Running for a Ride - a great motivator.

Only 25 days to go! At this point, I should be starting my taper - having done my longest run of 20 miles this last weekend.

Except, that didn't happen. :( Though now you need to turn that frown upside down - because I am actually in a pretty good spot. The 13.2 I did over the weekend wasn't to bad - and I think I will be able to do somewhere between 15 and 20 this weekend. I have obviously left the "Hal Higdon" training plan, but (For those whom have just started reading my blog - Joining the other three of you) with the Calf problems I have had that lead to my time-off of running - I am doing fantastic. I am on track to be able to complete the Marathon (with no real time goal.)

So, In that spirit - I headed out for a quick run last night. I left my house at 4:30 and decided to be a gambling man. My wife works 3.5 miles from home and leaves work at 5 o'clock. If I could run that 3.5 miles in 30 minutes, I could hop a ride home. Much better alternative than a boring old "there and back" run right? So I headed out at a brisk pace to try and get there before she left, as otherwise I was running back. That was going to be very painful, with the pace I was running at to get there.

Mile 1: 8:50

Mile 2: 8:24

Mile 3: 7:47

I definitely spent more of the last mile looking at my watch as I realized it was going to be close! If their clock was noticeably faster than my watch, I had another 3.5 miles (albeit at a much slower pace) to run. Luckily a WONDERFUL gentleman had kept her at Manpower - so I did make it. (I have to admit here - she and her boss thought that the idea of me getting there after she had left was hysterical.)  I think I might have made it anyway, but I'm not going to belittle the small nice things in life.

I do have some Shin-Splints going on in my left leg now. I had never had them before, but had read about them. OK seriously? The write ups you read online don't do it justice. THEY HURT!!! Would definitely appreciate any advice on how to handle these.