Taper time

Only 2 weeks from today, until the Flying Pig Marathon. Training has gone very well this cycle. Speedy and FM waited for me this morning at the Lascassas Baptist Church. We were supposed to start at 5:30 am, but I was about 10 minutes late. I couldn't find my Race Ready Long Distance shorts. So, I ended up carrying my powergels. Those guys had just as much energy as me, I had to let them go after a few miles. Didn't want to start out to quickly, plus hate slowing them down. We hit Spain hill at 3 miles and then on to the hills on St. John's. Rolling hills the entire way. Steepest point was about a half mile into the first marathon pace mile around 10.5 miles into the route. From that point it's a rolling downhill. With just enough uphills to make you work for all of the downhills. This route is 18 miles, the first 10 miles were planned to be around a 150 bpm for the heart rate. Then the final 8 miles at marathon pace and heart rate around 160 bpm.

Only negative of this workout was the downhills kept me from really locking into marathon pace. Much different from the workout on Wednesday, where marathon pace was pretty consistent. But the splits were in my favor.
7:03,6:50,6:49,6:57,6:57,6:49,6:58,6:48
Plus the heart rate never really got over 160, except for the uphills. Powergel at 8 miles and then a caffeinated GU at 13.5. Scheduled for 14 miles but the last hill took a little bit out of me. Finished feeling strong. FM said he was going to go soak in a ice bath. I went home and did the same. Legs felt good afterwards. Wore my Zensa calf sleeves home and then again after the ice bath.