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Friday 11.2 Miles - 8:41 pace

Right ankle still hurts and then to top it off I turned it while I was out there - not horrible but just enough to make me walk a bit - UGH!

Chilly morning and I went out a little under-dressed too.

1 8:53 50
2 8:44 7
3 8:18 -1
4 8:32 -21
5 8:08 -34
6 9:11 -16 (where I turned my ankle)
7 8:37 -7
8 8:58 45
9 8:39 7
10 8:47 -24
11 8:46 -21
12 8:39 -1

Wednesday Tempo Run 5.9 Miles

Met up with Dave in Long Branch. Goal was 2 easy then 3 at a 7:05 pace.

Dave and I ran the first two together then I picked up the pace. I fell a little short:

1 8:42 7
2 8:40 -3
3 7:00 17
4 7:08 -21
5 7:19 12
6 9:53 -5

I lost my keys so it was great that Dave was there. He drove me home to get my extra set then back to Long Branch to get my car

Monday Speed Work 6 Miles Total - 5 x 1K

Same workout as Week 13 (the results in parenthesis) so it's great to see some improvement

10:00 (steady) 9:15 -7
0.62 mi (fast) 7:08 3 (7:08)
0.25 mi (slow) 9:01 3
0.62 mi (fast) 6:49 -6 (7:18)
0.25 mi (slow) 9:07 4
0.62 mi (fast) 6:54 -0 (7:07)
0.25 mi (slow) 10:56 -1
0.62 mi (fast) 7:03 7 (7:09)
0.25 mi (slow) 9:09 -9
0.62 mi (fast) 7:08 3 (7:35)
1.00 mi (steady)8:49 3

BTW this pain in my right ankle SUCKS! Im gonna have to tough it out till after the race then rest it

Friday 20 Miles - 2:53:13 - 8:38 pace

I am so glad Im ending my training on this run rather than the 20 miler I did 3 weeks ago. Not only was this my best overall pace in any of the 4 20 milers Ive done since September but I felt so much better at the end than I did 3 weeks ago when I literally limped to a finish.

I brought Shea down to the Manasquan Reservoir and we ran a lap and then Eric joined us. I did one more loop with Shea then left him in the car (it was a cool enough morning) and did 2 more loops all with Eric.

Towards the end my breathing got a little heavier and my legs were definitely feeling it. Cant say I could have done 6 more today BUT other than Gatorade I didnt carb up during the run plus I didnt taper this week running hard 2 of 3 days. So bottom line I feel good and confident and now I get to glide my way into Nov 20th

Splits
mi Pace Elevation (ft)
1 9:26 -29
2 8:42 29
3 8:40 9
4 8:36 -16
5 8:46 -1
6 8:46 -18
7 8:47 10
8 8:26 12
9 8:33 -7
10 8:21 2
11 8:40 13
12 8:37 -34
13 8:20 1
14 8:20 -15
15 8:38 43
16 8:36 13
17 8:54 -22
18 8:45 -11
19 8:21 -25
20 8:32 46

BTW I've never done 4 20s in a training before.

Sept 2 8:43 pace - felt great with a strong finish
Sept 30th 8:53 pace - consistent run with Eric at the rez
Oct 14th 8:49 pace - the hills at the end killed me
Nov 4th 8:38 pace - great warmup for the big day

Wednesday Tempo Run 6 Miles - 7:55 pace

Took Shea to Dorbrook - Goal was 5 miles at 7:40. I warmed up for a mile then hit my splits:

Splits
mi Pace (min/mi) Elevation (ft)
1 9:32 -26
2 7:37 25
3 7:29 -27
4 7:39 27
5 7:33 -25
6 7:41 25

Tuesday 4 miles at 8:01 pace

This should be a biking day but its too cold and Im ill equipped to be out there cycling. Grabbed Shea and did a run through the Woodmere streets. Started with an 8:29 but was feeling good and did sub 8s the rest of the way (7:54, 7:56 and 7:46)

Speed work Monday. 4.8 miles.

Did 4 x 800s. After a 1 mile warmup (9:40) I did my 4 splits in 
6:47
6:56
6:50
7:06

It was good to run with Shea again 

Week 3 Recap - Running in Italy 15 Miles

So I need to look at this is a taper week followed by an intense week (this week) followed by 2 weeks of tapering.

Problem is Ive developed this little aggravation in my right shin. It's actually on the side of my lower leg. It feels like a muscle thing although maybe its a bone spur. Its one of those things that won't slow me down (I dont think) but it'll be a pain throughout any run.

My only good run this week was Tuesday in Florence. 7 Miles at an 8:04 pace. I think the sattellite might have gotten a little weird (cause I didnt walk on water lol) but the stats were close to that.

My other runs - on Wednesday I did 3.5 miles at 8:30. It was rainy and cold and miserable.

Then 2 days later in Montepulciano I went for a run that was stupid. The roads were too narrow and windy and everytime a car came I had to step off onto the grass shoulder that fell away so quickly into a ditch I had to stop running or I'd fall. It was horrible plus my right leg was hurting. The map is boring - I just did an out and back - but check out the incline and decline stats:

Week 4 Recap 35.9 miles running

2 runs here in Rome. Saturday I did 5 then today 3.5.

Will do some running this week then next week when I get back ive got a 20 miler and then tapering begins

Friday 15.34 Miles - 2:05:03 - 8:09 pace

Same thing I did 2 weeks ago. Shea and I did 8 miles, I dropped him off and then did the Cold Indian Spring loop:

Splits

1 8:56 51 My usual slow start + going up the hill on Shafto
2 7:59 6 Got to slow down on these 2nd miles. I hear the pace of the first mile and in my head I must be like WTF thats too slow but then I overcompensate
3 8:13 2 Here's my stride
4 7:57 -25 Same pace but with the downhill I went sub 8
5 8:14 -3 Back in stride
6 8:08 9
7 8:03 -23 Easy downhill
8 7:56 -35 Same thing
9 8:17 7 Dropped off Shea and grabbed a water bottle
10 8:24 58 Same stride but the inclines slowed me a bit
11 8:35 -8 Cant explain this one - why so slow - still felt good
12 8:05 -4
13 8:17 16 Climbed the hill by the church
14 7:49 -37 Feeling good, plenty in the tank and some down hills.
15 7:42 -36 Moving
.34 7:25 22 I was at an 8:10 overall pace at mile 15 and knew I could knock a second off if I finished really strong