nice

So up until today I had almost given up on the idea of running a Boston-qualifying 3:10 marathon Nov. 6. I was bound and determined over the spring — but stuff happened, it was a brutally hot and humid summer, and I just sorta lost my focus a bit. It just seemed like it wasn’t going to happen. (In retrospect, I probably shoulda run a marathon back in May, before all the heat … I was certainly in shape for one).

Anyway. Today. Ran a 2:19:30 at the 18-mile NYC Marathon Tune-Up … a 7:45 pace!

More importantly, I felt great at the end — my last mile was my fastest, a 7:02. (Well, I think I ran the mile 17 at about that pace too, but can’t be sure … here are my splits: 7:33, 8:07, 7:38, 7:44, 8:03, 7:44, 7:53, 8:16, 7:47, 7:50, 7:54, 7:46, 7:42*, 7:42* (avg. of two miles), 7:34*, 7:34*, 7:34* (avg. of three miles), 7:02.). I definitely felt like I had something in the tank at the end, too … coulda gone a few more miles.

So. To run a 3:10:59, I’d need to run a 7:17 pace — for 26.2 miles, eight more than I did today. Still — I have nearly two more months to train. And the New York City Marathon course is not nearly as hilly as Central Park. And the night before the marathon I certainly won’t be out partying until 1 a.m. as I was last night. Hmmm.

After the race I went to the game with my friend Colin of the Times … seats were kinda nosebleed, but what a great day for it … then it was a little nap in the Sheep Meadow and now I think I’m done for the day…