9 miles fartlek style

I have been feeling pretty good this week and taking advantage but trying not to over do it. The temps were in the low 50s when I left the house and set out to run the "Rancho Vista Loop." It is 7.5 miles but I tacked on some extra at the end and finished with 9 miles. I was running a fartlek style run which means "speed play" in Swedish. I would pick up the pace for a while, then ease off, then pick it up again, not for any set time just when I felt good. Funny, the miles splits afterward ended up being pretty even and it looks like a tempo run on paper. Splits were 8:21, 7:32, 7:03, 7:23, 7:05, 7:11, 7:15, 6:57, 7:04. Total time was 66 minutes for 9 miles or 7:20 average pace. I was running 6:40 pace on some of the "hard" segments.

I have a long trail run planned for tomorrow. I am running the new Leona Divide 30k course with race director Keira Henninger. This is one of those do as I say, not as I do, as it will be a big jump in long run mileage (an on the trails to boot), but it was an opportunity I didn't want to pass up. I hope the calf holds up.

Good luck to Tom and Dan Ham running the Portland Marathon tomorrow! I think they are guarenteed rain but hey it is Portland, right? Can't wait to hear all about it.

Chicago Marathon is also tomorrow. They have an incredible field assembled for the men and women. Make sure to check it out. Joan Benoit Samuelson is also running with the goal of running her third sub 2:50 since turning 50! I even read one article that said she might try and run a Olympic Trials qualifier (the B standard is 2:46).

Bizz Johnson Marathon is a trail marathon in northern California is also tomorrow and is on my list of races that I would like to do some day. It looks like a beautiful course (and all downhill!). Actually all three of these races are on my "to do list."