A nice predictor training run

Absolutely beautiful outside today. A little wet, misty and rainy at times, but it is warm -- 11 degrees.

Set out on a longish run and decided early on it'd be 13.1 miles. I did a lot of slower runs the past week, so I was iching to go a bit faster. I quickly hit a 5 minute K or 8 minute mile pace. It was getting warm so I rolled up my sleeves. The run was strong. There was water all over the place, and the trucks going by the road were making things muddy. Still, I turned it on. At the Beaches, I stopped for a 30 second breather and then the skies opened up and it rained for a few minutes. I rolled down the sleeves, put back on the gloves and ran home.

I was progressively getting faster. Starting at 5 minute Ks, I moved down to marathon pace and even faster. The last 7 miles were done at marathon pace of 7:37 miles or faster. I even turned it on for the last mile with a 6:57 clocking.

I was very happy with this run, done in 1:40:47 with a pace of 4:46 or 7:40, right on marathon pace. The time is not that important, but that I was able to throw down a strong MP run more than two months after I was in marathon shape is heartening. As I said in an earlier post, I think I want to do long runs with strong finishes this year. This shows I may be able to build up to a stronger fitness level.