I really don't know what to make of this run. Is it a good thing or just a good day? Went to redeem myself in Provo Canyon from last weeks disaster run. Rode with Chad and George down to Sasha's home. Headed up the canyon with the lovely familiar head wind. I just tried to keep up. It wasn't until Sasha pointed out the 100M markers on the road and our time that I realized how fast I was running. I even said "I'd better let you go, I'm going to fast." But, Sasha said the uphill speed doesn't matter, so they kept with me...rather, I kept up with them. Pace didn't drop! :) The other 3 were doing 20 today and I only wanted 16 with the last 8 downhill at MP tempo to lock it in for the legs and build confidence for SGM. Well, after bidding them adieu at Vivian and wishing them luck up South Fork (enjoy!) I did just .25 extra out and back to get ready for the downhill tempo. Threw back a gu, grabbed some water, chatted with some ladies (c'mon...you know me!) then put my big girl panties on to take on the canyon. I should mention that I glanced at my garmin...8:02AP for UP the canyon! What the heck?!? I don't run uphill that fast, and it didn't feel that hard of effort either. I would've put it more 8:20ish. This is when I realized the pace up the canyon didn't really slow much at all from my 'I quit' moment. Crap, if I'd run MP UP the canyon...what was I going to do down? Goal MP of 7:50 was definitely possible, I can do this...I can. I didn't look at the Garmin on the way down. You know how that plays head games with me. So, I just ran a comfortably hard pace, or a little more so. Better effort than the up effort, but still sustainable. I kept thinking "if this is only a 7:50 there is NO way I'm running that pace at SGM!" But, I just tried to plug into my music and enjoy the downhill ride, the beauty of the canyon and the bazillion other runners on the trail :) I decided I wanted to stop at Nunns, got there...nah, I'm good. I'll go to the ever flowing water. I thought about how this week these miles were flying by and last week it felt like crap and drug on FOR-EV-ER! Definitely a better run week. At the water fountain I looked at the pace...holy crap. I'd dropped the AP to 7:38 and my splits were around 7mm. Nice. I had 3 more miles (exactly, strangely enough) and decided to push on and try to keep it up. So, after a short chat with another lady at the fountain, I got on my way (can you blame me? I'm a talker and the guys were running FOUR more miles...I had time). Within about 1/4 mile I regretted not stopping at the bathroom. about 1.4 later it was painfully obvious I needed to use the bathroom. I kept looking along the park (I was on the West side of the river, so there was a little park area) for a pit stop and couldn't see one. Ah! finally spotted one. Nope...false alarm, crap...literally! :) I knew it was only 1/2 mile or so to the start of the RHPC run and I KNEW there was a bathroom there. So, I kept up the tempo to the bathroom and the door was even open. Beautiful! When I started back I had .5 to go to hit my 16. This made me happy, because I knew my detour to the bathroom had made it so I didn't have to finish up the back road to Sasha's house :) It took my legs a bit to get back into it, besides now going a slight uphill my legs I think thought I was done at the bathroom. Nope, just a little more! I ended with just .1 up the hill and then I walked the rest of the way up! Marvelous :) I had kept a pretty good consistent pace (except the last mile) on the tempo on the way down, but even the last mile wasn't horrible! I think I might just be able to pull it off. At least match my Ogden time, I hope. But, SGM is a beast I have yet to tame...so we will see! I'm going to try and Neg split. Take the first half 'easy' and lock in for the 2nd half. You know...the way a marathon SHOULD be run? When I got back, Chad and Sasha were already there! What the heck? I guess I'd talked waaaay too much :) doesn't surprise me. They passed me while I was on my bathroom detour, and my long walk up the hill didn't help matters. Anyway, we still had to wait a bit for George, so at least I wasn't last. Had a nice visit and chat with Pachevs and was grateful for their hospitality in post run fueling! I now have a track workout brewing in my head...maybe Tuesday :) AP: 7:33 splits: 8:23, 8:20, 8:08, 8:04, 8:02, 8:05, 7:50 (turn around); 7:26, 6:55, 7:00, 6:58, 7:03, 7:04, 6:55, 7:09, 7:21 (last 100 feet over 16 miles recorded at 7:06...so the finishing pace was good!).
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