Objective: Endurance + Tempo ... A Daniels workout, modified for a few extra miles in the easy section: 2 mi w.u. + (4 x 6 min @ LT w/ 1 min rest b/t) + ~9 mi easy + (4 x 6 min @ LT w/ 1 min rest b/t) + 2-3 mi easy. Weather 50's F w/ loads of gorgeous, cool, performance-inspiring FOG. Ah... It's a good thing I got my favorite weather today because parts of this workout were torture! My second set of tempo intervals were so hard, and I did slow down about 15 seconds, but I gave it my all. It was so discouraging to have the slowdown, but this is the first time I've ever tried to do this very difficult workout: LT pace after so many miles and after putting in one set of intervals already. I don't know if I'm a sucker for punishment or if I just had to prove something to myself, but I decided to do my last couple of easy paced miles running up and down some nasty hills (Bandera and Palisades, for you locals). I'm wiped out but I also feel a bit redeemed after the LT interval slowdown. I just read through my old running log to see what kind of training I was doing the 2 months before last year's Portland Marathon, and to read my race report from that race. I was training well, but not as well as I have this summer, hehehe. I have to keep looking at stuff like that to reassure myself. When training, everything feels so hard and I can't remember how fresh the taper makes me, or how the excitement of race day and the presence of competitors (even at my slow pace) energize me. It just all seems impossible. 26.2 miles at a steady, moderately fast pace. Nope, impossible. Do you get that? So I have to read old race reports in order to believe. | 
