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.