Tempo Taper Run

I believe that taper runs should be shorter than the runs building toward a marathon, but not less intense.  In particular I like to run a modest distance at a tempo pace, or even a race pace, about a week before the marathon.  Today we went to the track at the Woodbury YMCA, six miles, 13 laps per mile.

Most of it lands on the ground and
has to be shoveled, but some lands
on the trees and creates beauty.

I did the run/walk as usual, lengthening the run and shortening the walk a bit, to a ratio of probably about 4 to 1 by distance.  Splits:  9:35, 9:27, 9:25, 9:26, 9:26, 9:14, total 56:34, pace 9:26.  That corresponds to a 10k time of 58:29 or so, a little better than I did in the Victory race last summer, and I wasn't quite racing today.  I’m happy with the pace.

Whining: Not so happy with my right Achilles tendon.  It hurt during a run, then got better during the next walk.  Most of the time it was OK, but that cycle repeated itself three or four times.  Probably not a problem, but it’s in the log.