Boston -83 -- Tue. Jan. 26

Feeling a bit sore from Sunday, but businesslike: up early and out running by 8:30 ish, on a cold morning but sun was good. Shorts, and back-up hat as others in wash (torrential rain Monday meant no drying). No trail option, so tried a Stebbins variant: out to 9, left to Federal, along to Metacomet (decide not to stop and stretch as feeling okay and warming up slowly), across to Bay, right to Stebbins and then all along--past GeoHannum to 202. Left there, up past Boardman all the way to Eskett, then start to stretch out a bit: fast mile nine, but connecting to Rural, slow down a bit (despite feeling fast), and so push as I head back up GeoHannum to get another faster mile 11, then add one more by going along Jackson until clock hits 12 miles (just past Howard). Reset, then head home via rail trail and development for another 0.82 miles in 7:52, a slow 9 minute+ pace. The main run:

Time: 1:28:15
Distance: 12.01 miles
Pace: 7:23s

Comment: this turned into a pace run, with a few tempo miles. Started with easy (read, downhill ish) pace, 7:30 felt good: decided to work on getting used to it, and stayed very close for 8 miles (within about 15 seconds overall), then did a 6:50 (too fast) and paid for it with a 7:27, then a 7:01, and then throttled right back for last mile. Overall, a good learning experience: 7:30 is definitely a possible marathon pace, but I need to work on more tempo sessions in training (at about 6:55~7:05) during pace runs.