Long run #13

Only five weeks to the marathon - insanity!

A very nice run this morning - my legs felt dead for the first miles, but it is the most beautiful day, upper 40s/lower 50s with bright sun and clear fresh air...

I ran over and met C. at the 102nd St. transverse, and we did three middle loops together. I sort of meant to run home also, but I was too lazy - instead I bought a very delicious bottle of tart cherry-apple cider at the farmer's market stand on Central Park West and drank it while walking home at a leisurely pace! I only had 14 miles on the schedule, so I did about the right distance anyway, maybe a little short...

Main run: 1:48:25, 12.33 miles, 8:49 average pace (avg HR 159, max 170)

That is actually faster than my marathon goal pace - I have been chewing over these questions about pacing fairly obsessively, and I think I have made some decisions but will have to remain very flexible on the day. The Philadelphia course is very flat, and with a late November date it is unlikely to be hot - pretty much ideal running conditions (certainly easier even than this middle-loop course we were doing today, which has one significant hill and a number of minor hilly stretches).

I am therefore irresistibly tantalized by the notion of a (just barely) sub-4:00 marathon - 9:08 pace. I think it is just about possible in a best-case scenario, but that if the numbers did not fall where they do on the "clock" (i.e. lure of number starting with 3: rather than 4: - irrational but strong!) I would probably be safer with a 4:10 optimistic goal and a 4:10-4:20-4:30 spread rather than the 4:00-4:10-4:20. Like, my best possible marathon at current levels of fitness and experience might fall somewhere more like 4:08, if you know what I'm saying...

C. and I have both identified respective times to beat!

[ED. I forgot to say - great first outing for the Race Ready shorts and the Injinji toe socks! Excellent recommendations courtesy of the Athena Diaries...)