Great run today. Ran with local Chicago Marathon training group, they were running 20, I ran 15 and had company because several were training for later marathons and wanted 15 only as well. Weather was 50s and low 60s - perfect.

Here are the splits and HR data (I had HR interference or whatever in several of the miles):

Lap Time Lap Time HR Max Avg Min Dist min/mile

1. 0:08:07.0 0:08:07.0 (Did not start watch until end of mile)

2. 0:16:38.1 0:08:31.1 144 148 145 140 0.0 0:00

3. 0:25:20.5 0:08:42.4 146 151 144 137 0.0 0:00

4. 0:33:33.9 0:08:13.4 151 152 144 124 0.0 0:00

5. 0:41:56.3 0:08:22.4 147 152 148 144 0.0 0:00

7. 0:59:19.4 0:17:23.1 147 150 144 115 0.0 0:00

8. 1:07:51.0 0:08:31.6 144 150 145 140 0.0 0:00

9. 1:16:03.2 0:08:12.2 135 155 147 98 0.0 0:00

10. 1:24:23.6 0:08:20.4 148 155 134 98 0.0 0:00

11. 1:32:54.6 0:08:31.0 149 154 149 145 0.0 0:00

12. 1:41:05.1 0:08:10.5 105 160 148 105 0.0 0:00

13. 1:49:56.4 0:08:51.3 138 147 121 89 0.0 0:00

13.5. 1:54:48.5 0:04:52.1 137 143 139 135 0.0 0:00

14. 1:59:04.5 0:04:23.0 149 152 146 137 0.0 0:00

15. 1:07:29.8 0:08:18.3 150 155 150 144 0.0 0:00

I ran with the 8:30 pace group, wanted to average 8:30, and you can see I exactly averaged 8:30 pace (despite having slower and faster miles). This was terrific! (I was pulled a little too fast in mile 12 by some runners who I did not realize were in their last mile, backed off too much in the next two miles, but then we picked it up nicely at the end.)

It is so great not being injured. I ran a 6:53 "in and out" track mile at the Thursday Spivey track workout. In the in and out mile we run laps 1 and 3 "fresh" and laps 2 and 4 "good," which means we back off from near 5K race pace for the "f" laps and bring it up to near 5K race pace the "g" laps. I had gas in the tank at the end of the 6:53 mile. We ran four other 400s in the workout (two before and two after the mile, a "f" not "g" pace. Averaging the mile laps with the other 400s, all my 400s averaged 1:44. I am figuring I could run a 5K now in 22 or maybe a bit under. It is hard to project a marathon pace from this, but I am certainly gaining speed and it gives me a lot of confidence that my Boston standard of 4 hours should be no problem in the Chicago Marathon on October 7.

Next weekend Coach Mike and I agree an 18 miler is in order before I start a two week taper.