58 degrees at start-84 degrees at finish 44% humidity dewpoint - 54 degrees weight loss (I did it right this week!) down 4.7 lbs in nearly 4 hrs Physically, this was about as difficult as the 18 miler last week. I should have done more MAF or sub MAF miles. I'm also suffering a bit from missing my mid-week long run for two weeks. I've made up the mileage on different days, but it isn't the same. I feel fantastic up to about 15 miles. Then, my knee and hip achiness starts. 3:56:12 avg hr 151 max hr 185 total ascent 3051 - descent 3067 m1 14:21 125/133 m2 13:03 129/138 m3 11:54 129/139 (great sub MAF mile!) m4 13:13 135/146 m5 11:40 137/143 m6 11:58 137/146 m7 12:02 139/146 m8 12:58 143/154 last MAF mile - MAF =143ish m9 11:48 144/159 m10 11:53 150/160 m11 12:49 158/171 m12 11:01 164/172 m13 10:27 166/181 m14 10:40 171/178 m15 11:04 170/177 m16 11:06 168/178 m17 11:08 170/181 m18 10:55 164/175 m19 11:04 174/184 m20 10:52 176/185

This morning was tempo run time. Was aiming for 7:50 to 8:00 pace. temp: 68 dewpoint: 65 total distance: 9.8 miles total time: 1:32:25 details: Warmup 2.4 miles 25:10 avg 120 Mile 1 7:47 avg 156 Mile 2 7:46 avg 164 Mile 3 7:52 avg 166 Mile 4 7:51 avg 170 Mile 5 7:54 avg unknown Cooldown 2.4 miles 28:04 avg 141 during the last tempo mile, my hr monitor was giving kooky readings--way low--during at least half the mile, so the reported avg hr was 164 when I know it was at least 170

Had such an interesting run today. I felt fantastic the whole time. I couldn't believe I had gone 16 miles when I finished. Once again, my HR was higher than I thought it was, but I think it moved at a more incremental speed today. I saw large drops on downhills, and saw the 120's up through mile 6, and the 130's up through mile 10. I'm starting to think I'm missing something on form. One the last mile, on a straight-away, I tightened up my form and hit 8:52 for pace while feeling very comfy. In fact, I glanced at my Garmin and did a double take. I'm think my lazy form is affecting my pace perhaps. Any tips in that department? I'm looking forward to my 2nd 20 next weekend and some higher mileage this week if all goes well. 52 degrees to start-64 at finish dewpoint 54 degrees 68% humidity ascent 2325 feet/descent 2323 avg HR 148 (maf 143) max HR 179 m1 14:01 124/132 m2 12:53 130/139 m3 12:33 134/140 m4 11:35 134/143 m5 12:20 135/148 m6 12:25 142/160 m7 12:47 142/162 m8 13:33 145/159 m9 12:12 150/174 m10 11:18 155/167 m11 10:31 161/175 m12 10:15 163/175 m13 10:49 165/173 m14 10:30 166/175 m15 10:12 166/174 m16 10:04 170/179

Tempo run yesterday. 6 miles on a treadmill w/ 1% incline Mile 1 - 10:00 ahr=121 Mile 2 - 8:13 ahr = 138 Mile 3 - 8:13 ahr = 148 Mile 4 - 8:13 ahr = 156 Mile 5 - 8:13 ahr = 157 Mile 6 - 10:00 ahr = 135 I really don't know how to determine my tempo pace (haven't really studied it yet) so I use an old rule from a running partner/coach of the pace you could hold for an hour. Based on how I felt, I think it about right and I may have been able to go to 8:00 even. This was a great run for me and proof positive of this method of training. I have a race on Saturday (Corp Challenge 5 miler) which I will post. I don't have too much of an expectation, but I believe a sub 40 is possible.

Corporate Challenge 5 mile race today. Interval 1 Mi 6:51 6:51 6:51 150 150 Interval 1 Mi 7:05 13:56 7:05 158 156 Interval 1 Mi 7:01 20:57 7:01 159 166 Interval 1 Mi 7:03 28:00 7:03 165 170 Interval 1 Mi 6:30 34:30 6:30 170 174 Avg HR = 160 and pace of 6:54. That is the fastest I have ran in years and I was able to still talk with my running companion. I think there is more gas in the tank. MHR and MAF Rock!

