Neyland Run

I am now in east Tennessee and planned out a 8.5 mile run for the last "long run" before Saturday's marathon. I would start off at Island Home Park and run down beside the Tennessee River before crossing at the Gay Street Bridge. It was really foggy so I was disapointed that I was not able to take in views of the river. To make matters worse, my ipod crapped out after only 2 miles!

After crossing the river, I ran around and joined the Neyland Greenway to continue on to the University of Tennessee campus. I ran up to Neyland Stadium and around through campus to Circle Park, where the "eternal tourchbearer" stands. The campus was abuzz with the Kentucky game just hours away. There were already a dozen fans lined up for the famed Vol Walk two hours before it was scheduled to take place. I had tickets for ther game myself so I got a little excited running through seeing all the vendors setting up and the programs guys tossing footballs. I made a mental note of the placement of the Nathan's Hotdogs stand. I know it is crazy to think of eating a hot dog after a good run but it flung a craving on me!

The return run along the river brought the same fog but I made pretty good time - about a 9:45 minutes per mile pace. I thought it was a good taper run before next week's marathon but all the walking later in the day feet hurt my feet so I will need to do some icing before next week.

I will have to look at my schedule to see what runs I have this week. The main focus will be easy easy. I may only run twice so I will feel realy good on Saturday. I haven't even registered yet but I will do that Tuesday. It is too far to tell but the forecast in Memphis on Saturday is sunny but a COLD COLD day with a high of 39 and low of 24 degrees!!!! In other words it is going to be FREEZING! As a rule, I NEVER run outside when it is that cold!!!!! This may be the first time I have ever run on a day that it is this cold and it will be when running a marathon -- how about that!

So I will be going to get some running tights this week. (I ALWAYS run in shorts). I will get them in time to run in them a couple of times before the marathon. I noticed my favorite local sporting goods store has a couple of options. One brand is InSport and the other one is Brooks. I think the prices is $35 and $50 but I will really need them. I am a little worried I will over or under dress since I am not used to running in this kinda of cold. Of course, I can always hope that it is warmer than that. The weather people are sure enough wrong around here more times than they are right!

So it is now less then a week before the big day. If anyone has any advice that you have found helped you, I would sure like to know. Have a great week!

What's Happening in My World!

Wow! Thanks for the question Phil because things have certainly been crazy lately and my focus has definately not been on the marathon

Several weeks ago the 20-miler went great and I was really gearing up for the marathon. The reality that I could do it was sinking in and I could see the end of my training in sight.

I completed a 12 miler the next weekend and commented to my wife that I remembered when 6-milers felt like that. I could tell that I was getting accustomed to the longer miles.

Then, I don't know if I was wearing my body down or what but I got a terrible cold that cut into my running the next week. I was really tired and had congestion in my chest. Some meds seemed to finally clear it up before the weekend but I faced a delima: I had to fly out to Austin, Texas the next day for the yearly senior managment conference and I thought that running 22 miles with the week I had was not a smart idea. But the business of packing and getting everything else ready got to me and I actually missed any kind of long run that Saturday!

I did manage to run both Monday and Tuesday in Texas but the heat and humidity down there were both something! I ran once more on Friday and completed a 16 miler this past Saturday.

I know that this is not the kind of taper you want for a beginner running a marathon. 16 miles two weeks beforehand may have been pushing it a bit but I felt I needed to do it with all of the time I had taken off. I must admit that the 16 miles were a little harder than I would have liked. There was not so much a time that I lacked the wind but my ankles bothered me and I had more soreness than normal.

I have been really wrapped up in some major work stuff and my attention has just not been on my running. In fact, as you have noticed, it has been really hard to keep the blogging going. It really stinks that work is so demanding right now because I have put all the hard weeks into training and now I have not been able to "gear up" for it like I would want.

So I guess I am kinda of dragging my butt into the marathon and the reality just has not sunk in just yet. I am kinda bummed about it all and that is part of why I haven;t blogged -- that and all the business that is.

Me and the fam will be traveling to K-town for Thanksgiving Wednesday and I hope to take a few runs around campus to "clear the mind". It's less than two weeks away so I need to be "psyching" myself up! I will try and post more frequently in the days leading up to December 2nd!