Oops, today was supposed to be an "easy" run (Read 492 times)

Disclaimer, you may want to just skip to the end to see the long story short version. So, all week I planned to drive up to the start of the marathon I am running (8 weeks away) to do my long run. Then for the 4th weekend (read Sat) in a row the weather was crappy, so I postponed my long run from Sat to Sun. I just couldn't force myself to run 14+ miles in 30F, 20-30mph winds, and snow. It was April 26th for pete's sake. Anyway, I parked and started my out and back loop. Perfect conditions: 36-40 F, slight breeze, partly cloudy. When I run I always pick landmarks to give me split times, especially for out and back courses, then I can get some idea of pace. Just after 10 minutes in I say, "Hey, what is that big 5 on the side of the road." "Oh it must be the 5 mile mark of the marathon." Very bad realization, I expected to find the start line, but not the mile splits. My pace got out of control, first time I have run a new course knowing the distances before hand. So the left side is going out, and right is coming back. Landmark Splits 4:49 (Car- Railroad Crossing) 4:39 (RR Crossing - Car) 3:32 3:50 (Car-5 Mile Mark) 8:35 9:05 (5 MM- 4 MM) 7:39 8:12 (4MM -5k mark) 0:52 0:59 (5k mark -3MM) 8:23 8:24 (3 MM - 2MM) 8:24 8:36 (2 MM - 1 MM) 8:19 8:36 (1 MM - Grandma's Start) 9:50 9:48 (GS - 1+ down the road) I felt great, which is why I didn't slow myself down, until that 3 mile mark came around again (about 12 miles in). Then everything started hurting. First the left hammy, that went away and then it was the right hip flexor, that subsided then it was a side stitch on the right side. By the end all the pain was gone, but my legs were shot. Long story short, the run: ended up being my second fastest paced training run so far of any distance 8:38 m/m, the longest I have run to date (passing a 13 miler 9 yrs ago in HS track), my legs feel like ass, my marathon goal from the beginning has been 9 m/m yet I threw down a 8:19 mid-run. I have no idea what I was thinking. Hopefully I can restrain myself a little better next week.

Call it a 'Long-Tempo-Long' like in Daniels' Running Formula plans, and don't worry about it. It's not going to make your legs fall off. Sounds like fun though.