Where there's a will, there's a long run

Wintry Mix

It's the last long run of this cycle and I need 16 miles. But I need 16 miles at certain paces that get progressively faster. On tired legs. At the end of a very sucessfull training cycle.

And I realized that I needed to find a race to help me get out and get this long run done.

Even though it was going to be the weekend after Christmas I was able to find the perfect local event.

Sporty Diva's Annual Last Run of the Year at Green Lake. The funny thing about this event is that it was a 2.8 mile loop course and you just picked how many loops you wanted to do. Did you want to run 1 loop? Great! Did you want to run 6 (for a 16.8 mile long run)? Great! Did you want a last marathon of the year? Fantastic! You make your race.

The weather was going to be frightful with increasing rain during the course of the event. It was breezy too and then at times a chunky rain was falling. That's the "wintery mix" we can get at this time of year which is mostly rain with some chunks of soggy snow. Fantatstic! Make your own race.

I talked K into running 2.5 loops with me. We'd keep it easy for 4 miles and then run a tempo pace for 4 miles (a bit slower than goal marathon pace for me).  He'd add on a couple more miles for a good long run and workout. Then I'd speed up to the next paces i needed to hit. It was great to have some company. And as I started off on the faster portion of the run I also had some friends out who live along the lake cheer. Fun! And that did keep me focused.

Those six laps went very fast and I had a great run successfully hitting goal paces and even a bit faster than expected. 

Rose who is the Sporty Diva and the race director is a ray of sunshine. She is full of energy and inspiration and support. Super fun way to get in a workout and I'd do this one again.

Taper! 

Focused

That is the only word for it. I am very focused on the upcoming marathon. It is a month away and i'm in the middle of peak training.

FOCUS.

Every easy run has been getting slower and slower. "Don't chase the easy" is probably the best bit of wisdom I got this week. If you plug in a current race time to those calculators that will give you your recommended training paces, you get a range from +30 to + 90 seconds over your marathon pace for a recommended easy pace. This is the pace where you run most of your miles. The past few years, i have really slowed down my easy pace.  And as is typical for me during peak training, easy pace slows to a near crawl and i'm more like 2 minutes over my marathon pace.  I find it a bit demoralizing that each day i'm out running and just seem to be slower and slower.  It means that it takes longer for me to get a run in and during peak week with high mileage, this takes valuable time away from things like sleep.

Did I mention that I was tired? But honestly i feel good overall.

I'm not chasing the easy and then when it matters, i've been able to hit very solid workout times in the midst of a 60 mile run week. Sadly i thought that taper started this coming week and was disappointed to realize that i have one more week of high mileage. I can do it though. I am focused!

oh yeah. Holidays. Between craziness at work and the holidays, training has been a very good distraction. Focus.

And knitting

This is leftover yarn from a throw blanket I made for a friend. It's fun bulky soft yarn (Bernat Blanket) so I thought it would be nice for some running accessories. Wouldn't you know that I am wearing this headband quite a bit because i lost my favored smartwool headband. Boo! that is the second one of those that i have lost.

Bulky Cable Headband

Provisional cast on with waste yarn 8 stitches.
Stockinette stitch until piece measures about 2.5 inches then K1 M1, K6, M1 K1 so you will have 10 stitches. Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 9-10 inches.
K1, slip 4 to cable needle and hold in front, K4 from left hand needle, knit 4 from cable needle, K1
Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures around 16” and make corresponding decreases (one on each edge) so you have 8 stitches again. Continue in stockinette until piece measures 18-20” but I just hold it up to my head to see how it fits stretched which is how it will be worn as a running headband.
Join using kitchener stitch (knit, purl, purl knit!). Weave in ends.
I made one is for my mother-in-law for when she walks. My mom requested one and chose a smaller one. I made one for myself for winter running. This yarn is great for this. It’s very soft, warming and doesn’t weigh that much. If it gets wet, you don’t notice and it dries quickly.
One skein has made three headbands and one cowl and I could probably make another headband.