Notes
2E 16MP (actual MP) 2E
Notes later
So this may have been a bad idea but I think I'll be fine. Wanted to do a last long LR this past weekend but decided to hold off until I get results from the doctor. Next week seemed way too close but since I was working a 4-12 shift for a couple days this week I decided take advantage of it (with JML's blessing, though he didn't specifically bless a 16MP LR). 16MP isn't an unreasonable workout but this may be unreasonably close to the race to do it. But honestly it wasn't about getting fitter -- I just wanted a dipstick... maybe that makes it stupider! I'm sure I haven't lost much with a few bad weeks but I wanted to know how 6:20s felt and not just for a few miles -- I know they feel good for a few miles. Honestly, I've spent almost no time at a real MP so I wanted to get a good feel for it before race day.
Good weather for it, drizzles and spats of rain on and off but overall just overcast and cool. Started with a couple easy miles and was less stiff than usual but still needed Achilles to warm up, didn't take too long though. When I started the first MP mile I really tried to just feel it out without looking at my watch until I was well in. Had no problem with starting a touch slow. I pretty expectedly had to hold back a lot over the next few miles. After flipping on mi 5 I was into the wind more so I let some miles be a couple seconds slower. Took a gu after 7 and 14 (have only done 3 training runs ever with GU so need that practice). Was feeling really great until maybe around 12 (10 MP miles), wasn't bad but wasn't fantastic on 13, but that didn't last long and was back at it again after that. Didn't want to really start getting into the low teens until after 13 MP miles so did get a little ahead of myself on some but overall did a decent job holding back before finally letting loose a tad on the last few.
I was definitely tired by the end of the run but I did end up with a good feeling about 6:20 pace. I think my most likely plan is 6:20 through 20 and see if I'm feeling good enough to pick it up from there (6:10s would get me to 2:45 flat). We'll have to see on race day though.