run, run, run

Boise, ID 6:15 am

Pace: 7:12

Weather was kind of gross this morning. 71 and muggy. Like running in a laundromat. Turned out to be a good morning run though. Increased the pace each mile to finish below marathon goal pace. I thought about going 3 more this morning, but decided to not. Going long tomorrow.

Boise, ID 5:15 am

Pace: 7:30

I got up really early for Pocatello Marathon long run #2. Another 25-miler. I think going the extra 5 miles is really going to help. If I has stopped at 20 miles I would have said I felt pretty good, and you aren't supposed to feel pretty good after a long run. I didn't fade like I did last time though. I've said it before that the last 5 miles are the only ones that matter in a long run. I improved quite a bit from last time:

21     8:23     21     7:20
22     8:19     22     7:50
23     7:49     23     7:38
24     8:17     24     7:34
25     9:06     25     7:28

 My goal was to finish with an average pace of 7:30 and I was at that when I made my last water stop at mile 22. I told my wife that I didn't think I had it in me to hold that pace for 3 more miles. I guess I did.

I almost impaled myself near mile 5. There was a construction sign tipped over at the side of the road and, in the dark, I couldn't see it. I grabbed hold of the base of the sign just in time. If it weren't for a car's headlights behind me I probably would have been gored.

Kauai, HI 6:00 am

Pace: 7:40

An ok run for my first day on Kauai. Not familiar with the roads, so I kept it simple. Ran through town mostly. I did have one adventure. Near the airport I saw a side road that was gated and I decided to run down it. It was nice, running through cane fields but I soon started having thoughts of wild pigs and got a little nervous. The road looped back to the highway, but crossed several hundred feet underneath. There was a cement embankment going down, so I climbed up it and continued on down the highway.

Kauai, HI 6:00 am

Pace: 7:58

Pouring rain, steep hills and miles of pure Hawaiian awesomeness. From the hotel I took a road up near the mountains. When I went by the Menehune fish pond, I stopped, read the plaque and continued on quietly. If there's one thing I know about Menehunes, is that you don't want to piss them off.

The road winded up through jungle and grassy areas up to the highway and back down to the hotel. Good hill work, but my feet are suffering. Running in the rain gave me a blister on the back of my foot and I ripped off part of my toenail boogie boarding yesterday. I think I'll call it a week and take Saturday and Sunday off. Maybe my feet will heal up a bit.