Saturday, 5/3: 22 miles in 3:16:06 or 8:55/mi (PMP +:50); Long(est) Run
This was it...the last long run! I finally paid attention to what long runs were for and deliberately slowed down for this one. It worked. I felt good the whole way and was able to do something my training plan recommends: in the midst of long runs, pick a couple of miles out and do those at PMP. I did mile 16 in 8:04 (PMP -:01) and mile 22 in 8:10 (PMP +5), and those were not huffing and puffing but just a conscious pickup of a little bit. In fact, the last mile felt kind of nice because it allowed me to stretch out as a I came in.
I debated going the whole distance today, but ultimately decided against it. The only reason I would do it is to have done it...physiologically there seems to be little to gain from indulging my "no surprises" neurosis. So 22 shall be the long one, until race day.
This sudden gust of rationality on my part was spurred by a couple of things. One, I read a little bit more about long runs and training last night and that convinced me that slower was really better than going at something like 80% or whatever I'd been doing. And it also convinced me that there was not much that 26 would do for you three weeks before a marathon that 22 wouldn't also do. So...there you have it.
I saw two fellow sufferers out there, one during mile 16 and one during mile 18. The first guy was not training for anything, and I envied him mightily. The second woman was iPodded, so no words were exchanged, just that little nod.
One other note: eating helps! I had two nutri-grain bars along the way today, around 11 miles and 15 miles + about 40oz of water total. Felt fine, only lost a pound.
