frickin awesome run! + a tribute to 3 Non Joggers

10 frickin awesome miles done! Some runs are just better than others!

And let me backtrack...  I listen to running podcasts on my 45-minute-ish commute to/from work and usually on LSD runs (LSD=long slow distance for those of you not up on the running lingo). Mid-week, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Dirt Dawg's Running Diatribe, and near the end Mike mentioned that he just started listening to, and was really enjoying, the 3 Non Joggers podcast by two ultrarunners and a mailman. Well... I've always been fascinated with ultrarunners, and am considering my first for later this year, so I thought I'd give it a listen. Since they only have 15 episodes out... and I'm weird about having to do things in chronological order... I downloaded and have listened to the first 4 episodes and am totally hooked! These guys are HILARIOUS. And we have another thing in common: Dead Guy Ale by Rogue is one of my favorite beers (but hard to find in Atlanta)! (And I was happy to hear that I'm not the only one that takes a beer into the shower after a long run.) I went to Portland for the first time on a business trip in September 2010. It was there that I was introduced to Rogue beers and it has ever since been my favorite. On that trip, I also had the pleasure of meeting and running with Deb on the Wildwood Trail in Forest Park, so I can totally picture the places that these guys speak of!

Now back to today's run...  I went to Alexander Park and my goal was 8 to 10 miles of LSD with a sub 13 minute pace for each mile.  On purpose, I walked up the steep hills (for no more than 30 seconds each) and ran the rest. This is a dirt trail (about 1 mile) around a disc golf course. My first two miles were 12:02, 12:03, then I slowed a bit not wanting to burn out too early. I felt sluggish on mile 3, but then got into a groove. Three miles in the 12:30s, then totally shocked myself with a 12:04 for the 6th mile. WHOA! I better slow down so I can get through ten. Holding back, mile 7 was 12:18. At 8 miles (12:26) I was tired. I could have quit, since that was my minimum goal, but told myself I was going all the way. I knew that in future races I'll get tired miles before the finish and need to practice pushing beyond. I told myself that I was going to 10 unless mile 9 was at more than a 13 minute pace. 12:26 again. So then 10 it was going to be! I was feeling light headed, tired beyond tired, wishing I had brought more than 22 ounces of fluid energy. But glad I had paced my consumption. I gave that last mile all I had, finishing strong with a 12:16 pace for the 10th mile. I finished strong, leaving nothing in the tank.

Woohoo! This is one of the best/most rewarding LSD runs that I've had in a while. For most of my LSD runs, I've just totally ignored time/pace and focused on heart rate (HR), trying to keep it in zone 2 (according to Garmin pre-sets, not personally-calculated-zones). On this run, I wore a HR monitor, but didn't look at the data, just went by feel with a goal of sub 13 per mile (90 seconds more than marathon goal pace). In hindsight, the data shows 9 miles were in HR Zone 3 (Garmin pre-sets). It was definitely more effort than my easy rambles, but much more rewarding. Learning more each day.