For Whom the Dogs Bark

48F, 100% and calm.  If it had been hot I would not have gone out today, but with temperatures rising towards the end of the week I decided to test out my legs.  They were OK, 6.2 at an easy pace, I'm guessing 9:30 to 10:00.  I could definitely feel the race in my legs until about the 3-mile mark, at which point they felt better and they feel OK tonight.  I'll be pacing Wade in a 10-mile race on Saturday in the Woodlands, so I do want to get some work in without overdoing it.

I've been sorting through a lot of variables from Saturday, although the more I think about it the more I realize how little I really know:

• Weather had to be the number one factor.  How can you beat less than 55F at the finish line with a significant tailwind until at least the bottom of Veyo, and a cross wind going up the hill?  I could actually feel it pushing on my back at some points.
• I have always believed that the altitude cancels out the downhill advantage for a sea-level runner; but with my two best marathons now being on this course, that is open for debate.  On the other hand, I have run mediocre to bad races in Provo (twice) and Ogden (not even going there) -- a bit higher altitude in those places but a lot of downhill and not as much uphill.  I still believe, however, that the hit a sea level runner takes going to altitude is greater than the advantage an altitude runner gets when coming to sea level, have seen that one time and again.
• I peaked perfectly.  I did three 20-milers in the 5 days before my taper, and the taper was only 10 days and active (a week of regular workouts without long runs, then two days' rest, then race day).  This worked because I was still peaking, I hadn't plateaued going into that last 5 days before the taper, since each 20-miler was faster than the previous one, at equal or lesser effort.  But it is risky, because you don't really know until after you have gone long if you are at the plateau or not, or at least I don't.  If I had plateaued I might have risked overtraining, which takes a longer time to recover from, probably even longer than the typical 3-week taper.
• I ate whatever I wanted the last week, but avoided red meat and tried to eat carbs as healthily as possible.  I carb-loaded but not excessively.
• Running without a watch, I may have run the first half slower than with one (not too sure about that, though, I underestimated my fitness level going in and that would have kept my pace slow), and the second half faster (this is definitely the case -- no way would I have dared to bomb down the course at 7:35 to 7:45 if I had been looking at mile splits).
• The altitude running over the summer probably helped.  3 days in Arizona in July, one of them a grueling 14-miler at 9400' and a 10K race half uphill at 7000'.  Then 3 days at Tahoe in August.
• I got a big boost from running in the heat all summer long.  8:30 per mile at SGM felt like 10:00 here in Houston.  Any morning I made it out against the odds this summer was money in the bank at race time.
• It is also possible that I got a lot of benefit from long, slow miles.  I hate them but they did not slow me down on race day, and they seemed to sustain me through the final miles.
• What is the deal with my age group?  Three guys under 3 hours, the winner from sea level?  I have seen Boston times not much better than that.  No answer for that one, I just have to get better.
• There is good and bad to take from every race (leaving Ogden out here); that's why it is so important to make sure the process itself is fulfilling, because race day is never going to be perfect, although this one was pretty close.

I promise no more comments about SGM.

54F, 100% and calm.  Ran 5 in the neighborhood, then another 2.5 to Planet Fitness all at LLHR.  Did some leg and core work there, then ran home at a faster and more comfortable pace.

On the way to the gym I crossed a road at a 4-way stop sign with a marked crosswalk, in front of a large SUV being driven by a high-school girl.  I was 2/3 of the way across the front width of her vehicle, having already passed the driver's side, when she hit the gas, missing me by inches only because my reflexes were faster than hers.  It was almost like I knew what she was going to do before she did.  Law of the jungle I guess.

Legs felt fine after finishing, but were pretty sore at the end of the day from doing weights.  It has been a while, need to get back to that on a consistent basis.

58F, 100%, ENE 3 mph and clear.  The weather has been excellent this week, can't not run.  The wind is shifting to the SE today and tomorrow and it will be warm for a 10-mile race on Saturday morning, but I am pacing so I don't really care.  Caught up on some sleep and didn't have a lot of time once I got out, but went out for 6 at LLHR in the neighborhood.  Legs still quite sore from weights yesterday, but I hope that means they will do some good.  Nice long stretch and roll session afterwards, felt really good to do that.

69F, 93%, ESE 4 mph.  Basically duplicated Wednesday's run but just a little further.  5.8 in the neighborhood then 2.7 to the gym, all at LLHR, probably about a 12:00 pace.  I did a leg and core workout then ran home at what felt like a normal pace, low 9s I think, but without a watch just not sure.

77F, 100% and calm.  Cement giving off steam after early-morning rain, easily the worst conditions I have ever raced in, and top 5 for even being out running.  I told Wade I was going to pace him today, though he wasn't sure what he could do (he has been running in Wyoming all summer) and neither was I, coming off of a major race last weekend.  But neither of us expected this temperature/humidity combo.  Met Wade and Linda at his house and we drove up to The Woodlands from there, arriving about 45 minutes early.  No warmup.  Wade kept telling himself to go out slow, but he ran the first mile in about 7:50.  I figured if he was going slow I was going to have to push to stay with him, but he faded starting after mile 4 or 5.  He was eventually hurting so badly I thought he would have to quit, but once we got to mile 7.5 I knew he would push it in no matter how much he was hurting, that's just the way he does it.  We finished with an 8:24 overall pace, including an all-out sprint from about 100 yards out.  I never have enough strength to do that if I am racing for myself.

After the race was over I went back out on the course for a half mile, found Linda and ran her in.

I got a text this afternoon from Coach Eric congratulating me on second place in my age division.  I was sure it was a hoax.  Last year I ran a 7:11 pace and got 2nd, 70th overall.  But went to the computer and it was true.  Just the luck of the draw though.  Times were a little slower this year, but 70th place was a 7:24 pace, not that far off.  I just happened to be in a slow group, unlike last weekend.  7:47/mile won my age group, not sure if I would have been able to do that today.  And the sprint was timely, as the next three finishers in my group were within a few seconds of us.

The good thing is that the first few miles (sub-8) felt pretty reasonable, if not sustainable for a full 26.  Gives me hope for a good result in January when we will presumably have actual running weather.