Jess,

I want to tell you that you will be able to complete this race-as a runner!  I am new to running and have found Hal Higdon's plans reasonable.  I completed my first half in June and ran the whole time!  I will say that mentally, the week before, I was having doubts.  If you do the long runs, you will do fine.  I can't believe I finished. I am now contemplating a 25K next month but have not paid yet.  I will tell you that I found it difficult to run, mentally, after the half.  It seemed like doing only a few miles was a challenge.  Take if one workout at a time.  did you print out the plan and mark off each time you complete a run? kind of rewarding.  God bless you on your journey. Pattie

Well this morning didn't get down to 62 deg as forecast, only 65 deg, but that was good enough and humidity was much better. I'm still not an early AM waker, so I didn't get to the run path until 6:10 AM and started around sunrise.

Today was my longest run to date: 12.3 miles.  My goal was at least 11 mi, so I was pleased that I was able to stretch it out.  I carried a 24 oz bottle of water and had a 24 oz bottle of gatorade in my butt pack, and stashed an extra bottle along my path, just in case.  The lower humidity cut down on my sweating and my thirst, and I found that I didn't need the extra bottle at all.

Since I did running and strength two days ago, and swimming/biking yesterday, my legs weren't as "fresh" as on other long run days.  So my starting pace was near 15mm, and I kept close to that for the first half of the run, then it started to creep up.  Also my heart rate for the first 7 miles was fairly constant near 141.  I set out today with a 3 hour time target for (maybe) 12 miles, and finished 11.6 miles in 3 hrs.  Total time for 12.3 miles was 3:12.

My HM is in 4 weeks, and my target time was 3:15 (though 3:00 would be better).  I've got to improve my pace a bit to get in that time span.  The good news is most of the Nashville course from mi 6 - mi 11 is down slope, so gravity will offset tired muscles.  Of course the main goal is to just finish the race, and I know now that I can do it.

It seems to me that my heart is capable of sustaining the distance, but I've just got to get the rest of my body parts to the ability to sustain the effort over time.  When I do my shorter runs, I try to push my HR to the next zone more often, for longer periods, to help build that endurance and improve the pace.

Jess- do you get "extra credit" at work for doing the Disneyland event?

well- i am 48 today AND- I got my 10 mile run in this morning as planned-so take THAT mother nature, LOL

really nice and cool this morning- started out  in the dark on the trail- running the last 2/3plus of the half marathon course.

first one in the parking lot this morning- although a guy arrived just as I was heading out-and he passed me on the trail 4-5 minutes later. that's ok though- he and I BOTH know i got there first-and that is the secret shame he will have to live with the rest of today, LOL

temp somewhere in the 50's this morning- I could just see my breath in the air during the early part of the run---so very nice

and so,so,so,so,so,so,so,so,SOOOOOOOOO much easier than the last 10 miler.
Pretty much cruised the whole way-and almost all the way I felt I could run faster-but didn't

playing mind games- this section of the trail is really well marked with stone markers at every mile point- it takes me to a count of 700-750 to go a mile.- carrying a quart of gatorade- my little game was I treated myself to 3 swallows of gatorade at every mile marker- 32 ounces/10 miles-3 swallows /mile-worked out really great

probably just the post race buzz- but if the temp is below this on race day- I can probably run the whole thing backwards, I feel so good- Best wishes to all-and especially to Jess on her upcoming  race- tear it up disneygal

Best wishes,

stephen

home for lunch- before I head back out to buy some slate for one project and tile for 3 other projects- plus some millwork--- gonna buy some new running shoes on the way home since I will be driving right past my favorite store

Jasmine- my count is not directly correlated with my foot strikes---- very roughly it's two strikes for every count- but really it's a time thing- I try to set up a particular cadence- onethousand one,onethousandtwo-and so forth- if i hit the mile in  a count of 680- I know I am going too fast- and when I get up to 750-760- I know I am tuckered out and really going slow- my last 2 miles were around 750

the previous 10 miler- it was so hot-the last couple miles my shirt was competely saturated and I could here it flapping and smacking like a wet towel fight in highschool- yesterday it was so much cooler my shirt wasn't totally disgusting- but it was still nice to finish the run-walk for 5 minutes or so and then change into a dry shirt- even had a little picnic- a couple icy cold hardboiled eggs, some choclate milk and a bagel

gotta get back to work,

stephen

Outstanding Jess- I am sure we are all super proud of you!

I am already planning on walking through the water stops- for much the same reason- frankly
I have a problem  even drinking out of a bottle on the run-so out of a gatorade cup- out of the question

i have 5 weeks to go-and mercifully morning temps are down into the 50's

11 miles next sunday- long bikeride yesterday- spoke broke 2/3 through the planned distance- planning 5 mile run tommorrow morning

starting to get nervous.

stephen

BTW- word slipped out via a 3rd party that I was doing this-and one of my friends/neighbors started giving me some lip yesterday about how there was no way I can do it etc.

I just smiled at hime- but inside I thought( excuse the language)- i thought, eff you tom---AND the horse you rode in on- not only am I gonna run this thing- I am gonna buy the sticker- put it on my vehicle-and park my vehicle for the next year so that you have to see that sticker every morning on your way to work!)

best wishes,

stephen

I hope Jess is well recovered from her 1/2 by now

as for me- I have some" issues"

all in all- legs and lungs feel  great- but I do have some pain-probably some shin splint type thing- that I am icing and nuking with ibuprofen

i am about  a month away from my race- did an 11 mile training session yesterday- some problems---

much cooler temps than a few weeks ago-which is good- mid week runs are 5 miles or so-and I  can run out 2-1/2 or 3 miles-and run back without carrying fluid- and then just drink some water after the run( 5-6 miles round trip

so sunday, I figured-11 mile training run- I can carry a  small bottle of water- there is a water station at the turn around-so I can re-fill midway-and not have to carrry as much fluid

this turned out to be a mistake- going 11 miles on water-- is apparently a no/no for me

ran out to the turn around @ 5-1/2 miles- started back- got to somewhere in the 8-9 mile range-and just really fell apart- no gas what so ever

legs felt fine- lungs felt fine- just no gas- then the legs started cramping up- which I have never experienced before-and well- really the last mile or so ended up being a run some/walk some,run some/walk some sort of deal- 2-1/2 hours for 11 miles which was disappointing, to say the least.

I really have to remind myself-  pacing is gonna be critical for me- on the beginning of long runs I really try to restrain myself early in the run-and run much slower-rediculously slow  untill I get farther into the run-and- well yesterday I kind of neglected to do that

also- though the temps were cool enough yesterday- the humidity was quite high and that really  had an effect- but I thinki primarily the problem was I REALLY needed the Gatorade calories by the 8-9 mile mark that I would have ingested if I had not been drinking water instead.

I will do 12 miles on the 26th-that will be my last long run-and that will take me to a point 2  weeks before my race.

best wishes all,

stephen