This Week's Stats
- 74 Miles
- 14M with 3M-2M-1M via 602/602/600 (3:29), 546/546 (3:31), 536
- 12.6M MLR
- 18M LR with 16M at 645-620 pace
- 0 days off
- 1 rock climbing session
- 2 days camping at Bullard's Bar Reservoir
This week was nuts. Not from a running or work perspective, but from a weather perspective. I felt like I was tossed into Arizona for a couple of days there! During the first half of the week my morning runs fooled me into thinking fall was here! Crisp, cool temps in the mid-50s in the morning quickly dissipated into smothering temps in the 90s. By the time Friday rolled around, it was 107 degrees in Mountain View. The heat wave continued through the weekend, but we still survived the long run.
The good news was that the crisp and cool weather stuck around for Wednesday morning, when I did a workout. Because Jonah and Tania were taking down weeks, and because Jay’s shin was sore, I had to tackle the 3-mile, 2-mile, 1-mile cut-down alone. Howard and I warmed up together before going on our own for our respective workouts. I felt really fantastic during this session. It really helped that the weather was spectacular and that my legs weren’t too tired from lifting the day before. I’m feeling really confident that I can achieve my goals going into Chicago.
The next hard effort was on Saturday, with a huge group of people from both my crew and the West Valley Track Club. Nicole, Emilee, Ibet and Sean joined forces with me, Howard, Max and Max’s friend. It was incredible that I was able to convince all these people to show up at my house for some very early morning miles. Undoubtedly, since it was so hot on Saturday, no one seemed to mind that we met at 615am, when the sun was barely starting to break over the horizon. I continue to be amazed at how people are willing to flock to my house for runs. I guess the goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon or running a new PR are pretty good incentives to drive to a meeting spot to run with people who can push you.
My plan was to run 18 miles, which was a nice break from running 20+ miles. Since the WVTC folks all have a goal of running around 645 pace at CIM in December, my steady state pace closely matched their own goal. Of course, I ended up running faster than 645 pace and got lucky enough to meet Sean, who pushed me the entire time. He dabbles in triathlons and ultras, so I was extremely impressed with his ability to not only keep up, but also to be able to talk without a problem!
After the run, everyone hung out in my yard while I wished that I could have been making them pancakes instead of frantically packing for the camping trip. I hope that in the future I can continue building on this pattern of inclusivity and attract more runners to join our group. I truly believe that the camaraderie and friendships we make during these runs are one of the main reasons why many of us have achieved new PRs over the last 12 months. I'm really proud of how this group of runners has grown, and I know that the growth is because of the humility and openness we all share. It should not be surprising that some days a 2:58 or 3:05 marathoner can push a 2:38 marathoner.
Overall, this was a great week. It's hard to believe that I'm really just five weeks into marathon training and only have three more until taper begins. I'm starting to think that a very much shortened marathon cycle is the way to go! But, I won't fully believe it until I qualify for the Trials at Chicago. :)