MGP Run- 18 Miles

2nd LAB run for this training season was on Saturday. Thank goodness I decided to recommit myself as I needed to for my mental health on this very important training run.

We were set to run the last 18 miles of the marathon course. Couldn't tell you anything about the course. It was a very grey day and running in packs when you're the same size as a munchkin leaves little room for site seeing. For some odd known reason I was very GROUCHY on this run. No rhyme or reason just was.

So run time: we're doing 3 mile warm-up and 4 sets of 3 miles at MGP (marathon goal pace) with a 3 mile cool-down. As always the warm-up is anything but that...it's more like tempo run.

3 mile warm-up is on Exposition up to 35th, cross Mopac (this is always fun in the dark), lft on Jackson- that's it for my memory on the course. This took all of 24:50 which is 8:17/mile that's faster than my mgp is supposed to be...oh joy!
1st set of 3 miles
1 mi- 8:04 oh, f-word this isn't good
2 mi- 8:08 seriously
3 mi- 8:20 right on!
break water (love the breaks every 3miles- they're teaching us to breakdown the long race into small segments- this actually helps)
2nd set of 3 miles
1 mi- 8:16
2 mi- 8:13 i'm not supposed to get faster
3 mi- 8:07 i'm screwed
break water
3rd set of 3 miles
1 mi- 8:09
2 mi- 8:08
3 mi- 8:05
I'm in trouble if I don't figure out how to pace. Good news 2 more months to figure this out.
final set of 3 miles at mgp
1 mi- 8:12
2 mi- 8:29 WTF?
3 mi- 8:19

3 mile cool-down- 27:23
Grand Total 2:31

The last set and I was really falling apart mentally and physically. I have a few guesses on this one. It was warmer when we started and got chillier as we went. I never got that warm. I need to invest in some halfie-tights (don't know the technical term but maybe you know what I mean). My quads were cold and tight from the wind which didn't make running any easier...not looking to make this any harder than it already is. Guess 2 needed more food. I was starving after this run. I am NEVER hungry after a long run, today ready to eat peoples arms and legs. I did venture out and drink some poweraid mixed with water while on this run...I'm always scared to try new things because I know what happens when my body disagrees. Not the case I was craving sodium today.

All in all I'm very pleased with my training season thus far. I had been toying with the idea of starting with the 3:35 pace group on race day but now I think I will start with the 3:40 group. I hated the way I felt on the final MGP set on Saturday and think I'm better off a little slower. 26.2 miles can be very long!!