Run, Pegleg, RUN!

It’s been 5 months since the Brooklyn Half-Marathon and the official start of training for the Marathon. Months of training are behind me, miles of road has passed beneath my feet. My body has held together this far. Finally, now is the time to relax, to recover, to get these muscles, these bones, this Pegleg to the starting line on Staten Island. For the next 3 weeks it’s my job to keep this machine tuned  There’s not time build anything new physically just to get what I’ve got as primed as possible. And build some mental toughness – some confidence – that I can reach my goal.

I’m running these runs relaxed.  No need to push it now, only to keep loose, maintain strength, repair little tweaks, and practice – one foot in front of the other.

October 18th, 2010: Ave J Loop – Taper time! A relaxed 4 miles after the long run on Saturday. Amazing how a mental hurdle has been jumped. I feel happy to run again. Of course I decide to run 2 middle miles at pace just to remember how it feels. But other than that, an easy recovery run.

October 21st, 2010: Cemetery CW – I’ve read 2 ideas for midweek runs on this first week of taper. The guide I’ve been following would have me doing 2 4-mile intervals at marathon pace, but I just didn’t feel like running that far with all I’ve done recently. The other article I’ve read wouldn’t have me run that far or fast at all. I decided to cut the distance and run my near 6 mile loop at a fast marathon pace, even tempo. My goal was to do under 7 minutes per mile. My average was good, the run was good. And most importantly, no injuries.

October 23rd, 2010: Brooklyn – Williamsburg Bridges Long Run – Another taper long run, I wasn’t sure how far I wanted to go, I knew I just wanted to run it slow and relaxed. 16 miles is what I end up doing, the pace a bit faster than I thought I wanted to do, but the group pulled me along. Running with PPTC is great. I hadn’t prepared for the run very well, either, carbo-loading with a few too many beers on Friday night. This was kinda a test to see if I could do it. I could, but it didn’t feel great. But I didn’t get hurt again, so that’s what matters.

October 24th, 2010: Prospect Park Loops – Yesterday run felt ok but I didn’t have the mileage I should this week so I set out for a relaxed 6 miles today. Being by myself, I kept the pace down and really did just get the legs loose and log some miles. Good workout, feeling happy the race is near.