Bailed on and Boston Bound : Let the Taper Begin!

I have been looking at the forecast for the last week. Sundays forecast was spot on all week.
50's and Sunny.
Could the last long run for training be any more perfect?
Other than everyone BAILING on me, it was great.

Monica Drake with the Oakland Press was coming out to meet me and some runners for interview and pictures at Indian Springs.
The article is dedicated to the Boston Marathon. I was supposed to have good size group of Boston Runners out there but..Yeah, the sunshine must have detoured them!

The really cool thing about today's run was I had the opportunity to meet 2 really great runners for the first time. I have a client, Karen, who has spoke about her sister in law, Kathleen, who was training for Boston. That same week I was in the cold Plunge and a random person was chatting with me. As we tried to ignore the frigid temperature she asked if I knew a runner named "Kathleen"
It just so happened to be the same person!

I sent Kathleen a message on Facebook. Back and forth we shared little bits about ourselves. I asked her if she would like to join us at Indian Springs. We conversed until about 10pm. She finished with accepting my invitation to Indian Springs.

We were supposed to meet at 1pm. I like to get there at 12 and run a few miles solo. I was scheduled to run 22 miles today. As I approached mile 2, a lady was hiding water and asked if I was "Anita".
Without thinking I smiled and said "Yes". It was Kathleen! I quickly explained I was running 5 miles and would meet her back by the bathrooms at 1pm.

Off I continued.

At mile 3, I passed 2 runners and heard my name called. It was Mike from DM. I also ran a trail run with him and about 15 other runners last year. I invited him to meet the group with Monica.

I finished my few miles solo and met back by the bathrooms to meet the "group".

The "group" ended up being us 4! Kathleen, Rochelle (Kathleen running partner),Mike, and I. Everyone else bailed.

Monica showed up and interviewed us. She took pictures and videos. We had fun.
Mike had just finished running 16 miles, He headed out when Monica finished
.
Rochelle and Kathleen are training under the Hansons Plan. Their plan was to run 10 miles at a 8:40 pace. I really wanted to run that with them. I had already ran 5 at a 8:45 pace. I decided to go for it.
They both are great runners. Rochelle had to bail after 4 miles she was having some pains.
My Garmin died so Kathleen was trying to pace us. After running 10 miles we looked at our pace and it was 8:25. A bit to fast. I still had 7 to go.
We said our goodbyes, wishing we were all in the same corral for Boston. Then they left me to finish on my own.
22 miles. I began recalculating that plan, after all I had just ran much faster than I had planned. MUCH.
I Bailed too. I ran a little over 5 ,making my total miles a  little over 20 total.

RUNDOWN:
Distance: 20.45
Pace: Ave. 8:45
Weekly Miles: 52 miles



I got a little package in the mail!!! My stomach does flip flops when I see all this information.
I will share my bib number and corral tomorrow.

It was a great run today. I was really nervous before I started. Once you are out there running, everything just falls into place. It is like a puzzle. Running just fits perfect.

Anita