Sunday Run to a Taper

Still wet here in upstate New York, but the forecasters assure us that better things are in store for the week ahead!
Run: 15 miles in 2:05:04 min. @ 6:35 a.m.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy w/misty precipitation, 57°F, 100% Humidity, Wind: WNW @ 7 mph; feels like 57°F.
Pace: 8:20 min/mile
Course: Start on Canterbury then take a left onto Monroe Avenue, which will turn briefly into State Street before changing to Palmyra Macedon Road. Take a left onto Marsh Road followed by yet another left onto Fairport Road which will eventually turn into East Avenue.

Pre-Run Ruminations: Just as yesterday's anticipated 25-miler shrunk into a more manageable 18-miler, I'm hoping to punch-up this morning's ten miler to more closely resembling a 15+ mile jaunt. The hope is that balancing out the days (and maintaining both the integrity of the distance and back-to-back nature of the training) that the benefit on my overall training will remain intact.

Well, that and 18 + 15 = 33 miles, which is pretty close to 34 miles, this weekend's target total!

Post-Run Reflections: The run started out cloudy, misty and very humid, which caused me to remove my sunglasses about four miles in after they become more trouble (cloudy, rain spattered) than they were worth, and fortunately my hydration belt had a "bag" within which I could carry them. I felt fairly comfortable throughout the run, though my prediction that 15 miles was about the maximum I could go (easily) with the current hydration system was proven accurate as I made it home without a drop to spare.

This morning's run represented my final "long run" prior to the ultra marathon on July Fourth. The longest I'll be asked to run over the next two weeks leading up is ten... so "officially" my taper begins today.

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