A Viking, running

ORN:  Today, I ran a strong six-mile tempo run in 55'11".  When I say strong, I mean that I felt like an ostrich or like I was being chased by polar bears.  I was four seconds off from a PR.  I nailed it.  The weather helped; it was clear and 45°.  I ran the tempo part at an 8'42" average pace.  Not quite the 8'21" I was shooting for, but with the hills, and considering I ate poorly last night, and that I think I had a touch of food poisoning, I am content with the result.  As I was running, I kept thinking about how great I was doing.  I wanted to remember to go through my logs to compare today with past performances.  When I got to work and opened up my journal, I was bowled over by what I saw.  I did great.  Few of my six milers or 10Ks this year have compared.

 

I know the better story would have been for me to blast my way into a new, huge PR.  It would have been great, too, if I had saved Bill Gates's life, and he expressed his eternal gratitude in cash.  Or found an unattended keg of Dog Fish Head 90 Minute IPA.  However, I am at the end of my training plan and I'm tired and I'm grateful for what I get.  I'm thankful the FIRST plan only makes me run three days a week, and yet I get these kinds of results.  Life is good.

 

Kids, I have just three more runs before the marathon.  I have a 10 miler, a 6x400, and finally, a 3 mile tempo run.  Easy peasy.  And then the suffering happens.