Long Run Sunday

In my third week of marathon training for the Colfax Marathon and Sunday once again was my long run. It was a 10 mile effort today. While it may sound ridiculous to my non running readers, there are times when the long run is effortless and the miles just fall by. Today was not one of those days and afterward I could see I was pushing a bit hard for a distance like that. The lessons I have gained from trying this a few times have been helpful. One, always bring more water than you think you will need. Two, have a little cash because finishing at home is ok, but finishing with a tasty mocha at a nearby coffee shop is better. Three, take it easy on a long run; the benefits are not from the speed but the consistent effort. Today I achieved 2 out of 3. Unwittingly I pushed too hard the entire run and while part of me wants to say, "hell yeah," I also know and respect the reasons for taking it easy. My Sundays runs will continue to get longer till the taper period and an injury from overexertion is pretty humbling. I am training harder and more thoroughly for this marathon than I have before, but that is all the more reason to not tweak this component as well. Here's hoping next Sunday I can report an effortless 12 miler.