Recovery run makes a new peak

Tomorrow starts a gentle slide down the slope for six days and then the cutback week.  I look forward to those.  But amazingly, today’s ultra slow 10.5 mile run at 10:30 per mile still made the moving average peak at 111.62 miles for the last 7 days.  Probably won’t see a peak like that again until the end of July.  Feeling fit with no aches or pains.  The moving average should dip to 90 and back near 100 just before the cutback.  Then a beautiful plunge below 60 as I prep for the Charles E. Davis Memorial 7 mile race on July 5^th.

 

This race is on my training course.  Sometimes that’s a good thing.  Other times I can’t picture myself running all out across those causeways.  And I know what those hills feel like while on a tough pace.  Sometimes it’s better not to know a course so well.  The race itself is point to point from one end of my ‘highway’ to Eastport’s downtown.  The first mile is flat with a downhill which makes for a very fast split.  Then it’s up ½ mile and then down ½ mile to the first causeway.  And then you can expect wind.  Either from your left, your right, or in your face.  I don’t think I’ve ever run the race with a tailwind.  That would require a north wind and those seem to be reserved for winter.

 

At the 3.5 mile mark you climb to the course’s highest point near mile 4 and then down what I think is horrible decline.  It’s not too steep but steep enough that when you get to the bottom at 4.5 miles it takes the wind out of your sails.  A deceptive rise precedes a long gentle incline to the 6 mile mark.  By this time you are toast.  But if you’re not, the final mile is downhill.  I shouldn’t think about this.

 

Tomorrow starts the hill phase.  Eric, I’ll be at the bottom of Boynton Street at 5:15 if you’re reading this.