28.76K Long Run

Today was to be my longest training run before Around the Bay -- just shy of the 30K I'll do no race day. The goal was to take it easy for most of the run, but then ramp up to race pace for the final 4 miles. The run went reasonably well. Here are my splits:

5:17
5:27
5:17
5:16
5:16
5:20
5:26
5:40
5:32
5:26
5:16
5:21
5:21
5:25
5:29
5:19
5:34
5:33
5:27
5:33
5:36
5:33
5:16 (Started running back with Ali Meuse)
5:21
5:18
5:16
5:20
5:22
5:46 (760 m.)

Average: 5:24

With 6.76K to return back from the pump house in Springbank Park, Ali Meuse and I made the trek back. She said it would be sloooooowwww, but it was quite an acceptable speed, especially considering it was uphill most of the way. (That Terry Fox Parkway is like the hill that never ends!) We didn't push exceptionally hard, but it was hard enough that it felt like a good workout.

When we got back to Goodlife Fitness, though, I started puking. Nothing to puke, fortunately, but it didn't stop for about 5 minutes. A cup of water that Becky Mathews found for me definitely helped. This isn't a particularly wonderful thing to mention in my blog post, but I do so to remind myself to EAT SOMETHING on these longer runs. I'll have to get some of the running "chews" (sort of like gummy-bears, but not as sweet) for race day.

My hamstring didn't appear to be an issue. I tiny bit slower than Ali on the way up Terry Fox Parkway, but not terrible. I was definitely stiff later in the day (although a horseback ride did a good job of loosening me up a bit).

I do believe I built some muscle today. Standard workouts (hockey, speedwork, easy run, tempo run, pace run) for the rest of this week. A medium long-run (12 miles) on Sunday. And then a short 1 week taper.