8 Mile.....

Today was my 8 mile run. I mapped it out last night and blindly put my faith in Google maps that the streets would actually exist, unlike on my 7 mile run. Thankfully they were all right where they were supposed to be.

It was a perfect morning for a long run. The temperature was a cool 58 and the skies were overcast. While it might not be the most beautiful weather it is ideal conditions for a long run. No sun beating down on you making you hotter. A nice cool breeze to keep you cooler.

I ran around some streets that I haven't seen before and that definately makes the miles go quicker. Or at least seem too. There are new houses to look at and gardens to admire. I saw some nice ones. There were also some friendly people who actually smiled and said hi!

I had a good pace today. My legs were a little tired in the beginning but then they resigned themselves to a long run and got with the program. My average heart rate was a reasonable 164 so that aspect felt good. I even had some extra energy at the end to do a sprint to the 'finish line'.

All in all, if I keep up a reasonable training pace I think I am poised to do a better time and finish the 1/2 marathon uninjured. That is mainly what I'm hoping for.

Here We Go Again

Apparently I've recovered from last October fully enough to take the plunge and sign up for another 1/2 marathon. This time I figured I'd sign up for a little 8k race beforehand just to get me into race mode. That race will be May 7th and is a local run for literacy. The distance shouldn't be a problem for me as I've already been running that distance on a regular basis. It will be a good experience I think.

The half marathon is August 2oth and is also local. I figure 4 months of training should be plenty to be able to do the race without crippling myself. So I'm back out on the road again adding up the mileage. It feels good.