LSD ... Training Run, I Gave Up the Other Stuff!

I know it is technically LSR (long slow run) but I like the title acronym!

It is my day off for Good Friday and I woke up slightly later than normal to go for a training run. Yeah, I am that dedicated! Ironically Jeff wanted to meet at 6:30 A.M. and I asked him to meet at 6. Crazy, right?! Amazingly enough, it was strategic. I knew how long we would be on the road so I wanted the least amount of sun beating down on me as possible. Yes, in Phoenix, 30 minutes can make a difference!

I got to his house, late as usual, and after a silly debate about wearing a hat or sunglasses, we took off at 6:15. Jeff has an interesting, staggered marathon training plan so he wanted to run 8 miles this morning (normally Saturday). I said 6 miles was the max for me with my April asthma and plantar fasciitis issues. The pace for these runs is supposed to be 10:30-11:00 and I needed that pace. Sometimes I run faster than this pace but lately I have struggled with a faster pace even with short runs.

We headed north to the canal and encountered few people as we ran west on the canal. The traffic picked up around 32nd Street and I welcomed any chance to stop for a brief moment. We reached the 3-mile mark just west of 24th Street and we stopped for chit chat, a GU gel and water. At this point, I planned to walk another 0.25-0.5 mile, then walk back same section before running the 3 miles back to Jeff's house. Jeff thought we would not meet up again so we said, "Hasta luego." It felt weird to walk when my legs felt good but I knew I had to go back 3.5 miles. So I just enjoyed the calm of the morning while walking. Then I turned around and started slowly running again at mile 4. I figured out pace-wise that Jeff would catch up to me if I ran a little slower, I was approximately 4 minutes ahead of him when I started running again.

I was right! Jeff caught up to me at mile 4.5. He obviously had been running longer and needed to walk and catch his breath briefly around mile 5. I did not mind because I am a terrific running partner! Jeff, however, caught his breath and then his ego took over!! We crossed back over 32nd Street and the pace picked up, getting closer and closer to 10:00. Granted, we were running downhill but definitely off the 10:30 mark! Jeff asked if I wanted to run faster during the last mile and I said, "GAMF!" He went ahead and I wanted to stay steady and avoid lung ejection syndrome. I finished 7 miles in 1:23:34, 2 minutes after Jeff and his 8 miles. I felt good about this run. The last time I ran that distance or more was 2/12, the day p.f. came to visit and overstayed its welcome! I still need R.I.C.E. but feel really good about my summer running. :D

Asthma, you are on notice: be gone by 5/1 or else!