Very Strong Indeed; and then a Check the Box Run

The last two weeks before the marathon are a Little Limbo. It’s the coddling phase. If race day was a wedding day, the taper is that artificial period of no sex a bride sometimes will impose upon a groom. For one, I find it difficult to hit just the right stride on my taper workouts, as I obsess too much about breathing, heart rate, effort exerted, and muscle twinges. Every run is also a mental battle between wanting to run further than is prescribed and trying not to be an idiot.

Tuesday I ran home from work, and I left in the heart of rush hour so I knew I would have to do a lot of stopping and starting at intersections as I ran through Manhattan. I frontloaded the mileage, meaning I ran the bulk in Manhattan and finished up by heading home over the bridge. My route took me across town from Madison Avenue all the way to Sutton Place and 53rd Street (I snapped a picture of this cute park), then up Sutton Place to E. 89th Street, where I turned around and headed home. Sutton Place and York Avenue are a great place to run for a change. Honestly, I love that part of town, the East 50’s and 60’s;  from most avenues you have a view of the Queensboro Bridge and I find that comforting. Every mile felt enjoyable, I never felt like I was pushing, so I assumed I was running at an easy pace. (Though I was breathing quite hard as I summited my bridge. It is wonderful to run in daylight again, I am able to take in the details of what lies below, and was rises next to, the 59th Street Bridge.) But Little G told quite a rosier tale when I clicked him off. 7 miles in 1:00:03. Average pace 834; fastest mile 7:59; slowest mile 9:17. I suppose I must concede: that run is as good an indication as any that I am looking very strong indeed for the London Marathon.

Thursday, I woke early for two laps around my Sunnyside Loop. The first loop and a half was in the dark, but by the time I was coming down 43rd Avenue for the final half mile, the sun was up and the birds were going bonkers! They were tweeting and chirping as if they were trying to imitate the crowds at the finish line by Buckingham Palace. It was a little ridiculous, the enthusiasm they were putting forth given my pathetic effort that morning. I must have had a little Xanax hangover (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it) because I was a little slower than Tuesday! 4.73 miles in 47:54. Average pace 10:07; fastest mile 10:02; slowest mile 10:31.