Single Digits

The long run for the week was 8 miles... wow only 8 miles, even though I am about to run my 5th marathon in just a little over a year on Saturday it still feels weird when I say only 10 miles or 8 miles.
It also still feels weird to think that sleeping until 5:30 on Saturday and Sunday is sleeping in!! But after starting most of our long runs at 5:00am during the summer a 7:00am start feels so late!

Jane and I decided we would meet the 7am group at the elementary school. Michele and Vicki were also joining us along with Karen. Vicki had mentioned that she wanted to maintain about a 10:15 - 10:30 pace. That was fine with me! We have been doing most of our shorter runs at a 9:30 - 9:40ish pace so it would be good to practice race pace... well actually a little faster than my planned race pace but still it worked.
We also had a couple of new people join us, Angie and her daughter Kelsey. Kelsey is a senior in high school and a dancer very sweet girl, Angie was also very nice and a natural athelete. They ran with us for about the first 4 miles.
It was pretty chilly when we started around 42 degrees but windy. I had on running pants and a short sleeve and long sleeve tech shirt a bondi band and of course gloves. The bondi band maybe lasted 3 miles and the gloves hmmm maybe the same. I did keep the long sleeve shirt on for the entire run.
Joan, Biker Lisa and Karen also ran with us... I had planned the route but couldn't remember some of the street names so we would circle back when we would get to a cross roads to make sure they knew which way to go. As is usual with Jane, Michele and I we adjusted the route occasionally just for a change of scenery. The miles pretty much sped by and I would occasionally look at my Garmin and see that we definately were running faster than a 10:30 pace but it felt good and we all chatted and enjoyed the run. With all the circling back a big chunk of my planned route wasn't necessary so we ended up running up HWY 89 back to the school for the last mile.... I switched the screen on my Garmin to show our avg. pace and I think it was a 9:58. The last mile we all stopped talking and we took the last few inclines and ended our 8 miles with a 9:55 avg :)
After the run we waited for Joan and her gang to make it back and then we all went over to The Diner for breakfast.
Brenda had run out at Bethlehem rd. but she came to breakfast with us... we wanted to go to Daily Grind but they were closed.

Sunday -
Today Jane came over to my house about 8:00am we had 5 miles on our schedule, well actually 5.05... yes that's a weird number but that is what Jane needed to reach 150 miles for the month of November.. her highest mileage month ever!!
It was also my highest mileage month ever too... 182.1
Today's run 5.1 miles 9:41 avg. pace not sure what pace my mouth was moving but I talked the entire run!! I had a few things I needed to get off my chest and Jane understands some of the issues I've been dealing with as she also has to deal with similiar situations and people.
After our run Arland made us some coffee and Jane stayed and chatted. We spent some of that time going over goals and plans for the Marathon on Saturday... wow less than a week away now!!
Brenda started her traditional Marathon weather obsession e-mail's last week.. I think it was when she started sending those that it hit me how close we are to the Marathon.

Not sure what's on tap for the rest of the day.. it's cold with on and off sprinkles so maybe just another day inside.
I don't think I mentioned that on Friday while everyone else was out in the cold fighting the crowds shopping I was hanging out with Arland and Brett in my nice warm fuzzy pajama pants and big old sweat shirt. I never got dressed all day so obviously I never left the house and it was great!!!!