Getting Down To Brass Tacks Time.....

As the saying goes "we're at the business end of things" my final week b4 Sundays 2018 race debut a half marathon at the Love Run here in Philly.
I did throw in a 17 miler on Sat Mar 10th,the significance of that was last September when I ran the Rock & Roll Half Marathon in Philly I didn't manage to get upto 17 miles till after the half, this time I'm ahead of that curve
While my focus has been on Sun Mar 25th and said Love Run 1/2 marathon I have been looking at two bigger pictures,the reintroduction of the 8 mile Tempo Run this week went a long ways towards both but I'm not ready to divulge what the second bigger picture is.....just yet,the big picture is obviously July's San Francisco marathon.

Thur Mar 15th
Easy 12 miles,following Sundays epic long run over 17 miles{2.11.59 off of 7.46 mile pace} I backed off of a 13 mile recovery run Sunday due to a double header of 7 aside football that nite,subsequently on Monday my legs were still suitable trashed to not go for a run......sometimes at my age I feel it's not so much what I do on my rest days as it's what I don't do and giving myself a complete recovery day felt prudent
I hedged my bets Tuesday as a third Nor'easter was predicted for Philly....thankfully we got off scott free and while Wednesday was an option I opted to catch the second half of Barcelona vs Chelski game,no excuses Thursday out for a 12 miler.
W/ the clocks going forward last Sunday I knew I'd finish this run in daylight,even at 6.40pm.....a far cry from my late December/early January runs that were shrouded in abject darkness by 4.50pm.
Psychologically that makes a huge difference and while Spring isn't "official" till Tue Mar 20th and lets face it March tends to be a bear of a month at the best of times we're not out of the woods or the grip of "Old Man Winter" just yet but his grip is loosening.

Sat Mar 17th
8 mile tempo,I'd been "threatening" to reintroduce the 8 mile tempo run around the Art Museum Loop along Kelly & West River drives for a few weeks now,better late than never period but it will also help transition into the almost two year hiatus from Intervals on the track that I hope come mid April will along w/ the tempo run become a weekly staple.
Due to an 8.15am Spurs game and post match podcast it was mid afternoon b4 I ventured over to the Art Museum Loop by which time the temps had gone up considerably from when I left home at 7am to hit the bar for the Spurs game, I kept my gloves on just because I have poor circulation in my fingers but did roll my sleeves up a tad b4 beginning the counterclockwise from Lloyd Hall up Kelly Dr,over Falls Bridge,down W.River Dr and finishing in front of the Art Museum steps route.
Having last done a 8 mile tempo run in early Dec post marathon I wasn't sure what to expect of myself or how realistic 7 min miles/56.00 was....but given I hope to clock 7 min miles Sunday albeit over 13 miles not 8 there was no better time like now to throw caution to the wind and have at it.......
6.17 6.56 7.06 7.03 7.18 7.30 7.16 6.55 =56.21 off of 7.03 mile pace.....
Chuffed is as good as any adjective to describe my reaction post run,sure I came up a tad short but what would I have gained aimed for 7.15 mile pace and a 58.15 time?
Bummed about he 7.30 split on mile mile 6  but that gives me something to work on the next several weeks

Sun Mar 18th
13 mile recovery run,w/ another 7 aside footie game on my slate Sunday evening going longer seemed to fly in the face of conventional wisdom so a nice easy recovery run out and back along Kelly Dr to the 6.5 mark at 9.30am.....plus technically I'm in taper mode a week out from my race.
Along those lines this coming week will be once again dictated by the weather......another  Nor'easter/Coastal Storm is predicted for Tuesday which if it hits could bollocks up my Tue/Wed/Thur easy 12/8mile tempo/12 mile recovery plans so we'll have to sit tight and see what the weather brings ....or doesn't bring.

Saturdays successful tempo run endorsed my belief that a 1.30 1/2 marathon off of 7 min mile pace is doable and not a pipe dream all I ask of the Running Gods between now and Sunday is decent weather,no illness/injury worries and ZERO cock ups w/ pre race check in,bag check and mile markers.......NOT that much to ask is it?