one of Barbara's mussels. My first one EVER. Interesting texture, but good.

I was going to order the salmon, but since I let myself eat whatever I want on the day of a 20-miler, I order the bread plate and ... a scoop of salted caramel ice cream. Weird, yeah. But it's what I felt like eating.

I've been baking pretty much all day for Matt's recital tomorrow.

100+ cookies already. I'll make a batch of Peanut Sitting Pretties in the morning. I might meet up with the folks at Panera at 8:00 AM for a few miles if I 1) have my baking done, and 2) my legs are up to it.

Once again, it's late and I'm tired. Sweet dreams ...