Pete Tanguay

Had a good run this morning with a group at 5 that ran 6 miles and then ran another almost 5 with a slower group at 6.  Kind of struggled – kept wanting to get the run over but stayed with it.  I stopped to walk with friend for a bit and then picked up the pace for the rest of the run.  It was a beautiful, dry and crisp Fall  morning.  Looking forward to my 20 mile run tomorrow.  We’ll see how it goes.  Really glad to have my watch back because I thought the first 6 was a 9 m inute pace but it was more like an 8:30 pace.  I didn’t look at the watch at all while I was running but it is nice to have feedback at the end of the run.

So glad to see the Fedex guy deliver my repaired watch – actually replaced it with a refurbished one.  So glad to have it back for my last long run of my training.  Spin class tomorrow since it is raining.  No watch just long enough to appreciate it and learn a few things. 

Started out with a light rain that cleared up.  Ran the tempo run route but didn’t do a tempo pace today.  Nice steady run.  How fast?  Who knows – no watch!  Felt good and when we got to the top of Country Club Hill, decided to do hill loops in Bainbridge.  I need all the hills I can get and after running in Spokane realize that we just don’t have many hills here.  Hills are great for marathon preparation.  Ran somewhere between 7 and 8 miles and finished in a complete downpour.  Running in the rain is fine as long as there is no lightning and it’s not too cold.  I’ll run easy tomorrow, then 10 mile at race pace on Saturday and my last 20 mile run before the marathon on Sunday.  I may try to do a 4 hour run on Sunday to see how it goes.

Nice 6.? mile run (look Mom, no watch).  Steady rain the whole way, dark when we started, dark when we finished.  Welcome back Fall, Winter running.  Good news is that it was not a cold run, just wet.  Felt good and kept a good pace with some faster runners.  Great way to get faster is to run with faster runners on their recovery days!  Focused on staying relaxed and feeling my running form.  Had a real strong kick at the end. It’s great to be home and run with friends.  Last week was a recovery week and this is my last high mileage week before I begin to taper.  Feeling good and looking forward to a great running week – although it looks like it is going to be a wet one!

Found a route from the hotel in Spokane on mapmyrun.com and headed out – didn’t check the elevation but should have figured since it was called Canyon Park there might be some hills.  It was a short run and basically 2 miles downhill into the canyon and 2 miles back up.  Great, beautiful run – fresh air and bright Fall colors.

Just when I am focused on my runs not being controlled by my watch – my watch breaks.  It’s one thing to not know how fast / far you are going during the run but to not know it at the end of the run feels naked.  I sent it off to get repaired today and will have it back in 14 days.  I feel somewhere between blind and naked.  Looking forward to see what I learn through this process (like how to make sure you are running with someone who has a watch ).  It is interesting how dependent we become on technologies.  Change is good as it gets us out of our comfort zone and this definitely will.

Nice 8:35 pace 6 mile run, felt a bit fatigued from speed work yesterday, I guess.  It was just one of those running days without a lot of zip.  Felt winded the first mile and had to work to keep up with the other two people I was running with.  Glad I logged the miles and got through the run.  Got home in time to enjoy a beautiful sunrise with Madeleine – from the top of the stairs she said, “Daddy, come here I have to show you something beautiful”.  Beautiful it was.

Ran 5 800’s this morning plus good pace to the track and back.  Probably 5-6 miles total.  My watch wasn’t working (not sure why) so I’m not sure on my pace.  Hadn’t done any speed work in awhile and would like to get back out and see what pace I could hold for 10 800’s.  Feel good after a day off.  We’re at the point in the year when it is dark when we start at 5 and dark when I leave the fitness center at 6:45.  The dark, cold running days of Winter are coming soon!

That doesn’t sound right to use comfortable and 20 mile run in the same sentence, but that is what it was.  This is the first 20 mile run I ran with someone else (2 others ran with me for the first 16.5) and the first one that i didn’t walk at all.  It was also the first one I looked forward to and finished strong and feeling good.  Tried to keep a steady pace that my body wanted to run and then do negativie splits the last 5 miles with a fair degree of success.  The training plan calls for 12, 20, 12, 8, marathon so I’ve got one more of these left.  That will give me 4 20 milers training for this race which is 4 more than I had training for Oklahoma City.  Temp was 35 degrees to start and stayed cool, rising only to 42 by the time I was finished.  It was a great day to run and I’m thankful I can go out and run 20 miles when I want to – and also thankful that I want to!

Training plan calls for rest today, 10 on Saturday and 20 on Sunday but I won’t be able to run tommorow so I ran 10 (turned into 11) this morning.  Ran the first 6.5 with a group and then cut off to add a couple of hills to the last 4 and ended up with 11.  Still focusing on running based on feel instead of looking at the watch and it is really helping.  Looking at the watch seems to make me more tense (not going fast enough, going fast and want to hold it, etc.).  I’m pleased with my pace and hope to be able to extend it to a 20 miles pace and then a 26.2 mile pace.  I have no goals in the Flying Monkey other than to finish strong and do the best I can, run according to how my body wants to run.  I know it will be tough in the last 6-8 miles and am gearing up for that.  Once again, I appreciate the great friends that I get to run with.