Building

Week 13, Key Run #2: 16.3 miles in 2:17:40 min. @ 7:00 a.m.
Plan: 18 miles @ MP + 45-60 sec/mile
Weather: Fog to Mostly Cloudy, 37°F, 93% Humidity, Wind: From SSW at 7 mph; feels like 32°F.
Target Tempo Pace: MP + 60 sec. = 8:26 min/mile, Overall= 2:14:56
Actual Tempo Pace: 8:28 min/mile, Overall= 2:17:40
Course: 16 Miles and a Mule Jack (loop, mostly hills, roads) made using USATF Map It!

Pre-Run Ruminations: After something of a "challenging" day yesterday (mother hospitalized, driving out and back to Cornell in a matter of four hours, missing my daughter's state championship race) everything ultimately ended positively (following an emergency procedure, mom will be fine and daughter ran well, though did not "win"), I actually began looking forward to this morning's lsd early last evening. Despite the aching in my knees I had a strong desire to hit the roads and let some of it "go"...

Post-Run Reflections: Though my pace was at the far end of the possible additional time (60 seconds rather than 40), and I still went slightly slower (two seconds a mile), I felt very successful about this morning's times... especially as I certainly felt as though I was moving more slowly. My "go-time" pace was hampered by the ache in my knees which subsided only briefly during the middle nine miles and flared when I was going downhill, which was frequently. There were a two fairly significant inclines built into the route, both of which I feel as though I "handled" pretty well.

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!