PDR

Less than a week away from PDR...sorry, can't get myself to call it the Rock n Roll whatever it is now. I ran a controlled 22 yesterday in 2:29, it was raining through most of the run out at Forbidden Dr. but the mud makes most runs better. I ended up finishing the week with 81 miles, and have been sticking to only 1 double day a week(other than a shake-out this past Friday). I ran a 5k in Downington on Friday night called Teri's Run. It is an evening race, which I always have enjoyed. It was a two loop course with a lot of turns, but flat. I got out pretty well, in 4:58 through the mile. I was just outside the top 10 most of the race, and went through 2 miles in 10:10 and 3 in 15:22. I ended up finishing 12th in 15:53. It was nice to get down under 16 min. again, but definitely nothing to get too excited about. Now that I am 9 weeks out from the marathon I will start doing some more interval type efforts, and would expect to cut another 30 or 40 seconds off the 5k time by the beginning of November once my strength work is supplemented with some anaerobic sessions. It felt good to get the legs moving under 5:30 pace again though.

I plan on finding a pack this weekend in the half that is running between 5:15-5:20 pace and latch on. It is easy in a big race like PDR to get sucked out too hard and then pay for it later on. The field looks pretty deep, with Ryan Hall headlining the men's race and Shalene Flanagan and Meseret Defar from Ethiopia(world record holder in the 5k) on the women's side. On a good day, running just under 70 min. for the half(5:20 pace) would be a solid effort. On a great day, or running under 69 min.(5:16 pace), I would still be barely in the top 40 or 50. I am looking forward to having people to work with, and hope that when I cross Falls Bridge around the 9 mile mark that I am looking ahead and trying to catch people. It is just the next step to the marathon in November, but it is a pretty important midterm. Now I just have to get my legs back under me after 22 yesterday.

And now this land
Means less and less to me without you breathing through its trees
At every turn
The water runs away from me and the halo disappears
And the hole when you're not near
So what if I was wrong?
But hold on to what you believe in the light
When the darkness has robbed you of all your sight
So hold on to what you believed in the light.

Some pretty cool lyrics from Mumford and Sons- "Hold on to What You Believe"

Eric