Loving the long run!

I have been absent from my page lately but I have not been absent from running. I wanted to make a post about how much fun I had running in Virgina but I couldn't find the time.

I have been keeping up with my training for the Blues Cruise 50k. I have not hit all of the miles on the long runs yet but I feel confident in my training and I'm certain I will cross that finish line.

Last week I set out to run 18 miles. I decided to run on Schuykil Bank Trail head out 9 miles then turn back. This run ended up being much harder then I thought it would be. By mile 15 my legs were just spent! Which was a big surprise to me because the week before I ran 15 miles in Freedom Park (Virgina) and felt great. The big difference was the terrain. My legs were happy with the rain soaked trails in VA and were not please when I ran them long and hard on the concrete.

The shoes I do my long runs in are the Altra Superuor 2.0. I really dig these shoes but they are a trail shoe and last weekend I really learned the hard way. My legs were beat up and honestly they were never that sore after a long run. Today they are sore but it's a normal sore. I my legs a good work out today in the Wissahickon. I was happy to be in the trails and keeping a more realistic race day pace. It's so hard to keep a trail pace on a paved course. I need to practice my race day pace for this 50k which will be on trails not streets.

I'd love to finish the race in 5.5 - 6 hours but that would mean keeping an 11 minute overall pace. Today the overall pace according to my watch was 12:26. My buddy Kelly left his watch running even when we stopped to use the restroom and eat and had an overall pace of 13:20. My goal for the few weeks left of training is to just enjoy the journey. I want to try and not focus on finishing the race and not stressing myself about what pace I finish at. This will be my first 50k and it will be on trails that I have not trained on. I know if I keep running in the Wissahickon I will be well prepared.

If you are a street runner and have not run trails you make looks at my pace today and think wow that's slow. I know I look at it sometimes and think the same thing but I just remind myself that all terrain is not created equal. Trails are far harder to run then streets. I happen to enjoy trail running far better and that is why I have signed up for 50k rather than say the Philadelphia Marathon. I honestly can not imagine running that long on the streets right now.

Comments

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