"I Freakin' Got This"

Today's Workout ... 
                 Course:  Dickinson Movie Theater Out & Back- Lees Summit, MO
                     Miles:   18            
            Total Time:  2:20:52
              Avg Pace:  7:34/mile
                  Avg HR:  160
               Workout:   Long Run
     Elevation Gain:   610 ft
 Calories Burned:   2,628
                     Temp:  85 Degrees, Humidity 51%, Wind 5SW
 Miles This Week:  79

Some days you just gotta quote the great EMZ, so today ... "I FREAKIN' GOT THIS!!!"  Today was  my fastest long run of 18 miles or more ever!!!  EVER!!!  PLUS ... it was friggin' 85 degrees from start to finish!!!   PLUS ... I just ran my 2nd fastest 5K on Wednesday!!!  PLUS ... newsflash, it wasn't that friggin' hard!!!  Can you tell I'm excited!  I'm so happy about where my running is right now that I simply can't explain it.  Don't  mistake this as braggin', we all know there are tons of folks out there much faster than me.  But for this old guy with a goal of a 3:09 marathon in the fall - things couldn't be better right now!

I track all of my runs.  I try to analyze old data against new to keep an eye on where my training is at the moment.  Pretty geeky, I know!  But based on the pace, times, heart rate, temperature, and other data - plus the notes I take at the time - I can get an idea of how my training is going based on performances in the past.

The splits at the right are from last May compared to today's run.  The column at the far right is the difference between the mile splits.  Last May I was in really good shape for 3 upcoming marathons in which I ended up running 3:22, 3:22, and 3:21 from May-August.  This 20 mile run posted here from May of 2011 was my fastest training run to date.  But today's run killed it!  Granted it was only 18 miles, but I could have kept up the pace for a while if needed.  The best thing about today's run was from miles 6-17 where I averaged 7:16/pace - close to my target marathon pace in October.  My avg HR during the 2011 run was 154 bpm, compared to today's 160, but it was 85 degrees outside today compared to a perfect 50 degrees last year.  So the improved time is only half the story.  For this 2011 run, I was primed and ready to race ... I'm still 15 weeks out from my fall marathon and hopefully will get much better.  Also, the 35 degree temperature difference probably added 10 seconds or so per mile to the time.  So all things considered, today's run was leaps & bounds ahead of anything else I've done for a long run to date.

I just really feel in the zone right now and am so thankful for good health.  It's gonna be a long hot summer of training, but hopefully I can keep up the intensity through October!  All of the double runs, additional mileage, self massage, and ancillary work is really paying off!  Hopefully your running is going well too.
... be great today!