Final tempo run

Just finished my final training run with goal-pace miles in it. The schedule called for 6 miles with three goal-pace miles, but I wanted to run a little farther and continue my quest to catch up with miles I didn't get in while on vacation in September. Little by little I'm getting there.

On this run I started pretty slowly but gradually increased my speed as I got farther into it and looser. I ultimately did my three goal-pace miles and finished with 7.2 miles at an average pace of 9:11.

Looking forward to the marathon I see that the temperature should be acceptable - in the 50s to start - but there's a pretty good chance for rain. I'll run in the rain, but I'm not happy about it. It's early, though, and the weather is still a toss-up.

Now that the mileage has dropped off I can really tell the difference when I go out for a run. I feel fresh and strong. I can run up the hills at pretty much any pace I want, and if I'm going the right pace I get the feeling I can go a long way. The hardest part of any run these days is sharp downhills. They don't hurt, but I don't like the pounding and the "negative" stress it puts on my legs. I always slow the pace on the steeper downhills.

In contrast, now that I'm in good shape, I especially like the uphills, particularly after I've been out for a while and am good and loosened up. I feel very strong going up, so much so that I think I'm going to have to consciously take it easy during the marathon. No matter how easy it seems, it'll burn me out early if I overdo it.