4 miles done at 8:28 pace with an average 126 HR.  Last shakeout run before the Steamtown Marathon this Sunday.

My strategy for the marathon this Sunday is to run conservatively for a number of reasons.  One is the weather is supposed to be warm and humid.  Second is that my training cycle wasn't ideal.  Missed almost two weeks in July for some small injuries (hamstring and shin splints).  Then had a good seven week run from the end of July to mid September.  Had to go on travel for work the last big week of training and came down sick with a really bad cold on that Friday.  Was supposed to get my last long run in but missed it due to the cold.  So my taper has been four weeks instead of my normal three.

So to rein it in to keep myself from going out too fast and blowing up (which is my usual modus operandi for running any length of race) I am going to try and use HR to govern my effort.  If I am fit I have been able to average 160 bpm HR for the marathon distance but don't feel totally fit especially with regard to my endurance.  Going to start out the first 6 miles keeping the HR below 150. 6 to halfway between 150 to 155.  13 to 20 below 160 and then if I feel good run hard the last 10k, if I feel ok maintain the last 10k, if I feel bad do whatever it takes to finish it up.

So having said that I have three time goals to meet of varying levels of difficulties; first and foremost is to hit below 3:40 to secure a BQ for 2019; I age up for 2019 so nice to get another 10 minutes.  Second is to come in below 3:24, that is my current BQ for 2018 and would like to move up in the second corral.  Third is to finish below 3:09, this would get me in the first corral, have never started out of the first corral in any of the Boston Marathons I have run.  I think this time the sub 3:09 will be out of reach based on my conservative approach to the race.   But it is much better to finish a race feeling strong rather than trying to run a time beyond your fitness and death marching in from 10 or so miles out from the finish.

QOTD: What is the farthest you have traveled to run a race?

ATTQOTD:  Ran the Las Vegas marathon in 2010.  Had a sister that lived in a suburb of Vegas and hadn't been out to visit her so I decided to combine that with a race.  Rock and Roll  series lived up to it's reputation, the first half of the race was great, lots of bands and activity going on.  The second half was a barren wasteland.  The first half was run on the Strip and the second half was run to the west of the city through neighborhoods and warehouses.  Didn't meet my goal as I didn't want to get beat by an Elvis but at mile 23 an Elvis passed me and I couldn't keep up.

B&G: best wishes for your running weekend! About wave (not corral) assignment, I'm worrying that higher cut-off means also harder to get in wave 1, for example...