Boston Training: Week 12; Hurray for Runner Friends!

A tree was down on the ATT during the Saturday group run.  

This week I was able to join a group of runner friends for my long run.  It's so nice to have company! I was also joined by my friend and former Boston training partner Holly Kane to pace me on a tough out and back tempo run.  I told her before we started that I wouldn't be able to talk during the run (because I would be breathing heavily and gasping for air.)  We managed to carry on a conversation, and I was only really gasping near the end.  We talked about the fun we had training last year and the possibility of returning to Boston together in the future.  Her company helped take my mind off the rigorous tempo run.

During the first couple of miles, she told me to slow down because I wanted to go too fast on the slight, almost undetectable downward slope.  I do not know how to dial into certain paces and maintain them. The funniest part was when I started to fade in the last mile, and she told me, "We need to speed up; we're going too slow."  I knew I was slowing, and had I been alone, the last mile would have been too slow, but the run probably would have averaged at target pace in the end.  That's what I was telling myself in the moment.  The way she said it was as if I wasn't aware that I was slow, and that it would be easy to finish strong.  That last mile was tough, but we managed to come in under target pace even during the last mile.  Completing training each day is like a small victory on this road to Boston.  I'm enjoying the process of getting to the starting line.

Sat.:  13 miles: flatter course; 9:49 average pace (might have been a little faster; my Garmin didn't get one of the miles right.)
Sun.: rest
Mon.: 6 miles recovery run + 6 X 100 meter strides; 9:10 pace (I mistakenly ran this as a general aerobic run instead of a slower 10 minute pace recovery).
Tues.: 9 mile tempo run with 7 miles at 8:00 pace; 7:54 average pace (thanks to my pacer!)
Wed.: day off
Thurs.: 12 mile medium long run on hills; 9:39 average pace with 728 ft. elevation gain and 735 ft. elevation loss.  I'm surprised at how slow I was.
Fri.: 5 miles recovery run; 10 minute average pace

My first run in the new park near my new house.  The park isn't open yet, so I am one of the first to traverse the bridge.