“Long” run, 8 miles, 1:32 or so
Miles for the week: 19 (3/5/3/8) WEEK 15
Weight: 113

A week from now I’ll be a real marathoner!!!!!

An amazingly gorgeous, halcyon day–a perfect day to run. I saved my run for the afternoon because Jonathan was out rehearsing, but it wasn’t too hot. The foliage is just about at peak and the sky was deep perfect blue.

I saw a hen pheasant cross to the pond at the corner of Canada Road. Supposedly pheasants are not really a native species here–they don’t make it through the winter–but they are released by the Game Commission every year. Your tax dollars at work! I believe it because they seem incredibly dumb, not like a real wild animal. But that may just be the way they act–they always look like they have no clue what they’re doing or where they are. On the far side of Stanley Lake, there was a chipmunk in the road and as it ran to the shoulder I heard a loud metallic chirp. It was a familiar noise from the woods, but I had always thought it was a bird–it’s a chipmunk squeak!

I asked myself at the end if I thought I could do the loop twice more…I *think* I could. I don’t exactly have “taper brain” like Dianna has been talking about, but I have a little amnesia about what it’s like to run the long distances. I did 18 twice, I keep telling myself, but when 9 and 8 feel not-dead-easy I start to wonder how I did that. But I did it and I can do it again, even though the difference between 18 and 26.2 is starting to loom larger. I will be rested, I will be motivated, it will be an adventure, it will be hard, I will do it!

I finally sat down with the marathon profile and figured out reasonable paces based on the one 18-miler I have Forerunner data for. (Oh, DHL tried to deliver my Forerunner on Friday! So I’ll have it back tomorrow! Yay!) Estimating conservatively, I should finish in just over 5 hours (that’s 10:30 on the steep downs, 11:00 on the gradual downs & flat, up to to 13:00 on the hills), but running up to 30 seconds faster per mile should be just fine too. I’ll pace myself more by how I feel, taking it easy & slow, but it’s good to have an idea of what “too fast” would be. I am determined to run smart and not get carried away by the downhills, and not to even try speeding up until mile 20–if I don’t hit the wall by then.

Lots more little plans & preparations to make. That will keep me busy this week. ONLY 2 MORE 3-MILE RUNS! (and one 3-mile walk). Wow.

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