Time of Day: 6:30 AM

Weather: 66*, 100% humidity, fog

Duration:  2 hours 39 minutes 10 seconds

Distance: 20 miles

Average Pace: 7:57/mile

Notes: I only did two 20-mile runs in each training cycle for the White Rock Marathon and Big D Marathon. I was going to aim for three 20-milers this time, but today’s 18-miler turned into my third 20, and now I have one more in two weeks.  Four!

I don’t care if I’m getting slower because I’ve done three 20-milers already.  My training is going just fine.

If you recall, last week’s 20-miler was…unpleasant…in 80*+ weather and 100% humidity.  I battled my way through most of it and wasn’t sure I would finish. 

This morning I set out hoping the rain would hold off and hoping my stomach would hold up.  It felt a little off last night and this morning.  I blame the cookies. 

The first mile is always slow, but after that I started to feel good. As if, *gasp* yesteryday’s slow crappy run actually allowed me the rest I needed.  Which is what I intended.  And then got mad about when I felt slow. 

By mile 5 I was cruising and thinking about how much easier 18 miles is than 20.  I was doing loops and turned around at mile 9 so that I could run the other way around the loop.  Anything to cut the monotony. 

I started running sub-8:00 min. miles and around mile 14, when I usually eat my second Gu, I decided I didn’t need it.  I felt good and only had 4 miles to go.  But why not take it and just go longer? 

So, I decided to add two redemption miles to my long run.  Redemption for my crappy 20-miler last week.  I was afraid I would regret this decision around, oh, mile 18 or so, but I didn’t.  I felt fast and awesome and thorougly redeemed. 

My Last Mile Party wasn’t as fast as some, but still quite good considering I have an intersection in the middle of that last mile.  I stop my watch while waiting, naturally, but it interrupts the rhythm and my legs stiffen up.  Still, it was a good get together, at the very least: 7:15.

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