I haven't posted in about 10 days or so but yes I have been diligent and running, just not blogging. I did my two treadmill runs in NYC, a 7.5 miler in 1hr and a 3.5 miler in 30 mins. Did not do a Thanksgiving day race, but should have. Then in CT I did a 9 mile run the Friday after Thanksgiving without my Garmin, and I really like running around Pinewood Lake. Hilly, scenic, and peaceful. Once we returned to Maine on Saturday afternoon, I did my 4.3 loop just to stay loose, and then on Sunday morning I did a big 16.25 long run - temps were mid 20's and it was blustery - but cranked it out in 2:27:02, or 9:02 pace. I can run a very comfortable 9 minute mile, but am to the point now where I need to pick up the pace on my training runs and get faster. It is as if my body is saying 'OK, this guy might be running another marathon, let's keep it at 9 mins fellas' - my default cruise control, so to speak, and I need to break out of that pattern and find a higher revving/faster overall average pace.
I am testing for my Taekwondo Blue Belt on Dec. 18, a week after running my 3rd consecutive monthly marathon - this one is in Roxbury, CT. It's a small race, 60 runners or so, and it's a hilly track. I think it is five 4.5 mile loops or so, and I understand it's hilly. This should be good training for the Miami Marathon 1/30, which I hope to set a personal best at considering it will be flat, flat, flat. Need to beat my Sugarloaf 3:39:19.
Cherry Blossom registration begins tomorrow Dec. 1st! It a rolling lottery registration, I think we have a week long window to get our team together and register.