Long runs

I don’t do many long runs, since they seem to lead to me getting injured.  In 2015 I decided to test myself over the marathon distance after a number of years without doing one.  I had a lot of fun and got to thinking “how fast can I do a marathon without doing long runs”.  I ran under 3 hours at Manchester in 2016 and ran 2:57 at Baystate last year.  I’m hoping to improve on my time from last year (aiming for 2:55).  This past weekend I previewed the marathon course with a 20 mile run which will probably be my last long run before the marathon.

Last year by this time I’d only run 12 times over 10 miles.  This year I nearly doubled that with 22 runs over 10 miles.  I’m still not doing many truly long runs (20 or more).  I’ve only gotten in 9 runs of 15 or more.  The long trail runs in August (around Mt Rainier) certainly helped with mental preparation if nothing else.

Run's over 10 miles this year                                                                

No.       Date      Dist       Time     Pace     Location

1          2-Feb    12         1:35:10 7:56      Minuteman and narrow gauge       

2          3-Feb    14         2:04:07 8:52      Cranberry bog 7 x2, One w D-la, one w D-la & Petey

3          6-Feb    15         1:56:45 7:47      3x Industrial park 5 (Right before surgery)

4          10-Feb   11         1:29:49 8:10      3xfudge with Dave La      

5          11-Feb   14         1:41:43 7:16      Harborside Half-marathon course plus        

6          19-Feb   13         1:39:58 7:41      Harborside Half-marathon course plus, with MQ, Jim P, Nakri

7          25-Feb   13         1:49:43 8:26      Freeman rail trail (7 in 755s, 6 in 900s), Alone for 7 then w Petey & D-la

8          11-Mar   20         2:46:20 8:19      3xCranberry bog with D-la 9:01s loop 1, 8:17s loop 2, 7:30's last

9          14-Mar   12         1:33:47 7:49      2x Ind pk 6 very slick from yesterday         

10         27-Mar   15         1:51:36 7:26      Z-hills loops       

11         16-May  16         1:51:20 6:58      Windham rail trail 4 wup, 8 @ 635s, 4 wdwn (2736)

12         18-May  12         1:34:43 7:54      Newfields rail trail with Albee & Brandon Newbould   

13         28-May  20         2:42:02 8:06      Narrow, Bedford, Reformatory, and Freeman

14         7-Aug    35         9:07:37 15:39    Wonderland - Longmire to Mowich 

15         8-Aug    25         7:15:49 17:26    Wonderland - Mowich to White River          

16         9-Aug    19         4:39:35 14:43    Wonderland - White River to Box Canyon    

17         10-Aug  13         2:17:40 10:35    Wonderland - Box Canyon to Longmire       

18         4-Sep    12         1:29:30 7:28      5 warm-up, 8x250, 5 warm-down, Freeman trail       

19         11-Sep  12         1:27:55 7:20      Ghost train and Clipper city          

20         12-Sep  12         1:35:14 7:56      With Al on the Newfields rail trail   

21         13-Sep  16         1:54:37 7:10      Workout on the rail trail 8@635s  

22         23-Sep  20         2:27:04 7:21      Group run, preview of Baystate course (plus add on)