Dress Rehearsal

I, playing Kane Cloverdale, met up with the Vagtastic Voyager and McLovin', respectively played by Ian Nurse and Chris Voce, in Cleveland Circle at 7:30 this morning for a chauffeured limousine ride out to Mile 6 in Framingham. The three of us warmed up 4 miles to Mile 10, then Ian and I ran a 12-mile PMP to Mile 22 before regrouping with Voce at Mile 23 for an abbreviated cooldown around the BC Res, where we ran just fast enough to avoid the throngs of autograph seekers impressed by our collective display of speed along the marathon course. I opted out of a second Res loop so I could hit the road and get to my day job on time, which I was able to do without issue. All in all it was a very successful morning.

PMP breakdown...
10. 5:50
11. 5:35 (11:25)
12. 5:37 (17:02)
13. 5:32 (22:34)
14. 5:40 (28:24)
15. 5:27 (33:51)
16. 5:40 (39:31)
17. 5:34 (45:05)
18. 5:27 (50:32)
19. 5:38 (56:10)
20. 5:40 (61:50)
21. 5:27 (67:17)

Average mile - 5:36.4
6-mile splits - 33:51 (5:38.5)/33:26 (5:34.3)
4-mile splits - 22:34 (5:38.5)/22:21(5:35.3)/22:12 (5:33.0)

Very happy with this workout, even happier that I had Ian and Voce out there to keep me going when I wanted to throw in the towel. Thanks guys.

The wind blew, quite literally, for the first 7-1/2 miles of the PMP but didn't pose much of a problem after that. I experienced a few bad patches and had a couple good stretches, but if it weren't for Ian I surely would have cut this one short when the going got tough around Mile 18. Glad I hung in there and stuck it out for the full 12, heck the last 4 miles actually felt pretty good, as this was a perfect dress rehearsal for what it's gonna be like 3 weeks from now when there will be no refuge in mercy, there will be nothing to forgive and no one to issue dispensation. And at last, there will be no refuge in cowardice, because I will not afraid. There will be no alternative, it just has to get done.

OK, so I stole that last little bit there straight out of Once A Runner, but it was fitting. I'm pretty sure John L. Parker, Jr. won't mind.