Sunday

Like a lot of runners, I am an introvert by nature. Running naturally appeals to the introverts because it's a solitary activity, unless you go out of your way to make it otherwise...That's why, in the months leading up to the start of the Endurance 50, I worried about how I would deal with being surrounded by other people constantly for seven weeks...every stride would be taken in the company of at least a few fellow runners.

The first few days of the North Face endurance 50 seemed to answer this question in an unexpected way. Far from draining the battery of my spirit, running with the other Endurance 50 participants charged it up. - Dean Karnazes in 50 marathons in 50 Days

Sunday was my last long run before the marathon. Like most runners, my training runs are a solo affair. Tami and I are both training for the Rock n Roll Seattle Marathon, and we agreed a few weeks ago that we would do the 20 miler together. Misery loves company and all that.

Few people would look forward to a 20 mile run, but I was actually a little excited about this one. First, there was the unknown factor of running the day after the Flying Wheels. I was curious how my body was going to react, and it certainly would train me to press on through fatigue.

But more importantly, I was looking forward to a little company. Our running group has been a little splintered this year. The past few years there have been lots of 5ks, 10ks and half marathons on the calendar. It seemed like there was always something on the horizon. This year we have all cut back on the paid events, but we've also stopped getting together to train.

Sunday ended up being a great day. There was a morning marine layer of clouds so it wasn't too warm. Tami and I set a comfortable pace that allowed us to chat and keep our heart rates in a reasonable range. The miles didn't exactly fly by, but they did go by more quickly than normal.

And there was plenty of inspiration out on the road. On our first out-and-back on the Burke-Gilman, we ran by a group of soldiers hiking in fatigues and full packs. They were on a 12 mile hike and probably just as thankful for the cool morning. We thanked them repeatedly for their service was we trotted by. It was quite a scene for Flag Day.

So all told, the big training weekend went pretty well. There are some muscle and tendon tweaks this morning, but no real injuries. Some numbers for the weekend:

117.5 miles
8:48 on the road
7110 calories burned
2 cold baths
2 pounds lost

Bring on the taper!