Less than 2 Weeks to go

It has been a while since I last posted. This is probably due mostly to a series of less than ideal runs I have had in the couple of weeks since my last post.

My long run last week (my final 20 miler) was not quite what I had anticipated. Running more slowly than I intended, I found myself still having a difficult time around 18 miles - my body started to slow down and I had some cramping in my legs when I finished the run. Since that time I have felt quite sluggish - energy levels have been low as well as my overall desire to run.

I have decided to take this as a sign, rightly or wrongly, that it may be time to back off. And, as a result, I am tapering for the big race on Oct 12th. This past week I only ran 33 miles, down from 40, 41 and 51 in the previous 3 weeks. I have always felt that getting to the line healthy is half the battle. I don't have the miles under me that I would liked to have had due to the issue with my feet. That said, with such little time left, I am not going to stress about not getting as many miles in as I would have liked. The workouts I have had have, for the mostpart, been of less intensity than I would have liked as well. At this stage, it is what it is and we'll just have to see what happens. Right now the plan is to head out at about a 7:15 min / mile pace on race day and dial it down from there if things don't feel right. If things feel great, I may increase by 5 seconds per mile, but right now I don't think the likelihood of that happening is too strong.

As an aside, I feel compelled to comment on Haile Gebrselassie's new world record in the Marathon: 2:03:59. As my friend Keith pointed out, if I have the race of my life I have a shot at coming in just 1 hour slower than Haile. Absolutely insane how fast this is. For some perspective, those of you who have treadmills, just think of the following. A 2:03:59 converts into 12.68 miles per hour. Most treadmills on the market only go up to 10 miles per hour. Not only is he running at that pace, he is able to sustain it for over 26 miles!!!!! Try cranking your treadmill up to 10 mph and seeing how long you can hold it there... it will really provide some perspective as to how fast the elites are running. Sometimes it is easy to forget this as their form is so good that they do not appear to be moving as fast as they are. Anyway, it is an incredible feat.