The Tortoise - A Long Run Account

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This mornings 12 mile run has helped me blow past the 1,000 mile pace bunny. I have him by 4.7 miles now. Hopefully I can maintain, but it may take a couple weeks of back and forth with him. You know for the tortoise they say - slow and steady wins the race, well in my case slow and steady........ Finishes the race.

This mornings 12 mile run was a real test run for me as earlier this week my ankle hurt really bad, bad enough to have to stop my run at just 1 mile and walk back. My other runs this week went good so I was confident that this one would as well.

I started the run off intentionally slower because the last long runs at 12 and above I took off too fast and paid for it near the end. After starting slow I had hoped to stay strong throughout and speed up as I was feeling better, but I then could not speed up like I wanted to. My legs felt good throughout, and were not what held me back as in previous long runs. Today I think what held me back is that I think I am getting sick. My little boy has been home from school all week, and now my wife is sick. My heart rate was unusually high for the 10:19 pace I was running at and I just didn't feel at my best.

This was my last long run at this distance prior to my first Half Marathon, the Run The Reagan on February 16th. Next Saturday will be an 8 miler as I get ready for my race the following week.

As well as posting an 80 mile month for January, I have all just finished my longest distance week to date at 23.3 miles. Not much for many of you, but an inch above my last best week so I am happy.