Logging one last long run

I don't want to get too too optimistic with my half marathon on tap for next Sunday, but I feel that I killed my last long training run this morning, a 12 miler. I ran it at a 9:03 min/mile pace, which is great for me considering it was a pretty hilly route and featured the same 1.5 mile 4.5% grade uphill portion as my 11 miler last weekend. The mile that was on that incline, mile 6, took me 10:20 to run last week. This week I knocked it out in 9:57. Provided there's not a hill so drastic as part of the half marathon course (and judging from the elevation map there's not) I feel that I have a good shot at coming in at around 1:55:00, if not the 1:50:00 I'd really love to get.

Today after running 12 miles I feel great. No soreness at all and I think I found the hydration/nutrition mixture that works best for me. I started off with a gel and some water before warming up, then had another gel with some nuun-infused water at 45:00 and again at 1:30 as Powerbar suggests. A lot of runners may think that's a bit much, but it works for me. And considering the run this morning burned about 1700 calories I don't feel bad about taking in 300 or so calories in an effort to keep my endurance up. Like I said, it works for me.

This week is a pretty easy workout week. My longest run is 4 miles on Tuesday, with a couple of rest days before the half marathon on Sunday. My strategy this time, however, is to not take those two days off completely, but to walk a little to warm up and stretch really well both days.

But barring anything unforeseen, I'm ready to go for this half and am not nearly as anxious as I was for my first one. I count that as a victory right there.