Beer = Great Run

Apparently recovery and rest have nothing to do with having a good run, the key is drinking three beers and eating two slices of pizza.

Despite having the day off on Friday I decided on a rest day anticipating a longish run Saturday morning. Saturday I joined the group for a trip around the drives and from the moment I got out of bed I felt like it wasn't going to be a good run. I was tight and a little achy, my energy level just wasn't there.

it wasn't extremely hot but it was humid and the sun was in full force. I started off with Craig and Jim and we kept an easy pace up MLK. Jim dropped off at Falls Bridge and Craig and I continued on the return trip down Kelly Drive. Things heated up and sections in full sun really became uncomfortable. We finished up the loop in somewhere around 1:04 and after relaxing for a few minutes I tacked on a mile and half before getting back to the car. I was planning on 14 miles but I justs didn't have it in me. I didn't sweat it. 10 miles in 1:17.

Saturday night I had more than a few beers at some guys 50th birthday party and hit the sack around 1:00. Got up Sunday morning to check out the Commerce Bank "Liberty Classic" Bike race. The riders did 10 laps through Manayunk and I covered most of the route on foot including a few trips up and down "the wall". I drank a few more beers and stuffed my face with some pizza.

I talked myself into running a few miles late in the afternoon, I really wanted to get over 50 miles for the week. I started off on the trails in the Wissahickon and immediately I was feeling good. I kept a quick tempo up and down the hills, working up to a full sweat on a somewhat cool afternoon. In my mind a 5-6 mile run was turning into a 9-10 mile run.

I followed the trails to Valley Green, took a sip from the finally functioning water fountain and then went a little further up the park to "Buck Hill'. A horrible trail the starts just past the Valley Green restaurant and goes straight up for about 1047 feet, give or take 700 feet. At the top I started heading back home and after 1/2 mile dropped down onto Forbidden Drive.

I was still feeling fresh and fast so I just went with it. The first mile on Forbidden went by in 6:02, I know this mile is short so I'll call it a 6:10, much faster than it felt like the effort justified. I had one more measured mile go so I increased the pace and hit a 5:52. This time the effort felt appropriate for the result but I was happy. The remaining 1.5 miles I took at an easier pace and wrapped up the run on the 100 step flight of stairs near my house. About 9.5 miles in 70 minutes.

52.2 miles for the week. My longest week when not officially in marathon training.