CR, Well done. That's a very nice race! Seems that with you training your butt off, you've become a real monster! lg

So I am 2 weeks out from the Columbus marathon. My goal is to run a 3:40 (8:24 pace) with others (no, not those freaks from LOST). In perfect weather, I did a Pfitzinger-type long run yesterday with a gradual increase in effort to near marathon effort, and then ran as fast as I could for a mile. I was hoping my near marathon effort would be an 8:24 pace or lower, but I was off by 8 seconds. I had race-day/taper magic in May (ran way faster at my planned HR in the race compared with training), so maybe that will happen again. Here's the run. *2 miles warmup *4 miles @ 9:06 pace/157 heart rate *4 miles @ 8:50 pace/167 heart rate *4 miles @ 8:32 pace/178 heart rate (my marathon target HRavg is 181-182) *1 mile fast as I could, 6:50/204 heart rate (interesting--my all out fast mile after 14 miles happens to be my exact 5k pace and 5k HRavg). *1 mile cool down

Good run today. It was my second 20 miler. I decided I needed a fresh route to make it through. I chose a new portion with a crazy uphill section with the reward of a trail at the end. Once I got on the trail though, I realized it was a series of loopy trails created by drunk cattle and deer. It was too hard to find a definitive trail, so I turned around after about one mile. I didn't want to get lost without proper supplies. My mind hadn't fully absorbed the techniques of Man Vs. Wild or Macgyver. I also tried to plan my nutrition for the marathon today. I bought the roctane and electrolyte tablets yesterday. The first two items I used were shot bloks and sports beans. By mile 14, I was in gastrointestinal distress. I had to make a pit stop in the bushes. I took the Roctane after that (and a mile or two), and I must say, my legs perked right up. Not sure what to do on race day. This is not the first time my stomach has revolted when fed the bloks or traditional gu or clif shots. I'm strict water drinker too. Arrived home in decent shape with hope that I could complete a 10K following a 20-miler on race day. I felt woozy, and popped the last electrolyte pill I had w/some water and recovered quickly. Sorry for the long report, and it isn't even a race! I just tried some new things today, and need to work out the details. 44 degrees. Avg HR 156 Max HR 181 Total ascent: 2794 feet! m1 13:38 125/142 m2 11:19 132/140 m3 12:17 135/144 m4 11:48 141/147 m5 12:13 143/148 m6 12:32 152/163 m7 12:46 167/176 (this was the beginning of a gnarly uphill section) m8 13:22 163/176 m9 10:45 161/180 (downhill wheeee!) m10 11:26 158/173 m11 10:43 156/171 m12 11:51 161/169 m13 11:44 166/171 m14 11:37 163/171 m15 10:53 162/167 m16 11:00 167/175 m17 10:39 167/175 m18 10:27 170/179 m19 10:56 175/180 m20 10:32 176/180

I had a fantastic run today. I did an out and back 20-miler. The fee collector at Sequoia National Park let me in without my pass, so I didn't have to turn around at the entrance. I was a bit of a runaway freight train today. I kept getting faster and faster, then I would make myself slow down. Then, I would glance at the Garmin and realize that I was going fast again. I felt strong the entire run. I was very sluggish in the first miles though. I had no deep joint pain, and my mind stayed in the game the whole time. I'm starting to feel hopeful that I can complete the marthon in 5 hours as predicted. ETA I tried Ace's advice of alternating electrolyte tabs and GU (roctane rocks!). I had no stomach upset at all. I drank throughout the entire run per Jimmy's suggestion (and confirmed by others) , and felt great. 53-65 degrees Avg hr 153 total ascent 2768 feet m1 13:20 123/132 m2 13:24 126/140 m3 15:01 127/137 m4 14:01 136/144 m5 13:33 139/149 m6 12:46 141/152 m7 12:53 142/153 m8 13:57 155/168 (start over MAF) m9 13:36 160/168 m10 13:08 163/172 m11 10:52 155/172 m12 10:22 159/169 m13 9:37 160/171 m14 10:03 171/178 m15 9:59 174/179 m16 9:51 175/182 m17 9:53 176/180 m18 10:08 178/182 m19 11:17 173/182 m20 10:25 174/181