Are hills your foe or your friend? We runners and bikers like to crab about hills - too hard, wear us out, why not a flat course? But, really, hills make us better runners and bikers. They challenge us mentally and physically.

It's one of those weeks, when the pavement heats up your soles, when the air is heavy, when the sun is stronger, when the breeze is hot.

What I might be able to do in July is not necessarily what I can pull off in April.

What is it about running in circles (or ovals - which my track buddy John Duffy more correctly celebrates on his license plate: "OVAL RCR") that is so compelling? After all, the same paces and distances can be run on any road or trail. The lure of the track, for me, is all about precision, consistency and competition with myself and others.

I savor the moments before the start of a big race. Senses are heightened. Color and sound are vivid. Time crawls. My mind is both in the grand present and deep into the race ahead. Confidence flows from the training, planning and envisioning that preceded this bright point in time. The athletes around me are focused, fellow warriors ready to go. Tension awaits release with the retort of the start gun. Then, suddenly, it's "Go! Go! Go!", a joyous release that completely engages mind and body.

One reason a race can go poorly is because it's easy to forget necessary gear. I know of triathletes who have forgotten their bike and marathoners arriving without their race chip!

For most of the last two decades, I rigorously trained and raced guided by a heart-rate monitor. And even though for the last few years I have been monitor-free, based on "feel" I have a pretty good idea of my heart rate at various paces.

Tempo running is important for marathon training, unless you are just "training to finish."

Done properly, recovery runs should be at a consistent easy pace (where it is easy to carry on a conversation with partners, in heart rate zone 2, 65%-75% of maximum heart rate).

Stay in the moment. The idea is to have the best form, race the best line, stay at the right heart rate, know where you are versus the plan, understand how the weather is affecting you, etc., every moment of the race. That's how to get the best result, I find.

What a great improvement over my last 5K! That was the hilly neighborhood race I ran just after we moved to Annapolis in early June, with a time of 28:45.

First serious road race, a Father's Day 10k on the Baltimore and Annapolis trail, in 18 months.

Stay active, stay challenged, enjoy what you do, always have a goal on the horizon..that's my thinking.

Going from last place to medal stand has inspired me to seek previously unimaginable results in other parts of my life by "going long," setting a plan and acting on it over time.

Amping up my training, mapping out and sticking to Pfitzinger's Advanced Marathoning 12 week plan with maximum weekly mileage at 61 worked. I had been fading and often cramping in the back half of my marathons. This time around I could easily pick it up for awhile in the second half and the fade did not come today until mile 22 and even then two of the last four miles were still close to goal pace.

Our Jim Spivey track workout on Thursday evening was fun!  Well, it was not so fun in that it was hot and humid.

Note to self: Ride more and ride harder so next time I am less like dead meat!

Last Saturday I ran the Wisconsin Marathon in Kenosha, just north of the Illinois border. I think this was marathon finish number 46 (counting my IMs).

Rain fell just as we started, with cold wind. It let up after a few miles and then it just spit. But for the last three miles - with the long grinding uphill - the heavens opened up: it poured and we were very wet puppies. Thunder was booming off in the distance. A 30 minute cold shower with sound effects!

Run by feel and love every step. I did, but I was running right at my current edge. We passed the mile marker on our rails to trails limestone screenings path - 8:03. Geez, that's the fastest road mile I've run in awhile.