Day 1, Week 11: 15 miles of confidence. And awesome running tights.

So, you know, woke up to some white stuff today.

NOOOOOOO

This was not exactly motivating me to get out there and do my 15 miler that was up on the training schedule today.  This 15 miler was specified to take place at a pace 15 seconds slower than my marathon pace (9:20), so that made this run at about a 9:35.

Now, mentally, I'm kind of screwed up when it comes to long run training paces.  Even though I have to run 26.2 miles at a faster pace, my brain is all like "Holy cow I CANNOT run 15 miles at that training pace that's slower than my actual marathon pace ARE YOU CRAZY, training plan?!?" But today, for some reason, my thinking was different.  I reasoned that I had just run 10 miles on Friday at a faster pace...why couldn't I bust our 5 more miles at a slower pace than the one I had busted out on Friday?

Sometimes I make sense to myself like that.  And when sense-making starts happening, I get all determined.  So I got on my running duds, which included a pretty awesome set of Saucony Bullet tights.  Their main source of awesomeness is the mesh pockets on each side, to which I am pointing.  (I have no explanation for the face I'm making.  Make your own.)

Even the dog is in awe of those awe-inducing tights.

I then asked the large dog if he would like to go running with me.

He said yes, so I strapped the large dog to my mid-section and got out there in the foggy snowy suck of the day.

Zomg he actually looked somewhat at the camera.

He ran the first 9 miles with me.  He would have gone 10 miles but I was really tired of getting yanked into the ditch for no reason except he got distracted, so I threw him in the house and headed out for the last six on my own, making it back to the house just after dark.  I also made it to the house in time to sample some BBQ pulled chicken I had thrown in the crock pot before I left, because it's really the only kind of cooking I do.

You know what else I came back to?  Mission accomplished.

I know, I know...I ran this too fast.  As usual.  I'm probably going to pay for that, especially since next weekend's long run is a 20 miler at the same target pace (9:35).  But the confidence I gained from this run can't be measured on an app.  And neither can the soreness in my calves and glutes.  I hope they unlock in time for my quality time with my treadmill on Tuesday.

Post is done; here comes the learning fun:

• Snow.  I just....I can't even.
• In case you've noticed a pattern (pun intended), I have some pretty loud, obnoxious, and awesome running tights.
• Asking the large dog to go running with you is like asking me if I am going to buy anything at the race expo.
• is it too much to ask for some freaking sun and nice weather on a long run day these days?  I think it is.

Tomorrow's workout: Upper body weight goodness. As per usual.