Eight Easy Miles

Eight miles on the Gateway Trail. Longest run remaining before the marathon. I had planned on ten miles, but worked very hard in the yard yesterday afternoon and decided to take it a little easier. I ran easy and walked now and then, especially for a minute or so right after finishing each mile. I enjoyed the run - saw wild turkeys, nesting geese, an eagle overhead, and a muskrat in a lake. Low fifties with a strong crosswind. One long-sleeved shirt was perfect. I didn’t wear gloves but that might have been good too.

For a brief moment after a short, steep downhill I felt a little twinge in the left Achilles tendon so I decided to cut the eight miles to six. But when that was finished I realized that I’d have to wait for my sweeties to to return anyway, and the Achilles pain had disappeared, so I went ahead and ran two more. That was plenty though - I was tired. Taper will be good.

Splits: 9:20, 8:51, 9:50, 11:06 (phone call), 10:03, 7:14, 3:31, 9:57, 9:38, total 1:19:31, pace 9:56.



Breakfast: Gluten-free oatmeal with dried cranberries, blueberries, organic walnuts, organic nonfat milk, organic strawberries. That is one HUGE strawberry, one of many from Trader Joe's. The season is upon us.