OMG this heat is killing us!!! WTG getting your run in. GLad to hear you listented to your body. I'm sure needing to slow down has more to do with the heat and humidty then anything else. GL tomorrow with your long run. Mine is Sunday where it's supposed to dip into the 80's for a high (probably won't knowing my luck though).

Autopilot.... a.k.a. the groove, the zone. Whatever you want to call it. It's that feeling you get when you don't have to think about what you want your body to do, it just goes out and does it. It's a good feeling. That's how today's run went. Finally, a good one. The heat and humidity that's taken up residence here was still present, even at my 5am starting time, but for some reason, today it didn't seem to bother me that much. Maybe my body is finally getting acclimated to it. It's pretty cool how the body adapts like that. An amazing machine. Sometimes, often times actually, I wonder why I do this. Here it was, a Friday night, and I turn down an invitation to go to a neighbors pool party because I had to get stuff ready and get to bed early for my long run the next day. Made a nice spaghetti dinner with lots of italian bread, got all my water bottles filled, laid out my running clothes, set up the coffee maker to start brewing at 4:15am, did some stretching and foam rollering and was in bed shortly after 9pm. In the meantime I hear music, laughter and splashing water coming from next door. What's wrong with this picture? Then on Saturday morning, on a day that most of the rest of the sane world uses to sleep in, I'm up at 4:15am wandering around the house in a stupor, wondering what the hell it is I'm doing this for. The goal today was to run 16 miles at marathon pace + 10%. I figured I'd take use the first 3 miles to ease into it, then maintain the goal pace for the next 10-11 miles, then back off for the last couple of miles. Right off the bat I was feeling pretty good. Then came mile 3 where I wanted to start running at my goal pace. Normally I have to have a conversation with my legs at this point. "Come on, you can do it, please! I'll be good to you later, I promise." Today, my legs said to me "Shut up and just let me run". ***see below*** And run they did. I had to hold back most of the time to keep from running too fast. The miles just effortlessly clicked by. The "squish, squish, squish" of my shoes had a pretty cool, almost hypnotic rhythm to them. I was on autopilot. Just running, and not having to think about it. I guess it was somewhere around mile 12 or so that it really did start to feel hot, the sun was now up and I swear it was pointing its rays directly at me like a laser beam. So I did have to start focusing a bit at this point as I noticed my pace started to faulter a little, but it still wasn't bad at all. Backed off the last two miles, with the final mile being run barefoot on the grass. Unlike the runs of the past week or so, this run seemed to end quickly, and I was sad it was over. Walked the dog for a couple of miles after for a nice cooldown. Took an ice bath, filled my belly full of food, and I'm sitting here feeling very content right now. So this is why we do what we do. *** disclaimer *** I really do not talk to my legs, and they do not talk back to me. That would be weird, right?

How slow can you go... That was the theme of the run today. Must be a recovery day! I splurge on these days. First of all, I do not get up at 5am to do them. I sleep in and run mid-morning. I actually get to see other people out running or biking, instead of just deer and other wildlife that usually accompany me on my early morning runs. I use an iPod!!! I try to see how slowly I can go, which initially isn't that easy to do, but you get used to it quickly! The goal was to just get the blood moving and get the kinks out, have fun and take in the surroundings. 6 miles, nice and easy. Mission accomplished.

Looks like a nice solid week of training!! WTG!! Like you it's a step back (YAYYYYYY) nice to to have so much pressure in getting milage in. Cool about the race! Enjoy and have fun! Oh and kick a$$!

Well look at you these past FEW weeks! You put me to shame! Weekly Distances 7/30/2007 — 8/5/2007: 60.5 Mi 9:03:09 7/23/2007 — 7/29/2007: 54.4 Mi 8:05:25 7/16/2007 — 7/22/2007: 56.4 Mi 8:32:36 7/9/2007 — 7/15/2007: 41.5 Mi 5:52:30 7/2/2007 — 7/8/2007: 55.4 Mi 8:11:37 Steamtown is gonna be a walk in the park for you! Just make sure you really make this a stepback week for you, give that ankle, and everything else, a breather. The body needs those stepback weeks to get stronger overall.

Thanks! Oh I'm starting the week off great Daycamp was canceled today so looks like I'm having a forced day off. That is unless dh gets home early enough for me to get a run in. No matter what I'm definetly taking a step back. I know I could use one!

Just caught up on your log, Bob! Great spiderwebs photos and I'm sympathetic to the running entries involving the heat. I was just talking with a friend at lunch and we were laughing about how we appreciate it when the weather dips down into the 80's.

Mike, I don't know how you guys in Texas deal with running in the heat like this. Hat's off to you! I'm glad you liked the photos!

Mike, I don't know how you guys in Texas deal with running in the heat like this. Hat's off to you!

We deal with the heat the same way you guys deal with the cold in winter - do the best we can - run at night and bring water. Having said that, I'm not looking forward to the end of this week - it's supposed to climb above 100 for the first time this year (no - not the heat index - the temp). I will remember your words to get through the week:

Enough whining. It's done. On to tomorrow.

WTG on getting your run in!!! This heat is Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh!Definetly hot and humid enough to effect your run. Let's just hope that it's a nice crisp and cool 50-60 degree day for Steamtown!! BTW I'll join you if it's like this on Marathon day!!

Thanks Pam! I should've been smart like you and cut it short, or at least cut back on the effort. Stubborn idiot I am. Steamtown is gonna be awesome no matter what the conditions! You will love that race!! There is no way you're backing out! I was looking at your Lehigh Marathon that you have coming up. Sounds like a nice downhill course there, perfect for your Steamtown training. You've worked too hard to bag the race. I'm older and have run more marathons than you, so I'm allowed.