The LAB long run is a loop course that is 3.5 miles around. We were told to do 4 loops. The first as warm up, the second and third at Marathon Goal Pace (MGP), and the last as cool down. My problem is that I don’t really have an MGP. So I lined up with Terry and Richard and many others with the 4:00 hour finish time which is 9:10/mile MGP. And we were off. The group seemed to be going out too fast for a warm up. They were doing 8:55/mile for the first two miles. Mile three was 8:33 – sheesh. However, I was keeping up and my breathing seemed under control. The fourth mile was 8:30 and I was right up with group but when we stopped for water after the first loop I left ahead of them and continued on by myself. [Note to self: Stay with the group. It’s more fun that way] Mile 5 – 8:27, Mile 6 – 8:37, Mile 7 – 8:39, Mile 8 – 8:24, Mile 9 – 8:19, Mile 10 – 8:33. After the two loops of MGP [which was rather fast but I just couldn’t seem to slow myself down] I started to slow down for the cool down loop. Mile 11 – 9:05. I was finally on MGP, but all of a sudden Terry and Richard caught up to me. Naturally I couldn’t let them go ahead [probably has to do with testosterone and my competitive streak] so I sped up and ran with them – BUT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A COOL DOWN LOOP – HA! Mile 12 – 8:56, Mile 13 – 8:44, Mile 14 – 7:46. We sprinted to the finish and my watch was 2:00:29 or 8:36/mile. Not bad if I say so myself, but this really wasn’t MGP – sigh. Afterwards my coach, Peri, said that I looked thinner which also made me feel good. Again the weight loss has helped with my running. Gotta keep it up.
