Yay taper (again)

Somewhere in there, probably 5 miles in, I felt great, watching my shadow to my right as the setting sun showed that there was enough light for the rest of my 15 mile run.

Today I dreaded my run, but really by the time I was 40 minutes in, I had forgotten about it. It was great to feel alive again. A few days after the last marathon, I flipped to the back of Pfitzinger-Douglas and looked over the four week between marathon program.

It says basically that in the four weeks, you have to recover, build up and maintain fitness, then taper.

Which meant that my speedwork-10K-race last Sunday should be followed by more running to keep my cardio up. I ran 10 miles two days ago. And today, my last long run.

Since Boston, I can't really get into a long easy pace. Everything has been at or faster than 8 minute miles. Don't know why. Today's long run, I thought, would force me to run a little slower.

But by the 10K mark, I saw I was running right around 5 minute kilometres again, 8 minute miles. Ah ha, I thought, my body could never keep up with that over 15 miles right? I had no water with me. I was tired from work.

But I kept up the pace. And even in the last 10K into a strong headwind, I fought and got faster.

So then I finished 21.1K in 1:44:46, and 24K in 1:58:42. Maybe this should be my marathon pace in eight days? It's a 3:30 marathon. Food for thought. I really didn't want to push it this spring, and I may just decide to cruise again next Sunday. But part of me just wants to run a harder effort than Boston.

Splits

17:51:49 0.62mi 00:05:03 7.38mph 8.9mph
17:56:53 0.62mi 00:05:10 7.21mph 8.9mph
18:02:03 0.62mi 00:05:06 7.30mph 8.5mph
18:07:09 0.62mi 00:05:06 7.30mph 8.2mph
18:12:16 0.62mi 00:05:05 7.33mph 9.2mph
18:17:21 0.62mi 00:04:42 7.91mph 13.8mph
18:22:04 0.62mi 00:05:05 7.33mph 8.0mph
18:27:09 0.62mi 00:05:00 7.46mph 7.9mph
18:32:09 0.62mi 00:04:59 7.47mph 8.4mph
18:37:08 0.62mi 00:04:56 7.55mph 8.2mph
18:42:05 0.62mi 00:04:55 7.58mph 8.6mph
18:47:00 0.62mi 00:04:57 7.51mph 8.5mph
18:51:58 0.62mi 00:05:02 7.40mph 7.9mph
18:57:00 0.62mi 00:04:51 7.67mph 8.6mph
19:01:52 0.62mi 00:04:51 7.67mph 8.5mph
19:09:02 0.62mi 00:04:58 7.49mph 8.1mph
19:14:01 0.62mi 00:04:54 7.59mph 7.9mph
19:18:56 0.62mi 00:04:51 7.66mph 8.1mph
19:23:48 0.62mi 00:04:53 7.61mph 8.1mph
19:28:41 0.62mi 00:04:52 7.65mph 8.5mph
19:36:33 0.62mi 00:04:54 7.60mph 8.4mph
19:41:29 0.62mi 00:04:51 7.67mph 8.2mph
19:46:20 0.62mi 00:04:51 7.68mph 11.2mph
19:51:22 0.62mi 00:04:41 7.97mph 14.0mph