Marathon build up

Man that one hurt.  Thanks to Pete and Diesel for pulling me through the early miles on a cold, windy morning.  Considering where I am in the marathon build up, these guys are fit!  

So the goal was a 4 mile warmup / buildup to MP, 8 at MP(6:40-6:53), 4 at 6:25 pace, 1 mile cooldown.

Diesel was ready to go when I got there and I had to hold him back on the first half mile like a bull dog on a leash going for a squirrel.   Stiff headwind going out. 

We pick up Pete about mile 2.5 and ease down to MP.  At mile 4 we start banging out 6:42s like nobody’s business.  Pete is the angel on my right shoulder saying, ‘take it easy, you’ve got a long way to go’.  Diesel is the devil on my left shoulder, a half step ahead, keeping an honest 6:40 pace.  Heart rate in the mid 150s, feels solid – we just keep moving.

Pete drops after a couple of fast miles and says he’ll pick us up on the way back.  A mile later Diesel starts talking about turning around soon and slowing to a 7:15 pace – I’m feeling good and just keep going.

I pick Pete up again after the turn around and he hangs tough for a couple more miles then wishes me luck.  I’m locked in to a 6:40ish pace and feeling strong going into mile 9. 

I decide to get some water and pick up gel when I get back to the car at mile 11.  Diesel is there and it sounds like he had a good run – he probably could’ve stuck with me the whole way – dude is a beast.

I pass Pete at his car on the way out again and he yells ‘go Kona!’.    Mile 12 is a stiff headwind and I’m starting to feel the wheels coming off the bus, but it’s time to pick up the pace – oh crap, this is gonna hurt!  I take my first gel before the going gets rough.

Mile 13 was tough, but I hang on.  Get through mile 14, but going into mile 15 the wheels are off the bus now and I put it on auto pilot – maybe I can at least hold MP through the finish. 

I see a nice looking young couple jogging toward me and the guy says ‘Go Kona!’ – who is this guy? – I don’t think I’ve seen either of them before?  Did Pete pay him to say that? 

Anyway, it snapped me out of my funk and I get a second wind.  I’m hurting and got nothing left, but it’s mind over matter time and I give the last mile everything I got left – I look at my watch at mile 15.5 and I’m still in the 6:40 range –damn it, so I just push the last half mile like I’m in a race, along with a tail wind I end up averaging under 6:25 for the last mile. 

So all according to plan except mile 15.  

Here's the breakdown

Split	Avg Pace	Avg HR	Max HR	Elevation Change	Wind
1	8:02	133	156	39	3
2	7:23	151	166	13	-3
3	7:23	141	148	23	3
4	7:02	146	150	-42	2
5	6:42	153	156	-20	1
6	6:43	154	163	69	1
7	6:42	153	157	-7	0
8	6:38	154	157	-59	-1
9	6:42	155	157	6	-1
10	6:43	155	157	43	-2
11	6:37	151	156	6	-3
12	6:52	153	156	-3	3
13	6:26	156	158	-20	2
14	6:31	157	159	-23	0
15	6:49	156	158	23	-2
16	6:23	157	160	-20	-3
17	8:19	134	160	30	0
Summary	6:56	150	166